Sick in bed and bored stiff

I now have 1 child (an alcohol syndrome child) who I am supposed to be doing healing work on. I met her for an initial consultation but then ended up sick in bed for the last few days. Hopefully next week I can begin doing work on her.


Shortly before my bout with bronchitis, I had started preparing my spring beds for planting. I had been digging trenches and then burying the peelings. I am hoping to get a bokashi bin to speed up my composting. But one of my latest ideas is to try help the local poor people grow their own veggie patches. And bokashi bins will work out too expensive for them even if the bins are donated. So I'm looking into worm bins as another option. 


That would be easier just from a point of view that one person gets worms and they breed, then they can give the next person some worms.


I really am finding that there are so many things I want to do to help the community as well as things to do at my house. But with a full time job, there is just not enough time to do everything I want to.


And now with me sitting in bed, I'm growing bored stiff and restless. I've read about 3 books in 3 days and halfway through the 4th one. But I'm itching to be healthy, out of bed and sorting my household and garden out. 

It's all finally falling into place

It's now August. I know it's a few months since I posted. But until now, there was not much to post about.

Today I had a meeting with the social worker and 2 of the safe house moms. They are very interested in my idea of doing touch therapy on the children. We have another meeting tomorrow with all the ladies in the area who run safe houses.

I've also mentioned my ideas for building a play park for the kids on my land. They like that too as the park that was in the location, was destroyed by teenagers and adults. Hopefully my dogs can prevent that from happening to a little play park on my property. I'll still have to fence off the area where I put that so that the dogs can be kept away from the kids.

Hopefully tomorrow we'll be able to actually get some details together. These ladies all foster as well as run safe houses. So they know way better than I do, what facilities are most needed for the kids.

And I'm also hoping to get dates and times for the start of my healing journey.

Waiting impatiently to hear if I've been accepted

I'm hoping to start my volunteer work soon. I've chatted to Rico, the project manager for the charity that I'll be going through. He's going to chat to the nursing sister on Wednesday about organising an interview with me. I cannot wait to hear if they accept me and if so, when I can start. With luck I should know something by Wednesday. To be honest, I'm starting to get impatient as I would really like to start working with the children soon.

I know that I should be living in the now, but I keep finding that my mind is just busy with ideas of how to improve the lives of the kids around here. And of course I can do nothing until I get into the work and see what's being done already and how I can contribute.

Scariest of all is the fact that I really want this all to work out. I'm fairly confident that both my touch therapy and the energy healing will be beneficial to the kids. But will these benefits be enough for them to offer me a job? This of course is the question that worries me most.

I know that I have to be patient, but it's so difficult. Taking life one day at a time is easier said than done.

How will I survive the next few months

I have loved my job from day 1.  And then the day I realised I need to be a healer, I have lost all interest in it. This wouldn't be a problem if I didn't need my job to pay my bills. I have both a mortgage bond and car repayments so quitting my job just because I'm bored of it, is not an option.

My healing work will be starting with some part time volunteer work. If what I do, helps the kids, then they will try and get sponsorship to hire me full time.

So over the next few months, I really need to pay off as many of my debts as I can so that if I get offered a salary that is not what I'm used to, I will be able to take it.

The thought of doing my day job for the next few months is hideous. But if I can just stick it out and pay off my credit card, my car and as much of my bond as possible, then I think it'll make my future a lot easier. And give me more options.

In the meantime all I have to do is somehow get through 8 hours a day.

I've discovered my purpose in life

I started having some dreams a week or two back that finally led me to wake up one morning just knowing my career is wrong for me. I realised that I am going to be a healer. And that purpose is also the reason I'm sitting in Uniondale.

About a day later I realised I need to work with alcohol syndrome babies and drug addicted babies. Well, after years of trying to hear my guides, I'm finally getting messages loud and clear.

I've done my Reiki 1 and 2 a few years ago. But I never really used it much as it didn't resonate with me. Then last year I did a Quantum Touch course after having a 15 minute treatment on my back. I've been working with Quantum Touch for a while. But only on friends and family. Up until these odd dreams, I really had no idea that I should be a healer. And I never felt drawn to it before.

I have also realised why I have collected all these herbal books. So now I need to start studying and growing herbs. And then making remedies. But in the meantime, I met someone who told me of another method of healing called the Reconnection. I have just finished learning that and did a session today which went very well.

