Travel

Watching my DSTV, I am intrigued by people who have made a success of international road travel. In "the Long Way Down" (down Africa) and "the Long Way Round" (London to New York - via Russia) and "Trabant Trek" (in which 9 students started out driving from Hungary to Cambodia - in cars that I would not give house room - but some made it!) kind of makes me keen to try driving in my landrovers into stretches that are off the beaten track!

It stuns me that in Third World South Africa, we complain about terrible roads like that in Port Durnford - a string of huge potholes, strung together by a lacework of tarmac -when there are places like the Pamir Highway in Asia (no tar on a track through the mountains) or the Gobi Desert - no roads at all! - which make our road network look like super highways.

Goes to prove that you dont always know when you have it good!

I would love to travel into the wilds of the world - except that since nerly dying from bee venom, I am highly allergic to bee stings! Knowing my luck, I would be stung when I was plenty of hours from medical attention.

Christmas

I am not ashamed to admit that I believe in Christ, and that it is worth believeing that - like every other human being - he was born.

I took my daughter shopping for gifts yesterday - maybe crazy to leave it to the last minute, but that is kind of how the cookie crumbled. The city of Richards Bay was CRAZY! The mall parking garage was full - for the first time ever. The traffic was insane and it was evident that the usual busy roads in Johannesburg had all emptied - and the crazies were all at the coast!

Late December is THE best time to be in Johannesburg since the crowds that are usually there, are all at the coast. I was in Cape Town for Christmas 2 years ago, and was stunned that at 10 am, I was stuck in a traffic jam on the N1 freeway into the city! Sure the city is stunningl;y beautiful, but not when you are stuck in 4 lanes of cars on the freeway - all going at precisely no kilometers an hour! Rush hour was ANY hour!

Since I was run down, I find that I tense up in traffic - strange since my accident happened on a fairly quiet road into the Kruger Park Game Reserve

Travel

I invested in DSTV, a satellite TV service where I get to view a heap of different TV Channels.

A while back, I discovered a series where some students were on a "gap year" where they bought 3 Trabant cars in Hungary and set off across Europe, the Middle East, and across Russia to eventually arrive in Vietnam. I found the series around half way through - "Trabant Trek" - and it makes me realise that travel - even in aged plastic cars - is possible, even if not easy!

I feel that it is possible to drive from Cape Town to Cape Horn, up Africa, across Asia and then down the Americas to Cape Horn. Since I am disabled (run down by a HUGE truck) and deathly allergic to bee stings, I feel that - exciting as a trip like this would be - I am physically unable to undertake such a journey!

Sure as nuts, I would be stung by a bee in the outer reaches of Siberia and unless I am fairly close to medical attention, I WILL die! I feel that I was spared death for a reason - that I have not yet fulfilled - and that it would be kind of ungrateful if I were to place myself at risk.

Sure it is possible to cross vast distances in just about any vehicle, but "Long Way Down", "Long Way Round" and "Trabant Trek" have told me that long journeys are possible - even desireable - but in my case are extremely impracftical. If I drive to Johannesburg, I do so with my windows closed - then the airconditioner works - and there is no chance that a bee can fly in the window and sting me!

I also found that in the far reaches of Africa or even in Russia (Khazikstan?) the roads are really in poor condition, and I thought that the road into Port Durnford locally was in poor condition! By comparison to some (non-existant) roads, it is like a super smooth highway!

Agency - right of choice

I was a bit stunned to find that I could excercise my agency freely and get a tattoo to cover a really ugly scar on my upper arm.

Some members of the LDS Church that I attend, say that they believe that Satan was denied being given the right and ability to influence our free choice, and effectively taking our agency from us - specifically MY agency to have a tattoo to cover a really ugly scar! Sure I hid the scar beneath shirt sleeves, but in Zululand, it gets really hot and humid in summer, and an inviting cool pool is really attractive. I often get the uncomfortable impression that when I am at the pool, I am an object where people are very inquisitive - and tend to look sideways at me - and often steer very clear of me, in case whart caused the scar, is catching!

My tarttoo is a way that I can live with my scar, just as the plastic surgery that I had done to my throat, is a way to make me feel much better about myself.

I know members who openly and vociferously voice their opinions that tattoos - and plastic surgery - are the work of the devil.

I have ammended my opinion of tarttoos - that I used to view as undesireable - although I never voiced against the idea - but I now see that the decision to tattoo yourself is an expression of agency. Just because someone happens to be tattooed, does not alter the fact that they may be "good people!"

Getting either plastic surgery or a tattoo is not necessarily evil, but often is to divert attention from scars. I dont know of anyone who purposely scars themselves! When next, disgust raised by some members, I will point out that we state that we believe that everyone has free agency, and it is WRONG - WRONG - WRONG to believe that any mortal can take agency from anyone else! That is kind of worshipping the wrong God - at least, is not the God whom I know is a loving God.

MY tattoo

I used to have (in reality, probably do still, beneath the tattoo) a really ugly scar after my accident. Sure it was hidden beneath the sleeve on my Temple Garment top, and the sleeve on some - but not all - of my casual shirts, but as soon as I dressed in my swinning trunks or went to bath or shower, it was definitely on very public display. In fact in the sun the scar went bright red (VERY noticeable!) whilst the skin around it went tanned. Within 8 hours, the scar tissue reverted to brilliant white surrounded by tanned skin. That made it far more visible. Like the trachae scar on my throat after I was kept alive in my coma by the trachae (hospital food is not great to start with, but liquidise it and it barely keeps you alive let alone put on any fat!) The scar was a prominent reminder every time I bathed that I was "different"! I dont need to speak much so the only thing that seperated me from "normal" people, was my scarring and the way I move! Sit down and I look normal (what really is "normal?") - probably a more accurate description is "invisible"! Now the scar on my shoulder has vanished and no-one questions tattoos. It is generations since where tattoo's are a remnant of prison sentences.

I know Branch Members (of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - LDS or Mormons) who are openly and vociferously (violently) against tattoo's or - worse - the sins of having plastic urgery! I see that these are ways where I can feel more normal in life, and that to me is important - more important than the outspoken views of an aged member - who has the opinion that Jesus gives us agency (the right to choose) but she has the right to influence HOW you choose - as if she is more powerful than Heavenly Father. Boy is she in for a shock when she finds out that she cannot excercise MY agency!

A comment was made after my first (and only) tatoo, that now I have one, I will be back for more! I was not initially in favor of tattoo art, but I have been enlightened that it CAN be necessary - or even as an expression of agency. Everyone - irregardless of what the reason - has the absolute right to choose to act as they feel keeps them happy. Sure some people go way overboard, but that is them excercising their agency and no-one - not even Satan - has the right to take this from them!

Tattoo

I know that the LDS Church are generally against tattoes, but in my case, my left upper arm carries an ugly scar from my accident. It would not be such a problem except that in the open air, the white skin of the scar first goes bright red, then fades the next day to a brilliant white!

I was inspired (I think) that a way to cover it up when I go swimming, was to have a tattoo covering it! I understand that in the afterlife, it takes time to remove tattoes, and that is part of why they are not encouraged by the Church, but I feel that it takes no less effort to remove a scar!

I know that plastic surgery is actively discouraged, but I voluntarily had the trachae scar on my throat covered up by plastic surgery! I did enquire if the surgeon could attend to the scar on my arm at the same time, but he was doubtful that plastic surgery could be effective!

I used to have a constant reminder every morning of the accident, in that when I shaved, I had to effectively shave around the hole in my throat. After I had the surgery, I KNOW that I feel better about myself and this confidence definitely improved my speech! Was it vanity? Probably! Was it necessary? For my self confidence, I believe it was. Do I need a tattoo? Practically, no, but again it will help to disguise a scar from my accident. When I see my scars I am reminded of the accident, just like the scar on my left leg reminds me of crashing my bike into a pile of garden cuttings, and getting a thorn deep in  my leg, or being hit by a brick thrown by my younger brother! I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!

If I were not supposed to have plastic surgery or a tattoo, then why would I have survived the accident to start with - or needed a trachae to keep me alive in my coma?

I know that some members would think that plastic surgery or tattoes are a sure sign of apostacy, but like everything else, we each carry our God Given right to choice! No-one can tell me that these are wrong! Sure it would be, if I were using them to look younger - or different - but every case has to be judged on its own merits!

As it is, my body carries scars from the accident that I dont like - as well as scars from childhood activities (a thorn in my leg - where I was hit by a brick - and where I suffered a severe graze from tree climbing! I am scarred, but that is as a part of growing up as an active child!

At age 51, I am sure grateful that I had an outdoor way of growing up, and it is not nice to look at how kids grow up now! Where we spent hours plaing in the bush, kids now spend time playing TV or Computer games! I would not change it for anything! I grew up enjoying the outdoors - the bush near our house, the Balancing Rocks not that far from home - and buying the Sailing Dingy(s) that I amd my 2 brothers bought - first was "Mike" (short for Microscopic - because it was he smallest dinghy on the lake!) - then our Goblin - much bigger and way faster!

