It is a mite cold, but the sun is still shining - luckily! As I blogged before, I hate (is that a strong enough word for the loathing that I feel?) the cold. I way prefer to have the long, hot (very hot) days of summer than to have the sun set at 5:30 pm, and whatever temperature accumulates during the day, vanishes along with it!
Amazingly enough my Landy has an airconditioner - that is used in summer - but I doubt if the heater has ever been used. I know that it was sold new to a farmer out at Heatonville. This is just outside of eMpangeni on the road out to the Nkwaleni vlley, on the road to Melmoth. I know it fairly well, as I used to do the run from Nkwaleni in to Empangeni. There is very little there - like most tiny little towns in South Africa - a road through,a police station (maybe) and a farmers hall - nothing much else!
Ulundi is quite a lot larger - they have government buildings there and a Holiday Inn hotel. I have often been there to attend stock counts! The Holiday Inns were clients of our Durban Office!
I have been to Hlobane, auditing a coal mine there on behalf of the Pietermaritzburg office! I dont think there is even a town there! The only things of note there are a coal mine, and just nearby there are hot springs.
Other than that Hlobane has 2 claims to fame:-
In the Anglo/Zulu war of 1879, it was the site of a huge battle AND
members from our branch of the Church farm there!
All around the countryside are dotted these tiny little "dorpies" (Dorp os the Afrikaans for a settlement - usually not big enough to even be classed as a village! Adding the "ie" on the end indicates that it is really tiny - usually just a police station and a wholesaler - selling to the nearby stores! A big dorp usually has a fuel station and a railway station!
On a size classification, going down the scale, you get:-
Cities
Towns
Villages
Serrlements (usually with a few houses)
Dorps THEN
Dorpies!
I live in a village, but attend Church in a large town, officially classified as a City, but it is no where near as large as Durban, Cape Town or even East London!
In SA, the cities are no where near as large as the cities in England or in the USA.
Driving down the coast to Durban, you can see a pall of dark air where the atmosphere is polluted. Flying in to Johannesburg, the air for a long way around is really dark. They say that it is pollution from cars, but I think it is rather from factories! They are not concerned about Global Warming - only in the "creation of wealth" It seems that money talks - long and loud! Before "they" start complaining that I drive a V8 Auto, "they" need to clean up the act of the big businesses!
I truly dont believe that Heavenly Father would have created an animal that was capable of destroying the environment to such an extent that he kills himself! Flying to Cape Town, there are huge tracts of land where there is no farming, settlement, roadsor anything! Man wants land - to own, but not necessarily do anything with - but not THAT land!
I understand that the resettlement program, where the government bought farms and cut them up and dished the plots out to the natives, has a dark downside! A farmer had his farm expropriated. He used the cash he was paid out, to go and offer the "new" owners a price for their land! He bought the farm back for a fraction of what its worth, so the resettlement activity has made him rich, but still owns the land - legally!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
GLOBAL WARMING?
This is everyones general view of Blondie! Typically it is a Zululand view - any photos you take of animals is generally of the butt!
Thank heavens my view of Blondie is across a long yellow bonnet (otherwise known as a hood!)
:-)
If the planet is supposed to be getting warmer (Global Warming), why is it so cold in Zululand? Usually it is so very warm that you dont venture far from the airconditioners or the pool! Currently it feels like you can go ice skating on the pool, and it feels like any second, ice bergs will float past the coast on view! In fact you can never be completely sure that the white caps on the waves are not ice - except the current that runs down the East Africa coast is from India and the equator!
Typically, everyone around is complaining about the cold, but when it is hot and sunny, they complain bitterly that it is too hot! "They" are never satisfied! Really, just be happy the sun shines and in summer, the days are long even if they are warm! Cape Town is really depressing in winter, when you rise, dress then drive to work in the dark, because the sun has yet to rise, and before your work is finished, it is dark again!
I like the hot weather because in the cold my accident damaged muscles really complain and movement is difficult most of the time!
The upside (for me) is that there is literally no winter here! We go from full on summer (february) to mild summer (July). It is green here most of the time and to visit Johannesburg now is depressing! It is cold (their maximum temperatures are lower than our minima even on the coldest day!), grey (too much concrete), polluted (too much smog), too dry and brown and too populated! I have always been a loner - preferring my own company rather than that of others! Maybe this answers why I have not remarried - yet - but my ex has been through another divorce and many boyfriends! She is way more gregarious and outgoing than I wish to be!
On a busy day, 2 cars pass the gates of my home and amazingly, both cars live in my garage! There is a lot of movement across the lane from me, but they dont drive past my home!
I commented yesterday that the road ditch (used to be a tar speed bump) had been tarred over. I just wonder why they dont fix the lacework of potholes in Port Durnford, rather than wasteing money on creating speed bumps, then digging them out and tarring over the mess that is left! Maybe I'm cynical, but if it was the approach to Jacob Zumas home - or even that of Nelson Mandela? - it would never have gotten in such a state of disrepair! Disgusting really when repairs are desperately needed but the Roads Department is being intensively audited to see if they can recover SOME (not even all!) of the misappropriated funds! It seems currently that those in power are more interested in enhancing their bellies, not doing good!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sundry thoughts cont
I really enjoy my blog - especially as I can rant and rave with no way for others to tell me to shut up. If they dont like what I blog, they dont have to read it! In the meantime, I get to offload my thoughts and ideas.
I was highly amuzed today! Where I noted before that "they" dug out the speed bump and left a ditch, today they actually re-tarred the road - quite well as it turns out! The ex hump and recently a ditch is now smoothe tar!
I was at a business today when I noticed a pool of water beneath my 4x4. I opened up the bonnet (hood) and immediately saw a clamp that was not tight, and water was bubbling out! I tightened the clamp, and it appears now - after a trip to and from Empangeni - to have rectified the slow water leak.
The last time it was looked at - because the motor tended to overheat - I queried whether all the clamps had been tightened properly? It is purely a chance inspection that showed me where the motor was losing water - sure it was not a lot, but I should not have to fill the radiator every day! It took maybe 5 minutes and an ordinary screwdriver for a retired accountant, to get the problem fixed! I firmly believe that I was inspired to look under the bonnet to see the minor leak. Even as a retired pen pusher, I could fix the "problem"! Even if it is not completely fixed, I know where the problem of losing water, lies!
On Sunday, I saw a pipe from the radiator overflow bottle, leaking! I found that I had not tightened the radiator cap properly, and a small amount of water was escaping past the "O" ring on the radiator cap! I have been troubled in the last month or so with unexpected overheating of the motor, and I pray (earnestly!) that I have solved the problem! If I have, then it is no thanks to me or to the BMW trained mechanic! (my 4x4 was built by Landrover whilst BMW owned the franchise!
The V8 motor is still the same as Leyland used to fit to Rover V8 cars! I was amused when my Mom saw a new Porsche on the road. Her comment was that it looks the same as an Audi! Not surprising really, since Porsche Designers are not very ambitious about startling new shapes and at one stage, Porsche were owned by Audi!
In fact, as far as I am aware, when the 911 was developed by Porsche, the franchise was owned by VW, so not surprisingly the 911 looks like a suped up Beetle - engine in the back! The show "Top Gear" on BBC Entertainment is not exactly overenthusiastic about how daring the Porsche designers are! Even now, a new 911 looks not that far removed from a 911 built in the early 70's! Blondie looks like a proper Porsche - a family resemblance to it's smaller brother - the 924 - but with far more macho bumps over the rear wheels! Even the big brother - the 928 - does not look that startlingly different to my Blondie!
I was highly amuzed today! Where I noted before that "they" dug out the speed bump and left a ditch, today they actually re-tarred the road - quite well as it turns out! The ex hump and recently a ditch is now smoothe tar!
I was at a business today when I noticed a pool of water beneath my 4x4. I opened up the bonnet (hood) and immediately saw a clamp that was not tight, and water was bubbling out! I tightened the clamp, and it appears now - after a trip to and from Empangeni - to have rectified the slow water leak.
The last time it was looked at - because the motor tended to overheat - I queried whether all the clamps had been tightened properly? It is purely a chance inspection that showed me where the motor was losing water - sure it was not a lot, but I should not have to fill the radiator every day! It took maybe 5 minutes and an ordinary screwdriver for a retired accountant, to get the problem fixed! I firmly believe that I was inspired to look under the bonnet to see the minor leak. Even as a retired pen pusher, I could fix the "problem"! Even if it is not completely fixed, I know where the problem of losing water, lies!
On Sunday, I saw a pipe from the radiator overflow bottle, leaking! I found that I had not tightened the radiator cap properly, and a small amount of water was escaping past the "O" ring on the radiator cap! I have been troubled in the last month or so with unexpected overheating of the motor, and I pray (earnestly!) that I have solved the problem! If I have, then it is no thanks to me or to the BMW trained mechanic! (my 4x4 was built by Landrover whilst BMW owned the franchise!
The V8 motor is still the same as Leyland used to fit to Rover V8 cars! I was amused when my Mom saw a new Porsche on the road. Her comment was that it looks the same as an Audi! Not surprising really, since Porsche Designers are not very ambitious about startling new shapes and at one stage, Porsche were owned by Audi!
In fact, as far as I am aware, when the 911 was developed by Porsche, the franchise was owned by VW, so not surprisingly the 911 looks like a suped up Beetle - engine in the back! The show "Top Gear" on BBC Entertainment is not exactly overenthusiastic about how daring the Porsche designers are! Even now, a new 911 looks not that far removed from a 911 built in the early 70's! Blondie looks like a proper Porsche - a family resemblance to it's smaller brother - the 924 - but with far more macho bumps over the rear wheels! Even the big brother - the 928 - does not look that startlingly different to my Blondie!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sundry comments
Maybe Africa spoils one, but I was reading a comment on a blog where they commented on "Coastal Scotland" but I consider that anywhere in Scotland MUST be "coastal" even if their coasts are nothing like the coast where I live - blue sea crashing down on long, wide sandy beaches! Maybe i am spoilt, but talk to me of a coast, I picture the wide beaches here in Mtunzini or like the one in Beira, up in Mocambique!
They talk of the coast around the Cape Province, but I will not venture onto the rocks there and the beaches are so tiny, and the water is only just warmer than that which comes out of my freezer! Makes our sea seem so warm - 21 degrees celsius - warmer even than that of Johannesburg at mid day at the moment! The average temperature of the water in the Cape is around 11 degrees celsius. I personally feel that anything below 20 degrees celsius is JUST above freezing!
Makes you wonder where the "learnerd scientists" get their "crazy" ideas about Global Warming! If you take last week as an example, this is a crazy myth - we are getting colder, not warmer! To accident damaged me, anything below 20 degrees ninimum sends me scurrying for my oil heater! I am stunned when every year, Spring officially starts on September First, but in mid September it regularly snows up at Nkandla (just inland from Eshowe, that you can see the lights of from Mtunzini) and up at Melmoth!
Historically, the first battle of the Anglo Zulu war of 1879, was fought at Nyezane, a site that you can see from the war memorial graves at Gingindlovu! Nyezane is only a few hours cattle trek up the hills from Gingindlovu, so when it snows at Nkandla, it gets really cold here - too cold for me! Makes me wonder how comfortable the Anglo troops found war in Zululand! They arrived in mid summer - from mid winter in Britain! They had to march in heavy uniforms! Not surprisingly you seldom see photos of fat soldiers! What energy they did not burn off with excercise, they must have sweated out. They were fighting against native Zulu's who wore only skimpy loin cloths! If anything they could not have sweated bullets, as ammunition was at a premium from the word go! :-)
Watching DSTV, they mentioned the existance of "Land Bridges" like they believe existed across the Red Sea when the Israelites walked across to the promised land - on dry land! If a land bridge existed in the Middler East, what are the chances that a land bridge was how man moved from the Americas to the rest of the globe? Alternately, they walked across the polar ice cap! At least they were not of the opinion that man developed in Africa! Just near Johannesburg is a site called "the Cradle of Mankind!" I think that someone made existing evidence fit in conveniently with their view of how mankind evolved! They expound on the activities of dinosaurs, that have remains dating back millions of years! What then of the truth contained in the Old Testament? If we believe that - and I tend to do this more - then the world and mankind can only be a maximum of 6 000 years old! I fail to see why Heavenly Father would create something imperfect and let nature take its course to modify it to what exists now!
