Cove Rock Country Estate

Cove Rock Country Estate Grapevine June 2013 - Number 036 “The Cove Rock Grapevine” is a newsletter for residents of Cove Rock Country Estate. It is published every month and your input is welcomed. The aim of the newsletter is to: * Inform residents of happenings around the estate * Share advice and general information * Talk about the wonders of the environment we live in * Get to know fellow residents through residents profiles – a resident will be featured in each edition. If you have some input or would like the newsletter emailed to other residents or family, simply send an email to Werner Illgner at werner@illgner.net or call him on 083 6020296 / 043 736 8980/011 787 2953. Website: http://coverock.pbworks.com facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/coverockestate/

Know your neighbour

Her Cove Rock Country Estate experience had a damp beginning Rita de Villiers lives at 351 Kalashe Drive and, in her own words, tells us a little about herself and her family: “I was born in East London and did my schooling at Cambridge. After leaving school I started work in the motor industry (selling exhausts) which I did until I retired at age 60. I ran the Bosal warehouse in East London for many years and also spent 4 years in Cape Town working for Bosal. When I returned to East London I worked for Midas for 6 years until I retired. I married at 18 and my husband, Pieter, was a fitter and turner, although he spent his last years as a diesel mechanic. We had a daughter and a son. The picture, above right, is me with them on Bondi Beach in Australia. My daughter Letitia lives in Cork, Ireland with her husband Alan and two beautiful little girls (see picture on right – them with their 2nd daughter). They are hoping to move to Australia in the near future. My son Deon and his wife Kym live in a small town in Botswana called Maun. They have an adopted son Kabelo (3) (seen on the right with Deon) and a soon to be born daughter. They met in Australia and on returning to South Africa after 8 years, they worked together at the Madikwe game reserve He maintains that Maun is an overgrown cattle post really, but acts as a tourist hub for thousands of travelers every year wishing to visit the Okavango Delta and its many upmarket safari lodges. He left Africa for Australia in the mid 90's to pursue a suit and tie career, but soon became bored and returned to Africa to work in the hospitality industry. After seven years of managing safari camps in South Africa his passion for photography led him to Botswana where he now runs Mombo Camp, one of the world’s most sought after and highly recognized safari destinations.

Deon and Letitia's philosophy in life has stemmed directly from their upbringing and mothers attitude and love for the natural world: our family follows the healthy principles of "Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures and kill nothing but time…" Both my children and their spouses share my love of animals, as did my late husband who died in September 1988 of a heart attack. On the right - Deon with one of his snake friends!! I moved to the Estate in August 2002 on the day we had floods. I had only been working for Midas for 2 months and took the Friday off to move. So when the removal guy phoned me to tell me that the roads are all closed due to flooding and his staff hadn’t pitched for work, I said: “That’s too bad. I have to move today.” So he picked up a couple of casuals along the road and my sister’s husband, Eddie, came and helped and I made it onto the Estate. That’s the day the bridge at the beach washed away. Of course one of the first things I did after moving in was slip down my wet wooden stairs, so I held a healthy respect for them thereafter. I love living here: the natural beauty which surrounds us, the sounds of the sea and the birdlife – not to mention the Duikers that wander around. To augment my pension I am an Avon representative - my telephone numbers: 0437368969 and 0836297370. I would be delighted to bring a current brochure to anybody interested and deliver goods ordered to their home. I am concerned about the cars that speed past my house, especially in the evening when residents are on their way home. I know they are tired and longing to get home, but if they could only just slow down a bit. I also have a problem with visitors coming through the main gate. I know we need security and all that, but I feel we are being rather ridiculous with the method we have at the moment. Can’t they put a programme on the computer that when you have a regular visitor that it checks their ID and then unless told otherwise, lets the people through and not make them sit for ages while they do the phone thing asking how I am etc etc.? I have a friend who comes here almost every Sunday and she gets mighty upset with the lengthy wait every week. (although this last time she saw the peacocks and was so impressed with the male’s beauty that she didn’t moan too much). No doubt we live in a little bit of paradise. I think we all need to work together to not only keep it that way, but make it even better – I know I am prepared to do my share.” Ed. Rita, there are ways in place of speeding up the entry of visitors – you need to speak to Clarence. Thank you for your enthusiasm for our Estate and willingness to make a contribution.