My fingers are scarred - although this is not that noticeable and I have about 8 scars left from the wounds where I was stabbed and nearly died! If this is reason for Heavenly Father to deny me exaltation in the Afterlife, then so be it - although I am confident that He is way more forgiving than that immediate judgment!

Power?

Not so very long ago, it was reported that a swarm of bees had taken up residence in the chapel out at Esikhawini. This is not usually a problem, since the bees usually move off on their own - but not this time. The problem that arises is that in the coming heat, bees get somewhat angered and ignore their instinct that to sting means death - to them and to people like me! Sure I carry adrenelin ampoules and a syringe in case I get stung by even one bee, but I realise that if I get stung, I have maybe half an hour of consciousness before I die! The adrenelin gives me maybe an hours extra consciosness.

Last timed I was stung, I spent 4 days in the Intensive Care Unit at the local hospital. ICU costs way more than a simple bed in a ward, and I never saw the bill for the stay. It must have been somewhere in the region of R 100 000 - way more than it costs in a suite in a 5 Star hotel, and is not nearly as pleasant. First is all the noise around ICU. No matter how quiet they move, you hear it - and the food is frankly terrible! The only bright point was the Icecream and Jelly for desert - that the doctor freaked over. The bee venom in my system read as if I were suddenly seriously diabetic, and he refused to allow me to eat any sugar! I have monitored my blood sugar level since then, and it is regularly, too low!

I cannot even plan on driving to the nearest hospital, since the first thing that goes is my control over muscles - I cannot breathe properly, I cannot see properly, cannot stand and certainly cannot drive a vehicle - if I get stung. If I dont get relatively urgent medical assistance, I die!

Until I get assurance that the bees are GONE I cannot risk speaking on assignment out there!

I posted a note for discussion at our next District Council meeting, and received a prompt Email response from the District President that he had sent an Email to the Physical Facilities guy in Durban, pointing out that it needs to be attended to. We have to wait to see what transpires!

I would never have considered that I was powerful enough as to influence the Church in KZN to do something for the members out at Esikhawini - that by the way benefits my personal security! Summer IS coming - sometime - and heat drives bees crazy (I know this!) and I would hate for any of the members out there to go through even a part of what I suffered! Bee stings are not meant to be painless.

Where is the heat?

Late November and we are having an unseasonal period of cold weather. Usually it is steaming hot and very humid. The "experts" claim that this is because of the Pacific Ocean is cooling down. How then can they claim Global Warming in the same breath. Makes no sense that if we are globally warming, how is the weather in Africa affected by an ocean the other side of the globe COOLING?

I believe that "they" dont know which to actually believe in, so are covering their rears, claiming we are warming on one hand and cooling on the other. Meet them in the middle and we have no effect from driving V8 Automatic Landrovers!

This morning the local branch of the LDS Church held a branch braai with a difference - breakfast on the beach at Richards Bay! For a week we have had LOTS of rain, but today it was cloudy in Durban, but briliant clear blue sky in Richards Bay. It was predicted last week that we could expect 20 people to attend, but in the end there were between 45 and 50 people there!

You have no idea how delicious Bacon, Egg and Boerewors (translation - "Farmers Sausage" - steak instead of pork!) cooked on an open fire with a view of the ships wanting to enter the harbour, actually is! Truly magical!

It was a reasonable exchange for getting up at 5:30, to get the 55 kilometers to the beach - at Alkantstrand - "strand" = beach, and "Alkant" = "on every side" This is because to the east is the Indian Ocean and to the west is the harbour at Richards Bay - therefore "beach on every side!"

From the picnic site, you are right on the beach with clear views of the ships waiting to enter the harbour. What is amazing is that the pilots to assist getting the ships into the harbour, used to be taken out to the ships by Rubber Ducks (inflateable boats) but are now taken out by helicopter.

Being from the coastal area, most members were astounded. Being so close to the beach, we never go down there - kind of like spoilt for choice. I remember coming down from Salisbury and spending most of the day on the beach, much as most "Vaalies" (Johannesburg is in what used to be called Transvaal) do now. Living so close we never go to the actual beach - the sand gets EVERYWHERE. If you need to get cool, go for a refreshing swim where you are not caked with salt! The breakfast was really worth planning, and a really good way to promote branch unity.

My Life

I view my 51 years of existance (so far) as having 2 portions:-

BC - Before Crash AND

AD - After Damage

BC is kind of fuzzy in my memories and AD is all too omnipresent!

I know that tattoes are not encouraged by the LDS Church, as they are near impossible to change or Ctrl-Alt-Del - make vanish. The current problem that I am wrestling with is that on my left upper arm is a scar from the accident. In the sun, it shines up white, then goes really red, then does not tan and fades very fast to white again. I believe that if I get a tattoe on my arm, it will kind of disguise this scar. That assumes that the scar tissue can even take the ink from a tattoe. Under normal circumstances, the ink will be hidden beneath my sleeve, but when I an swinning - or showering - it will (hopefully) look better than an ugly scar!

I know that certain members of the Church branch that I attend, have actively voiced their opinions that plastic surgery is wrong, They dont know that I have had plastic surgery to my throat, to remove the horrible scar left by the trachae that I had whilst I was in a coma. Sure, the plastic surgery was not to repair a life threatening problem, but maybe fgor vanity.

I will say that since I had the surgery, I feel way better about myself and even speak better.

Dangerous thoughts?

I have recently been captivated by the idea that it is possible to drive - by land mostly - from Cape Point to Cape Horn. This is not an unusual idea, since someone else HAS attempted the journey - in a Landrover Defender.

I would think twice about such a trip, since I am:-
Disabled - by the MVA accident that ran me down in 1992 and left me with severe disabilities.
Deathly allergic to bee stings - IF I get stung by even one bee, the anti venoms created by my body after "several thousand" bee stings will swing into action just as if another swarm has stung me!
After I was stung, I was diagnosed as diabetic, but I have closely monitored my blood sugar since and "normal" is 6.9 and I am consistently under 5.5. When I was stung, the reading was in the region of 16 or 17, for days without any sugar!
Being LDS (Mormon) I do not drink alcohol, and several programs indicate that tribes in Siberia insist that you share a drink with them!

This is kind of means that the heart is willing, but the body is weak! I guarantee that I would be in the outer reaches of Siberia - far from anyone who can speak or even read English - and I would be stung. My Medic Alert bracelet that tells of my medical problems, will not do what it was intended. One sting and I am likely to either die or spend another 4 days in Intensive Care in hospital.

After I suffered brain damage, I have a problem where my muscles either dont communicate with my brain, or instructions are misdirected. I wish I could, but I CANNOT catch a tennis ball thrown at me! They bounce off of my palm before I get to close my fingers!

I cannot breathe smoothly (enough to cope with normal life!) and definitely walk wierdly. I am convinced that even a wierd walk is better than not being able to walk!

I found a site on the Internet that taught me several things:-

A bridge between Russia and Alaska, over the Bering Straits is approved, but the road infrastructure in Russia and to a lesser extent in Alaska is not at all good.

There have been recorded successful attempts at surface crossings of the Straits, one with Inflateable outriggers and several over the ice floes!

The Russian Government is VERY sticky about permits to go between continents, although this looks as if it will improve after the planned bridge is constructed (2030)

I am aware that the BBC show "Top Gear" had one of their special editions where the 3 presenters drove to the North Pole. If out of condition presenters can do this (and they did!) then it is very possible for many others to likewise do so.

Africa Killer Bees terrify me. Even driving home from Church yesterday, the screen was at one stage, peppered with the fluid from bee bodies from a swarm that expired on the windscreen. Sure as nuts, I would run into a swarm in the middle of Kenya or somewhere equally as far from medical assistance! The ones in the swarm that stung me were not your average cute black and yellow bodied insects, but were far darker in hue!

One thing that does encourage me (a bit) is that the bees realise that to sting something means death for them. Are they willing to commit suicide just to give someone discomfort - or in my case - death or a stay in ICU! Do they even have ICU in Ethiopia?

Trials

I am currently experiencing a few trials:-

My fancy wristwatch (Fossil) is not keeping time at all like it should. I bought it because it is a fairly fancy watch, and on Sunday it stopped so yesterday I replaced the battery. In half an hour, it still had lost 15 minutes. So today, it goes back to the jewellers and they either fix it fast, or I walk out with a new watch.

Last week, my 4x4 shed a broken V belt. On a Freelander, this belt controls everything - including:-
The alternator (so the battery would not chage)
The power steering (so it steered badly)
The water pump (so the water would not circulate)

I limped home and the belt was replaced on Monday and now it runs like a dream.

I honestly believe that the forces of evil are testing me because he feels that I am due for trials. Great is what the Bible promises - that Satan can try you but cannot kill you (that has not stopped him trying though!) I sense that I can cope with trials, and that I need to learn from them!

Realisation - philosiphacal?

I know how I feel about Christine growing up, and know a bit of the pain - and joy - that Heavenly Father must feel about his creations - namely us as humans! I know that it is not fashionable to believe in a supreme being, but I feel that His existance is a surety. Why else do we have our own paradise that we live in - even if we choose to live in concrete jungles with millions of others, or to live in the quiet next to the ocean, where hours go past and no cars go past my home! It is plain that we all have agency to live where we choose to, but that this agency does not change the consequences of our choices! Some want the wealth of large cities, but then complain that there is too much smog and noise. That is some of the consequences that we cannot avoid in excercising our agency!

