Sunday, 18 March 2012

Mother of three - two week special!

My roomie is away this fortnight so I have the privilege of being not only a zebra mummy, but surrogate mummy to the two lovely dogs who share our room; Lala and Jaci. 





"A dog wags its tail with its heart" - Martin Buxbaum


When my roomie was packing Lala took one look at the bags and jumped on my bed - animals can be so clever! Lala has finally stolen her way into my heart a little and gets some bed space and film watching privileges. She also chats away, making whiny and groany noises, quite often (and humorously) at just the right point in the conversation. She has also developed a bit of a jealous dislike of Benny as they have to share my attention, and barks at him whenever I am around (either that or she thinks he is a MASSIVE dog). It seems she does think a lot of me though as I have just returned from a carnivore feed to two presents - an oryx tail outside the office and an oryx testicle under my desk - I am just thankful it wasn't on my bed!





Jaci is also a really lovely dog, but generally sleeps outside. She is a real protectoress and looks after us barking at even the smallest things, and checking on us at regular intervals, a real little lioness (metaphorically for those of you wondering - you never know with this place). 

 "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself"- Josh Billings



The two little pups Alfie and Noodle have grown already and everyone has fallen in love with them.

Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies." Gene Hill 



Benny the baby zebra has gotten much stronger and healthier and his stomach finally seems on track, you may think this is unnecessary to mention here, but having had a bad tummy for most of his life its a real achievement and hopefully means he might be able to start going out with other animals!

He has taken to following me round quite a lot, one of the staff found him in my room sniffing at my things today, which is uber cute, but I think it is time he got some friends his own shape, or at least four legged, as he seems a little lonely.

"A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world." - Leo Buscaglia

Mr Benjamin has had a rather adventurous week,  we tested whether or not he could be in the larger chicken pen at night rather than his smaller stable, I left him out for a couple of hours as we went up to the lodge for dinner and returned to a zebra with a cut nose, it didn't seem to bother him at all, but still, we will be waiting a bit longer before trying that again. On Friday we rasped his hooves - as a mountain zebra walking on rocks etc would normally wear them down naturally, but here he doesn't get that exposure so we have to do it for him. It took four of us and resulted in a VERY grumpy zebra with only three rasped hooves. I had a lot of making up to do! That said, today he actually lay down and rolled on his belly in front of me to get a good scratch, this was followed up by a show of his strength which has finally started to kick in and he started to get a little aggressive with me, trying to push me around and boss me about, so we had our first tiff!

"A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same."- Elbert Hubbard 

"A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down." - Arnold H. Glasow
[She thought from under the angry zebra]



Everyone seems to have an adopted animal at the moment, with the puppies, the baby baboon, the zebra and the mongoose it has become quite comical as we walk around the farm we seem to come in two's, which really made me chuckle as Benny and I walked past one of the wildlife guys and his puppy and one of the researchers and his mongoose.

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine." - Thomas Jefferson

There are so many unusual life moments and strange comedic times that sometimes you just have to laugh here. Most days start with a morning meeting that involves most of the staff, several children and several animals with a bubbling under current of chaos and chuckling at animal /child antics. 

"Anything you build on a large scale or with intense passion invites chaos." - Francis Ford Coppola

Some other particularly comedic moments of the week included the staff discussing picking up 300 Springbok heads from Gobabis to feed the carnivores over dinner, in front of a new volunteer who politely ignored us. And the discussion of feeding the carnivores turkey rolls, I couldn't help but crack a few Bernard Matthews jokes. Aside from the documentaries I think we would lend ourselves to a sitcom quite well!

"Boootiful" - Bernard Matthews


Just been on a great carnivore feed, my first since I got back, and got to throw half an oryx head (the top half, so I was lucky enough to have the ears to hang on to) over to one of our male lions. I will spare you a piccie here!

On a more serious note we have had lots of great coverage from articles on the National Geographic website to two contacts from journalists from LARGE publications, totally out of the blue today....watch this space! You should have seen me stood outside the office on the phone to the senior editor of such and such with 6 baboons coming at me and about to run into my room and trash the place!

Life is never perfect, but I am lucky enough to say that most days I am  here I am extraordinarily happy. Things don't always go to plan, there are frustrations and bad days happen, but generally life is good. 


