A working-walking weekend @ Riversong

On Sunday we drove up to the Cederberg in the new car. We had to stop at Rietdakkies farmstall to stock up with some Hanepoot grapes, and I made friends with a little girl and her brother while we waited.

Then we got to the cottage to find that we couldn't get into the bathroom - and Bernard-the-farm manager and the Alph banged and hit and thoroughly rattled everything  - including us Scotties - but eventually they managed to break the lock and open the door.

Then the Alph disappeared under the sink with a bleeping thing and did some more alarming banging. But eventually he came out and said he was defeated,

so we went for a walk to find somewhere to cool down as it was fiercely hot.

Even the Lad got a bit wet and had to shake, rattle and roll in the dusty sand afterwards.

We collected some firewood and walked home but the Alph and the Food Lady were rather depressed because there was not a drop of water in the house and no-one really seemed to know why.

The next morning joy of joys! there was water in the cottage. The mood lifted somewhat and the Alph decided to go and find out was going on with the water pipes and tanks. We admired our new wheels, glinting in the morning sun,

and set off with the Food Lady, leaving the Alph went to walk through the prickly veld along the water pipe. There were lovely Grey-leafed Proteas (Protea laurifolia) all along the road - some new and sparkly and silver,

some old and gold. Waiting for a fire to release the seeds.

The Alph had met Bernard and we met up with them both, and walked up to the tanks with Bernard's young pup, Optel. He was very deferential to Laddie who was acting rather pugnaciously (ever since the idiot caught his rat he has been a bit overbearing).

The N-for-Notten tank that takes quite a while to fill up with water for our cottage. As the water pressure is very low at this time of the year, and a lot of the cottages are using water to water their silly lawns, it took a whole day to fill the tank - but at least we knew that nothing was really wrong.

We continued on our walk with a spring in our steps and our tails up high. This is a Kleinmaartblom (Brunsvigia striata) growing on the path to the tadpole pools.

Sugarbirds irritate us Scotties with their tantalisingly small-mammal-like calls.

Pretty patterns: Common Sunshine Conebush (Leucadendron salignum) and twining Devils Tresses (Cassytha ciliolata).

Tea at the Tadpole pools.

Laddie wanted Optel and his black lavatory door brother to come with us, but Bernard called them back.

We all had a last swim in the cold water,

and Lad had another sand shake, rattle and roll,

then we walked back past these bright Skilpadbessie berries that we think Phil would like to use to make a delicious gin and tonic drink.

On the road again, past Prince Alfred's Hamlet,

with ribbon clouds weaving in and out of the mountains.  

I was pooped. Luckily I had the whole of the back seat of our brand new Subaru to myself

as the idiot insisted on sleeping on the floor in a rather cramped and uncomfy space. Such a funny Lad.

Old girls - and the Argus lite

Just a short catch up:
The Sunday before last, the Food Lady went up to Johannesburg to an "old girls" reunion at her old school.

 She stayed with Louise and a cat called Phoebe slept on her bed. Ooooh, I would have chased that Pheebee right off the bed and out the window.

Here are the old girls having lunch.

The Food Lady got to meet Benjamin - a very handsome Scottie who lives with Nita and Ian and a Jack Russell called Toby in Johannesburg. The Food Lady was sorry that she couldn't get to see Nessa, Logie and Jasmine too. Maybe next time ...

Another pic of some of the old girls having fun.

Apparently her school hasn't really changed much. Just got posher and prettier.

There were some lovely fairy paintings and a fairy stage in the pre-primary school. We love chasing fairies ...

especially indigenous flower fairies.

It looks like paradise - even a CAT to chase!

Louise and Jenny pretending to be little girls instead of old girls in the fairy garden.

Some of Louise's beautifully embroidered cushions in the junior school library. These are seriously indulged little girls!

The Food Lady was happy to see that the indigenous "Koppie" was still there - she spent many happy times bunking out up there. A very old girl, Mary Maytham Kidd, was inspired to paint the book on flowers of the Cape Peninsula that the Food Lady uses all the time. She must have done some bunking out there too.  

The rosy path leading to the Food Lady's old study. (There were no roses in her day - only an old fig tree that used to supply leaves to put in the back of the poor music teacher's piano to annoy her.)

AND WHILE THE FOOD LADY WAS AWAY LADDIE CAUGHT A HUGE RAT! You can see it in the front of the photo. Well done Lad - following in the footsteps of the late and oh so lamented Doog. Lad was very chuffed.

Then on Sunday the Alph went and rode the Argus Cycle Tour which was only short this year as most of the route had been ravaged by fire. Then the Food Lady came home again and we were back to normal.

Fire on Table Mountain

After the Scottie walk, the wind - and all the vagrants living in the fynbos above Boyes Drive (and whose leavings I so enjoy)  - caused half the mountain to burn in a huge runaway veldfire. At least that is what the Food Lady thinks happened as the fire started near Pecks Valley where we saw all the vagrants living and smoking and leaving their smashed bottles (and other more delicious stuff) around. This photo was taken on Tuesday 3 March from near our house, and shows "the crags" area of Silvemine and Elephant's Eye cave on fire.It burned down into Tokai too and set lots of pine trees and a few houses alight too.

(You can read about how Storm and Sandy's human's house in Noordhoek  burned down on their human father's blog here. Storm, a border collie, and her older sister Sandy walk with us most mornings at Wynberg School.)

The wind and the extreme heat were very bad, and the fires raged for a few days. We could see their glow from our garden one morning.

And that smokey, ashy Wednesday morning, Gremlin the idiot cat even came over into the house making odd noises, and we had to be held back from chasing her. She never does that!

Even when the fires were over and we went to the beach on Thursday to walk with Omie Domes and the spaniels,

there was ash and soot all around, especially on the high tide line.

And it was still smoking in the Kalk Bay hills.

All the workers were working on the fires, and the bins on the beach were overflowing with dog poo packets.

Some of the vagrants had moved into the dunes above Fish Hoek now that their "homes" have been burned, much to the delight of us dogs who can how nip up there for a quick snack of bergie paté. I just hope they don't start another fire ...

Snappy and happy Scotties

On a blustery Sunday morning we had another Scottie Walk in Bellville, where we met Stoffel's new little sister, Bibi. The Food Lady was quite smitten.

Some of the Scotties weren't too happy to see us. Especially Duncan.

And here is Laddie pulling a tongue at him. NOT very gentlemanly behaviour.

 Off we went - all on leads as there was a rumour about snakes ... but the Food Lady is not phased by snakes, she is more scared of the park guard,

and it clearly states that dogs must be on leads.

Decorous Scotties, mostly behaving well.

Some were eager to get off the lead,

but generally they were good.

The best thing about the Scottie walks is the treats we get.

Yummmmm - thanks Michele.

Even Laddie got some.

And some more. Lucky lad. Sometimes it pays to be blonde!

Everyone was eating yummy things.

What about me?

Stoffel and Bibi were creating quite a stir as they are very cute. As long as we don't have them at home I am fine with them.

Stoffel is very free with his kisses.

Two more normal, standoffish Scotties.

Although it was a bit blustery, it wasn't nearly as windy as it was at home. It was quite hot though.

What you got in there Oh Alph?

Peeping round - a bit unsure of all the bad tempered old Scots.

Poor Mac was quite unnerved by all the snapping and snarling and wanted to go home.

We did one more lap round the park,

past a scented March lily coming up in the grass,

and a prickly hedge of num-nums (Carissa bispinosa),

then we drove back into the roaring southeaster.