Call me crazy - millions do! - but I believe what I believe! Try though and explain that to the scholars?
They talk of the coast around the Cape Province, but I will not venture onto the rocks there and the beaches are so tiny, and the water is only just warmer than that which comes out of my freezer! Makes our sea seem so warm - 21 degrees celsius - warmer even than that of Johannesburg at mid day at the moment! The average temperature of the water in the Cape is around 11 degrees celsius. I personally feel that anything below 20 degrees celsius is JUST above freezing!
Makes you wonder where the "learnerd scientists" get their "crazy" ideas about Global Warming! If you take last week as an example, this is a crazy myth - we are getting colder, not warmer! To accident damaged me, anything below 20 degrees ninimum sends me scurrying for my oil heater! I am stunned when every year, Spring officially starts on September First, but in mid September it regularly snows up at Nkandla (just inland from Eshowe, that you can see the lights of from Mtunzini) and up at Melmoth!
Historically, the first battle of the Anglo Zulu war of 1879, was fought at Nyezane, a site that you can see from the war memorial graves at Gingindlovu! Nyezane is only a few hours cattle trek up the hills from Gingindlovu, so when it snows at Nkandla, it gets really cold here - too cold for me! Makes me wonder how comfortable the Anglo troops found war in Zululand! They arrived in mid summer - from mid winter in Britain! They had to march in heavy uniforms! Not surprisingly you seldom see photos of fat soldiers! What energy they did not burn off with excercise, they must have sweated out. They were fighting against native Zulu's who wore only skimpy loin cloths! If anything they could not have sweated bullets, as ammunition was at a premium from the word go! :-)
Watching DSTV, they mentioned the existance of "Land Bridges" like they believe existed across the Red Sea when the Israelites walked across to the promised land - on dry land! If a land bridge existed in the Middler East, what are the chances that a land bridge was how man moved from the Americas to the rest of the globe? Alternately, they walked across the polar ice cap! At least they were not of the opinion that man developed in Africa! Just near Johannesburg is a site called "the Cradle of Mankind!" I think that someone made existing evidence fit in conveniently with their view of how mankind evolved! They expound on the activities of dinosaurs, that have remains dating back millions of years! What then of the truth contained in the Old Testament? If we believe that - and I tend to do this more - then the world and mankind can only be a maximum of 6 000 years old! I fail to see why Heavenly Father would create something imperfect and let nature take its course to modify it to what exists now!
Call me crazy - millions do! - but I believe what I believe! Try though and explain that to the scholars?
Monday, July 26, 2010
Another new week
I am excited by what I learned this weekend! Now I just have to put it into practice!
It also shows me that my ex wife had made a doubtful choice when she threatened to divorce me. After about a years threats and her claiming that she wanted a divorce, and in fact moving in with husband #2, I was sick of the threats - and the adultery - and sued her for divorce. Turns out that I divorced her for the one and only valid reason!
Turns out that my daughter wants me to remarry Mom, but she has moved on - twice - and I truly believe that if I were to remarry her, it would only be until the next guy with plenty of cash, hoves into view! Even if my ex were free to remarry, I truly believe that I have moved on. Micheles views are no longer compatible to my views!
It also shows me that my ex wife had made a doubtful choice when she threatened to divorce me. After about a years threats and her claiming that she wanted a divorce, and in fact moving in with husband #2, I was sick of the threats - and the adultery - and sued her for divorce. Turns out that I divorced her for the one and only valid reason!
Turns out that my daughter wants me to remarry Mom, but she has moved on - twice - and I truly believe that if I were to remarry her, it would only be until the next guy with plenty of cash, hoves into view! Even if my ex were free to remarry, I truly believe that I have moved on. Micheles views are no longer compatible to my views!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Latest - Sunday
Today, I was discussing my situation with a member at Church. She pointed out to me that Christine really loves me - all the signs are to the effect that she is jealous of attention from other ladies! When I was speaking to Breeze Stander - a divorcee at Church, Christine was apparently shooting daggers with her eyes - at Breeze!
That amazes me since I am of the opinion that my ex was keen on pushing Breeze and I together! Shows that my ex's taste is not my taste! I was never attracted to Breeze, even though she seems to be a nice enough lady! She is just not my sort of lady!
I have to find a companion without Christines involvement. I understand that my ex's second marriage did not survive partly because Christine was putting the husband through hell! I have the opinion that Christine really wants me to remarry her Mom. That is kind of impossible because I am not the same man who married - or even divorced - Michele, and she is no longer my kettle of fish! We were never so compatible, but I have definitely outgrown my ex!
I am not happy to have my partners chosen for me! I am old enough - I think - to choose whom I want to spend my eternities with! Having barely survived divorce, I can sense who I really DONT want to be involved with! I do believe that I have been told that she who is in my cross hairs, is going to be the next Mrs Steve Killick. Hopefully, "next" equates with "eternal".
I know that she is scared of marriage, but I hope that I am not in the same class as her ex husbands! I even look different. What drives me is not what drives them. I only hope that she will see this soon!
I learned a lot from the Conference, that explains what I need to do to keep things moving ahead!
That amazes me since I am of the opinion that my ex was keen on pushing Breeze and I together! Shows that my ex's taste is not my taste! I was never attracted to Breeze, even though she seems to be a nice enough lady! She is just not my sort of lady!
I have to find a companion without Christines involvement. I understand that my ex's second marriage did not survive partly because Christine was putting the husband through hell! I have the opinion that Christine really wants me to remarry her Mom. That is kind of impossible because I am not the same man who married - or even divorced - Michele, and she is no longer my kettle of fish! We were never so compatible, but I have definitely outgrown my ex!
I am not happy to have my partners chosen for me! I am old enough - I think - to choose whom I want to spend my eternities with! Having barely survived divorce, I can sense who I really DONT want to be involved with! I do believe that I have been told that she who is in my cross hairs, is going to be the next Mrs Steve Killick. Hopefully, "next" equates with "eternal".
I know that she is scared of marriage, but I hope that I am not in the same class as her ex husbands! I even look different. What drives me is not what drives them. I only hope that she will see this soon!
I learned a lot from the Conference, that explains what I need to do to keep things moving ahead!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
District Conference
Today (saturday) was the first day of the first District Conference presided over by the new Mission President! From the talks given, it is apparent that it will be a great conference!
I think that I have been given some arguements where I can interest the right people! I KNOW what I have been prompted, and I know where I want to go! It is not as if I am responsible for giving others access to the joy that I have found, but I need at least to warm "them" before I "warn" them! I just dont want to come across as either too pushy or a religious freak! I get the feeling that some people are not receptive to the fact that they are not entirely in control of their destiny, although they do have their Agency to choose where their eternities end up! I kind of despair when I am told that when you die, that is that! I am confident that we are not here by accident, and that we have some eternal perspective!
It makes me cringe when I persuade a friend to come to Church with me, only to have a zealous member try to convince them that the only exit to the Church is through the Baptismal Font, and then, only after they have married me!
I have not had much success with conversions - the first investigator that I baptized, was active for maybe 3 months before he hit skid row. The second baptism that I managed, was active for maybe a month, before she went completely against the Church. Only my daughter who grew up in the Church is slightly active. She is a boarder at a school some 50 kilometers from her nearest Ward, so she has no way to be active, but I refuse to leave her at home whilst I go to Church! I have been too damaged at my home to leave her with the TV remote! I have been stabbed, robbed and stung nearly to death!
That gives me what a friend calls "the Warm and Fuzzies" - a feeling inside me that I have a task to complete here in mortality. Until I do this, I am kind of immune to death, although some of the aftereffects are not that pleasant! Maybe I am supposed to endure huge problems (some people say "If God loves you, why do you have to battle so much?") but I sense that I need to learn something from my trials - compassion? humility? love for others? - I knew in my coma, and that is why I survived my coma and other huge(?) trials, but I have yet to remember this whilst I am conscious! I started off thinking that this was one or two huge efforts, but I was advised 'Maybe it is a lot of smaller things added together?" When I heard this it immediately made sense to me - again with the "warm and fuzzies" - confirmation that this was/is the truth!
I do feel sometimes that I get insights into what this could be! Maybe I am "unhinged" but I dont get the impression that I am!
I think that I have been given some arguements where I can interest the right people! I KNOW what I have been prompted, and I know where I want to go! It is not as if I am responsible for giving others access to the joy that I have found, but I need at least to warm "them" before I "warn" them! I just dont want to come across as either too pushy or a religious freak! I get the feeling that some people are not receptive to the fact that they are not entirely in control of their destiny, although they do have their Agency to choose where their eternities end up! I kind of despair when I am told that when you die, that is that! I am confident that we are not here by accident, and that we have some eternal perspective!
It makes me cringe when I persuade a friend to come to Church with me, only to have a zealous member try to convince them that the only exit to the Church is through the Baptismal Font, and then, only after they have married me!
I have not had much success with conversions - the first investigator that I baptized, was active for maybe 3 months before he hit skid row. The second baptism that I managed, was active for maybe a month, before she went completely against the Church. Only my daughter who grew up in the Church is slightly active. She is a boarder at a school some 50 kilometers from her nearest Ward, so she has no way to be active, but I refuse to leave her at home whilst I go to Church! I have been too damaged at my home to leave her with the TV remote! I have been stabbed, robbed and stung nearly to death!
That gives me what a friend calls "the Warm and Fuzzies" - a feeling inside me that I have a task to complete here in mortality. Until I do this, I am kind of immune to death, although some of the aftereffects are not that pleasant! Maybe I am supposed to endure huge problems (some people say "If God loves you, why do you have to battle so much?") but I sense that I need to learn something from my trials - compassion? humility? love for others? - I knew in my coma, and that is why I survived my coma and other huge(?) trials, but I have yet to remember this whilst I am conscious! I started off thinking that this was one or two huge efforts, but I was advised 'Maybe it is a lot of smaller things added together?" When I heard this it immediately made sense to me - again with the "warm and fuzzies" - confirmation that this was/is the truth!
I do feel sometimes that I get insights into what this could be! Maybe I am "unhinged" but I dont get the impression that I am!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Richards Bay
This weekend is shaping up to be interesting. On Wednesday, I was called by the District Clerk, and advised that the District Presidency meeting for that evening had been cancelled - the municipality had cut the power because the Durban Physical Facilities had not paid the Electricity account! I just hope that they sort out their act in time for this weekends District Conference.
With no power, we would experience:-
No lights
No loudspeaker system
No airconditioning system
The entrance gates would not even work.
I wonder if Physical Facilities thought that they could save cash by not paying our account, or maybe the Municipality has mis-allocated the receipt! (That would not exactly amaze me!)
My studio apartment literally just around the corner from the Church, is different! It has a pre-paid electricity supply. When it runs out, you purchase additional time - at the local Spar if you need it! Great thing is that pre-paid power is slightly cheaper (they do not have to worry about bad debts or delinquent consumers! Once the money runs out, the power is automatically disconnected) The municipality needs no-one to monitor delinquent accounts, or service staff to go round, cut the supply, then reconnect it! Also great is that you can see on the supply box thingy, how much power you have left, at a glance!
I hope that between Wednesday evening and Friday evening, the problem has been rectified. I know that the actual debtor (he who pays!) is in Durban, where the consumer lives in the far out reaches of Darkest (literally) Africa. When we were part of Durban Stake, I felt that we were inconsequential because we are North of the Tugela River (the historic divide between Natal and Zululand)
I had a thought the other day.
If someone is educated in either Britain or worse in the USA, they grow up believing that nothing outside of the road to the local mall actually matters! I was shocked in Los Angeles when a friend of my brother stated "So you are from South Africa! I've been near there. It is just outside of London!" - Sure, only a 13 hour jet plane flight south! These sort of people stun me and they know nothing - except the local Mall!
On a program broadcast on BBC Entertainment - "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" the question was posed "Which of these 4 categories, are residents of the Southern Hemisphere?" listing Zulu's as one option and 3 other natinalities from the Northern Hemisphere! I will bet that there are even college graduates in the USA who dont know that there is even a Southerrn Hemisphere! I grew up knowing these things!