"People tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will descend like fine weather if you are fortunate. But happiness is a result of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly" - Elizabeth Gilbert

Despite being on an African Wildlife Sanctuary and life being seemingly idyllic, life and death, good and bad, calm and crisis can find you anywhere. This week came a reminder (in the form of a good friends tragic news) that life is precious, to be respected, enjoyed and never feared. Some people touch your lives and your hearts and make a real difference to the make up of who you are, these people are rare and to be treasured and their loss can be unbearable.

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. "Albert Schweitzer 


You have one life and one set of opportunities don't waste a moment of it. 

Sunday, 11 March 2012

How do you get the mud out?

What a jam packed week, I have just sat down to write this and can't believe how much has happened! Still plenty of wine and work as last week (well as always)...

"A leopard never changes its spots." -  Anon 
[A quote and pun in one, oh dear, oh dear!]

We have had more new arrivals, our TV show premiered and there has been some crazy animal behavior!

Here are our new arrivals....

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms" - 
George Eliot


 Sebastian Julius Mongoose 
(a yellow mongoose handed to us by a man that ran over an oryx accidentally - unless I have mixed up two stories here - and yes running over an oryx must be a fairly scary experience!)


We also have two new and adorable jack russell pups Alfie and his brother Noodle, below is Alfie curled up on my knee.


Far too many baby animals around at the moment, everyone's mothering instincts seem to be coming out, and that's just the chaps!

"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals" - anon

As you can see there are lots of cute animals wandering around, however whats in the box in the office? 


Awesome, a baby cape cobra!

(On a wildlife sanctuary in Africa, always ask the question, never just peek)



This new arrival was set free on a nearby farm - its nice to give your neighbours a present from time to time!

"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift." - Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur

Bobby the baboon is getting bigger and bolder, he is becoming really cheeky and taking more and more risks, like heading from the lappa (kitchen) to food prep on his own on the other side of the compound, approaching the bigger volunteers and staff, which was especially hilarious today as he was screaming and running up to one of our 6ft something big Afrikaans fellas. The other day he was on top of a chair and he and Benny (zebra) were sniffing each other - I am sure they are so used to us kissing them that they were greeting each other as we greet them.
 (Spot the anthropomorphism!) 

The boldest thing he did this week though was to attempt giving Cubbie the baby cheetah 'the eye' (an aggressive baboon threat) and climb up his fence. Having slipped a disc three times last year I have not moved quite that fast in a while, but needless today we still have a baboon in one piece!

"It's hard to be brave when you are a very small animal" - anon
[unless you are a baboon]


Benny the Zebra is growing stronger and healthier too. One evening this week everyone had gone to bed and I was the only one up feeding him, it was a very still evening and I could hear Meatball out lion roaring, echoing all round the courtyard. In the dark at about midnight when no one is about you do start to wonder if he could just be strolling about looking for some dinner. I have to admit I did have a little moment thinking about how vulnerable life is! I nearly ended up staying inBenny's bedroom, never mind him in mine!



Tuesday evening was the premier of our new 13 part TV show Wild Animal Orphans, so we all went up to the Directors house for a braai, a few drinks and to see the show. Lovely evening, and great to see the show on the farm and in the house where it was filmed,  with all the staff and volunteers and three dogs (one puppy), one baboon and the usual chaos, where better to watch it?! 

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill

Thursday was a successful day spent in town, picking up a donation of 2 computers and printers, unsuccessfully looking for a pressie for Brad and Angie, meeting a supporter who runs a local radio station, running errands and squeezing in a lekker breakfast of Eggs Benedict!

"Sure it's a big job; but I don't know anyone who can do it better than I can." -  John F. Kennedy

Thursday saw the escape of four of the adult baboons into the junior camp and two of the juniors out into the wider compound. Bloomie the junior alpha decided there was no way she would be acting as protector and hopped straight out. Luckily all the staff were relaxing over a few beers by the staff bedrooms and all jumped into action, other staff from the houses heard the commotion and ran down and slowly order was restored with only one casualty - one of our adult baboons took some bites and a nasty shock from the fence and had to be rushed to Windhoek for expert veterinary care, she is now recovering really well though.

This is my weekend off, so hoping for a lovely lie in...

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Saturday morning's alarm clock, twelve sheep outside my window - baaaaaaaaa!



