Winds of epic proportions

Song of the day: “Numb” by Linkin Park and “I would stay” by Krezip. It’s been going back and forth all day, which is not unusual yet extremely annoying. Hah.

I’m going to try to keep this short because…well the usual reason, of course, I am running way behind and I still have to edit, and go out later. *sigh* Oh crap, I also have to head back in the yard again before going out, to cover the spinach and beets with plastic so they won’t get too cold tonight. Darn it! I hate forgetting stuff like that. I’ve made a note on my hand, so let’s hope that I don’t forget again. Grrr.

So what’s been going on? Hmmm. Tenant joined us down by the greenhouse today. Yesterday she didn’t feel like it and preferred to stay on my terrace…even though yesterday there were winds of epic proportions (freaked the pack out, believe me)tearing around us. Seriously, I don’t know how many knots it was going, but it was bad. While I stood looking it ripped apart one of the tops of our eucalypti trees. Poor thing lost another tip just a few weeks ago, so now it looks positively horrid.
Darn it. We forgot to do that today as well.

That’s our punishment for enjoying the day…in particular after all that wind. Seriously, I was afraid to walk under the trees after seeing what it did to that eucalypti. In the end we spent the majority of the day in the lower garden trimming the…oh wait, I’m telling this all wrong again. Yesterday was actually quite eventful and I should tell it in the right sequence, damn it.

Okay, I got up at seven in the morning because tenant had to go to the police station to get her resident card. It was a hassle thing, really, since there is never any parking available. I had to stop in front of the police station, which is something I like to avoid at all costs.
But anyway, she and her caregiver got out at the curb, and I headed on ASAP, due to the car that was impatiently waiting behind me.
Strangely enough there was a parking place right ahead, allowing me to catch up with tenant even before she reached the stairs that led up to the entrance. We walked up together while her caregiver went up ahead to check with the bureaucrats inside.
The English guy, there only to help foreigners was a nervous wreck but at least he did his best to help out. Turns out there were papers and forms to see to prior to getting a resident card, and yet the guy at the town hall had failed to inform caregiver of that.
Ah well, it all worked out in the end, and tenant and I just sat there at the police station watching other people while chatting noisily of course. Two hours later we were on our way back home with the new card in the bag and tenant properly tired.

At home, big brother was already halfway into making pumpkin soup, and since he had hung laundry as well, for a moment I considered calling the newspaper because, well, just because. Hah.

We headed down into the yard later on, and while grandpa and big brother climbed onto the roof to start putting down the tubing we’re putting there for a free hot water supply, I started trimming reed and the fig tree under the house.
It took some hacking, sawing and cutting, but in the end there was enough room, giving a slight inkling of what needs to be dug once we start on the foundation for the veranda wall. Oh boy that’s going to be a lot of work. Hah.

But it was awesome working down there. Seriously, it was the only spot in the yard where the wind didn’t mess with my balance. Added to that, what with all the work going on there, we’ve discovered that it is really a wonderful spot for tenant once we start spending a lot of time down there.

We went for a jog last night, and since he really needs the exercise, I took Knight II along. He’s starting to like it, I think. Heck, he now even dares to wander off ten times his body length before he comes racing back to my side. And then, when other folks walking there dogs there came ‘round, he was calm as you please, standing at my side while a small pack of maybe six dogs stood around us, barking their heads off.

Editing went rather bad last night, considering I could hardly keep my eyes open. I’ve definitely not been getting enough sleep these days, and I was feeling it by the time I finally fell in bed and past out ‘till eight thirty this morning. My foot does not agree with the exercise, by the way. It hurt like heck…but it’s worth the discomfort, if you ask me. It’ll just have to cowboy up.

This morning was rather busy, what with grandpa and big brother having to go out. After we had unloaded yesterday’s rocks, they went out to get cement and gas for this month. Along with our order of dog food. Which meant I had to scramble a little, of course. While tenant and her caregiver headed down, I took the pots off the new cauliflowers, took the plastic covers off the potatoes, beets and Spinach and watered the upper yard berries. Caregiver had offered to do those in the lower garden, and since Dani wouldn’t be by until later, that was rather nice.