After having to "phone a friend" the contestant decided that he knew Zulus live in Africa, but was not sure if Africa was in the southern hemisphere or not! Even his friend - a school teacher - was not sure, so he guessed! I know that most of Africa geographically is in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is a huge continent that spans the equator!
American children do not even know that Zulus are from Africa. That amazes me since I live in Zululand, and have known that Zulus were native to Southern Africa for as long as I can remember! When I was in San Diago zoo, I came across a White Rhino, where the info placque stated "Caught in Hluhluwe Game Reserve!" I commented aloud "That is my home!" and those around me were stunned? "So you have these in your garden? - and "You're not black!" I could not help stringing a line and saying "When you cross the road, you look both ways - twice! Once to see if the road is clear of Rhinos and then to see if it is clear of traffic!" Everyone was stunned, but they swallowed it hook, line and sinker!
I even supported my brothers story that both of us had been bitten by a real live lion! Sure I have - the absolute truth, cross my heart - but it was maybe a month old and did not draw blood! It was called "Ruff" and like a kitten, all it wanted to do was to play - sharp teeth, but no power yet in its jaws!
I know that in South Africa there are some universities who pass students even if they dont attend classes - proven by the undeniable fact that a number of their students graduate without even being able to read or write, even if it is in their home language! Illiteracy is a HUGE problem! How they even get into university amazes me as they cannot even write their names, let alone write exams!
Another thing that amazes me is that current belief is that Man has descended from Africa! As far as I have always been aware, Adam was white. Natural African citizens are black or at least quite dark in colour! The coloured gene is quite dominent, so how did the white man get to bleach his skin? - Michael Jackson did not truly succeed! That makes no sense to me at all, especially after it was revealed that a skin of blackness first came about as a punishment for sin!
I have nothing against the native races of Africa - in fact there are a number of black gentlemen whom I really admire, for who they are and what they have achieved, not because it is fashionable!
With no power, we would experience:-
No lights
No loudspeaker system
No airconditioning system
The entrance gates would not even work.
I wonder if Physical Facilities thought that they could save cash by not paying our account, or maybe the Municipality has mis-allocated the receipt! (That would not exactly amaze me!)
My studio apartment literally just around the corner from the Church, is different! It has a pre-paid electricity supply. When it runs out, you purchase additional time - at the local Spar if you need it! Great thing is that pre-paid power is slightly cheaper (they do not have to worry about bad debts or delinquent consumers! Once the money runs out, the power is automatically disconnected) The municipality needs no-one to monitor delinquent accounts, or service staff to go round, cut the supply, then reconnect it! Also great is that you can see on the supply box thingy, how much power you have left, at a glance!
I hope that between Wednesday evening and Friday evening, the problem has been rectified. I know that the actual debtor (he who pays!) is in Durban, where the consumer lives in the far out reaches of Darkest (literally) Africa. When we were part of Durban Stake, I felt that we were inconsequential because we are North of the Tugela River (the historic divide between Natal and Zululand)
I had a thought the other day.
If someone is educated in either Britain or worse in the USA, they grow up believing that nothing outside of the road to the local mall actually matters! I was shocked in Los Angeles when a friend of my brother stated "So you are from South Africa! I've been near there. It is just outside of London!" - Sure, only a 13 hour jet plane flight south! These sort of people stun me and they know nothing - except the local Mall!
On a program broadcast on BBC Entertainment - "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" the question was posed "Which of these 4 categories, are residents of the Southern Hemisphere?" listing Zulu's as one option and 3 other natinalities from the Northern Hemisphere! I will bet that there are even college graduates in the USA who dont know that there is even a Southerrn Hemisphere! I grew up knowing these things!
After having to "phone a friend" the contestant decided that he knew Zulus live in Africa, but was not sure if Africa was in the southern hemisphere or not! Even his friend - a school teacher - was not sure, so he guessed! I know that most of Africa geographically is in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is a huge continent that spans the equator!
American children do not even know that Zulus are from Africa. That amazes me since I live in Zululand, and have known that Zulus were native to Southern Africa for as long as I can remember! When I was in San Diago zoo, I came across a White Rhino, where the info placque stated "Caught in Hluhluwe Game Reserve!" I commented aloud "That is my home!" and those around me were stunned? "So you have these in your garden? - and "You're not black!" I could not help stringing a line and saying "When you cross the road, you look both ways - twice! Once to see if the road is clear of Rhinos and then to see if it is clear of traffic!" Everyone was stunned, but they swallowed it hook, line and sinker!
I even supported my brothers story that both of us had been bitten by a real live lion! Sure I have - the absolute truth, cross my heart - but it was maybe a month old and did not draw blood! It was called "Ruff" and like a kitten, all it wanted to do was to play - sharp teeth, but no power yet in its jaws!
I know that in South Africa there are some universities who pass students even if they dont attend classes - proven by the undeniable fact that a number of their students graduate without even being able to read or write, even if it is in their home language! Illiteracy is a HUGE problem! How they even get into university amazes me as they cannot even write their names, let alone write exams!
Another thing that amazes me is that current belief is that Man has descended from Africa! As far as I have always been aware, Adam was white. Natural African citizens are black or at least quite dark in colour! The coloured gene is quite dominent, so how did the white man get to bleach his skin? - Michael Jackson did not truly succeed! That makes no sense to me at all, especially after it was revealed that a skin of blackness first came about as a punishment for sin!
I have nothing against the native races of Africa - in fact there are a number of black gentlemen whom I really admire, for who they are and what they have achieved, not because it is fashionable!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
GLOBAL WARMING
I know that there is a huge effort against global warming, but in the usually hot and sticky Zululand there is NO EVIDENCE of Global - or at least local - warming.
If I need to get warm, I fire up the heater - true it is not your average bar heater, but is an oil heater! Still, it uses Electricity - so called clean energy - but the generator is probably a coal fired one somewhere (Ermelo way?) Being coal fired, surely producing green energy (electricity) is in itself a source of carbon dioxide. Thank Heavens coastal KZN is a high density farming area - either sugarcane or Eucalyptus Saligna (Gum) trees, that are farmed usually to be cut up for Mine props, or even to be pulped for paper!
Question arises, do you get warm, or do you "Go Green" and freeze! Funny thing is that if you freeze, you go blue rather than green!
Also the air here is far more dense than it is on the Hi-veld (Gauteng way!) so is better for you! I have heard runners in races down at the coast saying that they dont need to breathe - the oxygen is absorbed normally through the skin. I dont like Johannesburg for several reasons, amongst them:-
There is no oxygen up that high
The air is dirty grey in colour - from the pollution from cars and factories
There are WAY TOO MANY cars around. Where I live, there are 2 cars a day that pass my home - and they both live in my garage! In Johannesburg at rush hour, you get a 20 kilometer traffic jam - 4 lanes one way - on the freeway!
After I was run down by the bread truck, I suffer from what I have been told is a "startle response" - where I react to unexpected noises - cars hooting - at me! - etc!
The best things about the big city are:-
The LDS Temple in Parktown AND
The road home!
I just hope that soon enough, a Temple will be built in Durban. Sure it will be the second Temple for SA but a Temple an hour south, will be great, rather than 6 hours at least inland! In the Salt Lake valley, there are many temples dotted around so if you drive across Salt Lake, you get to see many temples! Even in tiny little Britain, there are 2 temples in a close area - 1 in London and 1 in Preston, up near Manchester! A bit further away, in France there is another and I know of Temples in Switzerland.
If I need to get warm, I fire up the heater - true it is not your average bar heater, but is an oil heater! Still, it uses Electricity - so called clean energy - but the generator is probably a coal fired one somewhere (Ermelo way?) Being coal fired, surely producing green energy (electricity) is in itself a source of carbon dioxide. Thank Heavens coastal KZN is a high density farming area - either sugarcane or Eucalyptus Saligna (Gum) trees, that are farmed usually to be cut up for Mine props, or even to be pulped for paper!
Question arises, do you get warm, or do you "Go Green" and freeze! Funny thing is that if you freeze, you go blue rather than green!
Also the air here is far more dense than it is on the Hi-veld (Gauteng way!) so is better for you! I have heard runners in races down at the coast saying that they dont need to breathe - the oxygen is absorbed normally through the skin. I dont like Johannesburg for several reasons, amongst them:-
There is no oxygen up that high
The air is dirty grey in colour - from the pollution from cars and factories
There are WAY TOO MANY cars around. Where I live, there are 2 cars a day that pass my home - and they both live in my garage! In Johannesburg at rush hour, you get a 20 kilometer traffic jam - 4 lanes one way - on the freeway!
After I was run down by the bread truck, I suffer from what I have been told is a "startle response" - where I react to unexpected noises - cars hooting - at me! - etc!
The best things about the big city are:-
The LDS Temple in Parktown AND
The road home!
I just hope that soon enough, a Temple will be built in Durban. Sure it will be the second Temple for SA but a Temple an hour south, will be great, rather than 6 hours at least inland! In the Salt Lake valley, there are many temples dotted around so if you drive across Salt Lake, you get to see many temples! Even in tiny little Britain, there are 2 temples in a close area - 1 in London and 1 in Preston, up near Manchester! A bit further away, in France there is another and I know of Temples in Switzerland.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Creation of wealth
Since I am on a Pension, I am of the opinion that I need to create my own further pension type income! The easiest way for me to do this is to invest in property, then in 20 or so years time, the bonds will be repaid and I can earn rental income with no attached bond repayments. As an accountant, I figure that:-
Rental will always increase at least as fast as the inflation rate
The property will always be of physical worth - no matter how the economy may decline, the property in bricks and concrete will always be there! The recent downfall of the Zim Dollar is an example. Inflation was running at hundreds of per cent - a day! Property prices therefore increased by the same amount!
Sure, bonds are not free, but when the bond rate is 8% per annum, it pays to have a bond! If nothing else, this bond rate is a pre tax rate, as bond costs are tax deductible. For me (maximum tax rate) the effective rate is lower even than the inflation rate! I also found that the value of my unit has increased by pretty well R 100 000 in the 8 months that I have owned the property! You cannot get that sort of return in the banks. If the worst happens and the local currency is scrapped, there will still be a pile of bricks and morter that can be sold! I know that when our family left Zimbabwe, we had to leave money in a blocked account! Then the Government devalued the local currency by knocking zeros off of the buying power. Eventually, the value was eliminated completely! It may have been better to invest in a flat somewhere, and that would still have been of value! If I remember, when I was in the Army, you could buy a fairly decent flat for $ 15 000. When we left, $1 = R1 = US$1. If we had bought a flat, it would still be worth money, even though they knocked 6 zeros off of the value!
I am half tempted to buy an ocean going yacht! Then if we have to abandon SA (I dont feel that we will though) we have:-
An affordable way of leaving AND
An asset of worth that can be transported.
When we left Zimbabwe, we had a caravan, that we lived in until we could rent somewhere! It was only years later, Andy and I could invest in a plot of land (it was a sale after repossession by the bank) and we could bond that and build a home!
It is quite a load to own a unit that is not in the town where I live, but it works for me! I was interested in buying in Durban, but that is a bit out of the way! There are flats available on the beachfront, but these are not likely to attract the returns that I am getting in Richards Bay. That is a high growth area and I was extremely fortunate to find a reasonably priced (bought off-plan) unit! The original developer built 20 units, and has just started on the next stage of the development - 30 units. I have reserved one of these units, and I really think that I cannot go wrong! The development is in Via Cassiandra, that runs pretty well along the back of the Boardwalk - the local Mall that is kind of large for Zululand!
Rental will always increase at least as fast as the inflation rate
The property will always be of physical worth - no matter how the economy may decline, the property in bricks and concrete will always be there! The recent downfall of the Zim Dollar is an example. Inflation was running at hundreds of per cent - a day! Property prices therefore increased by the same amount!
Sure, bonds are not free, but when the bond rate is 8% per annum, it pays to have a bond! If nothing else, this bond rate is a pre tax rate, as bond costs are tax deductible. For me (maximum tax rate) the effective rate is lower even than the inflation rate! I also found that the value of my unit has increased by pretty well R 100 000 in the 8 months that I have owned the property! You cannot get that sort of return in the banks. If the worst happens and the local currency is scrapped, there will still be a pile of bricks and morter that can be sold! I know that when our family left Zimbabwe, we had to leave money in a blocked account! Then the Government devalued the local currency by knocking zeros off of the buying power. Eventually, the value was eliminated completely! It may have been better to invest in a flat somewhere, and that would still have been of value! If I remember, when I was in the Army, you could buy a fairly decent flat for $ 15 000. When we left, $1 = R1 = US$1. If we had bought a flat, it would still be worth money, even though they knocked 6 zeros off of the value!