So it looks like everything I thought I was, and everything I assumed would be part of my life, was wrong.

In the past few months since living in Uniondale, I have changed so much. I'm a much softer person than I was 6 months ago. I'm far more emotional too. But I believe that it's all part of the growth that was needed to prep me to become a healer.

I also realised that my marriage to an alcoholic was necessary. And the reason I was destined to marry him was to learn empathy for kids living in homes with alcoholic parents. It is so weird to finally understand so much about my life all of a sudden. To realise that every step I've taken in the last decade or two, has all been to prepare me for this new role I am to take.

Of course, now that I knew what I wanted to do, I need to start working with these babies and kids. I've spoken to a friend who's involved in charity work in my area. Hopefully I can start with some volunteer work soon.

So I will actually get back to blogging. But there will be a lot more about my journey to help these kids. But I'll also write about my home, my pets and how I eventually get self sufficient. But I do think my journey to become a healer will be the main focus of my life now.

A new year and I'm in my house

Oops - just realised that it's been a really long time since I posted.

I've started making improvements on the house but still have a long way to go. Will post pics shortly.

But hey - I'm learning lots (gonna be doing as much as possible myself).

Still waiting on transfer

I've now signed bond and transfer documents. Paid in my deposit and all costs.


Now it's just a matter of patience (which I sorely lack). I'm hoping transfer will be effected around end of September / beginning of October. But until I hear something further, it's just a long waiting game with no end in sight.


I'm already researching things like ceiling insulation to decide what I want to do before moving into the house. But then it's hard to decide until I have keys to the house. Without measurements, I cannot even get quotes so don't know what is affordable yet.


I guess I should find something to distract me for a month or two. Every time I do research on things to do, it is frustrating. Because I cannot get quotes, cannot make decisions.


Even the new shower is purely academic until I have keys and can measure up to see what size shower will fit into the bathroom.


Sigh....

Bond finally approved

Just a quick update to say I had my bond approved. So now it's just a count down until the day transfer goes through. Then I can move into my own home and settle down at long last.


I'm now staying in the small Karoo town of Uniondale in a rental. I have to confess that I am enjoying it and meeting people all the time.


I love that I can see my new house from the garden of my rental. And I am anxiously waiting for my final move as I have such big plans for that house.

Moving again

Well, I'm moving again. At this point, I've done minimal packing and really couldn't be bothered. I'm packing the most important stuff (like breakables) and will toss the rest into black bags over the next few days.

And of course at this point, I'm still waiting on a bond application. So no clue if this is my last move or if there is another one around the corner. Maybe that's why I'm so disinterested.

But I have to confess, I cannot wait to get out of here. Although I'm in a lovely village, I don't enjoy the house I'm staying in. On days like today, when the wind is howling, it really sounds like the roof is going to blow away. Let's hope it resists the wind at least until after I'm out of here. The rain will not do my poor pc much good.

Seriously though, the owner of this place has a lot of work to make this place into a lovely home.

My new rental accommodation is in much better shape. And walking distance to some shops, a restaurant and a pizza place (and I just love pizza of course). And yay, it has a covered stoep at the back. A place where my kitty can hang outside even when it's raining and I can enjoy the sunshine without dying of heat exhaustion (if summer ever arrives).

Social life in the sticks

I find it quite amazing that although I live in a place where I only know a very few people, I often end up having quite a social life.

Take last night as a good example. They don't sell fresh milk in the shops. So you buy directly from the farm. Yesterday, I stopped around 5.30pm to buy milk from the farm. I ended up staying for dinner and chatting with my friend. I only got home at 12.30pm this morning.

Naturally I overslept. 

People out here in the countryside are just so friendly.  I am loving it. It's very different to the cities (particularly my life in Johannesburg). 

Less suspicion amongst people just makes socialising that much easier.

I'm loving the fact that crime is low. I can safely walk to shops, to friends even at night.

Where is my home?

One bank has just turned down my bond application. I am still waiting on the other banks in the hopes that someone will find value in this little house I like.

The valuer says the 3 bedroom house, double garage, double car port on 5000 square metres of land is worth no more than R150 000. I don't know what planet he's living on, but where in South Africa can you get all that in any condition for that price he's given.

So it looks like I probably won't get my house. While I'm not admitting defeat, I have decided that it's high time I moved into a comfortable rental home where I can settle in properly while I'm house hunting.

