A Hot, Busy August!

July and August have proven to be busy times. On the 16th of July, Chris and I had a Progressive Ladies' luncheon and then later in the day attended an ACLU workshop.  It focused on being informed and asking candidates strong questions that will draw out their positions on specific issues. There were quite a few people present and it is always energizing to be around such wonderful, motivated young people.

I was so pleased when Cheryl made time for a visit. Other than my principal, she was the first person I met when I went to Saudi. I arrived late at night but she had food ready and Jan had sent over a bottle of wine. At our first meeting, even late in the evening, I remember us talking for a good, long time. We have remained friends ever since and it was good to have a chance to catch-up, recalling everything from Nurse Neva and Ivan the Terrible to trips taken together. I'm fortunate to have such good friends and good memories. It was also nice to be able to do a few things around here at our own pace. We did a little walking tour of Bluffton with Rosie and also had an afternoon at Palmetto Bluff, one of my favorite places. As I always try to do, I called the troops (my local friends) to get together for lunch at the Olive and Fig. Cheryl and I pick up Reyna and Lynn while Tippy and Chris met us there. As we were picking the others up, I mentioned that I might begin referring to us in my blog and "The Girl Gang." Without hesitation, Lynn said, "I've got a better one - The Squad!!" She was right! From henceforth we shall be known as The Squad!! Everyone was in fine form at lunch and there were lots of laughs. I'm mad at myself for forgetting to take a photo...and that no one in the Squad reminded me (that is their charge from now on!)! For me, it was a real joy to share time with longtime friends and relatively new ones. Needless to say, the weekend went by much too quickly but I do hope we will be able to get together again soon.

Otherwise, my typical routine continues. Most recently, I've done the Liberal Ladies' newsletter (which you can see HERE) and am an administrator for the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate's Facebook page. Being vegetarian, I enjoy preparing my own food (and all of my guests have been very gracious about a veggie menu, although I do try to give them many opportunities to have other options away from home). My Instant Pot is a lifesaver in the summer and I've experimented with it a lot. After Cheryl's visit, I'm also trying to get back into zentangle again, however slowly.  My walking routine continues. Out of the last 48 days, I have only missed 10 days, which is very good for me. There is also Drinking Liberally, which we now have a Bluffton and a Hilton Head chapter, with both going strong. Here are some photos from Tippy.




I'm sure you've all heard of the horrible mass shooting in Texas and Ohio. It is just such a sad time in this country and it is difficult not to feel that we are teetering on the edge of the abyss. Each day is worse than the last and our leader (the term used very loosely) is a madman. There are days that are just sad to the bone. Shortly after the shooting, our local Indivisible and Moms Demand Action organized a vigil/protest. It drew only about 100 people, but it was hurriedly arranged in less than 36 hours, so for this area, it was a good turnout. I attended and was impressed with the service itself and the opportunity to unite with others who hate to see what guns (and those who value them more than life itself!) are doing to this country. My hope is that this is an episode that we will not let pass as more obscene news breaks. The coverage of one of our local news stations can be seen HERE.


That brings us to yesterday when Chris and I did part 2 of our donate-to-a-fundraiser/tour-a-home project! This time the fundraiser was a brunch in Beaufort to benefit Jaime Harrison, who is running against Leningrad Lindsey. The hosts live in a fabulous apartment with a grand marsh view. There were about 50 people in attendance, with many new faces. Jaime was there also and he is a great person/candidate.  He is a wonderful storyteller and his personal story is compelling - born to a single mother of 16, going to Stanford and Harvard, working with James Clyburn, and so much more! Our hope is that he will become better known and get the backing he needs. Needless to say, we will do everything we can to help.