Next, I tackled the remaining four bags of cement that had to be turned and checked. Two got wet after the last rain, so I put them on a slight elevation and tucked the damaged ones in plastic for the foundation concrete rather than the actual masonry that’s to come.

I’d just about finished that when big brother and grandpa returned. At the same time the delivery guy arrived with the dog food and so did Dani, who helped out hauling the twenty bags of dog food, cement and gaskets before we headed down to the garden pit to start on the day.

Plants had to be watered, put outside and transplanted, fencing finished up and painted, and the big oleander by the side of the greenhouse had to be rigorously trimmed. Poor bush worked so hard, but it is simply taking too much light from the greenhouse.

Tenant sat on the terrace, happy as you please when mom came down for a bit and chatted with her for a bit. There was more soup, some reading for the book (before I nodded off for a five-minute catnap) and then heading back into the yard. So far, I’ve got all the new patches of veggies surrounded by fences of reed. At least it keeps Knight II out, who actually notices them whenever he comes storming after me.

We planted the white endive roots, made a dark niche for them under one of the tables in the greenhouse and then headed up to grandpa’s place because he’d made us mashed potatoes with carrots. That was awesome.

More rocks to get, and…well, that should be enough for today. I hope that made some sense at least, because I am not going to bother reading this all back. Hah.

The usual stuff...busy

Song of the day: “All summer long” by Kid Rock. Gawd I am looking forward to summer.

Busy couple of days over here. Seriously. This and that going on, requiring lots of time and effort, without really showing anything for it. *sigh*

We worked on storage stuff. Seriously, you can’t believe how much stuff you’ve got lying about until you need space to stuff it in. Hah.

A dog vomited on my bed, so I had to clean my sheets, of course. Jeez, whoever did it, hit the deed by covering it up with my second blanket, for crying out loud. I was about to fold back my blankets when I discovered it…believe me, the dogs got an earful after that. Hah.

Had a nice session with Touri, who had to get his ear cleaned again, poor darling. He really dislikes it, but considering he’s now on anti-inflammatory pills from the vet (due to his operation) I’m making use of it. This morning he managed to wreck his cone, by the way. Pesky little bugger, rammed it into the wall and was completely thrilled now that he could scratch his ear…and somehow managed to get rid of the drain. I sure hope that he yanked it all out, rather than letting it slip back under his skin, otherwise he is going to be very uncomfortable come Thursday, when he has to go back.

Lots of gardening (I’m thinking of looking for a job in gardening in the near future. Now if only there’s one available in the near future) going on, in particular transplanting the pepper and tomato seedlings…along with sowing parsley, chives and such. I love gardening, and there was a time in my life where I considered becoming a garden designer. Then, of course, the writing bug hit me, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Considering the weather was absolutely beautiful, I didn’t mind heading down into the yard at all to put up more barriers of reed so the dogs don’t wreck the fences. In fact it is a rather nice way to spend the afternoon. It really gets that feeling of being in a jungle going, and of course my imagination went off into different tangent. Rafa Lyon’s story, of course. Seriously, NEFRS series always becomes very prominent when I start working in the reed. Hah.

We spend several hours working on the old bus to, considering there were still a few holes left that had to be closed. I hope that we finally closed it off sufficiently to keep the rats out in the future.

Big brother and I were in town the other night, and on the way home (I was already starting to get a little fuzzy from the long day) I saw a black and white Bobtail wandering by the side of the streets. Before I could properly think, I had big brother stop the car on the roundabout and was out like a shot. Poor thing, looked exactly like Knight I at the age of 6 months, so I choked up a bit when it fled into the bushes. I would have liked to catch it, so I could bring it to the police station, but alas, it was too scared. It happens so often these days, wandering dogs. I hate it that as soon as times get a little tough, people start dumping their dogs.

There was a rock trip, of course. A good load, even though it was already turning dark. Considering we were busy ‘till too late, we weren’t done loading until night had fallen. It appears to go so slowly, (the gathering that is) but the pile is steadily growing. Soon we should be able to fix the porch wall…hopefully we’ll be in time to prevent it from crashing down. Hah.