I know that sometimes we look back on our choices and feel remourse, but in choosing a course, we are bound in accepting the consequences - as unpleasant as they may be! I would rather live where I cannot hear traffic above the noise of the waves on the beach, and it kind of suits me! Is this too simple? Maybe - but I feel deep inside my soul that it is right!

I know now a bit more of the pain - and joy - of what my parents felt about my growing up. I let Christinec drive up to school in "Mme Chloe La Frog Killick" - big name for a tiny car, on Sunday. Sure I was apprehensive - especially as she was driving up the freeway between Durban and Johannesburg. The traffic on this route is quite heavy in places, and I wanted to protect Christine, but she called later that she had made the trip without hassles. I truly believe strongly that this was no accident (pun intended) because I was able to give her a Priesthood blessing of safety and comfort. Millions out there disclaim a supreme creator, but I feel in my soul that one is in control of our ultimate destiny!

Time she does fly!

Last week, Christine passed her drivers test. She is now proud to be a licensed driver. It is somewhat great as she can now drive up to Mooi River herself!

She has taken over "La Frog" the french car in my collection of a French car, 2 British cars and 1 German car!

Yesterday she drove from Mtunzini to Richards Bay - a distance of 50 kilometers one way. She claimed to need to go shopping for beauty products. My ex was amazed as Richards Bay is 2 towns over - and can be busy!

I let Christine drive from school to Ballito. I kind of figure if I have to trust her to get to Mooi River on Sunday, I have to trust her with:-
My Landrover - in the mist and rain
La Frog on Sunday.

I am certain that if I get to give her a fathers Priesthood Blessing- as is my responsibility as a holder of the Higher Priesthood in the LDS Church, she can travel with heavenly protection. I know that many out there think that I am crazy to place my trust in a supreme being, but what is the alternative? Curl up and die? I was once a newly licensed driver, so I survived, Christine has a better than average chance of survival. Besides, I taught her to drive first - hopefully my concerns are less than if I had left it up to strangers - or even a worried ex wife! :-)

It honestly feels like yesterday when I held her for the very first time. I remember thinking then, "Sure she is cute but where is the Instruction Manual?" It is a case of directing a human life, on instinct and hoping to Heaven that you dont mess up royally. The way she drives, makes me think that I must have done something right! I freely put my hand up to trusting her more with Ladybug (my diesel 4x4) than I would trust my ex with my car!

Excitement?

Being on the District Council, I get to speak out at the ex twigs (branches in the Richards Bay District) that have - like everything else at the coast - grown beyond all imagination. A twig is a dependant unit that is going to grow into a branch! The only unit that was never a twig is the Mother Ship of the Richards Bay branch!

With a temple announced for Durban, I forsee that - like in the Amazon Basin - membership in the new Temple Area will take off! Would it not be great if a mini temple were announced in Richards Bay in the future? Dont hold your breath though! An hours drive to Durban is not so bad, considering that when I lived in Johannesburg, I was at least 45 minutes away from the Temple - less time if I had dared to venture on the busiest freeway in Africa. I have since realised that traffic gives me night sweats! I prefer to live where if 2 cars a day drive past, it is very busy, and 4 lanes of choked up freeway leaves me stone cold!

I was assigned to talk this last weekend at our Port Durnford Branch, and arriving there, I could definitely feel the love of the members. I have developed a style of speaking that I admired in the Stake President we had when we were part of the Durban Stake. He used to speak from his heart, and introduced humour in his talks. I find that this works for me - and is a great indication if the congregation at the back of the room understands what I say.

I can see that they are amuzed at what I say, instead of how I say it - and I am looking forward to speaking at District Conference sometime in the future. Then I know that I get maybe 10 minutes to talk, I am positive that I can cope with 10 minutes. I figure if they smile - or snigger - at what I say, there is a better than average chance that it will sink in - at least deeper than skin deep!

I am so glad that I dont need to battle against opposing congregations who are meeting when we meet and try to drown us out!

Durban beachfront

For the very first time in literally decades, I and Christine went down to the beachfront!

Usually when I go down to Durban, it is to either drop Christine off at the King Shaka Airport, or to collect her. The other day we had a bit of time to spare, so drove down to the beachfront! I have been there before (2 decades?) and boy has it altered!

We went down to the beachfront that is in front of all the hotels. There we walked out along a pier that extends far out from the beach and we got some good snapshots of the city as it is seen from the sea!

Behind these hotels is the city centre, with places like the Workshop shopping mall. Up the rise is the area called the Berea and Pinetown. To the left is Ushaka Marine World and to the right is the new Moses Mabida Stadium, built for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, top photo in the centre - the concrete arch! I understand the new LDS (Mormon) Temple - announced on Saturday morning, Mountain Daylight time - will be built a bit further north from this stadium. The King Shaka Airport is inland from this stadium.

The N3 freeway from Durban to Johannesburg, runs west (inland) from the city and the N2 freeway runs north along the coast. You can barely get lost in the city as to the east is the ocean, and you cannot miss that! It is not like Johannesburg - there you have to wait for sunrise or sunset to find out which way is North. In Durban, you cannot head east as the next land in that direction is somewhere in the far east.

Sea view

In front of my unit is another parkhome. Between this and the sugar cane field, is a HUGE tree. This tree had grown branches that completely blocked even the slightest sea view. Yesterday there was much noise as someone was hacking down branches with a chain saw. I now have a reasonably clear view down the slope to the sea. A photograph hardly does it justice. You can see just above the dune forest, the breakers on the beach! Followers can see from this photo that the countryside is green - this being late winter. From Pietermaritzburg (50 miles west of Durban) or even before that, the countryside is brown and dry! Flying from Johannesburg to the coast, you definitely can see from the plane when you are near to the coast! The countryside below changes from Brown to green!

Just off shore is Glenton Reef, a coral reef that is actually a breeding ground for sharks. The municipality did try to instal sharknets, but found that they were catching way too many sharks. The uproar ment they had to remove them. It is better for a few Gautengers to have their toes nipped, than to endanger sharks. At Easter and Christmas there is a ready supply of holiday makers, and sharks are way more inportant!

As it is, since records have been kept here, one surfer was bitten (lost her foot!) and 1 surfer claims to have been bitten - without loss of limb!

When we first moved into a house in the village, we had an incredible sea view, to the right of this view, where you can regularly see ships waiting to enter the harbour at Richards Bay.

I love living where the tiny road in front of my unit, divides me from my neighbors and beyond them is about a kilometer or so, of sugar cane fields, then the dune forest, the beach and the waves. Summer here, is a breeze - literally - as I get cool sea breezes all the time.

School holidays

Christine is writing her Matric Trial exams! Her 18th birthday was on Saturday and her mom treated her to a day in a Spa in the Midlands. Then she got permission to have Christine not at school for Monday or Tuesday as Christine had no scheduled exams on these days, so she took Christine back to Johannesburg.

Anyway things went wrong and Christine was admitted to hospital on Sunday with expected appendicitis. When she was 4 or 5, she spent time in a local hospital with suspected appendicitis. Her return to school by Tuesday has been expanded to late Thursday. I can only imagine the fallout if I had taken Christine for a day and a half, and only returned her some 5 days afterwards. Still if she was to be ill enough to be hospitalised, I am glad that she was at least with her Mom.

Strikes me as crazy that the surgeon refused to operate and remove the appendix. When I was at school - just after the Ark beached on Mount Arrarat - it feels like a whole lifetime ago! - a surgeon would have thought nothing about removing the offending appendix. I still have mine, but I am positive that I would have survived without it if they had removed it! I lost my tonsils when I was 5 or so, and have not missed them since!

Anyway, Christine starts her holidays on 21st September and I have been commanded (SWAMBO) to take my V8 Landy - and trailer - up to school to collect the luggage that Christine will not use next term. It is phenominal that in a year she has enough crap to fill a Landrover - and a trailer - and still have stuff in her Dorm at school. Boy is she fortunate that I changed from a 1.4 litre 4 cylinder Opel Corsa, to a V8 Landrover.

When I went to Cape Town for 2 weeks, I took one suitcase - small enough to be cabin luggage, but she needs 3 cases just for a weekend! Maybe I take what I need rather than what would be convenient! I just wonder why a woman needs so much stuff - and still goes shopping for more stuff! Thank Heavens for pieces of gold painted plastic (credit cards!)

She has booked her driving test on 13th. Hopefully she will pass (she drives very confidently!) and I can have my V8 back - permanently!

SWAMBO

I came across an acronym that made me smile - SWAMBO - or She Who Always Must Be Obeyed! I know that I am divorced, but even so, I find that there are people like this in my life!

My Mom, who insists that I am out on the road no later than 5, for fear of the sun setting and BM (Bad Men) coming out to attack the innocents (Me?) - as if I am THAT innocent!

My daughter - who is paranoid about me being attacked AGAIN! - I kind of feel that I have fought off an out of control bread truck - not THAT successfully!

