Load shedding has become the phrase of the moment. Eskom, the nationalised electricity company doesn’t make any money, is badly managed and corrupt and can’t afford to maintain or repair it’s infrastructure. We are, therefore, subjected to rolling power cuts/outages/load shedding- call it what you will.

To be helpful, you can look up when your area is due to be out. To be unhelpful, Eskom don’t necessarily stick to this! For example, this morning was supposed to be 8.30/10.30 but was actually 6/8.30.

The apartment is quite well organised to cover this. The bedroom and bathroom lights can be run off a leisure battery and there is a gas hob and kettle so we can always cook something or make a cuppa!

I would describe the area as ‘vibrant’. In reality this means that there is a shopping car park opposite which is hidden from view by our Milkwood tree. It did seem to serve as a Saturday afternoon/evening meeting place for the local yoof with some rather repetitive singing of ‘we’re going to a party’! Eventually they did and it became less vibrant!

Because the apartment is upside down ie the bedroom is downstairs this confuses Lin. She continues to refer to it as upstairs ‘because bedrooms are always upstairs’! Well, yes, where you live!

Yesterday (Sunday) started grey with drizzle but eventually brightened up by lunchtime when we went to the Lookout at the harbour for lunch. Then we went to Kirstenbosch gardens for the evening summer concert and walked along the tree canopy walkway. We remember when this was first built 7 years ago when it was above the canopy. Now it is in it!

The concert started at 4.45 and we bagged ourselves a good piece of grass and had our picnic. It was the annual acoustic folk concert and they had a number of acts playing a couple of numbers each. Our favourite SA band - Flat Stanley did 3, all of which we knew from the CDs we bought back in 2006. We had a good singsong!

It finished at 7pm and we left - much quieter than it has been in the past with no traffic queues to exit. Maybe the weather helped - dark cloud sat over the mountain but luckily it didn’t rain but the wind did get a tad chilly - we were prepared though!

It rained hard during the night and is still pretty damp this morning although they say it will improve by lunchtime! We hope!

A&L