Dogs and cats and all other four legged creatures feature here
I have a new thing on my mobile phone called Daily Rumi. Quotes from Rumi are a lovely way to start or end the day. Here is the one I just read:
“It is love that holds everything together, and it is the everything also”
Happy Spring to you all!
Because she had months of anxiety here when Duna was attacking her in fits of jealousy, Bonnie totally lost trust in other dogs and when we met one in the park she would take a wide circle to avoid them. Azlan the black and white collie was the first who managed to play with her and make friends.
But look at her here with her friend Grace in Cornwall! She is a friendly dog at heart.
But I noticed yesterday that she has relaxed a whole lot more because when a large brown dog came bounding over, Bonnie stayed put, only stretching out her nose to say hello.
Their subsequent conversation went something like this:
Brown Dog ‘Hi there, you’re new, can I sniff your bottom?’
Bonnie ‘OK…… I don’t know why you lot always want to do that’
Brown Dog ‘Mmmmmmm‘
Bonnie ‘That’s enough now – I’m going to have a pee’
Brown Dog ‘ Me too!’
Bonnie ‘Hey this patch of grass smells interesting?’
Brown Dog ‘OH YES!! I like that. Just let me pee on it’
Bonnie ‘Me too’
Brown Dog “I’ll have to do another now. Can I sniff you again?
Bonnie ‘No, that’s enough – leave me alone’
Brown Dog ‘Are you sure?’
Bonnie ‘Bugger off I told you!’
Brown Dog ‘Bye then!’
And so we walked on.
We went along narrow streets until we arrived at the green space near the river.
I wondered where the swallows are now – of course it is far too early for them to arrive but when they do, this is the place I watch them flying and feeding.
There is a lot of human rubbish all around this zone and I have to defocus otherwise I would be walking every day in a steaming tizzy.
I have a plan to work one day a month clearing up this path – it doesn’t look too bad here – but it is!
I’ve got the bags and just need to contact the council to ask them where I can leave them when they are full. I am attracted to the idea of being ‘that crazy British woman who picks up rubbish’
We passed the vegetable plots and the wild and chaotic yard where Lola the Border Collie lives. She wasn’t there today so we couldn’t do our normal greeting from afar – HOLA GUAPAAAAA! QUE TAL? WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF in response.
People do stare at me – I have a secret exhibitionist trying to get out, I think.
We said hello to the little dog who lives on a balcony in one of the flats that look out over the river. Many people here have dogs that spend their days on the balconies, barking at every passing dog. I feel sorry for them but try to cope with it by shouting hello when we pass.
In the park there are always lots of dog walkers and this is one of our favourite places. I don’t usually throw balls and Bonnie just gets on with her newly discovered addiction to sniffing around on the path. She never used to do this in Cornwall – she was too busy running and playing with friends and balls. But now she seems very happy with her head down, checking out who has passed by and whatever other secret messages dogs leave in their pee trails.
This all set me thinking about how we both have adapted to our new environment. We lived in a beautiful paradise in Cornwall, beaches, fields, woods, peace and fresh air. Now we live in a polluted and noisy industrial city, surrounded by rubbish and graffiti, with few green areas to walk in unless we go further afield
But we both seem to have learned to get on with enjoying life. I look at the flowers and the birds and enjoy the view of the distant mountains. She gets very excited by all the new and strange smells and obviously loves the way every day brings more news from the doggy world
This is the funny face she makes when she is sniffing for scents – her mouth hangs open slightly
At least once a week we can go to the beach or the hills and get more into wild nature. We have the Pyranees and the Mediterranean on our doorstep. Granollers is not our perfect dream place to live but in general it is fine. I worried about all this before bringing Bonnie to live here but like all dogs she lives in the present moment and I don’t think she spends any time dreaming of Cornwall and our past life. She also adores Pep and so long as we are all together and there are new things to explore, she is happy. Me too!
