I Pretended…

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Helga

Wednesday

Dear Elsie

Today was the day you felt a bit better – not back at school yet but certainly on the mend and your Mom sent me a photo of you tying your shoes. Well done!

That’s good for a just-turned-5-year-old!

For me,  I had a slow work day so I decided to go for a walk. As I set off I pretended I was somewhere else in the world (no specific place) but a place where you can do a lovely walk, hugging the coast and just lapping up its beauty. After all, it’s summer in England and winter in South Africa so all this sunshine should be pouring onto a different land.  These photos could be any little coastal village in the northern hemisphere. The fact they are Glencairn and Simon’s Town just makes us all the more blessed to live here!

Sweet subway…

And onto the beach path…

Beautiful tidal pool…

Walking through old gates…

More tidal pools…

And eventually back up to the road…

I had a lovely stroll back, but the highlight had to be when I saw some angry looking seagulls swooping on a nonchalant disinterested falcon (I think it was a falcon).

Eventually it was chased away and simply flew a little further along settling on another railway pylon.

Cell phone pics just don’t do it justice.

I came home nicely tired, but very grateful for a beautiful day and having the privilege to live in this neck of the woods.  It makes me wonder what weather we can expect tomorrow. Oh, I’ve just looked. 24C is the expected maximum. If my work day is slow, I need to go for another walk – maybe even a swim! Maybe tomorrow is the day for a swim.

The cats came home last evening and today they have been in and out as they please. Raiku can now jump off the balcony and somehow jump back up onto the balcony which he did today before enthusiastically running through the house and climbing out the study window. They have not gone far because there have been workers carrying stone and sand up the stairs and that has made the cats cautious.

Psalm 139:15

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Landmark Day – Both Cats Are Out

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Helga

Tuesday

Dear Elsie

You have an ear infection at the moment and are on antibiotics. I’m so glad you were a little better this morning so you could go to the padstal for a little outing and some sunshine. This afternoon, though, you were so tired and fell fast asleep. Hopefully, you’ll be better in the  morning.

For us, it was a sunny day. It was also a bit of a train station with guests arriving and Ruth cleaning. Julian left. David moved upstairs. I forgot my 3pm Zoom call. Oops! But the washing got done and Raiku found that jumping off the balcony is not too difficult. Raiku on the run again. When I got back from taking Julian to the airport, I arrived at our front door to find Raiku mooching about on the courtyard. Ruth was right behind me, so she closed the courtyard gate and we quickly opened the front door so he could go inside. But within an hour, he was no where to be found. Suspecting he had jumped off the balcony, I went outside to look. A delivery arrived and the next thing I saw was Raiku sprinting up the stairs. He shot past me, behind the house and in through the study window, which is exactly where we want him to go. By the time I got inside, he was on the carpet looking like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

Meanwhile, Claw’d didn’t really feel the need to explore too much (until later). He was fine with the balcony on a sunny afternoon.

Raiku has found his way out the study window, which is the way he got in. A little while ago I let Claw’d out the study door and so he is having a mooch around. No doubt they will come when they are hungry but it’s a landmark day that they are both out together.

Suddenly, the house has gone quiet.

Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Formwork and Foundations

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Helga

Monday

Dear Elsie

Today was the day formwork & foundations happened.

To get to this point, Mike needed to make up a tripod for his theodolite.

He so enjoyed getting the formwork straight and not having to use a level.

So that kept Mike busy for  most of the day. I worked for 7 or so hours. Last day of July. It’s hard to believe that tomorrow August begins. We hope August will bring better health for David.

Yesterday when we were walking down to Fish Hoek, we passed a young seal on the rocks off the cat walk. Unfortunately, it was being traumatised by a couple of guys. Apparently, they tried to pick it up.

I called Sacob but there was no reply, so I put a message out on the NHW chat group. Eventually, someone phoned the SPCA and they came to pick it up.

