Catfoot Blog

The Gamble Of Life

The play field of life is uneven. We all start with different chances, and what we do with it, determines our future.

It is like a game of poker. Some start off with better hands than the others and some have better cash reserves than others. It is up to the player to improve what he holds and to use it to the best effect.

The secret is in what to hold, what to discard and when to fold. But remember that what you discard, you cannot get back, and that there is no guarantee that you will draw better cards than what you started with.

But the best hands do not always win. Very often, the player with the most confidence in what he holds is the winner. And occasionally you meet an opponent stubborn enough to throw money at it and call your bluff. Some you lose and some you win. You cannot always win.

Nor can you gain without risk and if you fold you’re out of the running but sometimes it is better to cut your losses and wait for the next opportunity. We don’t carry all our eggs in one basket.

Life has never been fair and nobody ever promised us anything different. We have to make do with what we are dealt with, take our chances and play the percentages to minimize the risk.

May you all have a wonderful day.

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Nov 2014
in Self-Improvement
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Another Crusade To The Holy Land?

If CS was a geographical region and not a site in the cyber world then surely it would have been the Holy Land of the Internet.

We have been invaded by wave upon wave of crusaders waving the banners of their religion; some not even understanding the religion that they promote well enough to answer simple questions regarding the specific religion. I wonder if the Pope approved and blessed this crusade? I have lost count of the exact number.

Talking about the pope, what happened to our own pope? I have not seen him since my return.

But these are not the Templar, Hospitaller or Teutonic knights of old who tried to make the Holy Land accessible to all. These crusaders try to promote their own religions as being superior to the rest while other have a (not so well) hidden agendas to promote their warped racial or political views, thus using religion as a vehicle to spread their own views.

Methinks they all wanted to be preachers or politicians (same thing) but probably failed the test and now seek different stages for their plays.

It reminds me of an old man that used to stand on the corner with a bible, a portable amplifier, and a guitar. He never had much of an audience as most people just walked on and the surrounding residents found him a nuisance.

I understand that they have a mission to spread the news about their God, and don't complain about that but why bombard us with their own views and agendas.

There is a time and a place for every thing and a dating site does not strike me as a pulpit. I’m sure there are thousands of religious sites where this sort of writings will be more than welcome.

I seldom read blogs with a religious content and lately that leaves me with very little to read and causes me to yearn back to some other nasty or weird characters who have disappeared over the last year. At least I used to read their blogs.

May all of you have a wonderful day.

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Nov 2014
in Religion & Spirituality
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Angelika

Now who said long distance relationships does not work? I lost my heart to somebody in another country on the other side of the world and I will still have to wait another six weeks before seeing her. Why is Oz so bloody far from here?

It grieves me to think that she will only be here in SA for 4 weeks before returning to Australia. She is still very attached to her mother and I will have to work on that. I don’t know why she wants to drag her mother along on the trip. Mind you, I would like to see her mother as well… as long as she does not interfere too much when we want to spend time together.

The latest photos from Aussie Land have me pacing up and down in my room and at times, I want to crawl up the wall from pure frustration. All I ever think of is she. Can a man of my age be so in love?

I try to control the feeling and think of other things but time after time I catch myself thinking of her again. It is a good thing photos don’t wear out when you look at them for too long because all I do all day is to stare at her pics.

And the uncertainty is driving me mad. What if she does not like me when she sees me for first time? Will she like me as much as I like her?

I guess only time will tell and I will count the days until I finally can get to meet the new love in my life.

Now have a wonderful day and don’t go falling in love with strangers.

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Nov 2014
in Family
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Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

I should learn to keep my trap shut but there are things that can annoy me so much that I have to speak. A dog on a chain is one of those things.

Ever since I moved here – while taking my morning walk - I have been noticing this dog in the front yard a few blocks down the road. I don’t know the English name of the breed but in my language we call it a skaaphond which translates to a sheep dog. I suspect it may be of English origins. It is a black and white dog with hair of medium length. We keep them on our sheep farms as they are very good with sheep.

I would not really have bothered as it not a spectacular dog. It was well fed with water within his reach and enough shade. But it was tied to a stake in the ground by means of a 2-meter chain.

This morning, for the first time, I saw the owner in the garden. I introduced myself and we shook hands in true South African style.

“Nice dog”, I commented.

Yes”, he replied. “A well tended dog”.

