On wednesday, I was asked what my blog address was. He (the asker) hinted that he has a wife with a friend who kind of rants when she gets onto Facebook. I just hope that what I blog is not ranting, although it is kind of me getting thoughts and feelings off my chest, since I have a speech impediment, and cannot always speak clearly. I was tested in hospital before the MVA court case, and they ascertained that the MVA accident had knocked a few points off of my IQ, but I know this is because I can no longer write quickly. It was not because I am mentally less able! In fact maybe I am more aware of where I am, and things that used to come as second nature (eg walking and breathing) are now not so easy to do! I find that sometimes I actually have to physically remember to take in breaths!
If my Primary School teachers could see my writing now, they would not have harped on how poor my handwriting was! They used to predict that with handwriting like mine, I was destined to be a doctor, a lawyer or a Chartered Accountant. How right they were!
Since I was so heavily stung by bees, I have stopped taking in sugar! Strange when I live where farming of sugarcane is a HUGE industry. This has meant that I have lost weight, down from size 44 longs. On wednesay, I fitted into my 2 remaining pairs of size 34 longs (not at the same time though!) I bought a pair of camoflaged jeans about a month ago, and they fitted me (kind of) but are now too large for me! I can see when I bathe that I can stand to lose a bit more weight, but it has slowed dramatically! Am I starving myself? I dont think so, but maybe I am!
When I was in a coma, I was fed by a drip. Then, I only took on what I needed to keep alive. I was unable to eat and even when I could, Hospital food hardly includes your average hamburgers and pizzas.
Around 15 years ago, I cleared out my closit and gave away around 12 pairs of nearly new size 34 longs, to the needy! Who would ever have thought I would be one of those who needed them?
Friday, February 25, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Current happenings
A lot has happened in the last few days:-
1. Christine is with me for a few days on her mid term break! She is one happy little being, because she drove La Frog home from school in Mooi River. She coped well enough, although around Durban itself, the traffic was rather heavy, as it was around rush hour and the average South African driver has NO patience with "L" Plates on a car! As it was, a driver hurtling past in the yellow lines on the outside of the car (He HAD to get past reguardless!) actually went off the road when he ran out of emergency lane!
2. The Delivery Drivers Unions called a strike. They wanted 3 times the inflation rate as an increase, but eventually settled - after a week - for double. Kicker for them is that they have achieved a higher than inflation increase, but have:-
Given up a weeks wages to achieve the increase
Put themselves into a higher tax bracket
Allowed for a higher rate of Union Fees deductions - the more you earn, the more you pay!
The upshot is going to be that they are actually financially disadvantaged as a result of their actions. Increase in fuel costs is going to mean that the cost of living HAS to increase to cater for this! Unfortunately very few - if any - have a decent education, to be able to work this out for themselves - and they will not get paid for whilst they were on strike - the unions have no strike funds from which they can pay strikers whilst the firms dont pay them. It is a common practice that when you are not working, you dont get paid. The Delivery firms are not too upset, as their offer of 9% across the board increase has partially been funded by the workers themselves!
The school teachers (who should be able to put 2 and 2 together) are still suffering from their strike last year. They were "out" for a month, and this salary has been deducted over a 10 month period, not all at once! The effect is that their increase of 12% has for the last 9 months been eaten up by this deduction, increased taxes and higher union fees! They actually went on strike because they were paid too much? Where else in the world is this a "problem"?
The local fuel station received a delivery of fuel on Friday, but the queue of cars was very long! I managed to get La Frog with a full tank, then took Ladybug down to fill the tank with Diesel. Currently I have 2 vehicles with full tanks, and one in the repair shop with a prop shaft problem being rectified!
I had to laugh on Friday. Christine is home for her mid term, and probably the first thing she did was to wash and polish La Frog!
Her school is having a student tour to Israel in May/June. I was asked if she could go, and although it means again, that I will not see her, I think it is a tremendous opportunity for her! I would be a really poor parent if I denied her this opportunity. Her mom has to still get it into her mind that I need to sign consent as guardian, since I am Christines father! I overheard a coment made by her mother "I will sign at school - not Dad!" She had a problem with me taking back my position as head of the household, and insisted on divorce as a result! Eventually, I could not take the threat of divorce being held over my head any longer, so I put the gears of the Big D into motion. She had already moved in with a boyfriend, and I was not prapared to take her back after being discarded in this manner! I have my pride and despite what is said at Church, not all pride is a sin! Sure acting better than everyone else, is - but sometimes you have to be proud - not prideful! Is this semantics? Maybe, but that is me through and through!
