kickthehorse.com- We’re kicking it hard!

Well, we’ve been back in Perth for about 3 weeks now and I admit that I’ve struggled to find time or energy to finish my travel blog off…there has been so much stuff to catch up on, as you can imagine, after being away for 4 months…added to which this crappy computer decided to get a virus and die whilst we were away…the kids tried to fix it as best they could(thanks Shadreck) but I think we will be looking at a new one in the near future…also need to get a new lawn mower as the old one seems to have also died…could be perhaps because the lawn wasn’t mown for 4 months and the final big effort was too much for the old girl ?! and some minor repairs to the car, which has a few new dings in it…ah well, it’s only money……not that we have any left at the moment !!! The trip ended up costing a lot more than we had budgeted and we will be living very prudently for a while to make ends meet… but we wouldn’t undo anything we did on the trip… it was all worth it and if we have to scrimp a bit now that’s fine with us…

Anyway, I will fill you in on our last few weeks in PE…suffice to say, we had a great time with Helen & Leon and the girls…we were totally spoiled and had a wonderful time… we went to so many delicious braiis(BBQ) with their friends, which were so much fun…as well as quite tasty! We were able to try lots of new foods - like Boerhoers(sp?) sausages, lemon and rosemary lamb, all sorts of unique SA fish, as well as lots of steak and lamb chops…We drank ourselves under a few tables along the way and we have decided to abstain from any alcohol for Feb and March to let our bodies detox a bit !! Leon is very skilled at filling the glass up, so you think you haven’t finished the first glass…when in fact, the bottle is almost gone !!!

We went fishing once with Leon on the river - didn’t catch anything but next time, if the wind behaves this time, we will go deep sea fishing with him and he says that we are guaranteed a good catch then.. the weather whilst in PE was mostly fine but the on strong onshore winds stopped us from going fishing more often, which was a shame as I love it. Glenn went for a bike ride with Leon - and then had a sound afternoon sleeping it off…we swam in their pool, played with the animals and generally relaxed and chatted the time away. We shopped, went for walks along the nearby beach, had lots of “nanna naps”, read books, went out for a few dinners, as well as a day at Addo Elephant Park.

Well…what a special day that was…Patrick and Jade came along in their car, so Glenn drove with them and I stayed with the Merc…which had a sun roof - which was great for viewing the animals and taking photos. All together, I think we have about 3,000 shots to choose from …. not from that one day !!! from the whole trip folks…lol.

It was such a special day..oh, I already said that…but it was so memorable and remarkable. Again, we were incredibly lucky to see so many animals in the park - but the best bit was, of course, the elephants - we saw all sizes, shapes and sexes and all sorts of interesting behaviours as they interacted with each other and with us.. we reckon we saw about 100 elephants that day. We saw a couple of brand new calves, being carefully hidden and protected between the legs of their mothers - they would have been less than a week old !!! and man, they were so cute….a huge bull elephant running down to the dam for a drink and shouldering the others out of his way.. 2 bachelors who didn’t know which side of the road they wanted to be on and walked back and forth in front of us…I pulled my head in when they did that as I feared they might think I was a threat. They are so huge when they are only a few feet away…

One funny thing that happened was when I was trying to get a photo of an ostrich and her chicks…they were close to the car and I was out the top, taking the shots. Suddenly, the dad who had been up the top of the field fighting with another male, noticed me…he raced down the field towards me at such speed, making a noise and flapping his wings out to scare me off…thinking I was another male. I guess I would have looked like an ostrich with my head poking above the body of the car? I quickly withdrew and it took a while before he settled down..My heart was racing as I thought he was going to attack the car and us…Leon laughed his head off and said it was one of the best things he has seen…hmmm..We also saw lots of tortoises(turtles live in water)…it was funny seeing them striding(yes, they can move quite fast and with purpose) down the dirt road..sometimes with some food or future bedding in their mouths. There were stacks of baby warthogs who amused us, as when they run, their tails stick straight up in the air at right angles to their bodies- shame they end up looking like their parents as they are so cute as babies…. could say the same about any of us eh ?

We had a lovely meal at the park as it was Helen’s birthday (I will respectfully keep her age as secret but let’s say we are hoping to get back to SA in a few years for her 60th he he) Our last few days we did some intensive shopping and the consequent rearranging of bags…don’t know how many times I did it but the packing and weighing was exhausting. We managed to make it through all the way home, overweight but with a few smiles and a laugh we got through. When we left we only booked our stuff through to Johannesburg for security(to make sure they arrived in J’burg and then we rebooked them onto the next flight). Our flight was delayed from J’burg so we changed our plans and got a later flight from PE…we didn’t want to sit around for 9 hours!! As it was, we still had 5 hours to wait but we had saved some rand and bought some KFC for tea..yum.