I am half tempted to buy an ocean going yacht! Then if we have to abandon SA (I dont feel that we will though) we have:-
An affordable way of leaving AND
An asset of worth that can be transported.
When we left Zimbabwe, we had a caravan, that we lived in until we could rent somewhere! It was only years later, Andy and I could invest in a plot of land (it was a sale after repossession by the bank) and we could bond that and build a home!
It is quite a load to own a unit that is not in the town where I live, but it works for me! I was interested in buying in Durban, but that is a bit out of the way! There are flats available on the beachfront, but these are not likely to attract the returns that I am getting in Richards Bay. That is a high growth area and I was extremely fortunate to find a reasonably priced (bought off-plan) unit! The original developer built 20 units, and has just started on the next stage of the development - 30 units. I have reserved one of these units, and I really think that I cannot go wrong! The development is in Via Cassiandra, that runs pretty well along the back of the Boardwalk - the local Mall that is kind of large for Zululand!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Seniority at Church
The District leadership set up is based on the set up for the Church as a whole! A new Prophet is the next "step up" for the Senior Member of the Council of the 12 Apostles - time served, not age. On a District level, I am the senior member of the District Council. If we were a Stake, it would be the most senior member of the High Council. In a Stake, a new Stake President is appointed where the most senior of the High Council is chosen. Without trying to boast, I am the member of the District who is most in line to be either District President, or if we become a Stake first, am the future Stake President!
This is quite some concept to get my little mind around! Still it proves to me that I still need to learn. There is ALWAYS some aspect to learn from!
I have long had a feeling that I am being so groomed! When I left Sandton Ward, the Bishop pulled me aside and said that he believed that I would be either Bishop of Richards Bay ward, or in future would be Stake President! This kind of stunned me since I cannot talk for long, and when he told me, could barely speak at all! Still, I currently get to be Final Speaker at the branches in the District! If nothing else, my calling as District Concillor and as First Counsellor on the Branch Elders Quorum help me to get confidence!
I have not spoken as Final Speaker yet, in Richards Bay - mainly because I battle with the atmosphere in the Bay. I find that after 20 minutes, my diaphram tends to show signs of spasticity, and I battle to breathe. I have found though after I was hospitalised with bee stings, that i breathe better - and as a result talk better!
For years after I left school, I would not have dared to speak in public, but at Church, I get to be Final Speaker in Sacrament on average, every second month at present! Before I joined the Church, I would have freaked if you had told me that in 2010, I would speak with authority from the Pulpit - often. I kind of enjoy this privilege,and when I have spoken in the past, a number of the congregations have approached me and said that I spoke well - and meaningfully!
What I realised is that very few - if any - speakers have ever been attacked whilst behind the pulpit, and it has not happened for decades, where the speaker has been struck down by lightening! In the last 18 years, I have developed a sense of almost power! I am speaking, so am entitled to do so without interruption.
Also we are given a topic from the District President, to talk on. This is great, since I can draft a talk using the topic as a boundary. I am extremely fortunate that I have the LDS Scriptures - on a CD ROM - loaded on my computers, and I can use my keyboard to access just about anything! I marvelled that the Branch President is virtually the same although what he has in his brain, I have, on my computers!
I also have the impression that the BP resented me for years! When he went on Mission he had targetted the woman whom I married, as his eternal partner! When he finished his mission, I had married her, so he kind of resented me for that! However, I know that Michele would never have married him, and if she had, she would have divorced him. For years, he would not introduce his wife to me, I have the impression that he was scared that I would take her away!
I have found that the last few talks that I have given, have been on the given topic, but the talk that I have planned and drafted using Microsoft Word on my laptop(s) is only used as a guide, and the talk that I have given bears only a passing resemblance to what I have planned! I know this is speaking with the spirit, and I am so grateful that the Spirit works so hard on my case!
I have tried to explain this phenomenon to my headshrink, but I think that she has yet to be convinced! She has told me that she will not be interested in accepting my concepts of religion, but I truly believe that I have been assured - by the Spirit, in the Temple - that she is to be the next Mrs Killick! She tried to tell me that she was destined for Outer Darkness, but that is not my impression! I joked with her that I intend to drag her into Heaven!
This is quite some concept to get my little mind around! Still it proves to me that I still need to learn. There is ALWAYS some aspect to learn from!
I have long had a feeling that I am being so groomed! When I left Sandton Ward, the Bishop pulled me aside and said that he believed that I would be either Bishop of Richards Bay ward, or in future would be Stake President! This kind of stunned me since I cannot talk for long, and when he told me, could barely speak at all! Still, I currently get to be Final Speaker at the branches in the District! If nothing else, my calling as District Concillor and as First Counsellor on the Branch Elders Quorum help me to get confidence!
I have not spoken as Final Speaker yet, in Richards Bay - mainly because I battle with the atmosphere in the Bay. I find that after 20 minutes, my diaphram tends to show signs of spasticity, and I battle to breathe. I have found though after I was hospitalised with bee stings, that i breathe better - and as a result talk better!
For years after I left school, I would not have dared to speak in public, but at Church, I get to be Final Speaker in Sacrament on average, every second month at present! Before I joined the Church, I would have freaked if you had told me that in 2010, I would speak with authority from the Pulpit - often. I kind of enjoy this privilege,and when I have spoken in the past, a number of the congregations have approached me and said that I spoke well - and meaningfully!
What I realised is that very few - if any - speakers have ever been attacked whilst behind the pulpit, and it has not happened for decades, where the speaker has been struck down by lightening! In the last 18 years, I have developed a sense of almost power! I am speaking, so am entitled to do so without interruption.
Also we are given a topic from the District President, to talk on. This is great, since I can draft a talk using the topic as a boundary. I am extremely fortunate that I have the LDS Scriptures - on a CD ROM - loaded on my computers, and I can use my keyboard to access just about anything! I marvelled that the Branch President is virtually the same although what he has in his brain, I have, on my computers!
I also have the impression that the BP resented me for years! When he went on Mission he had targetted the woman whom I married, as his eternal partner! When he finished his mission, I had married her, so he kind of resented me for that! However, I know that Michele would never have married him, and if she had, she would have divorced him. For years, he would not introduce his wife to me, I have the impression that he was scared that I would take her away!
I have found that the last few talks that I have given, have been on the given topic, but the talk that I have planned and drafted using Microsoft Word on my laptop(s) is only used as a guide, and the talk that I have given bears only a passing resemblance to what I have planned! I know this is speaking with the spirit, and I am so grateful that the Spirit works so hard on my case!
I have tried to explain this phenomenon to my headshrink, but I think that she has yet to be convinced! She has told me that she will not be interested in accepting my concepts of religion, but I truly believe that I have been assured - by the Spirit, in the Temple - that she is to be the next Mrs Killick! She tried to tell me that she was destined for Outer Darkness, but that is not my impression! I joked with her that I intend to drag her into Heaven!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Further strange(?) notions
I awoke today and lo and behold, life looks great! The sky is blue as is the sea! The sugar cane is healthy, lush and green! Global Warming is not apparent here, since it is way too cold to go outside and enjoy life!
I am kind of scared about "outside", since that is where bees live! Sure they are cute little black and yellow striped insects, but the sting from even one will bring my allergies to the fore. Last time I was stung, I spent 4 days in ICU and High Care, and have to carry tablets to save my life if I am ever stung again.
Really amazing that I am - since I was so badly stung - now allergic to me! Apparently the anti venoms that my blood created after the bee venom was devoured, is safe - for now, but if I get even one sting, the anti venoms will have the sme reaction on me as if another several thousand bees sting me! I am therefore allergic to me! Go Figure!
I had a comment on my blog where I expressed concern that the world happily follows crazed fanatics who object to the "greenhouse gasses" created. I wonder if they even think that maybe greenhouse gasses are a GOOD THING! Sure that is not a fashionable concept, but we have our own agency to believe what we believe, and no-one can take this agency away!
Plants live on Carbon Dioxide, so the more we create, the better for plants and trees! I also have the idea that commercial crops are a source of clean air! They take the carbon out of the air and use it to grow. From my home you can see fields of sugarcane where the natural bush has been taken out! If anything the sugarcane is more environmentally than the original natural bush, since it must use up more carbon than the original trees! The more carbon dioxide, the more plants it can support! If humans eat too much rich food, what happens? Expanding waistelines! Is this a bad thing? Maybe not, unless you are a Playboy model! If plants are starved, they die. More CO2 is surely a good thing!
For the last few weeks, it has been way colder in Zululand than it usually is! Where is the evidence of Global Warming at present - not here!
I consider that Man is here to have Joy - says so in the scriptures, not to live under the continual threat of huge catastrophies! - I think that maybe this is a scare tactic created by the devil, to keep us too involved in dealing with threats, and not having time to enjoy life, the primary reason we exist!
I am kind of scared about "outside", since that is where bees live! Sure they are cute little black and yellow striped insects, but the sting from even one will bring my allergies to the fore. Last time I was stung, I spent 4 days in ICU and High Care, and have to carry tablets to save my life if I am ever stung again.
Really amazing that I am - since I was so badly stung - now allergic to me! Apparently the anti venoms that my blood created after the bee venom was devoured, is safe - for now, but if I get even one sting, the anti venoms will have the sme reaction on me as if another several thousand bees sting me! I am therefore allergic to me! Go Figure!
I had a comment on my blog where I expressed concern that the world happily follows crazed fanatics who object to the "greenhouse gasses" created. I wonder if they even think that maybe greenhouse gasses are a GOOD THING! Sure that is not a fashionable concept, but we have our own agency to believe what we believe, and no-one can take this agency away!
Plants live on Carbon Dioxide, so the more we create, the better for plants and trees! I also have the idea that commercial crops are a source of clean air! They take the carbon out of the air and use it to grow. From my home you can see fields of sugarcane where the natural bush has been taken out! If anything the sugarcane is more environmentally than the original natural bush, since it must use up more carbon than the original trees! The more carbon dioxide, the more plants it can support! If humans eat too much rich food, what happens? Expanding waistelines! Is this a bad thing? Maybe not, unless you are a Playboy model! If plants are starved, they die. More CO2 is surely a good thing!
For the last few weeks, it has been way colder in Zululand than it usually is! Where is the evidence of Global Warming at present - not here!
I consider that Man is here to have Joy - says so in the scriptures, not to live under the continual threat of huge catastrophies! - I think that maybe this is a scare tactic created by the devil, to keep us too involved in dealing with threats, and not having time to enjoy life, the primary reason we exist!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Reactions
I received a reaction from USA Green Energy Group, commenting on my blog where I commented on my beliefs about Global Warming! Usually Zululand is really warm, but the day I drafted the comment, it was really cold here! I even had to wear a jacket - which only happens about once every other year!
For Zululanders, it must be cold if everyone around is wearing jerseys and the beaches are deserted! I have a friend who farms up at Hlobane, near Vryheid, and he agrees with me - it is too cold for him if the temperature range is predicted to be lower than 20 degrees (celsius) minimum and 25 maximum. Freezing point is 0 degrees celsius.
20 degrees celcius is 68 degrees farenheit, and below that figure, my accident damaged muscles really complain! A thought crossed my mind "Where is Global Warming now?" When it snows in the Cape (1400 kilometers away), it gets really cold here in Zululand! At the coast, the minimum temeratures often exceed 20 celcius in mid winter. I grew up in what was then called Salisbury Rhodesia, and it got cold there (colder than Zululand) but never actually snowed. True that was north of the Tropic of Capricorn and I live some 11 hours drive south of the tropics. At school we learned, that is called the Temperate Zone. It very seldom snows in the tropics (maybe on high peaks) In fact it does not often snow in Zululand, but I seem to notice "cold" weather more since 1992, when I was run over by a speeding truck! The muscles and joints that were damaged then, are more seriously affected now! When they are cold, I can barely walk - even badly as I do!