The ladies at Church - who dont exactly like being told "NO!"

My female dog - who has some very set ideas on who is important in this life!

Luckily the lady whom I like to share my time with, is not as insistant! Being in her company is kind of a breath of fresh air!

I was divorced in 1998, and have not exactly looked back much since then. I am important in my life, and what I do surprises even me!

I have been helping my mechanic neighbor to service "Ladybug" - my diesel 4x4. He was battling to get the air cleaner cover back on and I felt that since he had only changed the air filter, that MUST have been the problem. I looked at the one that came out, and the plastic cover, and I had a flash of inspiration that MAYBE he had put the filter in upside down. He was scratching his head, and I made my suggestion. He kind of looked like he was sighing "What does HE know?" but he tried turning the filter over. Wonder of wonders, it now fits! It is obvious to me that the manufacturers have no intention of you servicing your own car! When you open the bonnet - something that I RARELY do - you cannot even see the air filter. Most cars that I have owned, this is in A circular type housing on top of the carburettor! (even a confirmed book worm like I grew up as) can recognise that. However in my Landy, it is kind of hidden away behind the motor beneath a cover. Even then, most filters are easily fitted, but in my Landy, it can fit in 2 ways, but only the right way can you tighten up the screws!

How any monkey can be trusted to do it with a minimum of supervision defeats me!

What also amazes me is that the oil filter is tiny. The fuel filters are so much larger - by a factor of about 10 or so! Obviously the fuel is more important than is the oil! When i bought the fuel filter, they could not tell me which one should fit! There are 2 types - one under the bonnet and the other that apparently fits underneath near the rear wheel! The cars that I have owned in the past have one TINY little white gubbins that fits under the bonnet somewhere - and even then, they fit with fuel flow in either direction. Why are things suddenly so complex - and expensive! I remember on Fred, the car that I learned to drive in. The fuel filter was in a metal housing, and when you serviced the car, all you had to do was to undo the filter, take out the element and ckean that in a bowl of fuel! I suppose that someone decided that this was not economical as the owner NEVER needed to buy a new filter. All he had to do was to scrub the old element clean in a bowl of petrol and - heavens sakes - it actually worked.

I have seen examples of rooftop tents - ones that fit onto a roofrack affair on top of a roof! This is a great idea if you are out in a Game Reserve, as an ordinary tent has the downside of easily being broken into by the likes of monkeys, Elephant or even lion. How likely is it that a lion will attack you if you are a long way from the ground? I am quite keen to look at seeing if I can instal one on top of my trailer, behind the car! This ranks up with the idea that I can drive from home to London - overland! Ewan McGreggor and Charley Bornman did it from John O Groats to Cape Town - although they did travel by boat part of the way! They also did London to New York - via Russia, so I believe it must be possible - although not easy - to do Cape
Point (Africa) to Cape Horn (South America) overland.

If the presenters of Top Gear can drive to the North Pole - as unfit as they are - it MUST surely be possible to go Cape to Cape - overland (even if some of this must be over the ice in the Baering Straits. The only thing against this is they did it on British Passports and I dont think that an SA passport holds the same sway! It should, but who knows. I know that in "the Long Way Down " (John O Groats to Cape Town) they had to abandon some team members to fend for themselves when Americans were not allowed into Libya. Would I be allowed into Germany or France - or even Russia on an SA passport? Sure my daughter has been to Switzerland on an SA passport, but Switzerland only took them part of the way round the world!

It is an interesting thought though, altough I would be loath to try it, especially since I am deathly allergic to bee stings - and need to carry a supply of scheduled drugs - muscle relaxants! These are no ways "Over-the-counter" medecines! I carry ampoules of adrenelin in case I am stung and need to get to a doctor in a reasonable hurry. The last timec I was stung I was in Intensive Care for 4 days! In the far out of the way stretches of Africa - or Siberia - I am not going to survive for longer than an hour without medical attention.

It is kind of a bummer being allergic to yourself! (If I get stung the anti venoms in my body now, will react just as if I have been stung by another swarm of bees!) Chances are however that statistically, I have been stung twice in the last 50 years - true, once by one bee then by the rest of the same swarm. I am so fortunate though. Just after I was hspitalised, so too was the Branch president from our Nseleni Branch. I have recovered with only relatively minor side effects, but he has been hospitalised at least every 3 months as a result of the stings that he had! He looks quite sickly now, and I am positive that I dont look as bad as he does - even if you discount the effects of my Road Accident that left me with immense problems!

It rather scare me that the Avocado tree in my neighbours yard is currently in flower, and mid morning, it is buzzing with bees, and there ia a constant rain or tiny white flowers. At least I know that bees have more sense than to commit suicide by stinging me! When I was stung by the swarm of bees, I saw that dead bodies littered the ground where the bees had died after I was stung!

Live and learn

Back when I was first out of school – the year that I served as a conscript in the Rhodesian Armed Forces – things like Word Processing – were not something that could be done! You could type, but back then, type writers were the ones that rang a bell when the carriage reached the end of a line! Tippex was common to fix mistakes. At school, I had precious little to do with typing and type writers were kind of an unusual occurrence. Digital watches were not common, and it stuns me now when school kids are now unable to tell the time unless there is a digital readout!

Maybe I’m crazy – or old fashioned – but for me a watch HAS to have hands to be of any worth. When I was running marathons, I used to use a digital watch that acted as a stopwatch.
I had to replace my watch recently since the one that I was wearing, broke and – wonder of wonders – the agents could not fix it! When I was run over in 1992, I had a Seiko watch that I was given as a birthday gift whilst I was still at school. When I was run down, my Seiko was smashed beyond recognition. To replace it with a new Seiko was far too expensive, so I had a variety of watches that were not so great – or as expensive. Turns out that I probably spent 4 or 5 times as much as I would have on an expensive quality watch!

When my watch broke irreparably, I found a watch that I was assured is made by the same factory as Seiko watches – a Fossil watch – that is guaranteed to have spares availability for at least the next decade! How many digital watches have anywhere near that sort of backup. Chances are, it will outlast even me – and that is saying something!

I am constantly amazed at Heavenly Fathers artwork. Where I live is always green and if it has not rained this week, it is classed as a drought. To see yellow grass to the horizon is something different. I have to question why some (most?) people believe that this world is a divine an accident, instead of crediting the art work to our creator! Not very far from this area, is the Drakensberge (Dragon Mountains) that in winter are white with snow. In Zululand we are not used to seeing natural snow. True locally we get “Zululand Snow” the fallout from cane fires, when cane smuts fall to the ground from out of the air!

When I was stung by thousands of bees, I was hospitalized and the General Practitioner attending to me diagnosed me as diabetic. My blood sugar levels were through the roof and the GP felt that I was diabetic. He would not even let me eat my jelly and ice cream – the only thing that made hospital food anywhere near palatable!

I am convinced that people in hospital only recover so that they can get to order meals out! Sure pizza is not healthy for you, but they are worth looking forward to when you are faced with some disgusting scrambled eggs!

I have found out that a “normal” blood sugar level reading is 6.9 – although 6.9 what is a complete mystery? I have an impression that the shock of bee stings pushed my reading up. I have a home testing kit, with which I monitor my blood sugar readings, but they are usually around 5.3 – or kind of low. I can feel if my blood sugar is getting low, so I can eat “luxuries” like the occasional (very occasional) box of Smarties. I kind of remember these from before we had economic sanctions in Rhodesia. Back then (40 years ago) you could by quality sweets in the local Greek corner café! Then they could not be imported, and we used to stock up with them when we came to the coast for holidays. Local chocolate was terrible quality. We only used to eat it because there were no alternatives! One thing that has not changed is the taste of Coca Cola – that has remained the same ever since I can remember. I not missed fizzy drinks since I gave up sugar, just like I have not missed alcohol since I joined the LDS Church. I have certainly not missed the weight that I have lost!

Memories

I often wonder why bits of random information stick in your mind - almost like stick-it notes in your brain - forgotten most of the time, then something triggers a memory and these come flooding back!

I received a random Email from a contact who is researching a book that includes details on National Service at the very end of the existance of Rhodesia and the commencement of Zimbabwe as we know it now!

I was in the final intake of conscripts that were called up before National Service was officially called off!

I served in the Pay Office at the Cranborne barracks of the Rhodesian Light Infantry - RLI. When I was given the chance to join the Pay Office, I cheerfully volunteered, since I was sick and tired of lugging the FN Rifle that I was issued with as a troopie, EVERYWHERE. You HAD to carry it everywhere you went, on pain of serious military action against you. I HATED (with avengence) the lump of metal that was standard issue. You had to take it everywhere - to the mess hall for meals, to the bathroom for the traditional triple "S" (shit, shower and shave!) and when you had to march (or run) anywhere! A few soldiers left theirs next to the bed when they did their ablutions, and boy did they regret it! In a firefight, your weapon was of more use to you than your mother, your dog or even your girlfriend.

I dredged up some detail that I hope is correct and today I got 2 replies to my info dredging Email, in gratitude for the detail I provided! It was of tremendous help to someone who was not sure but my memory seems to be intact, and of help. Amazing what sticks in your brain!

