Day 2800 Yin Yang

Today 31 August 2014 is my 2800 post since I started way back on the 1 January 2007. Wow that is over 7 years of posting 1 photograph per day, only another 200 posts then it would be 3000 posts. It has been an up and down if not a turbulent 7 years for me. Yin and Yang, good and bad, it has all been for the building up of me. Am I stronger after these 7 years? Maybe but I know I am wiser and sadly I have become harder to those around me. Light can’t be without shadow. I have been in the light trying to help those in the dark by putting my arm back into the dark and feeling around blindly for another hand, grabbing on and then pulling them into the light. But it has been rough seven on me and I have the scars to prove it.

We are products of our past but we don’t have to be prisoners of it. Yes I am disillusioned with life as it has been tough but it is what you make of it that counts. So today being the last day of winter let me look forward and take my first step boldly into the future.

Here are Kitty and Lovely, mother and daughter cats trying to keep warm on the last day of winter. Lying in a yin and yang cuddle for warmth. As cats they know it is cold and harsh out there. Tomorrow the sun will shine and spring will begin, for now let’s get some rest.

Old Man Patch

I thought this might be the last winter for my grand old Italian Greyhound, Patch is one of the first out of bed his warm bed on cold winters mornings but the cold has been hard for him as his joints just won’t function as it used to when he was younger. Although at 15 years old Patch may be grey and long in the tooth but this wise dog is still young at heart and as my grandmother used to say, another clean shirt will do you.

Feeling Bosasa Blue

The Big Bosasa Paint Day dawned, and we all arrived at work wearing our old clothes ready to get stuck in and paint our offices. We had decided to paint one side of the office blue, the other a golden orangey yellow, and accent in red. My office side was going to be blue but along the way it was swopped with the yellow, hence I was feeling blue while I painted my office.

It should have been the blue, but oh well there goes my peaceful colours to a more bounce off the walls one. Looks like I have to move my morning meditation into the gardens. The lush gardens at Bosasa are very tranquil but it has been very cold in the mornings lately. Hopefully with the coming spring, the gardens will be the place you’ll find me first thing in the morning.

Ella, tried to bring a smile back to my face with her painted message on her wall. The overall effect of our big paint day was surprising very good. Maybe I should always leave to the experts as they know what they doing. Yehaa how about a little Blue Grass!

Bosasa at Work

It is past the middle of the week and weekend is rushing towards us like a freight train. Bosasa, so much work and so little time. When I told my step dad that I work at Bosasa, he answered if I am working for Tomorrow. Hey, I thought Bosasa meant the Future, but according to my dad, his workers use the word bosasa for tomorrow, like I will do it tomorrow. Oh well I suppose there are nuances even in the word bosasa, tomorrow and in the future.

There is no such thing as procrastination here at Bosasa. Tomorrow we are getting our hands off the keyboards and painting our own work spaces. The paint has arrived for my office, oh dear they are serious about this painting story. Well let the creative side of me spill out and make some colourful noise, double velvet style, no wait that was gangnam style.

The Conversation Prism

Hump Day and then it is downhill from here. I have so much still to do and yet there is only so much I can do in a day. Content strategy to plan, reputation to manage, social to share, websites to develop, articles to publish, and reports to study.

It is all about how to have a conversation with your brand like nothing goes down better than talking to yourself especially when the voices in your head answer. Here is Xolani and Tiro putting up the conversation prism just to keep me focused.

This is how Bosasa rolls

Yes, this is how we, the eKayaMedia Megaminds roll at Bosasa. Last year our team, the eKayaMedia MegaMinds won the coveted BOSASA Culture Day 2013 trophy. Will 2014 find favour upon us as we, the Strategic Branding and Marketing team, put our heads together to inspire.

Iggy Pack

And the rest of the family waited patiently for us to return from our weekend away. They had Robynne feeding them while we have been away but it is not the same when the pack is not whole.

Since we came home late last night, we didn’t get to spend quality time with the Iggy Pack who stayed watch while we played, so when I returned home from work today, the pack they were waiting at the gate. Maxy the lead Italian Greyhound took up his usual position in the front, with Podge the Jack Russel, and the rest of the iggies, Patch and Jade in the rear.