Meet those who strive to keep us safe I’m Zingisa Masiba-Booysen working as an administrator at Cove Rock Country Estate. I started to work here on the 19 November 2012. I was born and raised in Zone 7 Mdantsane and am the third of 5 children at home. My parents are still alive - my mother was an old age nurse and left the job to enter business and my father work for South African Airways in East London Airport. He retired in 2005. I started my Lower Primary education in Zamani Lower Primary School. Because of the strikes in the eighties, I left East London for Kei Road Location to do my Higher Primary education in Kei Road Community School. In 1991, I came back to Mdantsane to start my high school education in Wongalethu High School, where I passed my Matric in 1995. In 1996 I went to Almega College to do Computer Software Management, but I didn’t finish the course because of financial problems. In 1998 I went to Border Technikon (now Walter Sisulu University) to study National Diploma in Marketing for three years (1998 – 2000). I started to work in 2004 for Nciba Solutions as a Data Capturer on a two month contract. In 2006 I worked at Oxford College as a lecturer of Economics and Business Economics for Grade 11 and 12. In 2008 Sahlangana Agricultural Mentors employed me as a Community Project Facilitator at Fortbrown in Grahamstown – I had to leave the College because I was not earning enough. I worked there on a two month contract. In 2009 I started to work as Housing Consumer Education Practitioner (Internship) for the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Housing, now Human Settlements. For the first nine months I was placed in the Housing Department at Buffalo City Municipality. During October 2011, I was requested by the Provincial Department to assist in the Policy Planning and Research Directorate to work (intern) for six months as a Policy Researcher. In May, I went back to my Directorate Capacity Building and Municipal Accreditation. I worked there till the end of the internship i.e 31 January 2011. I enjoyed working with the Department because they taught me a lot of things like government procedures and what the Housing Department is all about. In October 2011, Statistics South Africa employed me as a Numerator for one of the areas in West Bank town

on a one month contract. After that I was unemployed till I got the current job at Cove Rock on the 19

November 2012. It’s a nice job – I have learned a lot from the job, like getting exposed to what the security

industry is all about. I enjoy working on the Estate as I get on well with residents and the job offers new

challenges every day.

I’ m currently staying in West Bank town. My favourite meal is braaied or grilled meat and salads. I enjoy shopping and cooking.

All about our environment

Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Identification. The Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a stocky heron, 46 – 56 cm long, and weighs 270 – 512 g. It has a relatively short thick neck, sturdy bill, and a hunched posture. The non-breeding adult has mainly white plumage, a yellow bill and the legs vary from dark brown to yellow, with black toes. A breeding Western Cattle Egret has a red bill and buff plumage on the head, breast and mantle. The legs turn red. The sexes are similar, but the male is marginally larger and has slightly longer breeding plumes than the female. Juvenile birds lack coloured plumes and have a black bill as well as black legs. Habitat. The Western Cattle Egret inhabits open grassy areas such as meadows, livestock pastures, semi-arid steppe and open savanna grassland, dry arable fields, artificial grassland sites (e.g. lawns, parks, road margins and sports fields), flood-plains, freshwater swamps, wet pastures, shallow marshes, mangroves and irrigated grasslands – most often in the company of cattle or game. It rarely occupies marine habitats or forested areas and it shows a preference for freshwater, although it may also use brackish or saline habitats. Diet. The Western Cattle Egret feeds on a wide range of prey, particularly insects. It prefers grasshoppers, crickets, flies (adults and maggots), and moths. In addition it feeds on spiders, frogs, and earthworms. The Western Cattle Egret is usually found with cattle and other large grazing and browsing animals. It feeds on the insects and worms disturbed by the mammals. During migration it has been reported to eat exhausted migrating birds. A Western Cattle Egret will weakly defend the area around a grazing animal against others of the same species, but if the area is swamped by egrets it will give up and continue foraging elsewhere. Where numerous large animals are present, Western Cattle Egrets selectively forage around species that move at around 5–15 steps per minute, avoiding faster and slower moving herds. In Africa Western Cattle Egrets selectively forage behind Zebras, Waterbuck, Blue Wildebeest and Cape Buffalo. Dominant birds feed nearest to the host and obtain more food. Although the Cattle Egret sometimes feeds in shallow water, unlike most herons it is typically found in fields and dry grassy habitats, reflecting its greater dietary reliance on terrestrial insects rather than aquatic prey. Call. The Western Cattle Egret’s call is a typical heron-like quiet, throaty “rick-rack” call at the breeding colony, but otherwise largely silent. Breeding. The Western Cattle Egret nests in colonies. The colonies are usually found in woodlands near lakes or rivers, in swamps, or on small inland or coastal islands, and are sometimes shared with other wetland birds such as herons, egrets, ibises and cormorants. The breeding season is June to December in the southern areas and October to February in the northern areas. The male displays in a tree in the colony. A new mate is chosen in each season and when re-nesting, following nest failure. The nest is a small untidy platform of sticks in a tree or shrub constructed by both parents. Sticks are collected by the male and arranged by the female, and stick-stealing is rife. The clutch size can be anywhere from one to five eggs, although three or four is most common. The pale bluish-white eggs are oval-shaped. Incubation lasts around 23 days, with both sexes sharing incubation duties. The chicks are partly covered with down at hatching, but are not capable of fending for themselves. They become capable of regulating their temperature at 9 – 12 days and are fully feathered in 13 – 21 days. They begin to leave the nest and climb around at 2 weeks, fledge at 30 days and become independent at around the 45th day.

