Spud Bud

Just finished reading the third installment of Spud, written by
John van de Ruit. Incredibly funny and worth the wait.
If you've every been to a South African boarding school,
you must read this series.

Drugs and Drama

Halfpint came home incubating germs. I had to take her to our drug dealer. She's happy now. I think it's all those 'feel good and even if I feel lousy, I don't care' pills. That, and the 'get out of exams free' card.
Remember the good ol' days when a parents' note was good enough.

Of course, I want a 'get out of work for a week' card but my boss is not as enthused as I am. I'm not senior enough to play 'shuffle' with the deadlines. Drat.

'Tis the season for veldfires

I turn my back for 2 seconds and MD is outside setting the world alight, the blazing trail being out alleged fire breaks. Of course, the smoke and ash billowed straight into the house while I was busy with laundry.

A day later, 4am, we woke to the sound of snap, crackle, pop. It was too early for breakfast and it wasn't my joints either. The sun rising in the west clued me in. FIRE !
Our winter woodpile and the grass the thatchers didn't collect was now a roaring inferno... and that was all. Thanks to the firebreaks, buildings, vehicles and oxygen thieves were safe.
Ditto our Telkom and Eskom lines. MD had the good sense to pipe and bury the cables deep underground two years back.

All's well. Guess I'll have to put up smelling like a chimney until the rains come.

Note to MD and Halfpint. Walk around the blackjacks, not through them.

New Moon

It's a bit difficult to hold a phone conversation over the shriek of an alarm siren - suggest you hang up.

Our first Fire Drill today.
Of course, some people thought it was voluntary and ignored staff wearing decorative reflective bibs. Others decided to head for the furthest exit rather than the closest (because that's where their mates are). All the First Aiders assembled - without their equipment bags.
We still got a way to go.

Basic Survival

Basic survival. Know your food groups.
Caffeine and Nicotine.
Chocolate is an optional extra, more commonly known as trooskos (comfort food).

These help curb homicidal tendencies.