I’m not sure it will survive.  Usually, when a seal gets out the water, it’s not well. This one looked like it was separated from its Mom.

While there was rain today, it should be passed for the next few days and we look forward to some sunny days ahead.

Psalm 139:13
For you created my inmost being;  you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Mike Bought a Theodolite

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Helga

Sunday

Dear Elsie

Today was the day Granpa bought a theodolite! This has a backstory going back decades. When we were newly married, we had many conversations about Mike starting his own land survey private practice, but the start up costs were phenomenally expensive and the risk of the literally dying trade was too high. When he worked for a private company in Paarl and then at the City of Cape Town, these theodolites were part of his trade. Imagine his surprise, then, when he walked into Bookworm and saw a Wild T2 Theodolite for sale at the princely sum of R1500. After looking through the eye piece, without hesitation, he said, “I’ll take it”.

Now he is set up to get the levels perfect for both the funicular and the house behind. Mike had prayed for a way to get accurate levels and this was the answer. He needs to get or make a tripod and then he’ll be set to go. Of course this heavy, solid brass, specialised piece of equipment is of no use to anyone who doesn’t know how to use it.  He wasted no time in checking it out when he got home.

It’s been another cold day and I, after sleeping badly last night, had a good afternoon nap. Claw’d couldn’t control himself, seeking out the heat of our bed, even if it was only for a minute…

Mike is making spaghetti bolognaise as I write and it’s smelling good. That’s next.

Psalm 139:11-12
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

A cold, wet but restful weekend is over. Almost August.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

 

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Bed Day

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Helga

Saturday

Dear Elsie

Today was a good day for you and me. We had a good video call where you commandeered the cell phone and took me round the house showing me all sorts of things. That was a lot of fun.

Because the cold front swept over the Cape, it was a good day to spend a lot of time in the warmth of the bed. The cats joined us. The took a bit of time to settle down.

Claw’d went under the blanket. Raiku batted him….

But eventually they settled down and had a snooze. This is how I imagined it to be.

I did do some sweeping. The cats wrestle on the carpet and shed their ginger fur. Today I swept it up.  Raiku chases this broom with great veracity! The outcome…this is one day because yesterday I had the robotic vacuum cleaner cleaning.

They have been entertaining today.

David is on leave now which is helpful. While his condition remains unchanged and he hasn’t been able to kick the microclots to the kerb, we are still staying positive. This week has been more difficult for him with lingering headaches. I am hoping that this is the ‘worse before it gets better’. He goes for the next round of bloodwork on 8th August which will be 8 weeks since his last checkup. My anxiety levels are lower now. Resignation has set in where I remain hopeful but resigned that this disorder may be with us for a while. It helps having David mentally strong. He is incredibly resilient. What we would not have had, had this not happened, is a number of very meaningful conversations. We’ve spent so  much time with him. This long Covid won’t be forever. When it’s over and he goes on with his life, I will be delighted, but will miss our time of just hanging out.

Psalm 139: 9-10
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Rainy Weekend Ahead

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Helga

Friday

Dear Elsie

Today, while you had a beautiful sunny Swellendam day, the rain swept through Cape Town and it doesn’t look likely to end before Monday. Tuesday will be cold and clear and Wednesday is forecast to be 22 and sunny. For the next few days, we can expect a lot of this…

Robert Louis Stevenson simply wrote,

The rain is raining all around,
It falls on field and tree,
It rains on the umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.

I spent the day indoors. So did Raiku! I let him out of the balcony a couple of times but he wasn’t too enamored with the cold and the wind and quickly returned to the warmth of the house.

As I write, I’m actually in bed with my electric blanket on. Julian and David will arrive soon and then I will get up for dinner and the evening.

One thing that did happen this week, well two actually, was that I got the photos in the frame. Three photos of me and Jonathan (the world’s oldest tortoise) on Saint Helena Island. Photos taken by Julian. Such a happy & unexpected memory to have. We didn’t think we would be able to get so close to Jonathan. This is hanging up above my desk now.