“You mean a well fed dog”, I said. It slipped out before I could catch it.

“So what is the difference?” he asked. I did not fail to notice the annoyance in his eyes.

“He’s on a chain”, I said.

“Yes, so he is. Otherwise he ruins my garden”, he replied, now clearly irritated.

“That is easy to explain”, I said. “These dogs need plenty of space. He belongs on a farm”.

“Why don’t you mind your own business”, he exploded.

Well, he was right, it was none of my business, and I proceeded with my walk. I normally come back up the next street but my inquisitiveness forced be back the same way and when I passed the house he pretended not to notice me while attaching a steel ring to a tree.

Can it be that he plans to put the dog on a cable? I surely hope so. It will not satisfy me but it will certainly make me happier.

Have a good day out there and let sleeping dogs lie.

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Nov 2014
in Animals
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The Same Price

Sometimes – thankfully, not too often – people get upset when you set them right after using out-of-context material in their comments to make the blogger look silly. I’m not talking about genuine questions but rather about cases when your own words are twisted and used against you or by drawing unrealistic parallels.

The funny thing is that such people do it all the time. Almost like some lawyers, just waiting for somebody to say something ‘wrong’ for them to latch onto. Maybe these people wanted to be lawyers when they’re grown up.

Then, when the statement is repeated after you preferred to ignore the first with a ‘neutral’ reply, I just feel you just have to set it right. And then the spaghetti hits the fan and you are labeled as being sarcastic. I’m inclined to believe that it is a worldwide phenomenon that some people brand whatever they don’t like as sarcasm; whether it conforms to the definition of sarcasm or not.

I used to be like that when I was still a child. When set right, I would go into a mood and give everybody the silent treatment. Well, my mom’s medicine was the best. She believed that if you got uptight about nothing, you must get right for the same price. Nothing!

You have a nice day too.

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Nov 2014
in Uncategorized
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Confession Time

Sometimes, when we are still young, we can do very silly things. I’m no exception to it. I did something in a moment of weakness that has haunted me for the rest of my life. Things like this can cause problems in later life when people may try to blackmail you into doing things you would never normally do. As was the case here.

I thought the evidence was lost a long time ago but the proof of my folly was found in an old shoebox and I may as well bring it in the open before it leaks out.

I did something terrible. When I was much younger, I posed in the nude for a photo session and it has solicited mixed reactions all round. The men laughed at me when they saw it, schoolgirls giggled, grown-up women though it was cute, old ladies stared at it with interest but nobody ever offered to buy a copy.

Please don’t judge me, for I did not know what I was doing at the time. I think my bottle was spiked with something because I cannot remember ever giving consent for the photo to be taken.

They knew I always wanted the photo and it was used to blackmail me into going with my father and sister to see the festive decorations in Cape Town during December. I find it a bore and last did it as a child.

Well, I wanted the photo and had to give into their demands. I would have done better negotiating with the devil for they extorted yet another promise out of me before handing the photo over but I’m not going to elaborate on that.

My father gave me the assurance that the negative was lost in the fire that destroyed my grandfather’s house about 2 or 3 years after it was taken and that the photo is the only one in existence. So I now hold all the evidence. They will have to find something else to blackmail me with next time.

Now have a great day out there and don’t go posing in the nude.

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Nov 2014
in Uncategorized
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You Were Driving A What?!

If you thought that you needed a car to be arrested for DUI, you have another think coming. While most people who are pulled over for drunk driving are driving a car, a car is not a requirement when it comes to drunk driving. I mean nobody would be so silly to get on a motorcycle while being drunk, right?

Here are 11 people who managed to get arrested for DUI without a car. Note that not all of them were successfully prosecuted but they were arrested and spent a night in the cells. Most were found guilty of other charges.

Pushing A Pram. A 34-year-old Llanelli man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested for driving a pram while intoxicated. The charge was later changed to being drunk in charge of a child.

In a Wheelchair. An Illinois man was arrested for DUI. He spent a night in jail for operating his motorized wheelchair while intoxicated. The ticket was voided when police realized that a wheelchair is not a vehicle.

On a Tricycle. Oregon State Trooper Dave saw David Bjorkquist, 58, riding the tricycle in a traffic lane on the wrong side of the road. After failing field sobriety tests, Bjorkquist was arrested for DUI.

