A TLB – Tyrannosaurus Local Bugger-up – engaged in excavating a ditch down by the River, hoiked up an electrical cable, which had been down there forever. The substation took umbrage and all power supply was cut off.<\/p>\n
As this was Wednesday morning fairly early, no big deal. Eskom does this on purpose on a regular basis. This was merely an accident. Not quite as exciting an event as a skeleton dug up by another TLB a few months back.<\/p>\n
Dusk arrived but still no power. Take-aways were the order of the day.<\/p>\n
In the cold of the winter dawn, we contemplated showers. Those with solar heated geysers no doubt smiled. Those with gym cards resigned themselves to exercise so they could shower, courtesy of Virgin Active. Those with neither just sniffed their armpits and carried on.<\/p>\n
Thursday was cold.\u00a0 Fortunately, we could make coffee on a long forgotten gas cylinder found in the garage.<\/p>\n
Night descended! And the students had exams looming – how to study in the dark?<\/p>\n
To the rescue came our own little Florence Nightingale. I counted 45 candles, two battery-powered lights and an incandescent gas lamp. The students were bathed in glorious, scented light. The dining room looked and smelt like a cathedral. I went to the piano to strike up \u201cLand of Hope and Glory\u201d but was promptly sent to my study by Florrie.<\/p>\n
As I write this, by the light of my own three candles, I contemplate a long weekend of 17th-century existence. I really cannot see the laid-back crew working on the enormous transformer at the substation bringing forth light any time soon. What, you may well ask, was that TLB doing, digging down by the river.<\/p>\n
It so happens that, no doubt caused by global climate change, massive ponds form in the hollow in Carden Street just over the railway crossing when we have heavy rain. Our Fuhrer, a man of high connections and a will of iron (not to mention his liver) somehow talked the NMMM (the local authority, aka No More Money, Man) into installing a drain pipe from the road to the River.<\/p>\n
Nobody gave the idea of hope in Hades – but the project has started! It’s a miracle \u2013 mind you, his initials are JC.<\/p>\n
Well, I say it is started, but it hasn’t ended yet. So far the substation has been blown up, and the lucky villagers are saving a fortune in electricity bills.<\/p>\n
The ditch in which the pipe is being laid has got as far as the River. In my humble opinion, such a large operation to lay such wide pipes just to drain a puddle is only half the job.<\/p>\n
Major lakes develop in the Lippstreu Garden when it rains hard for a couple of days. This is no good for brides who wish to have the finest day of their lives captured against the glorious foliage to be found in the Park. Beautiful wedding dresses just don’t go with gumboots.<\/p>\n
Of course, it would be no easy task taking the pipe to the Park, underneath the railway track. I know they have an ingenious drilling machine that digs a tunnel like a mole.<\/p>\n
The railway track was laid down in 1875. Millions of tonnes of rolling stock have compacted the earth beneath the line for close to 140 years. The mole better have sharp teeth! And going by the performance to date, a derailment is not out of the question.<\/p>\n
Let’s assume the pipeline is finally laid down between the Park and the River. As we are probably entering a seven year cycle of drought the pipe will gradually become the happy home of rats, snakes and spiders; the detritus of the Park, grass cuttings, fallen leaves, Egret feathers and the like will soon obliterate any sign of its opening. It will be forgotten by all and sundry.<\/p>\n
One day the heavens will burst up in the KleinWinterhoekberge and the River will come down in flood.<\/p>\n
Now, our floods come in sizes. 2006 is the biggest size, and we don’t even want to talk about that. But smaller sizes like 2011, 1983, 1971 and many others do come up well over the Towpath.<\/p>\n
When this happens next, and that is a sure as death and taxes, the new outlet pipe will be a metre\u00a0underwater. The water level will be well above the rather low-lying Park across the railway line.<\/p>\n
Imagine the River back washing into the Park! Out will come spiders, snakes and rats, followed closely by large crabs, spotted grunter and various fresh water fish from up country, and who knows what else.<\/p>\n
The Lippstreu Garden will become a new fishing spot for our subsistence fishers. They won\u2019t have to walk all the way to the River; they will take their ease in the lovely Park grounds, enjoy a papsak of wine while watching their lines, and sell fresh fish to Villagers. Welcome to the Deare Street Fish Market!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"