I'm currently in London still trying to obtain my three year visa; I hope to have it in the very near future. Because I always experience the torments of the damned when I find myself away from the Sanctuary, I decided that this time, I would avoid such extreme emotion and find a way of enjoying my stay in London's fair city. And I have to say, so far so good. I've been having fun! I discovered...

My blog has been on my mind for several weeks now, and yes, I owe you an apology, yet again, for it's lateness. I'm very grateful to you all for bearing with me. We've been having a very difficult time at the Sanctuary for some weeks now. Some monkeys who were sent to us from another centre arrived with a very virulent strain of worms which is extremely dangerous to monkeys. Of course, it spread...

A million apologies for my longer than usual silence; apart from another quick visit to London to solve the still ongoing saga of the visa situation which still requires another visit in April - hopefully the last - life in the bush is so unpredictable that planning anything seems risible. I'm also finding sleep a little elusive. This is because of a new addition to my household. I'm convinced...

The fact that I am no longer writing my blogs to Felix, may be greeted by some of you with a certain sense of relief! I've decided to keep my Felix writing separate from my writing to you guys. Not that I'm continuing to write letters to her, but she has certainly been the inspiration behind my decision to get my act together and write a book! I have organised my time to that effect, so that I...

I don't know Flexi; I appear to be lurching from one crisis to another of late. The aftermath of the fire resulted in several of the long-termers deciding to move on. Wherever people are gathered together, politics will always rear it's ugly head. Ideas, opinions differ, people take sides, form their own little cliques of like minded people, communication and co-operation fly out of the window,...

Well, I'm back in the bush Flex sitting at my desk in my cottage with Candy sleeping beside my chair; the day is relatively cool for which I'm extremely grateful as the last few days have been hotter than hell, and as we know, I fare not well in the fires of hell.....England, London, was close to hell Flex: a dismal, grey, overcast sky, pavements littered with debris, polluted air inhaled with...

My precious girl,So much has happened Flexi, I have no idea where to start. I'm sitting under the tree outside my cottage, a slight breeze causes my wind chimes to chuckle constantly, the leaves cast shadows, and in the spaces between, light from the sun dapples the aeons old rocks that form a semi-circle in front of me. The day is very warm, but I am blessed by the breeze that is a constant...

Oh... Flexi,The most extraordinary things have been happening, not least of which is that you are well on your way to being recognised as the STAR you are! When you popped your clogs; in the midst of my unbearable grief, I said to several friends, 'out of the pain of this loss I believe something very creative will emerge.' And guess what gorjus? IT HAS!!!!!I was recently contacted by the editor...

My little monkey!!!And that's as far as I've got... I had, what I considered to be the bright idea of writing my blogs to you in future, in the form of a letter. I know I'm stuck with you, and I suspect you are with me, so I might as well accept it, and acknowledge you as a constant presence in my life. When I wrote that first sentence, the tears came again Flex, and I thought that was as far as I...

I'm so very grateful to have been here when Felix's death occurred. She had another 'mummy' called Hilde who lives in Denmark. Hilde had left the Sanctuary about two weeks before Felix died, and I had the painful task of letting her know via e-mail. Here, I am surrounded by people who have lost their special monkey, although, what monkey isn't special, and understand completely what I am going...

I'm sitting on the terrace where I wrote my last blog, the sun is shining, the sky a cloudless blue; the only sound is coming from Solly - one of our workers as he rakes the leaves from around the house. Candy is with me, and the scene is very similar to the one I enjoyed when I wrote my last blog. But the difference this week is that I cannot see the screen through the tears that are pouring down...

I've decided that I'm undoubtedly having the best time of my life! I'm having experiences for the first time, like reflexology which I found remarkable; apparently I am the picture of health but might like to 'cut down on the grape' (which I definitely wouldn't like at all), so I'm having a large glass of vino to celebrate!I also went to a Spa on Sunday which was amazing! It was a beautiful...

I'm VERY EXCITED!!! You remember I mentioned some time ago that I'd been approached about a new play by the writer Matthew Westwood ? It was originally scheduled to go into production last autumn, but after hearing the play read for the first time, he decided he wanted to make some changes. I received a text from him this week: the new script is ready, and is winging it's way to me as I...

Yes, I know this blog is late, but trust me there are extremely valid reasons! You know I've been complaining constantly about tiredness? Well, last week, I was taken to the doctor (under duress) and was immediately admitted to hospital suffering from tic bite fever where I remained for two days and nights fighting for life and limb!The symptoms are extremely similar to malaria - high fever,...

I know I said I would write every day, but I didn't say how much! I thought I had committed myself to a full blog a day, which I found rather daunting, but on reflection, I decided that for now, it's enough if I write and don't concern myself with how much. Then when the habit of writing daily is well and truly established, I shall tackle the issue of length.It's not simply a question of finding...

