Saturday evening we came home after slaving away in the burning sun all day at an Animal Peeps fundraiser, earning thousands of bucks for the crowd that first brought this big boy into our lives, to find him lying dead in the back yard, with no explanation.
I was so shocked I couldn't really focus enough to be emotional, but today it's really hitting me.
But I'm conflicted as to what to say because the shock is still clouding the emotions. It's true that we'll never know 100% what happened, but it's 99% likely to have been poison-related based on clues (confirmed by Dr. Vet, over the phone), and 90% likely to have been a snake. To get highly technical, we've narrowed it down to a Mamba or the Puff Adder that I spotted in our garden before.
Mary & Richard came to see him & express their grief with us, and help us bury him. We opted for a less stoney spot than over by Reggie, at the end of the marquee lawn, on the west side, under the sunset. It was dusk, the sun was going down, everybody was sad. But again, the shock robbed us of our chance to be 100% tuned in to the cold truth that our big woofer was gone.
He came to us as a 1 & 1/2 year old welfare case, having suffered abuse and a horrible accident that left him forever 3-legged & gimpy. At first he was traumatized and limp, but after the long rehabilitation of his leg, he grew into his own hilarious and outrageous personality.
He had agression and trust issues to work out, often leaving the marks of this behind (in the Mr.'s face and left arm, primarily) but eventually began to trust adult males and even take instructions from the ones he used to be cheeky to. I thought it was going to take forever and a day to teach a 50kg boerboel to get into the truck, when it used to freak him out and send him into psycho fits. But with a little effort, it only took him a couple weeks, and his fear and car-related anxiety was conquered. Not by me, but by him trying so hard to please.
He learned obedience instructions faster than any dog I've ever had, like sit and stay and roll over, but the one thing he could never do was "stop talking". My favorite thing about Sech was the way he would sit down in front of you and just chatter, saying "moof moof wow wow wow" and look into your eyes to try and figure out if you were getting it.
This dog, more than any other dog, lived to please his humans. His magical tactic (once he learned it solid) was "sit". Even at 100 miles per hour on the fly, he would come screaming up to you and before bowling you over, right at the last second, the "sit" would come with the brakes. Every day we would drive into the driveway and flying around the corner would come the Big Gimp, and before crashing into you, he would sit and MOOF, knowing no pets would come unless there was bottom-on-the-ground action. This would then be followed by a big "roll over", without even being asked, in the most ungraceful fashion anyone had ever seen. I laughed every time.
The big crazy yellow eyes will always be imprinted on my mind - I never had a dog with yellow eyes before, and these ones were set so far back in his head, scaring almost everyone who ever saw him. It made us feel good, knowing that we had an intimidating force on the property, even though he was as soft as mush to us. He would've protected us from anything. He had an unbelievable sense of human vibes. He never growled a single tooth to Mary, yet he could spot a trespasser a mile away. He even wanted to protect his plot from the wildlife that came into it. Who could forget the porcupine, various snakes, and most recently the monitor lizard. We never wanted to punish him for being alert and on the job, because in these parts a good guard dog is a good asset. But the most amazing thing about him was that he was never trained or asked to do it, he just took it upon himself after settling into our family and realizing that we were his people. It was as if he was born to do it, and he already knew what to do. We never even had to train him to stay on his plot, he just instictively knew where his property line ended and that this land was his responsibility.
He loved us more than any other dog we've owned. Sure the other ones think we're great, but this dog would've fought to the death to protect us, and wouldn't rest until he was able to earn his pets and affection from us in return.
His best friend in the whole world, Reilly, is in mourning. So much more than we witnessed with our last loss. This morning she went outside to where he died, sniffed around, and then followed the exact trail we moved him on, over to his grave, and sniffed around some more. She's been obviously bummed today, and I can tell she just knows her best mate is gone now. No more tearing across the plot at top speeds, exhausting him and taunting him to keep up. No more secret walkabouts together through the bush on the plot, looking for live & dead creatures to play with, when mom & dad leave the house.
The Mr. is equally devistated, and keeps saying over and over "I had gotten so attached to him..." and we really can't believe how empty the house can feel without 50kg of solid PUPPY wonkily bouncing through the place going "hah hah hah hah". You really do miss it a lot more than a small, old dog.
I'm not surprised I miss him so much, just given his huge in-your-face style, and over-the-top presence in the house. But I also miss his eyes and his character and having a pup who was genuinely your biggest fan and protector. He was the kind of dog who would really grow on anyone, just ask the Mr. (the one who once threatened to get rid of him during one of their "getting acquainted" rows), and our gardener (whom he once tried to eat).
I know there's more to write, but for now, this is really all I can muster. I think the underlying sentiment is still just one of total confusion and loss.
Titles and Addresses are Important
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 27 November 2008 at 11/27/2008 12:06:00 pm.
You tell me whar a man gits his corn pone, en I'll tell you what his 'pinions is.
I've been wrestling with what to call this blog when I change the name. I mean it needs a new name! It's desperate for a new name. It's bawling it's friggin eyes out for a new name!! Plus I like to keep my covert blog on the run, just in case....
I had a million good names picked out that stemmed from a million of my favorite songs - ALL TAKEN! agggh! who knew there were so many Tom Petty, Mick Jagger, Dylan, and Band fans out there!!
So then I thought outside the box.
My favorite author, historical figure, fellow Missourian, etc... and it was right there in front of me. Ahhhh Mark Twain! Even cool enough to be read out at my wedding. And what a repertoire to select from!! MT is a wealth of great material, wit, and philosophy. He's like, the conceptual love child of Harry Truman and Yogi Berra.
So later this weekend I'm migrating this useless drivel.... not that it will affect anyone other than me and like 10 of my friends, but still... it will now be found at:
CornPoneOpinions (dot blogspot dot ... etc)
Why Corn Pone? I mean, why, when the great MT had all those brilliant poetic words to work with? The short jist is that a) I love/worship/adore the guy and b) it's one of my favorite MT essays of all time (of the same name), and it's totally relevant to blogs in general.