In SA you can claim your sales tax back…we had got all organised to do this and asked at the check in where to go…which we were told was to the left after you go through security…..the silly thing is that in order to claim the tax, you have to show them everything you bought…but as the bags are already taken off you before you get to the place to claim the tax back, it is impossible to claim !!! Either sneaky or stupid…. but luckily for us, we had a number of the items we wished to claim for, with us in our hand luggage, so we were able to get some money back. We then got the customs guy in Perth to stamp and sign another voucher, which we have sent back to SA for the balance of the tax…which we hope will get through ok. The customs guy didn’t even check our stuff..he was just happy to sign, so that was easy. We got through customs also, with no problems with our stuff - we were worried(ok, I was) about the wooden walking stick we got in SA but they didn’t mention it… could be because Glenn did such a good job of limping and leaning on it ?! The most trouble we had was with the gentleman’s relish we bought for John and Heather…the lady went on and on about it containing milk products…I thought she was going to take them but finally she relented..phew.

It was hard to leave PE and the family there but it was also good to be home after so long away. We had planned to come out through the doors to meet the kids wearing our dark glasses..to make us look like international jet setters…which we are I suppose…but there was no one there to meet us..what a let down…we waited for a bit then rang their mobiles to check if they still wanted us home ! SAA had told them the wrong arrival time ..but it wasn’t long before we were getting lots of cuddles and hugs. Shelley had made a sign to welcome us, which she waved as she wadddled across to greet us. It was lovely to see her blossoming belly and have a pat of Scrat.

Jess had bought flowers, made dinner and worked her butt off cleaning and Em bought us some favourite treats, mags and helped with all the work around the place. We lasted quite well and then crashed into bed…we gave out a lot of their presents that night, even though I had planned to sort and then distribute..much like most of my good resolutions, they fail to eventuate….but they all seemed pretty happy with their gifts.

We were both quite exhausted the first week or so and were kept busy shuffling through the 2 foot high pile of mail Em had sorted for us..and then the filing took another few days…we got on to Centrelink to have our pensions reinstated(with the ususal hiccups) and managed to get them to repay us $200 they had taken from our account in error. Glenn also started looking for some part time work and had an interview with a group called Teamworks - who run team building activities…he may get a trial with them next week. I am thinking that I will try to stay home for the time being - I have been feeling that I would be wise to set aside this time for me…I am thinking of doing a course in Practice Management and serendipitously, I was called yesterday by the lady who runs it in NSW asking if I would like to join them in doing some workshops, instead of doing it by correspondence. That may work out better as I will be able to network, meet some friends and get help with the assignments. It does cost more but I can claim some of it on my tax….and the diploma would help me get a better job and pay….so, what is holding me back…lack of money and confidence…but both are small hurdles so we shall see… I have to decide and enrol before the 8th Feb. I was asked to take on another practice, and also to do relief for my old firm but I have realised, whilst away, that I have always taken on jobs that I am asked to do - I haven’t allowed myself to think about if I wanted to do the job - I just have found it so hard to say no when offered a position- but now, I want to value myself and not take on jobs or anything really, that I don’t WANT to do. I am looking for a position that I  will enjoy and find satisfying and not just work for the sake of the money. At the same time, Glenn has realised the pressure he can put me under with financial stuff……Especially since he has not been able to provide for the family they way he’d like to able to. It’s been great chatting about this sort of stuff and seeing how we have operated, is not necesarily the best way ahead for us and make some positive changes. So, 2008 bodes well.

Soon after we returned, we had a baby shower for Shelley - which was a fun day. The baby is due on March 1 but could come anytime now….she is not that big but the baby is very active and she is quite uncomfortable, with the heat as well. I was lucky to get to see Scrat on the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat - sounded like a galloping horse. “he/she” is probably going to be quite long - the Dr measured the foot and it was 7cm long already(35 weeks) - he also commented on how long the thigh bone was..then again, Shell is 6′ and David is 6′4″, so we shouldn’t be surprised…I just hope it isn’t too big at the birth. It is about 6lb 5oz already…..time will tell eh ?

Well, I think that is about enough from me for now..I will write again soon with more local news…. love to all, Heather