The dominant factor in nesting mortality is starvation. Sibling rivalry can be intense, and in South Africa third and fourth chicks inevitably starve. In the dryer habitats with fewer amphibians the diet may lack sufficient vertebrate content and may cause bone abnormalities in growing chicks due to calcium deficiency. Conservation Status – LC (Least Concern)1 This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Anne Williams (The bird lady of Port Alfred) writes: “I read with interest Werner’s bird facts and wondered if your readers knew of 2 interesting habits of the African Hoopoe. Dustbathing is a favourite occupation where they snuggle into bare sand,

preferring loose sand in a sunny spot. They often lie on their sides and then shake vigorously. This removes mites, lice, ticks and is vital for feather maintenance.

Closely linked is “anting” when birds allow ants to crawl among their feathers (usually while dustbathing). Ants secrete formic acid which kills parasites. Areas targeted are breast, back, wings & preen gland area. Many species indulge in this practice, e.g. doves and mousebirds.

On the subject of flamingoes, we’ve had up to 900 greater flamingoes on flooded wetlands west of Port Alfred over the last few months. These have mostly been immature with varying amounts of pink, according to age. The very young ones are mostly grey and white. Ghio, Boknes, Bushmansriver and Kaba have vast areas under water since the floods in October 2012, with a large variety and numbers of waterbirds. On the East London side a green-backed heron was seen on the edge of the lagoon at Nature’s Rest and a European Bee-eater was spotted hawking insects in the Industrial Development Zone and then flew off towards the coast – maybe to Cove Rock? Most exciting was the appearance of yellow-throated longclaw on the Thornvlei road from the Gonubie side. The bad news is the presence of a Common Myna in Berea.”

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Honey: Nature's liquid gold When last have you stopped to think about bees and their precious gift to humankind? I recently watched Bee Movie with my niece and nephew - it tells the wonderful story of how one little bee discovers that humans are stealing their honey; and what happens when the bees go on strike and there is no more pollination or honey. Honey has been known to us for many centuries. Before the discovery of cane sugar in Asia, honey was the only sweetener available to people in Europe and North Africa, and it was treated like gold. It was deemed so precious in Ancient Egypt, that it was used as a form of currency. It wasn't long before the wonderful healing properties of honey were discovered. Honey has strong antibacterial properties, is a natural antibiotic, reduces swelling and pain, and promotes healing. Roman soldiers used honey to treat cuts and wounds and the ancient Greeks used it to treat ulcers and sores. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, believed in honey as the great golden healer. "Honey causes heat, cleans sores and ulcers, softens hard ulcers of the lips and heals carbuncles and running sores," he wrote.

One of the best-known health benefits of honey is its ability to soothe sore throats and kill the bacteria that causes the infection. Combine a spoonful of honey with some freshly-squeezed lemon juice and drink at regular intervals. If you suffer from a persistent cough at night, taking a teaspoon of honey before bedtime can bring great relief. Honey is an excellent first aid remedy as it is a natural antiseptic. After cleaning the wound with soap and water, you could apply a layer of honey on a dressing before covering the wound to help keep it clean and free from infection and speed up healing. There are many more health benefits of honey: from treating hay fever to hangovers, mosquito bites and acne. The list is endless. The best of all is that honey is the one medicine and food that never expires. The sugar content is so high that it kills almost all bacteria; and the moisture content is too low to allow fungus to grow. Archaeologists found 2 000-year-old jars of honey in Egyptian tombs that still tasted delicious after heating to dissolve the crystals! Next time you find that your honey has crystallized remember that it definitely has not gone off. Simply return it to its liquid form by heating it slowly in a bowl filled with warm water; or by popping it into the microwave for a few seconds. Here's to a sweet, healthy life with honey.