Chris and I rode over together for the brunch but she needed to be home by 2PM, so we made a quick stop by the new Herban Market (vegan) to pick up falafel wraps....yum! I came home and played with Rosie for a little while (feeling guilty that I would be away for much of the day), before taking off for Beaufort again, this time to attend the Warren office opening from 2-4PM. I had not intended to go but got a text from Kelsey, a staffer who has been faithful to attend all events, and I hated not to go. The main speaker had spent time in Saudi during the Gulf War, so we had a chat. They also had folders for each of Elizabeth's "plans" containing a synopsis of the plan, which Chris and I had already talked about - make them short and easy to understand. I also ran into several people who had been to the morning brunch, so I didn't feel like a total political wonk!! They were the people who were wearing a "Make Lying Wrong Again" sticker! I only stayed for about an hour, but yesterday's schedule ensured a day at home today! Were it not for walking Rosie, I probably would not have gotten out of my PJs today!!

Tippy goes in for her surgery tomorrow and I know you will hold her in your thoughts. She is very positive, as is her medical team. I am Plan B to do whatever I can whenever I'm needed....and Lynn has volunteered to keep Rosie if I need to go up to Charleston! We will all feel better when a clean bill of health is issued. Tippy has her own version of MAGA - Make Amick Great Again!!  We're all for that! 
As you can see, I've been playing with Google slides. So far, I really like it, though I can't do everything I'd like to do. This is my first time playing with it so maybe I just haven't figured it all out yet.
Hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying the summer - and staying (or being) cool!! Love to all!

July in Full Swing!

Summer is here with a vengeance and I've chosen this time of year to start a walking routine!! I've needed to do this for a long time as I'm the heaviest I've ever been, but I couldn't begin to tackle it. Then, I saw this poster online and thought 'even I can walk for 15 minutes'!!  Previously I' d been thinking about walking miles as I used to do but realized I'd been thinking about it wrong. Instead of miles, I could do minutes and gradually increase the time as the weather improves. Our routine is now that I take Rosie out for her mosey (Mosey with Rosie) and then I put my walking shoes on and go out for 15 minutes or so. I started on June 23rd and have only missed 5 days so far. I can't tell any difference at all except I know it's better than not doing it, so I'm hanging in.

One reason that I'm not losing weight is that Reyna keeps inviting me over for Chili Rellenos and other specialties (and Drinking Liberally meets at a Mexican restaurant)!! Several have asked about her new little girl and here she is - Suzanne. Now that school is out she hardly ever gets to lie down or get settled.....she's carried around all day by her older sisters. She really is a cutie and a good baby.

While 2020 is a ways off, things have been busy here. Chris and I have found a fun way to contribute to campaigns - we sign up to attend cocktail party/fundraisers. It's almost like a tour of homes! The first one we went to was held at a 6000 sq. ft. home overlooking Calibogue Sound. It was an amazing house, a fantastic view, and an enjoyable evening. We've also signed up for a brunch in Beaufort to benefit Jamie Harrison, who is running against Lindsey Graham.  We've heard Jamie speak before, but he will be attending the brunch and we'll see him in a different setting.....and maybe get a selfie!! 

Yesterday, we (Chris and I) went to a Women for Warren gathering at another beautiful home on Callawassee Island. I was interested because the invitation specifically said that she (Warren) wanted to mobilize women, which I'm all for. We've seen where 200+ years of men have gotten us and I fully believe women can do better and will behave differently. She definitely has my attention! 

And I mustn't forget that we got a short notice that Joe Cunningham was in town and meeting with constituents at the old oyster factory park, so we went to that also. He is such a nice guy and I do hope he will be re-elected. We will have our work cut out for us.

We are also signed up for an ACLU workshop tomorrow called Rights for All. I expect that to be very informative.

On Friday, Tippy, Kieran and I attended Lights for Liberty vigil in Beaufort to protest the treatment of those seeking asylum at our southern border. It was the first time in ages I've LEFT my house at 7PM to attend an event!!  Usually, 7PM is time for me to get home! We were pleased that the crowd numbered around 200. There were three speakers - an Episcopal priest, a rabbi, and George K., who has worked on immigration issues as long as I've been here. They all were short and sweet but hit just the right tone. Then we marched to the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge and had 5 minutes of silence for those at the border. The original plan was to walk on the bridge and have the vigil there, but it was the opening night of the Beaufort Water Festival and permits could not be obtained. It all worked out well since we were able to see the fireworks from the festival as we drove home.....a nice way to end the evening.

