THIS is the answer

Although expensive, if the armed forces use this and the spray GUN is legal, as they say in the video, I'm all for it. It's expensive, but can be used from a distance and I love the idea to be able to defend myself before the criminal can touch me! It is an amazing self defence Jet Pepper Gun


Have a look at the video clips on http://jpx-gun.blogspot.com

Roodbol Chat / Newsletter 1 - Nov 2009

Hi to you all! / Hi Julle!

I'm always asked 'what's happening with the Roodbols?' and thought of rather putting our news and stuff on my BLOG, that was the reason to have a BLOG from the start.... as you may have noticed, mine is more pics than talk!

As iemand gou 'n email stuur en vra 'hoe's dinge?' dan wil ek regtig laaaaaaaaang dinge skryf en omtrent als vertel, maar nie tyd. Ons almal is tog so besig hier op aarde! Anderdag dink ek: hoekom het ek dan die BLOG van my begin? Vir die van julle wat weet is my BLOG omtrent net vol pics van als en nog wat, meestal van die kinders!

We'll, it's been an extremely difficult year for us regarding our business or, the lack of it! The toughest year in our 20 yr existence! We had to implement Plans B, C and D to make ends meet and worked half days for 6 months. And by work meaning get the staff into our gardens and maintenance of properties and washing cars, re-pack the trucks, maybe get called out to a geyser problem.....! As long as we don't have to send them home we were still okay.

Dit was baie moeilike jaar wat ons besigheid betref, soos feitlik met alle instansies, groot of klein. Ons het ses maande halfdag 'gewerk' - sommige dae so R200 se werkies wat ingekom het! Die ouens moes maar in die tuine inspring of karre was en trokkies regpak! Enigiets net solank ons hulle nie hoef af te dank en huistoe te stuur nie. Vir hulle ook maar 'n harde tyd gewees. Rudy het heeltyd net aanhou tender, hopende [en biddend!] dat ons tog iets sal kry wat ons die res van die jaar kan besighou.

Marnus and his girl of 5 yrs broke it off and that was a tremendous, extreme sadness to us as a family. She was really, really like our girl. This still hits us, even months after the incident. I just have to laugh because Marnus now asks each girl whom he might like, the following: 'Do you have issues? Is your life plain sailing?' before even starting a conversation. He's very determined not to get into the same boat to have to 'wek!' at a relationship day after day after day. After all, love shouldn't be so difficult to 'wek' at it and having stress about lots of stuff. In hindsight it should have ended long ago in stead of being dragged out and staying together 'cause you don't want to throw away all the 'wek' you put into this relationship!

Marnus en sy meisie, ons amper dogter [wat sy regtig vir ons was] het na 5 jr. finaal opgebreek. Dit was en is steeds erg hartseer en die ding 'klap' my so vinnig dat ek moet stilstaan en vir die Here regtig dankie se, al dink ek dinge kon anders gewees het. Marnus is deur baie diep waters want mens kan skaars byhou by hom en hy is baie kortaf en is dan baie ge-irriteerd as iemand anders nie ook kan 'move' en self aangaan nie. Hy was bereid om in die stad te werk [watse werk, weet ek nie!] net om naby haar te wees, want sy wil uit die bos en verder studeer en deeltyds weer as spa terapeut werk. Maar nou ja, daar was toe iemand anders.... nogal een van Marnus se allerbeste vriende, maar 'n ou wat nie haar ouers be-indruk nie. Ons het die ma gewaarsku die ou het reeds 'n kind by ander meisie, was baie 'los' met die toeriste [vroulikes] en kon net nie insien dat sy haar alles so weggooi nie. Heeltemal teenoorgestelde van Marnus wat altyd 'care' en bekommerd is, haar weggekry het van die clubs en meer standvastig gemaak het.

