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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 17, 2021 16:00:26 GMT
In Marseille yesterday, the sky was full of Canadair planes (water bombers) because there was a fire in one of the outlying districts, with the Mistral going full blast. But they vanquished the fire.
Actually, I was at Notre Dame de la Garde at the top of Marseille and did not see any trace of a fire. But since I saw plenty of Canadairs, I thought they just might be on a training mission.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 17, 2021 16:02:00 GMT
If a fire was to break out across the road from our house I think we would soon be on fire. The trees are Pacific Redwoods and a host of other trees - being a farm. The problem is generally the underbrush, not the trees. Is the underbrush kept trimmed properly?
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Post by tod2 on Aug 17, 2021 16:08:53 GMT
Now that you mention it there is green grass under the trees. I have not heard cows mooing lately but they were kept more in the open pasture. What I dread is huge plumes of fire sending hot ash onto places near and starting a fire that way. Our nearest "dangerous" tree is a Liquid Amber over 100 years old and really really huge. In a December storm one year if fell sideways onto my house but luckily the distance between us meant that the very top of the tree came crashing against our wall and windows. No heavy branches. Nearer to our pool is a Plane tree. That could be a problem but I have a handy water tap nearby.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 17, 2021 16:18:08 GMT
I went for my eye test today. I passed the test for a Drivers License and even could read letters for three more teeny rows. It is a relief not to have to put my eyes anywhere near that germ ridden machine. No sanitizing between people just for health's sake. Now to go and renew my license. While I was at the optometrist I got a quote for new sunglasses that I can read with and see far distance. Another R10,000 for two pairs.
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Post by questa on Aug 17, 2021 23:15:25 GMT
If a fire was to break out across the road from our house I think we would soon be on fire. The trees are Pacific Redwoods and a host of other trees - being a farm. I'm a bit concerned about your fire risk, good buddy. Have you gathered up your "must save" items and put them where you can "grab and go" just in case? Will you stay and fight a fire with just one tap? what's the pressure like? How far can the hose reach? Trees in a hot or windy area send out embers which can drop miles away from the main fire and start more fires...are you down wind of the main blaze? The Canadian guys are fantastic, they can fly through thick smoke and bomb right on the spot it is needed to 50 metres. Stay safe
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Post by questa on Aug 17, 2021 23:34:51 GMT
I'm not enjoying using the sewing machine (or THAT INFERNAL MACHINE as I call it). Jeffers seems to think that I should know how to work it by now...because I'm a girl. My very loud cussing (as I again fail completely to sew a straight line) has sent husband, son AND dog scuttling for cover. It won't be the first overlocker/infernal machine to be thrown across the room. 11pm, son #1 has just remembered he needs a library bag for school next day, machine unco-operative...Take that!
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Post by tod2 on Aug 18, 2021 10:54:58 GMT
Questa we would have to get the Fire Brigade even though we have numerous taps throughout the garden each with a hose. The mains water pressure is very strong but if we were to use tank water that has only the pressure from the volume of 5,000L each and the fall from where they are mounted to the garden and house. No pressure really. One good thing is we have a Fire Hydrant opposite our property so easy for firemen to connect their hose. So far in all the 41 years we have been here the only big fire on the farm was a clump of bamboos going up in flames and quite a way from us. But you are right about embers dropping miles away especially in a high wind.
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Post by questa on Aug 18, 2021 12:18:43 GMT
Bamboo is unpredictable when on fire...each section heats and explodes shooting bits of bamboo whereever. Naughty little boys liven up the cremation ceremonies by lighting a narrow bamboo and tossing it near the girls. A bang and a squeal and a clip from mum, then the bamboo goes Bang and everyone startles
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Post by tod2 on Aug 19, 2021 7:10:11 GMT
Yes indeed Questa , it does explode with a huge bang if it is as large as the bamboo bunch that caught fire ( I believe on purpose). They were huge thick poles and the explosions were so scary I thought a cache of ammunition - long buried and forgotten - had been set alight. Only later did I find out it was only bamboo!
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Post by questa on Aug 21, 2021 7:40:59 GMT
Sophie has been with me 12 days now and she is a different girl. Her fur has grown back and is white and fluffy with one area as big as an egg still inflamed a bit. It was the heavy rough coat worn 24/24 that got it started then it just took off and spread. I made a diluted Betadine solution and painted her sore places and in 2 days most were healing. I am using a natural thick cream now and she just lies on a towel while I massage her. She looks so pretty now with her white curls.
