Thanksgiving

Lots, lots, lots going on at the site.
And I am confined to my car because my toe is still tender.
At least I am wearing shoes this week.  There is one pair of sandals I can wear, so that is progress.
I am grateful to be out of slippers all the time.
I gave the pair I wore most a good wash.
I'm glad I had them to wear while I needed them!

Thanksgiving today - not that we celebrate it...
I am thankful for much, many people, many things.

Especially I am glad to be alive.
I am grateful to live in these times.
I am grateful to be me.
I'm glad to associate with those I love.
I'm grateful to be living in green, green, green KZN for now.
I am grateful for all the physical peace and quiet of my life at the moment.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving day whether you celebrate it or not!

May we all develop our gratitude until it is our 'state of being.'

R2000.00 Tip

I had my car serviced.  Among the things I mentioned was "My car is hard to start sometimes."

As the challenge was unravelled it started here...

A few weeks ago I came to start my car.
I couldn't get it to start at all.
I sent Glenn a message and waited...
Eventually he arrived.  He also couldn't get it to start.
Was the starting lock system faulty?
I had visions of my car being put on a flat-bed lorry and taken to a Toyota dealer.
Glenn said "Let's get your spare key and see if that works."
We came home - then the thing was "Where did I put the spare key!"
Eventually I found it.  I sometimes know how I think and where I am likely to put things.
We went back and the car started with no problem.
So - the key was the problem?
When we examined the old and the spare key, we could see that the teeth of old key were worn thin on the sides.
Tried it again.  No luck.  Tried the spare. Started first time.
So - we went and had a new spare key cut from the spare (original of two).
We decided to keep the original spare for future reference.
The expert locksmith asked some questions about the key and then cut another from my.original spare,
So on my keyring I had the spare original and the new key.
Sometimes the car would start and sometimes it would not.

That's the back story.
And the Toyota service man solved the problem!

My original keys have some sort of chip (I think it is called) in the plastic housing.
The car will not start with a key without it.  Security feature.
The locksmith had asked "Does this key have a chip in it?"
We had decided after talking about it and the age of the car, that it did not.
So he cut me the new key.

So the end of the story...
I have to have a spare key - that's important to me.
So a new one would have to be ordered - after I produced all sorts of original papers which are in Gauteng.  All told the new spare key would cost around R2000.00.
I decided I would have to pay it, because a spare key was mandatory for me.

Then Mr Toyota man Ravi said "Let me show you something."
He put the newly cut key in, put the spare key black plastic housing next to it and turned it on.
It worked!
"That's a R2000.00 tip." he said.
We laughed and thanked him profusely - and relievedly!

Now I must go and get the CV joints attended to - there is a leak apparently, and get the wheels balanced and rotated.  Then I'll be good to go for the next while.

Always details to attend to!

Mr Magic

How blessed I am to have Glenn in my life!

I marvel over and over.

We inherited a paper shredder.

When I came to use it last week, it wouldn't work!

I asked Glenn if he could look at it.

Out came his toolbox.

The shredder was stripped, 

cleaned and cleared of the paper jam,

and it works!

Thank you Mr Magic.

You are a great blessing in my life.

Monkey Business

On our remarkably secure Estate we had a break-in.

We came back from Church to find that monkey/s had opened the window

and come in.  Five bananas and an apple were gone 

and an avocado was abandoned on the front balcony.

Glenn created our Monkey Proofing from two strong bull-dog clips 

and a shaped piece of wire-coathanger.

Creative!

It doesn't damage the window or window frame.

It works!

Good job Glenn!

Sore Toe

We took a walk to the beach last  Wednesday latish afternoon.

As we stepped onto the sand leaving the dune vegetation my foot 

in my sandal slipped on the sand/stone/root/path.

Ouch!

Drat! I have been so careful to protect my body so I can function on site!

I took my sandal off and hobbled back the short distance to the car.

Before we went to bed Glenn made me this splint from a mango juice box 

to protect my very tender toe from the pressure of the bedding.

I used the splint Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.

I don't need the splint any more, 

but I can't put on shoes yet or

the safety boots I need to wear on the site.

Slippers it is for me for now.

Not sure if its a strain/sprain/bruise/crack/break...

Time will tell (how long it takes to heal).

So I am car and office bound on the site for now,

and fairly home-bound off the site.

Time to catch up administration, 

correspondence and other things.

Always more for me to do than I have time for!

Constant choosing priorities.