Dedicated to Alfie 2006 - 2010
Dedicated to Alfie 2006 - 2010. Our Alfie was attacked and killed by poaching dogs from the farm across the road on 28 November 2010
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Recycling
The telephone lines have been stolen yet again. The third time in two months. These wires are being sent, probably to China and are coming back here in hi-tech consumer products and Chinese cars! The wires have gone from where they were replaced a few days ago opposite Puckety Farm to the old Post Office building right in front of the Underberg school. I suppose if one wants to know more about Telkom one should look at the DSTV History Channel.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Privacy
I must apologise for the problem caused by the "Privacy" logo on the site. It suddenly decided that it was the carrier of viruses. I have removed it from this site so you should not have a "warning " when you enter the site. I do assure you that any information on this site remains here and is NEVER passed on to any third party. I do not ask for your personal details as this site is for your entertainment and interests only.
Many thanks. Rob Stayt
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Hi folks.
A huge apology for the long delay in posts. Many things have happened since the last post. Actually things are not that bad so there is no need to play the Last Post as we are well and happy. We are keeping warm during these chilly days with the help of a nice old fashioned cast iron fireplace and a heater or two. The cats help in a big way with the "keep warm project" and spend their nights at the foot of our bed. It is quite amazing just how much space two little cats take up on a double bed!
A time comes when your number is up! About five weeks ago my number was called and I managed to get my left thumb sliced up in the circular saw. Working with machinery and getting too familiar with them, the inevitable will happen. ZAP! And I was another statistic in the "SAWN THUMB" fraternity. I had quite a time getting this damn thumb sown up as the doctor was away, the paramedics were not confident to sew it up and the vet does not take our medical aid. So off to Howick hospital I drove, thumb pointing up and wondering just how much pain I was in for. The Doctor there was great and I returned home with a sleeping, stitched thumb. However....... my thumb woke up and, oh boy, the pain! I definitely felt my heartbeat, thump, thumb, thump, thumb...... The lesson? Do not try this at home. In fact do not try this anywhere. And, machine safety guards are there for a reason! So the woodwork is on hold for a while until the thumb is healed and the machine guards are in place.
Well now. Liz has been to East London to spend time with her sister. I and the cats kept the home fires burning, so to speak, while she was away. WE DID SURVIVE! And now Liz is home and all is well, except for the cold, that is.
Our little Duiker doe spent most of yesterday sitting in our garden as the wind was howling and she wanted to be sheltered. She is such a pretty little girl and we are so privileged to have her with us. I see her almost every day. Last week I had a visitor to show me the telecom stuff that he sells and he was somewhat excited to see her in the garden.
Our telephone line was finally stolen four weeks ago and so it has been cellphones and not much contact with the outside world. On Thursday evening the phone started to work but last night I think the line got blown away by the wind. We are getting a phone that works off the cellular system sharing all service provider's equipment but with much lower call costs. The phone costs R99-99 +vat per month and there is no contract, no set-up fees and no installation costs. So if we don't like it we just give them 1 month's notice and they come and take it away. I am also thinking of being an agent for this company in this area. The nice thing bout this phone is that it is completely separate from anything and I can take it to the loo or put it next to the bed or take it with me to town!
A huge apology for the long delay in posts. Many things have happened since the last post. Actually things are not that bad so there is no need to play the Last Post as we are well and happy. We are keeping warm during these chilly days with the help of a nice old fashioned cast iron fireplace and a heater or two. The cats help in a big way with the "keep warm project" and spend their nights at the foot of our bed. It is quite amazing just how much space two little cats take up on a double bed!
A time comes when your number is up! About five weeks ago my number was called and I managed to get my left thumb sliced up in the circular saw. Working with machinery and getting too familiar with them, the inevitable will happen. ZAP! And I was another statistic in the "SAWN THUMB" fraternity. I had quite a time getting this damn thumb sown up as the doctor was away, the paramedics were not confident to sew it up and the vet does not take our medical aid. So off to Howick hospital I drove, thumb pointing up and wondering just how much pain I was in for. The Doctor there was great and I returned home with a sleeping, stitched thumb. However....... my thumb woke up and, oh boy, the pain! I definitely felt my heartbeat, thump, thumb, thump, thumb...... The lesson? Do not try this at home. In fact do not try this anywhere. And, machine safety guards are there for a reason! So the woodwork is on hold for a while until the thumb is healed and the machine guards are in place.