Haar huislike omstandighede as kind was baie erg toe sy klein was en sy het nie eers goed met haar eie ouers gedeel maar wel met ons. Marnus het haar ma meegedeel sy sal binne 3 maande swanger wees by die ou, en sy is! Ook sit sy nou op 'n plaas wat geen geld inbring, want daar is nie geld. Sy gee hoenders kos, soek huise vir die klein hondjies en studeer darem nog. Haar ma wou niks met haar te make gehad het nie, maar Marnus het so mooi met die ma gesels, terwyl sy hart ongelooflik seer is, en gevra sy moet haar asb. nie verwerp nie. En so het die ma weer uitgereik en hulle gesels darem. Die ma het my weer gebel en gevra ek moet regtig nie 'verdwyn' van die prentjie nie [soos ek gese het ek gaan] want haar dogter sal eerder met my praat oor goed as met haar eie ouers. Maar meer as 'n emailtjie doen ek niks want ek hoor niks.

Eendag het Rudy net 'n email gehad [sy' was ewe lief vir hom, en hy was altyd 'my Pappatjie'] wat noem dat sy huil en 'n swaar beklemming in haar bors het omdat sy ons so mis, dat sy geweet het dit sal verskriklik wees, maar nie gedink dit sal so erg wees nie. Dat haar bors toetrek en sy net tjank en tjank. Toe het ek teruggebel en lank gesels. Heeltyd gevra is sy seker sy't die regte ding gedoen want was nie bewus sy's swanger nie. En heeltyd se sy net 'we're taking it slow' maar die ge'slow' is nou 'n wordende babatjie.... Rudy en ek het so gehuil omdat ons so simpel is om te dink dis moes ons ou kleinkindjie gewees het omdat ons geweet het hulle sou die jaar verloofraak [dit was die idee] en volgende jaar trou. Ons het oor en oor op email gevra sy moet ons bel as sy dink als wat sy besluit het was groot fout en dat ons sal ry tot op die Vrystaatse plaas en haar terugbring.

Nou ja, 'to cut a loooooooooooong story of pain and sorrow short': Marnus is baie gewild by Harnas en as hy net daaraan dink om in iemand belang te stel vra hy dadelik 'het jy issues? en 'hoe lyk jou huis/gesin set-up?' Hy se hy bou nie weer aan 'n verhouding waaraan hulle net moes werk ek werk totdat hulle moeg en siek en sat 'gewerk' het aan die verskille in opvoeding, dinge doen asook elkeen se [verskillende] behoeftes vir die toekoms. Dis moeilik vir Marnus om 'n meisie te kry met dieselfde passie as hy. Gaan kyk http://www.harnas.de/

In the meantime - throughout the year - Rudy kept on with submitting tenders. In the past the amount of electrical contractors to tender on a project might be between 4 - 8, this year it was 30-40 tenders on the same job - just horrific. Also well-known companies, the 'big 5's' so to speak, which we never experienced to tender against in the past - even they find it necessary to quote on lesser electrical installation projects! We missed two tenders by a few 'dollars'! but just knew God won't let go of us if we bring our part. It was heart rendering to see Rudy looking more shocked each day when this or that did not come to pass. With the financial climate as it is, a lot of our developers who made use of our services in the past, had to call a halt on their projects.

Plan C van ons 'red ons finansies' was Rudy se idee om ons eie huis in die mark te sit, want al ons ander plekke het kontrakte en ons wil nie goeie huurders verjaag nie, of 'n kontrak verbreek met finansiele gevolge. Rudy se idee is, hou van aan jou stoel!, dat ons kan uittrek na langsaan, ons tuinwoonstelle, en in 'n flat bly wat ons tans verhuur. Dis nou 'n een slaapkamer, dubbelmotorhuis grootte flat..... ek bedoel, met al ons goed. Ek het hom so aangekyk en gewonder wat tussen sy ore aan die gang is. Toe ek vra of hy meen ons neem ten minste twee flats, maak 'n deur tussen die twee woonstelle dat dit verbind is, het hy darem 'daaraan gedink'. Nou ja, ons wil ons verband afbetaal SOU ons ons prys kry, wat die agent met baie uitdrukke gebring het van verkope in hierdie area, die info van die huise, grootttes, ens. die laaste 4 jaar. Sy wou Rudy so oortuig dat hy in elk geval nie sy prys sal kry nie.