Dove family on the deck of my "old" house - Rita de Villiers

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A total of 129 alleged rhino poachers have been arrested in South Africa since the beginning of the year. The majority, 58, have been arrested in the Kruger National Park. SANParks has confirmed the arrest of three alleged poachers in the Lebombo Conservancy area of Mozambique following a joint operation involving rangers from South Africa and Mozambique early this morning. A .458 hunting rifle and poaching equipment were confiscated. Since January 1, 2013, a total of 446 rhino have been poached across the country. The Kruger National Park has lost 280 rhino to poachers, while the number of rhino poached in North West has increased to 50. A total of 45 rhino have been poached in Limpopo, 38 in KwaZulu-Natal, 30 in Mpumalanga, 2 in the Eastern Cape and 1 in Gauteng. South Africans are urged to report incidents of poaching and tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.

Rhino poaching statistics:

SA 2010 2011 2012 2013

KNP (SANParks) 146 252 425 280

MNP (SANParks) 0 6 3 0

GP 15 9 1 1

LIM 52 74 59 45

MP 17 31 28 30

NW 57 21 77 50

EC 4 11 7 2

FS 3 4 0 0

KZN 38 34 66 38

WC 0 6 2 0

NC 1 0 0 0

TOTAL 333 448 668 446

Rhino poaching arrests statistics :

SA 2013 2012 2011 2010

KNP (SANParks) 58 73 82 67

MNP (SANParks) 0 0 0 0

Gauteng (GP) 3 26 16 10

Mpumalanga (MP) 9 66 73 16

Eastern Cape (EC) 0 0 2 7

Limpopo (LIM) 21 43 34 36

North West (NW) 11 32 21 2

Free State (FS) 0 6 0 0

KZN 27 20 4 25

Western Cape (WC) 0 0 0 2

Northern Cape (NC) 0 1 0 0

TOTAL 129 267 232 165

A Touch of Inspiration

Becoming a Better Judge of People

by Anthony K. Tjan

In business and in life, the most critical choices we make relate to people, yet being a good judge of people is difficult. How do we get better at sizing up first impressions, at avoiding hiring mistakes, at correctly picking (and not missing) rising stars?

The easy thing to do is focus on extrinsic markers — academic scores, net worth, social status, job titles. Social media has allowed us to add new layers of extrinsic scoring: How many friends do they have on Facebook? Who do we know in common through LinkedIn? How many Twitter followers do they have?

But such extrinsic credentials and markers only tell one part of a person's story. They are necessary, but not sufficient. What they miss are the "softer" and more nuanced intrinsic that are far more defining of a person's character. You can teach skills; character and attitude, not so much.

Judging on extrinsic and skill-based factors is a relatively objective and straightforward exercise. Gauging softer traits such as will or attitude is much, much harder, and takes one-on-one contact, attentive listening, and careful observation. That's why it's important to approach a job interview more as an attitudinal audition than a question-and-answer period around skills.

Over the years, I have been collecting and reflecting upon questions that have helped me improve my people judgment, especially around personality and attitude. Here are ten key questions to help you better understand the intrinsic "why" and "how" behind a person:

1. What is the talk-to-listen ratio? You want people who are self-confident and not afraid to express their views, but if the talk-to-listen ratio is anything north of 60%, you want to ask why. Is it because this person is self-important and not interested in learning from others — or just because he is nervous and rambling?

2. Is this an energy-giver or -taker? There is a certain breed of people who just carry with them (and unfortunately spread) a negative energy. You know who they are. Alternatively, there are those who consistently carry and share a positivity and optimism towards life. There is a Chinese proverb that says that the best way to get energy is to give it. Energy-givers are compassionate, generous and the type of people with whom you immediately want to spend time.

3. Is this person likely to "act" or "react" to a task? Some people immediately go into defensive, critical mode when given a new task. Others jump right into action and problem-solving mode. For most jobs, it's the second kind you want.

4. Does this person feel authentic or obsequious? There is nothing flattering about false praise, or people trying too hard to impress. Really good people don't feel the need to "suck up". Those who can just be themselves are more pleasant to work with.

5. What's the spouse like? One of my business partners gave me a great tip for interviewing a super important hire — go out with their spouse, partner, or closest friend. We are known by the company we keep.

6. How does this person treat someone she doesn't know? At the other end of the spectrum, observe how a person treats someone she barely knows. This is what I call a "taxi driver or server test." Does the person have the openness and yes, kindness, to have a real conversation with a waiter at a restaurant or the driver of a taxi? Does she ignore them or treat them rudely?