1. Christine is with me for a few days on her mid term break! She is one happy little being, because she drove La Frog home from school in Mooi River. She coped well enough, although around Durban itself, the traffic was rather heavy, as it was around rush hour and the average South African driver has NO patience with "L" Plates on a car! As it was, a driver hurtling past in the yellow lines on the outside of the car (He HAD to get past reguardless!) actually went off the road when he ran out of emergency lane!
2. The Delivery Drivers Unions called a strike. They wanted 3 times the inflation rate as an increase, but eventually settled - after a week - for double. Kicker for them is that they have achieved a higher than inflation increase, but have:-
Given up a weeks wages to achieve the increase
Put themselves into a higher tax bracket
Allowed for a higher rate of Union Fees deductions - the more you earn, the more you pay!
The upshot is going to be that they are actually financially disadvantaged as a result of their actions. Increase in fuel costs is going to mean that the cost of living HAS to increase to cater for this! Unfortunately very few - if any - have a decent education, to be able to work this out for themselves - and they will not get paid for whilst they were on strike - the unions have no strike funds from which they can pay strikers whilst the firms dont pay them. It is a common practice that when you are not working, you dont get paid. The Delivery firms are not too upset, as their offer of 9% across the board increase has partially been funded by the workers themselves!
The school teachers (who should be able to put 2 and 2 together) are still suffering from their strike last year. They were "out" for a month, and this salary has been deducted over a 10 month period, not all at once! The effect is that their increase of 12% has for the last 9 months been eaten up by this deduction, increased taxes and higher union fees! They actually went on strike because they were paid too much? Where else in the world is this a "problem"?
The local fuel station received a delivery of fuel on Friday, but the queue of cars was very long! I managed to get La Frog with a full tank, then took Ladybug down to fill the tank with Diesel. Currently I have 2 vehicles with full tanks, and one in the repair shop with a prop shaft problem being rectified!
I had to laugh on Friday. Christine is home for her mid term, and probably the first thing she did was to wash and polish La Frog!
Her school is having a student tour to Israel in May/June. I was asked if she could go, and although it means again, that I will not see her, I think it is a tremendous opportunity for her! I would be a really poor parent if I denied her this opportunity. Her mom has to still get it into her mind that I need to sign consent as guardian, since I am Christines father! I overheard a coment made by her mother "I will sign at school - not Dad!" She had a problem with me taking back my position as head of the household, and insisted on divorce as a result! Eventually, I could not take the threat of divorce being held over my head any longer, so I put the gears of the Big D into motion. She had already moved in with a boyfriend, and I was not prapared to take her back after being discarded in this manner! I have my pride and despite what is said at Church, not all pride is a sin! Sure acting better than everyone else, is - but sometimes you have to be proud - not prideful! Is this semantics? Maybe, but that is me through and through!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Email warnings
Today I received a warning that bottled water is dangerous to our health! I personally believe that this falls into the same category as the warnings about Global Warming!
If we heed all of the warnings, our lives will not be very long anyway! Are we supposed to sue the bottlers of water because suddenly it is not healthy to drink bottled water? Sure we may not live longer, but if you are dying of thirst and hunger, it will sure seem to be a long time!
I believe that it is the medical fratenities aim to "cover their asses" by declaring that everything is bad for us! Then when we eventually suffer from cancer, they can say that when we were 4, we ate sweets, and this is why we have cancer now! 40 years ago, people actually lived - and died - a natural life, andit is only fairly recently that Man has become clever enough to find that things are cancer promoting! When will man stop believing that he has suddenly become so intelligent that he can influence our Creators plans! I sincerely believe that this is the influence of Satan to make man believe that he is suddenly so powerful as to eliminate the need for our Creator in our lives!
Maybe I'm getting old and cynical, but I believe what I feel prompted by the Spirit to believe. Heavens, Gods stated mission plan for man is that he may have joy, and Satan is trying to make us believe that we are destrying our environment and ourselves, and that we dont need to believe in our Creator!