On a Horse. A man in New South Wales was arrested for DUI after falling off a horse without losing the grip on his bottle of bourbon. Police arrested him for DUI. (And I thought it was only SA politicians who fall off their horses.)

On A Horse-Drawn Cart. Steven David Hostetler was arrested for DUI in Watsontown, Pennsylvania while drunk driving a horse drawn cart.

On a Golf Cart. Kentucky State Police arrested Brian K. Scott for DUI after stopping him on his golf cart. He also had a fully loaded .357 Magnum in the front of his pants.

On a Dolphin. In Kent, England,. Michael Jukes and Daniel Buck were arrested by the police for DUI when they tried to ride on a dolphin.

A Bicycle. A police officer noticed Cliffton Taylor III weaving from side to side on the bike before he fell off it. Taylor was given a field sobriety test. He failed and was arrested and charged with DUI.

On a Scooter. Michael Crow was arrested for DUI in North Carolina while riding a 50 pound electric scooter at 10mph. He was given one year probation for the offense.

On a Farm Tractor. Kanawha County sheriff’s deputies arrested Joshua David Postalwait, 22, and charged him with DUI.

So be very careful about what you operate while under the influence. You may just end up in the cells. Many countries don’t regard wheelchairs, horses, bicycles or lawnmowers as vehicles but you can still get yourself arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

So have a great day and if it has wheels or legs, stay away if you are under the influence.

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Nov 2014
in Uncategorized
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Roadblock Season.

With the approach of the festive season, roadblocks checking for drunken drivers and any other criminal activities are on the increase again.

My father and my sister’s husband both celebrated their birthday on Thursday and as per usual, I took them out for a birthday meal last night. It was a wonderfully relaxed evening. It is not my habit to drink more than a glass of wine when I have to drive home but the white wine flowed quite lavishly and we topped it off with a bottle of champagne before leaving.

The steakhouse is somewhere midway between my father’s and my sister’s place so while driving my dad home, we were stopped in a roadblock. Mercifully, the traffic officer started off with the only question I had a feasible answer for.

Where are you coming from, he asked.

I gestured with my head to my passengers and told him that the two gentlemen celebrated a common birthday and, as they knew that they would not be in a condition to drive back home, they asked me to fetch them afterwards.

The officer asked me if I drank anything and I said Not a drop which was the truth. It was probably almost a bottle. The man was very impressed and actually commended all of us for being so law-abiding. He wished us a safe journey and off we went.

Coming back we were waved off again but when we were recognized, the officer indicated that we could proceed.

It was a lucky escape but it could have ended in a disaster. I could have spent the weekend in the holding cells, as I would only have appeared in court on Monday or Tuesday for a bail hearing. And that would only have been the beginning of the problems.

So to all you fellow South Africans – and everybody elsewhere – don’t be foolish as I was. If you must drink, don’t drive. Get somebody to drive you home. It is season for roadblocks. And that half a second delay in our reflexes can easily cost a life.

Have a great weekend and don’t go drinking and driving.

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Nov 2014
in Uncategorized
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Payback Time

They say when you cannot meet your debts it is a civilian offense but I think that if the debtor never had the intention to pay the debt it is a crime. You have obtained the goods/services under false pretenses.

Then why are people so reluctant to pay their small debts even when they have the money to do so? If they believe that the person will get tired of asking and write it off then they are probably correct but it seems immoral to me; if not criminal. Who is going to waste his time in a small-claims court for R100.00? However, R100.00 buys a bottle of brandy and a loaf of white bread. When twelve people owe you R100.00 each it is a case of brandy with a lot of change.

This morning I went to collect my money (for repairs I did through the month) from nine people and seven of them told me to come back tomorrow; even though our arrangements were for this morning. And tomorrow I will get just more stories as I have another six people to call on tomorrow.

This is what you get from being Mr. Nice Guy. In future I will insist on full payment up front and if the ask me why I will refer them to those who don’t pay me. That will effectively get rid of all the chancers and leave me with all the time in the world. They are interfering with my fishing time and our weather is improving as summer approaches.

We’re having a windless sunny day today and I should be fishing and not be running after small debts.

Have a good day out there. It is Friday!

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Oct 2014
in Uncategorized
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Good Manners.

