2025

MI-SA-LE:   Time flew. Arrived back in the US first week of February. And since then, it was work-work-work, 'cause God is good, all the time. We pitched the greenhouse in the backyard. Got the solar farm up and running. Made a walkway or two. Levelled some areas in the food garden. Sandbagged some terrace walls. I'm digging out the wild grass instead of cutting it. Unfortunately, but not surprising, it keeps coming back from seed. But I'm convinced, that slowly but surely, I will get the upper hand on it.

The nightmare of ants just continue. It's a serious disaster .

We tested a few crops in the food garden and learned a lot. Food production and success, specifically survival food, improved with leaps and bounds. Last winter the garden survived fairly well due to extensive preparations. I pray the trend will continue.

The unexpected hail storm that was announced screaming through all phone emergency alerts, was the most outstanding experience of 2025.  The garden paid a heartbreaking price. Gutters and window screens were holed and the satellite antennae was knocked out of order, fortunately in the meantime replaced. 

Two antique cars were sold and had to be moved out of the over full garage below the house. It was a delight to see a professional wrecker handling and maneuvering in matchstick spaces and u-bend curves, his tow-truck and the cars. Professional, is definitively the applicable word, with a star for excellence. One so seldom today have the honor of seeing a pro absorbed in the job and with life zest.

We are healthy. We have love and blessings. Praise God.

2024 Update

JIM:  Well, 2024 came and went and I didn't write a summary! Been just too busy. You have to forgive me, it was just the second year of our honeymoon. And I got the second knee replacement.

I started cleaning out my car collection. At the beginning of the year I had 12 cars. Down from an historical peak of 32 cars. I started giving them away to friends just to make space in the garage. By the end of 2024 I was down to just 9 cars. I am going to start collecting smaller things like pennies or diamonds. They are just easier to store.

This is the year I got my second knee replaced. It was painful and if I had remembered how painful the first one was I probably have voted "NO!" but we don't remember unpleasant things so I said "YES". I am glad I did because I am now fully mobile and recovering 40 years of age. I highly recommend knee replacement. It hurts but you will forget in time. And, it will take 40 years off your life! I wish I had done it 15 years ago! Only downside was that in October when Misale went to Africa, I was not yet healed enough to make the trip with her so she went alone. She brought me back a beautiful walking cane with the handle made with the tusk of an African Warthog. Maybe next year I will make the trip to her ancestral home in Namibia before politics makes it impossible.

This was the year I solved the TGN problem. If you know what it is I don't have to explain it, if you don't, I hope you never know. But for those of you that may be suffering from it and are tired of having the doctor tell you the cure is vicious drugs or brain surgery (I am sorry, it IS brain surgery any time you have to drill a hole in your skull) I found my cure. It worked for me but your mileage may vary.
It seems that the French are way ahead of us on this problem. They treat it with DMSO. It reduced mine from a severe attack every 5-6 weeks to one, much milder attack, once a year.

Looking forward to 2025, we have several projects lined up. Number one is to continue to bring "Our Sanctuary" up to the beauty we envision. The plan is several gardens of different flavors. There will be an Orchid garden, a Survival garden, a Japanese garden, a Greek garden, a Desert garden and more. Perhaps 7 gardens connected by wooden paths.

MI-SA-LE:  2024 in hindsight:

2024 seems to be very long, long in the past. Yet it's only 365 days ago.. We went twice to California and visited Jim's sister and niece. Jim took me around 'the block' in his childhood hometown down memory lane. And in many ways it was frustrating to be confronted with the fact that memories of the past are only applicable and valuable for those who were in it. Life has moved on and what was, is no more. However, I could envisage his stories and enjoyed meeting his family.

I thoroughly enjoyed the drive through the desert both ways and seeing all the different cacti. One time it was flowers as far as the eye could see. Beautiful.

The recovery road of Jim's second knee replacement was tiresome, long and frustrating. But the end result is 100% improvement.

2024 was a year of travelling. I visited my youngest son in Equador for his wedding. The little sightseeing we did in-between was very interesting. I loved the old city in Guayaquil with its murals.

October I went to Africa for a few months. Our initial plans were that Jim would go with me to meet my family. But his facial pains ruled that he would stay in the US and try to get it sorted. It is always very nice to be with my sibs and few friends. I thoroughly enjoyed myself basking in the love of loved ones. The visit was too short.

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