In the blog age, it's screamingly obvious. Let's face it, the concept of blogs like mine (i.e. journaling online, as opposed to "political" or "tech-y" or "photogrpahic" or "online works of fiction") being touted as being "100% honest" sits about as well with me as these kids from up north of the Mason-Dixon Line running around saying "y'all" all the time. My ass! We journalers conjure up blog-friendly images, and censor the censor-worthy stuff, and become whatever it is that we want to remember in the future, or even words that we want to BE remembered in the future as having said/not said, thought/not thought. As Mr. Twain so accurately sums it up in his essay, "I suppose that in more cases than we should like to admit, we have two sets of opinions: one private, the other public; one secret and sincere, the other corn-pone, and more or less tainted."
I really dug that piece of work from the first time I ever read it years ago, and even back then I saw how appropriate it is in every facet of life, from age 16 til the old folks home. It's in what I wear to what bumper sticker is on the car, what gets typed, and what gets said around the meeting table or what political chain emails get forwarded on, to whom. Blah blah blah, it's all corn-pone!! The "real" stuff is always and will always be only in the mind, and it's silly to say it's in this blog or not in this blog or whatever. OK, that totally didn't make sense what I said there, but dammit while this may be corn-pone opinionage, it's still my blog and still me. And I talk complete rubbish!
Now THAT's authentic!!
While my blog will always retain its balls, and will continue to be the completely disgustingly wayward one until I die, now at least my corn-pone opinions are gonna get their totally undeserved title. So the next post will come from there.
I've been wrestling with what to call this blog when I change the name. I mean it needs a new name! It's desperate for a new name. It's bawling it's friggin eyes out for a new name!! Plus I like to keep my covert blog on the run, just in case....
I had a million good names picked out that stemmed from a million of my favorite songs - ALL TAKEN! agggh! who knew there were so many Tom Petty, Mick Jagger, Dylan, and Band fans out there!!
So then I thought outside the box.
My favorite author, historical figure, fellow Missourian, etc... and it was right there in front of me. Ahhhh Mark Twain! Even cool enough to be read out at my wedding. And what a repertoire to select from!! MT is a wealth of great material, wit, and philosophy. He's like, the conceptual love child of Harry Truman and Yogi Berra.
So later this weekend I'm migrating this useless drivel.... not that it will affect anyone other than me and like 10 of my friends, but still... it will now be found at:
CornPoneOpinions (dot blogspot dot ... etc)
Why Corn Pone? I mean, why, when the great MT had all those brilliant poetic words to work with? The short jist is that a) I love/worship/adore the guy and b) it's one of my favorite MT essays of all time (of the same name), and it's totally relevant to blogs in general.
In the blog age, it's screamingly obvious. Let's face it, the concept of blogs like mine (i.e. journaling online, as opposed to "political" or "tech-y" or "photogrpahic" or "online works of fiction") being touted as being "100% honest" sits about as well with me as these kids from up north of the Mason-Dixon Line running around saying "y'all" all the time. My ass! We journalers conjure up blog-friendly images, and censor the censor-worthy stuff, and become whatever it is that we want to remember in the future, or even words that we want to BE remembered in the future as having said/not said, thought/not thought. As Mr. Twain so accurately sums it up in his essay, "I suppose that in more cases than we should like to admit, we have two sets of opinions: one private, the other public; one secret and sincere, the other corn-pone, and more or less tainted."
I really dug that piece of work from the first time I ever read it years ago, and even back then I saw how appropriate it is in every facet of life, from age 16 til the old folks home. It's in what I wear to what bumper sticker is on the car, what gets typed, and what gets said around the meeting table or what political chain emails get forwarded on, to whom. Blah blah blah, it's all corn-pone!! The "real" stuff is always and will always be only in the mind, and it's silly to say it's in this blog or not in this blog or whatever. OK, that totally didn't make sense what I said there, but dammit while this may be corn-pone opinionage, it's still my blog and still me. And I talk complete rubbish!
Now THAT's authentic!!
While my blog will always retain its balls, and will continue to be the completely disgustingly wayward one until I die, now at least my corn-pone opinions are gonna get their totally undeserved title. So the next post will come from there.
Some People are just so Great
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 26 November 2008 at 11/26/2008 09:36:00 am.
We got the shock of our life yesterday when the Mr. went to go collect the post in town. There was a big ol' package from Australia, which is a shock in itself. We had no idea what it could be but when we opened it up, it was so amazing that there were even tears.
Good old Steve & Madongles had taken this photo and gotten it blown up and put onto an absolutely lovely canvas and sent to us:
Apparently it was 2 months in the shipping, but it got here safely and then just rocked our world & get all teary out of nowhere!!
Amazing. People who do nice things for no reason other than out of the kindness of their heart are my biggest inspiration right now. We talked about it on the way home last night and realized that we've both had a couple weeks of backsliding in the big Self Improvement Quest (from here on to be referred to as the QSI) but that these sort of things are the perfect inspiration to combat the nonsense that develops from complacency and stress, causing you to slip back into bad habits of negativity and lack of compassion.
I cite example 2: Just had SheofDC tell me yesterday that a package arrived for me from Missouri at her place (woo hoo!). I know what's in it already, it's my new Phone for the USA Trip that used to be Brandon's but is now being bequeathed to me so that I have a phone with a number and even some minutes loaded up on it already, so that we can be mobile during the month of December. AND his GPS (so we don't get lost trying to find our way back home from the east coast) which he's letting us borrow while we're in the States. Unreal! New gadgets await me before I've even hit the homeland soil!!! Annnnnnnnnd we're back in excitement mode for the holidays!!
The universe is obviously throwing goodness at me in the form of reminders of how good my buddies are. Inspiration taken! I've now got the good juice to move forward, thanks to all these little bits and pieces that really do help so much...
Good old Steve & Madongles had taken this photo and gotten it blown up and put onto an absolutely lovely canvas and sent to us:
Apparently it was 2 months in the shipping, but it got here safely and then just rocked our world & get all teary out of nowhere!!