Believe it or not, I have managed to get a few other things done and my bust of energy remains. I had three area rugs cleaned and they brighten up the whole place. This Flokati is Rosie's favorite play area and here she is inspecting the clean rug. She's glad to have it back.

I thought I was going to have company over the July 4th as my cousin texted to say that he and his wife would be on the island from noon on the 3rd until noon on the 4th!?!? Don't even ask!!  I was wide open so just asked them to let me know what was convenient for them. I got another text on the night of the 3rd saying they could meet me for coffee at 1PM on the 4th, but I suggested they just stop by here. So, I got busy and made a little cheese plate and a blueberry tart. One PM came and went, as did 3PM.  I texted several times saying that I was getting concerned. Not a word until the next morning when he said they had to leave suddenly. I hoped there was no emergency.....no, they just had to leave unexpectedly!!  He said he had texted me but I didn't receive it and the only problem was that I was left with a whole blueberry tart and loads of good cheese!!!

So, to rid myself of the temptation, I decided to invite Rosie's boyfriend, Bogey, to come over for a play-date and bring his mom and dad (Lynn and Tom) with him!! Bogey has visited only once when Mama Mia was still alive. Needless to say, that didn't go well. He was very excited to have a new place to explore and everyone seemed to enjoy it.  He/they will definitely be invited again. Isn't that the cutest picture of him? Lynn sent it along with a Happy 4th message. He looks on his best behavior. 

With all of that, both Rosie and I have been to our respective doctors and gotten a clean bill of health, though she was not pleased to get her shots. It took me two days to get back into her good graces. Tippy invited us for a nice walk on the beach on a morning that turned out to be very tolerable - overcast and with a breeze. It's always fun to see her off leash where she can run and explore.....and Tippy and I never run out of things to talk about.

An update on Tippy: She had her biopsy and it is cancerous. She remains very positive and has a medical team that is confident they can go for the cure. They meet today to develop a plan for her and Tippy will go up tomorrow to get details. She has a fantastic support team here but I'm sure she would appreciate your good thoughts as well, and I will keep you posted.

It's also been a busy month for birthdays!! I hope I'm not forgetting anyone when I wish

Ann W

Sharon B

Melodee D

Jane M

Jean M

Eileen H

Very Happy Birthdays!

Into Summer

Shortly after my last post extolling our great weather, South Carolina set records! Not in education, healthcare, or anything benefiting the populace, but in the weather. Over the holiday weekend, Beaufort was the hottest town in the country exceeding 100 degrees. The following week, Bluffton received the highest rainfall in the country. The sky just opened and it poured. I heard that we received between 5-6 inches in a few hours. Since then we have continued to get moderate amounts of rain, which we really needed. Lawns were getting burn spots and the lagoons were really down, so things do look much better. 

There isn't a lot to report since my last post, but I just wanted to touch bases with everyone. As I look at my calendar, I've been busy but mostly with regularly scheduled events, groups, friends, etc. Chis and I took in a good movie, Red Joan with Judi Dench, followed by a good meal at our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant. Then her friend Sue, whom I've gotten to know, visited and we got together for a chatty dinner. I regret that I didn't get myself together enough to invite them over to see our Africa video (though Chris had already seen it and twice might be too much!!) as Sue was very interested in our trip. She has the link but it might be more fun watching it with others. 

Yesterday I did just that with a few neighbors. I have two neighbors whom I don't know well ask about the trip as he said it was on his bucket list. So, I invited them over, along with Lynn and Tom (neighbors and friends) and Tippy and Kieran. I'm not a great entertainer but this seemed casual enough for me to manage and enjoy. No sooner had I gotten the food and drinks together than I receive a call from Dolores saying they couldn't come!! Bill had hurt his neck/back and couldn't come, so I encouraged her to come on her own, which she did. I just thought it would be a good opportunity to answer any questions they might have...anyway, we had a good time and Tippy and I enjoyed seeing it again and reliving parts of it. I'll send the link to Bill and if he has questions, he can find me.

