sunday ramblings

Sunday morning - bright sunny and cool. Yellow billed hornbills on the
deck eating seed. If we are not prompt with putting the seed out they
launch themselves at the windows with an almighty bang. Then they
stare sideways with a bright beady eye.

We finally caught the mouse that has been living in our cupboards for
so long. We watched him licking the peanut butter off the trap the
other night. He seemed invincible. The trap was so sensitive you
couldnt go near it without snapping it on your fingers yet he was able
to move all over it without getting caught.

Last time we returned to Selinda we found he had made a lovely home in
our cutlery drawer, and all the kitchen cupboards were liberally full
of mouse poo and wee. Everything had to be washed and boiled before we
could even have a cup of tea.

Trouble is he was quite cute actually and I feel the inevitable
sadness at his demise. But there is a big world outside the door where
mice can run free and make nests wherever they like. RIP little chap.

We had dinner last night with our friends who run the concession. We
sat out on the deck while intermittently chasing the hyena away. Their
house is a wooden frame with canvas and gauze panels. This hyena has
been known to break into their house from time to time. We heard
elephants screaming and trumpeting on their way to water. Always an
primeval sound in the dark.

We went to the channel yesterday again. The water is racing towards
its final hurdle. There is a big pool to fill and then an uphill slope
before it can connect. Will it make it? It might just.....

We are getting ready to leave again. So although we still have time
here, our heads are halfway between here and there. We are going to
try a different road out of here which will be fun, although there is
a big sand ridge to drive over and that can be slow and tough on the
vehicle.

I am making bread this morning. Our supplies are running low. A
buffalo bull lumbers past slowly walking like an old man with gout in
his ankles. Its awful to leave now. What if we miss the channel
meeting? the change of seasons bringing the elephants back in; a
buffalo herd moving into the palm islands; lions, cheetah, leopard,
wild dogs.. all the activity that will happen while we are away. But
change is not a bad thing and the contrast will make us hurry back.

I started reading a great book - "Home" by Marilynne Robinson. A gift
from my sister and significantly perhaps, a theme of resolving family
issues and 'stuff' carried around. The writing is absorbing and
eloquent, there is a sense of inevitable tragedy alluded to through
everyones pain, and the habit of apologising to each other after every
direct statement. Apology and forgiveness hand in hand. I am hoping to
steal five minutes with this book again sometime today.

This evening we will return to the Spillway for sundowners with our
pals. It is our great addictive soap opera at this stage - speculating
on how far it will have travelled each day and when/if the two arms of
water will meet. Then driving home through evening skies of lilac pink
behind towering palm trees.

Are sundays different? to me there is always a certain peace about
sundays. A justification for stepping back and taking time out -
because its sunday. Wishing happy sundays to you all!