Amazing. People who do nice things for no reason other than out of the kindness of their heart are my biggest inspiration right now. We talked about it on the way home last night and realized that we've both had a couple weeks of backsliding in the big Self Improvement Quest (from here on to be referred to as the QSI) but that these sort of things are the perfect inspiration to combat the nonsense that develops from complacency and stress, causing you to slip back into bad habits of negativity and lack of compassion.
I cite example 2: Just had SheofDC tell me yesterday that a package arrived for me from Missouri at her place (woo hoo!). I know what's in it already, it's my new Phone for the USA Trip that used to be Brandon's but is now being bequeathed to me so that I have a phone with a number and even some minutes loaded up on it already, so that we can be mobile during the month of December. AND his GPS (so we don't get lost trying to find our way back home from the east coast) which he's letting us borrow while we're in the States. Unreal! New gadgets await me before I've even hit the homeland soil!!! Annnnnnnnnd we're back in excitement mode for the holidays!!
The universe is obviously throwing goodness at me in the form of reminders of how good my buddies are. Inspiration taken! I've now got the good juice to move forward, thanks to all these little bits and pieces that really do help so much...
Labels: hounds, mis amigos, QSI
2 things: hiking & playlist
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 21 November 2008 at 11/21/2008 08:02:00 am.
In 2 hours we hit the ROAD!
off to the Waterburg in SA to go hiking for the wknd with P and Alan. I'm excited! Ever since I stopped being REALLY excited about the xmas holiday, I've been focusing on this weekend. Cooking on the fire, eating, drinking, hiking, playing cards, possibly a spot of Cranium, and good friends. And now it's storming!! Apparently it's storming all across southern Africa - WTF!? Even my "NEW LOOK" gmail is telling me it's storming. (that's because I picked the "tree theme" which changes its image to look like whatever the weather currently is in your neighbourhood.
My new fad is http://www.playlist.com/. You get on there and set up a playlist for yourself from all the songs in the whole world wide web library of songs (unfortunately I like a lot of obscure music, which isn't on there, but the classics and most anything that has ever been mainstream is no problem to find). You type in any song and it adds the song to your cyber playlist. That means where ever you are, as long as there's internet, you can listen to your playlist. Of COURSE it's secondary to iTunes which holds all your own mp3s, but to listen to your playlist you just go to your individual website and hit play and let the rockin' begin. Mine is www.playlist.com/(my nickname from ireland). So anywhere you can open up the www, you can listen to your playlist. Work, home, someone else's computer, etc etc. A list can hold up to hundreds of songs.
Last night in setswana class The Mr. informed everyone that he would NOT be buying an iPhone for his wife, on holiday in the USA, because it is too expensive!! Talk about a christmas buzzkill!!
But it's ok because I'm not entirely sure I want an iPhone, I'm also considering the google android and the HTC Touch Diamond too. I WILL GET A PHONE THAT IS SMARTER THAN ME IF IT KILLS ME!!!
off to the Waterburg in SA to go hiking for the wknd with P and Alan. I'm excited! Ever since I stopped being REALLY excited about the xmas holiday, I've been focusing on this weekend. Cooking on the fire, eating, drinking, hiking, playing cards, possibly a spot of Cranium, and good friends. And now it's storming!! Apparently it's storming all across southern Africa - WTF!? Even my "NEW LOOK" gmail is telling me it's storming. (that's because I picked the "tree theme" which changes its image to look like whatever the weather currently is in your neighbourhood.
My new fad is http://www.playlist.com/. You get on there and set up a playlist for yourself from all the songs in the whole world wide web library of songs (unfortunately I like a lot of obscure music, which isn't on there, but the classics and most anything that has ever been mainstream is no problem to find). You type in any song and it adds the song to your cyber playlist. That means where ever you are, as long as there's internet, you can listen to your playlist. Of COURSE it's secondary to iTunes which holds all your own mp3s, but to listen to your playlist you just go to your individual website and hit play and let the rockin' begin. Mine is www.playlist.com/(my nickname from ireland). So anywhere you can open up the www, you can listen to your playlist. Work, home, someone else's computer, etc etc. A list can hold up to hundreds of songs.
Last night in setswana class The Mr. informed everyone that he would NOT be buying an iPhone for his wife, on holiday in the USA, because it is too expensive!! Talk about a christmas buzzkill!!
But it's ok because I'm not entirely sure I want an iPhone, I'm also considering the google android and the HTC Touch Diamond too. I WILL GET A PHONE THAT IS SMARTER THAN ME IF IT KILLS ME!!!
Ahhh Wednesday
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 19 November 2008 at 11/19/2008 12:48:00 pm.
Today is the day I truimphed over an Environmental Terms of Reference that has been riding my ass for over a month now. WHOOO HOOOOOOOO
done and dusted.
Today is the day I will run 5km in UNDER 30 minutes after work.
And then eat something ridiculously small and healthy like 1 poached egg, etc.
And then gchat til my heart's content.
And play about 100 rounds of Word Twist against random people I don't know.
And watch Burn Notice.
Wednesdays are totally Rock N Roll in my book.
Well, the Mr. and I buried the hatchet and although I'm still mad at him for not understanding (or at least admitting that he understands) I have way better things to use up my head space on so I'm going to bury this one and move on and be happy again. Well ok we did that yesterday, but still from here on it will be even better.
1. I finished that beeyatch of a document
2. I am studying like a pro
3. We're going on the big hiking trip this wknd
4. I actually do genuinely love the Mr. with all my heart despite the nonsense. Last night at Setswana class he was so cute, every time it was his turn to make a sentence he made one up about dinner. It was all "When I get home, I hope to eat dinner". "I aspire to make dinner tomorrow". "I want to eat food from Debonaires Pizza for dinner". "I love dinner". etc etc. Our teacher thinks I'm starving him. By the time we left she was extremely worried. She gave me a finger-wag as we left, instructing me to get off my butt and cook something. HA! He got his dang pizza anyway.
done and dusted.