And,  Mike bought a beautiful new pot for my Delicious Monster, which is on my desk.

As my desk is in my bedroom and can be seen from my bed, I really didn’t want it to be cluttered with office equipment, so I did away with my massive screen and only use my laptop which is compact and I can put it in a draw if I want to. It’s easy to keep organised & the pot plant is a nice focal point.

End of the week and a good opportunity to rest.

Psalm 139:8

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;  if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

 

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Raiku on the Move

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Helga

Thursday

Dear Elsie

Today was the day we have had the cats for 2 weeks! I celebrated it by letting them out and then spent about half an hour looking for them. I followed Claw’d to make sure he didn’t stray so far and eventually got him in, but by doing so, lost track of Raiku, so he ended up staying out for a while. Eventually, he came in. This afternoon, I opened the door and let them out again. Raiku took off. Claw’d stayed behind. Raiku is still out! I know that he has found the perfect little hide-away behind the upper tanks. I’ve just been outside to try to find him and walked right the way round the house, through all the tight spots. Finally, Brian, who is Courage’s handlanger, spotted him at the neighbour’s house and called to him. With that Raiku ran like the wind, disappearing around the neighbour’s house. A few minutes later he appeared the other side and so began a bit of a cat and mouse game which has continued a few hours later.

Julian and I walked to the end of Fish Hoek beach and back, while Mike ran to Glencairn and back. On our return, we I called for Raiku and immediately the defiant ginger appeared, looked delightedly across at us and disappeared again. The bush in which he was hiding…

No amount of calling and cajoling has lured him in, so I opened the scullery window and put some tinned food there to try attract him. Eventually, Mike and I both went out to call for him and in time, he appeared…

But to get him from there, through our fence and back to safety took another 20 minutes. I knew he’d come when he was hungry. Claw’d who is now considered a saint, waited patiently and then as soon as Raiku arrived, they both got stuck into dinner.

Raiku is going to be in cat jail for all of tomorrow! He will eventually be let loose to wander, but I think I’ll only be completely comfortable once he’s been here a month. Ha, I’ve just seen the title of yesterday’s blog, “Precious Pair!” Today I’m not feeling so warm and fuzzy towards my little delinquent!

That was an eventful cat day.

I worked 7 hours in between!

Psalm 139: 7
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

 

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Precious Pair

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Helga

Wednesday

Dear Elsie

Today was the kind of day that we call ‘fancourt slate!’ That’s the grey colour of our walls and when the day is overcast and gloomy, the sky blends with the sea, as you can see from this completely unfiltered photo.

My precious pair cuddled up on a chair under the table with a view out the open door.

In the morning, my meeting was pushed back an hour, so I walked to the shops to pick up a couple of things. The sea looked cold, but I still look forward to swimming in it again soon.

For the rest, I worked more than 7 hours. During the course of the day, a message went out on the Neighbourhood Watch chat that a house was on fire in Fish Hoek. Apparently it was an invertor that caught fire due to a power surge as the electricity came back on after load-shedding.

I asked Mike what we have got and he said we had surge protection which is good to know.

Julian arrived and we walked to the end of the street. Dinner next and we have just finished watching a Grand Design.

Not too much else to report. We are grateful for another day.

Psalm 139: 5
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Mike at Work

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Helga

Tuesday

Dear Elsie

Today was another busy day. First I want to tell you a really funny story from last night. I wish I had a video of it. It relates to Raiku. I could smell the litter box needed to be emptied. It’s an impressive cat box with a cover and flap for the cats to go in and out.

I marched into the study and picked up the cat box. It was unusually heavy and then to the surprise of us both, Raiku leapt out! Oh no! I put it down immediately and scuttled back to the lounge where Mike and David heard my exclamation and said, ‘what happened?’ I cringed a little and said, “I interrupted Raiku in the cat box! It’s like walking in on someone when they are using the loo.” And we all had a little laugh. But what followed just put the cherry on the top. Raiku came into the room, looked at us all and let out a loud and prolonged meow of protest. Having given us a good telling off, he retreated to the study! It was just too entertaining. This is why I love cats.