I did not exactly relish being conscripted, but looking back, I can see that I actually enjoyed it! It was the first taste that I had of freedom to be an adult - earning a pittance as a NS soldier, but it was enough for pocket money. You were fed and clothed by the army, so the pittance we were paid, was good enough to buy a round of drinks at the Corporals Club in the barracks. The world thinks that the commissioned officers - those with stars on top of their shoulders - ran the army, but I am convionced that the real power players were the NCO's - or corporals! We were senior to the run of the mill troopies, and being in the pay office especially, the officers respected us - they had to because we directly controlled the true power behind the armed forces - their pay! They knew this as the one evening, the base was mortered and the loudest cry was that of "Save the Pay Clerks! I want a "Casual" tomorrow" - a casual was a casual advance on the salary - kind of like drawing cash from the Piggy Bank! Casuals were safer than keeping money in your boots, and were important for the evenings when you were out with your mates!

Civillians look on the arms (FN rifles and hand grenades) as the reason that an army exists, but I can assure everyone that in a firefight, the main concern is not for "Ammunition" but for "cash!"

Being in the last intake of NS, Igot to see a whole lot more action than the soldiers who laughed at me volunteering for a "cushy" job in the Pay Corps. Most of these spent the 11 months in the army confined basically to barracks, and the Pay Office saw way more action. We went into the centre of camps where the "returning heroes" (terrorists) were housed - all armed to the teeth. As the Pay Office we were there, and the troopies who laughed at us, were all left in barracks, with nothing to do!

I was terrified of having to kill anyone, and in the Pay Office the most we ever murdered was a ball point pen! we were respected, by everyone (we controlled their pay) and were kind of Godlike in how we dealt with anyone and everyone! We were on close relations with junior officers, and were - as 2 stripe Corporals - way more influential than the troopies!

We progressed from the Troopies Canteen (the food was not great!) to the Corporals Club, where the food was not too bad! I certainly will never regret being in the Army.

That was way before I joined the LDS Church - which was quite fortunate. I used to drink a few beers - Servicemans food - and even if I was not over the moon at it, it was better than your average coke! That was before I found out the joys of wine - especially Red Wine, shortly before I gave up alcohol when I found that the LDS (Mormon) religion that has given me a reason to live!

Additional thoughts

A year ago when I started to wear my Medic Alert Bracelet, it was kind of tight fitting. If I had the choice, I would hae chosen a slightly longer chain. After I was so heavily stung, I have lost a lot of weight, so it is now quite loose on my arm. Behind the bracelet is my watch strap, that a month ago was fairly tight. In a month it is loose enough for me to consider having links taken out. Yesterday a friend commented that I was looking far trimmer than I have looked recently - even given my weight loss. I am still in the process of losing bulk - and I assume weight also. I dont weigh myself, but I feel that I have lost somewhere between 50 and 65 kilograms since I was diagnosed as diabetic! I regularly check my blood sugar level and the reading ranges between 4.3 whatevers to 7.4. Normal is 5.2 and when I was stung, it sat at around 15 or 16 for days!

It peeved me off when a fellow member of my church commented "You are getting fat!" In whose world is losing weight and inches. considered getting "fat"?

Anyway, if fitting into clothes that I grew out of a decade ago. "getting fat" then I welcome it! If this member - who drives me NUTS - feels that losing significant weight is getting fat, then she needs her head read! She certainly is not permitted to comment to me!

My Temple Garments are in the wash and I am comfortably wearing garments that I bought 20 years ago when I took out my Endowments in the LDS Temple - the same weekend that I was run over! Amazes me that they fit me again, after I had resigned myself to being unable to excercise! If I excercise, my muscles cramp up and dont release properly. That is technically spastic where they dont respond to brain stimuli. So much for school kids telling me "Dont be so spastic!" and not realising what they are saying!

How to construct a braai?

The basis of the Great Braai of Zululand has been constructed, up to 4 layers of concrete blocks - that as a Quorum (group at Church) we cast the blocks, dug a foundation and built foundations the first week. Then we got together and piled about half of the blocks into formation, then the following week we took turns in cementing in more blocks.

We were concerned that the Physical Facilities guy would see what we had done, and tell us to tear it down. However he has seen the structure and approves of it in 2 respects:-

It will serve the Zululand District - and the Richards Bay Branch - when we have get togethers and communally braai meat (braai is where the raw meat is cooked over an open fire!) This is a southern african tradition - maybe a bit masochistic in that the males are usually in charge of burning the meat!

It apparently is such a structure that the Physical Facilities guy has recommended that we tile it to match in with the chapel. This is so much better than being told to tear it down.

I know that the Word of Wisdom says something to the effect of "eat but a little meat" but the opportunity of creating quorum unity in building a braai was taken up. What we built will outlast the chapel! It WILL create an opportunity to hold Branch and District get-togethers. I think that it will give the opportunity for us to combine braaiing with film evenings - for inexpensive entertainment and for church member unity.

We are holding a District get-together soon where we will christen the braai. Tomorrow we are getting together again and will cast the base for the actual fires and cast another 30 blocks to finish off the braai. These will take at least 2 weeks to cure!

Once it is more complete, I will be photographing it and will include it in my blog.

Pain

I am definitely not a friend of pain, and my left foot has been literally been excruciatingly sore. I know pain is reative, but if I have pain, I am the literal bear with a sore head!

I know (believe with the very marrow of my bones) that I have to endure my accident injuries whilst alive, and that this is best done with a smile! Since my MVA accident I have learned to discern between polite smiles by whoever is listening to you, but I can tell when people only have a smile to improve their makeup do, and feel nothing - if not loathing - beneath the veneer of skin!

My ex smiles, but I genuinely feel that she is only putting on a happy face! You can see when a smile comes from deep within! The person kind of glows! I far prefer people who glow (and not as "Men at Work from Australia say - kind of perspire like a pig!) with genuine feelings than people who carefully portray a smile that is only skin deep.

My painful foot:-
I know this is becaus of 2 things - 1. The cold weather (seems to freeze my bones and as the sun crosses the range of hills just inland, the temperature plummets and 2. My MVA left my muscles techincally spastic! (they dont respond correctly to brain stimuli!)

I was recently engaged in a service project at our Chapel building a braai - where we light fires and cook raw meat for a crowd. This was my idea thank you very much, as a member bent my ear on how the fires from a small braai that we made, was burning "her" grass! To keep her happy and to do 2 other things:-
Build Quorum Unity by the males congregating and building a braai
Build Branch (and it turns out District) unity by having communal braais
I resolved to suggest that we build a braai! I envisaged one or maybe 2 sections for fire, maybe 2 meters wide, but the one we are busy with now is on a far granger scale - maybe 10 meters of divisions where we can cook the meat - including a sheep or pig on the spit! I swear that the next time Google Maps updates the photograps of Richards Bay, it will be clearly visible, if it is not already visible from space, much like the Great Wall of China is!

Anyway, without realising it, I had strained the tendon in my foot and all of the muscles that run off this (to your ankle and toes) was cramped up and would not release. I have been told that there is an injection of Cortizone that will (Most likely!) work, but the GP was not happy to go ahead with this as a first resport as apparently the injections are really painful. The way I see it, can he not give a local anaesthetic so that it is not so sore! Even if it is sore for hours, it is better than weeks of discomfort! My foot is so much better than it was 2 weeks ago, but really, enough is enough! If it is not right now, do something!

Sure it will affect the foot that I depress the clutch to change gears, but as 2 of my fleet of 4 cars, have Automatic gearboxes, it really does not matter!

My daughter had pain in her foot (coincidence?) and the doctor there went straight for the "fast fix" - mine is more conservative and if anything, this makes him a better doctor - at least in my book! I did explain to Christine that muscular pain CANNOT be hereditary, especially as mine is from the brain damage that I endured when I flew - after being struck by a load of bread!
She seemed unconvinced! If anything my awkward way of walking (comes from brain damage AND structural damage to my pelvis!) aggravates any trouble that I have with my feet! Cold weather does not help and apart from making my muscles stiff, makes they tight where they were damaged - which as far as I can tell, was pretty well all over! I was hit (by my own sports car) from the left (I must have turned just as the truck ploughed into my dream car) so I battle with brain control over the right of my body! Thank Heavens I can - and do - survive, happily most of the time. When the swarm of bees attacked me, I could not run for shelter, because I CANNOT run. Still 4 days in the Intensive Care unit at the hospital fixed that - and I have now lost HUGE weight - and am still losing weight! When I bought my watch a month ago, the strap was fairly tight, but now is very loose! How can this be a motivation for my nemesis at Church telling me that I am getting fat!

Welfare concerns

At present, the weather in Zululand is REALLY COLD -at around 16 degrees celsius at mid day! In a fridge, the temperature is generally only around 5 degrees celsius, so that means practically that outside is only 3 times as warm as it gets in the fridge. In summer, it gets so much warmer - up to 38 degrees - much hotter if you add in the humiture index!

