My time in Cape Town comes to a close

I'm feeling very grateful for my time in Cape Town. Grateful to mum for her generosity.  Grateful to Jo and Antony for their amazing hospitality. Thankful to Russell for his friendship and motivating me go to Afrikaburn. Grateful to Rob and Dawn for making Afrikaburn happen. Grateful to Mike, Matt, Sam, Mike, Ivor, Joanna, Rory and Ross and the girls (Jo's friends) for further enriching my Cape Town experience.  Thank you, thank you, thank  you!

Grateful (2024)

Iceland

• Found passport.  Martin: "Between books?"  Did not tell Gavin.
• Getting to go, Gav pulling out all the stops.
• No need for Dr health check.
• Flights for $2450 (Flight Centre), not $3300. Insurance < $200.
• I did not fly with others. Their bags didn't make it. Mine did. 
• Tania got sick, no blog. Took all pressure off me. 
• 2nd day rain. Chance to regroup, edit photos.  Saw puffins later. 
• 2nd night of potential psyche on fire.  I slept.
• Good photos for competition on 1st day (group silhouette and cliff texture).
• Grimsey. Close views of puffins and amazing photos. In flight. Beaks touching.
• Matt gave good photoshop advice. Cut as layer. Beware of sides so I cut in middle. Aware fill.
• Ended up using bills further apart. Much better actually plus less stress of being found out. 
• Topaz sharpening and enlarging: True game changer. 
• First in competition and gasp at puffin in flight. 
• CEO and Justin there. Extra buy in for future trips. 
• Hotel extra night $190, not $270. 
• Airport:  Taxi came at 4 am. Needed time. Found booking reference no.
• Wrong boarding gate at Keflavik. Nearly went to Copenhagen, not Oslo. Scanned so knew. Not late. 
• Taxi driver in Singapore. Where bag?  Managed to get. Taxi waited.

Return to Sydney

• Flight delayed but all easy to get eve flight. Nice hotel for sleep.
• Managed to open balcony door
• Car started
• No mould in Fran's room, Martin only in bathroom.
• Back wall crack looks fine

Jilly

• Got to express love on day she passed away. Mandy was there.
• Visited and expressed love several times during year
• Phoned Jilly. It was her birthday.

Cosgrove

• Iceland:  Got Dr Cosgrove 1 day before going on leave. He ok'd two months.
• Realised mistake with booking thanks to "30 min appointment?":  Dex issue ok and able to make 1 month closer appointment.

Financial

• Did Jan audit and not nearly as bad as expected
• Invested for 1st time before a rally: > $ 600 profit
• Garage leak  $ 20,000 was reduced to $8,400  ($11,600 saving)
• iPhone charging issue fixed by Apple genius
• Antony got a project in Jan
• Dom lift home, save $45
• Lost and found airpod on street.
• Body corporate not increase this year
• Not spend much this year, went up $10K. Reassured me greatly.
• Found my glasses & ok (washing machine)
• Mum pay back Cape Town flight ticket
• Mark and 400 mm lens. Not a scam !  Made $950.
• Mum paid R2800 for my Afrikaburn ticket

Sam's site

• Beautiful connection & collaboration
• Good, cheap local hosting
• Jo's photos
• Google Ads: 20 clients in 1st week and a bit

Car

• Not put water into oil
• I drove car far enough to find there was a problem. Coolant leaking at rapid rate.

Dex in order

• Power of 4 + 2 (+1)

Health

• My shoulder ok after chasing dog and slipping
• Did not hurt back or head on St James wall
• Did not leap into Die Hel rock pool  → terrible injuries.
• Skin check: All clear including one on my face
• Shoulder blemishes, lumps (arm & above chest) not cancer
• Mole on my back removed, benign
• Pulse resting rate is 75 (normal)
• Got watch reconnected to iphone

Tennis

• Slice serve
• Joy of playing (Free)
• Tennis elbow feeling better

Life Trove

• Edit post bookmark stopped and restarted working
• Managed to get pencil back

Photography

• My external hard drive corrupted but I had backed all photos up elsewhere just before.

Home

• Trees not chopped down, traffic lights still covered
• Warned about leaving water on in courtyard, not left all night

Wisdom Trove

• Error discovered soon
• Rujuta sorted it out

Travel

• Afrikaburn tickets despite challenges

Dex

• Matthew in 3x in a row

Watch

• Get it synced

Martin

• Did not bring up teasing

Grateful (2023)

 
Finances

• I found my iPhone 13. Had written off the $900.
• Refund for Argentina tickets? $550
• My Asus screen was not defunct
• Stove and Martin light only $236

 

Tax

• Not a trick. No audit. Routine if > $1000.

Wall

• Ed saw it when did. 
• Ed found it, not me.
• Not $100,000
• Not told when in Nepal or South Africa
• Saw Greg and chatted. Not need email him or body corporate. Held off.
• Falling stump not break neighours gate
• Martin & Dennis: Just fill it up
• Chris: Support, saw, took me to waste place.
• Did not notice overhang at first.
• Ed so easy and non formal.
• Other units not damaged. Other ceiling band also lifted off. 
• Dennis. Not move further now tree gone.
• Billy not come round.

Dex

• Nov 16, Cosgrove not sick. Had been in hospital. Had run out of dex. Able to get 4 lots.
• Got dex from Bloom Pharmacy. Could not get one lot from Chester’s thankfully. 

Nepal

• Little altitude sickness. Slept ok.
• I didn't die in the Lukla flight (crystal) or hike
• Despite high pulse & age, got further than anyone else.
• Russell came and Gavin loved him.
• Didn’t ruin things with Gavin though irritated at times. 
• Beautiful people on hike: Rajesh, Mo, Pillar, Jo, Russell.
• Could have lost my phone twice, in taxi and at ice creamery. 
• Tiger Tops for $ 150. 

Photography

• Camera iso issue sorted at Pickleball + Chris pointed out Donna
• Blower removes dust

Mack

• Not go on balcony in 35 degree heat, locked outside room.
• Able to go to Nepal
• Passed when he did, so ready
• Painting gift from Hiking friends

Wisdom & Book

• Chat GPT
• Not lose Wisdom Trove. Just space issue.
• Wisdom Trove traffic doubled to 100

Movies

• Watched original The Vanishing, not the remake.
• Bflix, so many free movies

Home

• Stove fitted into space

Health

• No blood in stools (test)
• Skin check and growth cut out
• Cosgrove not in hospital for my app (no dex)
• Dex under control (online prescriptions increases visibility)
• Power of 1 dex
• Dentist no fillings

Antarctica

• Never needed to be airlifted.
• Got shot of leaping penguin early on. Got biggest reaction in slide show. 
• Tanya reassuring with photos.
• Did not take extra Dex. 6 per day when return. No need for Cosgrove. 
• Had own sleeping tablets and extra dex.
• Dr gave me extra sleeping pills. 
• Having own cabin.
• Got Topaz photo AI working to make porpoising penguin sharp.
• No life jacket:  Not noticed.
• Found wallet twice (Falklands & mountain).  AirTag. 
• Slide show poor photos, no names. 
• Photography expeditions with Renato. 
• No need to do video interview. 
• Matt and Jordan. Not Richard. 
• Mum gave me another donation of $8000. 
• Fell on ice on mountain climb. Not break arm or iPhone.
• iStock images and shared passenger images.
• Tanya loving message.

Gratitude (2022)

Macbook Pro with M1 Max chip

• Incredibly fast (e.g. Lightroom,  Excel)
• Touch authentication
• Battery is amazing: 1 hour used 3% !!

Canyoning trip

• Managed to do scary bit - not stop the trip

Health

• Avoid COVID after weekend away, in the Arctic, with mum and Mike
• Neck after physio: Muscular only
• Blood test and tool test negative
• My hand is ok

Movies

• The Flixster etc: Movies, movies for free
• An abundance of movies with twists
• My movie list, so many movies seen. Get to share it.
• Francisca recommendations

Floors

• In my room, faded - can hardly see them
• My room better without mat

Finances

• Mum's $8000 + $5000 gift Arctic.
• Issues with house.  Mum ok to contribute
• $11,000 + $6000 dividend payment
• Give up dex: Save $960 per year
• $5000 interest income (Maquarrie Bank)
• Extra $1200  per year for small room
• Found a housemate before going to South Africa for a month (save $1470)
• Martin not have cancer
• Didn't crash my car when changing lane (so close)
• Finances in order
• Car overheated but not a problem.
• Realisation mum gets all income, feel fine re her donations.

