Goings on about town

It's been a busy two weeks for us here, so here's a briefing on the other (non-field trip) bits of our lives.

I'm now pitching fairly regularly again, but haven't been able to replicate my early success after the abdominal surgery. Record: 0 wins 3 losses 9.00 ERA.

I've been collecting these funny advertisements for witch doctors.

Kelsey and I convinced our landlords to allow us to install a larger patio out back for braai parties and just general enjoyment. We started removing aloes last weekend.

Or rather I should say our stalwart gardener Mawazo started removing aloes (pictured here with his friend William on the left and about 400 pounds of aloes).

Here are the garden plans (with black background for some reason)

I had some luck getting publicity for a new paper I have coming out.

Which appeared directly opposite a major toilet scandal in the paper.

And I visited the National Museum in Bloemfontein with my graduate student Eddie. Pictures of Bloem to be posted later, can't get them off my camera.

The museum's logo is a representation of this awesome animal, Pelorovis, the "monstrous cow", which they have abundant fossils of.

They also have great material of Sivatheres, or extinct giraffe relatives. Seriously, this thing is a giraffe.

And, of course, dinosaurs.

The National Museum recently installed a new exhibit on rock art and human material culture, which includes this super cool stone tool panel.

But of course I was working in the collections, where this sort of display is more common.

Finally, I wanted to show this display because the Secretary Bird is about the coolest bird in the world, and because they're very common near my field sites.