Nou ja, toe's dit ek en Pam Golding wat ek alleenmandaat gee. Ken die agent baie lank en sy's baie professioneel en wikkel. Sy verkoop steeds goed die afgelope 2 jaar. Doen haar huiswerk en het my beloof sy bring nie 'n enkel mens hier in die huis wat nie 'arty' is, bly sal wees oor 'n klein tuin, bly sal wees oor groot huis en aparte volledige woonstel bo-op die huis en wat NIE 'n swembad soek nie. En sy sal die beste aanbod bring wat sy kan, ons sal nooit gedruk hoef te voel nie. Rudy was heel bewus hiervan.... al se hy wat. En intussen neem ek pics dat dit bars, ontwikkel dit, vat ook CD's met die foto's na haar, sy plaas dit in hulle 'grand' Pam Golding Estate A1 grootte 'boek' wat ook in die buiteland beskikbaar is by Pam Golding takke'. Ek het plante voor by die straat laat insit, potte en potte met die mooiste blomme voor die kantoor, en honderd goed verander en buite mooigemaak.

Die eerste vrou was mal oor die plek, maar soek regtig groter tuin, want sy's musiek onnie oorkant by die skool en die musiek studio van ons en die kantoor hier maak dit fantasties om klas te gee. Die tweede man kom van Bronkhorstspruit, sy seun gaan volgende jaar musiek swot, hy gaan 'major' in dromme en drama. Die plek is net te mooi en hy hoop net al sy motors, quad bikes, boot, karavaan, sleepwa gaan hier inkom, want tuis het hy 6 garages.... Dit sal inkom, besluit ons toe, maar sy pals sal buite moet staan vir kuiers, wat nie lekker is t.o.v. diefstal nie. Sy vrou is rekenmeester en werk vanaf die huis, dus is ons kantoor en area vanaf snelweg [1km] perfek. Hy sal steeds elke dag Bronkhorstspruit toe ry vir sy eie besigheid. Volgende dag is hy weer hier en kinders ook. Hulle vrek natuurlik oor die plek, veral bo in die flat en die musiek studio. Oudste ou soos Rebert [musikaal en op sy plek], tweede boet soos ons 'last born' en sportmannetjie.

Volgende ding: hy maak 'n aanbod, R100,000 minder as wat ons soek. Hokaai, skrik Rudy wakker, begin woes tekere te gaan, want hy WIL sy prys he en hy kyk nie na aanbod. Nou verander hy sy storie want hy skrik hom vrek. Ek voel soos n aap want ek weet en sien hoeveel verkoop huise in Waterkloof en Brooklyn [mooier en minder as ons aanbod] maar nee wat, meneer is volgende dag terug en se ons prys is reg en hy sal die verskil betaal. Hy wil ook net teken..... vroutjie is baie bedaard, tipiese accountant en hy erken ook sy 'vat haar tyd' om te besluit. Wou hom se ek het ook 2 sulke manne hier. Ken dit en dit maak my gek en kwaad. Nou bel die agent en se hulle moet kies tussen ons huis en 'n ouer een, anderkant die skool, maar meer plek vir al die voertuie. Wow, hulle het darem nog 'n plan B, dink ek. Bel my ma en ons bid, want Rudy is nou soos 'n hond met hondsdolheid, hol hier en daar en sal die huis onttrek.

Ek vererg my natuurlik bitterlik oor sy swak maniere, want hoe kan ons nou dit doen na die agent al die finansies aangegaan het en my elke dag ingelig het oor oproepe of selfs geen oproepe oor die huis. Nee, se my man, hy kan doen nes hy wil, dis sy huis. Intussen is Liesbet in depressie, Marnus dink ons het dit 'verloor', Rebert se darem 'move on' [maar nou ja, hy's nie hier om na sy 4 honde wat hy gekoop het om te sien nie en die ge'move' sal sonder sy insette en hulp moet geskied] en tot ou Jonas, ons Zim tuinman, voel seergemaak dat dit nou nodig is.

