Thursday, May 25, 2017

Africa...



AFRICA…


My home;
my continent of heart-stopping contrasts.

…Where the sun wakes me up and rocks me to sleep. 
…Where I can stand on tip-toes and dream; look out on hazy landscapes as colours distort the distant views;
…where I study the glory of thunderclouds and taste the rain in my nostrils. 
….Where our precious water flees out of clouds, swamps our land, floods its fields, falls over mountains and disappears into endless crevasses. Where the earth looks on - parched, panting and restless.
…Where animals thrive while others only just survive. They leave ghostly tracks on unspoiled river beds as birds gently soar on the wings of endless thermals.
…Where dusty dunes ring out their song against azure skies; and misty mountains encase the secrets of vast and dense forests.

Ah, Africa, my love….
…Where I can hear the murmur of my soul; and feel my connection to God and His precious earth,
…Where I can cherish our grand array of cultures, languages, ethnicities, religions, countries and where my understanding of these is beautifully elusive.

Ah Africa, its people…
…Whose broad smiles welcome others to our shores, yet the hollow stares of poverty shock us all into stunned action.
…Where the sad faces of children search for scraps amongst the rubble while others little ones lick ice-cream lollies on sandy beachfronts.

Oh the moods of this beautiful land…
…Where music echoes the pain of our past, and drums peal out our hope,
…Where the confusion of our politics and corruption bleeds our hearts and our need for transformation
Yet love abounds in the smallest places as Ubuntu and hatred flourish side by side.

Oh Africa, continent of contrasts, you’ve given me life in all its beautiful glory….

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika

Thursday, January 21, 2016

SPIDER!


It was about 3am when I opened my eyes and reached for my glasses. I gingerly crept out of bed for a nature call. My eagle-eyes scoured the walls to locate my eight-legged-spider 'friend'. "Oscar"- as I have now named him - was nowhere to be seen... Relief poured through my body.

After completing my nature call I crawled back into bed. Hubby was awake by now, so he too followed his own call.

After returning to bed, dear hubby casually announced that "Oscar" was above my dressing table mirror and was settling in for the night. I leapt up and out of bed.


 "Huh? What! Where?"

The news left me wide-eyed and rattled. How had I missed him? The hairs on my neck fluttered wildly . I was wide-awake by now. It was time for action. 


"He must go!" I demanded flatly.

"He's harmless," Les countered sleepily.


"No, it's either him or me!" I said firmly.


I dashed to the kitchen to fetch an ice-cream container. The dogs too were awake by now and matched my energy. They danced in delight. 


"Here, you do it," I handed the container to Les. Hubby let out a sigh, thew back the duvet and took the container. I retreated around the corner to watch from a distance.

By this time Oscar was happily sashay'ing across the ceiling in the dressing area. His hairy legs were long and agile I shivered visibly as Les slowly marked his movements and raised the upside down container towards him. Suddenly the spider leapt out in alarm, off the ceiling and fell, almost in slow motion.... onto Les's bare back...!!!


"Eeeeeeek !" I screamed.


The spider then bounced off Les's back and fell firmly to the floor. I jumped in panic.


As non-Nonplussed as ever, dear hubby bent down calmly and edged the creature into the container. He casually replaced the lid on top and lifted Oscar up to escort him outside, into our atrium.


"See, it's not so bad," he grinned widely.


"Speak for yourself," I muttered as I set about closing all the windows and doors firmly.


Before long, hubby reverted to snoring the night away. I reached for my crochet hook and crocheted into the darkness...... Urrrrg!


Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Crackerdog!

The arrival of L A POOCH's mobile dog grooming vehicle elicits a frantic surge of energy and converts a somewhat docile dog into an absolute 'crackerdog'. The towel in his mouth is one of 
  Thank you again to Sam and Bronwyn for looking after my doggies so well.

L A POOCH = Highly recommended for their sterling service!

Sending lots of love to all our friends across the world.

Friday, July 24, 2015

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY TOBY!!!

Happy Barkday to one of the most awesome Golden Retrievers on the planet.
(Photo courtesy of L A POOCH MOBILE DOG GROOMING)

(Thank you, my special boy, for sharing my life.  You are an awesome dog!!!)



Sending lotsaluv

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

LA POOCH DOG GROOMING SERVICES ...Highly recommended!


I would like to give a very enthusiastic 'shout-out' and congratulations to the wonderful team which makes up...