At a recent Drinking Liberally, I was surprised by this cute gift from my friend David! Needless to say, he knows and likes Rosie, so the gift may actually be for her. It seemed a shame to stick it in a cupboard, so I am using it as a little cactus garden.

Our Drinking Liberally group has grown or, more correctly, split into two groups.....one in Bluffton and one on the island. So now every Wednesday of the month one can eat and drink with liberal thinkers. I'm still planning to go twice a month and rotate between the two groups as there are people in both groups with whom I'd like to remain in touch. This week the HHI group had 24 people show up, which is very good for the summer when people have lots of things happening.

I was invited to a fun cocktail by one of the ladies, Myla, on the Liberal Ladies steering committee. She isn't here full time and just felt she wanted to get to know us better. She's a very vibrant personality and as it turns out, she has won a Tony Award for producing Pippin!!  She continues to be involved in that type of thing which is why she is out of town so much. Her husband happens to be Larry Kramer, the former publisher of USA Today. One interesting thing about living here is that for a place its size you run into a lot of interesting people.

After finishing our trip video, I had a burst of energy and got a lot of things done around the house. That is totally unlike me so I had to ride the wave as long as it lasted. I got rid of two rugs and replaced them with fresher, better-looking ones - in the process pulling something in my neck! Assembled and donated all of my cat supplies, including the cat condo, which is the best one I've ever seen. The people at the thrift shop sent an email to tell me they had sold it that very day......and I had to practically beg them to pick it up because it wasn't "furniture"!!!  I knew someone would love it. I  also got rid of lots of stuff like these cameras, long outdated but difficult to throw away because they bring back fond memories of Thailand!! Am I the only one who holds on to this type of stuff.....I've got loads of it. In any case, I hope the mood strikes again.

I also put up this little birdhouse outside the sunroom. Before our trip back in mid-March, there was a little bird that kept fluttering at the sunroom window. He wasn't smacking into it, he was fluttering against it, would peck at it and even light on the screen. I just thought he would eventually go away, but Curtis even commented on him while he was petsitting. When I came home, he was still here. So, I went out and bought this little colorful birdhouse and put it where he fluttered most....and for the last week, he hasn't been around! Well, buddy, that's the best I can do. You are going to have to figure out the rest!!

File this under Who Would Have Thunk It!  

Little Bluffton is having its first Pride Parade on Saturday! While some of the local liberals will be in Columbia for the state Democratic convention, the rest of us need to show up for this. Somehow Facebook has gotten wind of it and is supporting it and about 4 other similar small-town events. Thus ⇩

Almost all (too many!) of the Democrat candidates are showing up for the SC Dem.convention so MSNBC is covering it all day Saturday. I'll be glad when we get down to a serious number and have a better idea of who will actually run against trump. 
Pauline, who is in the States visiting her family, just called and we had a nice chat. She is hoping to stop by here on her visit next year, which will be nice. I'm also looking forward to seeing Cheryl next month and Melodee in the early fall. Jan also mentioned visiting in the fall so 2019 is shaping up to be a good year for visitors, which I like.
On a less happy note: Tippy was on her way home from the mountains on Monday and texted me to ask if I wanted to join her for a glass of wine when she got to Bluffton. Naturally, I agreed, just expecting to chat and catch up. Her real motive was to tell me that her throat cancer had returned. I was stunned....and couldn't imagine how she felt! Her local doctor wanted to wait a month but she proactively sought a second option at MUSC, which has one of the leading throat clinics in the nation - who knew?? She is there today in prep for a biopsy in early July. She is her usual cheerful, optimistic self and has a great outlook, as well as a massive support system with everyone already offering to help in any way. As anyone who has experienced or cared for someone with health issues, there is a helpless feeling about it. Tippy has everything working in her favor and it is a matter of helping her get through it and back into action. We/she has more places to see and people to meet. I'm holding positive, healing thoughts for her.

