It started storming last Sunday night and the foul weather reflected our gloomy moods. Norm had a terrible cold and was dosing on and off on the couch and every time the wind blew against the doors it sounded like Navajo hitting the door with his paw to be let in.
So many things brought me to tears. We had roast chicken for dinner and normally I had to divide the skin into 3 portions for the dogs but of course I only had 2 pups to treat. I went to give the dogs some dried sausage treats and I put aside a big piece for ‘big boy’ and then realised I did not need to do so.
I put peanut butter on my toast and the jar was empty and I cried that I did not give it to him on Friday instead of waiting a day. Little Panda cannot do it justice, his little tongue can only reach the rim where Navajo could lick almost to the bottom. His tongue was so long he could not always keep it in his mouth.
When I went up to shower the room was dark and I did not have my glasses on and I thought Navajo was lying in his usual sleeping spot at the foot of the bed and actually stepped over him, then realised it was a shadow of light.
The poms are not eating and Pixie looks so confused. I have told her and Panda what happened to Navajo and I hope they understand.
Then I had a reminder pop up on Tuesday about Nava’s appointment for the chiropractor and I am shattered all over again.
His presence is all around us. Norm and I both felt as if he has ‘left’ later this week, before then I could feel and hear him everywhere I turned. The vet messaged to say that Navajo’s ashes are ready for collection, maybe that was when his spirit left us? I know the spirit leaves the body at death, but when does it cross over and why do some never pass over? We understand so little about death.
On Sunday the SA President addressed us and told us we are going up to Alert Level 4 Lockdown. This means that all restaurants are again closed for sit down service and can only do deliveries or take aways. All alcohol sales are suspended and our curfew is from 9pm to 4am. Masks are mandatory in public. We should only socialise with people within our own households and the schools have closed early for break. Hopefully these measures can squash the 3rd wave if every one follows them and enacting them does not result in any other restaurants closing or staff losing their jobs.
On Monday Vanessa came after work to give me a pedicure and afterwards my lovely neighbour Kate popped in to bring me some beautiful yellow roses and chocolates and to express her condolences. She brought ‘American chocolates’ as she called it – Reese cups and a choccie bar with Oreos. She is such a lovely friend. I have put the roses on my desk to cheer me up. The cold rainy weather is so dour that the burst of sunshiny yellow is a welcome relief.
Luckily, the work on our upstairs is continuing despite our fragile mental states. The tilers were in from last Saturday to Tuesday and have done an amazing job.
This was the state of play on Monday evening.
On Wednesday the ceiling cornices and the toilet were installed and the bathroom is looking fabulous. The security gates have been put back up too.
The frame of the new vanity was delivered and installed on Friday. The doors, drawers and outside panels are still being made but this way they can measure the other bits needed.
I ordered handles for the vanity and I love them so much, they will be perfect with the white ceramic tap handles and grey unit! I took a pic of them with the quartz sample which will be on top of the vanity and the paint swatch of the colour we are painting it.
Today the painters are here doing some touch ups and the template for my quartz countertop for the vanity unit is being measured out by the team from WOMAG. It will take a few days for the top to be cut and delivered ready to be installed. We hope to be able to move back into our bedroom this weekend but the bathroom will not be ready for a few more days.
The torrential rain has carried on all week with some crazy wind to accompany it and it is obscenely cold. There was even thunder and lightning on Wednesday night. As a result of the severe weather we had several leaks, one window downstairs had rain pouring in and the upstairs landing door had rain coming under it. It adds weight to the need to have our windows replaced. I love the wood but it is not practical, the putty dries out from the severe sun and it crumbles and the wood needs to be sanded down and varnished every few years. We are leaning towards upvc but if anyone has any advice on their own experiences with the different types of window frames let me know. Hopefully it won’t affect the look and character of the house.
Now for my weekly COVID stats. SA is still 19th globally in ranking for total cases with 2,019,826. The UK is 7th with 4,855,169 total cases and the USA is still 1st with 34,580,198.
For deaths from COVID and related illnesses, none of the 3 countries have shifted positions. SA is 16th with 61,332, the UK is 7th with 128,189 deaths, and the USA is still 1st with 621,161 lives lost.
On the more leveled comparison of deaths per 1 million of the population, SA is now up 2 places to 49th with 1,021 deaths per million, the USA is still 20th with 1,866 and the UK is still 19th with 1,878.
On the vaccination progress, in South Africa they have administered 3,292,671 vaccinations. The CDC is reporting that 181,650,678 people have received their 1st vaccine in the USA and that 156,255,896 people have been fully vaccinated. In the UK 45,013,503 people have had their 1st vaccine and 33,241,265 have had their 2nd dose.
On the 1st of July I was able to register for the vaccine on the government website.
Today I had an email from our medical aid company with a link to book a vaccine at one of their vaccination centres and I booked in for tomorrow. It then hit me that it is American Independence Day! The universe has a sense of humour. Norm and I will start looking for flights to go over and visit my Mom. I am so excited to be vaccinated and to get to see my Mom, my friends and my family (the ones who still speak to me anyway).
Last week Norm and I finished a few of the series we had been watching and we recently started two new ones.
We have watched a few episodes of ‘Panic‘. It takes place in a small Texas town, where every summer the graduating seniors compete in a series of challenges with a cash prize of $50,000. Life there is boring and uneventful and the kids believe this is their one and only chance to escape their circumstances and make their lives better. To me as a sensible old lady with vertigo and fears of most everything you can imagine, the game appears ridiculously dangerous. I spend most of the time shouting ‘Don’t Be Stupid’ at the screen.
The other series we have been watching is ‘StartUp‘. We chose it because we like the actor Martin Freeman. The series was filmed in 2018 but was just recently released on Netflix (yes I know the clip below if from Amazon Prime but that was all I could find so shhhhh). The role as a corrupt FBI agent is a real departure from the bumbling, jovial sort of character that Freeman usually plays but I can see a future as the bad guy for him as he does a great job. It also stars Adam Brody as Nick, the young guy with poor judgement, Adam also produced it. The other main male character is Ronald, is a Haitian gangster played by Edi Gathegi. The brilliant coder Izzy Morales is played by the stunning Otmara Marrero. The first ep was very slow but I am now enjoying it.
For my musical section I bring you the lovely yet mournful music of George O’Hanlon performing ‘The Storm’ and ‘The Weight’ for Mahogany Sessions. ‘The Storm’ is his debut single. I cannot find much info about George except that he is British which you can hear in his pronunciation – he looks pretty young but at my age everyone does. I see big success in his future.
Until next time, keep safe and stay healthy.
Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxox
Kitten in the City 