Swimming pool
We began renovating the splashpool in mid-September but within a week we were side-tracked by problems with a septic tank. The best solution was to build a new one, plus a new soak-away, tasks that took the next eight weeks to complete. It was not until the start of December that we managed to get back to working on the pool. Preparing the surfaces was a huge, tedious, dusty and hot job and as Christmas approached the race was on to get it ready in time for plastering (something that has to be done by professionals) before everyone went on holiday for three weeks. Renovations were finally finished on the 21st after several days of frantic activity and on the 22nd the pool specialists from Hoedspruit did the plastering. Early on the 23rd we began filling the pool and by lunch it was ready. The transformation has been pleasing and the new-look pool fits in much better with the bush environment.
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| Before |
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| During - ready for tiling |
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| During - tiled & ready for plastering |
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| After - plastered and filled |
Rain
The rains so far this year have been reasonably frequent but light, as was the pattern last year, and despite the regular top-ups the bush was getting dry. However on the 24th December we had 48 mm and on Boxing Day another 74 mm, most of it slow and soaking. These were the biggest totals for a single day since May 2010, which is unusual for this area and not a good thing: some heavy rain is needed to make the small streams and rivers flow, to fill up dams and replenish underground water supplies. After the 122 mm in 48 hours the river beyond the waterhole flowed for a while and then trickled for a couple of days after that. The bush looks in excellent condition and dams and waterholes are full, not surprising after the wettest first three months of the rainy season for some years.
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