I have often seen scenes of bush fires on TV, and although horrified, never ever thought of just HOW some people felt when a fire was threatening their homes. WELL NOW I KNOW!
Yesterday we had what we call Berg Winds. At this time of the year our general temperature during the day is between 17 - 21 deg C. When there are Berg Winds (like yesterday) the temp can rise to 28 deg C. With the Berg Winds come warnings from the weather bureau about bush fires.
How ours started, no-one will ever know but man, it was scary. The hose pipe (water hose) on the property that we rent, has less pressure than my partner after a couple of beers. I stood for 4 hours wetting a wall (and the dry plants next to it) with this ridiculous piece of gardening equipment - waiting for the fire to jump the wall.
Unfortunately we have had very little rain this season, so with the help of the wind, the fire spread very quickly.
At first I was calm, but when I started feeling the heat from the wall, and could hardly see 5 feet in front of me, I started panicking. Thank goodness the men arrived and took over.
It is amazing what goes through one's mind when you are in a situation like this. Move the car, load the dogs, grab some clothes, computer, laptop, money, ID documents, haven't got time. Start again - move the car, load the dogs................................
What DOES one grab in an emergency?
Well, my priorities have really changed since yesterday. Got some really serious planning to do - eg ALL our personal and business information/files are on my computer. Backup and keep elsewhere.
Contact people who have been through this and find out exactly what I should have thought of taking.
Review insurance.
But as the saying goes - the horse has bolted. This will probably never happen to me again - but it is still worth "being prepared".
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
HELPING THE HORSES
I am deeply concerned with some laws.
A farmer and his manager were charged with 23 counts of animal cruelty when 24 horses were confiscated by SPCA in June 2006. They were starved and had screw-worm infested wounds to the extent that they couldn't walk. Some were put down.
What amazes me is that SPCA cannot give these horses away until "Judgement" is made by the courts (hopefully end August 2008).
In the meantime, SPCA has farmed the horses out to several local farmers and are paying these farmers to look after them. The costs are humungous for our little SPCA, in a little town where the population is only about 12000.
If the horses were confiscated - why can't they just give them away! It is not that there is no proof of cruelty - there is plenty!
SPCA are not asking for money - they have appealed to the public for horse cubes, lucerne, molasses and meal. I also know that our local vet sponsored most of the medicines that were required - but one man can only do so much.
Any ideas?
Sigh!
A farmer and his manager were charged with 23 counts of animal cruelty when 24 horses were confiscated by SPCA in June 2006. They were starved and had screw-worm infested wounds to the extent that they couldn't walk. Some were put down.
What amazes me is that SPCA cannot give these horses away until "Judgement" is made by the courts (hopefully end August 2008).
In the meantime, SPCA has farmed the horses out to several local farmers and are paying these farmers to look after them. The costs are humungous for our little SPCA, in a little town where the population is only about 12000.
If the horses were confiscated - why can't they just give them away! It is not that there is no proof of cruelty - there is plenty!
SPCA are not asking for money - they have appealed to the public for horse cubes, lucerne, molasses and meal. I also know that our local vet sponsored most of the medicines that were required - but one man can only do so much.
Any ideas?
Sigh!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Museum vs Bare Neccessities
I read in our local newspaper that R25 million rand has been allocated to build a boxing museum in our region's capital - Umtata (now called Mmthatha - I think). For anybody that has been to South Africa, believe me, there are no wild animals running around in the streets. But if you have seen the widely advertised pictures of absolute poverty, with no water and no electricity - those pics are true - about our more rural areas.
What amazes me, is that the powers that be, are prepared to spend all that money on a boxing museum when there are still some of their people out there that live in shacks. From all the cultural changes in our country, I can understand Cultural History Museums - but boxing?????
Hello, the people need running water, toilets, baths and brick walls to keep them warm and dry. I wanted to add electricity, but there is none to spare because the same powers that be never budgeted for it. Like the ATM's, they thought there was an endless supply.
Which brings me to another interesting subject. Changing the names of the towns, airports, roads etc. Again, I can understand if the name change is because of past political reasons, but can someone please tell why they spent all that money changing the name of a beautiful little town called Warmbaths - to Bela Bela. Warmbaths is exactly that - it is a resort town with various swimming pools (and mud baths) with various temperatures.
Sigh!
What amazes me, is that the powers that be, are prepared to spend all that money on a boxing museum when there are still some of their people out there that live in shacks. From all the cultural changes in our country, I can understand Cultural History Museums - but boxing?????
Hello, the people need running water, toilets, baths and brick walls to keep them warm and dry. I wanted to add electricity, but there is none to spare because the same powers that be never budgeted for it. Like the ATM's, they thought there was an endless supply.
Which brings me to another interesting subject. Changing the names of the towns, airports, roads etc. Again, I can understand if the name change is because of past political reasons, but can someone please tell why they spent all that money changing the name of a beautiful little town called Warmbaths - to Bela Bela. Warmbaths is exactly that - it is a resort town with various swimming pools (and mud baths) with various temperatures.
Sigh!
Controversial But Interesting
Let me start my first blog by mentioning Sarah (see link) who has inspired me to start blogging again.
I was emailed an article that she had written about Nelson Mandela that I found most interesting, considering she is not South African. It was my curiosity to see how she knew so much that led me to her blog. She covers some very interesting and somewhat cotroversial subjects that makes one think about what the media "really" reports.
Having said this, has anyone seen the documentary Heitgeist. Man, THAT is interesting. When it starts, you actually think to yourself "should I be watching this?" But what an eye opener.
It's all a case of be damned if you do and be damned if you don't!
I was emailed an article that she had written about Nelson Mandela that I found most interesting, considering she is not South African. It was my curiosity to see how she knew so much that led me to her blog. She covers some very interesting and somewhat cotroversial subjects that makes one think about what the media "really" reports.
Having said this, has anyone seen the documentary Heitgeist. Man, THAT is interesting. When it starts, you actually think to yourself "should I be watching this?" But what an eye opener.
It's all a case of be damned if you do and be damned if you don't!
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