There is a thick mist covering the whole property today.walking the dogs this morning I could hear a cuckoo but could not see any of the surrounding trees the mist was so dense and still is as I write this. This week has seen the first cuckoos of the year arrive, I hope they can find enough food to eat, each year I wonder if this will be the last year they return. The name of the road in which the shelter is situated is called Lon Pant-y-Gog, which in English translates as Cuckoo Dip Lane so it looks as though cuckoos have nested here for many years. I love hearing their call,almost as good as the sound of flocks of geese flying overhead(always sends a shiver down my spine)
I had a very sad email this morning, poor Ken has lost his companion Taffy. As you know he went out on loan recently to be a companion to another horse and they had really hit it off well. This morning Taffy was found with a broken leg and had to be put down to the owners great distress.Ken was allowed to say goodbye to his friend and later lay down on his grave (who says horses have no feelings) which brought a lump to my throat. This is a tragedy all round because now Ken may have to come back,however Nicola is trying him first with another horse belonging to a neighbour so all may not be lost forKen. What a distressing thing to happen. No wonder Nicola is devastated at this awful turn of events. My heart goes out to her and to our lovely Ken
Anyhow there is some good news today as well- both black kittens have gone to nice people,another tabby baby reserved and the spaniels and Tilly are reserved pending the result of homechecks.Not a bad few days apart from the sad news about Kens home. I did think I had found the perfect home in Scotland for the Siberian Husky but they have not rung back so that is disappointing. there have been many people wanting her but all have had either other dogs(she is too dominant) or cats(she hates them)This home seemed ideal,oh well maybe they will phone tomorrow, she needs to go and settle somewhere permanently, this is no place for a husky.
The Llandudno shop DID do well over the weekend , the Extravaganza attracted loads of tourists which in its turn brought people to shop and a young helper Hayley ran a small tombola outside which raised £45 to add to the weeks income. I wish there were events like that every week!
.Another mum cat and babies are being admitted tomorrow from Anglesey where they have suddenly appeared in someones garden shed. This was the second such call today though I am still trying to get in touch with the other person who rang for help. Answerphones are great in some ways but a pain in others.No good at all if you both keep missing each others calls.
Tomorrow Tilly,husky Shooks and a couple of cats are going to the vet to be neutered/spayed,I have been putting it off due to lack of funds and a desire not to increase the sum already owing to the vet but if they are to go to homes it must be done. Rhian will be taking them in along with Jess the spaniel whose infected mouth needs attention. I have asked her to get some more wormers for the cats, some of the feral cats roaming free are looking a bit scrawny and we need to worm and deflea them as soon as possible.
I must go now to help Mei with the dogs afternoon constitutional! Afternoons are all about that and feeding all the animals their second feed of the day plus of course bringing in the horses. There is not enough grass to leave them out grazing all night and anyway they are queuing up to come in around this time- gates get kicked and there is a lot of hustling and bustling as they vie for the nearest spot by the gate to be the first in for food.
That reminds me of an incident which happened when friend Barry and I visited a Buddhist retreat in France called Plum Village some years ago. It was a wonderfully calm place and everyone was encouraged to think deeply about everything one did and to eat slowly and savour every mouthful(difficult for greedy old me). Anyhow NOT in the best Buddhist tradition Barry and I decided that to get the best selection of food at the buffet tables for which there were always long queues,we would hover around the dining area just before the dining bell was sounded. That way we would be first in line! There were two tables and as planned I was at the front of one and Barry the other.Barry stepped forward with his plate and immediately dropped it, the plate rolled all over the room as he vainly tried to stop it.There was real chaos as some of the monks thought he was having a heart attack as he did a rugby tackle on the rolling plate and rushed to his assistance. By the time he caught it he had lost his place in the line and I was already filling up my own plate. I was by then doubled up with hysterical laughter and as I triumphantly passed him at the back of the line I smirked and gestured towards my overflowing plate. Still chuckling I sat down on a bench under a tree to eat my meal, then leaned forward to pick up my drink which I had placed on the ground,Just then a large lady arrived and sat down on the other end of the bench - my plate was catapulted into the air, the food went all over the floorand my meal was gone in a flash ! Trudging despondently back to the dinner queue I passed Barry who had now succeeded in obtaining his meal, needless to say he was the one with the triumphant smile this time. A lesson to be learned here I believe! Horses take note.
No comments:
Post a Comment