Tuesday 26 April
We left our lovely finca on the orange and lemon grove farm today. Bittersweet; bitter in that we had to leave behind our friend Golfo – he of ‘the stinking shed’. He of ‘no company thus going stir-crazy’. He of ‘no exercise, infrequent food and dirty water in a bucket’. Yelp!
Leigh has tried her best to free him – too much to tell or mention here – and she is hopeful that he will be freed and find a new home eventually. However, I’m a bit wiser than she; I now know that many Spanish people have the attitude that keeping dogs locked up with just a bucket of stale water (oh, and thrown a bit of dried food once a week) is ‘OK’. I also know (via ex-pat friends who wouldn’t practice animal cruelty or neglect) that many ex-pats take on this same attitude. I am not saying all of them but if you are an ex-pat you will know this is true. Look at the half-feral dogs on any urbanisation – left to ‘guard’ and fend for themselves whilst their owners are back in the UK. Look at those dogs set ‘free’ when their owners become older and go back to their mother country because to take the dogs is ‘too much trouble’. The whole lot saddens me. Rosie and I are very lucky dogs.
Leigh wanted to take over the keyboard today; I wouldn’t let her as she is likely to go off on one – and that wouldn’t be kind on my dog-loving readers. Who wants to read about doom and gloom after all? Anyway, besides being an important day adventure-wise, it is my lovely male-human (Tom’s) birthday today. He received many cards – this one in particular make him smile.
Although he had some birthday money sent to him, and a virtual cheese-making present, most of his presents will be waiting for him in Blighty. I guess he gets to celebrate twice that way – just like the Queen of England. Lucky boy – I might try that if we travel when it is my birthday next year.
After driving for just over an hour we were in the lovely, green, blossomy mountainous area of Tibi and Ibi (reminds me of Tinga and Tucker) which meant we could meet up to say ‘a bientot’ to the lovely Roger and Diane Milnes. I was a tad puzzled as, although it is Toms birthday, Tom presented Roger with flowers.
I think they are meant for Diane actually as they are cuttings for her garden. A scrummy lunch was enjoyed by my humans; all four of us were sad to say our final goodbye to R and D but as Tom said to them, ‘We may be back in a year or so to grab a few months in the sunshine – who knows??’
We ended the day on a fabulous site – one of the best – called ‘L’orangerie’ this pretty little campsite in Calig is set in open countryside and we enjoyed a couple of nice walks without the dust of Jacarilla clinging to our coats!!
Leigh had made a prettyhotchilli before leaving the Finca yesterday; she and Tom enjoyed a glass or two of vino tinto – or vin rouge as I should bark now that we are in Fance…speaking of which my humans do make me smile. They keep saying, ‘Si’ instead of ‘Oui’;’Por favor’ instead of ‘S’il vous plait’; ‘Cafe con leche’ instead of ‘Cafe noir’. It’s crazy how living for just six months in one country confuses the (few) brain cells they have!
Woof, Martha x
PS Think Leigh is taking orders for lemon curd looking at this lot!!
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