Another Goodbye

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu Tracy and Gary. Ahhh too many goodbyes this month, and this year already that I am starting to feel the pain.

Now it is Tracy and Gary’s turn although this time it is not too far as Tracy and Gary leave our home circle of friends to start and lead another home community church. Au revoir.

Winter Monday

I left home before the sun peeped over the valley and arrived back way after dark. Okay I don’t mind the cold part of winter but this not seeing the sun I have a problem with especially on a Monday. Bad start to the week. Well at least Kitty doesn’t change. She just sits and thinks.

Frisbee Moses

It is near the end of an endless gaming weekend for Matthew and his friend Moses. But that is not all! Now being a Sunday afternoon means it is the Flying Disc League time so here is Matthew introduction Moses to the nonstop action of throwing and catching a frisbee.

Matthew and Moses

Double M&M spells trouble as Matthew had his friend Moses over for the weekend of nonstop gaming. Yes when I woke up this morning both of them was still playing on the X-Box and are planning to continue through to Sunday. This photo was taken when they were still looking not like zombies yet.

Making the Chicken Run

Paarp! Let the chicken run begin again as many of my friends have left these shores in the last few months that my mind boggles trying to keep count. Now one more family is making the chicken run as Rob and his family are heading for Adelaide down under.

We are going to miss you Rob, so blow the vuvuzela and be on your way before a tear rolls down.

Ernest Kantrel

The branding of our offices continue as our signage department reaches our building today with the glass décor and transforms our fishbowls into a brand. Here are Ernest and Kantrel from branding plying their craft.

Lend me your Ears

Paballo, Nombeko, lend me your ears. Yip here is Pabs sporting her new ear fashion with approval from Noms. I have been quite distracted these last few days and by the time the day is over, I start panicking on what photograph I can take for the day that would remind me what the day was all about, other that work work work. Luckily Pabs and Noms was still in the office.

Redaction

Well readers, sorry for this, I did a photo for today but due to the time sensitivity, the photo has to be redacted as well as most of the text.

Baba uphuma ngokushesha ezweni izimpukane phansi futhi sihlale simatasa ekwenzeni ividiyo fun egcwele skits nezinkumbulo kithi okufanele ayithathe njengoba Memento . Kwadingeka Yehlisa lo myalezo ngoba Baba ifundeka kanje kule blog bese asifuni ukuba bonakalise samangala lapho uyakwamukela lokhu ngoLwesihlanu.

Come back soon to this post, as I promise that I will reveal the whole story here. The original image safakwa ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu ngezansi

Kubuhlungu ukubona Baba kanye nabangane bami abaningi ushiye Afrika , kuba scary ukwazi ukuthi esihlokweni sesibili inkukhu run sekuqalile futhi ngawo ugcwaliseka ngokugcwele .

Okay here is the un-redacted text as the Farewell to Rob is about to begin...

Rob is leaving soon for the land of the flies down under and we are busy making a fun video full of skits and memories for us for him to take as a memento. I had to redact the message above because Rob reads this blog and we don’t want to spoil our surprise which he will receive this Friday.

It is sad to see Rob as well as many of my friends leave Africa, it is scary to know that the second chicken run has started and is in full swing.

Run Free Ali and Little Boy

I didn’t know what to do, or even what to say other than hold Lynda after her traumatic lost this afternoon.

I got a phone call from my neighbour mid afternoon telling me his maid had phoned him and told him that the dogs had killed one of our cats so I dropped everything and rushed home fearing the worse. Chocking back the tears, I phoned Lynda as I was leaving  work and she too rushed home.

Arriving home I found everything eerie quiet, no cats, no neighbour's dogs, and my dogs acting nervous. Three cats where outside Little Boy, Shammy, and Ali, when we left for work this morning but I searched and found none of the cats anywhere so I went to the neighbour’s place to seek out the maid to ask her where our dead cat was but she would not answer the door. Eventually the neighbour’s young daughter answered the door, she must have been sick as she was not at school, she told me that their pack of Jack Russells attacked our cat by our back door and that the maid put the body into a bucket by the door.

