Happy Easter! No eggs, but 3 days off and a treat!

Over the last week, some of the long time volunteers all seem to have left at once and new ones arrived, its amazing how the dynamics of the place shift and change in a few days with the arrival and departure of different personalities. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, sometimes the place is just different.

“The greater the loyalty of a group toward the group, the greater the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals” – Rensis Liker

“Committee -  a group of men who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done” – Fred Allan

Monday morning wasn't just your average day, I am busy typing away and look up to see a Spanish film crew over my shoulder, filming for a documentary on carnivores and release methods. So far in the last fortnight I have found myself in the background of footage for both this documentary and a German kids TV show - as they filmed the release (don't worry I'll issues autographs later!)

"Worldly fame is but a breath of wind, that blows now this way, now that, and changes name as it changes sides." – Dante

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” – John Wooden 

German film crew at the release

This last weekend has seen the Easter break. I was very lucky and my weekend off fell over the bank holiday, meaning I got three days off in a row - practically unheard of! I was contemplating going on a three day safari, but left it far too late to book and everything seemed to go wrong when I tried. Taking the cosmic hint I called our lodge to see if there was any room left and on Thursday evening booked out our last chalet. A little extravagant as an Easter present to oneself yes, but better than a chocolate egg me thinks! The best relax I have had in ages. Friday I spent by the pool sipping chardonnay and reading two books, luxury. Before returning back to the farm for a lazy Friday evening.

Saturday saw a trip to town, some shopping and a sushi lunch, now I have found a decent sushi bar I am not sure I will ever leave Namibia!

Saturday evening was a fundraising party, and the theme should have been 'carnage' rather than 'Easter'!

Luckily for everyone involved I didn't have a camera and luckily for me haven't yet seen any pics from others, but a few snippets include repetitive singing and dancing to Kaptein, Journey and Wakawaka; everyone ending up in the pool at about midnight; several people wrestling and someone cracking a rib;  and the fire poi being brought out and someone setting their hair alight. Aside from the funny stories the best thing was that everyone was on top form and we simply had a great night and a real craic.


"The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done." - George Carlin

Below were the main culprits of the evening - The Springbok (amarula and mint- totally lekker) and The Tequila shot. I am sure we fundraised plenty of money for the animal food at the expense of our health!

"But I'm not so think as you drunk I am." - Sir J.C. Squire

The most exciting thing that has happened this week (well for me anyway) has been the arrival of our new baby zebra. Now not only have we one adorable wee stripey man, but two! 

Frankie arrived to us at a day old, again trapped in a fence and abandoned  we were called in the day he was found and traveled a couple of hours north to go an pick him up. Two of our volunteers sat in the bakkie with him all the way home and when we unloaded him he was tiny and shaky with little wild eyes. We sat with him for a couple of hours reassuring him and trying to get him to feed. I was so excited it was like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one. It took him ages to learn how to feed from the bottle, and I sat patiently stroking him and talking to him. He was so clearly hungry as he was nibbling and sucking my arms and my face, but I sat and let him as he relaxed and got used to me. We tried and tried to feed him and eventually one of the volunteers broke through and just hit the right technique bending over so Frankie's nose touched his belly, just like a mummy zebra and he was off. Once the first couple of days were out of the way he was easy to feed, lively and very social. Benny is slowly getting used to his new play-pal and they are starting to bond now - after Benny's persistent ignoring of him for the first 4 days he now seems to know Frankie is here to stay!

No jokes please, they came with the names, its a coincidence (yet rather amusing to the Brits here!!)

The first few hours, trying to bond and get him to feed.

Day two after a night of intense feeding, alert and healthy.

"There is nothing like a newborn baby to renew your spirit - and to buttress your resolve to make the world a better place." -  Virginia Kelly

Baby zebras like a cuddle just like everyone else

"To love is not a passive thing. To love is active voice. When I love I do something, I function, I give. I do not love in order that I may be loved back again, but for the creative joy of loving. And every time I do so love I am freed, at least a little, by the outgoing of love, from enslavement to that most intolerable of master, myself." -  Bernard Iddings Bell

Oi so tiny!

"When people say that the desert is lifeless, it just makes me want to grab them by the collar and yell, 'Why you stupid, stupid bastard' Then I drive them out into the desert to where the circus is, and point out the many forms of zebra and clown life." – Jack Handey Deep Thoughts

So, I have been here 9 weeks now, this time last year mum would have been just arriving before our tour of the North and a few weeks before I headed home to be greeted by the worst 9 months on record. Amazing how much can happen in a year! But you have to bounce back, take life by the horns and plough forward. If you don't move forward you risk staying where you are....

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,

But, he with a chuckle replied

That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one has done it";

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That "couldn't be done," and you'll do it.

- Edgar Albert Guest

 Nothing is impossible, anything is achievable, believe in yourself, your inner strength and abilities and don't listen to the critics and those that put you down, there will always be someone who thinks he is better or wiser, smarter or quicker, and people who are plain mean. Trust yourself, you know your stuff, that thing that you think can't be done, hop to it....