For tenant it was a busy day yesterday. She and Sally went out to market where mom and the sibs work, and even though she spent the majority of the afternoon in a coffee shop, she had a blast. It was kind of odd not to have her sit on the porch, like usual. I’ve gotten so very used to stopping underway and chatting with her a bit.

But anyway, we used the hours everyone was out to finish the wall behind big brother’s new cabinets, and it looks grand. Now all I have to do is paint the darn thing and then it will be all done…oh wait, we also still have to put slats on the front to hide the MDF, of course.

This afternoon, while I was working in the greenhouse, grandpa and big brother put up a banister by the stone stairs into the garden pit. Clue, like Fortuyn the other day, fell into the basin and had to be lifted out by big brother. I don’t get it, but for some reason they’re all so curious that they end up taking a dive. Hah.

There were the usual cleaning hassles. The spider webs were back, so I tackled those again. Laundry, cleaning vertical surfaces in the house and so on and on, ya know, the usual boring stuff I won’t bore you any more with today.

Edit wise we have been focussing on the synopsis and query letter. We failed the deadline we had set for today, be we’re determined to send it out tomorrow, so I better quit this blog right now.

Dreams and such

Song of the day: “Don’t Cry for me Argentina” by Madonna. Seriously, it isn’t funny. I’ve had the friggin’ Evita movie in my head all day and I can’t get it out. It’s POing big brother, who absolutely hates that movie, but it just can’t be helped. It is there, and for the majority of the day it was there to stay. Hah.

So let me start with the bad news and bring you up to date on Touri. Yesterday morning, while we were hauling rocks down the mountain I noticed that not only has his limp returned (it was just going so well, darn it) he also had a slight swelling again. So, of course we dropped the day’s task (we had fully planned on planting more veggies, hauling more rocks and finishing big brother’s cabinet) and headed for the vet. She agreed that it was the same and would operate that very day. We could come to pick him up later that night where it turned out that she still isn’t sure what it is, but that she thinks it is cancer to the muscles, darn it!
Personally I think it is some sort of parasite, but the test will have to tell us what the problem is. There goes another 180 of savings, but really…what other choice is there?
I do admit that I don’t really want to hear that he’s got cancer. Seriously, I lost more than enough of my personal pack these past couple of years, I want a pass. Heck, I’m not even over Bommel yet.

Okay, I’m getting mushy, let’s change the routine a little again, because I had a beaut of a dream and I’ve gotta write it down. Here goes:

