More this, that and the other...

I fear my brain has turned to slush – which would probably explain the gloopy sound I hear each time I shake my head. But there are several good reasons for this –one of which I will advise you of on the weekend…

The problem is a slushy brain makes blogging tricky... oh woe, what to write about? Yes, I know, posting pictures is sooo much easier – and I will be posting more because easy works for me, but at the same time I feel I should offer you more than just pretty pictures, especially since the pretty pictures belie the reality.

Beautiful surroundings notwithstanding, last week, a woman who lives nearby was held up at gunpoint, pistol-whipped and robbed and left with a broken arm, broken fingers and ribs and deaf in one ear after the perpetrators fired shots right next to her head. Aside from stealing her jewelery, the perps also made off with her car. Although I don’t know her personally, I have stopped to say hello whilst out walking. And the irony is this: she was out walking – not alone - but with two other women and about six dogs including a pit bull terrier. It seems there is no end to the brazenness of criminals.

On that similar note, I learned from my mom that the case, following on her attack and robbery, has been closed for lack of evidence. And this less than two months after the incident. This is not the sort of thing that inspires any confidence in the police or the authorities’ ability to do anything about the rampant crime that plagues all of us in this benighted country.

Which brings me to another rant – as of yesterday we are faced with rolling power cuts which will last throughout winter – oh joy, what timing. I guess I will have to buy in a huge stash of fire wood and make sure the laptop is always charged. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the power supplier is looking to increase electricity tariffs by 53% - and this while they’re actually cutting power supplies and their executives are earning performance bonuses of millions… Go figure.

And talking of fires – bear with me, I’m on a stream of consciousness roll here – I’m going to set fire to my inbox if I get one more bloody email offering to improve the size of the penis I do not have. It would be one thing if I was actually male with the relevant dangly bits - but really! I don’t know but it seems that in recent weeks spam levels have risen to dramatic proportions – something akin to the promises made in emails that arrive headed: “Freak the girls out when they see how gigantic you have become.” Or “Every male has the inner potential to be 9 inches long - unleash that potential today.” I mean, pul-lease! When will they realise that, really, size does so not matter! Hmph!

And then I wanted to have witter about writing which goes something along the lines of if you think it’s easy, think again. But I think I’m going to save that for another day and will opt to end this post with the easy option – yet again - with more scenes from my visit to Cape Point Nature Reserve.

For a start, in case you haven't had enough of baboons...

Just call me Yoda... A baby Chacma baboon

You lookin' at me...?

Not yet, not yet - wait for my signal...

A windsurfer's paradise - good too for surfing and kite surfing.

Waves of glass

A solitary Bontebok - one of the medium sized antelope found in South Africa

A posing cormorant



And this one is for all spammers out there - "Stop being a baboon's arse!"

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

I’m twixt ideas. Argh. After frantic writing for the past few weeks, I am suddenly at a loss. What to do, what to do?!

Ah yes, of course, the camera… So we set off to the Cape Point Nature Reserve which lies just 35 minutes south of Cape Town. It is the south-western most tip of Africa and it’s a beautiful drive along the coast. Since summer has decided to arrive unseasonably late this year, the weather was simply stunning.

Did you know, it was the circumnavigation of the Cape of Good Hope - ie Cape Town and Cape Point – that led to the establishment of a sea route to the East and subsequent trade?

The Reserve is well known for its preservation of the flora of the Cape Floral Kingdom, a highly endangered plant kingdom which consists of plants known collectively as “fynbos” - which literally translates as “fine bush”. The CFK is the smallest but most diverse of the world’s floral kingdoms. Fynbos is fire intensive and not only burns rapidly but needs regular burning in order to regenerate. Devastating fires are often a feature of the landscape. Fauna in the reserve is generally small although there are several species of antelope – though they tend to be shy. There are also troops of Chacma baboons…

The baboons (papino ursinus) are a protected species within the Cape Peninsula given their dwindling habitat, lost to increasing urbanization. The relationship between suburbia and baboons is not generally a happy one. The baboons are attracted by food and once habituated become aggressive and dangerous. They will not hesitate to raid rubbish bins and enter houses – where they will wreak havoc. In their natural state, however, they subsist on fruits, roots, bulbs, honey, insects and scorpions though these particular baboons have also adapted to include shellfish in their diet. They are highly sociable animals, living in groups of up to 40 or 50. Daytime is spent mostly on the ground, foraging and playing, while nighttime will see them roosting in a tree of a cave.

Social grooming is a feature of baboon behaviour and is usually done between same sex individuals and helps to form social bonds within a troop. When chilled out and relaxed, the baboons can be great fun to watch...

Right, my son, let's see about those fleas...

Bend over, then.
What, like this?
That'll do.

Ooh, er, that's nice... go on then, lower, lower. Ooh, no, that tickles!

There you go, that's the spot! Here, what are you looking at? Do I watch you when you bath? Bog off, then!

Right, my turn. I'll just stand, shall I, so you can get to the lower bits...

Ooh, I think I've found something... Wait, wait, don't move, yes, there it is!

That's my boy, you get it out of there. Can't have my coat messed up by fleas. Next thing you know they'll be wanting to open a flea circus on my back...

Ooooh, errrrr, aaaaah, now you've hit the spot, my boy... oooooh....