 

Arctic photography

• Got R5, not R6 - allowed cropping. 
• R5 and animal eye detection
• 100 - 500 lens.
• I had the funds for camera.  If had invested, would I have bought camera ?  Was sinking very fast.
• Richard asked for gear list. I got to mention Canon R5!
• Back button focusing.
• 16 mm lens cheap - decider
• iPhone takes amazing wide shots and people photos.
• Back into wildlife and birding photography with a vengeance. I’m good at it. 
• Mount works with other canon lenses
• Success of Taronga gave me confidence
• Tanya helped me select photos.
• Nailed first polar bear with R5.  Mum and cubs. Great for confidence. 
• Polar bear & cub,  Boat on shore,  Puffin,  Guillemots in 
• Slideshow on ship. Amazing feedback.

The Arctic

• Gavin making it happen
• Wonderful team: Gavin, Tania, Richard
• Time to prepare and research
• Expedition not effected by strike.
• My MacBook Pro - Lightroom lightning fast with big files
• Got flight out of Longyearbyen by refresh
• Got flight back landing only 1 day later (ok for Liza) flying partly with Quatar (gold so put bags through, lounge, use credits so Gavin not need to pay)
• Chris look after Mack.
• Only one in group not to get sick.
• A triumph photographically and socially
• A time I wondered if I could. Dark night of soul. 
• Pulled the lessons off using experts.
• Not delayed in Arctic for extra weeks: Liza not off side. 
• Richard not snore much.
• Richard not scary at all.
• Come home: finances 170 k, expecting 150 k
• None of us had COVID before

The Arctic:  Strike and meds 

• Not think about possibility of strike at end effecting meds. Or at beginning (would have ruined the start.)
• Got meds in The Arctic. Had in stock. Friendly Dr. 
• Only 1 day of low dex and a day of stress in Longyearbyen. 
• Gavin find out about meds - mind easier, allow to go to dose of 7. 
• Gavin researched and assured.
• Got 100 Dex in Longyearbyen

Gratitude (2021)

Various

• Chris fixed watering system
• Did not buy MacBook Pro - before new chip
• Extra 3 supplies of dex! 9 per day for months
• Keys left in garage, returned to me (label)
• Did not get Covid from Christina

Mack

• Mack teeth - ok
• Mack lost and found (and Liza not home)

Financial

• Michael: $10,000
• Extra dividends $3K not expecting

Wisdom Trove

• Wordpress security: hacked but no spyware, no account taken over
• Staging slow because of different plugin

Christina

• Wonderful housemate
• Gets on so well with Martin

Finances

• Still got $178 k after buying Macbook ($5500) and Wisdom Trove development

Partition

• Partition is so great. Perfect for work from home.
• Glass partition:  Jo for idea,  3 responses,  cheaper than expect,  installed over flooring,  partition not too wide
• Electricity problem upstairs not partition
• Glass partition great and electrical issue solved in few hours (not from roof, or needing partition out)
• Partition no charge $600

Car

• Getting car out of Bunnings
• Steve and car ($600)
• Car engine overheat (only $200)
• Accident miss in car (so close) 

Finding Mack after he got lost

Gratitude (2020)

Computer and software

• Evernote redesign with great search
• Did not have Google accounts suspended and Google slides deleted
• Found Jilly great computer. Office Work had.
• External hard drive ok (thanks Martin)

Finances

• $20000 super payout

Lost and found

• Lost phone on Manly Scenic Walk, got back
• Left phone in cinema. "Find my phone" gave me peace. Got it back.
• Thought I’d lost keys, gave to Lydia

More

• Reissued ticket for plane flight, booked in ahead of airport
• Flu vaccine at Jilly - able to get certificate
• Stove working (tripped)
• Car battery: got started at RNP
• Double booked Marion and Liza: solutions
• Mack glucose ok
• Car crash avoided - such luck
• Airpods Gavin

Next door going up

Thankfully its not as high as I feared and does not effect my sunlight in the slightest.

Gratitude (2019)

• Mum $ 20,000
• Labor didn’t get in (capital gains on house, trusts taxed, dividend credits)
• Left iPad at Nic, not on train
• Didn’t lose Wisdom Trove - backups worked
• Health: prostrate fine, blood pressure ok, neck ok
• Building next door not too high and up quick
• Air conditioning not need $2000 electrical circuit
• Airconditioning: looks good, colour matches walls
• Dani baby

Grateful (2018)

Financial

• Tax clearance from SARS
• 165. Dreamed of 42. At one time, expected -20.
• Went with Finglobal.  Imagine I had gone solo !!
• Market and exchange rate very kind to me. If not delayed, $10 K less on exchange rate alone.
• Markets smashed just after got RA money.
• South Africa shares down 25% and Rand from 9.00 to 11.00.

