The Questions from Sparks This Week: 

Do you prefer Apple (‘I’ products) or Android for your technology ‘fix’?   

My grandsons and daughter desperately want me to go for Android but I am an Apple kinda gal!   I do still have a ‘normal’ laptop but my tablet and phone are Apple and I love them and will not change.  I almost got myself an Apple Mac Computer when my Dell died last year but ……. Just too expensive!   I’m regretting it but who knows if my current laptop doesn’t start behaving I’m going to ditch it, dig deep into the savings and get me an APPLE MAC.

What’s something on your personal bucket list? 

I don’t actually have a list of things I want to do before I die.  However, I do want to do as much as possible while I am in good health and have the means to enjoy what’s left of Life.   So top of my imaginary list is SKI aka Spend the Kids’ Inheritance.

I made up my mind when I retired that I would not miss an opportunity to do anything adventurous if it presented itself – within sane reason of course!   I’m NOT going to Skydive or Bungy Jump.  However, although I dislike heights, speed and boats – I will go on a cruise, hot air balloon or anything else that challenges my comfort zone if I’m pressed.

The plan is to travel to as many countries as I can afford and also to indulge my passion for Eco- tourism but that is something I’ve done for many years so it’s not new.   Birds are my passion so if I can go somewhere to see a new bird – I’m in!

What would you name your boat if you had one?   The Unsinkable 3? The Please Don’t Sink? Your choice! Also, what would it look like? Do you want a motor yacht, a sailboat, or perhaps a dinghy?

I am not a boat person!  But the love of my life is!  He has/had a boat – it’s name was Kiora which means Point of Gold.   Well actually he has had a few boats named that, the latest one he sold recently to a friend so it still lives in our boat garage.

The Ex-boat – Kiora

My dream boat would be a very large cruise ship.  It would be very big and The Earl would be the Captain – because with him in charge nothing would go wrong.   He would control a crew of well trained sailors and other staff and we would sail around the world with all our friends.   The food would be amazing, we’d have butlers and ladies’ maids seeing to our every need, we’d travel on perfectly calm seas and the on board entertainment would be world class.   The Earl would call it  – New Horizons.

This is after all Share Your World Land so anything is possible!

Which fictional character would be the most boring to meet in real life? 

Eeyore – I love him but he is so grumpy and unlike Christopher Robin and crew who tolerate him with the utmost patience I’d want to ‘fix’ him!

And finally: 

What brought gratitude, a smile or laughter to your life this week?

Funny you should ask as I have had this really happy feeling this week – Life Is Good.  I spent 10 days away in the caravan in Knysna and with my rural family in Plettenberg Bay – how lucky am I to be able to just drop everything and do that!

What made me smile and laugh – My daughter sent me a photograph of a heron.  Mom – It’s scary – I stopped my car to take a photograph of a BIRD – I’m turning into my parents!  You see when she was a teenager she got extremely irritated when said parents stopped for every – little – bird – they – saw!   So that me smile and laugh out loud!

The Child’s Heron

Here are my answers to this week’s Share Your World from Sparks

What’s your go-to for unwinding after a stressful event or day?   Can be someone or something – music, pets, family or whatever you choose.

If I’m stressed out it’s usually because I’ve been dealing with people so the best thing is to have some alone time.  I get onto my computer and edit photographs, journal and Blog.

The plane you’re flying in is going to crash, no survivors.  If you had one song you could listen to before it happens, what would it be?  (credit toNewEpicAuthor for this one).  Please share the link to the song if you can.

Picture the scene “This is your captain speaking, there is no hope – we’re all going to die so let’s do it like heroes. Everybody sing along please.”

Then the titanic song comes on and everybody joins in and sings it through to the last line – My heart will go on – and then – nothing!

Titanic Song

What is one thing you’re really, really good at and not ashamed to admit it?  I worded that deliberately because aren’t we taught to be humble and not pushy about our achievements?  Celebrate your ability!

George Bernard Shaw  said, “He who can does, he who cannot, teaches!”   If I could have I would have but couldn’t so I taught and found I was pretty good at that!   To teach you don’t need to be brilliant at anything.  You need to be okay at most things as you never know what you might be asked to teach. You also need to be an entertainer if you hope to keep the attention of your learners!

Would you rather lose all of your money and valuables or all of the pictures you have ever taken?