I woke up on Monday morning still in beautiful Sant Nicolau – the sun was streaming into the bedroom and the wind had dropped – but it was time for us to leave
Helen has lost two of her dogs and it felt hard going knowing they are still out there but we don’t know where. She has been incredible – there are posters of them at every corner in an area stretching from Bascara to Figueres and all around. I went out with her every day exploring new corners of the region, to speak with people and pin up posters and scan the fields
But apart from one possible sighting there has been a resounding silence
I drove back to Granollers and almost immediately caught the train down to Barcelona to go to my Swing class in Gracia. I even stayed on afterwards to eat in a Syrian restaurant with two other beginners.
After the class we wanted to try out the late Jam session at Swing Maniacs as we need to practise as well as learn new steps. But there was time to eat inbetween and what a pleasure to have falafel and hummus and pitta bread – the sort of food that feels like a real treat here.
And then a quick dance before catching the last train home.
I met Tiffany for coffee one morning – but it wasn’t coffee – it was the Catalan chocolate drink that is rich and thick and warm like a pudding and comes with whipped cream and little sponge fingers for dunking. If you want to order it is called a Xocolata Desfeta and if you want the cream it is a Suìs
Don’t go to that link if you are on a diet!
On the way home the man with the accordion was out again beside the newspaper stand. He recognises me now (as one of the few people who throw money into his bag and stop to listen!)
So when he had to start another song he looked at me and said ‘Danny Boy?’ Of course I sat down on the bench to listen – and cried a little for the strangeness of it
What else? We have just been to the CineClub which shows films in original version. Tonight this was a Catalan film called Fenix. A really amazing and good film about a young boy who, under the influence of Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, wrote emails to supermarkets telling them to put their labels in Catalan and not just Spanish. I really must be careful what I write here because this is a true story and what happened to him was horrific. Armed police rushed his home and he was charged with crimes under the terrorism laws. Worth seeing this if it comes to your alternative film club!
And lastly we took our seed potatoes over to the farm where a new friend has offered us a space to plant them. I brought over Pentland Javelin and Charlotte and am looking forward to real potatoes this summer!
Bonnie loved being in the countryside again and I have promised both her and me – ‘Soon!’
Reading too many books
But enjoying them all!
‘How to speak so your children listen and how to listen so they speak’ is wonderful!’
My hairdresser recommended it one day when he noticed how sad and tired I was. Nice man!
Ken Follett. No words can describe how much I enjoyed this book. Finished it this morning.
In the Garlic is written by two women who live in Spain/Catalunya. Written in dictionary form it is funny and informative. E.g. about the endless bureaucracy here, there is the law of Falta Uno. This means whatever papers you bring there is always one missing!
On the Kindle I am reading Caroline Myss – Sacred Contracts. Fantastic!
I really enjoyed the first essay in Matthew Trees book about how to explain this country to foreigners. He is dedicated to spreading the word about Catalunya and writes very well. I find it good to read Catalan written by a British writer. He thinks in a familiar way which makes it easier for me.
I’ve had this Derek Jarman diary for years and never picked it up. Now I am dipping in every day and loving it. The sort of person it would be great to know. The diary is a mix of gardening and poetry, poems, landscape and practicalities.
How does he know so much about plants and herbs and history in those days before the internet?
I’ve known people like that and envied them. He was alone in Prospect Cottage, writing and gardening and looking out over his life. At times he seems to be grieving, at others, deeply content and at peace.
Looking out over life!!!
I am making roses from the ribbon reels that fill the shelves in the backroom. It’s easy and very satisfying but I have no idea what to do with them!
Catching water in Santa Fe – No! No! that is a reverse translation from Catalan – Going to get water from the fountain in the woods. Now we have a full cellar.
Starting my new vegetarian life – just like the old one that I strayed from 10 or so years ago but in a more challenging environment and with more flexibility when necessary. One of my goals is to be visible in restaurants and not just eat the bits I can, timidly accepting the meaty menus that dominate in Catalunya. In a typically traditional Catalan country restaurant I ordered the side dishes and it made a lovely lunch. Chips, white beans and samfaina!
The Kings are coming! Tomorrow I am going to see them in Barcelona when they arrive by boat.
And all through the week and the weeks before – my lovely dog – Bonnie. What a friend!