Today is the day I will run 5km in UNDER 30 minutes after work.
And then eat something ridiculously small and healthy like 1 poached egg, etc.
And then gchat til my heart's content.
And play about 100 rounds of Word Twist against random people I don't know.
And watch Burn Notice.
Wednesdays are totally Rock N Roll in my book.
Well, the Mr. and I buried the hatchet and although I'm still mad at him for not understanding (or at least admitting that he understands) I have way better things to use up my head space on so I'm going to bury this one and move on and be happy again. Well ok we did that yesterday, but still from here on it will be even better.
1. I finished that beeyatch of a document
2. I am studying like a pro
3. We're going on the big hiking trip this wknd
4. I actually do genuinely love the Mr. with all my heart despite the nonsense. Last night at Setswana class he was so cute, every time it was his turn to make a sentence he made one up about dinner. It was all "When I get home, I hope to eat dinner". "I aspire to make dinner tomorrow". "I want to eat food from Debonaires Pizza for dinner". "I love dinner". etc etc. Our teacher thinks I'm starving him. By the time we left she was extremely worried. She gave me a finger-wag as we left, instructing me to get off my butt and cook something. HA! He got his dang pizza anyway.
Labels: wednesdays
Angry Weekend!
1 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 17 November 2008 at 11/17/2008 07:51:00 am.
Now this is just getting nuts.
My weekend ended with a bang, that bang being the repeated (metaphorical) sound of my head on the table, the wall, the door, etc etc etc. I'm very very potentially considering going on strike as the Head of the Family Trip Planning Department as obviously it's taken for granted and completely underestimated in terms of effort, time, thought, and consideration for absolutely EVERYONE except for me!!
This same thing happened on our spring holiday to KZN this year, and I can see it becoming a trend. I get the job of doing all the hours of planning, perfecting, and worrying (which APPARENTLY just amounts to "sending a few emails with your friends" MY ASS), and The Mr. gets the job of complaining and dropping tiny little criticism after tiny little P/A critique over and over again, leaving me feeling paranoid (about him being miserable) and self conscious and angry about the fact that if he IS miserable, *I* am going to have to be the one that puts up with it for the duration of the holiday. OH and then hearing for the rest of my life about oh how he just had to suffer so much for so long on MY holiday...
Which is ironic, considering I have repeatedly begged and pleaded for input from him OVER AND OVER from as far back as 10 months ago... "where do you want to go?" "what do you want to see?" "which route do you want to drive from Point A to Point B??" and get absolutely NOTHING in the way of info.... "oh you choose, it's your country, I don't mind". Great, well now apparently the road trip isn't long enough and we're not doing anything that he wants to do. Nevermind the whole 9-days-driving-through-America part, which is for HIM, not ME!!!!
WHATEVER!!! PLAN IT YOURSELF NEXT TIME!!! I DARE YOU!!!
frickin prices and people and family and transport and dates and times and budgets and routes and other peoples' schedules and expectations and rental companies and new years eves and hotels and ALL of it.
A few emails to my friends.
MY ASS!!!
the truth is, if anyone had any of the slightest clue how long it takes to organize and plan and communicate and negotiate and troubleshoot and weigh options when it comes to operating one of these kind of trips, they would NEVER EVER dream of opening their mouth to comment unless it was going to be positive & supportive. And, should they unfortunately decide otherwise, if feelings did get hurt (even if it WAS supposedly unintentional), after acknowledging the fact that they were indeed wrong for being such a jerk, you'd think they'd at least feel sorry because they'd know how much effort and time and thought went into said planning. And get some flippin' PERSPECTIVE.
My weekend ended with a bang, that bang being the repeated (metaphorical) sound of my head on the table, the wall, the door, etc etc etc. I'm very very potentially considering going on strike as the Head of the Family Trip Planning Department as obviously it's taken for granted and completely underestimated in terms of effort, time, thought, and consideration for absolutely EVERYONE except for me!!
This same thing happened on our spring holiday to KZN this year, and I can see it becoming a trend. I get the job of doing all the hours of planning, perfecting, and worrying (which APPARENTLY just amounts to "sending a few emails with your friends" MY ASS), and The Mr. gets the job of complaining and dropping tiny little criticism after tiny little P/A critique over and over again, leaving me feeling paranoid (about him being miserable) and self conscious and angry about the fact that if he IS miserable, *I* am going to have to be the one that puts up with it for the duration of the holiday. OH and then hearing for the rest of my life about oh how he just had to suffer so much for so long on MY holiday...
Which is ironic, considering I have repeatedly begged and pleaded for input from him OVER AND OVER from as far back as 10 months ago... "where do you want to go?" "what do you want to see?" "which route do you want to drive from Point A to Point B??" and get absolutely NOTHING in the way of info.... "oh you choose, it's your country, I don't mind". Great, well now apparently the road trip isn't long enough and we're not doing anything that he wants to do. Nevermind the whole 9-days-driving-through-America part, which is for HIM, not ME!!!!
WHATEVER!!! PLAN IT YOURSELF NEXT TIME!!! I DARE YOU!!!
frickin prices and people and family and transport and dates and times and budgets and routes and other peoples' schedules and expectations and rental companies and new years eves and hotels and ALL of it.
A few emails to my friends.
MY ASS!!!
the truth is, if anyone had any of the slightest clue how long it takes to organize and plan and communicate and negotiate and troubleshoot and weigh options when it comes to operating one of these kind of trips, they would NEVER EVER dream of opening their mouth to comment unless it was going to be positive & supportive. And, should they unfortunately decide otherwise, if feelings did get hurt (even if it WAS supposedly unintentional), after acknowledging the fact that they were indeed wrong for being such a jerk, you'd think they'd at least feel sorry because they'd know how much effort and time and thought went into said planning. And get some flippin' PERSPECTIVE.
Labels: aggro, trip planning
ummmm what exactly happened to November?