Today Mike mooched around a lot on the back plot which is growing in shape.

Apart from pouring over the plans, he also put yesterday’s measurements for the funicular into a diagram.

This won’t actually work, so he’s got another idea up his sleeve which will work and will be designed in time. He’s had a busy day.

I worked most of the day and had some success too.

Now it’s almost time for dinner.

Grateful for this day.

Psalm 139: 4
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

 

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More Foundations Thrown

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Helga

Monday

Dear Elsie

More foundations were thrown today. As I stood with Mike outside and looked to see what was being done, it dawned on me that this is actually the start of the foundations for the house behind! How did that happen? I thought we were landscaping for that house. I didn’t quite understand that, after numerous visits from Paul the engineer, this was the beginning of the foundations. That’s why there has to be so much steel. Foundations on the south side. These wall foundations are all going to be underground and on top will be the house’s floating foundation.

Wall foundations on the north side

We wait to see how it grows.

For me, I worked 7 hours and had a hair cut  midday.

The guests who arrived yesterday afternoon chose the Seaview Apartment, so they are happily ensconced. Very easy going couple.

Mike disappeared for a while after Courage left. I wondered where he had gone so when he walked in the door, I asked. He had a clipboard in his hand, on which he had drawn this…

Funicular measurements! He had been down the stairs measuring to try get the levels for the funicular.

Meanwhile, Claw’d did the rounds. Mike the chosen one.

Ten minutes later, David the chosen one.

A lovely sunny day & more tomorrow. We will enjoy it while it lasts. Rain for the weekend.

Psalm 139:3
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

 

 

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A Waiting Kind of Day

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Helga

Sunday

Dear Elsie

Today was a waiting kind of day. There were guests in the Cottage and Seaview Apartment and both were leaving today, so I was waiting for that, so I could say good bye. I waited for Ruth to arrive and then for Ruth to finish the clean.

I’m now waiting for the guests to arrive. They booked the Seaview Apartment but I have told them about the cottage. They are staying 19 nights and I think the cottage, being more spacious with a washing machine will meet their needs better. They will decide when they arrive and have seen both options. It meant the units have to be completely ready for guests, so I have done  the rounds and made sure everything is spic and span. I’ve packed a basket with their welcome goodies so I can just hand it over when they decide.

It doesn’t really make too much of a difference to us. I’ve blocked both units. Once they decide, I’ll unblock the one not in use and hopefully pick up a booking or two over the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, down at the beach this weekend, some majestic sand art had been constructed by Innocent Zungu.

Some of the detail…

Just so impressive.

One other thing came up on Facebook this weekend. I had heard about a rock that was the scene of a tragedy many years ago. Now I know exactly which one it is…this is the rock…

This is the story…

We walk past it often. Next time, I’ll take a closer look. Life is fragile for sure.

Psalm 139:2
You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Priceless Cat Moments

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Helga

Saturday

Dear Elsie

I am so glad you got to see the cats today – they have settled so well and are out and about. Last week they were hiding under the bed. This week they were on my lap purring.

This morning, I took them out one by one and it was so interesting to see where they went. Claw’d went first. He saw the main courtyard door was open and immediately shot out onto the stairs. After smelling around a bit, he shot up the stairs.

And then over to the back of the house…

Mike was watching from the balcony, so when Claw’d headed behind the house, Mike went inside and opened his study door. Claw’d headed right in. Then it was Raiku’s turn. He went out and cast a momentary glance at the open door before ignoring it and heading over the balustrade to the Seaview Apartment courtyard.

After he jumped down, he spotted a gap behind the drainpipe that leads into the workshop & made a bee-line for that.