Thank you to especially to Bronwyn and Steve for your personal care of my two Golden Retrievers.  Both Toby and Lexi have been transformed back to their golden glory, and look utterly cuddleable (my new word :) ). 
I write this post with absolute pleasure and thanks to a deserved team.

As most of my readers will know, I have always done my own dogs' grooming. It's been over 20 years since I last saw the inside of a dog-grooming salon.  Washing my two Golden retrievers, however, has recently become an increasingly more difficult task. I battle with the enormous task of bathing them. They are generally very easy dogs, but to groom them properly takes me a whole morning, after which I am left with a sore and tender back. As a result, Toby and Lexi have had their bath delayed, and it's been months since their last one.  We have all settled for a simple afternoon brush on the lawn.  But things were becoming desperate and I simply had to make a plan.

Well, I gave Bronwyn (from LA POOCH) a call. The friendly voice on the other side of the phone assured me immediately and a date was set - today! It is one of the best decisions I have made for my animals.
Bronwyn and her assistant, Steve, arrived promptly at the pre-arranged time.  Her mobile van is kitted out with the latest in dog-grooming equipment and she has personally spent time in the USA becoming fully trained. She introduced herself to me and explained her services. We hit it off immediately.  Steve set about connecting the water and the electricity, while Bronwyn went out of her way to greet Toby and Lexi.  It was a tail-wagging affair of note! Both pooches were enthralled with the strange vehicle parked in our driveway. Visitors are always enthusiastically welcomed into our home, and the pooches went about reading the news on the vehicle. This was their first (ever) professional grooming session. They were allowed to jump into the back of the van and inspect the interior.  I must admit, it is lovely - kitted out very professionally with the added benefit of HOT-WATER- facilities. We were all impressed.

The pooches were given a biscuit each while Bronwyn patiently and understandingly answered all my questions. Toby was first in the queue followed by Lexi about an hour later.  Bronwyn and Steve did a thorough job while I popped my head in occasionally. They took extra care with the comfort of both my dogs who emerged sparkling and happy. No cages! No stress! 
Total satisfaction!
Not only that, but Toby and Lexi both received individual towels for their patronage...thank you so much!

This is a new business but I am sure that they will make great inroads into a much-needed market.
Congratulations Bronwyn!  I really wish you all success in this venture.  Your calling to our animals deserves to flourish.

LA POOCH receives a whopping 10/10 from me! Well done!

If you are located in the Johannesburg area, please give them a call: 
082 709 0608

Sending lots of love

Thursday, April 9, 2015

SHORT STORY: "What's in the slipper?"

Hi everybody

While cleaning up my computer, I found a little 'story' I'd written in 2011.
Thought you may enjoy it.


WHAT'S IN THE SLIPPER? 
(by Caryl Moll)

“No!” she shouts.
 
I look up in surprise.

“No!” she repeats, looking at me sternly. “Give that back to me!”

The slipper, I wonder? You want the slipper?  I open my mouth and drop it to the floor.  I’ve spent the whole night absorbing its interesting secrets, but now she wants it back.

“Look what you’ve done, Toby! Now what am I supposed to do?” I recoil in surprise at the tone of her voice.  She looms over me and reaches down to pick up my special booty. Her expression is one of unguarded fury.“This was my Christmas present!” she bellows. “This cost the Boss a fortune!  How must I explain this to him? Damn Dog!”

Huh?

She looks away.  I’m obviously in disfavour.  What have I done wrong?

You see, this was the most interesting treasure in the house. During the dark hours, while she slept, I unearthed it.  Retrieved it.  Took it to my bed – to unravel its yards and yards of inviting and riveting stories; yummy, absorbing information;  answers that were just waiting to be revealed.  Like the onions she so enjoys peeling…

“Read them, Maxmom! Read them!” my eyes urge. She has no idea of the information she holds in her hand.

She ignores me and places the one slipper on the table – high up and away from me.  Her face is turned away and her mood - dark.  She’s not happy. I thought I was doing her a favour.  Did she even know that it told the secret of the pesky bird which landed in our garden?  Did she even know that it revealed what she had eaten yesterday, where she had wandered and what she had felt? Her entire life history was in my jaw.  Her emotions – trust, fear, love, dreams – all bundled up in one package.  I want to know everything about her but now my text book has been removed.
I walk up behind her and sit at her heels.  She turns and glares at me.

“Can I have the other one perhaps?” I ask tentatively.

She shrugs her shoulders and goes off to make her tea.

Oh, humans are just so confusing!