It seems like an age since my last blog – a lot has happened since then, Luke Jess Jack and Jasper have left Kanana and returned to the big smoke which is Gabs and they’ve produced another grandchild for us – Lily – born on my birthday !! That’s the biggest thing to have happened since I last blogged.
We’ve survived another Kalahari winter - we had some really cold spells but now the weather’s warming up again – suicide season approaching and it’s already getting hotter and will get even hotter as we pray for rain. Fire season also coming and we’ll have eyes skinned looking for wisps of smoke on the horizon. We think we’re better prepared than last year with nice wide fire breaks but no matter it’s still a scary time of year – when I see fires in California and Oz I get goose bumps, I know first hand how uncontrollable wild fires can be.
Kattie, Kanana’s manager, went to Pretoria for a check up complaining of back pains, lucky he did – he was whisked in and given a triple bypass – he was back here in a week and is now making great progress at home – amazing how medical techniques have progressed – he – and we – were very lucky, think he’ll be good as new once he finishes his recuperation.
Duncan, our pom student from Harper Adams University, finished his year’s placement in July and returned to the UK – will he ever be the same again ? - He was great and we miss him.
We’ve now got another pom from the same source – Alex – and so far he’s proving an able replacement, we’ve also got 2 young lads – Herman “the German” and Grant who are on Kanana for 3 months as part of a gap two years – think they’re here for 3 months – company for Alex!
Herman used to work at a greasy spoon in Jhb and has already been roped in to cook while Morlin goes walkabout in Zim. I’m thinking of organising a poker evening so I can exploit them.
I was attacked by a rabid jackal the other day whilst on a walk with my daft dogs – scary as well – luckily Charlie – our fox terrier took the brunt of the attack and also luck that her inoculations were up to date – few frantic calls to Larry that night! I carry a Smith and Wesson revolver now, Dirty Harry of Ghanzi!
Vicks and I went to Europe June / July and had a great but expensive time – we firstly sailed down the Canal du Midi with Vic Judy Ian and Delia then did the UK and I got my offshore skipper license – very useful skill to have in Ghanzi 1 000 kms from the sea ! You never know.
Our rhinos are doing really well and getting tame, a big hit with the visitors – we think we have 11, you’d think we would know but those of you who’ve been here will know how difficult it is to count even rhino on this property.
The unseasonable rains in June have really helped the veld and the grass has got green shoots and the thorn trees are in blossom with leaves coming – Kudus, Giraffe and Eland have lucked in.
Well this the end of the blog comeback trail for this week – Alex has done a newsletter, he’s also, with Vicky, created a new brochure - being printed as I type and he is busy updating our website with the help of Karl the Moroccan webmaster!