Another friend seems certain that the universe is blocking my purchase of all property because he thinks I'm supposed to be living near Cape Aghulhas. He and his wife will know by the end of September if they can afford their huge game farm there. 

At this point, I'm willing to take a look once they've bought. Maybe he's right - maybe that is where I am destined to live. At this point, quite frankly, I have no clue.

I'm being blocked left, right and centre so maybe Andre has a point. Another month or two of looking certainly won't kill me. And if there is a perfect place for me, I look forward to finding it.

A garden full of horses

I've been approached by potato farmer who wishes to use some of my huge garden to farm potatoes. He'll give me a few pockets of potatoes as payment.

He also asked if it's ok if one of his assistants lets his horses graze in my garden. Since they won't eat my herbs, I'm fine with that idea.

I went to go look at the horses this morning. They're not only beautiful horses but friendly too. There are 2 of them with their little foal. It's so adorable. 

Living in the countryside is definitely suiting me. I love all the farm animals that are in the area. And even in my new town, I will be living in the rural section so will be surrounded by horses, cows and sheep. Still debating if I should get a big animal of my own. Which animal would I get - probably a horse. But that is something I can worry about much later.

I still haven't found the card reader to get my photo's from my camera to my pc. I cannot wait to move to my new house and unpack everything. Thankfully the new place has cupboards (unlike the rental), so I'll actually be able to unpack all my boxes.

Snakes in the garden

Well, I've had a chat with the current owner. I asked him whether he's ever had snakes in the garden or house. He said that the only snakes they ever found were 2 boomslangs when they first moved in and nothing since. Hopefully I won't find any when I am living there.

But that is something worth noting since boomslangs are venomous. Thankfully they say you usually have a few hours before the venom actually starts acting. Thank goodness.

I definitely like the idea of having time to get to the doctor or vet should myself or my kitty ever get bitten. Also, I did read that they are not very aggressive and will only bite if threatened.

I guess climbing trees is not such a good idea and any clearing of the back garden will need to be done carefully.

And of course, I also need to be very careful of spiders since I'll be on the outskirts of the town, in the rural district. Eek - with my arachnophobia that won't be fun.

The hunt for a house

I know it's been quite a while since I have posted on here. Between working long hours, a visit from my family and house hunting, I haven't had a chance to sit down and gather thoughts.

I have been looking at houses in many villages all over the langkloof and surrounds for the past 2 months. I've looked at beautiful houses with no garden, not such great houses with lovely gardens and much in between. I even saw a stunning house that had everything I wanted except that it had major water problems.

But eventually I found something that was just right for me.

It has a lovely big kitchen with space for a big kitchen table.  There is a main bedroom with dressing room plus a guest bedroom. A spacious lounge. And a lovely little sunny room which  will become my office.

The garden is huge. And when I replace the ceilings with wood ceilings, I'll then have a attic which will be big enough to turn into an art studio or a guest room.

Here are the pictures of the house. Unfortunately there are none of the 2 spare rooms or the bathroom.

There is a lot of work to be done on the house since I want the kitchen and dressing room to have wooden cupboards. I'll probably have to settle for wooden veneers over the current chipboard since new cupboards will cost a small fortune (especially with the amount of cupboards that will need replacing).

I also want to put a shower into the bathroom. And possibly re-tile the bathroom. Although I cannot remember what colours where in the bathroom, it was pretty nondescript and certainly nothing to write home about. Thankfully it was a decent size with adequate space for both the washing machine and the shower I want to install.

I'm still trying to decide on colours and style for both the bathroom and kitchen. With the kitchen, I also have the option to leave the layout as is and just put my kitchen table in. Alternatively, I could put a centre line of cupboards with a big work surface in, effectively breaking the kitchen into workspace and dining area, putting the kitchen table on the other side so that it would be more like a smaller open plan kitchen with a casual dining area on the other side.

As for the bathroom, I need to decide what type of shower, what colour tiles, if I want any layout changes or not.

And then of course, I want to replace all the ceilings with wooden ceilings (except the master bedroom which already has wooden ceilings. And Bourne Gleam all the wooden floors. And I'm seriously tempted to put carpets into the bedrooms since they have tiled floors currently.