Well, I am up so I might as well go enjoy myself!

Swimming in Cheetah Dam, the open water compulsion kicks in and despite being in white I plunge right into the large orange puddle...

[Thinking about the nurse back at home who said not to paddle with bare feet, or drink milk, or swim in water that's not flowing, and to 'exercise caution' at all times, yeah yeah blah blah]


"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one." - Dr. Seuss
One swim, one raft race and several mud fights later....white is now not so white.... mum can I send my washing home please?!)


I dont think that will be worn off the farm again !!

"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way."- Mark Twain

The below image is the sort of thing we are used to here, the animals get involved in everything, meal times, day to day activities and farm work.... welding with a baboon on your back, totally normal!


Just for a change there is a storm on the way...

"It's hard to be brave when you are a very small animal" - anon

[especially when you are a dog and there is a storm coming, hiding under the bed seems a good option - poor Jaci]



Met some very inspirational new supporters this week who have really lived life to the full, taken all their opportunities, embraced life, and given so much back. I want to hit their age and have the same type of stories to tell. Perhaps I already do?

"Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity and responsibility to give something back by becoming more" - Anthony Robbins

Sunday, 4 March 2012

Day to day

Crazy hectic week of work and wine! Between relaxing with friends in an evening, a launch event for 4 new projects, lots of press releases and PR, a birthday celebration braai (with some of the best steak I have ever eaten) and initiation evening its been a very crazy week! I even managed to fit in a political debate about the state of Japan, post nuclear incident!

"If you want something doing ask a busy woman" - not sure if this is a general quote or just from my mum!!

There have been a few new work things for me to learn, which I was naturally nervous about, so a few long days were pulled (16 and 12 hours respectively), but everything went well and I am really pleased with what the team achieved and what I achieved personally.

"Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood"- Marie Curie

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes." - Benjamin Disraeli

Had an interesting chat with our director about what makes one happy and striving to achieve that, its not money, or material things, its a purpose in life, achieving things and doing the thing that is right for you. I feel lucky to be in a place where most of us are striving to do a good thing, give and achieve and work together as a close team in order to reach that end.

"If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die."- Maya Angelou

"There is only one success - to spend your life in your own way." - Christopher Morley  

"Don't limit investing to the financial world. Invest something of yourself, and you will be richly rewarded." - Charles Schwab  
As the week has mostly consisted of work and wine - there is only so much you can say about that, so for those of you who haven't been here and wonder what the daily life looks like, here are a few photos of day to day life. Most of these have been taken on a quiet Sunday, so few people, but you will get the general impression of how we live.....

Most of the staff team (and some of the kids), on our early morning sunrise sky lantern video trip.


Directly on the farm right on the doorstep we have lots of wildlife and open space to relax and enjoy....the chicken, goose, duck, peacock, zebra, dukier and turkey pen 


Here's Lala one of the farm dogs who sleeps in with me and my roomie


Our school for the bushmen employees children


 Our rooms


The office



Benny the zebra outside our rooms with his blue face - he cut his face (minorly) in the week so we had to use some vet spray to stop it getting infected. Not often you see a blue faced mountain zebra.


Before I arrived one of our land rovers was sent in to get its air con fixed, it was there a few weeks, then test driven, a couple of things broke, got fixed and we were called to collect it, what's the one thing that is not fixed........? The air con of course!! Good job we have a sense of humour! TIA 

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Landrovers and garage.


Adult baboons (50 metres from my door)



Oh wait, no, thats not a baboon! thats my roomie!


Our room


Jacki our other dog who watches over us from the bathroom


Food prep where all the animals food is prepared


Cubbie - the young cheetah


View from the tents



Today I found myself with a zebra cuddled up to my lap (just his head, he is quite big now) and a baboon on my head chatting to one of our lovely new volunteers about PR and marketing (her area too), brainstorming some ideas and talking about our promotion strategy. Now that's what I call work- even on a Sunday. Do I miss a normal work environment - does a bear wear a funny hat?! Does the pope poo in the woods?!


"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing" - Dale Carnegie

I think there is a lot of good to come out of the next few months, a lot to learn, a lot to give and in return a lot to be rewarded with - this next one made me laugh.....


"I'm so optimistic I'd go after Moby Dick in a row boat and take the tartar sauce with me." - Zig Ziglar