7. Is there an element of struggle in the person's history? History matters. In our research for the book, Heart, Smarts, Guts, and Luck (Harvard Business Review Press, 2012), my co-authors and I found that around two-thirds of people who were "Guts-dominant" — those who had the desire to initiate and the ability to persevere so crucial in entrepreneurial ventures — had some financial hardship or other challenges in their formative years. Early failures and hardships shape one's character as much or more than early successes.

8. What has this person been reading? Reading gives depth, helps one understand one's history, frames ideas, sparks new thoughts and nuances to existing perspectives, and keeps you apprised of current events. It's a generalization, but the more interesting people I have met tend to read a lot — it's a mark of intellectual curiosity.

9. Would you ever want to go on a long car ride with this person? This is a variant of the "airport test." Years ago at my first job, I was told about the thought-experiment of asking if you were stuck at an airport with a candidate, how would you really feel? In a similar fashion, is this the type of person with whom you could imagine going on a cross-country drive?

10. Do you believe that this person is self-aware? My colleagues and I believe the most important pre-requisite to great leadership is self-awareness. Does this person have an intellectual honesty about who he is and his strengths and weaknesses? Does she have a desire to learn and take appropriate actions based on that awareness? It is usually a more difficult question to answer than the rest — but look for humility, and congruence between what the person thinks, says and does. Ask these ten questions about someone, or even a subset of them, and you'll be on a path to being a better judge of people. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Never judge a book by its cover A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's Outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge. 'We'd like to see the president,' the man said softly. 'He'll be busy all day,' the secretary snapped. 'We'll wait,' the lady replied. For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted. 'Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave,' she said to him! He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office. The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple. The lady told him, 'We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus.' The president wasn't touched. He was shocked. 'Madam,' he said, Gruffly, 'We can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery.' 'Oh, no,' the lady explained quickly. 'We don't want to erect a Statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.' The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, 'A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard.' For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, 'Is that all it cost to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?' Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about. You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them. ---- A TRUE STORY by Malcolm Forbes

For your information

Debt: Know your options Cape Town - There are over 20 million credit active consumers. It is vitally important that they know what their options are with regard to their debt. Debt experts agree that only once people are properly informed, will they be able to make the correct financial decisions. The options recognised by the National Credit Regulator (NCR) and the National Debt Mediation Association (NDMA) are: Voluntary arrangements with your credit providers If you have a temporary cash flow problem that will affect the payment of your accounts, it is advisable to contact your creditors yourself. * Explain your situation to them. * Negotiate for lower repayments over a specific time period. * Do not default on your renegotiated payments. * Voluntarily arrangements are not necessarily noted on your credit profile. * Depending on your overall credit record, you might be able to access more credit. Please note that your creditors are under no obligation to accept voluntary arrangements.

Debt Counselling The National Credit Act (NCA) came into effect on July 1 2007 and it makes provision for over-indebted consumers to go under debt review. * Debt counsellors will negotiate with your creditors for lower monthly repayments. * You should have more money available for everyday living expenses. * There is an upfront fee as well as a continuous after-care fee payable to your debt counsellor. * Once you have a consent order and you do not skip paying the lower, stipulated amounts your assets will be legally protected. * You will be “flagged” at the credit bureaus and will not be able to access any further credit until all your debt is paid and you have a clearance certificate. Administration If your total debt is less than R50 000 you can apply to go under Administration. The administrator will apply to the Magistrates Court for an administration order. * Administration will get noted on your credit record until all your debt is paid off. * You will not be able to access more credit. * The fees and interest rates are very high. Irregularities are rife in the industry. * It is recommended as a last resort. Voluntary Sequestration If a person is so over-indebted that no reasonable proposal can be made to the credit providers, then a client might be referred for Sequestration. Sequestration is a high court application that has to be handled by an attorney. This option can be very expensive as the court will only grant a sequestration order if the credit providers will get between 10 and 20 cents of every rand. * The legal and rehabilitation fees can be very high. * The court will not grant the order if the debtor cannot show “benefit to his creditors”. * This debt mechanism is usually advisable to debtors with substantial assets. Forced Sequestration When credit providers take legal action against a client they might find that the client doesn’t have any substantial assets and that the client is a “person of straw”. Then the credit providers might take it upon themselves to sequestrate the client. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Do we consume too much caffeine? US officials are investigating the safety of caffeine in snacks and energy drinks, worried about the "cumulative impact" of the stimulant - which is added to a growing number of products. Caffeine is, according to New Scientist, the planet's most popular "psychoactive drug". In the United States alone, more than 90% of adults are estimated to use it every day. But now even the US - home of Coca-Cola, Starbucks and the 5-Hour Energy shot - is questioning the wisdom of adding it to everyday foodstuffs like waffles, sunflower seeds, trail mix and jelly beans. "On the plus side, coffee is known to be packed full of antioxidants, which stop other molecules oxidising and producing free radicals. Women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are less likely to get depressed, other research suggests. However previous studies have linked high caffeine intake to raised cholesterol.”