Terwyl ek bid, kom dit in my gedagte: ek moet die een huurder bel, die een ou wat 'n huis van ons huur in die nuwe kompleks, want hy het lankal begin bou aan sy eie plek en sou ons twee maande skriftelik kennis gee as sy plek reg is. Miskien kan ons 'n aanduiding kry. Toe Rudy by die huis kom, is dit die eerste ding wat hy noem en ek se toe ek't klaar vir hom SMS gestuur hy moet bel as hy tyd het [hy's oogkundige]. En jou waarlik, hier bel hy net toe Rudy ingekom het en ja, hy sal seker end Jan. reg wees om te trek. Hallelujah, nou kan ons darem daar intrek [dink ek] want dis beautiful plek, mooi tuin en groot genoeg vir ons goeters. Aan al die depressiewes moet ek die voortreflikhede uitwys dat ons weer in nuwe plek kan bly, hoe dit ons verband afbetaal en as dit weer 'geen werk' is, hoeveel minder stress Pappie sal he, ens.

Dis toe naweek en die mense sal ons Ma. oggend laat weet wat hulle besluit het. Maar nee, Pappa bel nie, loop rond soos 'n kwaai renoster en hy sal nog bel. Laaaaaaaaaaaat Saterdagmiddag bel skat toe die agent [ek het intussen al my toys uit die cot gegooi terwyl my hare rooi-rooi gekleur het met die kleursel wat ek gedink het ek moet probeer - die 'because you're worth it' duur Loreal produk] - gelukkig sien ek dit toe eers later, anders was my man nie meer met ons....want die vlamme op my kop het uiting gegee aan die vlamme uit my mond. Die agent is toe wonderlik nice, want sy se die mense sou dalk regtig die ander plek vat, met meer parkeering, hoewel ons huis vir hulle meer besonders is en baie nuwer. En Rudy hoef regtig nie te bekommer, want die ander huis is ook haar mandaat en sy verloor niks. Hier kry die man toe darem skaam, en se as hulle regtig hul plan verander, sal hy 'sy' [nogals!] verkoop van ons huis eerbiedig en hulle kan Feb. intrek. En Maandag is als oor en verby en hulle vir die ander plek geteken en was nie vies vir ons nie. EN ja, nou bemark en die agent weer die nuwe plek, ten minste sal dit ons verband ook afbetaal. Rudy praat nog van verhuur OF verkoop maar dit sal moet verkoop, ek sukkel nie vir niks. Dis verskriklik as mens so min inkomste het en as net een huurder nie sou kon betaal of sy werk verloor, is dit eers 'n gemors!

We just thank God for not having a lot of debt but one still needs to cover all the basic cash flow and monthly overheads. One of our guys also decided to 'walk' and this was a good thing since he really messed up a lot and was a stress to especially Rudy and our company's good name was really sliding ever since he started doing jobs with our other staff members [in the past Rudy did everything himself with our guys, and now we're back to how we started 20 yrs ago!] His leaving meant Rudy was the only driver and had to stay on the jobs or phone me to collect more material and 'do my deliveries' from Mamelodi to Mooikloof! We were blessed to get the job from an electrical engineering firm that made use of us in the past and the project Mamelodi Checkers is keeping us extremely busy, with Rudy leaving at 06:45 each day, only to get home at 18:00 or later. Then it's time for his admin and more tenders for next year! Our weekends now are filled with tenders and hope to be successful in starting off 2010 with less stress.

Rudy also spent some time in Botswana a few weeks ago - a trip that he organized a year ago and everything was paid in advance [a trip with some of the photography guys]. I just insisted he goes and all hell broke loose when I was on my own. So many things went wrong, and/or broke down here, leakage in a flat, wrong material delivered, stuck automated gate, power failure and engineer wanted to see ME [nogals!] on the job one day with the main contractor and I made sure I looked like a million bucks..... it worked!

Earlier this year I was invited to visit Rebert and Lisa in London and had free miles [airline ticket]. This was before we knew the year ahead was going to be very tough. Well, staying with them and a free air ticket helps. Rudy decided it's my turn to go away in Dec./Jan, since he was in Botswana two years ago the same time and I stayed at home to look after the SIX dogs, house and letting properties. It's a huge thing for us to go away at the same time, we don't find anyone that will obviously know what to do in a crisis or do maintanance on the properties [water leaks, electric gate not working, to name a few]. Plus the gardens, which is a main concern. To slip a few days without water or water pot plants every other day is to say goodbye to many hours of labour and plant expenses.This year I asked Jonas long in advane to work the 3 weeks I'll be gone and he was happy to do this, since he decided to go home [Zim] for a month in Aug.

