Lockdown in South Africa Day Day 84- Share Your World 15 June 2020

We were put on Alert Level 3 on 1 June.  Most of the economy opened up but travel services and restaurants were still very limited.  Beauty salons could also not operate.   But rumour has that this will change very soon.   Limited numbers of people may be seated inside restaurants and beauty salons will open under strict conditions.  Schools are still closed for all learners except Grade 7 and Grade 12 and visiting friends and relatives is still now allowed.  Clearly, the news about the curative effects of Dexamethasone has influenced these changes.

So far we have had only one confirmed case in Struisbaai. Our town is a popular weekend destination and many Capetonians have holiday homes here.  Recreational fishing has opened up and the weather was good for the Youth Day weekend.  We had quite a number of visitors here.   Hopefully, they did not bring the virus with them!

Here are my responses to this week’s Share Your World from Sparks

What do you think of professional motivational speakers?  Do you think they motivate?

I have heard a few good ones and I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for.  I definitely think they make a difference.

 Do you have a favourite flavour?

Chocolate every time!

While out walking, you hear a rustling in some bushes.  What do you think of?

If I am walking around my local neighbourhood it is probably a bird and I start looking closer to see if I can find it.  Sometimes it’s a little mouse or even a small buck or a mongoose.  The latter is usually very quick and only the tip of its tail is seen before it disappears.

What’s your ideal temperature (nature-wise)?   Hot, cold, temperate and mild, humid or bone dry?

The climate in the Western Cape of South Africa is Meditteranean which means we have warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.  We also have a ‘secret season’ when during a time when we expect it to be cold and rainy it is actually still, sunny, not too hot and not too cold. It pops up every now and then during autumn/fall and winter. This is my favourite time of the year.   Of course, I love summer – who doesn’t – and I can tolerate the heat.  I do not find cold weather at all pleasant but I do enjoy having a hot cup of soup in front of a warm and cosy fire.   The only snow we are likely to see around where we live is on the mountain peaks.  Sometimes there are snowfalls in places like Ceres and then the snow-starved inhabitants of my country go rushing off in droves to experience it.

The crazy thing about South Africans is that even it snows they still braai outdoors!

That’s me in the pink cap with a group of crazy South Africans having a braai in falling snow.   Verbier, Switzerland – 1993

We often travel to the northern parts of South Africa where it can be incredibly hot in summer.   As long as this is a dry heat, I am okay.  Our caravan and car have airconditioning so there is always an escape if it becomes too unbearable.

Attitude of Gratitude

Sparks shared something beautiful for the attitude of gratitude slot and left it up to us to post or not.  I have decided to post the beautiful aloes blooming in my front garden.