Rummicub with Dinner and a drink in the evenings.
Chris has been a real pal to me over the past number of weeks. A solid Running Partner.
May 2020.
A month of activity within the rules imposed on us forcing us to Inactivity. We try to fill our days. Barbara does Gardening; painting; Rhino Watch and some Charity work. Ally and I try to do some running. Ally forces herself to Study. I try to do some delivery work to Cape St Francis; Occasional charity deliveries and not much else. Cooking; baking and braai is a big part of my daily life.
The Corona Virus which has caused a worldwide change in lives continues to dominate in South Africa.
On 26th of March the state forced us to Lock Down. We had to stay at home. Strict rules such as no Alcohol and no Cigarette sales changed our lives. We were stopped from going out the house to run / walk or cycle. All public parks and beaches were closed. A new term called Social Distancing was introduced. What it meant is that you were not allowed to visit friends. No Physical contact. When you had to go out to buy supplies you had to maintain a 2 meter gap between yourself and others.
At home we joined a number of others who ran within their gardens. During the first five weeks I ran over 300km around and around the Garden. On April 11th it was due to be the Two Oceans so I ran 21km. Ally got it into her head to run as well and so went on and on well into the evening and ended up running 24km. Her longest distance ever. Achilles has a challenge and I was third male after Alan Taylor and Percy Dalton. One of the Achilles Ladies run nearly 700km.
During this first 5 weeks of lockdown I have had little to no income. I have done a small amount of work for the University as well as for Dole. Ally received her acceptance to UNISA and has assignments to complete. Barbara stayed busy with Gardening --- cutting, trimming and planting. Rhino watch and doing deliveries of food parcels. She also made some masks.
Easy Scones; 3 cups SR Flour; One cup Cream and 1 Cup Lemonade. I use half cups. Makes 9 scones. Bake for about 15 minutes at 200degrees to brown and crisp.
Ally makes us a supper of baked potato; sweet potato; butternut and mince with a side salad.
On 1st May the rules changed slightly and we are now, for the next while, allowed to run outdoors but only between the hours of 6 to 9am and only within a 5km radius of home. So on Friday 1st May I meet up with Mike Dean and we run around the Golf Course to 1st Ave Linkside and around Grey for a 10km. The atmosphere is amazing with everyone greeting each other in this new found freedom of movement.
I make some scones with this really easy recipe that Jacqui gave me. Our neighbours house was burnt down and they are now staying in St Francis. So while they are in PE to sort some stuff out Meryl suggests that I put an advert offering transport services to and from St Francis. I receive an immediate response from one person.
Pancakes on Saturday..... One cup flour; 2 x teaspoon baking powder; Half cup milk; 1/4 tsp salt; 4 x tsp sugar; two eggs; table spoon melted butter; teaspoon vanilla. Sift dry ingredients; mix eggs, melted butter and sugar. Add to flour; stir and add milk. Put spoon of mixture onto your pan and flip when you see bubbles.
Evening braai... Ostrich steak and Porkers.
Saturday 2nd May. They day starts with a 10k run with Chris and Elmarie. En route we meet up with Mike and Jenny; Clint and Lisa; Peter and Moyna; Kevin and Viv; Michelle and Claire; Liz and Husband Vd Merwe; Michael and Megan and family; Peter and Karen;
I do some parcel deliveries to struggling people. We end the day with a Braai of Ostrich Steak and Porkers with a salad and some rice. And our traditional Rummicub game.
Chris points out a couple of street lights that were blown out by an electrical storm. I report this to the Municipality for action.
Antoinette who we met running around Grey.
I take this pic so that I can submit it into the Sunday myrun competition -- you need to show that you have been out and about running and that you have this timing device even though you have no use for it.
The correct recipe for these scones is 3 x cups SR flour; 1 x cup cream and 1 x cup lemonade. I make the mistake of not checking and only put two cups of flour which ends up as pancake scones. So I make the second batch which has a successful result.