If it gets colder here than 20 degrees celsius (I dont think in farenheight!) it is painful to move around, especially lately when I strained the ligament in my foot! After my MVA, I have technically spastic muscles. Unlike kids who say "Dont be so spastic!" I actually have spastic muscles. Dont worry, this is not contagious, but means that your brain does not connect correctly with your muscles. They cramp up when told by my brain to do so, but as soon as they are told to relax, they dont fully. The effect can end up fairly painful to say the least! Anyway my foot was AGONY - enough for me to seek medical treatment! The muscles are still tight, but are relaxed a bit. Next step is for the GP to give me a really painful injection in the ligament (Plantar Fasciatus? - I think) of cortizone.

The doctor is not happy to do this, but if it eases the pain that I felt - even if it is painful to start with - it is worth the agony! Nothing can be as painful as:-
A truck landing on you
Being stabbed 8 times
Being stung by thousands of bees!
Pain is really kind of relative!

At Church, the Branch President has a serious problem at the moment. He has 2 counsellors, one of whom has gone less active and the other who lives in the back of beyond on a farm. I feel that maybe the BP needs to shake up his Presidency. The BP is taking strain, and is starting to realise that he can call on me - as First Counsellor on the Branch Elders Quorum - to help him out! I am so grateful that I can be there to provide assistance!

As a District Council member, this last week, I was assigned to give the members at Port Durnford branch a talk. I felt inspired at our last Council meeting to recommend that we talk on the concept of "sustain your leaders" since I have noted on several occasions where the members fail to sustain their called leaders. I spoke easily for 20 minutes and was heard - and understood - by the congregation. Unfortunately because it is cold for now, not all of the usual members were there! If it rains, or is cold, then they seem to have difficulty in getting their acts into gear! The Branch President really appreciates me as a District Speaker, and he announced me that "now we will be entertained by the Brother Killick!" When I talk, I introduce humour into my talk as that suits my personality, and I think makes the message that I deliver, more acceptable! Anyway, it works for me and I it seems to work for the congregations! I intend to educate, not entertain, but if looking at a concept with humour helps to get the point across, then I feel that it is not inappropriate! Sure it is not "Knock knock jokes" but if what I say is heard by the congregation, then it has a better chance of sinking in! At least when I am speaking, if I can see smiles on faces, I know that what I have said has been heard - even if it is not immediately understood!

Something we had to pass onto the Branch Presidents is that the Branch has been donated a number of blankets, to be distributed. I see that the BPs have the divine authority to decide which - if any - of their members need food assistance. Surely a warm blanket is just as much a welfare need as is a packet of maize meal to cook and eat? If someone is worried about an empty - or cold - stomach, then Church Attendance is really low on their list of priorities! That is easy to say when I have 3 cars in my garage and 1 more for sale, and I have a full freezer and 2 fridges! If I buy soup, it is generally pre-cooked soup from Woolworths, and not powdered soup. I know what I like and luckily I can afford the best! That makes me more sensative to some members whose ONLY meal of the day is the lunch provided by the school.

Kind of makes me feel really spoilt because last week, I was sleeping terribly. I decided that this was as a result of my mattrass being old (and had lost its spring!) so I went out and bought a new bed and mattrass - no turn variety! Since then, I have had no disturbed nights. All I need to do now is to repaint the walls of my bedroom. In my one lounge I have bought a lounge suite that comes from Indonesia! Sad fact with South Africa is it is cheaper to import furniture from Indonesia than it is to produce it locally! And the workers that are employed, still strike for higher than inflation increases? What of the 1 in 4 people out there who dont have jobs, but 1 of the other 3 who do have jobs, dont actually want them! Someone has their priorities really skewed!

Archaeology

How come the search for history's ancient secrets, ALWAYS involves digging - sometimes (most times) for meters into the dirt? What the "experts" seem to overlook is, if ancient civilisation is buried under tons of deposits from somewhere, where did the dust (soil and rocks and stuff!) come from?

New "theory" is that the Sahara used to - 4 000 years ago - be lush verdant savannah, and that dust storms blew dust in, that covered the grass - and wood -land. What they dont say is where this soil came from to start with? A legendary island called Atlantis? That is tantamount to a fairy tale - and they say that they dont believe in fantasy?

The general theory is that this was a result of climate change - caused by Global Warming! If Man has survived GW over the last 4 millenia, why is the theory that modern man - with his V8 Landrover Petrol driven - responsible for Global Warming? I understood that the Pharoes used horse drawn chariots, not V8 petrol powered machines! No-where have they dug meters down and found skeletons of ancient motor vehicles?

I think that - like a woman at my branch of the LDS (Mormon) Church - they like the sound of their own voices, and when they open their mouths, garbage spews out! Maybe this is where the layers of mud came from? Layers of verbal garbage?

At present, Zululand is C-O-L-D which - if you know Zululand - is not usual. Last year we had no winter, and I only remember wearing a suit jacket to our weekly meetings. I do remember owning a jersey, but where it is, is a mystery! Do I need to excavate in the driveway for evidence of previous civilisations in my garden, to find my "lost jersey" - and if I find it, can I conclude that 4 000 years ago, Zululand was a wintery wasteland? In the last 30 years, I do not recall really cold weather for longer than 2 or 3 days! Surely if my V8 Landrover is responsible for Global Warming - even localised GW - why are we colder this year than we have been in the last 30 years?

Learning building

Behind the old part of the Church buildings, is the satellite dish - inside the green fence above. As an Elders Quorum (EQ), the EQ Presidency has initiated a project where we have started to build a braai - inclusive of enough space to have a spit at the end!

This started about 3 weeks ago, when as an EQ, we started to make the blocks from cement, sand and water. We created foundations. As an EQ Presidency, we are concerned about a few things:-

We have a braai (barbeque) unit that can accommodate fires to cook meat for starving hoardes (nohing can touch a Mormon Missionery Elder when it comes to eating!)

We have learned how to mix cement and "stuff" to create workeable concrete.

The blocks we made from the raw material, are enough to build the braai

We are going to have a unit that can give us entertainment as a branch (branch unity)

The Elders Quorum has developed a sense of togetherness and a sense of pride that we have crafted - and are busy crafting - something worthwhile!

I know that there are members who say that Pride is a sin, but how sinful can it be to stand around a braai that we created from the dust (literally)

I know that one member was completely against the creation of the braai, as it was enough to ruin the grass that she is proud to say is her creation. She freaked that when we held a braai the one evening, the fire burnt the grass. Now we are busy building a unit to contain the fires, and she is not happy! To build the braai, we have dug up the foundations and poured concrete., replacing grass with concrete.

I had a wicked (unvoiced) thought that as an EQ we need to wind her up a bit (or a lot) bu digging in her precious flower beds in front of the chapel and building Koi Ponds! Maybe that will teach her not to create a fuss when the Elders of the Church do something useful.

The Physical Facilities guy in Durban knows what we want to do, and as no-one has ever done this in Natal before, he has no guideline to give his consent! We - as an EQ - kind of feel that we need this, and even if he does not like it, it is kind of too late to prevent it! If he objects, we can trot out the excuses of:-

We are learning

We have somewhere that can enhance branch and quorum unity

We have done it all ourselves. No-where else in the Church have they done this, and we can use the braai to burn meat (cooking meat over an open fire is tricky at the best of times)

We can use the Church facilities in the chapel to show suitable films (there are a lot of suitable films out on DVD) on the screen in the chapel, using the projector and sound system. It is kind of crazy to have these at our disposal and not to create branch unity by holding evenings where we watch a DVD and cook our food! Richards Bay can be kind of an entertainment desert unless you take the initiative and DO SOMETHING!

If the world out there sees that we are normal people, burning steak like any other red blooded citizen - and having fun whilst we do this! - maybe the general opinion of the crazy Mormons will be moderated. We have some unusual beliefs, but we are still citizens. We are in fact, no less strange than some crazies out there!

Sense of Humour

A friend recently sent me an SMS where she stated that she hoped that Heavenly Father has a sense of humour. I know (not just believe) that He does!

Why else would I have survived 4 or 5 near death experiences, or why would He create something like a Warthog (Pumbaa of Disneys Lion King fame) that is so ugly that it is cute? If we - as humans - have a sense of humour (warped as it may get sometimes!) and this MUST have come from somewhere. Looking around in the Game Reserve, you cannot but believe that this world was created by an incredible artist - with a real sense of humour - and was not some kind of cosmic accident. Sure "learned man" has tried to "explain" our existance by such wierd notions as "Big Bangs" and "evolution" as an explanation when they really dont know!

I have always felt uncomfortable with the idea that life was an "accident" after a "big bang" because I have seen what damage a tiny bang - from exploding hand grenades - is done. How much more devastating can an atomic explosion be? It is inconceivable then that an incredibly powerful bang can create life, rather than desolation! That just DOES NOT make any sense, and thinking about it, creation HAS to make more sense!

A common arguement as to "How can one being create an environment and all life" but I truly believe that before mortality, we helped to build where we live! That is why some of us feel so "at home" where we choose to live!

When my brother and I built a home, we "built" the home, with massive assistance from an architect first then from a builder. We did not actually pour concrete or pile bricks on top of each other, but we "built" the house!