Africa Video and Back to Real Life

Yea! I finally finished the video of our Africa trip and life can resume! To be honest, I wanted to stay home and do nothing until it was finished, but life intervened and I had to do other things. They were things I normally enjoy doing, but it takes a while to get Africa out of your system. Tippy and I still talk about/marvel at some of our experiences. So, I'm happy to share this with you and I apologize that it is so long. It's 48 minutes long, which is ONLY a little over 2 minutes per day of our trip! To be a little enticing, this video is narrated - by a voice that does not sound at all like me - but it's me!! Please tell me that my voice does not sound this way to you!! The good part about it being narrated is that I can tell you some of our stories, which I hope you will find amusing. Also, I have included a few photos and videos from others on our trip, and there is one (by Sandy Greenberg) that looks like it is out of National Geographics! Let me know if you can tell what I'm talking about. There is also a panoramic shot of Cape Town (also by Sandy)  that is stunning and really shows the dramatic scenery/weather/atmosphere of the town. Those are toward the end of the video so I hope it will encourage you to see it all. All I can say is that if you have any inclination to go to Africa, DO IT!  You will be amazed!

One of the revelations of our trip was how much we have altered the natural rhythm and timing of the world - to the detriment of the planet and ourselves. It was really wonderful to be cut off from all that burdens us and to plan each day based on the sun and the temperature. I didn't want to come back to life as we know it; although, I am appreciative of having a welcoming neighborhood and good friends within it. We have also had great weather since our return. Even this late into May, the mornings have been very comfortable and we are still in the 80s. We are supposed to have two days in the 90s this week, so the heat is coming, but it has been wonderful to put it off this long.

My little, baby girl had an accident. We were walking on Tuesday morning and she got two nails on her right, back foot caught in a crack and pulled them until they were bleeding. I thought she had gotten something stuck between her pads and it was only the second time I checked that I realized they were bleeding. I was afraid they would have to be removed but the vet didn't want to do that unless she absolutely had to, thus the bandage. Rosie put up with it for two days, then began to actively work at removing it. She got it off and I wrapped it again. That one she got off in record time, so I took her back to the vet the day before she was scheduled. She thought it looked well enough to leave the bandage off. Rosie's also on antibiotics for a few more days and we will both be happy with that is over.

She and I also had a close encounter with an alligator along one of our usual walking routes. We were along one of the golf holes (#7) and Rosie was sniffing up a hill near the cart path. I was daydreaming in la-la land and paying no attention. One of my neighbors was walking her dog toward us and yelled, "Donna, alligator!" It took me a minute to locate him and he was about 30 feet ahead of us, on the cart path, preparing to cross the road. I got a tight rein on Rosie and started backing up slowly - not wanting to make a sudden move and wanting to keep an eye on him. Thank goodness, he was intent of crossing the road! Also, thank goodness, my neighbor was there!! We could have stumbled right into him if she had not yelled. I am always alert and on the lookout for them near lagoons but this was a big wakeup call. It is the time of year they move around and you never know where they might be. No more daydreaming for me!!

Major announcement: I have dropped my cable service, finally! My bill for cable, phone, and internet had reached $250/month. To make matters even worse, we are held captive. Hargray, the local service, made early agreements with almost all communities when they put in cable that they would use only Hargray, so there is no competition. And, without our approval (or even discussion) the Crescent re-upped with them! I had been meaning to go to streaming for a while and that tipped me over the edge. Two of my TVs were "smart" but old enough to require a FireStick, but that was quick and easy to install. And what I really love is that all of those messy cords go away. If anything, the picture is sharper. I'm really pleased with it.....should have done it long ago!

I'm going to do you a BIG favor and not get into a political rant today! Most of you, if you've listened to our news lately, can probably guess my state of mind. Things just get stranger and stranger, worse and worse. Who has a spare room for let??