Sunday. I meet up with Chris and we run Westview Drive; 1st Ave and back through Linkside and around Grey. It is drizzling and a cool breeze. Lovely to be out. We meet up with Antoinette who is part of the MPRG regulars when she is in town. I meet her husband who is a sheep farmer near to Adelaide. Ally orders in some Sushi; I make scones and have that with leftovers.
Chris and I are running before daybreak.
Monday morning I take a break from running. I have three deliveries to make in St Francis. This is something that kind of happened as I was asking around for any kind of delivery work; I spoke to our neighbours Marshall and Meryl who are in St Francis after their house burnt down. This evening Barbara goes to KK for Rhino watch and I have our weekly Zoom Cell Group.
Tuesday. Running with Chris. I manage 10k and then clean up the street gutters of all the accumulated leaves which could make good compost. I then have four deliveries for St Francis. Two bedside tables; a suitcase; a mothers day parcel and some stationery for Paul Lynch.
My evening drinks and snacks. Often the best part of the day.
Wednesday. Early morning 10k run with Chris. He is battling with a Groin Injury. Barbara gets stuck in K Kamma Park and I arrange for the bakkie to be towed and fetch her after my run. Later this morning I visit Philip Finestone (Eye Specialist) and he diagnoses me with Cataracts. So on Friday 15th I have an appointment to do my right eye and then two weeks later the left eye. He will replace both lenses in my eyes with artificial ones. There is a light drizzle today so a bit of relief for the garden.
Super Moon from Westview Drive at 6.30am.
Thursday 7th. I meet Chris and Elmarie for an 11k run. We do Linkside and around Grey and then back up Westview drive to 1st ave. This morning is the last Super (Flower) moon of 2020. The moon certainly looks good but personally I cannot say that it is bigger than any other day of a Full Moon.
This morning we fetch Barbara's Bakkie from the garage and then we support a friend who has a local coffee trailer. Tess -- And purchase some coffees from her.
Baakens River Bridge
Mosaic and Pyramid
Sunrise over the Donkin Reserve
Peter takes people for a hiking tour
Fort Frederik in the morning
Harbour Masters house is a Backpacker BnB near to the Fort
Streets of PE Central area
Rubble and mess in the valley
Homes in the valley
Jacqui makes breakfast in Israel
Sunrise in Port Elizabeth.
Donkin street.
The lighthouse at the Donkin Reserve
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| Lady Donkin Pyramid |
Cucumbers planted and grown by Werner.
Sunrise in Cape Town from Nicky's house
Zara -- this is her "art work". Not a real wound.
Veg and herbs from Werners garden
Christian; Aaron; Zara and Mia in Cape Town
Sunrise over the Lady in the Chair.
Filtered sunrise at the Donkin Reserve
Steps from the City to the Lighthouse
Annabelle turns 12. Birthday present is a new surfboard. She had to skip her Barmitsva due to the Lockdown
Running challenge at Achilles during the first 5 weeks of Lockdown.
Michael and Emily going surfing
Friday is Braai Night. Roosterbrood from some Dough that I bought at the supermarket. Porkers from the butchery and Filet steak from P n P. Add a bit of veg with the Courgets.
Potato with a spinach / onion topping.
Rummicub. I sometimes think that I am getting better at this game but then fail myself miserably.
Friday 8th May 2020. I am up early and running with Chris. We do a 10k which is my daily goal. I make myself a list of To Do. And am pretty dilligent until it comes to the Admin. I am out in the afternoon and give a food parcel to Ron and Lyn. Elmarie agrees to put some movies on a hard drive for me in exchange for a bottle of wine. This afternoon I put on a fire and we have a really wonderful Braai. Ally runs her 5k and then does her exercises. She is putting some effort into her studies. Not easy when lockdown leaves you forever to get things done. Ally has a regime of no eating until 13.00 and then stopping at 21.00. Plus she has a goal of a month of running her 5k.
Saturday morning I realise that the swollen eye has now gotten worse and I cannot open my left eye without the use of my fingers. I am not able to run. I make an appointment to see Philip Finestone and he diagnoses me with a viral infection. I will be pretty much isolated for the next few days.
Saturday 9th to Wednesday 13th May. I am out of commission .... Conjunctivitus or Pink Eye is a bacterial or viral infection. And that is me for five days.