I know that in Richards Bay, I am seen as a terrible person! I drive 2 really bad cars for the environment - a V8 Discovery or a turbo diesel Freelander. I defy anyone to tell me that they are worse for my environment than a Fiat Panda! When I go to the Game Reserve, I take 4 others in my Discovery, and the fact that it is one V8, is not as bad to the environment as 2 cars would otherwise be!
I am convinced that the last time I was in the Reserve at lunch, some creep slashed my tyre. I hope he can sleep well. Why would I be a detriment to the environment? I think that jealosy rules their actions!
If we heed all of the warnings, our lives will not be very long anyway! Are we supposed to sue the bottlers of water because suddenly it is not healthy to drink bottled water? Sure we may not live longer, but if you are dying of thirst and hunger, it will sure seem to be a long time!
I believe that it is the medical fratenities aim to "cover their asses" by declaring that everything is bad for us! Then when we eventually suffer from cancer, they can say that when we were 4, we ate sweets, and this is why we have cancer now! 40 years ago, people actually lived - and died - a natural life, andit is only fairly recently that Man has become clever enough to find that things are cancer promoting! When will man stop believing that he has suddenly become so intelligent that he can influence our Creators plans! I sincerely believe that this is the influence of Satan to make man believe that he is suddenly so powerful as to eliminate the need for our Creator in our lives!
Maybe I'm getting old and cynical, but I believe what I feel prompted by the Spirit to believe. Heavens, Gods stated mission plan for man is that he may have joy, and Satan is trying to make us believe that we are destrying our environment and ourselves, and that we dont need to believe in our Creator!
I know that in Richards Bay, I am seen as a terrible person! I drive 2 really bad cars for the environment - a V8 Discovery or a turbo diesel Freelander. I defy anyone to tell me that they are worse for my environment than a Fiat Panda! When I go to the Game Reserve, I take 4 others in my Discovery, and the fact that it is one V8, is not as bad to the environment as 2 cars would otherwise be!
I am convinced that the last time I was in the Reserve at lunch, some creep slashed my tyre. I hope he can sleep well. Why would I be a detriment to the environment? I think that jealosy rules their actions!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Facebook "friends"
I was requested on Facebook to be "friends" with someone whom I knew in Empangeni then Richards Bay! I sent a message asking whereabouts now she lives, and got a snotty response from her! Her comment was to the effect of "If that is how you want to be (in her words) "stuff it"! I ask you who says they want to be friends, but then says that they want nothing to do with you?
For all I care, she can hook up with my ex (Wicked Witch of the West!) and they can talk until they are blue in the face! The problem is that I know she lives somewhere in the largest city in Africa south of the Equator. She may just as easily have said on her profile as her address is Africa, or Southern Hemisphere! If that is how she wants to behave, then so be it! I likewise want nothing more to do with her!
I have often been requested to be "friends" on Facebook, and that is the only contact I ever have with "them"! Again, if that is how "they" want to be friends, I really dont want to know them! There is a difference between knowing they exist, and showing interest! Who gets satisfaction from knowing that they are "friends" with 450 people, who they do not actually have contact with!
For all I care, she can hook up with my ex (Wicked Witch of the West!) and they can talk until they are blue in the face! The problem is that I know she lives somewhere in the largest city in Africa south of the Equator. She may just as easily have said on her profile as her address is Africa, or Southern Hemisphere! If that is how she wants to behave, then so be it! I likewise want nothing more to do with her!
I have often been requested to be "friends" on Facebook, and that is the only contact I ever have with "them"! Again, if that is how "they" want to be friends, I really dont want to know them! There is a difference between knowing they exist, and showing interest! Who gets satisfaction from knowing that they are "friends" with 450 people, who they do not actually have contact with!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Cars
I keep on having a spat with my daughter. I have bought me a Renault Clio (added to my extensive automotive collection) so that when she is with me, I at least have the use of MY Landrovers!I can sense the problems that my Mom had with 3 school boys, learning to drive Fred our black Vauxhall Victor - circa 1960. We called him "Fred"!
I call "MY Clio" "La Frog" because it is French, but she refers to the car as "Chloe" - I suggested "Chloe La Frog" but she wants nothing to do with that! It is - I maintain - my car, so I have the right to name her! Next month - after the all important payday, I want to go in and get her 4 new tyres and 4 mag wheels! A car looks so neglected if it has no - or missing - hubcaps! I have mag wheels on my Landrover(s) AND on my trailer, so why not on "La Frog" also!