Because at my age it would be difficult to make back all the money on which I now survive – I’d rather lose the photos – I have the memories in my head.  I would, however, sincerely mourn the loss of those photographs!

And lastly

What were you grateful for or something that made you smile during the past month?

Good Health!   I was sick for a few days and hated it.  But I recovered quickly.   It made me realise how lucky I am to be free of anything life threatening or debilitating.

It takes Cee’s questions on Share Your World to remind me how lucky I am to live where I do

Since we are approaching the hottest part of our summer in the northern hemisphere, what’s your favorite ice-cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet flavor?  (Those of you who live down under I’m sure you remember what it is like in the hot summer months).

Cee, you are right!  It’s hard to forget ice cream where I live as often we get lovely hot days in the middle of winter – although right now I’m sitting warming my toes in front of a wood burning stove!
Ice Cream is my granddaughter’s favourite snack – She will kill for ice cream even if the mercury is plunging below zero!  ” Give me ice cream and Give me sleep is her mantra!”

Now my favourite ice cream is of course chocolate.  I am, after all, a chocoholic.   But in Thailand in 2017 I kinda liked coconut ice cream.   No -still chocolate – preferably with mint. Anything choc-mint is for me!

Italiano Gelato is the best!

How often do you people watch?

I am an avid people watcher.  But I don’t just watch them – I actually engage with them.  I’m not too shy to approach a perfect stranger and start a conversation.  And it’s not to make friends. I have enough friends.  I’m just interested in people in the moment that I meet them.  This can be embarrassing to my children and grandchildren – but hey who cares -it’s my life and I’ve had many interesting experiences because I wasn’t too shy to chat to somebody!

I spoke to these stunning young cyclists and ended up having them stay with us for two days! One of the most memorable experiences of my life! Click the link to read the story. Vet Viets Vriende

If you had a choice which would be your preference salt water beaches, fresh water lakes, ocean cruise, hot tub, ski resort or desert?

Omiword – what a question.  Reading this I realise that some people just don’t live near any of these places.  I am one of the fortunates that grew up on a beach!   So of course I love salt water and beaches.  I lived over the railway line from the most beautiful beaches in the entire world.  Right now I live five minutes walk from the longest white sand beach in South Africa! What’s not to love!

Deserts are fabulous but not to live in!  I have visited the Namib, flown over it and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  Would’t like to live there though – too hot – too dry.

Fresh water lakes?  Absolutely fabulous.  I love lakes and dams.  The Earl enjoys fresh water fishing – but deep sea still wins.  Our daughter has fresh water dams and lakes on her farm! How lucky are we to have the opportunity to visit regularly!  Get the picture here? We love water and have the privilege of being near it a lot!

Now although I’ve grown up near the sea, ocean cruises were never a huge draw card for me.  I’ve been on two and enjoyed them.  The Earl loved them ‘cos he just loves being on boats.  But flying and sailing are not the type of adventures I crave.  However, now that I’m older the cruise option is becoming more attractive to me and Yes – I plan to take a few cruises before I die!
Ski resort! Yes!  Did that once and absolutely loved it.  But unfortunately we just live too far away from snow to repeat that too frequently!  And it’s doubtful at our age to go skiing ever again!  Hey – you can’t have everything.  I think I’m living a fabulous life – I live by the sea for Goodness sake.  I travel in  my own country and abroad.  I’m definitely not complaining!

What’s not mentioned in this question is The Bush!  I love the beach, the lakes, the desert and the snow but The Bush – That’s my favourite place to be!

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

We visited our kids in Plettenberg Bay last week.  That really made me smile!

Grandpa and Granddaughter on the Knysna Waterfront

This also made me smile!

Here are my answers to this week’s questions from Cee

Tell us about your first bicycle or car?

I received my first bicycle when I was about eleven years old.  It was the best present ever.  I cycled around our safe neigbourhood with a group of friends and remember having so much fun.   For a while I rode it to school but when I started Grade 8 it no longer worked too well so I gave up and walked.

I received my second bicycle from my husband when I was in my fifties.   He gave it to me so that I could take my grandsons on long, supervised rides.  We had tremendous fun riding to the beach after school and to a nearby suburb that had fun hills to race down.  Of course, I rode sedately while they tore around like hooligans.

I once wrote a rhyme about it

Over the Hill

I am getting older, I’m nearly fifty-five.