Last Friday, while I went to the café, our neighbor’s son, who is at college, parked without prior permission under the carport where I should be parking. I arrived home just as he was leaving the premises. I told him to remove his car so I can park mine but he said that his parents are out and he does not have a key for the car gate and won’t be more than a minute. He simply walked off and disappeared into his parents’ house.

I parked my car outside in the street and waited 10 minutes before I phoned the traffic department to impound the car. When they arrived about 45 minutes later his car was still there.

The car was towed off and the ensuing verbal barrage I received is not fit to be repeated here. That evening his mother came over to tell me how disappointed she was about the affair since I gave her son permission to park there. After telling her what really happened, she refused to believe it as her son has such ‘nice manners’.

Yesterday afternoon, while walking on the pavement, I found myself on a crash course with the same well-mannered young man. I gave the usual half pace to the left, expecting him to do the same. Luckily, I discovered in time that he had no such intention so I moved off another half pace and we passed each other without collision. That is except for the advice he gave me in passing.

In a case like this, I always move off a half pace. It is my duty as fellow human being. If the need should arise to move off another half pace, such as in this case, I do so with pride. It is my privilege as his superior. Bad manners is a serious handicap in life.

Good manners does not begin and end with ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’. You can display good manners without using those words or use them in every sentence and still be rude as a pig. It is all about respect towards others and includes - but is not limited to - humility, courteousness, consideration, politeness and many other fine qualities. Body language also adds a lot to good manners.

It is always a pleasure to deal or talk to a well-mannered person and it comes to no surprise that well-mannered people usually get the job and seldom get fired. Good manners goes a long way.

May you all have an interesting and fruitful day.

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Oct 2014
in Uncategorized
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The Other Side Of The Story.

When a relationship goes sour the story has three sides; his story, her story and the truth, which is somewhere - not necessarily midway - in between.

It is easy to run people down in their absence since they are not there to defend themselves. Unfortunately, until we hear the other side of the story, it has no credibility and it remains gossip.

But let’s forget about the moral issues of gossip for a minute and look at the practical impact of the matter.

When I read something like this, the first thing that comes to my mind is: Hell, I’m glad it is not my character being dismantled here. I’d be too scared to get involved with such a person in fear of the same thing happening to me. I consider myself as fairly average in my thoughts and believe that I’m not alone it thinking this way.

This does not begin and end with lovers and ex-lovers. The same holds true for friends, family, employers, etc. Most of us are guilty of it to some extend and we all love to hear a juicy story but as I said earlier, we can attach no value to it until we hear the other side of the story.

All that you can achieve by running somebody down is to alienate yourself from somebody else who may have been interested in you. But what you really told us about yourself is that you are unhappy in your environment and unable to cope with it.

May you all have a whale of a day.

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Oct 2014
in Uncategorized
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That Time Of The Year Again!!

Every year this time, I sit with a dilemma. My dad is having his 87th birthday in less than two weeks and I still do not know what to buy him.

It is so hard to buy something for a man who already has everything he wants. Given his age, I should buy something that I want, as it will just come back to me eventually but he will probably outlive me. He is in such good shape that he may easily live another 13 years and I am not so sure about myself.

However, I must admit that he now looks 10 years older than last year this time. It fills me with sadness that he may leave us sometime soon. He expressed the wish several times now that he would be happy not to wake up one morning. He walks so much slower than before and not as upright as he taught me to walk. I think he misses my mother more than what we can realize.

I posted a similar blog last year this time and somebody who is no longer with us - and whose name I may not mention here - suggested I buy him an electronic picture frame. I did so and put all his favorite photos on there. He loved it and to my memory it was, and still is, the only gift that I ever gave him that he actually used.

Now what do I buy him this year? The 29th is around the corner and I do not have a clue what to give him for his birthday. I do not think he will appreciate another picture frame.

Being the eldest living member in the family, he is quite a celebrity and we had a kind of a family day today to get the focus away from my his birthday so my sister and I can have him for ourselves on that day.

Now you all have a wonderful day!

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Oct 2014
in Uncategorized
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This is a list of Catfoot's Blogs. Click here for Catfoot's Blog List

Catfoot Blog (616)

The Gamble Of Life

Another Crusade To The Holy Land?

Angelika

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

The Same Price

Confession Time

You Were Driving A What?!

Roadblock Season.

Payback Time

Good Manners.

The Other Side Of The Story.

That Time Of The Year Again!!

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