Thursday 14th. A glorious morning. I am up early. Both eyes can see. The left eye remains half closed but there is no pain and I can use the eye again. I meet Chris for a 10k mostly walking after which I am a little stiff and sore but happy to be out again.
Friday 15th -- Another early morning 10k run with Chris and Elmarie. This morning I do some St Francis deliveries. I take a parcel to J Bay for Mark Derry; Drop Charl off in H Dorp; And two parcels to St Francis.
Since we last saw Joshua in the middle of 2019 he has grown to over 6 ft.
Daniel has overtaken his mom.
Zara continues to produce these wonderful pieces of art.
I have an infection in my left eye which leaves me pretty much incapacitated for a week. I stop running and any movement outside of the house.
The eye specialist (Philip Finestone) gives me some strong anti biotics and after a week I am able to see again.
Emma Boschoff was a school friend of our Jessica. She dies tragically in a motor accident.
Saturday morning breakfast in the sun with pancakes and fruit.
Saturday --- Meet up with Chris and Elmarie for our glorious 10k run. I make some pancakes for breakfast. Catch up on some admin and household chores.
Saturday evening sunset.
A clear winter evening for a Braai with Ally.
Saturday evening. Chicken Sosaties; porkers; baby marrow and in the oven roast butternut; road sweet potato and a spinach onion mix. Far too much but this means we dont have to cook for Sunday evening. Ally tops supper up with an ice cream with brownie after our game of Rummicub.
Sunday morning. Running with Chris and Elmarie.
Sunday there is a competition with the Myrun. So I send this pic in to show that I have a wrist band. The fact that I ran is an Honesty thing.
Monday we meet Mike and enjoy the sunrise ... Each morning I have been trying to run at least 10kay. This evening Barbara does Rhino watch. I have my cell group meeting on Zoom. Ally makes us Pizza. Today I did some Admin for the first time in ages. I have little or no motivation to do much during the day.
Barbara has another dog. She now has three big dogs and two little dogs.
Tuesday 19th. Another beautiful morning for a run. Ally walks around Mill Park with her friend Sarah. Barbara has coffee with her friend Tess. We have no water at home -- a burst pipe in Cape Road means the water supply to the area has been shut down.
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| Tuna Tarts. 2 tins tuna; Chopped 1/4 Onion and 3 small gherkins; 125 Cream; 3 x eggs; Salt, pepper and parsley. Bake at 180 for 20 minutes. |
Mike; Elmarie and Chris on our Wednesday morning run.
Almarie bumps her head on this road sign and has a nasty gash to show for it. A chilly misty morning.
Municipal workers in Cape Road -- Water restored after a day of inconvenience.
Wednesday 20th. Meet up with Mike; Chris and Elmarie for our morning run. En Route we find Ingrid and her son Ross. Later I find them at Tess' Coffee Shop in Dan Pienaar together with Melissa; Bev and her son; Kevin and Viv and other friendly people. I also see Gaye who tells me that Almarie had a nasty argument with a road sign and now has a gash on her forehead.
This morning our water is restored by a hardworking municipal team. I walk to the Dentist and the Eye Specialist to make appointments (lost tooth replacement and Cataracts removal). I feel that I am falling apart piece by piece.
Speaking to Kim I hear about her motor accident when the dog jumped on her lap as she was turning causing her to crash into a garden wall. The car is a write off. Airbags deployed. And a bit of whiplash. I also hear about Cherry who is in Hospital with lesions on the brain. Due for surgery shortly. Difficult time as the surgery is really risky.
Chris; Liesl; Elmarie and Peter. Meet at the end of our 10k run to greet Adrienne Happy Birthday on Thursday 21st May 2020. Adrienne is in UK staying with her daughter Jenny. This morning I have a dentist appointment for a broken tooth. A really hot day reaching around 30 degrees in Winter? Jason comes over with his weedeater to clear up some of the long grass that has developed over the most two months since our last cut. Barbara goes for a walk / swim at Schoenmakerrskop with Sharon Jessup in defiance of the law prohibiting walking on beaches.