Lynda arrived by the time I had walked back to our kitchen door and together we found a poor cat ripped to shreds dead in a bucket. It was so bad that I didn’t even know which cat it was at first and a sobbing broken Lynda had to identify Little Boy. Thankfully the cats that were inside and our dogs were all accounted for but now we started looking for the two missing cats praying hard that they had managed to escape the viciousness of a pack of dogs.

At first I found the one of the cat’s safe zones, all messed up and turned over by a mob of dogs by the look of the patio but no cats, then arriving at the other safe zone I found Ali’s body lying there in the dirt all messed up inside the safe zone. Those %#^@!&^ Jack Russels broke through into the safe zone and poor Ali didn’t stand a chance. Fearing the worst, Lynda and I search and searched for Shammy and nothing.

We buried Little Boy and Ali and then widened our search into the veld around our property. During our widened search area, I spoke to the farmer next door and he said he saw a cat flying like a bat out of hell past him fleeing a large dog commotion on our property inside the cats safe zone and that the cat continued fleeing into the veld. Thankfully this meant that Shammy was alive although not out of the woods yet as the veld is kilometres large and big bad jackals call it home.

Sadly we had to call off our search when it got too dark. Not feeling like supper we battened down the hatches and praying that Shammy was safe as the jackals started howling ever closer. Just after nine o’ clock, Shammy appeared hungry and scared at the window, not knowing that his two brothers were dead. Thank goodness he is safe, and now we live in fear as to who is next, not even my Italian Greyhound dogs are safe from this pack of Jack Russels. Patch is over 90 years old in human terms and as pack instinct goes they love taking out the weakest or the sick first.

Our animals are now locked up inside, prisoners in their own home. Lynda and a neighbour's daughter has been bitten, now two cats have been torn apart by these dogs. Who is next?

Crime Spike

Crime is everywhere you look in Gauteng, hence the old name Gangsters Paradise from our vehicle registration. But somehow Cape Town has taken the mantle over.

Where we live along the banks of the Jukskei River crime has been relatively low. Nearly every night we hear of incidents down the road in Randburg but here I can count on one hand of all the incidents in the last 2 years. 1, thieves stole the neighbour’s gate, and 2, broke our top gate’s motor and stole the battery. That was last year. This year crime has picked up a bit as we are 5 months in and just had our 2 incidents weeks apart.

Last weekend in the rain, thieves stole the neighbour’s irrigation pump which was down buy the river, and last night we had our top gate’s motor smashed open and the battery stolen. That is crime 2 weekends in a row.

Biltong and Marzipan

Okay now you know that I am in the valley, after two long weeks of no highs, time to binge on my favourites, sliced wet biltong and marzipan covered in dark chocolate.

Yeah, though I walk though the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me, locked and loaded, with biltong and marzipan.

In nomine Patri, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

Kay Friday

O’Kay this is my second Friday ever while at eKayaMedia that I have ever said, thank goodness it is Friday. The last time I ever begged for the weekend was last Friday, that makes two in a row. Please, please don’t let this become a habit as I really think I was making a difference here, now I am having my doubts.

Sigh, well, back to the office, here is Kay in her newly completed office with the new design and glass panels for the inspiration.

Angel Michael

When I left home this morning, it was just getting light and the valley was shrouded in mist, not thick mist but low visibility that I had to use my lights.

After a long day, I left my office and it dawn was settling in and arriving at the car park, I found that I could not open my pickup with the remote. At first I thought someone was jamming the signal but to my horror I discovered that I had left my lights on all day and now the battery was flat.

Most of the car park was empty as it was over an hour since normal end of day and it was getting dark. I found a few late workers but no one had any jumper cables or leads for me to use to connect to another battery and jump start my pickup. The security said that the call centre had jumper cables but when I inquired they said someone used them and now that person had already left for home without returning them. Not cool dude, whoever you are.

I tried to with the help of the security guards to push start my pickup but no joy. Now I was in a pickle. Thinking that I should phone home and get Lynda to bring my jumper cables, I then remembered that Rob said he was going to visit his brother on the way home, and that was just down the road from where I work. A quick phone call and Rob was going to ask his brother if he had cables to help me.

