As you may be aware Port Elizabeth has been in the grips of a drought for 2 and a half years now, with dam levels 2 weeks ago being a combined 31%, after some more good rains in the catchment areas over the last 2 weeks dam levels have now risen to 43 %, so that is really great news.
Having spent a week in Gauteng I can honestly say that the decision to settle in PE was not just a good idea it was an inspirational one “Thanks Tania”, and it was DAM good to get home.
So I spent a week in Gauteng, “that felt like a month” and apart from having family there, Gauteng is a place that you can keep. It actually reminded me of how miserable I would probably be if I lived overseas. People that live there argue that it’s were the money is at................”Well money is not everything”.
Arrived early evening Sunday evening and drove to Afrika Lodge (my guest house for the week), It was like I was going to go and live with the Flintstones (if you have seen one of those fake rock houses, you will know what I mean). Checked into my room that looked like it had been decorated by ‘Nathanial and a blind, gay, adventure sport, crack addict’...................”Dutchman Kitch”. Drove to my folks and had a cup of coffee with them and then went back to the guest house.
Monday I woke up to a Frikken cold day in my man cave and decided to leave early for the company I was training for as I was not sure of the distance and what the traffic would be like. The drive was a lot better than I thought it would be and go there fairly quickly. I did however see something I have not seen since winter 2009....................”Frost”. Driving home on Monday going back to the guest house “Cassa Man Cave” I drove past this accident...................”yeah my thoughts exactly”. Parts of the wall and palisade fence had been deposited 100m+ away from point of contact, want to hazard a guess the sex of the driver?
By Tuesday I had flu and felt like death warmed up ( I had woken up at 3am and could not get back to sleep), so as you can imagine training was not the best (2 x 4 hour sessions of Hazardous chemical substance training) near the end I was on auto pilot. It also did not help that the road I was using to get to the company was busier than the day before and just to make it even more interesting none of the traffic lights along that road were working so you can just imagine the chaos, it was like being in the video game...................... Grand Theft Auto.
Wednesday I thankfully did not have to train as I still felt like Shit, woke late and then went to moms house and we went shopping together, was really nice as I have not done that since I can remember, the shopping centre has pensioners day on a Wednesday so you can imagine the chaos in the parking area. Throw in free cake and coffee and you have a scene worse that the start of a Harrods sale. Mom bought me enough cold and flu medicine to stat my own chemist, but by the end of the day was feeling a 1000% better. That night my dad treated us all (Mom, me , Karen (my sister), Gavin (her husband), Christine (my niece) and Craig (her husband) to dinner at Mikes kitchen, you must know when the Dunkley Clan get together there is usually chaos, but it was a really lekker evening and a tonic that I needed, missing Tania and Gabby as much as I did.
Thursday I was feeling better but still taking medicine, I was at the company at 6.40am to get ready for training at 7.30 and realised that training that day was only from 9am, trained 2 s and a half hour sessions and headed to see the family again..............Traffic was BAD and took me 30 minutes to do about 2 kms, due to all the traffic and lack of knowledge of basic road rules...........ones like you should not drive from back of queue to push into the front or at a 4 way stop you give people turns to drive..............Nah total frikken Chaos. Had a great dinner with folks, sister and Gavin, so the day ended ok.
In SA Albertina Sisulu widow of the late Walter Sisulu died at home age 92 on Thursday night, it reminded me of how frail Madiba is and if he will also make it to 2012. Many think of these old struggle activists as devils and evil but if you compare them with today’s crop of corrupt and stupid, career politicians who are only in it for what they can get out of it, they will be missed as they did have the people’s wishes at heart and did not do what they did for money or recognition.............There are not many today who can say that. RIP Mrs Sisulu.
Friday morning I was feeling like a kid just before Xmas, I was going home, all I needed to do was 1 more session on Noise induced hearing loss and I was then free. I was a little nervous because Zola (the health and safety liaison at the company) had told me that the Plant Manager was sitting in on the session, but I must say it went well and Karen is a really nice lady. I was going to leave at 12 but was invited to their WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL Day celebration and watched a 20 minute presentation called “The story of stuff” was very thought provoking but waste and re-cycling is very much like Global warming there are arguments for and against that can make you feel the person presenting the information is correct. Having said this I do believe that we could do so much more to make the planet a better place for both ourselves and future generations. So remember today 5 June 2011 is world environmental day.