Over half a century I have been alive.

I should be slowing down now, and easing up my life.

I should be getting mellow like every older wife.

But here I am a-peddling up this bloody hill.

I hear my grandsons calling, their voices loud and shrill.

You can make it Granny. You’re really doing well.

(I do not want to tell them that I almost fell.)

They think I am their playmate. They think its rather fun

That Granny takes them cycling when their homework’s done.

And as they dash through puddles and do wheelies up the curb

They encourage me to follow; but really that’s absurd!

They fall, and seconds later, they’re back up on their bikes,

A band-aid heals their scrapes but Granny falls, and  yikes –

She needs a month of physio to get her muscles right.

So falling off her bicycle would not be very bright.

Now they’re heading down hill at a break-neck speed.

Those boys are getting all the Adrenalin they need.

With screeching breaks I follow at a calmer pace.

“Go Grandma”, calls a smart ass. Aloof, I turn my face.

I could be baking cookies, I could be knitting socks.

Instead I join my grandsons scrambling over rocks.

I could be watching T.V. or at a ladies’ club.

Instead I join them hiking when they go  with  the cubs.

I’m glad that I, a grandma can still do all these things.

Being active with my grandsons – oh what joy that brings.

We have such fun together out in the cool fresh air.

And if people think it’s funny – I really couldn’t care!

What fictional world or place would you like to visit?

Camelot would be lovely. Why?  Because the law forbids horrible weather!  Here is an extract from the song “Arthur”

If you could have someone follow you around all the time, like a personal assistant, what would you have them do?

Oh wow  – now let me see – I’d live like a princess in Camelot and have a  personal maid to dress me, give me manicure and pedicures, fix my hair and do my makeup.  Yes – that would be the life for me.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

I do not live in Camelot where the law controls the weather so it’s not surprising that Mother Nature ignored the fact that it’s not supposed to hail in our neck of the woods.  We had a heavy downpour of hail recently and it made me smile to see my lawn covered in icy, white stones.   I also smiled when I heard that the average level of the dams in the Western Cape are at 50%.  Who cares about the cold when the news is as good as that!  The drought is over!

Here is my response the the questions posed by Cee this week

You can have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life, what is it? Sushi? Scotch Tape?

Money would be good!   How lovely to think that such a resource would never run out no matter how much you spend.

Teleportation or flying?

I’m not a fan of air travel.  I think we as a species are insane getting into a great big tube of metal that flies through the air with no safety net to catch us if we fall!  However, we are a trusting bunch and in order to travel long distances we believe the stats that say it’s the safest form of travel.
Now teleportation appeals to me because it’s so quick.  How would it work?   Would you go to a teleportation port where there would be hundreds of portals taking you to different destinations?  Would you buy a portal ticket to Timbuktu or The North Pole or wherever you wanted to go?   Would you simply show your passport and pass through your selected portal and hey presto find yourself in some amazing place?   Beam me up, Scottie!

Would you rather live where it only snows or the temperature never falls below 100 degrees?

Where I live the if the temperature drops below 10 degrees C we think we might die!  So permanent cold is not for me.  However, I love snow – it’s so pretty.  It’s fun to visit snowy places – but to live there permanently – NO WAY.  I don’t want to have to shovel my garden path or drive way before I could move from my house.  And I don’t want to have to put on layers and layers of warm clothing just to survive the sub zero temperatures outdoors.

100 degrees Fahrenheit is definitely more my style.  I am often in the African Bush in summer and it can get hotter than that.  It is way easier managing the heat that it is managing the cold!

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

Late Saturday afternoon The Earl spotted a white bunny in our garden.  Clearly he was somebody’s lost pet but he wouldn’t allow himself to be caught!  He disappeared under our shed so we left some carrots out and hoped we could get him the next day. Well in the morning we found he’d been joined by another one! They were really cute and my veggie patch provided them with plenty to snack on!

I posted on our local community page on Facebook and printed out a poster to put up at the supermarket.  And on Sunday evening we got a call.   It wasn’t the first time they’d escaped and their human said, “Clearly they want to be free.   I think I should just let them be.”

On Monday there was no sign of them at first but we spotted them in the back neighbour’s garden which is the house right opposite their human’s.  Today one was back in our garden.  So we’re just going to look after them when they’re here.  Hopefully they’re savvy enough to keep out of reach of the neighbourhood dogs!

