Beguiling Google Browser

Today is my birthday and I was pleasantly surprised that Google put cupcakes on my browser.

I’m so Beguiled.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/339388521895362275/

Small gift but it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling which is illogical considering I know its computer generated somewhere. Its like I'm expecting Larry Page to call me for a luncheon or something haha....

I also got a beautiful note from my daughter which pulled my heartstrings and made me realise how big and important my role as mommy is......

 

....and I got a colourfull note from Megan, one of my colleagues which showed the effort she put into wishing me well.

My sister-in-law also edited a pic of me and studded it with hearts and roses and mom, Maka, Taku, Tana, Tintin, Taya & Chris awkwardly sang happy birthday…...Thanks guys. I appreciate these gifts.This was over and above the phone calls, SMSs, Facebook notes, hugs, emails and butterfly kisses from my son which were all truly appreciated. (Contented Sigh) the world is truly beautiful with friends and family around.

 

I like and appreciate my browser, homemade cards and that’s all that matters right? Lit up and put a smile on my face. Thanks Google, thanks Tana, thanks TMC (www.mineralcorp.co.za), thanks Tintin, thanks mom, thanks friends, thanks Taya, thanks family, thanks Mucha, thanks Megan and thanks to everyone else,….not forgetting the bestest present ...waking up to this lovely day (Amen).

 

I still expect a diamond bracelet from Taya though!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuff times..Jan2016

Ore Sniffing Dogs

Yesterday I attended one of the most interesting presentations I have had the privilege to attend in a long time. The presentation was by Peter Bergman of a company called Oredog SA and yes, from the name of the company, it’s to do with ore and dogs. Dogs that can sniff out ore deposits!
Astounding Right??!!

When we got the pre-presentation brief we all thought there was no fracking way dogs can be used to sniff out ore. Needless to say, the presentation was well attended. At first I was skeptical thinking, this would be another geology dirty joke, but then about half way through the presentation I was sold. I now love the idea, in fact I dig it. It is a pretty intriguing concept and meeting the man behind the dream was indeed fascinating. Peter comes off as an eccentric, gneiss, hammered and stoned geologist who is insanely passionate about geology and has the typical field geologist look complete with a scraggy beard.  I must say, in the field of exploration, there is no boulder man. He certainly goes where few have been because apparently dogs have been used in mineral exploration from way back, a tradition that had since been discontinued. This ore sniffing dogs ‘innovation’ is a cheap ore locating method that has long since been taken for granite and he revived it in a big way.

  Rex and Peter

source:https://twitter.com/swedenoredog

I don’t know what rock I have been hiding under because despite him being on the discovery channel, SABC news and all sorts of magazines, all the news about him just seemed to fluorite over my head. I’d not heard of him before yesterday! In my defense, work has been hectic and my latest news apatite was being spoilt by celebrity buzz, twitter, vines and all that other social media garbage that we feed ourselves. I have my faults but no more from here on end. Howz that for a 2016 resolution? And starting the year off in the presence of a person who thinks out of the box certainly inspired me to do the same. One thing is for sure, if we had a Quartz Illustrated, he’d be Mr. January. What a way to start the year!

  

 

Anyway, Peter and Oredog certainly bring an interesting dimension to mineral exploration, and as far as expensive geophysics techniques are concerned, let’s barium!

 

 

 

Geological Journey

There are a few things more exciting than driving along the countryside, marveling about the geological wonders that surround us. Maybe I’m getting old and as my sister always jokes…I’ll soon start looking forward to weekend visits to the garden centre. But age or not, geology is simply put "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"!!!

 

We drove up to Harare from Johannesburg this past festive period and I must say,…I really feasted my eyes. The landscape was breathtaking despite 40 degree heat rolling off the distant tarmac. My husband was baffled by my long periods of silence as I gazed wistfully out the window. The poor chap couldn’t get it. I was lost in a world of wonder as I undressed the rolling hills to uncover the geological mysteries beneath. Pity I didn’t have a map and hammer, I would have made him stop at the over a dozen rock-collection-worthy outcrops I saw along the way. He is used to it... he suffers through these stops like a gentleman bless him. And he carried the rocks for me...mind you I can do that myself..as the Shona saying goes "nzou hairemerwi nenyanga dzayo" translated to 'an elephant does not feel the weight of its own tusks'. Send me out rock collecting and my Christmas present is sorted.

 

 

 

The kids were excited about driving through the Hendrik Verwoerd Tunnels in the city of Louis Trichardt and as they hollered excitedly, I was thinking to myself “you poor mere mortals…never been to the belly of the earth eh” as I recalled working in the underground mines.

 

I am glad I think like a geologist (oh I am one) because I get to stop and wonder and be in awe of the marvels which mere mortals (excuse the repeated pun) do not have the priviledge to visualize, see and experience. They just see hills, hill, and more hills. One would need to be in the grand canyon (http://www.thecanyon.com/) for geology to be good enough to catch their breath. Not like me, not like us.... we rock.

 

Source ( http://www.thecanyon.com/)