Of course I also want to repaint inside since most of the walls are not a colour I would have chosen. And I need to put new fascia boards on plus redo the gutters. And I definitely need to get a fireplace installed.  Thankfully not everything has to be done before I move in, since I'm on a limited budget. 

I'll start with the gutters and fascia boards and then see how much I have left. Thereafter I will be able to tackle one project every month to three months depending on how much money I can scrape together and what the cost of said project will be.

And the garden needs some more trees, possibly a few fruit trees. Some herbs, my veggie patch.

So it looks like my next year or two is cut out for me. With lots of projects to keep me out of mischief.

The search for the perfect home continues

Today I went to look at 3 houses. 2 unfortunately had very tiny gardens although stunning houses and the other one was a very tiny house even though the garden was adequate. I could buy it and build on an extra room. But I think I will first look around for other options.

I'm sure when my dream home presents itself, I will actually recognise it. 

And on Sunday I'll be looking at a few more properties. This is all very exciting. My only worry is that I do not find something I fall in love with before my lease runs out. I really do not want to buy a house that doesn't tug at my heart strings.

At the end of this weekend, I'll try and post some pics of the houses I've viewed.

Living without built in cupboards

Well, the countryside is lovely. Although rather chilly.

Unfortunately for me, these old houses don't come with built in cupboards. At this point, I just don't have a clue where to store everything. My entire life I have lived in places that had built in cupboards. So as you can imagine, I don't have much in the way of cupboards now that I'm in a place with none.

It's quite scary just what my house looks like. Shoes are still living in boxes. Half the kitchen stuff has to live in boxes. Where am I supposed to go with all these boxes I wonder.

And I am still trying to find a property to buy. I've heard of a few, spoken to some people. 2 neighbours have said they'll take me to see properties. I'm just not sure when.

In the meantime, I guess I will just have to be patient. And I honestly don't have the drive to start a veggie patch in a house that I can only stay in until December. Same goes for putting in cupboards or fixing up anything.

Goddess grant that I find something soon. Living in limbo is so not my favourite way to live.

Settling down to life in the country

I've now been here exactly 2 weeks long.

I'm embarrassed to say, I still have not finished unpacking. My priorities lie elsewhere. I'm doing a little most nights and that is enough for me.

I am really enjoying country life. One of the most often heard sounds is the mooing of cows as they wander by my house to their grazing fields.

I buy my milk from a lady who has a herd of cows. It's fresh farm milk. Full cream and not that watery stuff they sell in the shops. I still need to get a veggie patch going, but that will come in time. In the meantime I will buy from local farmers.

The people here are so wonderfully friendly compared with in the city. On my first day here, a lady from the next road popped in to introduce herself. I've already been to a baby shower of one of the ladies who lives in town and last night I got an invite to a birthday lady. I'm meeting people at a rate of knots second to none.

I've arrived and am finally online again

I left Cape Town on Friday morning and took a beautifully scenic drive down Route 62. If it wasn't for the fact that I had 3 cats in the car, I would have been tempted to stop and enjoy the scenery for a few days.

I arrived  on Friday afternoon. The neighbours have been wonderful. So many friendly people who have all come and introduced themselves.  

Unpacking is going slow. But I'm not in the mood to rush with it. There are no built in cupboards, so I still need to go shopping for some cupboards. Hopefully the auction will have some gems.

And this afternoon, my internet was set up. So I am thankfully back online.

Nearly moving time

At long last it is nearly time for the move. It's Sunday afternoon and just a few days left.

My movers arrive on Thursday morning. Still got some last minute odds and ends to pack. But it shouldn't be long at all.

And I'm very privileged to have a wonderful sister who has invited me around for dinner on most nights next week. Which means I can get my stove disconnected early and pack all the food away.

I will miss my family and friends. Although it makes me feel a tad guilty, I am so excited about my move to the country. I don't think I will miss the big city. Just all the special people I'm leaving behind.

Delays with the move

Between go slows with SARS and the Municipality and backlog at the Deeds Office, my transfer is taking forever to get registered.

Although I want to move at the end of April, the extra time gives me a break with the packing. I feel like it's all more manageable now.

So I'm not going to stress about this. Will rather just  enjoy the extra breathing space.

The move is now set for 6/7 May. The movers arrive on 6 May. I just need to decide if I want to leave on Thursday night or Friday morning. And oops - must remember to put my leave in at work.