Well now. Liz has been to East London to spend time with her sister. I and the cats kept the home fires burning, so to speak, while she was away. WE DID SURVIVE! And now Liz is home and all is well, except for the cold, that is.
Our little Duiker doe spent most of yesterday sitting in our garden as the wind was howling and she wanted to be sheltered. She is such a pretty little girl and we are so privileged to have her with us. I see her almost every day. Last week I had a visitor to show me the telecom stuff that he sells and he was somewhat excited to see her in the garden.
Our telephone line was finally stolen four weeks ago and so it has been cellphones and not much contact with the outside world. On Thursday evening the phone started to work but last night I think the line got blown away by the wind. We are getting a phone that works off the cellular system sharing all service provider's equipment but with much lower call costs. The phone costs R99-99 +vat per month and there is no contract, no set-up fees and no installation costs. So if we don't like it we just give them 1 month's notice and they come and take it away. I am also thinking of being an agent for this company in this area. The nice thing bout this phone is that it is completely separate from anything and I can take it to the loo or put it next to the bed or take it with me to town!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Empty Pole Syndrome
We live in exciting times in South Africa. A copper mine has opened in the Underberg district. Two weeks ago a few kilometres of telephone cable was stolen from the district leaving several subscribers without a telephone service.
There are some scrap dealers who will buy and sell anything to make a buck. They are receiving stolen Telkom property without so much as a "Where did this come from?" The perpetrators come into the district in the dead of night and cut the cables. They use a form of cable stripper to slice the cable sheath along it's length and then pull the copper conductors out. The conductors are then put into a fire which burns off the plastic insulation. The burned copper is then taken to their "Honest" scrap dealer who then sells it on for reprocessing.
Just imagine, the wiring in your car may have hung from telephone poles outside your house!
Well I have got myself set up on Skype with an account and an international telephone number. We are all going to need some sort of backup for our comms. I have been trying to organise a radio telephone link system for the farmers in the district but have been informed that I would never get licensed by ICASA. So what are Telkom going to do about this theft? Nothing! Subscribers are being told that their telephone service is discontinued as the wires have been stolen and they can apply for the 8TA Telkom cellular service! What a wonderful service provider. Of course there is a satellite telephone service but do you really want to pay R10 000-00 or so for installation and then R300-00 per month before you make calls? Nah! I'll go with Skype or, if I can, set up a VOIP telephone service here for the local community (I have the software already and just need ADSL, which I know I won't get on the farm.)
Viva free enterprise! Snatch a kilo of copper today!
There are some scrap dealers who will buy and sell anything to make a buck. They are receiving stolen Telkom property without so much as a "Where did this come from?" The perpetrators come into the district in the dead of night and cut the cables. They use a form of cable stripper to slice the cable sheath along it's length and then pull the copper conductors out. The conductors are then put into a fire which burns off the plastic insulation. The burned copper is then taken to their "Honest" scrap dealer who then sells it on for reprocessing.
Just imagine, the wiring in your car may have hung from telephone poles outside your house!
Well I have got myself set up on Skype with an account and an international telephone number. We are all going to need some sort of backup for our comms. I have been trying to organise a radio telephone link system for the farmers in the district but have been informed that I would never get licensed by ICASA. So what are Telkom going to do about this theft? Nothing! Subscribers are being told that their telephone service is discontinued as the wires have been stolen and they can apply for the 8TA Telkom cellular service! What a wonderful service provider. Of course there is a satellite telephone service but do you really want to pay R10 000-00 or so for installation and then R300-00 per month before you make calls? Nah! I'll go with Skype or, if I can, set up a VOIP telephone service here for the local community (I have the software already and just need ADSL, which I know I won't get on the farm.)
Viva free enterprise! Snatch a kilo of copper today!
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