My blog is my way of offloading my personal thoughts, and in no way am I intent on changeing anyone elses outlook. The scriptures say that we have our agency - freedom to think and act as we see fit! People have their own inalienable right (agency) to believe in Global Warming. Surely I then have the agency to query "modern theories" on Global Warming - especially as it directly relates to ME!
For Zululanders, it must be cold if everyone around is wearing jerseys and the beaches are deserted! I have a friend who farms up at Hlobane, near Vryheid, and he agrees with me - it is too cold for him if the temperature range is predicted to be lower than 20 degrees (celsius) minimum and 25 maximum. Freezing point is 0 degrees celsius.
20 degrees celcius is 68 degrees farenheit, and below that figure, my accident damaged muscles really complain! A thought crossed my mind "Where is Global Warming now?" When it snows in the Cape (1400 kilometers away), it gets really cold here in Zululand! At the coast, the minimum temeratures often exceed 20 celcius in mid winter. I grew up in what was then called Salisbury Rhodesia, and it got cold there (colder than Zululand) but never actually snowed. True that was north of the Tropic of Capricorn and I live some 11 hours drive south of the tropics. At school we learned, that is called the Temperate Zone. It very seldom snows in the tropics (maybe on high peaks) In fact it does not often snow in Zululand, but I seem to notice "cold" weather more since 1992, when I was run over by a speeding truck! The muscles and joints that were damaged then, are more seriously affected now! When they are cold, I can barely walk - even badly as I do!
My blog is my way of offloading my personal thoughts, and in no way am I intent on changeing anyone elses outlook. The scriptures say that we have our agency - freedom to think and act as we see fit! People have their own inalienable right (agency) to believe in Global Warming. Surely I then have the agency to query "modern theories" on Global Warming - especially as it directly relates to ME!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Only in Zululand
Only in Zululand do they put in a "speed calming bump" then decide to dig it up, so that there is a dip left. If you go by the road past the Port Durnford Chapel, they dont ever bother to fix the mess - at least have not done so for YEARS. It must be an employment opportunity thing! If they employ someone to do something (anything?) it does not matter what - build a traffic hump - then a month later, they employ others to dig it up, then in the future they will need to employ someone else to fix the road. What an immense waste of time, money, effort and materials! Then they claim that there is no money to fix roads that desperately need it!Typically, if you are employed to dig up a hump, it does not matter if you destroy the road! "It's not my job to fix the road!" - no wonder the goverment is constantly claiming to have run out of money to "fix" roads! Then they spend billions on new bridges for the Soccer World Cup! Really - where are their priorities? Then they have the cheek to turn round and blame "The previous white apartheid regeime!" Technically the previous regeime was not white, so how long will it be that we whites are blamed for non action! Then there is a hue and cry because I am African (born in Africa) although I am not black. I cannot even claim to be native, since I was born in Sinoia (now called Chinoye), although I am a naturilised citizen.
You can see from this picture thed wing mirror covers that I got to support the Soccer World Cup! I do not support Bafana Bafana, but am proud of my country, so have SA flags on my wing mirrors!
Last time I went up to the Reserve with Christine, she complained that we had not seen a Giraffe before lunch! However we came across this sight - mid morning!
True enough, this Giraffe was not going anywhere in a hurry, but was until not that long ago, a real live Giraffe. Lucky for you, this is not scratch and sniff, because the rotting meat smelt foul! It had probably been killed the previous day, as what meat there was around, was crawling with maggots. You can see vultures doing what vultures do best. When we came across the carcass, you could not miss it for 2 reasons:-1. Vultures were all around - on the road, on the carcass, in trees - everywhere - hundreds of them! I have since driven down this road to see if I could locate the bones, but as they say in Mexico - "Nada"
2. The road went straight past the site! This picture was taken from my Opel and not from my serious offroader! You can see how close it was to the car! We were kind of held up by a passing tourist who was blocking the road, so that we could not pass the stench in a hurry!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Visit to Game Reserve
This is Princess Leia, named after the heroine from my all time favourite movie series - Star Wars - I was introduced to the first 3 films of the series by my former Bishop, and one of my true friends! Once I saw the first 3 - episodes 4, 5 and 6 - and was hooked! I managed to get a box set of these initial films, and bought Episodes 1, 2 and 3 as soon as they were released.
I was impressed that the films kind of equate to the power of the Priesthood. Interesting because the Director is himself a member of the LDS Church!
I often lend DVDs to friends, but not my prized collection of Star Wars and my entire (3 DVDs) set of Monty Python. I know people who say that it is pointless to view a film more than once,. but I really enjoy my Star Wars films and humerous films like Monty Python (a very acquired taste!) and Johnny English - a complete spoof of James Bond - that is really funny - every time I watch it!
When I was at school, a classmate used to sing along to the songs in films like Monty Python - the feature films - and films like "Little Shop of Horrors" which despite it's name, is really really fun - again an acquired taste! I was always intrigued to know what was so great about them. I found copies of these films in different places - I FINALLY found "Little Shop" in Musica, last time I was in Cape Town. I asked in Durban, but they could lot locate it! Maybe I'm crazed, but they are too valuable to me to ever loan out and let them get damaged!
I usually get to see a heap of different animals. I still need to learn how to include multiple photos on a blog!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Another new day - part three
Another new week is about to dawn on us! I am taking the Elders from Richards Bay and from Nseleni, up to the Reserve tomorrow!
I am looking forward to it for 2 reasons:-
1. I always love the Game Reserve(s) especially since I bought myself a Landrover Discovery 2 - V8 auto! I feel kind of superior to anything else on the roads - except maybe a bull elephant! From the 4x4, you look down on any cars passing from the other direction. Maybe it is wrong to feel superior, but Heavens Above, I do!
2. It gives me the chance to photograph my car - as it were - in its natural habitat! In my Corsa, you could barely see over the soil turned up from when they graded the road, but from Princess Leia (Star Wars reference) you look down on the tops of the trees as you pass!
Apart from anything else, the motor is plenty large enough to run a powerful airconditioner - maybe incongruous in a Game Reserve, but I really enjoy it!
I usually get the Missioneries to pray for us to see leopard, but in the last 25 - 30 years, I have only ever seen one! Chances are that it will be another quarter of a century before I see another - hopefully not though!
I have also taken snapshots of the ex bumps in the road! Strange thing is that the dirt roads in the Reserve are often in better condition than the tar roads! The road past the Port Durnford chapel is not great - a series of potholes joined by a lacework of tarmac! - and it really needs a 4x4 to go there! 4 months ago, I had a District Speaking assignment out there and I took my 4x4. 2 months previously I took my Porsche and swore(???) that I would not punish Blondie like that again!
I am kind of anticipating seeing lion tomorrow. Generally I see lion about every 3 months, but the last time I saw lion, I saw pretty well a years rations in one swoop.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Zululand
Tomorrow, I shall use my digital camera to snap some of the sights of Zululand! On Monday I will be up in the Game Reserve, and I will probably only get to take snapshots of interesting Game. I hope we will see some interesting Game. I will then have the chance to include photos on my blogs!
I rather enjoy blogging, as it gives me a chance to express some of my innermost thoughts! I cannot encumber my headshrink with them as some of them are a bit "Out there!" Still it gives me a chance to express my thoughts and inner feelings! I do not have to face people who obviously are thinking that because I cannot speak clearly, I must be nearly brain dead! It always amazes me on the first Sunday of a month, when we are involved in a testimony meeting, that most of the youth are not able to speak as clearly as I am! My problem is that I have a spastic diaphram, where I cannot speak that clearly all the time! I realised that speech is not so much a function of your vocal chords, but rather a function of breath control. Thinking about this, it should have been readily known, as when I ran in races, I could not speak properly until I had recovered my breath. It is the same now! My diaphram does not take in enough oxygen, so I battle!
If anyone reads my blog, it is not apparent to them that I speak badly at times! That is a cross that I have to bear, but like is told in a church story, someone was invited into an area where there were numerous crosses. He asked "What are these?" and was told that they were humanity burdens. He was free to choose which burden he wanted to carry, and after much searching, he took up his own burdens. When asked why, he said "They are MY burdens, and I can cope with them!"
I know that I would hate to wish my problems on my worst enemy, as I know that I can cope with them, but I am comfortable with them. I dont know if:-
Others could cope OR
I could cope with different ones!
My trials are for ME to cope with and to learn from. If I fail to learn, what more can be done so that I do learn? I have learned that bees are not the cute yellow and black insects portrayed by Disney. Sad thing is that they nearly killed me! As I say, "you live and learn" - I lived and they learned, the hard way! Where I was stung there were thousands of bee carcasses lying, not quite knee deep, although that depends on who is talking. Not my knees, but an ant or a ghecko?
I often think that Heavenly Father had so much fun creating our world for us! I despair at how some "learned men" can get things so wrong as to "prove" that we evolved from swamp slime! Another thing that gets me going is the arguement that man is inherintely bad, and is creating Global Warming. That supposes Man is more powerful than his Maker! It amazes me that Man thinks he is so dominent, but even bees can kill us! Dont even get me started on how we are so brave facing elephant, rhino or even lion or leopard - from behind sheet metal, called a car!
I enjoy telling the Missionery Elders - usually from Salt Lake City - that I have survived being bitten by a lion. Ask my brother and he will confirm that I, he and our youngest brother have been bitten by a real live lion. Sure it was only weeks old and playfully bit us whilst we played with it! Being so young, its teeth were not so intimdating as to even break the skin. We had fun telling visitors to his home in LA that we were bitten - in Africa - by a lion. We did not let on at first that it was a lion cub - only about a month old! Still, a lion is a lion... is a lion. I still think that somewhere, I have a snapshot of "Ruff" the lion!
They could barely believe how we can live where you have to look both ways before you cross the street in case there were lion, elephant or rhino roaming! I suppose we sounded a bit like hunters of old, where the Game freely roamed the savannah, and were not fenced into Reserves!
I once saw a genuine African elephant about a kilometer from my home! It belonged to the circus that was visiting the village then, and was not wild! I saw a Zebra at the gate to the complex where I live! Sure that was wild, but not that wild! It was being herded back to it's home!
I rather enjoy blogging, as it gives me a chance to express some of my innermost thoughts! I cannot encumber my headshrink with them as some of them are a bit "Out there!" Still it gives me a chance to express my thoughts and inner feelings! I do not have to face people who obviously are thinking that because I cannot speak clearly, I must be nearly brain dead! It always amazes me on the first Sunday of a month, when we are involved in a testimony meeting, that most of the youth are not able to speak as clearly as I am! My problem is that I have a spastic diaphram, where I cannot speak that clearly all the time! I realised that speech is not so much a function of your vocal chords, but rather a function of breath control. Thinking about this, it should have been readily known, as when I ran in races, I could not speak properly until I had recovered my breath. It is the same now! My diaphram does not take in enough oxygen, so I battle!
If anyone reads my blog, it is not apparent to them that I speak badly at times! That is a cross that I have to bear, but like is told in a church story, someone was invited into an area where there were numerous crosses. He asked "What are these?" and was told that they were humanity burdens. He was free to choose which burden he wanted to carry, and after much searching, he took up his own burdens. When asked why, he said "They are MY burdens, and I can cope with them!"
I know that I would hate to wish my problems on my worst enemy, as I know that I can cope with them, but I am comfortable with them. I dont know if:-
Others could cope OR
I could cope with different ones!
My trials are for ME to cope with and to learn from. If I fail to learn, what more can be done so that I do learn? I have learned that bees are not the cute yellow and black insects portrayed by Disney. Sad thing is that they nearly killed me! As I say, "you live and learn" - I lived and they learned, the hard way! Where I was stung there were thousands of bee carcasses lying, not quite knee deep, although that depends on who is talking. Not my knees, but an ant or a ghecko?
I often think that Heavenly Father had so much fun creating our world for us! I despair at how some "learned men" can get things so wrong as to "prove" that we evolved from swamp slime! Another thing that gets me going is the arguement that man is inherintely bad, and is creating Global Warming. That supposes Man is more powerful than his Maker! It amazes me that Man thinks he is so dominent, but even bees can kill us! Dont even get me started on how we are so brave facing elephant, rhino or even lion or leopard - from behind sheet metal, called a car!
