Spent the day clearing a camping site spot in what will become a campsite with about 5 sites, got into a real Zen mood as I tried it one way unsuccessfully, then came up with another plan and finally stopped thinking like a permaculturist and started thinking like the typical South African camper and redesigned it accordingly. So I cleared most of the border vegetation and placed stones along the border instead to inhibit the return of the vegetation with the rains which would require weekly cutting back to keep it under control. I also decided to remove all of the lovely animal manure, stunning stuff to a permaculturist, but the last thing you want to tell a camper he is camping on top of, even though it is old and dry.
So I only managed a half day today with lots more work required to get the spot finished and looking pretty, but the week has caught up to me and I am way too much of a soft townie still when it comes to physical work. Katrina and Hans, a couple of locals who work here on their days off from the olive farm, spent the morning biting into solid rock to flatten the bottom of the new septic tank going in for the campsite, then they cut a mountain of wood, they did in one day what any Joburg helper would take three days to do and they did it all for minimum wage, which is the going rate for all farm labourers out here, boy he could demand four times as much money in Joburg and get it. They certainly put me to shame, so I took the dogs for a long walk after lunch to feel better about my contribution to the collective farms effort.
Pretty sunset
The body is complaining but I had to throw the ball for the dogs because Jos is finally moving her fat body after the ball, she really needs to loose weight but hates being away from me, they are not yet understanding that I am never going to leave them somewhere and disappear in the camper. I tried to put Spotty and Blacky in the yard and throw the ball for my two but that only lasted until Blacky jumped the fence, but I did manage to get all three of them after the ball without any fights, Peps must be hating not getting more ball throwing, it is such a big part of what she loves, will have to take the ball to the river tomorrow for my two and throw stones for the other two, not sure if that message is going to get through to my muscles though.
So ends my first week of work, the weekend I intend to take easy, plant some coriander and onions, make a bean stew, haven't had one of my famous stews since I left Johies, would like to write a lot more but finding myself not very motivated in that regard. We did have a lovely sunset and then Blacky came and lay down by my feet in the room, much to the disgust of my two but they all settled eventually and went to sleep, can't see the detente lasting but it is progress of a sort, up to now the collies have not really ventured much into our room as my two very aggressively keep them at bay.
Been a long day, we had hoped for rain today but the wind took the clouds and moved them on. I'll take some pictures of the future campsite tomorrow.
See you guys, sleep well,
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