In moderation, caffeine may have some positive effects. Research suggests it could be associated with a reduced risk of prostate and breast cancer. A recent study linked drinking coffee and tea with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. "Many people just aren't aware of how much caffeine they are taking and as a result they could unwittingly create problems for themselves with insomnia, indigestion, or their blood pressure.” Read the article at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22530625 Comment on this article –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Sports and Social Scene

Cove Rock Bi Annual golf day 16 June 2013

Alex Golf Club hosted the Cove Rock golfers on Sunday for a well-supported fun day. Thank goodness the weather that was ordered was delivered…. Not too hot, not too cold, no wind, no rain. A special thanks must go to the following sponsors:

Mark Adams

Clive Warmberg Bradley Young (East Coast decking and Construction) Kenny Beets (Kenny’s Electrical) Shawn Heyman (Scalemass) Alan Dicks (Corromaster) Anti Adams

Thanks to Shane Schwagele for driving around the course and keeping everybody refreshed with beer and cold drinks. Also we need to make a special mention of Tony White, (right) who had to contribute the most money during the fines. Well played Tony.

1st – George Adams - 38 points (sure he has told everyone) (below far left) (Rumour has it that when he was at school at “Queens!” he passed matric with a distinction in GOLF) 2nd – Garth Fegan - 36 points (below middle) 3rd – Cristiaan Moller - 35 points

The GEORGE ADAMS MOST IMPROVED GOLFER shield went to Grant Nance. (Above right) Closest to the pins:

3 – Matthew Adams

7 – Freek Strydom 10 – Christiaan Moller 14 – Garth Fegan

Longest drive went to Christiaan Moller. The longest walk of the day went to young Michael Bozas>>> A huge thank you to the organisers – George Adams, Mark Adams, Freek Strydom and Clive Warmberg - and all the participants who made this such a successful event. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Prayer Meetings Pastors Bert & Linda Videler invite you to join them on the 15 and 29th July 2013 for prayer meetings in the Cove Rock Clubhouse at 18:00. Cell Bert. +27(0)83 655 5001 Cell Linda +27(0)72 397 2975 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Garden Club – Will be held at the home of Val du Plessis at 48 Coral Crescent at 10:00 on Wednesday the 17th of July 2013. The picture on the right shows some Garden Club members viewing Lyn Illgner’s garden during the June Meeting. Afterwards they tucked into tea and a sumptuous assortment of cakes and pastries. I doubt whether too many members had space for lunch that day.

Wanted known/Classifieds

Bev Whittal is looking for somebody who does beauty therapy - facials, manicures, pedicures and waxing. Preferably a resident on the estate - please contact her on 084 840 1337. BLINDS : Huge range of Designer, Commercial and Domestic Blinds to suit your style and pocket. To view the latest samples, visit our showroom : The Blinds Gallery, 83 Jan Smuts Avenue, Greenfields. 079 348 6251 tracy@blindsgallery.co.za

WALLPAPER : Add color and texture to your home in an instant . To view our stunning samples visit our showroom : The Blinds Gallery, 83 Jan Smuts Avenue, Greenfields. 079 348 6251

Builder: NIC OELOFSE BUILDERS (trade activity since 1968). Cell 082 820 4326 and Fax 043 – 736 8981

Ken Marlow – Master Cabinet Maker - Invites you to visit his workshop (as you come into Estate take 1

st right then 1

st

building on left) if you need furniture made. Specializes in Blackwood and Oregon. Contact 076 1448364.

Electrician: Home or industrial - we have the experience to do it all - Ph Kenny Beets 073 8410319

I'm Erika Hempel from 159 Cowrie Crescent. I'm a hairdresser and have a salon at home, open Monday to Saturday. I do barber hair cuts, ladies, kiddie hair cuts, colour, foils, perms etc...my cell number is 0828416168.

