Ive unleashed a monster...and other happenings in my world!

The monster being the newest blogger in the family...Bradley!

He always asks me why I'm typing an essay on the computer and Ive explained that I'm either typing a blog post or commenting on another blog. So on Monday, he asked me to help him set up his own blog page. I set up the basic page for him but since he has gained an understanding of what is required, he is going like wildfire and developing his blog. The problem is that now I have to fight him for computer time!

I am trying to attend a craft market every month to sell at least some of the constant stream of knitted toys I am producing. In preparation for yesterday's market, I was trying to complete a Rupert Bear and I finished a bag of toy filling. I left the empty bag on a corner of the bed next to the full bag. Fell asleep late as I was still working on the toys. When I woke, I was moving some toys around to start working again and put the big half-finished monkey down on the empty plastic bag on the bed, together with the pattern for the Rupert Bear...only to discover a few minutes later that I had put them down in a pool of cat pee! One of the cats had peed on the empty bag during the night! Much soft cursing ensued (as it was still early morning!) and I rushed to the bathroom to wash the monkey.

Anyway, yesterday's market was held in an area that I hadn't yet been to (Ruimsig). As I was travelling along on the Main Road, I started to see a lot of informal traders, taxis and shacks along the right hand side of the road. I was a little apprehensive and watchful as being in a new area, I don't always know the ins and outs of the areas and Google Maps just shows the most efficient way of getting to an area, not always the area you feel comfortable travelling through. Anyway, just after that I turned down the road where the venue was situated and found myself in a semi rural area where a lot of conference and wedding venues are situated. The venue itself, Riverdeck, is fronted by a circular driveway and a fountain water feature which are very pretty. As the name suggests, it is situated along a gushing river and they have sloping lawn, shade trees and various animals wandering around, like peacock, guinea fowls, chickens and a pig! Didn't do too much business and the first spot I chose turned out to be very hot as the morning progressed. Ill go again because its held on the last Sunday of every month, the spot is free for stallholders and next time Ill pick a shady spot...

The latest on the evergrowing Doberman is that she has now learnt to get out the enclosed garden. When Robynne and Marco moved to this house, which is one of a few houses on a big plot, they discovered that their little doggies could get out of the big garden so they enclosed a section for them which leads out from the french doors. This is made of mesh wire and tree logs and was quite sufficient for the size of the dogs they have. However since the arrival of Bebe the Doberman and now that she is getting bigger and stronger, she has discovered that she can push the wire and pull it away from the log at the bottom. In some cases I have seen her actually lifting the logs up. She gets out and the small dogs follow! She was being allowed to run around in the bigger garden on her own but now has learnt to get out of the bottom section which leads onto the long grass and off the property altogether. This section is only strands of electric fence and the fence is not switched on so altogether useless. As a result, she is having to be kept inside and to be allowed the run of the house which means that she is creating havoc with the couches etc. She is very playful but clumsy and heavy, all three a recipe for havoc! The little kittens have learnt to run for their lives when she approaches as she tries to pick them up in her mouth and also some of the bigger cats that run when she approaches...then get chased as far as she can before they jump up on something. Bradley and I prefer the discipline approach but Robynne prefers the food tempting and reward approach which does cause a bit of conflict sometimes...

One of the few times of the day that she is good is bedtime and once she decided to sleep, she sleeps through the other dogs playing, Bradley playing playstation or people walking through the house in the middle of the night. I went to the loo in the middle of the night the other night and she didn't even change position or blink. Hope her guard dog abilities improve...!

Momcat xx