Someone at sometime has taught her manners. She avoids being underfoot and waits until I give permission to eat. All the obedience tests have been taught but she has become a bit forgetful now. When we are out walking, she walks on my left and keeps up with my heel, trotting along like she is on a mission. Visitors are met with a couple of "wuffs" but when a stranger came to my place, he got the fortissimo version and she stayed close to him the whole time. I will try to post a couple of snaps when I get time. BTW...had my second jab today so now I am 10 feet tall and bullet proof.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 21, 2021 9:25:08 GMT
...finish the sentence. I'm glad that Sophie has a nice home now and someone who knows how to look after her.
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Post by questa on Aug 21, 2021 9:57:50 GMT
I'm so tired I hit the Enter key when I had only just started the post. Thanks K2.
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Post by mickthecactus on Aug 21, 2021 10:16:55 GMT
...finish the sentence. I'm glad that Sophie has a nice home now and someone who knows how to look after her. Absolutely! Is she good at night?
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Post by mich64 on Aug 21, 2021 12:05:28 GMT
Questa that is a great news update. Very happy for you and Sophie. She will thrive in the love and care you are giving to her. Congratulations on getting your second vaccine as well!
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Post by questa on Aug 21, 2021 12:18:19 GMT
I feed her about 7pm then brush her and treat skin, she watches TV on my lap then about 8pm she wanders around and comes to my chair, puts her feet up on it and whimpers a bit. This means "I want to go outside...you know..." I put her on her lead and we do a 5 minute stroll in the gardens. She always obliges then we go inside.
She has a 'donut' soft sleeping cushion which I fetch and put on her side of the double bed ( cushion is her 'safe' place so is in the family room by day.)She hits the cushion and is asleep in minutes. I sleep on the other side of the bed and fall asleep to her gentle snores about 10-11pm. She sleeps right through to 7am It will be interesting to see what happens if I have one of my 'sleep walking dreams', I hope she will wake me up .
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Post by mickthecactus on Aug 21, 2021 12:36:13 GMT
That is really good to hear questa. You have both definitely fallen in your feet.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 22, 2021 14:01:04 GMT
Oh Questa I am thrilled to bits! She is so grateful to you. The saviour of the Human (and dog race)!
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 22, 2021 15:37:46 GMT
If the previous carers had to deal with 20 or so dogs, it is not impossible that they thought that keeping Sophie's coat on was actually protecting the infected areas. Obviously a very bad idea!
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Post by lugg on Aug 22, 2021 21:00:39 GMT
Just caught up about Sophie - she is lucky to have found you but I guess you feel the same.
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Post by questa on Aug 23, 2021 1:28:29 GMT
That I could believe, Kerouac, if dogs were kept in kennels awaiting adoption, but things are different now. When a dog is surrendered to one of the many "re-homing organizations" it is not put into kennels but given to a volunteer family who give it a normal family life while it is given full medical and behavioural assessment. Depending on the dog's former life sometimes it needs trainers to sort out bad habits or surgery, dental work etc from professionals who donate their time.
When the dog is ready a report is written describing the pet and the family it would be most suited to. Then a description and photos are lodged with the web site and the applications start rolling in.
The application process is lengthy and checks your history with dogs, what you can offer, why you want this dog etc. If it is decided you make a good match, you get to meet the dog to see how it feels about you. If you pass this then the owner of the comes out and checks the home, fencing and dog facilities and you have the dog on a 4 week trial.
If this goes well you get her registration, microchip info etc. You pay a set fee ($500 down from $600 as she is a "senior" ) no matter what expenses she incurred. They have a rule that, if needed they will take her back and let her live out her life with a family.
Over 3 years I applied for about 12 dogs. The filters were great and I could easily find a dog...then the size filter would indicate 1 or 2 dogs available! COMID has resulted in a large demand for small pooches.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 23, 2021 7:07:59 GMT
Golly that is jumping through hoop after hoop and in the animals interest of course but in my opinion it doesn't take a rocket scientist to asses a person or their home with just a little visit. When a person like you applies and has gone to some trouble to "prepare the nursery" as it were, little Sophie should have been yours long ago. Now what can I say about that huge fee?! Comparing it to animal rescue here called SPCA, I am quite sure the animal is free with perhaps a donation. A year ago or longer I picked up a teeny little week old kitten in a busy road and took it to the SPCA. As it need immediate medical attention I donated R500 ( about $10?) and hoped it did OK. Even though these animals are free , hundred get euthanized every week especially the older ones. We still have that puppy for Xmas this year and abandon it as not suitable a few years later. Terrible shortsightedness.