Sunday Family Lunch

One thing which you can’t miss up when in the area is Sunday lunch at the folks. It is times like these that whatever family is around joins around a table for a mother’s home cooked meal.

Around the table from left clockwise are Danielle, Matthew, Jaen-Jurie, Hans, Theresa, Lynda, dad, and mom. Okay photos done, prayer, and now bring up the scrumptious grub.

This is what we call trees

Ever wondered what trees look like? Well in the Mpumalanga, this is what the locals call trees. Well they just look exactly like what we in the big city call trees, matter of fact they are pine trees to be precise.

This weekend we headed down the escapement to the slowveld away from the bustle of the city. It was pleasure mixed with business, touring Nelspruit, Sabie, Pilgrims Rest, Graskop, Hazyview, and White River, visiting family, and playing Ingress. So it the sleepy hollow of Nelspruit has become a sprawl of a city overflowing the bowl over the surrounding hills. The shock was all the prostitutes that lined up the road towards Sabie.

Sabie was still the same quiet town with a busy road through. Pilgrims Rest has become a Goats Town with hawkers accosting you at every turn. Sad sad end to what was a tourist trap. Not worth even a tourist visit. It goes to show how the greed of a few messes it all up for the Pilgrim Resters. Graskop has become the tourist honey trap in the area. Hazyview still is a dirty town and not worth mentioning. And White River is still well a White River.

Well back to the trees and the sign which we saw outside Sabie, as we city folk can’t see the wood from the trees and the locals cut down trees to make sign boards to teach us what we already know.

Norma Jean

After Norma Jean was born last week Thursday, the baby springbuck was very scarce because she knew how to hide and keep out of sight from predators such as the prowling lions. I was starting to get worried that something tragic had happened to baby Norma Jean.

Yesterday just as the sun was setting I spotted the tiny little springbuck playing with her cousin who is double her size and a few weeks older. I watched her bouncing like springbucks tend to do and having so much fun. After a while she fed and went to hide in some long grass nearby.

Now I know where to look for little Norma, I can keep her under my watchful eye. So here is your first glimpse of 8 day old Norma Jean trying to get settled down behind some plants which are sheltering her from the icy wind which has blown up overnight.

Love is in the Air

Spring is in the air, and all the peacocks are strutting their feathers and competing with each other for the peahens. Love is in the air.

This magnificent peacock was doing his best little sexy dance in front of a penhen and she seemed so interested that was until a scrawny looking young peacock interjected and now it is game on as to who looks the sexiest.

Although I am not into voyeurism, I feel like my office desk is becoming the best seat in town to watch all the action as sexual tension rises. So let me tell you about the birds and the bees, and the sycamore trees. I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

The Enlightened shall not pass

This evening a group of Resistance players met at Montecasino in Fourways for a Ingress Social and what Ingress players do a lot, hacking.

Standing at the back are InsaneSplash, thr4sh3r, MaxyJade, and Meekk. Around the table starting at the front and going clockwise are BioniKat, GuardianAlpha, RiggerMortiz, NymphMel, Gazzadbn, and our Ingress visitor from France Srr91919.

We are all L8 and upwards Resistance fighters well except for our French Resistance member who is a L6 soon to be L8. With all this muscle, this meant we quickly had a L8 popup farm and we milked it dry. Comments did the rounds that this was the most successful popup farm in a long time. Well done for the organisers.

We are the Resistance. The enlightened shall not pass!

Minky is Watching You

Leaving for work this morning, I somehow disturbed Princess Minky’s cat nap. Ahhh the life of a cat, no cares other than when you hungry you eat, and when you tired, take a cat nap in a sunbeam. Minky is a very playful puddy tat and just loves her daddy, which believe it or not is me, this iggy person.

Captain Hop Along

What is all this foot fetish things that my friends are suffering from? Last Wednesday one of my friends Jedidjah, fractured her toe, not to be left out her husband Mark tore his Achilles tendon the next day, and on the same day Desmond, from work decided to drop a railway sleeper onto his foot. Go figure hop alongs.