At Church, the Quorum for the male adults - "Elders Quorum" - are busy with construction of a braai area - out the back next to the satellite dish! Then we can have braais of an evening where the Elders can socialise (with the families) and can develop unity - around a braai (barbeque for those who dont speak "pure" English!) that we created from sand, stone and cement! So far we have put in the foundations and cast the bricks. That was really a trial in faith for me, since I rather overdid my involvement, and I have only just recovered from the strain to my body Next week is when we get together and pile the bricks we made in a construction where we can set fire to firelighters, wood and charcoal brickettes, and barbeque the raw meat for a braai. I really want us to show a film at the same time, and have a social gathering.

I still think that it may be an idea for the Elders Quorum to organise a course where we all learn to do ballroom dancing! 2 weeks ago, I was invited to a wedding reception where the bride and groom married on the friday in the LDS Temple in Johannesburg (the Sealing Room holds maybe 10 people to witness the sealing!) so that friends could celebrate with the couple.

Their First Dance was technically a shuffle because they did not know ballroom dancing. I first learned to ballroom dance when I was in highschool. Then when I was engaged, my fiancee and I took lessons in Durban, so that when we had our First Dance, we did not just cling to each other and shuffle! I enjoyed both of my education stints, and can actually do Ballroom, and in fact my ex and I went to the Berg and took part in a weekend of competition, and WON a weekend in the hotel. I kind of feel that it was because I am disabled and because I tried. I have to acknowlege that I really had fun in learning to ballroom dance - even if I am no longer so able to move so freely.

Are we "Changeing the Cimate?"

There is a documentary on DSTV at present that is talking about climate change! They talk of a "Big Chill" or Little Ice Age in the mit 1300s. They "think" that this caused absolute chaos, but have no idea why it occurred. For sure it was not CFCs or "environment damage" by cars. I have an idea that it is kind of s cyclical thing that happens every now and then and puny little man is not able to do ANYTHING to stop or reverse it! How then can Man think that in his ignorance, he is greater than our creator? That is dependant on which side of the fence you sit - creation or evolution? I know where I am comfortable sitting.

It appears that in the 1300s, ills were blamed on witchcraft and today they are blamed on "Climate Change!" Seems that anything is acceptable to blame downturns in environment on absurd ideas, rather than having faith in an omnipotent creator!

It kind of awes me that humanity can be so dense sometimes! There is a Fuel Delivery Tankers strike at present. The drivers are holding out for an increase of 13% as opposed to the offer of 10% - up from the 7%. I thoght negotiation was so that you met in the middle, not that one party holds out for demands and is not prepared to move! Sad thing is that the strikers are not being paid anything whilst they are on strike, so any offer HAS to be an improvement on nil income.

They are prepared to hold out for 13% irrespective of how much damage it does to the economy - or themselves personally! They canot see that increased costs HAVE to have an effect on the inflation rate! Zimbabwe found that it was not good to just print larger and larger denomination notes. They had to abandon a worthless currency - just like the Germans had to after the fall of Hitler, and their currency was valueless! Man refuses to learn from example! I often think that in the 1700s, Africa was well off in that wealth was counted in the number of cattle you owned, not so much in the numbers of Zeros on your bank account! Huge problem is that I have a bank account with a string of zeroes on the balance - but these unfortunately appear BEFORE the other numbers. My balance shows 0000004000, instead of 40000000000.

Such is life. The bible says "by the sweat of your brow" which means that we have to work for our money, and not just to strike and get it! Sad thing is that the workers on strike cannot see what damage they are doing to themselves, more than they are influencing their employers! Britain was a powerhouse economy before they were plagued by strikes! The average coal miner had so little education that he could not see beyond the rantings of the Union bosses. It is the same in South Africa - the Union Bosses get paid insane salaries, live in fancy homes and drive the latest executive cars, and if their union members have to go without income
(law says No work = no pay), it does not concern them one iota. They get paid obscene amounts irrespective!

Family

I have had to excuse myself from a District Council meeting this week, on account of Christine is with me for a whole 5 days! Still bugs the bejeebers out of me when Michele allows her to fly into Durban on Monday, then flies her out - also from Durban, on Saturday! To my mind, that makes 5 days when she has arranged that Christine is with her for the remainder of her holidays!

Still, what does that make me, other than the sperm donor for Christine?

We went to a film in Durbans Gateway Mall. It was not my choice, but I did kind of enjoy it - Transformers - 3D. Boy was it loud and somewhat violent - and the 3D effect was amazing. It was what Christine chose. We would have seen the final instalment of the Harry Potter films, but that is only coming out next Friday. I generally dont go for her choice of films, but I have managed to buy a copy of each of the other 6 or so films in the Harry Potter series! Call me strange and you would hardly be alone!

It would be kind of a shame not to complete the set. I was lucky enough to purchase each of the Star Wars films. I am impressed that the concept of the Melchezidek Priesthood (LDS Church) is so well put forward, although the Science Fantasy setting is not everyones taste! Sure it is called "the Force" but what the "chosen ones" do with it, is kind of like the Priesthood in the Church, although it is kind of exaggerated. I understand that George Lucas is a Latter-day Saint, and can see what his inspiration was. I was introduced to the films by my Bishop friend, and bought the films on DVD as and when they were released.

We dropped in at a furniture outlet nearby, where I decided on a cane suite - 1 x 2 seater and 2 x 1 seaters. I am attempting to negotiate delivery soon. I am not one to go overboard on furniture, but it will not be a waste of money!

I have been lucky enough to locate some films that I heard of whilst I was still at school, so very long ago! Films like "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Little Shop of Horrors" as well as all (3) of the Monty Python films! True the humour is not everyones cup of tea (not that I drink tea!) but it suits me and I am so grateful that I have them in my collection.

I rather like the Disney films, in that they are very clean (no suggestive notes) and the humour is very clever. I bought a copy of the film "Gnomeo and Juliette" and almost from the start was killing myself laughing. The neighbors in dispute lived at "2B" and "2B (crossed out)" in the street. This sense of humour is just up my street, and is definitely not understandable by many people that I associate with! They laugh at slapstick, but try and get them to think and it is kind of a lost cause!

Crocodile

In virtually any stretch of open water in Africa, lies a pair of ladies shoes - with teeth. I felt prompted to come down this road and usually in the water next to this bridge, I see a very young croc - much smaller than this one! This one is still young, and it's parents must live nearby, probably a bit further downstream. The other side of the bridge, is a pool of water on a bend in the lazy river, and usually I get to see Wildebeeste drinking on the right of the bridge (this is taken looking left!)

Also just behind this view were several terrapins, also sunning themselves. I have had Elders say to me that they would really like to go for a swim, but I warn them that in pretty well any stretch of open water in Africa, lives a crocodile - or in this case, probably a family of crocs!

We saw plenty of other animals, but I have a lot of digital snaps that I have taken. Now I tend only to snap shots of unusual animals!

I said to the Elders just before we drove into the Hilltop camp, that I usually see Blue Wildebeeste nearby. As I finished saying this, a HUGE male Wildebeest crossed the road right in front of us! A bit after lunch, we drove up Manganeni Hill, and from a height saw a herd slowly moving towards the tar road between the Memorial Gate and the Hilltop Camp. When we drove down to this road, we had to halt as this herd crossed the road!

Driving up the road (wildly erroded dirt track) I had slipped my Discovery into 4 wheel drive and it made it so much easier to climb than I ever found in my Opel Corsa! I am sold on Off-road vehicles! I kind of have the attitude "I can so I do!" Goes with my other mantra "If not, then why not!"

North Coast - Kwa Zulu Natal

This is THE talest building, on the Zululand coast! Most buildings - especially in Richards Bay are a maximum of 3 floors - probably because the Bay looks to have risen from the sea and the soil is pretty sandy, and is unstable enough to exclude building anything taller than 3 stories.


When I started work (first job ever!) it was with a firm that occupied half of the second floor and the third floor. This side overlooks the busy centre of Empangeni and the far side has views across the Rugby Club, farm fields and towards Richards Bay (known locally as "The Bay!"

I worked for this firm for 10 years - give or take - then qualified as a Chartered Accountant and relocated to Sandton (Johannesburg) to work for 4 months - at ICL Computers - before I was knocked down and then retired on ill health pension. Strange times!

As you face the building from this side, I worked on the second floor (Ground, first then second) - end windows on the right - and the bosses worked on the third floor! From this side you looked over the town, then the cane fields towards Melmoth, and from the other side you overlooked Empangeni Rail, more cane fields then to Richards Bay.

Technology continued - 2

I am the proud possesser of an Intelsat Satellite phone - one that will work virtually anywhere in the world that you can receive a satellite connection. A thought that crossed my mind is that it will no doubt work in the wilds of Africa, but I would have to be careful about using it in New York City, where the buildings are not going to make it easy to get a clear satellite signal.

The instruction manual recommends that standing under a tree is not the best idea, since the branches, leaves and occasional leopard will conspire to block a satellite connection. Luckily there are few places where trees are likely to cause a problem.