I enjoy telling the Missionery Elders - usually from Salt Lake City - that I have survived being bitten by a lion. Ask my brother and he will confirm that I, he and our youngest brother have been bitten by a real live lion. Sure it was only weeks old and playfully bit us whilst we played with it! Being so young, its teeth were not so intimdating as to even break the skin. We had fun telling visitors to his home in LA that we were bitten - in Africa - by a lion. We did not let on at first that it was a lion cub - only about a month old! Still, a lion is a lion... is a lion. I still think that somewhere, I have a snapshot of "Ruff" the lion!
They could barely believe how we can live where you have to look both ways before you cross the street in case there were lion, elephant or rhino roaming! I suppose we sounded a bit like hunters of old, where the Game freely roamed the savannah, and were not fenced into Reserves!
I once saw a genuine African elephant about a kilometer from my home! It belonged to the circus that was visiting the village then, and was not wild! I saw a Zebra at the gate to the complex where I live! Sure that was wild, but not that wild! It was being herded back to it's home!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Another new day - part two
I am aware that my daughter (Christine) has returned from Canada. I was fair enough to give my ex permission to take her overseas - although it was with much being heartsore! This was the woman who broke our marriage covenant(s) :-
One in the Church building in Pinetown THEN
For Eternity in the LDS Temple in Parktown.
What can I expect in return? I get ignored and still have to be here for when Christine decides she needs to talk to me! I just know that if I treated Christine like she treats me - only prepared to talk when it is convenient to her, her ex sep father, her school or her dog! Where on this list is the man who gave her life?
In the first civil ceremony, we covenanted to marriage "until death you do part! "
Then we were sealed in the Temple on the first opportunity - after 8 months or so of marriage. It was the first chance that I had to attend the Temple, take out my endowments and we were sealed for Eternity!
Something that I discovered was that since we were sealed, if our marriage was dissolved, then I could be sealed to a future companion, but my ex was only entitled to be sealed once unless she applied to be sealed to another! This sealing is done under the authority of the Priesthood. My ex was sealed to the Priesthood that I hold, as was my daughter.
My ex needs to have her leg of the sealing cancelled, to be sealed to another. I looked into getting our sealing cancelled, but for me to do this, I would cancel my sealing to my daughter! Sure I dont get to do the same fun things that my ex can do - swanning around the world - but I know that I will be sealed to my daughter - for Eternity!
The thing that really worries me is that my relationship with my daughter is badly dented as of now, but if she is not able to come to me, how can I fix things with her? There are 2 sides to our relationship and I am only one side! I get the impression that - like most kids - she is attracted to where the most money is spent on her, and not where there is love! I dont even know if she truly understands what love is? Her parents are divorced, and apparently so are the parents of ALL of her class mates! I grew up where parents were married and divorce was an unknown 4 letter word! I dont think that any of my school mates were from broken homes! Strange that things can change so much in 30 years, where 100% of the class are from divorced parents. My ex is hardly teaching by example - she is on to her 3rd marriage! Divorce is shown by her to be the solution to EVERY problem, and the concept of give and take does not exist!
One in the Church building in Pinetown THEN
For Eternity in the LDS Temple in Parktown.
What can I expect in return? I get ignored and still have to be here for when Christine decides she needs to talk to me! I just know that if I treated Christine like she treats me - only prepared to talk when it is convenient to her, her ex sep father, her school or her dog! Where on this list is the man who gave her life?
In the first civil ceremony, we covenanted to marriage "until death you do part! "
Then we were sealed in the Temple on the first opportunity - after 8 months or so of marriage. It was the first chance that I had to attend the Temple, take out my endowments and we were sealed for Eternity!
Something that I discovered was that since we were sealed, if our marriage was dissolved, then I could be sealed to a future companion, but my ex was only entitled to be sealed once unless she applied to be sealed to another! This sealing is done under the authority of the Priesthood. My ex was sealed to the Priesthood that I hold, as was my daughter.
My ex needs to have her leg of the sealing cancelled, to be sealed to another. I looked into getting our sealing cancelled, but for me to do this, I would cancel my sealing to my daughter! Sure I dont get to do the same fun things that my ex can do - swanning around the world - but I know that I will be sealed to my daughter - for Eternity!
The thing that really worries me is that my relationship with my daughter is badly dented as of now, but if she is not able to come to me, how can I fix things with her? There are 2 sides to our relationship and I am only one side! I get the impression that - like most kids - she is attracted to where the most money is spent on her, and not where there is love! I dont even know if she truly understands what love is? Her parents are divorced, and apparently so are the parents of ALL of her class mates! I grew up where parents were married and divorce was an unknown 4 letter word! I dont think that any of my school mates were from broken homes! Strange that things can change so much in 30 years, where 100% of the class are from divorced parents. My ex is hardly teaching by example - she is on to her 3rd marriage! Divorce is shown by her to be the solution to EVERY problem, and the concept of give and take does not exist!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Another new day
Even retired and living in a village, the pace of life is HUGE. I would not change it for many bucks! (Antelope maybe but not your vile green cash representations!)
I was at my psycologist yesterday. She was trying to convince me that she can read people, but that does not surely include people who consciously do not want to be read! I was warned by someone important to me that someone else I know tells you what they think that you need to hear, no matter if this equates to the truth even vaguely or not! they have been doing this for decades, so even if they were aware of the facade they portray, do they even want to chabge?
I have arranged with the Missionary Elders that we go up to the Game Reserve on Monday! The 2 elders in Richards Bay are bringing 2 other missioneries with them, and have the Mission Presidents permission. The way I see it is, I really enjoy going up, but feel that it is rather selfish to go up myself, especially as my 4x4 is plenty large enough to take 4 Elders with. My Opel was however kind of small to do this, but my Landy is plenty large enough!
I will take the opportunity to install new batteries in my camera's and get some photos that are relevant to my site!
I am kind of stunned! Up to now, I have steadily been gaining weight. When I was run over (1992) I looked like a matchstick that had the wood scraped off! It was because I was runniong so much! What I ate was not able to stick to my bones as I was easily doing 5 kilometers a day as a casual run, just to clear my head. I loved the freedom of being on the road, and kind of maser of my own destiny! It was up to me whether I did a kilometer or ran to the fuel station on the corner and back (5 kilometers round rtoute! Even then I had the choicer of returning home or continueing on to do 10 or more kilometers!
That is maybe my biggest regret - since I was run down (by my own car) My muscles are spastic (dont react properly to brain stimulii) and the more excercise I do, the worse off my muscles cramp. I was medically advised that the muscles cramp up but release by only a fraction. They cramp up 100% when instructed - some times - but only release say 99% Then they cramp up 100% of this 99% and only release 99% of that. The residual 1% is just not cramped or released. Eventually the muscles are so cramped up, they are only operating at 50% or less! I found this out when I was convinced that my hip - damaged in the accident - was collapseing! To control this, I NEED to take a muscle relaxant tablet every day of my life! I am kind of forced to be hooked on a prescribed drug, so does that make me a drug addict? I have the choice of either taking the drug or having muscles I did not even know existed, causing me hassles.
Even with the medical attention, I cannot run! My brain tells my muscles to work, and there is a tiny delay in them doing so! The effect is that my feet seem to stick to the ground, and I felt like I was running off balance. Maybe it is my lopsided way of looking at things that does not help so much! Still maybe it is that I need to put my efforts into other things like I do! Your interests change as time goes by!
I was at my psycologist yesterday. She was trying to convince me that she can read people, but that does not surely include people who consciously do not want to be read! I was warned by someone important to me that someone else I know tells you what they think that you need to hear, no matter if this equates to the truth even vaguely or not! they have been doing this for decades, so even if they were aware of the facade they portray, do they even want to chabge?
I have arranged with the Missionary Elders that we go up to the Game Reserve on Monday! The 2 elders in Richards Bay are bringing 2 other missioneries with them, and have the Mission Presidents permission. The way I see it is, I really enjoy going up, but feel that it is rather selfish to go up myself, especially as my 4x4 is plenty large enough to take 4 Elders with. My Opel was however kind of small to do this, but my Landy is plenty large enough!
I will take the opportunity to install new batteries in my camera's and get some photos that are relevant to my site!
I am kind of stunned! Up to now, I have steadily been gaining weight. When I was run over (1992) I looked like a matchstick that had the wood scraped off! It was because I was runniong so much! What I ate was not able to stick to my bones as I was easily doing 5 kilometers a day as a casual run, just to clear my head. I loved the freedom of being on the road, and kind of maser of my own destiny! It was up to me whether I did a kilometer or ran to the fuel station on the corner and back (5 kilometers round rtoute! Even then I had the choicer of returning home or continueing on to do 10 or more kilometers!
That is maybe my biggest regret - since I was run down (by my own car) My muscles are spastic (dont react properly to brain stimulii) and the more excercise I do, the worse off my muscles cramp. I was medically advised that the muscles cramp up but release by only a fraction. They cramp up 100% when instructed - some times - but only release say 99% Then they cramp up 100% of this 99% and only release 99% of that. The residual 1% is just not cramped or released. Eventually the muscles are so cramped up, they are only operating at 50% or less! I found this out when I was convinced that my hip - damaged in the accident - was collapseing! To control this, I NEED to take a muscle relaxant tablet every day of my life! I am kind of forced to be hooked on a prescribed drug, so does that make me a drug addict? I have the choice of either taking the drug or having muscles I did not even know existed, causing me hassles.
Even with the medical attention, I cannot run! My brain tells my muscles to work, and there is a tiny delay in them doing so! The effect is that my feet seem to stick to the ground, and I felt like I was running off balance. Maybe it is my lopsided way of looking at things that does not help so much! Still maybe it is that I need to put my efforts into other things like I do! Your interests change as time goes by!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
New today
Today, I have managed to get to see my darling headshrink. I enjoy seeing her, and it is her opinion that I have suffered enough from my MVA that I will have to endure my disabilities for the rest of mortality. I understand that in my afterlife, I will be able to have my perfect body restored. I kind of feel that I have to endure these injuries for 2 reasons:-
I will be a far more sympathetic leader if I understand a bit of what people endure!
Once I pass into the Eternities, I will understand what people go through!
I realise that I am meant to learn something for my future existance. Just a thought - Why is it so HARD? Still I realise more of what Jesus did for us on the cross, and it was no small feat, and my injuries/bee stings/stabbings are only small compared to what He did for us! I am more aware of this, and it makes me that much more grateful!
It also makes me more aware than I was BC (Before the Crash!) Thinking back, I have grown SO MUCH from BC. I am definitely NOT the same person, although I still feel the BC me screaming to escape my damaged body! It will be great, but I am not that desperate to pass through the vail!
I know that it is a bit "out there" to think like this, but I am comfortable with what I believe! I do also realise that I was allowed to survive by a loving Heavenly Father and that I was not being punished for something! I came to the realisation that I am meant to learn something from my experiences, that will stand me in good stead for the future - at least I hope so!
I will be a far more sympathetic leader if I understand a bit of what people endure!
Once I pass into the Eternities, I will understand what people go through!
I realise that I am meant to learn something for my future existance. Just a thought - Why is it so HARD? Still I realise more of what Jesus did for us on the cross, and it was no small feat, and my injuries/bee stings/stabbings are only small compared to what He did for us! I am more aware of this, and it makes me that much more grateful!
It also makes me more aware than I was BC (Before the Crash!) Thinking back, I have grown SO MUCH from BC. I am definitely NOT the same person, although I still feel the BC me screaming to escape my damaged body! It will be great, but I am not that desperate to pass through the vail!
I know that it is a bit "out there" to think like this, but I am comfortable with what I believe! I do also realise that I was allowed to survive by a loving Heavenly Father and that I was not being punished for something! I came to the realisation that I am meant to learn something from my experiences, that will stand me in good stead for the future - at least I hope so!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Why worry - be happy!
I am a pensioner and have been since I was 35! Sure I dont have access to huge salaries, but I do not need to stress at the business world! Life with a sea view is way more relaxed than life with cars belching toxic fumes at you!