A Quick Update

Well, I had hoped to post my trip video but it is taking longer than usual......and I know you're waiting with bated breath!!  I have SO many photos, plus one of the guys set up a place online where we could all share photos, which means I have even more to consider! The actual process of putting them together in a slideshow is slow (for me) even though I love doing it. I now have other things kicking in so am going to have to take a break from it.

It's my fault. The first week and a half I was home I did nothing except the essentials - mail, bills, laundry, cooking, and just nesting with my sweet Rosie. I loved it! I think it was my resistance to returning to reality. It was when everything started to kink in - meetings, appointments, social activities - that I decided to also start my slideshow/video!! That was really what I wanted to do, but now things (Liberal Ladies newsletter, volunteer work, etc.) are happening that I have to do. My solution is to write a brief note today and then get busy on the newsletter, hoping that I can get back to my photos soon. 

While we were still on our trip, Tippy was contacted about teaching an OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) class about her Africa trips. She asked if I'd co-teach with her and, although I don't enjoy speaking to a group, I agreed, mostly because it will allow us to relive our trips! So, at some point, we will be working on another presentation.

For those of you who know Reyna, she is having her baby tomorrow (5/8). I'm taking her to lunch today before it all happens tomorrow. I'll also provide breakfast for Mr. Walzant and Nancy while she is in hospital, as well as visiting her when I can. She has been uncomfortable for weeks and will be happy to have it over. I hope all goes well.

Mini-owl

I haven't been a total hermit, I Thai-ed one on with Chris one evening at Thai Smile, which gave us a good chance to catch up. Tippy and Kieran got me out to an art show at Honey Horn, which was a great opportunity to enjoy nice weather. From there we went to Wild Birds for a  show-and-tell about owls, which was fascinating. The speaker was very good and even had three small, pygmy owls, which I didn't even know existed. The shop has two resident cats and one of the larger owls couldn't keep its eyes off the cat. It was fun to watch. 

Owl watching cat!

We have been having nice weather since our return but we aren't looking forward to the heat of summer. It's in the high 80s and pretty warm in the afternoons, but the mornings are very nice. That's when I try to give Rosie a longer walk.  Needless to say, I missed that girl. The house is also empty without Mama Mia. She always greeted me in the morning when I came into the kitchen for coffee. She was a head-butter so I would bend down and we would butt heads! It's only when someone, person or pet, is gone that you realize the many little things you miss about them. 

Unfortunately, our political situation did not improve in our absence. If anything, it is worse. I saw Tom Steyer when he was here and still was not convinced impeachment was the way to go, but now with Barr's behavior, I think it should be done. At least one party needs to stand up for law and order, checks and balances, moral integrity.....and for just doing the right thing. Even knowing that the Senate will not impeach trump, the case still needs to be made.  What a mess!

I know there was something else I wanted to tell you but, for the life of me, I can't think of it. A mind is a terrible thing to lose!! So, I guess I will leave you with an adorable photo of Rosie......or a photo of adorable Rosie!

She's on the verge of being naughty!

Back Home After Another Fabulous Trip to Africa

I'm starting this without really knowing how I can adequately describe our trip. One would expect it to be much like the last one, but it was different in many ways. Each country is unique and has something wonderful to offer. This time the camps were more remote and we were without TV, wifi, etc for three weeks - totally unplugged, and it was wonderful!  We also had closer interaction with animals. They actually came into our camps at night - elephants, hippos, monkeys, impala, baboons, etc. We were walked to our tent at night and could not leave it until we were awakened by someone who checked the path and let us know all was clear. 