DOGGY SITTING....FROM HOME....159 COWRIE CREST, COVE ROCK ESTATE...0828416168. Erika Hempel. Doggy sitting for people going away on holiday. Instead of taking your dogs to a kennel you can bring them to me.

They will be well looked after - lots of love and attention and taken for walks every day.

Rita is an Avon representative, telephone numbers: 0437368969 and 0836297370. She will bring a current brochure to anybody interested and deliver goods ordered to your home. LANDSCAPING/GARDEN LAY-OUT and GARDEN MAINTENANCE * Work performed under supervision * New or existing gardens

* Years experience in green industry * Maintenance done weekly or monthly * Also once-off cleaning or revamping of garden * Trimming, fertilising, spraying * Weeding/spraying lawns and paving * Instant lawns * Pruning of trees, roses etc

No job too big or too small For a FREE QUOTATION or any further enquiries please do not hesitate to contact Cove Rock Country Estate resident, KAREN COETZEE on 074 145 0110 or e-mail karencoetzee38@gmail.com

Bev Whittal says “My daughter Kayla, has been doing hairdressing for 3 years now. She is extremely good at styling and works at a salon in Nahoon on Saturdays. She would like to advertise to do ladies hair for functions at their homes at a cost of R30. She does beautiful curling and upstyles. If anybody is interested, she can be contacted on 074 330 2868 or my cell no. which is 084 840 1337.”

IS YOUR RESIDENT CONTRACTOR New Dwellings, Alterations, Renovations, Painting, tiling, Aluminium doors and windows

Timber houses, solid and porous wood decking, staircases, drywalling, ceilings, plumbing,

Built in cupboards and kitchens, paving, roofing, Jungle gyms, fencing swimming pools and general maintenance.

Contactable references available on request. CONTACT DETAILS:

Bradley Young 082 539 0491 Fax: 086 5163556 Email:bradley@eastcoastdc.co.za

Charmaine Fegan

Key Account Manager

T: +27 43 721 2886

F: +27 12 673 4847

C: +27 82 329 7051

CLICK HERE for more information or visit www.OUTsurance.co.za *T's and C's App

Think about it!!

A bit of Fun

Only in Brakpan

Married 50 years - Priceless! After being married for 50 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said to her, "Fifty years ago we had a cheap house, a junk car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10-inch black and white TV, but I got to sleep every night with a hot 23-year-old girl." "Now... We have an R3 800 000 home, a R650 000 car, a nice big bed and a large-screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 73-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of the bargain." My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me to go out and find a hot 23-year-old girl and she would make sure that I would once again be living in a cheap house, driving a junk car, sleeping on a sofa bed, and watching a 10-inch black and white TV. Aren't older women great? They really know how to solve an old guy's problems!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– As jy 'n brandmerk in jou vrou se gunsteling sitkamermat gebrand het, dan herstel jy dit so: Neem 'n suurlemoen en sny dit met 'n mes middeldeur en druk die sap uit in 'n groot glas wat driekart met brandewyn gevul is en voeg 'n bietjie ys by. Drink genoeg sulke glase (kry nog suurlemoene) totdat die brandmerk op die mat uit fokus begin lyk. Skuif dan die sitkamerbank oor die merk! ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Those Fabulous Jewish Comedians - There was not one single swear word in their comedy.

Here are a few examples: I just got back from a pleasure trip. I took my mother-in-law to the airport. I've been in love with the same woman for 49 years! If my wife ever finds out, she'll kill me! What are three words a woman never wants to hear when she's making love? "Honey, I'm home!" Someone stole all my credit cards but I won't be reporting it. The thief spends less than my wife did.

We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops. My wife and I went back to the hotel where we spent our wedding night; only this time I stayed in the bathroom and cried. My wife and I went to a hotel where we got a waterbed. My wife called it the Dead Sea. She was at the beauty shop for two hours. That was only for the estimate. She got a mudpack and looked great for two days. Then the mud fell off. The Doctor gave a man six months to live. The man couldn't pay his bill so the doctor gave him another six months. The Doctor called Mrs. Cohen saying, "Mrs. Cohen, your check came back. " Mrs. Cohen answered, "So did my arthritis!" Doctor: "You'll live to be 60!" Patient: "I am 60!" Doctor: "See! What did I tell you?" Patient: "I have a ringing in my ears." Doctor: "Don't answer!" A drunk was in front of a judge. The judge says, "You've been brought here for drinking." The drunk says "Okay, let's get started." Why do Jewish divorces cost so much? They're worth it. The Harvard School of Medicine did a study of why Jewish women like Chinese food so much. The study revealed that this is due to the fact that Won Ton spelled backward is Not Now. There is a big controversy on the Jewish view of when life begins. In Jewish tradition, the fetus is not considered viable until it graduates from medical school. Q: Why don't Jewish mothers drink? A: Alcohol interferes with their suffering. Q: Why do Jewish mothers make great parole officers? A: They never let anyone finish a sentence! A man called his mother in Florida. "Mom, how are you?" "Not too good," said the mother. "I've been very weak."