When I was serving my National Service (1980) I used to take Fred out to the nearby lake on sports afternoons and go sailing - in Mike (tiny little boat, called that as short for Microscopic)
That car was in need of an overhaul, but in the 4 or so years it was owned, it never broke down so badly that a quick sparkplug change would not get it running smoothly again! Fred used to create hilarity at fuel stations where we used to leave the attendants confused. We used to pull in and say "Check the fuel and top up the oil!" Fred used to use more oil than is carried in a Saudi oil tanker! (bit of an exaggeration - but not by much!) James Bond with his smoke screens had nothing on Fred if you ran against the gears!
Still Fred was a great car (a character), and taught all 3 of us how to drive - and to make emergency roadside repairs!
We had to buy Fred because my dad freaked if I ever looked at his darling BMW. If we had to rely on learning to drive that, I still could not have been able to drive.
We learned to drive basically, then were "polished" at a driving school. The cars we had there were Daihatsu Sedans - tiny little cars. I think that the government had a deal going with Japan and France, because the only cars you could get new were Datsuns (pre Nissan), Renaults (R4 then R5), and Peugeot (404 then 504) with a smattering of BMWs from SA and a few Daihatsu's. In SA the BMWs were marketted as 1800's and 2000's, but in Rhodesia they were marketted as Cheetahs! Before we emigrated, we put our names down for a brand new BMW, but they stopped making them before we were contacted! It was a real eye opener to see car showrooms in SA overflowing with shiny new cars. When we first came on holiday to SA, the first thing we saw in Messina - the town nearest the border - was a brand new VW Beetle! That was in 1979.
I remember seeing a showroom in Mocambique that sold Citroens. On the floor was a new DS19, (hydraulic suspension) and the price sticker on the windscreen had so many zeros in it (tens of millions of Escudo's) it stretched right across the windscreen. When we obtained Escudos at the bank, 1 Escudo was changed for a tickey (2.5 cents - or pre decimilasition, 3 pennies!) - or 40 tickeys to $1. Those were the days when 10 cents pocket money a MONTH made you feel really wealthy, and you could buy a coke and a packet of crisps for breaktime from the tuckshop, and still get change! Now 10 cents is more of a pain than anything else - taking up valuable space in your wallet! It will not buy much anymore and just sits in your wallet ad infinitum! Usually I HATE receiving my toll fee change in small change and I recently peeved an operator off when I offloaded R 5 in 10 and 20 cent pieces. I was only giving them back the coinage they give to me!
Thinking about that, makes me feel really old, because my daughter refuses to believe that life is even possible without cell phones even! Even then a cell phone HAS to be a Blackberry, not your average common or garden Nokia.
I call "MY Clio" "La Frog" because it is French, but she refers to the car as "Chloe" - I suggested "Chloe La Frog" but she wants nothing to do with that! It is - I maintain - my car, so I have the right to name her! Next month - after the all important payday, I want to go in and get her 4 new tyres and 4 mag wheels! A car looks so neglected if it has no - or missing - hubcaps! I have mag wheels on my Landrover(s) AND on my trailer, so why not on "La Frog" also!
When I was serving my National Service (1980) I used to take Fred out to the nearby lake on sports afternoons and go sailing - in Mike (tiny little boat, called that as short for Microscopic)
That car was in need of an overhaul, but in the 4 or so years it was owned, it never broke down so badly that a quick sparkplug change would not get it running smoothly again! Fred used to create hilarity at fuel stations where we used to leave the attendants confused. We used to pull in and say "Check the fuel and top up the oil!" Fred used to use more oil than is carried in a Saudi oil tanker! (bit of an exaggeration - but not by much!) James Bond with his smoke screens had nothing on Fred if you ran against the gears!
Still Fred was a great car (a character), and taught all 3 of us how to drive - and to make emergency roadside repairs!
We had to buy Fred because my dad freaked if I ever looked at his darling BMW. If we had to rely on learning to drive that, I still could not have been able to drive.