I was paid out a distribution from my ICL Pension Fund, and since this was completely unexpected, I put it in property instead of leaving it in the bank! Now I get rental income every month, and enjoy the fact that in the 6 months that I have owned my studio apartment, I do not have to worry about tennants - or the fact that the R 330 000 that I put up to buy it, has increased to at least R 400 000. There is NO WAY that the cash value would have escalated like that in a Pension Fund for MY benefit!
No matter what happens to the economy, I will still have a pile of habitable bricks and morter! The other benefit is that the developer has rented back from the owners, all 20 units that were built, and is letting them as occasional accommodation. A lot of the big businesses around rent them during the week, for their business associates visiting can stay there. It is better than a hotel room as the big businesses feed their clients. They use the swimming pool in summer. Once built the new phase will include a braai (barbeque) area that can be used for serious entertaining. I take my hat off to the developer for the initiative she showed in developing the 20 existing units, and they are building a further 30 units, that they want to sell, then rent back!
I have effectively rented my unit back to a person who developed it, so will take more care than your average tennant! As I said, why worry - be happy!
I was paid out a distribution from my ICL Pension Fund, and since this was completely unexpected, I put it in property instead of leaving it in the bank! Now I get rental income every month, and enjoy the fact that in the 6 months that I have owned my studio apartment, I do not have to worry about tennants - or the fact that the R 330 000 that I put up to buy it, has increased to at least R 400 000. There is NO WAY that the cash value would have escalated like that in a Pension Fund for MY benefit!
No matter what happens to the economy, I will still have a pile of habitable bricks and morter! The other benefit is that the developer has rented back from the owners, all 20 units that were built, and is letting them as occasional accommodation. A lot of the big businesses around rent them during the week, for their business associates visiting can stay there. It is better than a hotel room as the big businesses feed their clients. They use the swimming pool in summer. Once built the new phase will include a braai (barbeque) area that can be used for serious entertaining. I take my hat off to the developer for the initiative she showed in developing the 20 existing units, and they are building a further 30 units, that they want to sell, then rent back!
I have effectively rented my unit back to a person who developed it, so will take more care than your average tennant! As I said, why worry - be happy!
Surviving
Life in the Zululand fast lane is definitely not the same as the fast lane in large cities! It compares kind of like a dirt track to a national freeway - at rush hour! I find living here easy and very laid back, whereas when I go to a larger city, life is way too rushed. The locals talk about concepts like "Zululsnd time" and "Mormon time" and the way I see it is, there is normal time, then way slower is Mormon time (they dont start Sacrament until 5 to 10 minutes late!) then Zululand time meaning if it (an appointment or a party) start this century, why be in such a rush!
What is a scream to watch is when a Stake meetings we wre invited to in Durban started 5 minutes late (City Mormon time), Richards Bay (Zululand) generally arrived 20 minutes late! The huge kicker is they thought that they are not only on time, but early for the meeting!
Johannesburg is the worst, when the drivers there push your car around if you dont drive exactly as they do - 120 km/h in a 60 zone. Even when you are stopped at the red lights, they park so close behind you and get seriously irritated if you dont lay 2 black lines on the road surface every time you pull away. Dont get them started by delaying your pull away! I have never seen such gestures waved at me before! You cannot hear them (Thank heavens) but you cannot mistake the hand gestures or the mouthed insults! Also, they get really irate if you actually stop at a yellow robot and dont go through on the red. I was taught that yellow means slow down and red means stop. To them, green means Go, yellow means Go Faster and red means Stop - if you absolutely have no other choice!
Strange thing when they come on holiday to the coast, they still get upset at driving country style and you just want to stop and shake sense into their obese - bloated - bodies!
My head shrink (extremely attractive as she is!) is of the opinion that I suffer from a "startle response!" Startle me (by hooting at me etc) and I tend to lose it! Once I was crossing a roadway - IN A PARKING LOT - and some creep dared to hoot at me! I lost it, and kicked his car! I bet he will be more accepting of disability now! Sure the impact of my shoe made a noise - which shocked him - but there was no dent! It is not as if I did not have right of way! Typically he had GP numberplates - resident of Gauteng, home of way too many cars!
When I visit the Johannesburg Temple in Parktown, I often say that there are 2 great things about Johannesburg - the Temple, AND the road home! Where I live, if the road past my home is busy, 2 cars a DAY pass my home - and both live in my garage usually - a yellow Porsche and a V8 Landrover.
My Landy is brilliant as it is HUGE by any standard, and no-one dares to be annoyed at it! They realise that I can slip it into 4 wheel drive and drive over them without batting an eyelid! I probably would barely even notice it, especially as it has bush bars on the front, to push trees over with impunity!
I was once stuck in a traffic jam in Sandton (Johannesburg) for 2 hours. The sight of a "quiet" road with all 4 lanes, 2 going and 2 coming, really made me grateful that I dont have to battle like that every day of my life! It kind of saddens me that this is how the mother of my daughter wants to live, and bring my daughter up to "fit in' I see that if the world does not like the way I act, they can go elsewhere! Long ago, I felt the urge to live my life on more or less my terms! Dont try to push me to do anything I dont want to do because I can be a rock if I set my mind to it! True enough I can be reasonable (What???) but push me a little further and you will find out what I am capable of!
When I was married, my ex suggested to me that she would not want divorce if I too were sleeping around, but she caught the wrong end of a divorce order! I have never been tempted to sleep around, and am happy that the LDS Church agrees with me! Goodness, that is one of ther reasons why you are married - surely? The biggest shock at Divorce is again having to go out dating! That concept scares me! What scares me more is what percentage of unattached women out there are looking for a physical relationship before they have an emotionally stable relationship! I suppose I am one to talk here! I married the first woman that I seriously dated, and look what happened - the Big D. Still it does suit my lifestyle! I have never been a party animal, and I dont believe that it has done me ANY harm whatsoever!
What is a scream to watch is when a Stake meetings we wre invited to in Durban started 5 minutes late (City Mormon time), Richards Bay (Zululand) generally arrived 20 minutes late! The huge kicker is they thought that they are not only on time, but early for the meeting!
Johannesburg is the worst, when the drivers there push your car around if you dont drive exactly as they do - 120 km/h in a 60 zone. Even when you are stopped at the red lights, they park so close behind you and get seriously irritated if you dont lay 2 black lines on the road surface every time you pull away. Dont get them started by delaying your pull away! I have never seen such gestures waved at me before! You cannot hear them (Thank heavens) but you cannot mistake the hand gestures or the mouthed insults! Also, they get really irate if you actually stop at a yellow robot and dont go through on the red. I was taught that yellow means slow down and red means stop. To them, green means Go, yellow means Go Faster and red means Stop - if you absolutely have no other choice!
Strange thing when they come on holiday to the coast, they still get upset at driving country style and you just want to stop and shake sense into their obese - bloated - bodies!
My head shrink (extremely attractive as she is!) is of the opinion that I suffer from a "startle response!" Startle me (by hooting at me etc) and I tend to lose it! Once I was crossing a roadway - IN A PARKING LOT - and some creep dared to hoot at me! I lost it, and kicked his car! I bet he will be more accepting of disability now! Sure the impact of my shoe made a noise - which shocked him - but there was no dent! It is not as if I did not have right of way! Typically he had GP numberplates - resident of Gauteng, home of way too many cars!
When I visit the Johannesburg Temple in Parktown, I often say that there are 2 great things about Johannesburg - the Temple, AND the road home! Where I live, if the road past my home is busy, 2 cars a DAY pass my home - and both live in my garage usually - a yellow Porsche and a V8 Landrover.
My Landy is brilliant as it is HUGE by any standard, and no-one dares to be annoyed at it! They realise that I can slip it into 4 wheel drive and drive over them without batting an eyelid! I probably would barely even notice it, especially as it has bush bars on the front, to push trees over with impunity!
I was once stuck in a traffic jam in Sandton (Johannesburg) for 2 hours. The sight of a "quiet" road with all 4 lanes, 2 going and 2 coming, really made me grateful that I dont have to battle like that every day of my life! It kind of saddens me that this is how the mother of my daughter wants to live, and bring my daughter up to "fit in' I see that if the world does not like the way I act, they can go elsewhere! Long ago, I felt the urge to live my life on more or less my terms! Dont try to push me to do anything I dont want to do because I can be a rock if I set my mind to it! True enough I can be reasonable (What???) but push me a little further and you will find out what I am capable of!
When I was married, my ex suggested to me that she would not want divorce if I too were sleeping around, but she caught the wrong end of a divorce order! I have never been tempted to sleep around, and am happy that the LDS Church agrees with me! Goodness, that is one of ther reasons why you are married - surely? The biggest shock at Divorce is again having to go out dating! That concept scares me! What scares me more is what percentage of unattached women out there are looking for a physical relationship before they have an emotionally stable relationship! I suppose I am one to talk here! I married the first woman that I seriously dated, and look what happened - the Big D. Still it does suit my lifestyle! I have never been a party animal, and I dont believe that it has done me ANY harm whatsoever!
Monday, July 5, 2010
A brand new week
I really wanted to post some photos on my blog, but my cameras (both of the little individuals) had flat batteries. I need to go shopping then for AA penlight batteries! I found some AAA batteries, but they are kind of too small. I am going up to the Game Reserve on Monday next, to take the Missionery Elders up to the Reserve. I Will need them then!
I am not supposing that I have a sniff of a chance of seeing a leopard! I wave wanted to see one ever since I have been going up to the Reserve, and for the last 25 - 30 years, I have not maneaged to see one - except the last time I was there!
i fully expected to see one in or around trees, but we were driving near the entrance gate, late afternoon, when in a sandy area, there was one lying - in the open! At first I thought that it was a King Cheetah, but it was way more muscular than a cheetah. It was way too golden in colour to be a hyena, and was no where near as timid.
I did come across a group of Vultures on the ground, blocking the way past! They were feeding on a dead giraffe. In the background - running scared - was a hyena, and it was distinctly grey in colour. The only Hyena that I have ever seen have been terrified of the sight of a car, and were runing scared! The leopard that I saw was not concerned about ANYTHING and was lying out in the open.
So, one visit in a quarter of a century, and I see a leopard!
Strange to think that before lunch, we saw next to no animals, then as we were heading for the Reserve gate, we were first stopped by Elephant on the road, then rhino, then we saw the leopard! Some days, I see a whole lot of game even before we get from the boundary to the Entrance gate, but then some days, viewing starts out really slow!
I have to accept that I sometimes dont see Zebra, or Giraffe, but usually I get to see a heap of different Game! I just love being in the Reserve, even if I dont get to see anything - although that has NEVER happened! I recall that my ex stated that her Dad - a tour operater, had taken a group of visitors to see the Kruger Park, and saw nothing - except one tortoise! Maybe I just know more or less where to go, to see various Game
Saturday, July 3, 2010
The sun still shines
Normally Zululand (Tugela River to Pongola) is really warm, but lately it is freezing cold! As far as I am concerned, anything below a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius is really cold. Normally if it gets that cold, it has snowed at Melmoth (like 100 kilometers away) or even at Nkandla, just inland from eShowe, which you can see the lights of at night from Mtunzini or even from just as you cross the Tugela River. I know that you can see the village of Mtunzini from eShowe. You can even see as far north as Port Durnford - not that this is far from Mtunzini - in fact Port Durnford is on the northern bank of the Umlalazi river, and Mtunzini is on the southern bank!
I know someone who farms up between Vryheid and Ulundi, who independantly feels that anything below 20 degrees celsius is cold - so either I am not so crazy, or I am in good company when I am in his company!
True it snows at Nkandla which is about 20 kilometers inland (and up quite a climb up the hills) of Mtunzini. I hate the cold (is hate a strong enough word?) the cold weather, as my accident damaged muscles tend to freeze up (that is what it feels like!) and I can barely move! Not so long ago (last winter) I went to see my doctor as the lump on my upper leg from the accident tended to feel the cold and was really painful. It turns out that the huge bruise that the truck impact left on my leg had caused the blood to congeal, and as the lymph system was damaged, it did not drain properly.
Anyway I was referred to a surgeon in Ballito (nice new hospital) and he operated on my leg - cut me from my bum to my knee, and drained the gunk out! It has removed the lump, and it feels so much easier to cope with, but the doctors can do nothing about my accident damaged muscles.
I was expected to be in hospital for 2 days, but when they opened me up, they saw the blockage, and cleared it. I was in hospital for a morning basically.