Butterfly spotted by Alta who came with us on a Flower Tour in 2018. Identified as an Eyed Pansy. Butterfly in Afrikaans is Skoenlapper.
Cactus or succulent -- Chris gave Barbara a couple of these from his own Garden. Valuable plants he says. Identified on line as an Agave Potatorum.
Chris refers to this plant as a Woestyn Roos (Desert Rose).
This is a Plakkies or Pigs ear. Paddle Plant.
Kalanchoe
Saturday morning run with Elmarie; Mike; Chris with Jenny on the bike.
Elmarie heads off into the sunrise ahead of us -- Today we run to 2nd Ave and then down through Linkside. Mike and Jenny leave us at their home and we continue around Grey and back up Westview Drive. On the road people we see: Michelle and Claire; Bob and Jean; Antoinette and Lorraine (who tells us that people think that she is her sister Amanda who is such a talented IM athlete. Lorraine says that this will be the first time ever that she missed Heartbreak Hill 21k). Cindy and Winifred who is called Fred. So nice being out and about and meeting locals.
Last minute decision to have a Saturday afternoon Braai. Elmarie; Peter; Ron and Lyn. While Ally makes her famous salad which everyone enjoys. The next day I run with John who reminds me that the last time we had a braai Ally made a salad which they still remember today. Early afternoon Braai as there is a curfew at 8pm.
Everyone left before 7.30 to be home by 8. We had the some of the last of our beers and cider.
Today Jacqui takes Emily for a Surfing Lesson. The sea is rough but this does not deter Emily who goes on to spend 5 x hours in the sea. Totally exhausted she later collapses on the couch.
Sunday run with Elmarie and Chris. As we go around St Georges Park we meet up with John and Megan who join us for the run.
Sunday 24.5.2020. We are now still under Lockdown. Some really stupid and over the top rules (Laws) which continue to dominate our lives. We are now no longer worried about the virus; we are now worried that our country is turning into a Police State controlled by a few power hungry politicians who want to force their own personal views onto a country of 58 million people (For your own good). Examples are not being allowed to walk in parks or beaches. The reason is that the Police are not able to control this activity. In my opinion this is typical of a Police State. It has nothing to do with controlling the spread of the virus. But we are stuck with this government and have to focus on running our own lives to the best of our ability.
Pineapple Pie. So easy. Five minutes preparation and 2 hours in the fridge.
Mix the Pineapple Jelly with one cup of Boiling water. Mix in the Condensed milk and Pineapple crush. Pour into a pie dish. Barbara suggests a base of crushed tennis biscuits. Leave in the fridge for two hours to set.
On our Sunday morning run I make a point to take pics of the leaks in Park Drive around St Georges Park. I report this to the Municipality and they give me the Reference
ref number 1278372.. I will follow up to see if they do anything about this leak which, to us, seems to be a continual problem for many months as can be see by the amount of greenery on the road.
Sunday morning is Myrun time. I do the Virtual Myrun by running not less than the 5kay that I normally do. Today I post this pic showing my Myrun Wrist band and so am entered in a competition.
Tuna Tarts. Two tins tuna drained;
Chopped 1/4 Onion and 3 small gherkins; 125 Cream; 3 x eggs; Salt, pepper and parsley. Bake at 180 for 20 minutes.
Heavy rains on Tuesday 26th
Spicy chicken soup for the cold weather.
Banana flop. Was supposed to be Banana bread. Tastes good but not bread.
Trip to St Francis to deliver some stuff. Keeps me busy for a few hours of the day.
I have done 4 of these trips over the past few weeks.
Apple Tart. Actually -- Boiled apples with sugar and cinnamon with a bit of butter.
Monday - Wednesday 27th. Rest days ... No running. Plenty of rain. Cooking and one delivery to St Francis.
Thursday 29th. Mainly walking with Chris ... he had a nasty incident when he found a man in his back yard in the middle of the night.
I have been submitting a few job applications.... Seems crazy.
I receive some University Moderation marking to do. Take some stuff for charity donations. This evening Ally makes us her pizza and we end the day with Rummicub. Ally always wins.