But these cats are well trained. Just one word from me and he changed direction and went to smell the plants. After a minute or two, I went down there and on opening the courtyard door, he spooked and jumped back up to safety.

Then there was this moment. Mike doing stretches on the lounge floor. Claw’d joined him! You can’t manufacture these moments.

We are now their humans and they are getting very comfortable.

But the funniest thing thus far was Raiku’s reaction to the robotic vacuum cleaner. I didn’t get the photo but I will next time. The vacuum cleaner was cleaning the carpet and it started going directly towards Raiku. He jumped up and almost danced backwards! It was such a hilarious sight. He stalks it when it comes out, but if it comes too close he runs away.

It’s been a fun restful day. David is giving a guitar lesson. Mike has gone to buy dinner.

Psalm 139:1

You have searched me Lord, and You know me.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Being Good at the Menial Tasks

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Helga

Friday

Dear Elsie

Today was the day the sun shone and there wasn’t too much wind which made it a lovely cool winter’s day. We had the balcony doors open for most of the day so the cats could come and go if they wanted to. They are still nervous of the strange sounds and surroundings so are very cautious and on guard about going too far. Their curiosity sometimes gets the better of them when a bird flies by and they dash to get a closer look. They have adjusted to the people of the house. Even Courage, today got a closer look & had Raiku come within a few feet of him. My favourite thing is seeing them curl up together. Their previous owner didn’t let them on the bed, so when I went to take a photo of the two of them in their bed on the bed, Raiku thought he was in trouble and got ready to gap it. Claw’d was chilled.

I got their microchips changed into my name today so that’s another little chore done. A menial but important task. I had a list of them today. Getting the cat microchips done was one of them.  I also finally made the changes to the Cottage Airbnb listing.  I also did laundry. I’m good at doing laundry!  If I look at the division of labour between Mike and I and the menial tasks we each do, I’m the laundry person. Mike is an absolute star at cleaning the kitchen. If other family come in and the kitchen is orderly but not sparkling, they know I’ve done the ‘clean’. When the kitchen is sparkling from front to back and top to bottom, they know Mike’s been at it. He’s so good at cleaning. But I’m good at laundry! And I’m good at sweeping too. Lol. While we get Ruth (Courage’s wife) to clean the rental units, we generally are responsible for cleaning our space.

A long awaited task got finished today. Mike finished the second stairs light yesterday which meant the pavers could be put on the top of the wall outside the Seaview Apartment. This was it before.

Courage got to work with Brian mixing cement.

And now it looks like this…finally finished. It looks so much better from our balcony. And he also did the lower ledge on the right of the entrance.

It looks great now. We’ve been in the house more than 2 years and 9 months and the great landscaping project continues. But we are a far cry from here…which was 16th Jan 2021 (we moved in 16th October 2020)

No walls. Those walls – all built by Courage – he’s got so good at it. That’s when a menial task becomes a masterpiece.

And so we go into the weekend with a guest arriving this evening and a couple on Sunday. Not too much planned for this weekend.

Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

 

 

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3 Updates

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Helga

Thursday

Dear Elsie

Today was the day I caught up with all my work and was able to have a little afternoon break.

3 updates on the cats, David and Mike’s workshop work.

The cats have come out from under the bed. Now during the day, Raiku settles on a chair under the dining room table, helpfully covered by the tablecloth and completely out of sight.

Meanwhile, Claw’d is no longer sleeping under the bed in the study but is in his bed on top of it.

All I read online is to wait at least 2 weeks before letting them outside. Today they have been with us for a week. I’m working on getting their microchip information changed to our address so they will at least be trackable if they do roam. They seem to get a little cabin fever when they are up and about, with some serious meowing going on. They get short spurts of supervised outdoor time, but they are tending to want to go further and further away so I’m slightly nervous of just letting them go because one goes in one direction and the other goes in the other. Maybe I’ll let them out one at a time. They are happy enough. Claw’d is now on my lap as I type.