The beach. It stretches out endlessly on either side of me. In front, the ocean is a silver mirror, reflecting the sun’s light with an impressive pallet of color. Red, orange and pink slash across the distant horizon. The lavender sky a clear, cold contrast.
I stand there, my feet bare so my toes can curl in the cool sand. It feels wonderful, the grainy quality of it cushioning my feet on all sides. Water laps at them as well, but compared to the sand it means nothing.
Seagulls screech overhead, but they are not what holds my attention. There is a distant pounding, a rushing thud-thud, thud-thud, like a locomotive slowly, oh so slowly making its way up a steep incline. It is insistent, annoying almost, and it keeps me focused on the gleaming surface of the ocean.
As I stand there, gazing at the water, the lapping waves cease their teasing around my feet. In fact, it appears as if they are ceasing their approach entirely.
Thud-thud, thud-thud.
Gradually, quite to my surprise the water begins to withdraw, pulling away from my feet and showing a wealth of seashells, rounded piece of colorful glass and rocks on the exposed bottom.
“What is happening?” someone asks behind me, but I pay no heed to the crowd gathering on the beach. All eyes are on the receding ocean.
Thud-thud, thud-thud.
Beside me is Knight (old Knight, the Bobtail, mind you), along with Amri and both of them are pulling at their leashes, as they try to put more distance between them and the exposed bottom of the ocean.
Thud-thud, thud-thud.
There is a sense of urgency inside me, something powerful and insistent. While more and more people gather on the beach, I pick up my gladiator sandals (I hate those) and back away. Of to the right I know I parked the Ford (apparently it’s still there too) so I hurry towards it.
Behind me the lapping sound increases, thud-thud, thud-thud, faster and faster, until it suddenly turns into a louder, entirely new roaring sound. This one is almost deafening, but still, as the dogs drag me closer to the pick-up truck, I can hear startled outcries from the people behind me on the beach.
Though I want to glance back, the dogs won’t let me, and practically fault into the back of the truck.
I fumble for the keys and get into the car. Just seconds later I tear away from the curb, heading into the town and cursing my bad luck for the day’s rush hour. There are cars everywhere, seemingly congesting every single street I try to get out of the city.
Cars are revved, horns are honked and my progress is incredibly slow…in particular when right in front of me a gold colored Chevy crashes into the back of a bright green Opel Corsa. (I know, what are the odds, right? A gold Chevy. Seriously?)
Then I hear it, the roar that is now even audible over the honking horns and screaming engines. And while the man in the gold Chevy is threatening to pound on the driver of the Corsa, right there in front of me, in the shade of the gently swaying orange trees, I see the cause of the sound.
Through my rearview mirror, framed by a delicate black a massive wave crashes in-between the sea-view apartments that line the boulevard.
“Shit!” it is the only word that comes to mind as I scramble for the door handle and leave the keys in the ignition as I grab the leashes of the dogs and drag them with me.
Around me other people are starting to notice the water approaching, screaming and shouting rising higher as more cars, determined to flee, slam into each other all around me.
I start to run then, Knight and Amri close at my heels as I head north, uphill. The water continues to approach, taking with it the congested traffic and people alike.
“Go, go, go!” I shout at the dogs, my sneakers skidding on the macadam of the street as we dodge through parked cars mount the lopsided stairs that lead up to a higher section of the town.
We bound up the stairs, the dogs keeping track close at my heels, as behind me cars get pushed into the façade of the building on either side of me.
Loud crashes, breaking glass and even an orange tree catapulting right past me, hurry us on. The water is just a few feet behind us, little splatters of it pelting my calves.
We’re not going to make it, I am sure of it as I approach the train rails, bridged across residential streets. The dogs are right with me, their tongues lolling as a freight train approaches from the right.
I hesitate for only a moment when it comes rumbling past, I leap across the rails. I grab hold of a handle, and climb aboard, the dogs (somehow, don’t ask me how) join me on top of the roof.
As I look back, I can see the massive wave crash and curve through the town’s streets, approaching still, even as the train continues on its way out, heading up the mountainous area beyond.
I am just about to utter a sigh of relief when a sudden roar up ahead, along with a fierce shiver that almost threw me off my feet. I spun on my heel, just barely in time to see another massive wave crash straight into the front of the train.
Wagons are already derailing, their creaking metal and screeching brakes joining the rushing water I grab hold of the wagon’s top and feel the world tilt beneath my feet.
I scream, but no sound comes out as the wagon derails and topples to the side. I manage to jump clear just barely in time and then scramble further up the rocky incline on which I landed.
“Knight, Amri!” the dogs appear on either side of me as if out of thin air, and together we make it up the incline. My feet are slipping on the loose rubble and rock, and behind me the water continues to roll upwards, chasing me, or so it feels. I can actually feel it lap at my heel when large hand from above grabs me by the wrist and drags me up the last bit.
Stretched out on the ground, Knight and Amri wiggling their buts enthusiastically at my savior, I turn around to squint up at his sun-framed face. “Jeez, you took you time. Where the hell were you?”
“Sorry, Sam. I got caught up. You okay?”
“Yeah. Sorta, anyway.”

Which was about the time I woke up and blinked up at my ceiling. I gotta admit was breathless and slightly miffed about waking up before knowing who actually rescued me. I hate it when I wake up too soon. It gives me a sense of unresolved issues, darn it.

But anyway, today was a mix of things. First of all big brother’s cabinets, which are almost completely done and in place. Secondly, planting new cauliflower plants, and thirdly going for a jog.

Seriously, it’s been ages, and I loved it. Knight II did too, by the way, even though he will of course deny it. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it, but while I go full out at a run, he’ll be trotting right at my side, taking the time to take in the scenery. The only time he went in running mode was when big brother distracted him enough for me to get a head start. Hah. Boy, he has a gorgeous run, I tell ya.