Here is Des, Monday morning wearing his new boot doing his best Captain Morgan impression. He was telling me that if his foot doesn’t heal correctly then he will need to get pins implanted into his foot.

Landlord from Hell

With the first of the spring rains here, our newly thatched roof leaked like a sieve just like we expected after viewing the shoddy workmanship of the so called clowns of thatches. The question that begs to be asked is where the landlord get those jokers. The numerous calls and sms’es to our landlord from hell didn’t get any response and we were left to re arrange our lounge to miss all the waterfalls streaming down from this unholy roof.

Well the spring rains herald the spring season and with our entire household in a shambles it is a perfect time to spring clean. When the landlord did arrive with the thatcher in tow, he made promises to get it all fixed tomorrow.

Steampunk Jerome

So how is this fashion statement, steampunk!

Or maybe I am not looking so good. This reminds of Van Der Merwe who saw a horse for sale from a local farmer for an unbelievable price. After looking at the horse Van couldn’t believe the bargain, so he asked the farmer, “Why is this horse going this cheap?” the farmer answered, “She doesn’t look so good.” The horse looked fine to Van, so he bought the horse. The next day after riding into a tree, Van angrily returned to the farmer accusing him of selling him a blind horse. The farmer simply shrugged and responded to a livid Van, “I told you, she doesn’t look so good.”

That is how I feel this morning, trying on this bohemian looking contraption to test my eyes. I told you I don’t look so good but these steampunk glasses are just the answer I need.

Woza Xolani!

Yes today is Friday and the weekend dawns upon us. This will be the first time we will be alone without the thatches around, let’s hope the roof holds as rain is expected. So off Xolani goes into the bright weekend passionately seeking his cave woman as he lives for the weekends because weekends live for him.

Billy the Kid Returns

It is all about getting back up onto the horse after you have just fallen off, yip the best teacher is the last mistake that you made.

With the serial killer zebras out of the way, another springbuck gave birth today and I think I shall call her Norma Jean. Today was the 10th and last day of the thatches and they cleaned up their mess. And finally it was the House Drama Competition at Matthew’s school, which meant a long trek east but it was all worth it.

Matthew was one of the lead supporting actors in his school house Oxford play called Billy the Kid Returns. And they won the drama competition, yeehaw! It was good to see Matthew enjoying himself amongst friends, where I pegged him as a reserved young man, boy was he in his element. Speaking to another of the Oxford team’s actresses, Savannah, about Matthew, she said “Oh, he is one of the popular boys”. Afterwards while Matthew was excitedly speaking to us about the drama, some parents came up to him and congratulated him on his performance, saying things like that he was such a natural. And there I was just soaking it up.

Today’s photo is of the lead actor, Luvuyo, at the opening scene of Billy the Kid Returns. During the excitement afterwards while holding up their just won drama trophy, I heard Luvuyo say to Matthew, something along these lines ”you did good tonight” and I can’t agree more. Well done Matthew, and a big well done to the Oxford Drama Team.

Baby Monday

Just over a week ago 3 springbucks were born at Mogale Business Park. The first one which I witnessed was at about 4:30 pm on the Friday the first of August, the second on Saturday morning, and the third on Monday morning, hence the name Monday. Sadly dues to the fear of lions nearby the zebras attacked the babies and two babies died before the zebras could be contained.

So here is Monday, our 12 day old baby black springbuck with his mother to the left checking me out while a young male springbuck came over to smell the youngster.

It is times like these that a point and shoot is not the best camera for the job and I wish I had my DSL with a lovely lens on so that I could get a better photo of Monday.

Little Pink Flower

I spent most of today thinking that it is Wednesday, and surprise surprise, I gained a day from somewhere. Besides the extra week day, it is Day Nine since the thatches tore into our home, the outside was finished yesterday and they got stuck into the inside today, talk about an invasion into your privacy, not to mention the mess everywhere which no doubt will take many repetitive cleanings to get all that hay out.

The ray of hope in all this darkness is that today, yes today might be the last. The last day of the thatches is the one small ray that I am holding onto. It is these small rays of hope such as this pink flower pen sitting on Ella’s desk that cuts right through the darkness and affects all of its surroundings.

