Animals

Dogs and cats and all other four legged creatures feature here

Mediteranean Sea

~ Kate Wilson ~ 5 Comments

I have never forgotten my first contact with the Mediterranean sea. It was in the south of Italy. After travelling down by train from Rome to Brindisi on a student rail pass, I finally reached the beach and sat with my feet in the water turning my face to the sun like a sunflower. I felt my body and all its layers of defense, melting into butter.

Today Blue and Bonnie had their first meeting with this blue warm enchanted sea. The waves came to find them and the winter sun stroked their backs. Blue was dancing with joy and found new energy to run and jump and of course bark.

Home

~ Kate Wilson ~ 1 Comment

We arrived home in Granollers last night. So good to be here and after all the work and worrying it is wonderful to be able to stop at last.

Yesterday we set off in more rain from Cahors – it seemed to chase us ever south. But after a couple of hours we felt the change – that feeling of crossing a line between north and south. There is a temperature change but it is something more – a different light, something in the air, an easing of the bones.

I am sure the dogs felt it too.

We stopped in an Aire and walked up through some pines into a beam of sunlight

Blue’s tail was wagging – it was so good to see as I struggle with guilt about bringing her so far from Cornwall. She managed the hill more easily,  started to sniff around with interest instead of hanging her head despondently and I felt myself begin to relax at last.

When you live in the UK this feeling is wonderful when you arrive in a warmer country – those first steps off an airplane into a rush of hot scented air.  This time I realised it didn’t feel like a holiday – it felt like I was coming back to a place I belong. You couldn’t find someone who looks more northern than me but somewhere inside there is a mediterranean gene, there must be!

Food

~ Kate Wilson ~ 4 Comments

Hello I am Blue and I am writing a guest post for Kate’s blog. I don’t know where I am exactly but it is a long way from home. I slept most of the day in my cage which is where I feel safest when travelling. I was glad to be with Kate and Marta and Bonnie – for weeks I have been worried because it looked like a big change was afoot and I hoped I would be part of it and not left behind. So here I am in a big hotel and it looks like we are all going somewhere new which is a big adventure and quite interesting. We stopped a lot along the way and I used my new ramp – always with a biscuit appearing when I went in and out. I ate my dinner in a car park where it was very windy and a bit wet but it was good to know the food had been packed. Then we went in a lift – my first one ever – it was better than the ramp and so much easier than climbing stairs with my old knees.
Then – wonder of wonders – a tray of food arrived in the room – there was fish and chips!  Lovely!
I think I will sleep well in here although Bonnie doesn’t want to share the blanket with me so Kate got another bed for me and there are also the big beds of course. Perhaps she will go and get the ramp so I can get up!
We just went outside again and there were so many new smells that I didn’t want to walk far but suddenly there were cheesey biscuits again in front of my nose so I ran in the wind and the rain to a grassy area and then back inside to the warmth of the lift and back upstairs to bed.
When I know where I am – I will write more.

Thank you all for thinking about me – I am fine!

Receiving visitors

~ Kate Wilson ~ 3 Comments

No photos today – sorry but it’s been a day of doing last minute things and I’m only writing here to let you know we are setting off for Catalunya tomorrow and although I am very nervous (about what?  not sure really but just General Fears) I am also ready to go.
I’m hoping for time to write a little on the way down – Blue is going to do some guest posts about her first trip ‘abroad’.
The van is packed, the tickets bought and the first dog friendly hotel is booked.
The weather is awful – all day it has teased us with sunshine and then soaked us as we trudged across the field carrying last things up to the cabin.
I have moved in with my lovely neighbours who have helped and supported me in so many ways throughout this process.  My own empty and echoing house was beginning to feel very weird – for me but also for the dogs who wandered from room to room looking forlorn before sinking down in  sad heaps on the cold concrete floors. So we moved out and have been sleeping better and breathing in normality with my friends.
Today there were a stream of visitors to say goodbye – to Blue!  After 15 years in Lamorna she has many friends both human and canine. Many of her old dog companions have died and she is one of the last of her generation. People came bearing gifts for the journey – homemade treats, biscuits, marrowbone markies.  Last photos were taken. Hugs and kisses accepted with a regal sigh. Blue cares deeply about those she loves but she doesn’t like to be fussed over.
Time to sleep now and tomorrow off we go on a great adventure – vuelvo al sur!
Vuelo al Sur
como se vuelve siempre al amor
vuelvo a vos
con mi deseo. con mi temor

15 things to remember about old dogs….

~ Kate Wilson ~ 6 Comments

 Old Dogs….
1.   Bark loudly because they are deaf and think you are too

2.   Teach you patience on a walk as they stop to savour a smell for….. a   l o   n g  t  i m e….. and then a little longer
3.   Still pull on the lead but now they pull you back where they used to pull you forward
4.    Have trouble with the front end knowing what the back end is doing
5.    Can’t see too well either…..but use the sense of smell to get about without knocking into things


6.    Are happy with the simple things in life
7.    Come upstairs and then can’t remember what they came up for so go downstairs again

8.       Prefer the beach to the countyside – it’s so much softer on the paws
9.       But still love to get up high and look out over the world – if there’s a handy car park

10.      Like bones even after losing most of their teeth

11.       Know how to open a birthday present – after 15 years of practice
12.       Let things go which in the past would have led to an unpleasantness

13.     Were once young

14.      Are still learning new tricks

15.      Are willing to follow you to the end of the world if it means you can be together