Dear friends and family,
This will be a short newsletter, mainly due to it being the quieter time of the year with not much happening. Our goal is to keep our monks warm and comfortable and happy – and the current load-shedding really does not make anything easier for any of us…does it? We South Africans put up with far too much, I reckon!
So, I bought more flasks, for which we boil water on our gas stove. The flasks are always on standby for hot water bottles…and to make porridge, as well as for cooking eggs and warming polony, chicken and rice.
Tinned food is particularly useful while all this load-shedding continues – such as baked beans, spaghetti in tomato sauce or cheese sauce, tinned viennas , Corned Beef (bullybeef) and tuna. We welcome any support with these essential dietary requirements. Thank you so much.
As for hot water bottles, we are even cuddling them ourselves. It’s been really cold these past weeks, something no-one in Gauteng needs to be reminded about.
At least masks are no longer legislated, but we still remain 100% aware and careful when shopping. It’s called ‘erring on the side of caution’.
So, as it turns out, winters and holidays are always our quieter and more challenging times. During winter there is little work for volunteers and less community service. Painting we can do, but only if we get paint donated . Time is mostly spent washing bedding and feeding throughout the day. Summer time, its everything going on, but our weed-eater has given up the ghost after all these years of cutting the grass around cages. But we’ll start worrying about that later, when things begin to grow again. Of course, we won’t look the other way if you can assist us now!
To those that have helped in any way – and you know who you are – we really appreciate your love and caring for us and the beloved monkeys. Believe me, we are as dependent on you as the monks are on us.
Keep warm and safe during July and do join us in looking forward to the warmer days of August. For today, we appreciate EVERYTHING, every tiny little thing that comes our way. And we know we are blessed…we are blessed because we have special people like you in our lives.
Sending love and tight cyber-hugs to each and every one of you.
Yours Most Sincerely,
W. Macleod and the Monkey Team.
Its people like you Wayne that make the world a better place. Thank you sooo much for looking after God’s creatures. My God bless you and all your fur babies, and put his hand of protection over you all.
Thank you so so much it really touches my heart that there are still people that care.