I still insist that I am allergic to:-
Bees (ever since I was stung by thousands)
Hospitals AND
Doctors.
Turns out that the damage should have been attended to whilst I was in a coma, but they had way more important (THE most important) things to worry about! If they had not, maybe I would not be here today - I very nearly was not!
I know someone who farms up between Vryheid and Ulundi, who independantly feels that anything below 20 degrees celsius is cold - so either I am not so crazy, or I am in good company when I am in his company!
True it snows at Nkandla which is about 20 kilometers inland (and up quite a climb up the hills) of Mtunzini. I hate the cold (is hate a strong enough word?) the cold weather, as my accident damaged muscles tend to freeze up (that is what it feels like!) and I can barely move! Not so long ago (last winter) I went to see my doctor as the lump on my upper leg from the accident tended to feel the cold and was really painful. It turns out that the huge bruise that the truck impact left on my leg had caused the blood to congeal, and as the lymph system was damaged, it did not drain properly.
Anyway I was referred to a surgeon in Ballito (nice new hospital) and he operated on my leg - cut me from my bum to my knee, and drained the gunk out! It has removed the lump, and it feels so much easier to cope with, but the doctors can do nothing about my accident damaged muscles.
I was expected to be in hospital for 2 days, but when they opened me up, they saw the blockage, and cleared it. I was in hospital for a morning basically.
I still insist that I am allergic to:-
Bees (ever since I was stung by thousands)
Hospitals AND
Doctors.
Turns out that the damage should have been attended to whilst I was in a coma, but they had way more important (THE most important) things to worry about! If they had not, maybe I would not be here today - I very nearly was not!
Comments II
Watching the Amazing Race on DSTV, I am kind of stunned at how difficult it is for teams to travel out of their comfort zones (the local mall) and venture round the world! Foremost are comments like "this is SO hard") are common place.
What is even funnier is when they face a detour where they actually have to row a boat. Each boat always is equipped with oars and row locks, but the teams find it easier to lean over the front and paddle with theior hands! They are unable to see that rowing the correct way has to be easier, but they have never dome anything other than play video games!
It amazes me that the "clues" as to where to go next are not so much clues (that require brainwork to figure out!) but are specific instructions - and they still get it wrong! Admittedly it cannot be easy to navigate across the globe, and a common comment is "Why dont they understand English!" It is not even as if the teams can speak english - or at least anything resembling the Queens English.
What stunned me when I flew to LA via London, is that even in the home of English, they use strange dialects that are not exactly recogniseable as English!
I am of the opinion that "The Amazing Race" is more fair than is "Survivor." In AR the team eliminated is the last one on the mat, whereas in S, it is personality that counts! If I put my mind to it, I could complete the Amazing Race, but if I were in Survivor, I would be the first to fall! I am unable to run easily, and that would be a downfall for me!
What is even funnier is when they face a detour where they actually have to row a boat. Each boat always is equipped with oars and row locks, but the teams find it easier to lean over the front and paddle with theior hands! They are unable to see that rowing the correct way has to be easier, but they have never dome anything other than play video games!
It amazes me that the "clues" as to where to go next are not so much clues (that require brainwork to figure out!) but are specific instructions - and they still get it wrong! Admittedly it cannot be easy to navigate across the globe, and a common comment is "Why dont they understand English!" It is not even as if the teams can speak english - or at least anything resembling the Queens English.
What stunned me when I flew to LA via London, is that even in the home of English, they use strange dialects that are not exactly recogniseable as English!
I am of the opinion that "The Amazing Race" is more fair than is "Survivor." In AR the team eliminated is the last one on the mat, whereas in S, it is personality that counts! If I put my mind to it, I could complete the Amazing Race, but if I were in Survivor, I would be the first to fall! I am unable to run easily, and that would be a downfall for me!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Are others as much in need of psychiatry?
Driving to Church for a District Council meeting last evening, I was highly amused. At the eSikhawini/University turn off, someone has erected traffic calming speed humps. These were so rough that they brought the traffic speed to practically crawling speed.
Someone has decided that they were too much of a bump, so the authorities have tried to make them less of a sharp blockage on the road, by filling in the face in and out, making them more easy to pass! This has been done twice - to the same bumps - but the speed limit of 30 km/h is still way too fast! Tou come over the hill at 100, and if the road is busy, there are cars blocking the entire road weaving drunkenly from side to side!
They have even tried removing the centre of 3 bumps, making a hash of it! You now climb over one bump, dip through a trench where one used to (a week ago) exist, then over another bump! Sure they have calmed the traffic, but they have also created a far worse traffic hazard. There are signs of where some traffic has completely avoided the bumps, by creating a dirt track through the surrounding scrub. This is not great - the tarred roads are being ignored to create dirt roads!
I was aslo highly amused when driving from Blood River to Newcastle - en route either to or from Johannesburg, there was a traffic sign warning "No surface markings!" - really funny thing was that the road surface was missing entirely, as it had been dug up, ready to be retarred. It seems that even if it is nailed down, it is in danger of being stolen! Strikes me that not a whole lot of thought is put into road maintenance! They make bumps to calm the speed, then dig them up a month later leaving a ditch!
Then they leave surfaces to deteriorate completely, whilst wasteing money on creating speed humps that ARE going to be retarred - or dug up - a month later! In Port Durnford (5 kilometers away) the road that runs past the chapel there, is little more than a string of severe potholes, held together by a lacework of tarmac! Instead of repairing this road, the provincial authorities choose to create disgusting speed calming bumps elsewhere, and then dig some out, leaving rubble and a trench, or to smoothe over the bumps, to increase the traffic speed that they were trying to calm!
I understand that the new portable chapel for Port Durnford has arrived on SA soil. Funny thing is that where it is going to be sited, is a dirt road behind the existing pre-fabricated building. Dirt is easier to maintain than tarmac surfaces.
Amazing thing is that if you stick to the speed limit, the traffic anywhere, gets so upset with you that they tear past at goodness knows what speed, mouthing obscenties at you because you are law abiding!
Last week, I received a speed fine through the post for exceeding the limit by 1 km/h, but if I am going this slow, NO-ONE sticks behind me! Amazing thought is "How many of these speed fiends pay their fines? I understand very few!
Someone has decided that they were too much of a bump, so the authorities have tried to make them less of a sharp blockage on the road, by filling in the face in and out, making them more easy to pass! This has been done twice - to the same bumps - but the speed limit of 30 km/h is still way too fast! Tou come over the hill at 100, and if the road is busy, there are cars blocking the entire road weaving drunkenly from side to side!
They have even tried removing the centre of 3 bumps, making a hash of it! You now climb over one bump, dip through a trench where one used to (a week ago) exist, then over another bump! Sure they have calmed the traffic, but they have also created a far worse traffic hazard. There are signs of where some traffic has completely avoided the bumps, by creating a dirt track through the surrounding scrub. This is not great - the tarred roads are being ignored to create dirt roads!
I was aslo highly amused when driving from Blood River to Newcastle - en route either to or from Johannesburg, there was a traffic sign warning "No surface markings!" - really funny thing was that the road surface was missing entirely, as it had been dug up, ready to be retarred. It seems that even if it is nailed down, it is in danger of being stolen! Strikes me that not a whole lot of thought is put into road maintenance! They make bumps to calm the speed, then dig them up a month later leaving a ditch!
Then they leave surfaces to deteriorate completely, whilst wasteing money on creating speed humps that ARE going to be retarred - or dug up - a month later! In Port Durnford (5 kilometers away) the road that runs past the chapel there, is little more than a string of severe potholes, held together by a lacework of tarmac! Instead of repairing this road, the provincial authorities choose to create disgusting speed calming bumps elsewhere, and then dig some out, leaving rubble and a trench, or to smoothe over the bumps, to increase the traffic speed that they were trying to calm!
I understand that the new portable chapel for Port Durnford has arrived on SA soil. Funny thing is that where it is going to be sited, is a dirt road behind the existing pre-fabricated building. Dirt is easier to maintain than tarmac surfaces.
Amazing thing is that if you stick to the speed limit, the traffic anywhere, gets so upset with you that they tear past at goodness knows what speed, mouthing obscenties at you because you are law abiding!
Last week, I received a speed fine through the post for exceeding the limit by 1 km/h, but if I am going this slow, NO-ONE sticks behind me! Amazing thought is "How many of these speed fiends pay their fines? I understand very few!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Fears
I am terrified that my daughter will not return to school from Canada. I gave my consent for her to go, after much wrenching of my soul. At Divorce, I was given joint guardianship and I am NEVER consulted about anything! It is almost as if my ex looked upon divorce from me as a death, and because I am no longer married toi her, I ceased to exist!
Things improved since she now has 2 ex husbands, but it scares me that control over my relationship with my daughter is at the whim of my ex wife!
What does not help is when my daughter promises to SMS regularly, then days go by and I am just left hanging! I know that I gave my permission for her to fly to Canada for a month with her Mom, but it kind of freaks me out that I have given up my time for her benefit, and when she gets back to SA, she is seeing her ex stepdad, and for her half term, she is going to see her Gran. It is great that she is fsmily orientated, but what am I - chopped liver? True, I am disabled, but that is notihing strange for my daughter, conceived 8 months or so AFTER the accident of the century!
I pray it is the accident of the century, as I barely survived it, and anything worse WILL (for sure) kill me! I know that the mormon church teaches that after death, you move on to (hopefully) Eternal life - not just existing forever, but doing so in such a way that you make a DIFFERENCE!
Still, I have survived 2 car write offs, one bee attack that nearly killed me, and one human arttack where I was beaten onconscious - with hammers - then when I collapsed, they stabbed me - 8 times! I wonder why I survived? It must be because my mission in life is not yet over! What this mission is, I knew whilst I was in my coma, but the vail has been drawn over this insight. I used to think that it was to do something big and incredible. but my friendly - and beautiful - headshrink pointed out that maybe it was a lot of smaller good deeds, added together, rather than 1 or 2 biggies! As soon as she suggested this, a peace was felt in my soul. I KNOW that I am still alive for a reason, even if that reason is clouded for the moment. I get glimpses of where I am going in life, and these are comforting! I still suffer from incredible anxiety that Christine will not come back to SA, but it is hardly within my control. Still, I can have faith! I know that the scriptures talk of the "faith of a mustard seed" and sometimes I feel really small. That does not mean though that I should give up! I decided when I came out of my coma that I had the choice of lying in hospital, and giving up, but life is worth so much more!
Things improved since she now has 2 ex husbands, but it scares me that control over my relationship with my daughter is at the whim of my ex wife!
What does not help is when my daughter promises to SMS regularly, then days go by and I am just left hanging! I know that I gave my permission for her to fly to Canada for a month with her Mom, but it kind of freaks me out that I have given up my time for her benefit, and when she gets back to SA, she is seeing her ex stepdad, and for her half term, she is going to see her Gran. It is great that she is fsmily orientated, but what am I - chopped liver? True, I am disabled, but that is notihing strange for my daughter, conceived 8 months or so AFTER the accident of the century!
I pray it is the accident of the century, as I barely survived it, and anything worse WILL (for sure) kill me! I know that the mormon church teaches that after death, you move on to (hopefully) Eternal life - not just existing forever, but doing so in such a way that you make a DIFFERENCE!
Still, I have survived 2 car write offs, one bee attack that nearly killed me, and one human arttack where I was beaten onconscious - with hammers - then when I collapsed, they stabbed me - 8 times! I wonder why I survived? It must be because my mission in life is not yet over! What this mission is, I knew whilst I was in my coma, but the vail has been drawn over this insight. I used to think that it was to do something big and incredible. but my friendly - and beautiful - headshrink pointed out that maybe it was a lot of smaller good deeds, added together, rather than 1 or 2 biggies! As soon as she suggested this, a peace was felt in my soul. I KNOW that I am still alive for a reason, even if that reason is clouded for the moment. I get glimpses of where I am going in life, and these are comforting! I still suffer from incredible anxiety that Christine will not come back to SA, but it is hardly within my control. Still, I can have faith! I know that the scriptures talk of the "faith of a mustard seed" and sometimes I feel really small. That does not mean though that I should give up! I decided when I came out of my coma that I had the choice of lying in hospital, and giving up, but life is worth so much more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)