When I returned to the VMF this time, it was with the intention of working with my monkeys and writing a book in my spare time. I'd already decided on the title - 'From Byfleet to the Bush' which I found quite hilarious, but have thus far, yet to write the first sentence... You see, the title suggests an autobiography, and an autobiography is the very last thing on earth, I wish to write. So you...

Before I go any further I must apologise for the time lapse since my last blog; my few weeks in London passed so quickly and of course there was so much to do! So, please forgive me, and know that I shall revert to my usual 10-day turnaround now that the madness of my previous life no longer claims so much of my time. I'm one of those people who when presented with a form to fill in immediately...

Well, I'm back in London with all that that involves. Freezing cold - not that it bothers me - far from it. I love snow, and it snowed the night I returned. I opened the curtains at 5.00am in order to let Caspar out for a pee, and there it was, a magically transformed world whose beauty took my breath away. Caspar gingerly walked up the steps leading to the garden, leaving a trail of paw prints in...

Forgive me for being late with this blog, and also for its brevity. Being a full time 'Mum' has totally taken over my life for the past 19 days! For the first 17, Meroela was with me 24/7: if she went into the nursery and played with the other orphans I went with her, she hung out at my tent with friends who stopped by for a drink at the end of the day, and proved herself to be an enchanting and...

I'm sitting under a tree outside my tent, and inside my top is a tiny monkey: she's four weeks old, but she was premature by three weeks and requires far more attention than our other orphans. I've been looking after her 24/7 for the past week and it's proving to be a unique experience. She was born in one of our enclosures, the first baby of an ageing mother. Her mother was unable to produce milk...

I just received a wonderful email from my friend Vicki filling me in on all the news from London. A friend who is temporarily homeless has been staying in my flat while I'm away, so Caspar, who loathes everyone except Vick and I has had to find a new way to exit the house. He usually does so through my French windows, but has been decidedly miffed since Joel's arrival, refuses to enter my flat and...

There are many things I love about Africa: the monkeys, the landscape, the people and a way of life that has eluded me in London. Africa still has an elegance, style and romance that disappeared from London as the 60's swept away a way of life that had somehow hung on since the Edwardian era. The change had begun at the end of the Second World War. Huge country houses no longer had the staff...

Life in Africa is never boring! The rain last week made me realize that it was time to buy a new tent. The zips finally went on my original one so off I went into Tzaneen to see if I could purchase one that afforded a little more protection. I found one, went back, and got some of the boys to put it up for me. Then I was offered another position which is outside of tent village and deeper into the...

I've just lived through an incredible 24 hours! It started yesterday morning, when I woke up to torrential rain pounding onto my tent. I threw on some clothes, rather regretting that I had neglected to purchase any oilskins and ran over to see my babies. Everything in the enclosure was soaking wet including the monkeys. They all threw themselves onto me diving down my sweater to get to the heat of...

Well, I'm back, but just before I left I received some very sad news from Sandy. During the week prior to my arrival, Charlie Brown had been found lying in tent village obviously very ill. He was rushed up to Arthur but it was too late, and a few hours later he died. Everybody here was deeply affected by the loss of that little person: he was such a special monkey, and I feel so sad every time I...

I have four days remaining to me before I hit Heathrow for my flight to Jo'burg. I shall spend the night in Jo'burg with friends and the following morning catch the bus for the seven hour trip to Tzaneen where I will be collected from the bus station and driven to the Sanctuary. Upon arrival I shall rush to the enclosure containing Ms Felix - this time secure in the knowledge that she WILL...

I'm in such a state of excitement that I can hardly write! I didn't get to bed until 7.30am, I was chain smoking, imbibing A LOT of the grape, pacing up and down the flat with huge butterflies fluttering in my tummy as I tried to re-engage with terra firma, my head being completely in the clouds at the time. What had caused this incredible euphoria, I hear you ask?!Well.... I have two dear...

Something rather exciting - professionally speaking - has recently presented itself. An extremely talented writer called Matthew Westwood contacted me with a request to appear in a new play he has recently written. I read the script, loved it and went to a read-thru last Friday. The cast is composed of 7 characters, one of them being Anna Wilson-Jones who I worked with for 8 months...

I'm enjoying one of my favourite kinds of day. This means that I'm tucked up in bed in front of a blazing coal fire with Caspar curled up beside me, while rain drives down outside, wind howls like a demented wolf, and trees shed their leaves in great russet heaps that cluster outside my window. Dusk is darkening the sky, Cyril (squirrel) has steamed up for his supper and is munching his way...

I'm sitting in my tent writing this, enjoying my favourite time of day. Between 6pm and 8pm all the volunteers go up to the house for supper. I usually skip this because it means that I have tent village to myself, and I use the time to process the events of the day. I value solitude greatly; indeed I require it in order to maintain what little sanity I possess! I love listening to the wind...