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 14 November 2008 at 11/14/2008 09:19:00 am.
WTF!!!!?!?!?
I only just NOW realized that next weekend will be "in the 20s" of this month!! WHAAAAAAAA?
air
It was like, just yesterday that my departure from the dark continent to go back home was sooooooo far away.
Now it's LITERALLY just over 3 weeks!!!!
Which means so is my final exams!!! And I'm struggling with the noise & air quality survey units like a mofo. This is not good!
And next weekend us & P. and Alan are going hiking in the waterburg next weekend so there is NO way any studying is going to get done for 3 days, there. I think this weekend I need to put myself on lockdown no matter what. After gym tonight, that is. Lockdown. 100%. Study fest. Wheeeeeeeeee!
I'm almost getting nervous about leaving. Lots of worries and emotions and stuff. Coming back in intervals of 4 years or more really puts a lot of stress on you. Pleasing everyone and itemizing every 5-minute interval of your required face time isn't helped by making more time, which we thought it would (i.e. we're coming back for a good chunk of days, this time) it only adds to the mess by meaning you have to schedule MORE obligations. And when it comes right down to it, NO ONE understands. As far as they're concerned you are NOT on your own holiday, you are on A MISSION TO PLEASE. And I don't know if there's enough room in my baggage to pack my crash helmet but it looks like I'm gonna have to find a way.
And there's not much time now to get organized. I have to sort out the whole transition of Eric moving into our place, figure out what days he's going to be away at his family's place in Ftown so that I can organize Sue for those days instead, I need to make the packing list, buy the presents from Africa, I need to FINISH MY WORK at work, hand over, STUDY, finish my final assignment, take the exams, get to South Africa (figure out how to please everybody down there who wants to see us on our way out), strategize the first-in-6-months meeting of Ma & Pa P, and FINALLY, FINALLY get on that plane on the 10th of December.
Our neighbours got burgled in the middle of the day yesterday. Nice. No, which sucks because this crap always goes on around the xmas holidays when all the foreigners are gone to their respective countries, so now I have just one more thing to worry about, only it seems that they've come early this year. Ugh. And on that note I need to work my ass off now. Breaktime's over. And I've got a mountain in front of me, obviously.
I only just NOW realized that next weekend will be "in the 20s" of this month!! WHAAAAAAAA?
air
It was like, just yesterday that my departure from the dark continent to go back home was sooooooo far away.
Now it's LITERALLY just over 3 weeks!!!!
Which means so is my final exams!!! And I'm struggling with the noise & air quality survey units like a mofo. This is not good!
And next weekend us & P. and Alan are going hiking in the waterburg next weekend so there is NO way any studying is going to get done for 3 days, there. I think this weekend I need to put myself on lockdown no matter what. After gym tonight, that is. Lockdown. 100%. Study fest. Wheeeeeeeeee!
I'm almost getting nervous about leaving. Lots of worries and emotions and stuff. Coming back in intervals of 4 years or more really puts a lot of stress on you. Pleasing everyone and itemizing every 5-minute interval of your required face time isn't helped by making more time, which we thought it would (i.e. we're coming back for a good chunk of days, this time) it only adds to the mess by meaning you have to schedule MORE obligations. And when it comes right down to it, NO ONE understands. As far as they're concerned you are NOT on your own holiday, you are on A MISSION TO PLEASE. And I don't know if there's enough room in my baggage to pack my crash helmet but it looks like I'm gonna have to find a way.
And there's not much time now to get organized. I have to sort out the whole transition of Eric moving into our place, figure out what days he's going to be away at his family's place in Ftown so that I can organize Sue for those days instead, I need to make the packing list, buy the presents from Africa, I need to FINISH MY WORK at work, hand over, STUDY, finish my final assignment, take the exams, get to South Africa (figure out how to please everybody down there who wants to see us on our way out), strategize the first-in-6-months meeting of Ma & Pa P, and FINALLY, FINALLY get on that plane on the 10th of December.
Our neighbours got burgled in the middle of the day yesterday. Nice. No, which sucks because this crap always goes on around the xmas holidays when all the foreigners are gone to their respective countries, so now I have just one more thing to worry about, only it seems that they've come early this year. Ugh. And on that note I need to work my ass off now. Breaktime's over. And I've got a mountain in front of me, obviously.
Labels: trip planning
Fantastic Disaster.
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 11 November 2008 at 11/11/2008 02:45:00 pm.
OK first of all, I got ringworm.
I have to take pills and use cream & it sucks. BLEH. Ringworm. I self-diagnosed before going to the Doc, just to see how good my powers of medical research are... and turns out, I was spot on. AND covered in spots to boot!!
Second of all, I was using my Setswana today at a client. And we were talking about his collegues. He always refers to his collegues by their last names (typical setswana thing to do) and so I remarked, using my new vocabulary, how I thought it was interesting that over at that office they all use each other's last names. Well "last name" is very similar to "air plane" and I F%$#ed up royally and asked him why it is that they all use each other's airplanes.
NIIIIICE. ugh. embarassment.
Embarassment AND ringworm.
I hate the early stages of new-language use.
I have to take pills and use cream & it sucks. BLEH. Ringworm. I self-diagnosed before going to the Doc, just to see how good my powers of medical research are... and turns out, I was spot on. AND covered in spots to boot!!
Second of all, I was using my Setswana today at a client. And we were talking about his collegues. He always refers to his collegues by their last names (typical setswana thing to do) and so I remarked, using my new vocabulary, how I thought it was interesting that over at that office they all use each other's last names. Well "last name" is very similar to "air plane" and I F%$#ed up royally and asked him why it is that they all use each other's airplanes.
NIIIIICE. ugh. embarassment.
Embarassment AND ringworm.
I hate the early stages of new-language use.
Labels: setswana
Whenever I have the peeps over for dinner I obsess for days in advance over what I'm making.