Rebert and Lisa are doing extremely well with their studies this year. Lisa started a job and has one subject to finish. Rebert is also working 2 days/week at this time and saving money for our trip, although they'll both be working when I'm visiting [Lisa fulltime, Rebert some days only], but I like being on my own and shop till my purse drops! And I need to see things I haven't visited earlier, i.e. Windsor Castle and maybe a day trip here and there. All depends. Marnus only gets to London the 23rd Dec.

In the meantime Rudy was asked by one of our photographer friends to join him in the Kruger for a week in Dec., after we've closed for the holidays and I insisted I'll make a plan 'cause Rudy needs his rest and the only place for him is the bush! Marnus managed to get the okay from his job to leave two days earlier and I got him a flight from Namibia to Jnb. the day Rudy leaves. I'll be gone by then. All the 'things' covered. Still need to make a list for Marnus what to do when this or that... and codes of electric fence boxes, nrs of our guards, who can fix drains, garage doors, gate motor, rental fees, banking, etc. What happened to the simpler times?!

Marnus is loved by all at work, especially the family whose wildlife rehabilitation he helps to run. Angelina Jolie is also one of the main sponsors. The volunteers are from all over the world and they actually PAY zillion of rands per week to have this experiences, working hard and Marnus disciplines them from the moment they arrive at Harnas. http://www.harnas.de/ He has so much on his plate, usually looses a lot of weight in the 4 months away and works up to 16 hrs/day 7 days/week 4 months. At this stage, he is physically and emotionally drained and 'dead', according to his call yesterday. His facebook shows about 460 friends from all over the world and he one day wrote a short sentence for the guys and gals to help him as to where he should go on his 4 weeks' vacation in Dec and had nearly 45 answers within the first hour posted on his page!

He accepted the invite from an ex-volunteer [she's a qualified Zoologist] who lives in Oslo, Norway. He will be joining us in London first for Xmas in an apartment [especially for overseas guests, no UK citizens allowed, since it's cheap - Aussie department blocks]. I got Marnus a 'faulty flight price', meaning BA had it wrong on their online booking website. One leg of the trip was just R750 plus airport taxes. The return fair was R2,750. So the TWO was obviously deleted, making a return direct flight to London high season R6,900 all incl.! I left an S.O.S. for Marnus to phone but he only got hold of me the afternoon and the flight price had been rectified. Next morning early I tried again and, voila! R750 from Jnb. to London! I booked there and then. Cheapest flights [direct] are R10,400 and R11,100.

After spending his Christmas time with us, Marnus will be leaving for Oslo when Lisa, Rebert and myself leave for Paris with the Eurostar!~ Old Year/New Year in Paris. I found us a nice hotel [triple room] and 2 min. from the train terminal of the Eurostar. I also searched the internet for a place to eat old/new year eve but soooooooo expensive. At last I got hold of a restaurant, emailed them [they don't reply 'cause the French hate English!] and later a french friend phoned from SA to ask the restaurant if they will be open old year eve and made us a reservation [a-la-carte, therefore affordable rather having a fixed menu for minimum 120 Euros per person!].

Nuusbrief Nr. 2 sal volg na die leka vakansie... met foto's galore! Rebert en ek het reeds bespreek waar sal ek vir hulle wag.... 'I mean', dis nog 3 weke, maar ons dinge is reg en ons almal, behalwe Rudy..... spring op en af van excitement. Ek gaan ook UK licence kry as ek kar wil huur en dalk uitry platteland toe [nie alleen, saam Rebert, want Lisa werk elkedag]. My UK visa is geldig vir 10 jr en Euro visa vir 1 jr.

Watch this space! Newsletter 2 will arrive either during or after our holiday with lots and lots of pics. to show you all our experiences!

Much love to you all - Brenda and Family and DOGS x6

Rudy visiting Marnus/Harnas

Walkies with his new friend and long lens camera, waiting for 'the moment' to capture a winning picture.... the moment that comes only once in a lifetime... pic of the year.

Nope, did not happen this day!

Or the day thereafter....

Keep at it, Ruud!

Marnus with more animal pals

Walkies with young lions

He decided to name this monkey 'Lia' [my first name!]

If they won't listen he carries his mates to where they should be!