Tag Archives: sacha jack

WhaleTales Blog returns from its sabbatical

I wrote the last post on my Blog almost a year ago.

A number of factors led to my writing silence. The dominant one was the time and energy it took to buy a house and sell my apartment in EbbTide, both in Camps Bay, the market conditions being difficult in 2022 going into this year. I had almost daily viewers in my apartment, requiring cleaning, and standing outside during the viewing, all in all an overall disruption to my writing flow.

I had lived in EbbTide for almost five years, a Hell Hotel in which the other three apartments were permanently let on an AirBnB basis by its owners Rhode Snyman, Sacha Jack, and Magali Seguilon. Owners of and clients renting the apartments had no respect for my need to sleep during reasonable evening hours, partying in the early hours of the morning, driving in and out of the garage with squealing tyres, and using the noisy lift at all hours of the day, the lift shaft being next to the bedrooms in the building. Every noise disturbance in the building was communicated to the other Trustees, but fell on deaf ears, often received with abusive replies from them.

An incident in the building led me to finally seeing the light, coupled with new neighbouring apartment owner Tristan du Plessis moving in with two labradors barking continuously, especially when he went out at night and left them at home alone. I realised that nothing would ever improve in the building, something I was hopeful I could achieve but the continuous barking of the dogs was the final straw. The final conclusion was that I could not endure living in a Sectional Title apartment, being a minority Trustee outvoted on a three to one basis continuously, and that I needed to buy a freehold house in which I have full control. The reduction in rates and taxes as well as no longer having to pay an exorbitant levy meaning a saving of R14000 per month was a no brainer.

Through luck and perseverance I found my dream house one street parallel to that of the apartment, with two bedrooms, a sizeable garden with 15 olive trees, an abundant lemon tree, a passion fruit creeper, gooseberries, many lavender bushes, and flourishing origanum and thyme. My two cats and dog were in lockdown until a fence and electric fence could be completed, so that the cats could be kept safely inside the property and anybody else outside!

It has taken almost three months to unpack, to find my bearings in the house, to repair many maintenance deficiencies in the house, and to tackle the garden, one or two minor maintenance issues still needing to be completed.

I am planning to broaden my Blog scope in including writing about my work in keeping Camps Bay litter free, and including more tourist related content, having been a very busy Tourist Guide during summer.

Thank you for your patience and support over the 13 years of my Blog.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog, Cell +27 0825511323. www.chrisvonulmenstein.com Facebook, Twitter, @chrissy_ulmenstein

My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide (Facebook, Instagram)

Sweet Service Award goes to the City of Cape Town, Sour Service Awards goes to EbbTide Apartment 201!

 

The Sweet Service Award goes the City of Cape Town’s Cleansing Department, which cleaned up beaches between Bakoven and Blouberg today on Reconciliation Day, litter having washed in from the ocean. Part of the clean-up will have been done in the thunderstorm and rain earlier today, making it even more appreciated!

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Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 136 of Level 1, 13 February 2022

 

Sunday 13 February 2022, Day 136 of Level 1 😷

Corona Lockdown Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a me-me catch-up day, starting with 10 hours of sleep over three sessions, an absolute tonic; for writing two Blogposts, having missed the writing in the past week; for a lovely sunrise, seeing a rainbow on the horizon, loving being outside with the cats; for a late afternoon Bakoven walk, once again seeing our garage door standing open when the guest of the renter of Sacha’s Jack Ebbtide apartment 201 left 😡, a security breach; for our garage door working all weekend, the first Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 128 of Level 1, 5 February 2022

 

Saturday 5 February 2022, Day 128 of Level 1 😷

Corona Lockdown Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a beautiful but hot 31 C day, with no wind; for surviving a shitty start to the day, with the news that the Camps Bay sewerage pump station was not working due to an electrical fault, donning my Camps Bay Ratepayers hat in spreading the news to EWN at Cape Talk and Kfm, requesting Beachgoers to refrain from swimming in the ocean, followed by the Camps Bay beaches being closed, Law Enforcement officers and lifesavers making sure that everyone stayed out of the water, a huge disappointment for picnickers who had arrived early in the morning on an ideal beach day; for a trip to Constantia with Helen Hicks to buy figs and grapes at the Constantia Fruit Stall, followed by a late breakfast at Quentin’s at Oakhurst Barn, Helen having chili calamari and I two scoops of ice cream; for a walk with Gift, showing him where to clean up Litter; for a wonderful afternoon snooze; for a lovely Bakoven walk with amazing sunsets; for meeting all the clients renting at Ebbtide, all meeting by chance in the garage as once again the garage door is not opening/closing on a Saturday! 😱; for fabulous dancing music on Kfm Blokparty; for a refreshing pink gin to end off a stressful week; and for being happy, healthy and free. 🙏💙

I was able to get up a kids jungle gym to photograph an amazing fiery sunset at Bakoven. I was so excited that I could see an aeroplane in the sky with my new improved right eye. A wow moment 💙💙💙 😎😎😎

In the last 24 hours videos from the iPhone Photography School have been dominating my video stream, after I watched one, so inspiring. Lovely photography tips ❤️

SA Corona Status: 3,622,210 cases 95817 deaths 30,185,123 vaccinations

FitBit 7500 steps 5,5 km 👣

LovemylifeandloveGaryslife 💙❤️

The Corona Virus Lockdown (Level 5), announced by our President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier to commence on 27 March 2020 and to continue until 16 April, subsequently extended to 30 April, lowered to Level 4 from 1 May, lowered to Level 3 from 1 June, lowered to Level 2 from 18 August, lowered to Level 1 from 21 September, and moved back to Adjusted Level 3 from 29 December,  extended to 15 February on 11 January 2021, extended but relaxed on 1 February, and relaxed back to Level 1 on 1 March 2021, moved back to Adjusted Level 2 on 31 May, moved back to level 3 on 16 June, and moved back to Adjusted Level 4 on 28 June, extended by two weeks on 11 July,  returned to Level 3 on 26 July, returned to Level 2 on 13 September, returned to Level 1 on 1 October,  and the Curfew Curfew lifted on 30 December 2021 is an unprecedented event in my lifetime. I am posting my daily Facebook post to journal this Corona Lockdown Journey, perhaps to serve as material for a future Book.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide