Had huge fight with Uniondale garage owner where I took my car to be fixed after some thieving blikskottel tried to first open the door and ruining it, then in the end broke the window! If there was something in the car that looked remotely like something worth taking, I could understand it, but as there was nothing, they must have felt that they had to at least take something, so they took my log book where all the services are recorded!

So I took the car for a quote to this people, and they gave me a reasonable price. But then I asked them, disregarding hints from friends not to have anything to do with this clan, to to a light service, meaning changing the oil and maybe look at the plugs and so on. I usually have this done in George, where they charge me R490, so I made provision for this, as I was going to sell my car, and buy a small truck from my friend Louise, who was moving to Cape Town.

When after a full twelve days and countless phone calls, I was informed that my car was ready, I was absolutely flattened by the invoice the mechanic gave me on getting there, telling me that the owners were not in yet! They have done a full service, and the amount that glared at me was so much that I almost had a bally seizure. I told the man that I had not asked for the big service, so he phoned the owner's house. I first spoke with the wife, who lied roundly, and told me that I had told her that I wanted a full service! I told her that she was a bally lier, so she gave the phone to her husband, who shouted at me to pay up, or leave his premises without my car! So in the end I had to pay, but that was the last time I do not listen to people in the know!

In the meantime Jacques, the guy wanting to buy Jan's house, was struggling to get the deposit together, as a lot of their Silo building projects in Germany had been postponed as the weather was just too inclement. jan had given him some respite, but as he wanted to buy a house in Cape Town, he was a bitty in a hurry to get the sale through. 

Jan and the two young boys came for the week-end, and I was amazed at how fast the little one is growing. He is now almost a little boy, and not a toddler. We have to be vigilant all the time, as he can manage to squash through the gate, and once out, he just takes off! Sheila's cows are  a source of constant wonder to him, and when he gets the chance, he is out of the gate, and down the road after them.

Grietjie, the woman managing the farmyard with an iron hand while Sheila works at the clinic, is such a good person, and will always allow the child to walk with her for a while, then send him back. He is never happy with that, and screamed his head off when we bring him back. But he loves my safety glasses, and got very upset if they were mislaid!

My cherry tomatoes are now getting to the stage where they ripen at the speed of light, well almost, and I gave some away to Berty, Emil's previous nanny, who comes for a cuppa from time to time, and to inquire after the child. I have put some of the tomatoes that I dried in the sun in a bottle with oil, and some I froze, to see what work best! I must say, The dried tomatoes, ate straight from the drying rack, and still warm from the sun, is above delish!!!