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Post by questa on Aug 23, 2021 8:17:26 GMT
The whole system is designed to prevent Euthanasia, and family pets being stolen for dog-fighting.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 23, 2021 11:04:46 GMT
Could this be a death-blow for the South African created Nando's? Or are they having a temporary setback? Having closed more that 40 outlets in Britain ( about 10% of its restaurants) after staff shortages hit its chicken supply chain in the latest blow to UK's hospitality sector. I have no idea how they survive here in our city as the two places always appear empty. It could just be that the food delivery businesses are doing a great online business. The latest offer is to order groceries from a certain supermarket and you will have them at your door in 60minutes. Mmmmmm....do I really want somebody rushing around grabbing stuff for me because I forgot to get my act together during the day? Or, am I ill and cant get out? Still - what's the rush..
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 23, 2021 11:18:57 GMT
What drives me crazy is that all of the local supermarkets in my neighbourhood have promised rapid delivery for years -- either buying the stuff in person and having it delivered or ordering it directly online. First, the promise was within 2 hours, then it went down to 1 hour, then it went down to 30 minutes. But on top of that there are virtual supermarkets now that started off promising everything in 30 minutes, then a competitor promised delivery in 20 minutes and now there is one that promises to deliver in 10 minutes. I find it really scary because the next step will be delivering groceries to people before they have even ordered them. Okay, that's a joke, but I pity the poor employees at these places. We've already be horrified by a lot of the reports at how fast you have to work at Amazon but now it's not just groceries but also ink cartridges, liquor, mattresses and god knows what. I am really against all of this instant gratification shopping, but that's because I'm old. I fear that young people will absolutely demand it.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 23, 2021 11:22:37 GMT
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Post by onlyMark on Aug 23, 2021 17:29:45 GMT
I'm not sure how this has happened, regarding technology, but it has. One daughter had a boyfriend for a year or so. He was quite controlling, trying to cut her off from her friends, 'gaslighting' etc. She eventually saw the light as it were, and gave him the boot. He then started to post not nice things on her Facebook account. Nothing major or actionable, just irritating, false and childish. She decided she'd delete the account anyway, so she did. She was in two minds about deleting it for a while, but this tipped the scale to do so. But, after a while she noticed she was getting Facebook notifications in her email. None of them meant anything to her so she was just ignoring them. By the way, her email inbox has thousands of mails because she never does anything with them.
Today she received another one, no idea who the people were, and mentioned it to me. I decided we'd click on it to see what happens. This was on her iPad. A new page opened up wanting a password, so we left it. Then we tried on her iPhone. As I say, no idea what happened or how but facial recognition, her face, and her phone number, opened the account. It was the account of her ex-boyfriend. We clicked around and saw we had full access to it.
We logged out and tried again. Same result. The question is, as I/we have no idea how we can 'unlink' this, do we - a) have some fun (my suggestion) b) have some fun and then delete the account, which we looked at and can do (my suggestion) c) have some fun and then leave it alone (not suggested) d) just ignore it as nothing has happened recently and they've not been in contact with each other, (her suggestion) e) other suggestions?
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 23, 2021 17:37:44 GMT
My first idea is to just make one post on this account along the lines of "I have realised that I am a worthless piece of shit" so that his "friends" can see it and then delete the account. Of course this is dependent on whether or not you think he could become dangerous in any way.
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Post by onlyMark on Aug 23, 2021 19:51:48 GMT
Not dangerous. A coward where males are concerned, full of bluster and only tries it on with females. One of those sorts. His attitude was a slightly milder version of the Taliban's to women. Seen and not heard. In fact, not seen at all but kept bare foot, pregnant and in the kitchen. The daughter thought she could 'change' him. Old story. She had to learn by experience and it was no use us telling her because she became all defensive about him when we tried.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 23, 2021 20:41:57 GMT
... facial recognition, her face, and her phone number, opened the account. He must have a good picture of her & used it to set up facial recognition for the account. Yikes. She needs to block him from her phone & from all forms of social media. Obviously the account he made needs to be deleted. I wonder, since you all can get into it, is there any way to keep him from making a similar account using her data. Re: your suggestion of having some fun, then deleting the account ~ I would say that if by "having some fun" you mean "scaring the shit out of him", by all means do that before deleting the account. Otherwise, just delete.
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Post by onlyMark on Aug 24, 2021 7:26:38 GMT
He's been blocked on her other media for a long while. It's just this has somehow a 'link' that must have been set up in the past though neither of us can understand how/why he would let her gain access to his FB account. I'd have thought it would have been the other way round. A bit of a mystery. I'm still debating what to do but eventually I'll probably delete it as that my be the best way to get rid of the linkage anyway.
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