It's a miracle to me that I'm writing this sitting in my tent in my beloved tent village in Africa! It's my day off and I elected to spend it here rather than at the Lodge. I knew I needed a day to myself, I also needed to stay close to the monkeys: my time here is short and I don't want to be away from those magical creatures for a second longer than absolutely necessary.You can imagine my...

In approximately 48 hours from now I shall be winging (in every sense of the word) my way to Johannasburg enroute to Tzaneen, where I shall arrive on Wednesday afternoon. And then... I shall see my BABIES!!! It's all I think about; in my head, my heart and my soul, I have been with them every second of every day since I left. Even when it was necessary to think about other things for a time, I...

I had such a good time! It's a long time since I've worked with such a lovely company. It isn't always easy walking into a long running show as a guest; and Casualty has been on air for 21 years. The cast know one another very well, and it's easy for a guest to feel excluded from their charmed circle and rather out on a limb so to speak. Not so with Casualty. Everyone went out of...

When I left for Africa it was with the intention of resolving several key issues in my life; the biggest being, what was I going to do with my life in the future? In a professional capacity that is. I've been an actress for 43 years and it's really the only life I know, and the only talent I have, capable of earning me money. But my 'life in art' has proved to be extremely difficult and although I...

My week started badly with some very impressive projectile vomiting during the early hours of Tuesday morning. This proved to be the result of salmonella poisoning which I - and the rest of the guests contracted at my beloved God daughters first birthday party. A couple of days later I crawled into the West End with the intention of buying a birthday present for her father; his birthday being...

My darlings, I'm back in England and have been for 10 days, but this is the first time I've put type to writer, if you see what I mean, (of course you do) but before I proceed, I want to say a HUGE THANK-YOU to everyone who was kind enough to email while I was in Africa. I can't tell you how thrilled I am that you like the site and enjoy my blog! Because of my extreme technophobia, I was unable to...

I've been finding it extremely difficult to write since arriving in monkey heaven. The experience is so overwhelming, so totally absorbing that the "real" world recedes and my world now contains monkeys and tent village, and that's about it! Oh, and also, the Tzaneen Country Lodge, which is where I am now, sitting in an enchanted garden writing this blog. I arrived on Thursday after my weekly...

My ability to completely overlook the obvious never ceases to amaze me.I spent my first week here crying copiously and frequently. In this state of mind, I immediately assumed it is because of deep wounds from my childhood; only later to discover it has NOTHING to do with my past and everything to do with my present.I spent seven months last year undergoing treatment for breast cancer. This...

And magic is what I have found. It is everywhere, it permeates the landscape, the animals and the people. Here the monkeys come first, before everything else. We are here for them and it is an awesome privilege. I've been working with the smallest babies since Sunday, four days ago. They were brought in here because their mothers had been shot by farmers who couldn't quite bring themselves to...

I'm here in the African Bush, living with the monkeys. I arrived in a state of nervous and physical exhaustion. Months of not eating properly, going to bed at dawn, etc finally caught up with me, so I've been given a few days to get myself together and finally - tomorrow- I shall begin work with the monkeys.When I arrived I was shown to my tent in tent village. This is composed of about twelve...

By the time you guys read this, I'll be in AFRICA!!! I only have five days left before I leave and I can't begin to describe how I'm feeling. But I shall try... I've now come through the primal terror barrier, and find myself about to explode with mounting excitement (gosh!) - a sensation infinitely preferable to primal terror, but requiring a similar (VAST) surge of adrenalin. Twice in the last...

My beautiful friend, Thomas Patrick Bevins died on St. Patrick's Day. He was buried yesterday and tomorrow would have been his 69th birthday. The first time I met him 12, 13 years ago, was at 'Woodtown Manor' a Georgian farmhouse in Rathfarnham, Southern Ireland. I had gone to visit a friend who was living there while(st?) recovering from the breakdown of his marriage; he was renting the 'Manor'...

I had the most amazing day! I had to get all the gear I need to take to Africa. (It STILL doesn't feel real). This involved buying a camera - I've never owned a camera in my life - walking boots, ditto, sleeping bag etc, etc, etc; ditto, ditto, ditto. So I was incredibly grateful to David for agreeing to accompany me and guide me to shops I never knew existed. 'Blacks' 'Millets' - we avoided Army...

The last time I wrote I said that the reality of my trip to Africa hadn't really registered, well last night it did, big time, and I experienced a wave of primal fear the like of which, I never wish to experience again. Ever. What do I think I'm doing??? I'm a girl who loves her creature comforts, is welded to her bed, and has been a life long arachnophobic. I go to bed between 5 and 7am and,...

I'M GOING TO AFRICA!!! On April 3rd I leave for Johannesburg, from whence I travel, on a bus, for 300 miles to somewhere in the deepest part of the African bush. Well, obviously the African bush, I mean I wouldn't travel to Johannesburg to take a bus to the Polish bush or even the Italian bush, now would I? On arrival I shall live in a tent for 8 weeks, and when I'm NOT in my tent, I shall be...