This little pink plastic flower pen somehow seems intended to find solace of my dark mind.

Monday Induction

Day 8 and still no roof. The landlord phoned today and said that they will be finished today on the outside. Tomorrow they will be trimming the inside. He says that the thatches have done a okay job. I admire his optimism but I really don't think the thatches have done a good job and I am positive at the first serious rains the roof will leak. After telling the landlord this he said that he will leak test it tomorrow with a hose pipe. I am gob smacked and have no more words to say.

Well it is so good to be back at work and away from my home. We must not let Mondays get the better of us but we must make Mondays afraid of us. I hit this Monday running with the company blog that needed to get out like right now and then I ran straight into a speed bump. This road hazard came in a form of an Induction course run by HR which took the whole morning out of my already busy day. Oh well, Monday does as Monday wants. Remember don't hate Monday. Make Monday hate you. Next!

Mark Day 7

Day 7 and the thatching is still not complete with holes everywhere. The clowns didn’t put back the canvas to cover the remaining holes which meant another night under the stars. Thankfully the rain stayed at bay. When it does come, the rain that is, surely this roof is still going to leak as any layperson would tell you with one look that it is does not look right. Surely this entire half of the roof needs to be redone by a professional team of thatches.

The jokers didn’t return today, maybe they had to go to church and ask for forgiveness for the shoddy workmanship. Talking about church, I too had to go as I was on usher duty. I waited with a black cloud over my head as long as I could before leaving for BBC. Here is my old friend, Mark, trying to bring back a smile to my face, as this has been a miserable weekend with literary no roof over our heads. I must say Mark did try even though he works for a company based in Redmond, but he is a very good friend none the less.

What Jokers?

It is now day 6 and ominous clouds are building up, getting heavy laden with rain, the thatches start rushing their work and tempers are flaring. Branderings are being broken and I had to step in once again when they cut down some young trees to be used as replacement banderings. I contacted the landlord told him that it was unacceptable what was happening. He went and brought new banderings so that the thatching could continue.

Halfway through the day tempers got so hot that punches flew amongst the thatches and we had to step in to separate them.

Double Sigh!

Jokers to the left and jokers to the right. Where did the landlord find these people? With no supervision this is how the thatch is looking from the inside. On the left is what the old thatch looks like and on the right is the mess done by these clowns. I think I am suffering from Coulrophobia!

Working in Dust

Yesterday I was called home to allow the thatches into my home so that they can trim the inside. Today after discussing with the powers that be at work, I stayed at home to make sure there would be no excuse not to come into the house and do the work.

While I worked remotely dust drifted down from the roof as the thatches proceeded to attempt to finish the work before the rains come which is predicted tomorrow. But alas due to no supervision by the landlord, too much talking and not much thatching being done, it is still not finished.

With rain on the way, I had to step in and organise canvas to be brought in so that the thatches could cover up and protect my home. With that I had to leave for Benoni to fetch Matthew. This is how they left my home. Sigh! They had enough canvas and sheeting to cover the entire home and tonight we have arranged to sleep here. So with a nearly full moon shining over our beds, good night.

The House the Jack Built

I feel that I am literary living in the house that Jack built out of straw, as there is straw thatch everywhere, inside and out. And now the thatches are saying that they will only be finished by Saturday. Urghhh!!! This is now costing us lots of money let alone we are stressed, the pets stressed, and I now my work is getting affected. Never, never again, although it is quaint, after this never again. My love is all gone for picturesque, warm and cozy thatch.

Musical Fountains

When it happens it all happens at once and you can only try your best to juggle and keep as many balls in the air. The surface of our thatch roof was only to be removed and replaced but now all of it has been removed and it just keeps on going.

On Monday my sister and her family down Nelspruit had their home sacked, Tuesday was my best friend’s turn down in Hilton as he and his elderly mom were held up in their home, and then there is today, another home sacked, this time a friend and his family in Kempton Park. The worst part was that they took his wife’s bible which she uses frequently. So what happens now?