Here is my contribution to this week’s Share Your World

A piece of clothing from your younger childhood you still remember?

When I was about eight years old my mother bought my sister and me stiff petticoats to wear under our party dresses.  I don’t remember the dresses but I do remember the stiff petticoats!   We were very excited to be allowed to wear such lovely underclothes which caused our skirts to spread out beautifully around us.

Irregardless of your physical fitness, coordination or agility: If you could be an athlete what would do do?   Remember this is SYW, dreaming is always allowed.

I fancy myself as an ice-skater.   There were very few places to skate when I was a kid but I loved rollerskating on the pavements where we lived.  When I did get the chance to get out on the ice on hired skates, I loved it.

In a car would you rather drive or be a passenger?

I don’t mind being the driver but it is more relaxing being the passenger.  In my younger days I did a lot of driving.  With three kids and two dogs it made sense to drive a Toyota Hi-Ace that could transport all of us plus extras on excursions and weekends away. We went through two of those before the kids left home. For a few years after that we were able to drive a ‘normal’ car.  Then the grandkids arrived and it was back to a people carrier in the form of a Volkswagen Caravelle – a fantastic car that served us for ten, long adventurous years.  Although I loved driving, it was always a relief to get everyone there and back in one piece. Now I am content to leave the responsibility of long distance driving to The Earl.  Here in Struisbaai I usually walk!

Me in my younger days  – thrilled to be behind the wheel of  a Volkswagen Caravelle

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

We caught up with family last weekend and it was great to see everybody settled and happy.

Here is my contribution to this week’s Share your world from Cee

If you were to pack a basket for picnic lunch, what would be in your basket?

As we often cater outdoors in game reserves I have the following permanently packed in two baskets – flask, mugs, plates, bowls, cutlery, chopping board, table cloth, frying pan, coffee plunger, pan, tea, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper and Ina Paarman rosemary and olive seasoning.

We usually stop at a picnic site for brunch rather than lunch so in a cooler bag I will have eggs, bacon, tomatoes, bananas and milk.  If I were to be packing for lunch I would like to have Banting crackers, chicken liver pate, cold roast chicken and a Greek salad in a sealed container.   I would also have a small snack pack containing containing nuts, biltong, dried sausage and Banting cookies.

There would also be a good supply of bottled water as it gets hot in Africa!

On a vacation what you would require in any place that you sleep?

Most of my vacations are spent in our caravan which has a very comfortable bed.

King-size caravan bed – big enough Grandpa and The Kids!

In addition I require the ablutions to be clean and functioning.  So far I have had few problems but just in case, my caravan has it’s own water supply, shower and chemical loo.

When I stay in a hotel or B&B my needs are few.  The room must be clean and the linen  of good quality.  I would also appreciate it if the room was non-smoking,  air conditioned in summer  and heated in winter, please.  It has to be at least as comfortable as my caravan.

If you were to buy a new house/apartment what is the top three items on your wish list?

I’m happy with my home and I can live with it exactly as it is for the rest of my life. But this is Share Your World so if I had to start again this is what I’d want.

• A State of the Art Kitchen – marble top counters, beautiful cabinets, easy to clean floors, fancy appliances.
• A Jacuzzi in the bathroom
• A sea view

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

I woke to the sound a good rain on Thursday morning.  Not just a spit and a spot but a really good downpour.   I prayed that Cape Town was getting it too and I found out later that indeed they were.  There was more rain on Friday but Saturday and Sunday were sunny and warm.  I felt guilty for enjoying the sunshine after all the cold and rain.

Today, (Monday) we came to Cape Town and were delighted to find it pouring again for most of the day.  May it be a very wet winter so that the dams can fill and Day Zero be completely avoided.

Here are my answers to this week’s questions from Cee

What household chore do you absolutely enjoy doing? (can be indoor or outdoor)

I don’t mind doing household chores but I can’t say there are any I absolutely enjoy.   But top of the list would be cooking. I’m lucky that my hubby likes to cook so I don’t have to do it every day – in fact we often fight over gets to do it!  I do enjoy trying new recipes and preparing meals for friends.  NOT that I’m amazing at it at all  – I take ages over it and the kitchen is a mess by the time I’m done and still it is nowhere near Master Chef quality.  How those contestants do it with those grueling time constrains I do not know.