We learned to drive basically, then were "polished" at a driving school. The cars we had there were Daihatsu Sedans - tiny little cars. I think that the government had a deal going with Japan and France, because the only cars you could get new were Datsuns (pre Nissan), Renaults (R4 then R5), and Peugeot (404 then 504) with a smattering of BMWs from SA and a few Daihatsu's. In SA the BMWs were marketted as 1800's and 2000's, but in Rhodesia they were marketted as Cheetahs! Before we emigrated, we put our names down for a brand new BMW, but they stopped making them before we were contacted! It was a real eye opener to see car showrooms in SA overflowing with shiny new cars. When we first came on holiday to SA, the first thing we saw in Messina - the town nearest the border - was a brand new VW Beetle! That was in 1979.
I remember seeing a showroom in Mocambique that sold Citroens. On the floor was a new DS19, (hydraulic suspension) and the price sticker on the windscreen had so many zeros in it (tens of millions of Escudo's) it stretched right across the windscreen. When we obtained Escudos at the bank, 1 Escudo was changed for a tickey (2.5 cents - or pre decimilasition, 3 pennies!) - or 40 tickeys to $1. Those were the days when 10 cents pocket money a MONTH made you feel really wealthy, and you could buy a coke and a packet of crisps for breaktime from the tuckshop, and still get change! Now 10 cents is more of a pain than anything else - taking up valuable space in your wallet! It will not buy much anymore and just sits in your wallet ad infinitum! Usually I HATE receiving my toll fee change in small change and I recently peeved an operator off when I offloaded R 5 in 10 and 20 cent pieces. I was only giving them back the coinage they give to me!
Thinking about that, makes me feel really old, because my daughter refuses to believe that life is even possible without cell phones even! Even then a cell phone HAS to be a Blackberry, not your average common or garden Nokia.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Getting used to a new (to me) vehicle
I own a Landrover V8 Discovery Auto, a Landrover Freelander 2 litre, turbo diesel (also auto) AND a Renault Clio (5 speed manual). Getting used to each is a learning curve. I also own a Porsche 944, but it is on the car lot for sale! I really am not enough of a big shot to own and drive 4 cars!
Ladybug (my Freelander) is not only diesel (first non petrol car that I have owned - in 30 years of vehicle ownership) it is cruise controlled! She is definitely not great for Christine to learn to drive in! How much practice can you get if you accelerate up to speed, engage cruise control and take your feet completely off the pedals? Great when you know how to drive, but not so great when you are still learning!
I filled Ladybug today, and went to Empangeni and back on the sniff of an oilrag! My Discovery uses at least R 50 in fuel just to get to Empangeni but Ladybug probably used R 10 worth of fuel to get there AND back! That kind of makes up for sluggish acceleration, although the Turbo takes care of that in the main!
I was astonished that my Discovery did not come with cruise control, but a Freelander does! I have yet to take delivery of the Clio (La Frog) but I really doubt if that has cruise control - although maybe I'm mistaken on that count!
I am amazed that I never bought a Landrover before! My V8 is DIVINE to drive and so to is my Freelander! My Dad drove Landrovers when I was born - 50 years ago - and throughout his army career. He was less than impressed, but in the last 50 years, Landrover have come up with some amazing vehicles! I am sold on Landrovers now, even though I used to be a Toyota man! The last Toyota that I owned, literally nearly killed me! That was actually the car that ran me down when I was changeing the spare wheel!
Ladybug (my Freelander) is not only diesel (first non petrol car that I have owned - in 30 years of vehicle ownership) it is cruise controlled! She is definitely not great for Christine to learn to drive in! How much practice can you get if you accelerate up to speed, engage cruise control and take your feet completely off the pedals? Great when you know how to drive, but not so great when you are still learning!
I filled Ladybug today, and went to Empangeni and back on the sniff of an oilrag! My Discovery uses at least R 50 in fuel just to get to Empangeni but Ladybug probably used R 10 worth of fuel to get there AND back! That kind of makes up for sluggish acceleration, although the Turbo takes care of that in the main!
I was astonished that my Discovery did not come with cruise control, but a Freelander does! I have yet to take delivery of the Clio (La Frog) but I really doubt if that has cruise control - although maybe I'm mistaken on that count!
I am amazed that I never bought a Landrover before! My V8 is DIVINE to drive and so to is my Freelander! My Dad drove Landrovers when I was born - 50 years ago - and throughout his army career. He was less than impressed, but in the last 50 years, Landrover have come up with some amazing vehicles! I am sold on Landrovers now, even though I used to be a Toyota man! The last Toyota that I owned, literally nearly killed me! That was actually the car that ran me down when I was changeing the spare wheel!
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