Before I tell you our animal experiences, let me say that we had a great group. Everyone got along well and interactions were easy and amiable. Tippy and I met Marilyn and Sandy (Boston) our first morning in Johannesburg and quickly agreed to a city tour together. The high point was the apartheid museum, which was so well done. Our favorite installation was a series of quotes from Nelson Mandala on several color-coded topics. There were bundles of rods in corresponding colors. The point was to choose the quotes that resonated with you, select a rod in the corresponding color and place it in one of several holders. When I finally get my photos organized, they should give a better representation of what I'm trying to describe. We also went to Mandela's early home (across the street from Desmond Tutu's), Soweto, and had local food at a restaurant nearby. We had a knowledgeable guide and I'm so glad we got to see some of the city before starting the tour. Others on our tour were from Arizona, California, Connecticut, and two Southern ladies from Waynesville, NC, and Decatur, GA.  There is a good chance our paths will cross again and it would be fun to compare memories of the trip.

The tour began and ended in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, but we didn't see the Falls until the end of our trip. We saw them from afar as we transferred to Kashawe Camp in Hwange National Park. We had a day of game viewing and then a day of visiting a local village and St. Mary's Primary School. The villagers gave us a good tour of their village and described their daily life. The school was a special treat as we had time to talk with the students. We were amazed at the cleanliness of the village and all of the countries we visited. There was no litter anywhere. When we were on game drives and needed a bathroom/bush break, we were given bags to put the TP in rather than leaving it behind!! 

It was one of the first nights that we had an animal encounter in camp. Many of us were having trouble sleeping in the beginning and I was "hovering", as I call it - as much awake as asleep, when I heard what sounded like two huge explosions of flatulence! I then got a strong whiff of urine. I knew something was outside, so I got up (3:30am) and looked out the window. Sure enough, elephants munching on bushes between our tent and the next one. The amazing thing is that they are quiet, just munching. I'm just standing there watching them when the guy in the next tent blasts his air gun, which is to be used for threatening (life or death!) situations. At the sound of the air horn, the elephants begin trumpeting and running away.....toward our tent. They got away safely without damaging anything. We hated that they were frightened because they weren't harming anyone, and Charlie, who fired the air gun, got a lot of ribbing the next morning!

View from our cabin on the river.

From Kashawe we flew to Lufupa River Camp in Kafue, Zambia.  We landed on a dirt runway that was a great game viewing spot at night when the animals took over the runway. This was one of my favorite camps as it was right on the river - lovely and relaxing. The camp also had a great guide, Isaac. He knew everything about animals, birds, and plants associated with the river, then at night, he would tell us about the constellations! Amazing! One evening we took a cruise and had sundowners as we watched the sun set. It was here that we could hear hippos swish in and out of the water as they grazed at night. We grew to enjoy all of their grunting and guffawing at night. It was also this camp that had their own resident warthogs - Lulu and her kids, who slept under the porch of cabin #4! We were also surprised one lunchtime when we had lunch out in the bush. They brought everything out to us and it was like something you would see in a movie! Food was cooked on the spot and we even had a bar. It was amazing! As we were sitting there, an impala and a warthog ambled by....can't get much better than that!

After three days at Lufupa River Camp, we flew to Baobab 2 Camp in Chobe National Park. Botswana reminded me a lot of Tanzania, which I loved. It was definitely greener than Zimbabwe and Zambia and had rivers and streams flowing through it. It also had more animals and larger herds than we had seen thus far. Our camp had a small watering hole and in the evenings the baboons, impala, etc. would come for water. In addition to our usual game drives, some women came in one afternoon to show use their woven baskets. It was interesting to learn how they got their colors, and their products reminded me a lot of the basketwork done here.

From Baobab 2, we went to Saguni Lodge in the Okavango Delta. Certain times of the year this area floods, but even with low rainfall over the last year, there were still fingerlets and channels weaving their way throughout the area.  One afternoon we explored the delta via mokoro, a dugout boat powered by a man with a pole. We were at eye level with hippos, crocs, etc. The high point was when we came upon a herd of elephants crossing the stream. The matriarch stood on one bank and kept a careful eye on us until all had gotten across. She then crossed. It was amazing and before I could video it, my camera battery died!!