Create a sentence with the words “neon green” and train”.

The Queen’s neon green outfit extracted as many oohs and aahs as Meghan’s lovely, white train

The Queen in Neon Green

Other than your cell phone what can you always be found with?

Well actually my hubby says I never know where my cell phone is!  That’s not strictly true but I do forget where I put it sometimes!  I also never leave home without a handbag and seldom without my camera.   You never know when you’re going to need to take that ultimate photograph!   Like on the day the birds bombarded me.  I had my camera but couldn’t get the shot as they found me just as fascinating as I found them!

Me with my camera – useless to me at this time!

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

THE WEDDING!   I was glued to the television from early in the morning till late Saturday evening.  Everything about it intrigued me.   It was all so exciting, happy and fun!

Some of my high society friends and I enjoyed a High Tea in the middle of the day with cucumber sandwiches and pink champagne of course!

The Lady of Milkwood Manor and The Duchess of Goose Hall

How lovely to see Prince Harry open the jag door for his bride.  But did you know what his grandfather, Prince Philip once said?

“When a man opens a car door for his wife, it’s either a new car or a new wife.”

In this case it was both!

Here are my answers to this week’s Share your world challenge from Cee

Complete this sentence: This sandwich could really use some …

I don’t usually eat bread but if I indulge in a Banting Bread sandwich I would say it needed Avocado Pear and Ina Paarman’s Rosemary and Olive Seasoning.

What is your least favorite candy?

I really do not like coconut.  The taste and texture do not appeal to me.

What sign are you? Do you believe in astrology?

I am on the cusp of Scorpio and Sagittarius. I don’t take astrology seriously at all as it seems to have me all wrong.  However,  The Earl, has all the character traits of Cancer.   His horoscope is always scarily accurate too! He is, of course, a firm believer.  Scorpio and Cancer are supposed to be a perfect match – and we are pretty well suited!

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

We spent a week away in the beautiful city of Cape Town and catching up with friends and family made me smile many times.  Mother’s Day was spent with Earl’s sister, her son and our kids as well as their Godparents and it was a very happy day.  The kids and grandkids spoiled me with some lovely gifts too.

Here are my answers to this week’s Share Your World from Cee

Do you use paper money? If so is your money organized sequentially according to denomination?

Paper money?  What’s that?  Ha ha – Yes of course I do sometimes have some real money in my wallet but I am very much a credit card or EFT kind of girl.  In my country you would be pretty foolish to wander around the street with too much cash or anything else that’s worth stealing on your person.  Crime is at a premium in our cities.

But I live in a small, relatively safe town and there are a few places where cash only transactions are necessary.  When I have cash, I certainly do have it in organized according to denomination.

You are comfortable doing nothing? For long stretches of time?

In my past life I very seldom had a chance to do nothing.  I’m making up for it now!  the Earl  gets very antsy when there’s nothing urgent to do and is also bothered when he thinks I’m wasting time.  “What have you achieved today?” is a favourite query of his.

Well in the past 50 years – quite a lot actually – but today?  Nothing – How cool is that!   I’m catching up on all the nothings I should have done when I was too busy to do nothing.    I love filling a few hours a day with nothing – it’s good for the mind and the soul.  And you know what?  I still manage to do everything that I’m supposed to do in a day!

And don’t worry about The Earl – he is able to do nothing although it makes him feel guilty – I’ve caught him on Facebook, staring out the window watching the birds, reading a fishing magazine and napping from time to time.   He really needs to catch up on some nothings!

What is your greatest strength?

I have a very positive outlook on life.  Very little gets me down.    When things go wrong I tend to say – This too will pass and just deal with whatever I need to.   I suppose I have Faith.   I believe that things will get better and that there is more good than evil in the world.  Maybe I’m naive but it beats being negative.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

For a while I’ve had a secret dream to travel to England and Europe with my daughter.  This weekend I suggested to my hubby that she and I do a trip together and without hesitation he agreed.  THAT made me smile and I really appreciate that he is prepared to be separated from me for four whole weeks!

We’ve made our plans and just need to make the bookings. If everything falls into place we leave on 6 August and return 3 September.   London – Bruges – Amsterdam – Prague – Berlin – Dresden – Vienna – Venice – Rome – Barcelona – Brace yourselves – here we come!