More

• Wallet on bus
• Reducing dex and getting a high. 
• All conducive for coming off dex.  Just happening.
• Not get fine for U-turn
• Not lose car keys (jacket round waste)

Thank you poem

A beautiful poem Aimee wrote to say thank you for helping her with her site.

Gratitude (2017)

Housemates

• Did not rush to make Srini leave
• Sharmista paid her rent without threat
• Martin and Kate: Two beautiful new housemates

DIY

• Wood right size for hole in dining room & found exact varnish.
• Bath paint came off.

Financial

• 60 K for RA
• Did not lose my iPhone on beach
• Don’t need to pay tax on mum’s money

In Cambodia

• Did not jump first at Kiev Island.
• Didn’t get lost without water on Kiev.
• Got safely through jungle in dark.

More

• Mack’s paw fine
• Warrenbungles
• Hot-spotting with iPhone for Mac and iPad
• Aimee not see porn.

Gratitude (2016)

Grateful for

• Srini moving in
• Gaia not hit head
• Resentment not expressed to Sue and Chris
• Didn't smash nose or worse at Silvermine
• Glasses - replace long distance ones
• Mum money nearly 50 K loan

DIY

• Milly peeing - no rush to do floors
• Did get black vanity (thought I'd got white)
• Found discontinued floors
• Grey caulk fills cracks
• Abundance opened by renting 3rd room
• DIY budget not into red  ($20K)
• Bunnings receipt found

Gratitude (2015)

Computer

• Got my Mac computer
• My Mac not destroyed by concrete

Safety

• Didn't hurt myself in DIY.  Blade closed on finger. Stand on blade. And more.
• I didn't hurt myself during mania. Could have, so easily.

House

• Balcony ended up ok
• Chris cleaned yard
• Balcony done before storms

More

• Mum's gifts of flight, shoes, cash
• Feet let me hike
• Memory cards and car keys not lost
• Millie peed, taking pressure off floors.
• Didn't waste money on useless purchases

Gratitude (2014)

• Chrisel didn't see pills
• Didn't get hit by the car when jumped for Mack. 
• Dani on track for kids. Heard about relationship when I was strong. 
• Lights in dining room ok. 
• Meeting Srini
• Meeting the hiking gang
• Car not fried (battery charge) 
• Leaking ceiling - not copper pipes. 
• The wedding photos were not corrupted. 
• Staggered pill so much better - doubled my ability to work, increased sense of well being. 
• Dani got back to me (after usb, after book.)  Liked my post. 
• Dylan better. 
• Shooting stars on Breede when bless Dani.
• Russell in South Africa when I was

Gratitude (2013)

Safety

• Eye not poked by balcony plant.
• Didn't hit the rock when I jumped into Hawkesbury. 

Finances

• No late fee from ATO ($800)
• $4,500 in tax refunds

More

• Being asked to show my photos by Hans 
• Neri's gift of Game of Thrones and Walking Dead - perfect time.
• Asked Essence for help with what to do re Xanax running out - turned out to be 5 mg, not 2.5!!!  Miracle! 

Gratitude (2012)

Wisdom Trove starting

• Part time - so able to focus on Wisdom Trove.
• Came across Brian Johnson's Entheos

Kruger

• Saw leopard in Kruger, so very close 
• Did not go back to Cape Town but stayed in Kruger and saw leopard 
• mum's calls in Kruger 
• There was cash and food in Kruger 
• Got to Kruger gate in time 
• 300 mm lens was much better than 500 mm in Kruger 
• Wild dog in Kruger on last night 
• Animals had babies in Kruger 
• Camp sites not full in Kruger - flexibility 
• Neck was ok in Kruger despite heavy lens 
• Giant Eagle owl, cheetah, European bee eater (great photo) in Kruger 

Gratitude (2010)

A new lease on life

• Teaching provides a new lease on life
• Meds.

More

• Liza into Mack's life.
• Russell visit and the Wentworth Falls experience 

Gratitude (2009)

Ally

• Ally left by her own choice
• Ally found someone quickly
• Having Ally in my life

Photography

• Photography and photo editing to sustain me

Gratitude (2008)

King Street

• Got gazumped on Neutral Bay, so got King Street
• Buying our house when we did (before prices started to rise fast beyond our budget)
• Mum's generosity

Home life

• Getting Mack
• Andreas and Ingrid in our lives

Travel

• Uluru
• New Zealand
• Tasmania