It was here that we had a sudden storm one night. We could hear the wind growing and suddenly it blew a lamp and glass off the bedside table. Tippy and I hopped up to close the windows, then realizing that we probably should allow the air to blow through, just not as much as before.  Tippy pushed her bed closer to mind to get away from a window, but I suggested we leave space between them in case we needed to hunker down between them if things began to fall. It was really that bad. To make matters worse, our bathroom had a tarp over the top and one side of it came unanchored and whipped back and forth with the wind. The next morning we reported the damage and the camp manager offered us an upgrade to an executive cabin. It was wonderful to see how the other half live and we were situated right on the lagoon. We heard hippos cavorting all night.

This part of our trip drew to a close in Victoria Falls, and we finally get to see them. Some in our group did the helicopter ride but we did the river walk. The falls generate so much mist that we were issued raincoats. The falls could be heard and the mist seen long before we actually saw the falls. Needless to say, they were amazing. The video shows only one section and there were something like 12 viewing points over about a mile. In addition to the falls, I like the town of Victoria Falls. We spent much of one morning at the colonial Edwardian Victoria Falls Hotel. It was truly from another time and absolutely beautiful. The town also had lots of shops of various quality and it was fun to browse. Our final meal was a dinner cruise down the Zambezi River. Although it rained, it was still a nice evening.




It was here that two couples ended their trip and the rest of us went on to Cape Town, which we really loved. I'm so glad we added this to the original trip. We did the usual things - Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Graden, the Boulder Beach penguin colony, the waterfront, etc. We also had one day of wine tasting in a very scenic area. The whole area was beautiful and dramatic. We had a nice morning on Table Mountain and, by the time we were leaving, clouds were coming in and hovering over the mountains. The scene almost seemed to change by the minute.

Random thoughts:

• You might think that if you've seen one animal, you've seen them all. Not so - the zebras in this area have a white, black and beige stripe, so they generally appear darker than those we saw in Kenya and Tanzania. The giraffes also appeared more muted in color than those we saw last year. In every country, we saw animals we had never heard of....and birds, birds, birds!!
• In all of our camps, the common lounge and dining room were open on three sides, which was wonderful. It gave us a great feeling of being part of nature. We had several "loos with a view" - private, but with an open window that looked right out into the great beyond.
• Like last year, the food was outstanding. There were three vegetarians in the group and we were well cared for. We would have an early breakfast, stop for tea, coffee, and cookies around 10am, then lunch. Since it was hot, we had free time from lunchtime until around 3:30, when we would have another snack before a game drive. We would end the game drive with sundowners as we watched the sun go down. Then, back to camp for dinner. Needless to say, I didn't lose weight!!
• It is always a treat to just observe the animals. I was pleased with my camera and I have loads of photos. This time we did get to see a leopard up close and personal, as well as 8-9 lions sleeping under a tree after a kill. Elephants are always amazing to see, and warthogs are among my favorites. 
• I also met my role model - Alice, 86, from San Francisco, with her 79-year-old man-friend of 40+ years, Henno. They never missed a beat and were delightful to be with. She kept referring to us as "you kids" which delighted us all. They were amazing.

I know I'm leaving out so much but I hope to better tell the story when I get my photos organized. Paulette, one of our group from Arizona, is an archivist and took copious notes, which she will share with us. That should be a great roadmap for putting photos together. I'm looking forward to reading it and reliving the whole thing! We were not disappointed and each day was a new adventure with so much to do and see. I would go back again!!

Before I share a few animal photos, the trip did start on a sad note. Mama Mia stopped eating again and I was in great turmoil the week before leaving. I knew I couldn't leave her care to Curtis and most likely she would not be here when I got back. So, on the Thursday before our trip, I had her put to sleep. It is such a difficult decision to make and I was a weepy mess. I ran into a neighbor at the vet and she sat with me until they called us into the office. If it had to be done, I wanted to be with her and not leave her to strangers. It was not easy for her and I hated that part, but I was with her. Since being back, I looked at photos I took of her before I left and I realized I probably should have done it sooner. I didn't have time to think about it  much while on the trip, but the house certainly seems empty without her.