I can't believe that it has been almost two months since I last posted a blog. Things have happened here and there, but nothing that I thought had any real blog-potential. Then I started going through my pictures. Turns out, I was wrong!
Since my last blog about our trip to Maun, everyone who had been visiting prepared to return to their perspective homes. We had a few parting shots from a visit to our farm:
We did a bit a shopping in the capital city, Gaborone, at the outdoor African Mall - or Main Mall.
(This wasn't while shopping, this is inside the Kenyan Embassy, but I did get this fabulous skirt at the African Mall / Main Mall, and it just so happened to match my purse. Score!)
And then, Martha introduced Precious, Paula and I to a fabulous Malawian tailor, who speaks ChiChewa with Phil, here in Lobatse. Imagine, a tailor! When's the last time you thought about having something tailor-made? He has some lovely fabrics. Precious had a cute dress combination made before she left. Perfection! He even uses some of those old pedal-operated sewing machines!
This wrap skirt he made for me from some material I had picked up in Maputo, Mozambique a couple of years ago.
This wrap skirt he made for me from some material I had picked up in Maputo, Mozambique a couple of years ago.
His shop is a bit chaotic, but not to be fooled. He has about five seamstresses, men and women. Seven days a week you'll find him making beautiful, creative, one of a kind clothing.
Alas, the good times were about to end. But, before they left, Precious decided she wanted to have a special party, one that included killing a goat. Oh, come on! It wasn't as bad as it sounds. Taka killed it nicely. We hung it in the tree to clean; barbecued the meat; saved the skin; and, all around had a jolly good time! Music, dancing, friends, family, wine, whiskey, goat. It was a grand farewell, indeed. Maybe not for the goat...
We have slowly recovered, and have begun to get used to the quiet again. Nigel, Phil's nephew has stayed with us while he prepares for flight school to become a pilot at the International Aviation Solutions (AVS) Academy. Meanwhile, MilkAfric progress continues. Way back when, in February 2016, we sent fourteen young Batswana students to our technical partner, Alliance Dairies, in Trenton, Florida to study at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and train on the dairy. Most had returned by December 2016 after successfully completing the course; we welcomed the three remaining Batswana students home in July.
The construction company, Shovel Projects, CEO Cobus Du Plessis, who will be building our dairy, has visited us many times tweaking the final designs, and has become more than just an architect/ builder - he has become a good friend. The dairy designs have evolved from a grazing dairy to a full-housing dairy, and had to also be approved by the Lobatse Town Council. Cobus and Phil have worked non-stop, including Sundays. The actual site on the farm first started at Point A. We moved it to Point B. Then Point C. And now back to Point A. I can confidently say that, these cows are going to very happy. Not only are there meetings with Shovel Projects, there are meetings with our students - who are now officially "MilkAfric Managers", meetings with the BDC, meetings with the BDC appointed Project Overseer, meetings with the Lobatse Town Council... Contrary to the popular belief that we should have started to milk five years ago, the journey has been filled with stops and starts, road blocks and sprints. We are getting there! Rome was not built in a day, right?
In September, we hosted the Assistant Minister of Trade, Industry, and Investment along with the CEO of Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) and their respective delegations to the farm for a project update. It went very well, and the CEO of BDC proclaimed we will be milking by Christmas. Note to self: Must get a "business suit". Some sort of "business woman's special"...
Somewhere in between all of this, we managed to visit our South African partners, the custodians of our first milking cows - Calmax:
Stopped along the way to follow a sign that said "TAUNG SKULL":
Found a Dr. Pepper at a store in Zeerust, South Africa. This is serious, folks. This was a REAL Dr. Pepper, bottled in TEXAS. Tasted just like home. For those of you zooming in, that is NOT dirt under my thumbnail. It's blood. I stabbed myself with my earring because it's what I have perfected: Clumsiness.
Managed to do a bit of hiking around the gorge at the farm. Side note - the farm is 1,300 hectares. Not all of it is arable, there are hills, etc. During the course of some of these recent meetings, maps emerged that showed the farm boundary in a more specific way than we had been led to believe previously. So, we decided to check it out and found another spectacular gorge. And this cool piece of wood, which is actually an old pestle and mortar, this is the mortar part. That Phil, like a manly man, hiked out for me. It's now a unique piece of furniture in the lounge. Yeah!
Hosted the Project Overseer's delegation, the Mayor of Lobatse and her Town Council delegation, and the BDC delegation to Mpumalanga, South Africa, to visit a dairy called West End Dairies. The purpose of the visit was to showcase the dairy, built by Cobus and Shovel Projects, and the rotary parlour. Although West End's parlour brand was DeLaval and ours will be GEA, it is the same concept, and overall we enjoyed the tour.
The rest of the last two months - just business as usual. Our "neighbor" decided to use our farm as his own personal road to town; we had a quick visit with the Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security - and - our local MP of Lobatse, due to some skull-duggery caused by said "neighbor"; cats and dogs behaving and misbehaving; Teddy Roosevelt got a hair cut; Buddy Holly got some sort of weird throat swelling thingy; and life in general happened. So, Mom, the next time I say to you, "Wwaaaaaaa! I have nothing to blog about!" Make two fists, touch your thumbs together, raise both index fingers forming a giant "W" and place on your forehead.
Such an exciting life you lead. .. . my has been a slow go.. . I broke my ankle in 3 places and had surgery on it. .am now using a knee scooter to get around and started back to work part time this week. But really needed to get things going as I left on vacation on August 28 and Monday was my first day back. . .no weight on it until early November. .did it up right as usual. Slowly but surely getting back on track. I hope you are doing well my love to you and Phil.
ReplyDeleteOMG KATHY! People better get outta your way on that scooter! Sending you a great big hug!! xoxo
DeleteHaha! I totally thought that was dirt. I was just about to send you a message saying 🤢 yuck. Lol. Miss you guys ❤️
ReplyDeleteI knew YOU would notice, lol. Miss you more! xoxo
DeleteThanks for sharing the wonderful pictures and your going on's....
ReplyDeleteSounds like things are shaping up and you will soon be milking...AWESOME....LOVE AND MISS YOU....
Miss you, too! Hope to see everyone in the next few weeks - or at least by Thanksgiving! xoxo
DeleteCows, Dairy, Milking...actually going to take place! It's been a long (one step forward, two steps back) journey!
ReplyDeleteLove the wrap skirt tailor made just for you!
Miss you!
xoxo
Mom
Miss you, too, Moms - will be messing up your house very soon! xoxo
DeleteWow! You have been busy! Where would u get the idea it's been boring. Lol. You look beautiful as always :). I'm glad u found a Dr pepper,I will buy a case when you come home. You and Phil are amazing. I'm glad the dairy is coming along. I have to say, I busted out loud when I saw the picture with the goat. Your face, did not look happy about that. I'm glad you are feeling better. Miss you bunches my friend. Love ya
ReplyDeleteBwhahahahahaha! It's not your everyday meal! LOL. Miss you too! xoxo
DeleteSuch great pictures! I love your skirts, and hair, and dogs, and cows, and...everything! Keep posting!
ReplyDelete