Saturday night I decided on enchiladas (people on this side of the planet are so impressed with mexican food - what gives!?! Oh wait, there are no Taco Bells nor Madre y Padre Cantinas - I keep forgetting), but I gave it a twist and did said enchiladas in the potjie. Mangler gave me a recipe awhile back for Dutch Oven enchiladas on the campfire, I just spun it african style & made them potjie instead of dutch oven. I did the holy trinity, 4 of each: beef, cheese, and chicken. They were awesome. P promptly poached my recipe for her next trip into the bush at xmas. Actually she did dessert on Sat., and it was a great idea: a simple fruit salad with de-seeded finely diced red birds' eye chili, and shavings of dark chocolate (with chili). And ice cream on the side. I'm not a big dessert person, nor ice cream person, but if it's fruit, I'll eat it. And the whole fruit + chili thing was a lekker idea.
At the moment I am a hovering 53-54kg, depending on the time of day or the night before. The last year or so I've been 54-55kg but my mission is to be holding steady at a solid 53, before flying out on the 10th of December. Which is a month from now, so every day counts. Every crumb, every gym workout, every G&T instead of Savannah or Amstel. It's rough, but worth it, because I don't want the guilts over xmas... I'd rather suffer now than in the looming face of po'boys and mexican joints and OMG Madison's hot wings. We'll still be working out over the holidays, so that will at least ensure I don't come back in January with a whopping 57kg under my belt or something, but I will NOT be able to avoid all the american goodies that I only get to sample every 4 years anyway... no way. -sigh- life is hard on the road to fitness.
Saturday night I decided on enchiladas (people on this side of the planet are so impressed with mexican food - what gives!?! Oh wait, there are no Taco Bells nor Madre y Padre Cantinas - I keep forgetting), but I gave it a twist and did said enchiladas in the potjie. Mangler gave me a recipe awhile back for Dutch Oven enchiladas on the campfire, I just spun it african style & made them potjie instead of dutch oven. I did the holy trinity, 4 of each: beef, cheese, and chicken. They were awesome. P promptly poached my recipe for her next trip into the bush at xmas. Actually she did dessert on Sat., and it was a great idea: a simple fruit salad with de-seeded finely diced red birds' eye chili, and shavings of dark chocolate (with chili). And ice cream on the side. I'm not a big dessert person, nor ice cream person, but if it's fruit, I'll eat it. And the whole fruit + chili thing was a lekker idea.
At the moment I am a hovering 53-54kg, depending on the time of day or the night before. The last year or so I've been 54-55kg but my mission is to be holding steady at a solid 53, before flying out on the 10th of December. Which is a month from now, so every day counts. Every crumb, every gym workout, every G&T instead of Savannah or Amstel. It's rough, but worth it, because I don't want the guilts over xmas... I'd rather suffer now than in the looming face of po'boys and mexican joints and OMG Madison's hot wings. We'll still be working out over the holidays, so that will at least ensure I don't come back in January with a whopping 57kg under my belt or something, but I will NOT be able to avoid all the american goodies that I only get to sample every 4 years anyway... no way. -sigh- life is hard on the road to fitness.
Gearing up for the xmas trip back home.
We're gonna try a new strategy for this one: Being Nice to the Mominator.
The Quest for Self-Improvement continues. I got a small gift handed to me in my lap the other day (I have an agenda for our football game weekend in KC with Brandon, i.e. party time & ruckus raising, and apparently she has an agenda too, i.e. family time on Saturday with the ailing grandparents and now Friday night with the aunt and uncle unit from Nebraska). The gift was that I broke the news to her via email that Saturday night with the gparents was out of the question because we have dinner plans with B & his friends. I battened down the hatches preparing for the hurricane of rage, and instead got something to the effect of "well that's too bad but I understand, we'll entertain the gparents with your cousin who will also be in town, so long as you can give us sunday after the football game for the gparents and friday night for the aunt/uncle unit". I was shocked. So rather than resting on my laurels and celebrating my success in an explosion of selfishness I wrote back a note of thanks for understanding.
Yeah I just saw that big old porker in the sky too... it was all... flap flap flap, oink oink oink.... amazing. Like aurora borealis.
My strategy isn't to bend over backwards and take it up the poop hole from her the whole time I'm home, but my theory is that if I see a slight movement towards halfway, I acknowledge it and say thanks. Maybe this whole parenting theory of positive reinforcement could possibly work on moms too. All I know is she has a thing for compliments, so if I can lay a few of those on like I just did, in advance, maybe I'm laying the groundwork for peace in December. Who knows! I'm just working towards solving my problems with grace and not aggro. We'll see how cooperative SHE is, and see where we go from there. Who knows. I'm not getting my hopes up, because there's one thing I've figured out lately and that is that adults can act like children too. And just because you're on a quest for self improvement doesn't mean everyone else is as well.
So we'll see. Outcome 1 is that we can build on the semi-improved state that we reached when they visited here this year... which I'd rate about a 6 on the Scale of 1-10 of Pleasantness. Outcome 2, is that she looks a gift horse in the mouth and takes advantage of my giving, starts getting used to it, and expects more without giving back.
Hmmm.
We're gonna try a new strategy for this one: Being Nice to the Mominator.
The Quest for Self-Improvement continues. I got a small gift handed to me in my lap the other day (I have an agenda for our football game weekend in KC with Brandon, i.e. party time & ruckus raising, and apparently she has an agenda too, i.e. family time on Saturday with the ailing grandparents and now Friday night with the aunt and uncle unit from Nebraska). The gift was that I broke the news to her via email that Saturday night with the gparents was out of the question because we have dinner plans with B & his friends. I battened down the hatches preparing for the hurricane of rage, and instead got something to the effect of "well that's too bad but I understand, we'll entertain the gparents with your cousin who will also be in town, so long as you can give us sunday after the football game for the gparents and friday night for the aunt/uncle unit". I was shocked. So rather than resting on my laurels and celebrating my success in an explosion of selfishness I wrote back a note of thanks for understanding.
Yeah I just saw that big old porker in the sky too... it was all... flap flap flap, oink oink oink.... amazing. Like aurora borealis.