Well, I still have an edit to do, of course. Almost done with A.I.L. If all goes well we should be able to send the letter and synopsis out ‘round Monday, so yay.

Gotta go.

This and that

Song of the day: “Men in this town” and “Waka waka” by Shakira. Don’t ask me why, they’ve been going through my head off and on today.

First off, I cut my hair yesterday morning. Seriously, the mess was starting to get way too thin again (I was born cursed with ridiculously thin hair, mind you) so I tied the lot up into a tail and snapped off an inch or two. Afterwards, since that really doesn’t come across as beneficial for the hairdo, I trimmed some more (in front of the mirror) and went for round-like bob that just barely skims my shoulders. It’ll do.

Worked on the synopsis and query letter for A.I.L. again, which are shaping up to the point that there really isn’t a lot left that we can do with it. Soon I’m going to have to send them out to the publishers and leave it up to fate. Did my best…we both did, so now we’ll have to see how it works out. We’re aiming for Monday to send the package out.

Watched another movie last night, “Inception” with Leo Dicaprio, Tom Berenger, Cillian Murphy, and Gordon Joseph Levitt…you know, the cute boy from “Third Rock From The Sun” and “The Jury” with Demi and Alec…I was a little disappointed. I think it has to do with the fact that I am not a huge fan of Dicaprio (the only ones I really liked of him were “What’s eating Gilbert Grape” and “Black Diamond”) and that the story was somewhat chaotic. I could follow the storyline just fine, but for some reason there was a constant up-build towards a climax, which then didn’t occur. By the end of the movie I was sort of desensitised, I guess, which is a pity because it definitely had potential. Did enjoy seeing Levitt as an adult, though.

Other than that we’ve been working on the cabinets for Big brother’s room. Put them in this afternoon in fact, which means that they’re looking darn good, if you ask me. Admittedly, it doesn’t look like I imagined it yet, but once we finish them I think they’ll at least be similar to what I had in my head when I first started building them.

Did I say we tucked the potatoes in, by the way? Yep, they are now covered by plastic so they get a head-start this early in the year. Strange storms going on here at the moment, by the way. Strong north western winds, rain and thunder are regular occurrences at the moment. It’s almost a northern March, if you ask me. Very unusual.

We had two nightly trips to the greenhouse. There is a snail problem, so we’re heading over there after the sun sets and search the lettuce heads by lamplight. It works too, we’re getting an average of six snail a night. Yay.

Made a thyme/oregano coughing syrup today, both for tenant (she has a strange itchy cough now, very strange) and just to be sure. This is the time of the year for a solid cough, of course, so having it in the house is not bad.

What else? Well, we got the bus all done, and now that big brother’s cabinets are in his room, we actually have some room in the carport. Which will be good if it starts raining again in the near future.

The basin is two feet from being full, by the way, and the wall is holding so, yay. Did a good job there…heck, Fortuyn decided to take a dip in it this very morning. (Whether he was pushed in or actually jumped, I don’t know.) He totally freaked out and was splashing around like mad until big brother reached down and dragged him out. Poor Fortuyn. I do know that Huckabee was looking calculative at the water. It was tempting for him, I think, seeing as he’s a waterdog and all. Hah.

The sun was out today, by the way. Meaning that tenant came down to sit on my porch for the majority of the afternoon. She is feeling a tad out of sorts of late giving us and her caregiver fits about refusing to drink. Ah well, we all feel out of sorts at times, don’t we? Let’s hope it sorts back to normal again.

Touri's ears are doing well now, but Gada is suddenly limping since the day before yesterday. I don’t get it. She appears to be feeling out of sorts and sometimes comes to me looking miserable and making clear that she wants to be cuddled a bit.
Indigo, who had a big sore on top of her back since a couple of weeks ago, is vastly improving after several iodine washings. The crusts and puss are gone, and she appears to be feeling better.

Well, this will have to do today, because I still have way too much to do and I would like to get to bed in time tonight. I’m blanking anyway about what happened in the past couple of days, so…bye.