Comfort food. . Pancakes morning. So quick and easy to make
Mia's 12th Birthday so Nicky arranges a Zoom Party. Cathy is already asleep. The rest of the family is there to with her.
A two soup supper. Leftover Chicken soup and the Broccoli and Spinach soup.
We have run out of most of our liquor but, much to Barbara's delight, I find this bottle of red Muscadel in the pantry.
Friday 29th. Raining so no running. Or should I say.... Lazy, so no running. I complete my NMU Marking and do a little Charity Delivery for Barbara as well as a bit of shopping. Barbara had read out a Recipe during the week and the chilly weather now prompted me to make the Broccoli and Spinach soup.
Dry Biscuits. They need something more such as sugar or seeds to add a bit of extra flavour.
Ingredients: 3 Cups flour; 1 x Table spoon Baking Powder; 1 x teaspoon Bicarb; 1 x Teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup butter; 1 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Mix and fold
Cut into rusk size and bake at 180 until brown; Allow to dry out. Too many for one sitting so you can freeze some before baking.
I thought that this would turn out to be rusks. But they are a very plain unusual biscuit. Perhaps I should add something like raisins or seeds or sugar to improve the taste and texture. They are not bad -- just a little bland.
Mia is 12 and has some friends over for a celebration.
Saturday 30 and Sunday 31st. Running in the morning with Chris; Mike; Elmarie and Jenna who joins us for the first time in a very long time.
Potato Pancakes.
Jacqui makes mash potato cakes.
8 x potato peeled, boiled and mashed mixed with:
4 x eggs
Feta cheese
Garlic salt
2 x stalks spring onion (Alternatively you can use boiled Broccoli; grated zukini but you must remove the water; mushrooms or onion.)
2 x heaped tablespoons flour
Carefully place Ice Cream scoops of the mix onto a frying pan like pancakes
Carefully turn as they will fall apart if you are not careful
Fry both sides.
Can be frozen for later.
Sunday morning run with Chris and Elmarie. We meet up with Lizette; Philip; Karen (From Durban. Staying with parents in Park Drive during lockdown. A child swim coach); Bobby; Gary and Sue; Owen and Patty are regulars; Alma who has the beautiful indigenous garden in MP road.
Sunday evening -- Barbara is at Rhino Watch and Ally is busy with assignments. Wednesday is her final due date for all this week's assignments.
Each Sunday I enter the Myrun competition which requires me to run the 5k virtual myrun and then to post this kind of pic on their website.
I think that this is Tom and Anabelle joining in the fun.
Emily struggles on and on
Clearly Emily is having the time of her life.
Stormy and rough seas made for bigger waves and tough conditions.
Emily showing off her skills. All of this takes me back 50 years to when I was a Surfer Boy at Pollock beach with friends such as Dean Mc Ewan; Paul Wentzel; Mush Hide. I was never particularly skilled, but like Emily here -- I loved the sea.
During May, Emily has been taking Surfing Lessons. On one particular day, with stormy seas in the Mediterranean, Emily spent FIVE hours in the water.
Nicky and some of her training friends have entered the Comrades Virtual Run. They will be running a 21k in June.
Happy days with Patrick and Ian. Patrick found these pics during a Lockdown Clean up.
Mix -- Potato; Eggs; Feta; Onion; Zukini; Spring onion; Mushroom; SR Flour; Spices.
Place a smallish spoon of the mix into the buttered pan. Turn carefully to avoid them breaking up
Serve with Anything.
Sunday 31st Evening. A wonderful warm day today. The sun was like a mid summer day. I make Jacqui's Potato Pies.
4 x Potato; skinned; boiled and mashed.
2 x Zukini grated and squeezed to remove water
2 x Eggs
1 x Tablespoon SR Flour
1/2 Onion
1 & 1/2 circles of Feta
Salt and pepper
Butter the pan and place smallish blobs; squish with a fork; turn carefully to avoid them falling apart.
Serve with anything -- At a Braai; as an evening snack; with a salad.
Barbara has been working on this painting
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