That is when the Angel Michael appeared. Well not quite an angel but Michael none the less. He was dropping his wife off for her night shift duty at the call centre and he had jumper cables in his car. I had to phone Rob back to stop him driving back to work with his brother’s cables. My battery was very flat but soon we had my pickup started.

Thank you Michael and all the Bosasa security guards who kindly assisted me in my time of need.

Vespa P200E you Beauty

It is sad that it has been nearly 3 months and I am still waiting parts for my Vespa GTS 300ie Super. I popped into the bike mechanic’s shop over lunchtime to see what the progress is and there Scarlett stood gathering dust.

Feeling down and rejected, I returned to the place I call work but my thoughts were still on poor Scarlett. To help me back to earth is a model of a Vespa P200E on my desk that my son, Matthew gifted to me (shown above). Sigh, it has been a downer of a week which started last Friday and is still persisting.

Hump Day, and soon will the words “Woza Friday you beauty”, will pass my lips as it is downhill from here.

Bokamoso

“Well you see”, mumbled Bokamoso, and the story went something like this, “mommy was driving (the red car) and it was raining.” Yes it was raining all weekend, and “what are those” enquired me as I pointed to the two nearly identical objects in the middle of the page. “Robots!” Now you see traffic lights are called robots here in South Africa and we like to start them young, a traffic light is a robot and your robot is a mechanical machine that are designed to perform repetitive tasks.

Well where was I, oh yes and then I pointed to the squiggly thing next to the robots and had to ask what that was, “mud” came the answer. Mud? Yes, well you see it was raining, and mommy got stuck in the mud now this fun event has been forever ingrained on young Bokamoso's mind, forever.

Monday’s Hair

I remember a time when Noma used to change her hair style quite regularly but of late the periods in between hair styles grew longer that I can’t remember when last Noma changed her style.

Well that all changed this Monday morning when Noma arrived sporting a brand new look, never seen before. That right folks, get your celebrities watching here and note that you saw it first on this blog.

Chris not Craig

The weather did not help me to get out of bed this morning. With the hard downpours, I just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep but it was the thought that I on duty at BBC this morning which dragged me out of bed reluctantly.

At BBC I was taken aback when I saw someone who reminded me of a long gone friend when he walked past, I had to look twice to make sure I wasn’t not seeing Craig. Anyway this person turned out to be Chris and here he is working on the Arrow Team at BBC alongside my good friend Mark, the one with his hands in the air.

Slow Oxtail Stew

The weather has closed in with a cold front hitting us last night. At first the rain soft and intermittent but as the day progressed the rain became steadier and harder.

It wasn’t pleasant to go anywhere so instead of doing well nothing, I decided to try my hand at some slow cooked oxtail stew while the rain fell on the tin roof. With the aromas wafting through the warm cottage throughout the day, we were salivating by the time we got stuck into this delicious cooked to perfection meal.

Rumble in the Jungle

Yes it is all about who has the better looking office at eKayaMedia as we about to embark on a new path of our company. In this rumble in the jungle, we have seen Noma, Ilana and Cyril’s offices, and mine which of course is in the lead.

Now Lesego and Malibongwe have stepped into the ring with their office design. Let’s get ready to rumble.

Straight to Bed

I arrived back home after a long day with a splitting headache. With a deadline loaming tomorrow, I just needed to get my mind away from the thought of it and that is when it dawned on me that I still have to take a photograph for today.

But then I remember that I did, it was the sunrise this morning. This means I can take some more pills for this deadline headache and go straight to bed, yay. Time to dream about the weekend.

Fairy Dust

eKayaMedia creative streak continues as now it is the multimedia team’s turn to get their office’s sprinkled with fairy dust from Ilana’s magic wand. Here is Ilana and Cyril showing us how much they enjoy their new look office.

I still think mine’s better, and thanks Ilana for making that TARDIS appear through that big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff. I think she would make a good Doctor's companion.