David went out again today. He went out yesterday as well but came home exhausted. It was also because he drove. Today he went out with a friend who did the driving, but it was still exhausting coming back up the stairs. With long Covid energy levels have to be managed. There’s an energy battery that runs down and you have a limited amount of power to get through what needs to be done. When that energy is finished, sleep is the recharging remedy. In 10 days time or so, he’ll go for the next blood tests and see if there are any changes. When Mike took David the very first time, the receptionist told him of a ballet dancer who came in in a wheelchair. She is now back to normal. How long did it take, Mike wanted to know? The answer: 2 years. David is not in a wheelchair so hopefully he will be better in less than 2 years, but we have to be patient. My friend, Ingrid, put this on FB a couple of days ago…

We don’t know what is going on behind the scenes but one thing we do know, God never wastes pain. Also, David could be a lot worse than he is. He can continue working from home. He can make videos & he’s pretty resilient. He’s just not better yet. He says his energy levels are slightly higher than they were. A couple of months ago, he would teach and then be so exhausted, he’d have to sleep. Now he can sometimes get through the day without an afternoon snooze. The other week he did 10 press-ups, 10 star jumps and walked around the apartment for 400m. That little bit of exercise wiped him out and he took a full 2 days to recover. He’s got to take it easy.

And an update from Mike’s workshop work. He has worked on the next lamp today and it has now been installed. It looks great, matching the one at the top.

My work day is done and I’m going to nip down to the shops for some groceries.

Psalm 138:6
Though the Lord is exalted, He looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, He sees them from afar.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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Cat Firsts

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Helga

Wednesday

Dear Elsie

Today was the day the the wind turned round to the south-east, bidding goodbye to the rain. The wind has been icy cold today, so I can imagine there may be a sprinkling of snow on the Boland mountains. We’ll see tomorrow when the cloud has lifted. We’ve had some cat firsts.

We had a little short lived drama this morning. Early early while it was still dark,  I went out the study door to empty the cats’ litter tray. At first, the cats stayed inside, but then, while I was just about to finish,  Raiku came out and dashed up the stairs behind the house, followed enthusiastically by Claw’d. I rushed up behind them and saw Raiku crossing to the far side of the house and disappear behind the new foundations. Once he was had disappeared behind that wall, I couldn’t go after him. It was pitch black there and completely uneven. I chose to focus my attention back on Claw’d who wasn’t feeling so adventurous. He spooked and dashed back to safety but missed the stairs going down and found himself in front of the upper tanks, above a 2.5m wall – fortunately there’s a pile of sand below. I went to take a photo.

After Claw’d went inside this morning, I went back to look for Raiku and he had returned and was smelling the sand by the ledge. On seeing me, he made a dash back down the stairs and into the study. But it’s the first time they have gone so far out the house.

They are most entertaining when they are wrestling with each other. It’s all play-play and neither gets hurt. There’s no growling or wailing – just a lot of loose punching and play biting. It’s fun to watch. When I’m in bed for the night, they both visit for a short while.

They then spend the night in the study. And today they had their first day- time sleep, clean and cuddle on my bed.

They are feeling right at home!

The other night there was someone calling outside our front door. This never happens (85 steps and all), so we were surprised. There stood our neighbour, Jonathan. He’d lost his house keys at the beach and now was locked out of his house. He didn’t know what to do, so Mike went to the workshop and the two of them carried out our very tall ladder. Manhandling it over to his house, they mustered together their combined age of 130 and got it up against his upstairs balcony. Then Jonathan who is as fit as an ox, climbed up while Mike hung onto the ladder. This was all going down way after dark. At least they didn’t have to break a window! I wish I’d had it on camera.

Today has been a good work day. I’ve worked for just over 7 hours. So far it’s been a good work month.

Psalm 136:26
Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

It’s not about now – we are only passing through.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you.

In His Grip,

Gran xx

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