I was amused when I checked in through the security area at, Jan Smu.....”No”.... Jhb Inter........”No” ah yes OR Tambo international on the way back home. Announcement over intekom advising passengers that we are not allowed to take the following dangerous items onto the flight: nail clippers, knives, crochet needles, pins, guns, explosives....etc etc. Now I would have thought that Guns and explosives should have topped the list, but I guess not.
The trip back home was a tad frustrating due to time delays and the never ending yada yada from 2 young ladies sitting behind me......................”but I digress”. The boarding gates opened at 10 past 5 and after 5 minutes all the passengers had boarded the bus, that waited till 5.35pm to go and look for the plane (I must have read my ticket wrong as thought the plane was departing at 5.35 and not then bus). After a scenic drive around the airport we found the plane but could not get off the bus as it still had to be vacuumed. and re-stocked with airline food and luke warm beer. we were eventually allowed on then plane and after a few moments we started to taxi out, only to reverse back in because the flaps were not functionin properly. The captain announced that the computers were not talking to the flaps so they would have to get a techy to sort out the problem, whether he hit the computer with a 10 pound hammer or used other methods after 10 minutes we were hurtling down the runway and on the way home........."Yay"
Saturday was wake up ( And it’s always good to wake up in your own bed, next to a woman that you know, “Just joking”...................................................................(”Sorry was getting beaten up by the missus”). Did a few chores, collected the Triumph and then went to watch rugby at the Duck with a couple of friends, it’s taken a year but now feel like one of the “family” at the Duck and I now enjoy going to watch rugby there (i am also getting to be like my old self, those who knew me at the Friends rugby supporters club will know what I mean) . One of the people I watch with is a lady called “Cheeky” she is 75 a avid Sharks supporter and full of shit...................”I like her”. Cheeky’s daughter Cindy who is also a nice lady usually joins us and then there is Sheryl, Brian, Joe, Sue and Paddy as well as a number of other customers you say hi to. The pub also now has a policy of no smoking inside which is great as u don’t go home smelling like the bottom of an ashtray.
Sports this weekend
Before I forget last Sunday the Blitzbokke (fast Boks)beat Australia in the final of the IRB 7’s by coming from 27-8 behind to win 36=35 and take second spot for this season. Can’t wait to see the IRB 7’s being played in PE in December........................Should be awesome.
This weekend’s rugby fixtures saw the Bulls beating the Waratahs 23-16 .... The Stormers beating the rebels 40-3. The lions losing again and unfortunately the Cheetahs lost 15-23 against the Sharks, but showing that without any real “stars” in their side they can beat anyone and if they had taken all their chances and kicked over their penalties the Sharks would have been beaten. With only two more games left before the playoffs 3 SA teams are in the top 6 positions and 2 games that I am definitely watching next weekend will be Crusaders vs. the Blues and the Stormers vs the Bulls.
I see that Graeme “The Biff” Smith is resigning as the Protea test captain “Yahoo”, probably because he would not be the first choice of new coach Peter Kirsten. I also see Allan Donald has been taken on as Bowling coach, that’s also good news, so who will be the new Proteas captain?..............good money is on de Villiers or Amla, I believe that while Amla would make a great captain, the choice will be de Villiers. But hold the presses, because I’ve
just read that Biff has said sorry for being an asshole and that he should have come home to face the music instead of going to shag his girlfriend in Ireland after the CWC and the CSA executive will probably forgive him...............SHIT
another season of crap from the Proteas because of Smith being the captain.
Saw this Vuka scooter at a local mall today, and being a fan of websites that post fails or make a plan photos I could not pass up an opportunity to take a couple of photos.
Well that’s it for this week folks, apart from me saying to Lisa Cronje (Meatbombs, squeeze) Happy burfday to ya happy burfday to ya ,happy buuuuuuurfday”.....”Thanks Stevie”.
CIAO
SPAD
Heavy rains this week saw the PE area become a waterlogged. with rivers bursting banks and the lunatic asylum letting out patients to drive on the roads. Driving to Uitenhage on Thursday to do training at VWSA i saw 3 cars spin off the roads, two cars crash into each other and many other idiots hit water on the roads so fast that they managed to get the cars engine to stall. The Swartkops river that has been a mere stream came down in flood and at one stage I was worried that I may have to sleep in Uitenhage.
Gabby has arranged herself a weekend job (voluntary at the moment) at a local snake park, a couple of her friends work there so she is giving it a go, Tania is worried that she may get bitten by a poisonous snake, which is a valid concern, but at the moment Gabby would only be allowed to handle non-venomous reptiles.