My strategy isn't to bend over backwards and take it up the poop hole from her the whole time I'm home, but my theory is that if I see a slight movement towards halfway, I acknowledge it and say thanks. Maybe this whole parenting theory of positive reinforcement could possibly work on moms too. All I know is she has a thing for compliments, so if I can lay a few of those on like I just did, in advance, maybe I'm laying the groundwork for peace in December. Who knows! I'm just working towards solving my problems with grace and not aggro. We'll see how cooperative SHE is, and see where we go from there. Who knows. I'm not getting my hopes up, because there's one thing I've figured out lately and that is that adults can act like children too. And just because you're on a quest for self improvement doesn't mean everyone else is as well.
So we'll see. Outcome 1 is that we can build on the semi-improved state that we reached when they visited here this year... which I'd rate about a 6 on the Scale of 1-10 of Pleasantness. Outcome 2, is that she looks a gift horse in the mouth and takes advantage of my giving, starts getting used to it, and expects more without giving back.
Hmmm.
Labels: mi familia, QSI
And Yes He Did
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 05 November 2008 at 11/05/2008 06:29:00 pm.
I can't say it any better than anyone else online already has, but I am happy with the result of last night and I was really glad to watch the speeches that The Craze was so kind to conveniently post on her blog in their entirity (thanks, mang!) today at lunch time. My main impression today however is just how excited everyone in BW is, how excited everyone back home is, how it's the ONLY thing ANYONE is talking about... sure maybe the same was true 8 years ago and 4 years ago, but the difference this year is that everyone is HAPPY. No one is saying anything negative, no one is harassing me. If anything, I was the most famous person in both of my meetings today, just for being A Real Live Subject of President Obama!
I think I'm gonna change the name of my blog. I'm tired of having Waward Balls... well, I'll always have wayward balls I guess, but I'm thinking I need to go for something else. I'll have to think of something that will be a good www. address, but is oh so tres moi. The funny thing is I only ever seem to think of new names when I'm listening to Tom Petty. Maybe it'll be a Heartbreakers lyric or something. We'll see. hmmmm....
Now back to Burn Notice and my veggie burrito.... and my sore legs. And Word Twist. And gchat.... oh MAN I still love wednesdays!!
I think I'm gonna change the name of my blog. I'm tired of having Waward Balls... well, I'll always have wayward balls I guess, but I'm thinking I need to go for something else. I'll have to think of something that will be a good www. address, but is oh so tres moi. The funny thing is I only ever seem to think of new names when I'm listening to Tom Petty. Maybe it'll be a Heartbreakers lyric or something. We'll see. hmmmm....
Now back to Burn Notice and my veggie burrito.... and my sore legs. And Word Twist. And gchat.... oh MAN I still love wednesdays!!
Labels: election '08
More McLame (& Failin')
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 04 November 2008 at 11/04/2008 10:00:00 am.
I really can not BELIEVE it's legal to run for president when you're so frickin old.
Every time I saw The Great White Chipmunk on tv in these last 2 days running up to TODAY, he just looked more tired.... and more tired.... and then exhausted.... and then even MORE exhausted.... and this morning we saw him on stage in Florida and I thought he was going to FALL THE $%@# OVER!!! I mean come ON, republicans, isn't that a SIGN!??!?! Shouldn't you be paying attention to these little tip-offs??? Don't nominate/elect a 245 year old!!! They're tired! They just want pudding and a Clapper! Let them go out to pasture like they deserve... let them goooooooooo!!!
My dad sent me the most bizarre email. Photos of Hank Williams Jr. and Palin. In my hometown. Yikes. He was there. "Too bad you couldn't have been there. (Note the Derek Thomas jersey) Dad" Obviously my dad making a funny. Ha ha! eewwww...
Not only do I despise HWJr AND SP, the thought of seeing one of them defacing my favorite football team's jersey while doing that cheesy election-themed madey-uppy republican lyric-twisting THING would've just sent me over the top to Vomitville. Father daughter bonding indeed!
Every time I saw The Great White Chipmunk on tv in these last 2 days running up to TODAY, he just looked more tired.... and more tired.... and then exhausted.... and then even MORE exhausted.... and this morning we saw him on stage in Florida and I thought he was going to FALL THE $%@# OVER!!! I mean come ON, republicans, isn't that a SIGN!??!?! Shouldn't you be paying attention to these little tip-offs??? Don't nominate/elect a 245 year old!!! They're tired! They just want pudding and a Clapper! Let them go out to pasture like they deserve... let them goooooooooo!!!
My dad sent me the most bizarre email. Photos of Hank Williams Jr. and Palin. In my hometown. Yikes. He was there. "Too bad you couldn't have been there. (Note the Derek Thomas jersey) Dad" Obviously my dad making a funny. Ha ha! eewwww...
Not only do I despise HWJr AND SP, the thought of seeing one of them defacing my favorite football team's jersey while doing that cheesy election-themed madey-uppy republican lyric-twisting THING would've just sent me over the top to Vomitville. Father daughter bonding indeed!
Labels: election '08
The End of the W is Nigh...
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 03 November 2008 at 11/03/2008 07:15:00 am.
One more day til america gets a new president (elect)! Woo hoo! 8 years of pain and suffering and hiding from my own country is just around the corner!
Because of the time difference, I'm just hoping I don't wake up tomorrow morning and turn on the news and it's all still hanging in the balance with The Great White Chipmunk holding strong in Florida or something. I'll never forget being the only american for miles back in South Africa in November of 2000.... getting raked over the coals.... "Are your people SERIOUS?? Who the hell is Hanging Chad and how long does it take to count the &^#*ing ballots!?!?"
I'm still not happy with Obama, not by a long shot, but I do feel like he is what the country needs right now insofar as I do agree with Bono (bleh!) that it is way past time to re-launch "Brand USA" and I do think B.O. can do that. So, I diligently throw in my democratic ballot and just have to cross my fingers in hopes that somewhere along the way one of his brilliant advisers can shoot him the memo that there is no such thing as "clean coal" and that NEWSFLASH!, nuclear power makes.... nuclear WASTE?!