Another night in a hotel room when they all start looking the same. This is starting to cost us dearly. Even the musical fountains struggled to cheer us up. When will life play another tune that this time we can joyfully sing along to? Hopefully by Friday we can return home and when my ship finally comes in, it will be just my luck that I would be at the airport.

Who stole our roof?

The Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping, after setting up their tent they sat around the fire place for a while until they got tired and went to sleep. A few hours later Tonto woke up the Lone Ranger saying “Kemo Sabi, look towards the sky, what do you see?” The Lone Ranger replied, “I see millions of stars”. “What does that tell you?” asked Tonto. After pondering a bit on the question, the Lone Ranger answered, “Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, it tells me Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What's it tell you, Tonto?” After a few moments of silence, Tonto responds “Kemo Sabi, it tells me someone stole our tent.”

Yes I know Tonto it is an old one but it was the thought that crossed my mind when I walked into our cottage this afternoon, “Kemo Sabi, someone stole our roof!” Who?

I am all bunged up and fully medicated due to this man flu, but I knew what I was looking up at wasn’t right. Earlier today there was an earthquake measuring mb5.3 about 100km away. We felt the double shocks of the long and short P-waves as it rumbled passed but surely it couldn’t have been the earthquake that left me seeing millions of stars though what was once my roof.

Then it hit me, this medicine is making me slow, who had stolen my roof. One side of our thatch roof of the cottage was leaking during the past summer rains and now that we way into the dry season the thatchers were in to repair the roof. Only the surface rotten pieces of thatch was to be removed and replaced promised the thatches. Not this surely. After getting hold of the thatches, they told me that the thatch was so rotten through that they removed most of it, leaving me to find only what you can see above, including the stars.

So now we are staying in a hotel, while the roof is being repaired as I am not a camping type person and the stars, well there are too many of them and they are starting to intimidate me.

Lion Myth Busters

On Friday afternoon, when leaving Mogale Business Park, I had the pleasure to stumble upon a springbuck giving birth. After watching life unfold before me for a little while, I left to report it to the groundsman.

This morning I noticed some grounds staff herding the pair of zebras at the park. I went off to query about the new born baby, one of the grounds staff said that three had been born with the third one this very morning. He also went on to tell me that the zebras were on a mission to kill the babies.

Now I need to find out if this is a myth or not. From what I have been told that zebras in order to protect themselves, they will kill any baby not their own in a herd in fair of attracting lions. Now we have all seen zebras in mixed herds along with buck and wildebeests surely this can’t be true.

I am not sure if the zebras managed to kill the babies but I do know the zebra pair were darted and relocated to our other facility down the road for the safety of the baby Springbucks.

The closest lions are about 10 kilometres away. Obviously the anti-lion deprogramming didn’t work on the zebras, or maybe they know something I don’t. Myth or not, this has got me got me looking over my shoulder for lions.

Update
Two of the baby springbucks were killed by the zebra serial killers before they could be caught and relocated. Their excuse is that they heard lions roaring and were afraid. The only surviving one is the one born this morning.

More Cat TV Channels

Sometime during Friday evening, I started coming down with some bug. By Saturday I was bed ridden but somehow managed to crawl out of bed to get to the shops. Today I just can’t seem to shake this man flu.

So while I sit on the couch watching some TV, Minky our monkey cat, too watches her TV and every now and then she circles the tank trying to catch those pesky critters.

Sign of the Times

With Nicolas Cage missing the Rapture and being left behind, the Israelis dancing the horah around the Gaza bonfire while children are burning, the Economic Freedom Front already 1 year old, ebola knocking at our door, and now cemeteries are coming up for auction. Surely the sign of the times is written all over.

Anybody interested in acquiring an operating cemetery with over 25,000 graves available as one is coming up for auction in Cosmos City. Hopefully those are available grave plots and not already filled graves.

Fare Thee Well Geoffrey

It is good that today is Friday with the weekend ahead but the cherry on top of the cake is that we got to throw a surprise party for Geoffrey albeit a Farewell Surprise Party at that.

Geoff, I have only known you for a short time and I am sure that I can call you a friend so I leave you with this blessing as you go on to greener pastures.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

Fare thee well Geoff, do good work, and keep in touch.