I am going to ask when I am next in Durban about a satellite modem, to receive DSTV when I am in the back of beyond! When I go camping now, I do not usually have DSTV connection, but with a cell phone sized satellite modem, maybe I can get DSTV at night when I am sitting around a campfire! I can remember when if you wanted a phone, you HAD to have landline connection, and even then you had to DIAL the number, not press buttons. Most calls I need to make now, I do not need to remember the number - it is stored on the SIM card in the phone! In fact, I find that I seldom need to make voice calls - I use my SMS - or Email - on the phone so if anyone not used to the way I speak is on the other end, they dont have to claim that they cannot understand me and ring off! I often get to think "But lady, you phoned me! Why are you against how I speak - or dont speak!" The ability to speak clearly and to run are the 2 things I miss most about my BC (Before Crash) existance.

I was amazed recently in the LDS Church, when a "new" Missionery Elder stood to give his first greeting to the congregation. No-one could understand his Manchester dialect - just as if he was not speaking English! I laughed inwardly that he was speaking English that has not been corrupted by other dialects. In SA, most English is spoken with a German/Dutch/Afrikaans influence! I laugh when a boer locally (heavily Afrikaans) comments to a born and bred englishman, "Speak English!"

I have an aunt who went back to live in Kent, and she has commented "The weather is too cold, and the locals DONT speak an intelligible language, even though they think they speak English! Watching "The Amazing Race" on TV, it stuns me that teams of Americans have so much trouble in foreign countries, and more than once I have heard coments like "Speak English!" when they speak a wierd dialect themselves! What I have found is that as soon as I talk, virtually everyone has a light behind their eyes that says "Shame - cannot speak properly, so MUST be mentally less able!" - and they speak to me as if I am a lesser being! Highly amusing when I consider that my IQ is probably twice theirs, and they treat me as sub intelligent - talk really s-l-o-w-l-y! I feel like punching them and saying "I am disabled, not stupid!"

Climate Change signs

There has just been a program on DSTV where Simon Reeve of the BBC has gone on about "climate change"! He came across a group of people in Egypt who were "forced" to leave their homes by the ongoing drought!

What a shocker - a drought! - in the desert? As far as I am aware, it has not exactly rained much in Egypt since the time of the Pharoes - or in the last 4 millennia! Proof that the climate is changeing? I hardly think so.

Satan is having a field day in promoting hysteria that Man - in his ignorance - is changing the climate in the world? People are making a financial killing out of mass hysteria that there is a "drought" in Sudan and Egypt! What then of the "Global Warming" since the supposed "ice age"!

Am I supposed then to throw a fit that there is "global warming" because of the absolute proof that it does not snow in Zululand - a lot? There are places in Zululand where it actually regularly does snow, but it has not - in living memory - snowed (white snow) in Mtunzini. Sure it has "snowed" with Zululand Snow, the smuts from cane fires that falls from the sky when the surperfulous leaves are burnt off before the cane is harvested!

I am kind of glad that in summer, it gets really warm here, and there is often, no discernable winter! In winter, our minimum temperatures are regularly higher than the maximum teperatures recorded in Johannesburg! Is this evidence of "climate change?" I defy anyone to claim that it is!

Sure the local climate there has been adjusted on the shores of places like Lake Kariba or the Aswan Dam. Is this due to human intervention? Sure it is, but the irrigation and hydro electric power created, is maybe worth a minor - localised - alteration to the local climate! A huge body of water MUST (surely) moderate the climate in that cold is kind of warmed up and the heat of summer is steadied - but this is only evident in a really small environment around the lakes themselves!

Does that mean that I am crazy? I hardly care, since - as they say in the westerns - I am "comfortable in my own skin!" I can observe others (I have the time!) and I can see that they are not comfortable in their skins! I may be crazy, but I am glad that I am not like them!

New stuff

Today I went through to look into an idea that I have had!


I bought a copy of a magazine "SA 4x4 - overland adventure!", mainly so I get the most out of my 2 4x4 Landrovers! I have had comments passed like "Why 2 landrovers?" but driving each of them is a pure delight. One is a 3.9 litre V8 petrol Discovery automatic monster - completely dwarfs anything else on the road - and a 2 litre Turbo Diesel. Both are DIVINE to drive - especially in the Game Reserve. What helps is that both are automatics and my Freelander is a permanent 4 wheel drive, but my Disco has the ability to select either high or low range!

I never thought that you could get Landrovers in Automatic? The only other landrovers I have driven were in the army in Rhodesia, and apart from being driven - HARD - by many different soldiers, they were not new and had not been for at least 3 decades! If cars were animals, military landrovers would have been chained up or they would tear your head at as soon as they smelt you! Nowadays, the original landrover shape is still manufactured (after 60 years, with no visual upgrades) as a Defender. You can get new Discovery landies but these come with Korean motors, not true blue British motors! That is a bit of a misnomer because the initial V8 motor was sold to Rover by Buick and was used in many cars, and landrovers. I dispute that a Landy is a "car" , as it is SO much more than a car!

I recently bought an SA 4x4 magazine that had an interesting advert in it - for a SAT (satellite) phone. I find that cellular coverage is not always available in the outer stretches of the Game Reserve. I am not so disabled that I cannot cope, but I do enjoy my contact on my cell phones if I am out and about! a SAT phone, although more pricey than a cell phone, would allow me phone contact wherever I am.

My neighbor is keen to visit Maputo (Mocambique) sometime and I would like to take a detour off of this road and visit the grave of my cousin who died when the helicopter he was in, was hit by a Surface to Air Missile (SAM) Someone found the grave for the 18 who died! I CAN go there, so feel that I need to pay my respects. Until the grave was found I had believed that he was kind of blown to pieces all over the countryside!

I know that thinking back to my cousin when he was alive is painful for some, but I genuinely believed that he died at his happiest! He was kind of born to be a soldier, and I feel that being a soldier filled his emotions!

There is a recently published book on "The Search for Puma 164", the helicopter downed in Mapai, Mocambique. I understand that the site the helicopter was discovered, is easily accessible off the road from Nelspruit to Maputo. I intend to go into a booksellers in Durban and get a copy of the book for myself. I understand that the daughter of the author of the book has driven to the site, and if she can do it with a road car, I can easily do it in either of my Landrovers!

Extortion

I heard about a potential lifesaver for me!

Since I was so heavily stung (thousands of bee stings) I am now highly allergic. When I was stung, my body converted the bee venom into anti venom. If I get stung by even one bee now, these anti venoms will swing into action (or is that Anti action?) and it will be just as if I were stung by another swarm.

Is kind of crazy that I am now really allergic to myself!

I was told about something called "Epipen" which I understand is one ampoules worth of pure adrenelin! Cost - R 800 plus.

I was given (note GIVEN) 2 ampoules of adrenelin, and a syringe and needles. All I need to do is to break the ampoules and to get the adrenelin into the syringe and just stab it into my arm - no searching for a vein! Apparently an Epipen is only a fancy way to inject one ampoules adrenelin into yourself!

Sure Adrenelin only lasts a year before it reaches its expiry date, but a saving of R 1 600 is worth the effort involved in breaking an ampoule! I need to ensure that I replace the ampoules every 10 months or so - no problem at the doctors. Epipen also only lasts a year, but costs at least 200 times as much!

Something else I have discovered, is that since I became so allergic to bee venom, I have been diagnosed as diabetic. Giving up processed sugar was not that difficult and I have lost huge amounts of weight - at least 8 longs sizes. Apparently I am still noticeably losing weight. At Church there is one member (no names, no packdrill) who commented to me "You are getting fat!" In whose world does losing kilos of weight and inches off of your waist line anywhere near equal to "getting fat!" Her (yes, it is a "her"!) ex husband said to me "Why dont you marry her?" but I think that I would far rather be stung by another swarm of bees! To those who know the LDS Branch that I belong to, will no doubt know who I am talking about! Maybe I AM getting anti fat! I am wearing longs that I "grew out of" at least 1 and 1/2 decades ago, if not more!

Something that bugs me is that my arm - ever since I was stung - feels tender, if not sore! I think (dangerous concept that!) that the bee venom was converted into anti venom - in HUGE quantities - and my muscles are kind of still complaining about this state of affairs.

Does not really help that "comfort food" is generally quite high in processed sugar. I found the last time I had my blood sugar checked, I had eaten an innocent bran muffin before, and the reading was higher than normal. Now I eat fruit and wonder if the natural sugars are in any way elevating my blood sugar levels! I feel (important that!) that I need a certain amount of sugar - even if it comes in tiny quantities in "comfort food"

I am still kind of terrified that I will be stung whilst on Speaking assignment at one of the units in the District but practically, I should not fear too much! In 50 years, I have been stung on 2 occasions - first time a year ago, by one bee (no problem) and then by thousands of really angry bees who swarmed all over me! (HUGE problem, one that kept me in Intensive Care for 4 days!)

I kind of figure that if I was meant to be dead, I would have died:-

When a speeding delivery truck slammed into my car - which slammed me into a coma

When I was beaten unconscious with a hammer, then stabbed 8 times

When I was stung nearly to death by a swarm of really angry bees!

Kind of makes me feel invincible, although I realise that I have some serious problems! I just wonder what Customs will say when I arrive bearing heaps of (legal) drugs? I often feel that I am kind of a drug addict - I cannot survive easily without some of these drugs!