The son said, "Why are you so weak?" She said, "Because I haven't eaten in 38 days." The son said, "That's terrible. Why haven't you eaten in 38 days?" The mother answered, "Because I didn't want my mouth to be filled with food if you should call." A Jewish boy comes home from school and tells his mother he has a part in the play. She asks, "What part is it?" The boy says, "I play the part of the Jewish husband." "The mother scowls and says, "Go back and tell the teacher you want a speaking part." Q: How many Jewish mothers does it take to change a light bulb? A: (Sigh)"Don't bother. I'll sit in the dark. I don't want to be a nuisance to anybody." Short summary of every Jewish holiday: They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat. Did you hear about the bum who walked up to a Jewish mother on the street and said, "Lady, I haven't eaten in three days." "Force yourself," she replied. Q: What's the difference between a Rottweiler and a Jewish mother? A: Eventually, the Rottweiler will let go. Q: Why are Jewish men circumcised? A: Because Jewish women don't like anything that isn't 20% off. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

One day a man spotted a lamp by the roadside. He picked it up, rubbed it vigorously, and a genie appeared. "I'll grant you your fondest wish," the genie said. The man thought for a moment, then said, "I want a spectacular job -- a job that no man has ever succeeded at or has ever even dared try." "Poof!" said the genie. "You're a housewife." –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A little old lady was walking down the street dragging two large plastic garbage bags behind her. One of the bags was ripped, and every once in a while a R200 bill fell out onto the sidewalk. Noticing this, a policeman stopped her and said, "Ma'am, there are R200 bills falling out of that bag." "Oh, really? Darn it!" said the little old lady. "I'd better go back and see if I can find them. Thanks for telling me officer." "Well now, not so fast," said the cop. "Where did you get all that money?

You didn't steal it did you?" "Oh, no, no", said the old lady. "You see, my backyard is right next to a golf course. A lot of golfers come and pee through a knot hole in my fence, right into my flower garden. It used to really tick me off. Kills the flowers you know. Then I thought, 'why not make the best of it'? So, now I stand behind the fence by the knot hole, real quiet, with my hedge clippers. Every time some guy sticks his thingy through my fence I surprise him, grab hold of it and say, 'Okay buddy! Give me R200 or off it comes." "Well, that seems only fair," said the cop, laughing. "OK, good luck! Oh, by the way, what's in the other bag?" "Not everybody pays!" ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Man Stops Grizzly Attack With .25 Calibre Pistol This is a story of self-control and marksmanship with an itsy bitsy shooter by a man against a fierce predator. What is the smallest caliber you trust to protect yourself? The Beretta .25 Jetfire:

While out hiking in Alberta Canada with my wife we were surprised by a huge grizzly bear charging at us from out of nowhere. She must have been protecting her cubs because she was extremely aggressive If I had not had my little Beretta Jetfire with me I would not be here today! Just one shot to my wife’s knee cap was all it took. The bear got her and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace. It's one of the best pistols in my collection. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– "Sex and laughter both increase life expectancy. But for now, rather focus on the sex, because we can laugh plenty when we're older." -Bulgarian wisdom' ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A circus owner runs an ad for a lion tamer and two people show up. One is a retired golfer in his late sixties and the other is a gorgeous blond in her mid-twenties. The circus owner tells them, "I'm not going to sugar coat it. This is one ferocious lion. He ate my last tamer, so you two had better be good or you're history. Here's your equipment: chair, whip and a gun. Who wants to try out first?"

The girl says, "I'll go first." She walks past the chair, the whip, and the gun, and steps right into the lion's cage. The lion starts to snarl and pant and begins to charge her. About halfway there, she throws open her coat revealing her beautiful body. The lion stops dead in his tracks, sheepishly crawls up to her and begins to lick her feet and ankles. He continues to lick and kiss her entire body for thirty minutes before resting his head at her feet. The circus owner's jaw is on the floor. He says, "I've never seen a display like that in my life." He turns to the retired golfer and asks, "Can you top that?" The tough old golfer replies, "No problem, just get that lion out of there."