Noma's Office Makeover

My wall was completed last week and now it is the turn of Noma-Jean. Noma is the copywriter strategist in our digital team hence writing has been used as part of her design on her office wall. Ooh and she is so excited with the outcome which she claims is better than my Google with a hint of Doctor Who theme office.

Creativity is intelligence having fun.

Impromptu Trio

It is a cold miserable day. I think winter is here. Uhmm I think we have the making of a trio, a conspiracy in the making. He he, here is the trio, Mlu, Noma, and Pabs having an impromptu meeting out of the cold. Okay, I used their shortened form of their names because I always battle with pronouncing their names in full, Mlungisi, Nomangaliso, and Paballo, now you try saying those names without getting your tongue in a knot.

Parisian Street Café

In the 18ème arrondissement de Paris we find the Rue Ravignan, named after a Jesuit priest Gustave Ravignan, but we not in Paris are we but just outside Hartesbeespoort dam in a street café called The French Toast Koffie Kafee which tries to bring the old town of Montmartre back to life.

This quaint French Café met all expectations of slow yet good food and French accordion music playing in the background as Lynda and I soaked up the relaxing atmosphere of a Parisian street café.

Truworths, who’s your Daddy?

They say that sex sells, and Truworths, a fashion retailer here in South Africa, sure made controversial social waves in their teenage sex sells Mother’s Day Ad Campaign.

Social media has been abuzz with fail from Truworths, so while out shopping today, I could not help seeing all the boys wishing their moms could look as sexy as this teenage model. Makes you wonder who is Truworth’s target market and what message they are trying to convey.

Thank you Truworths with your tons of worthy market research, for showing us the truth on what our mothers really, really want, and I don’t think it is their teenage son bringing them sexy lingerie along with the Mother’s Day breakfast in bed, and a card reading "Who's your daddy?"

Slow Recovery

Isabella is confined to the aviary for the next few weeks while she recovers from being knocked over by a vehicle. I spend half an hour first thing in the morning after arriving at work and later before I leave for home, just to talk with her and comfort her in these trying days as she slowly recovers.

At first it was just I doing all the talking allowing my words to comfort her, now Isabella is starting to purr again when she hears my voice.

 

Revenge of the Fifth

"What the galaxy, did someone say that I get a half day because it is my birthday? Well I better take a rain check on that." Yes today is Gillis' birthday, and as extremely busy as what the Signage team is, not even Gillis knows when that half day would be squeezed in. Well anyway, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... You were born, happy birthday Gillis and since I am on the Star Wars theme I must not forget my good friend Gary who also celebrates his birthday today, as he revenges the fifth.

Isabella's Back

After two and a half weeks at the Veterinary Hospital in emergency care from being knocked by a vehicle, Isabella, our Crown Crane returned home. She is not 100% alright as there is no blood circulation in one of her toes and she is not putting any weight on her injured leg that has a pin inside. It will be a long road to recovery with weekly visits to the vet.

Good news is that Isabella is eating and has a healthy appetite, oh and back home.

Oh my Gallifrey

Oh my Gallifrey, over a week ago the painters had just finished preparing the wall in my office for this. Yes today walking into my office I found the wall in my office finished. And the cherry on top is that my one request in the design was to sneak in the TARDIS somewhere and here she is, the TARDIS, Time And Relative Dimension In Space which is that stuff that I specialise in, a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff.

At least I can blink couple of times.

Daddy's Girl

Minky our cat has become very affectionate with me and stays close to me when I work in my office. Now I tried to get a selfie with her using my phone camera in the low light of my office at home. Not the best but you can get the idea that Minky is one beautiful, intelligent cat and somehow knows how to pose in a selfie especially with her daddy.

Winter is Here

A cold front has swept across southern Africa leaving a dusting of snow on all the highlands. Brrrr it is cold in Jozi as winter finally arrives. Okay before anyone says 7˚C is not cold, for us in Africa it is as our homes are not built with insulation and double glazing. So it is time to put jerseys on the Italian Greyhounds before they catch a cold.

Later on by afternoon the temperatures reached 15˚C. Warm enough for us to head out to Emmarentia Dam for the inspiring Jozi Land Art 2016, meet with friends, and of course for Mark’s birthday.