It was a great weekend around these parts. Actually the last 2 have been pretty great notwithstanding the fact that I've had to study my butt off and have had Animal People obligations out the wazoo. The pool is officially sparkling clean now, thanks to the Mr.'s hard work and new early morning routine, so we spent every spare minute in it, which was a divine way to take a study break.
Saturday was a little SPCA fund raiser with the local lawn bowls club so we made a giant Steve & Madonna Special (pasta salad with apple & avo) to contribute to the lunch spread that we were providing as part of the package, and spent the day there helping out and learning how to play one of the more enjoyable geriatric sports with the uppercrust white haired crowd, and it was fun! We only raised about 3,500 bucks but that's not bad for the minimal effort we had to put in. That will pay about one admin salary for one month or neuter about 17 cats. It's frustrating, but it's part of the gig.
The best part ever though was a phone call from my best friend back home (who surprisingly enough is NOT pregnant NOR is she getting married... just felt like calling.... Well THATS a first!!) so I got to hang out and talk to H-2tha-G for over an hour while watching the best lightning & thunder storm ever. It was SO right on top of our house that the lightning literally hurt your eyes. After I got off the phone we had a power cut so me & the Mr. spent a romantic hour out on the stoep watching the drama and listening to the Pula pound on the tin roof... wondering... is it really true that you shouldn't be in the pool during this kind of stuff? I said we would've probably been safe what with all the lightning rods in the neighbourhood and tall trees and granite hills, but he reckons it would be certain death. So we only just dipped in really quick (since you can't shower w/o power) and ran back up to the stoep & sat there til 1am.
Last night we went over to Sue & Max for dinner & a little too much Pino Grigio but it was great fun and a really nice way to wind up the weekend PLUS we were home for the double bill of Will & Grace that makes any sunday night complete. And a plunge in the pool right before bed.
It's only FIVE WEEKS til we're outta here!!!! That also means 5 weeks til my semester is over and I can get a freakin' break!!! I'm excited to go back home for one, but I'm also just excited to have a new horizon to look toward just around the corner. I have not got one clue as to what's happening in 2009 (past flying out of DC in early Jan + a site visit up to Chobe for a work project in mid-Jan + M&J coming to visit in late-Jan and then B. coming to visit in March). It's all a mystery, which is pretty cool. I just wish the Chiefs didn't suck so bad. It would be nice to actually be able to be getting into the spirit of football when we're back home rather than realizing my life dream of sitting in Arrowhead and watching them play live and cringing with every move they make... DOH!
Because of the time difference, I'm just hoping I don't wake up tomorrow morning and turn on the news and it's all still hanging in the balance with The Great White Chipmunk holding strong in Florida or something. I'll never forget being the only american for miles back in South Africa in November of 2000.... getting raked over the coals.... "Are your people SERIOUS?? Who the hell is Hanging Chad and how long does it take to count the &^#*ing ballots!?!?"
I'm still not happy with Obama, not by a long shot, but I do feel like he is what the country needs right now insofar as I do agree with Bono (bleh!) that it is way past time to re-launch "Brand USA" and I do think B.O. can do that. So, I diligently throw in my democratic ballot and just have to cross my fingers in hopes that somewhere along the way one of his brilliant advisers can shoot him the memo that there is no such thing as "clean coal" and that NEWSFLASH!, nuclear power makes.... nuclear WASTE?!
It was a great weekend around these parts. Actually the last 2 have been pretty great notwithstanding the fact that I've had to study my butt off and have had Animal People obligations out the wazoo. The pool is officially sparkling clean now, thanks to the Mr.'s hard work and new early morning routine, so we spent every spare minute in it, which was a divine way to take a study break.
Saturday was a little SPCA fund raiser with the local lawn bowls club so we made a giant Steve & Madonna Special (pasta salad with apple & avo) to contribute to the lunch spread that we were providing as part of the package, and spent the day there helping out and learning how to play one of the more enjoyable geriatric sports with the uppercrust white haired crowd, and it was fun! We only raised about 3,500 bucks but that's not bad for the minimal effort we had to put in. That will pay about one admin salary for one month or neuter about 17 cats. It's frustrating, but it's part of the gig.
The best part ever though was a phone call from my best friend back home (who surprisingly enough is NOT pregnant NOR is she getting married... just felt like calling.... Well THATS a first!!) so I got to hang out and talk to H-2tha-G for over an hour while watching the best lightning & thunder storm ever. It was SO right on top of our house that the lightning literally hurt your eyes. After I got off the phone we had a power cut so me & the Mr. spent a romantic hour out on the stoep watching the drama and listening to the Pula pound on the tin roof... wondering... is it really true that you shouldn't be in the pool during this kind of stuff? I said we would've probably been safe what with all the lightning rods in the neighbourhood and tall trees and granite hills, but he reckons it would be certain death. So we only just dipped in really quick (since you can't shower w/o power) and ran back up to the stoep & sat there til 1am.
Last night we went over to Sue & Max for dinner & a little too much Pino Grigio but it was great fun and a really nice way to wind up the weekend PLUS we were home for the double bill of Will & Grace that makes any sunday night complete. And a plunge in the pool right before bed.
It's only FIVE WEEKS til we're outta here!!!! That also means 5 weeks til my semester is over and I can get a freakin' break!!! I'm excited to go back home for one, but I'm also just excited to have a new horizon to look toward just around the corner. I have not got one clue as to what's happening in 2009 (past flying out of DC in early Jan + a site visit up to Chobe for a work project in mid-Jan + M&J coming to visit in late-Jan and then B. coming to visit in March). It's all a mystery, which is pretty cool. I just wish the Chiefs didn't suck so bad. It would be nice to actually be able to be getting into the spirit of football when we're back home rather than realizing my life dream of sitting in Arrowhead and watching them play live and cringing with every move they make... DOH!
Labels: election '08
