Colour

My world is full of colour today. Happy birthday to me... rather late :)



I've been whining on and off for years about the lamentable lack of colour in local socks. Tat remedied that very nicely. Thank you sooooo much! Oh and chocolate! Can we say Cadburys? Flake? Smarties? Hmmm.... It's so hard not to pig out. Then there's the really sweet plaque...



Best of all was the letter. The kind of letter that makes being a mom so worth it *happy sigh and watery eyes* And the birthday card full of dreams and dandelions : )

It's been a fabulous two days.

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary... 24 years. We had some good steak for supper, topped with mushroom and caramelised onion. Then another unheard-of veg... brussel sprouts!! Delicious! Steak is rare enough for us, but mushrooms and brussel sprouts was a pure treat!


Uh yes... and a sleepy cat. "You done with all this flash already??"

 

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It's a dog's life

Romany and Dingo like to lie under my desk at my feet. Dingo is ever watchful and hops up as soon as the camera is directed at her, but Romany...


Today was a long drizzly day. All buses were packed to the brim - sardine can style. Guess who left her umbrella at home *sigh*

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Good fences make good neighbours

Two days ago, Jurgis and I were inside when we heard a woman calling, "Visinho!" (Neighbour!) Jurgis went out and found the neighbour, with whom we share the property, was stuck inside her home. Her husband had left with the keys. We have the same problem here... only one set of keys, so our comings and goings have to be carefully planned. He helped her out of the house via the window (she's pregnant and needed to get to the doctor), then unlocked the main gate for her. While he was there, she mentioned how frightened she was of the dogs. Jurgis assured her that the dogs wouldn't bother her. We had put up a temporary gate fashioned out of the base of a bed. It's strong, just not pretty. She seemed satisfied.

Yesterday, her mother and father were home (we think they're visiting because of her pregnancy). They called us over and handed us a business card, saying the estate agent wants to speak to us. We were confused, as we deal directly with the owner who is one of Jurgis' friends. Just to make sure, he called his friend first and asked what was going on. Apparently, the neighbour called their estate agent and complained about the dogs, saying they're scared of them. The owner told us not to worry about it. The reason the owner rented this property to us because of the dogs! He wanted the dogs here.

As for the neighbour... this would be all good and well except... a) The dogs have been hiding from the heat under my computer desk virtually since we've moved in. They refuse to budge. b) The dogs have only barked once and that was when the old tenants sent someone to take their old stuff away. We've had our own removal guys, visitors - total strangers to the dogs - from out of town, and internet installation guys coming in and out with no fatalities or emergencies.

Jorge is now building a gate. Shelves and wardrobes must wait. The gate will probably be too heavy for anyone but him to lift, but that is all good. As for the neighbour... I think she has shot all neighbourliness to... well... you get what I mean. They have a little girl. The day I arrived for the first time with bird and cat in tow, their glass door was open, leaving only the frame closed. The girl smiled at me and I greeted her with a cheery 'hello'. The mother promptly shut the glass door in my face. Uh... ok, so I'm mean stalker material...

When we heard about the report to the agents, I went to ask her how she could do that right after Jurgis had helped her by lifting her bodily out of her house. The mother was there. Apparently the woman was at work. The mother complained that she needed to do laundry (a separate upstairs portion... the stairs are close to our entrance, but not on top of it... about a yard) and was afraid her daughter would be bitten. They say the previous tenants promised them the plants. Today we heard the owner is collecting their plants (it was the owner's brother-in-law who was renting). So these people are chancing their arm. What got me is that they weren't concerned their toddler would be bitten (our dogs are big), but that the pregnant mom would be bitten... She was told the dogs were safe as long as no one teased them or went inside the gate. Our dogs couldn't care less who stands outside the gate. There, they'll just bark. Inside, they'll bark louder *laughing* Besides, there's always someone home here and the darn dogs are now too used to their creature comforts to venture outside and be bothered with an ungrateful, petty neighbour.

On the bright side, apparently they're moving soon, as the house had flooded during the recent rainstorms, though the previous tenants here told us they're moving because her life is being made miserable at work because of her pregnancy, as her work involves a lot of running around and she can't keep up. Ah well... our other neighbours are quiet. Most here seem to keep to themselves. I can live with that : )

 

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Moving Monday

Advanced apologies... this is long-winded, but there's a lot of detail for Tatiana's benefit, as she'll be able to picture it all with painful clarity.

The cable guys still haven't been. We found out today that they're only coming on Wednesday and were supposed to have told us that last week. Ugh! I'm lost without the internet. My students are used to communicating by email and I've had to cancel my Skype students because of this. It's losing income for me in a big way. Jurgis can't work without the internet either. This is so frustrating.

I had a ditzy airhead sort of day. I left home early to get things done in the village, which is now a fair trek away. I took a bus in to the bottom of Zelina and walked up. It was disgustingly hot. Got into the village only to be told that, no, the post office no longer forwards mail if you move. Oh? I asked them what on earth people do with their old mail then. You have to change your address with the utilities and hope for the best. And what about mail en route from far off? If you know the postman, you could ask him to redirect any mail that arrives. That is just crazy.

From the post office, I went to the hardware store. I needed to get a new post box. After a bit of the usual miscommunication, I left with a post box and some runners for the curtains. Yes, Tat, you read correctly... curtains! =Þ We have to have them here. The main window has no shutters and it gets full afternoon scorching life-draining sun.

Now being the ditz I was playing at today, I went back to the bank... with large metal box in hand. The doors here have metal detectors, so I tried to put the box into one of their outside storage boxes, but the machine kept telling me to try again. Hmph. I went to the door and signalled to the security officer that I had a problem with the box. She signalled back that I must get myself inside pronto. Yep... it was Tat's old friend who scolded me for even doubting that I'd get in. She kept me talking for what seemed like hours. Tat will relate to that, I'm sure ; ) I then went to the info desk and was told that only Tat could change her address... "But...!! She's in England! She can't!" She asked me if I had Tat's pin codes. I nodded a mite too enthusiastically, so she took me to the ATM where I could cancel all Tat's bank-related mail. Great! Uh.... guess who went blank at the ATM... Pin code? What pin code? *sigh* The lady was sweet and looked at me as though I was a special child. Never mind, sweetie... you can come back tomorrow. I think she must have walked off inwardly shaking her head.

Off to my own bank. That went a little better. My ditz moment only happened at the door. I saw a heavily armed security guard and explained my box issue. I was afraid I wouldn't be let in. He chuckled and said that I would be better off speaking to the bank security guards. Oh? *another blank look* Then it twigged... they were part of the armoured guards delivering or collecting money. I blushed and went into the bank where, again, the guard just waved me through. The info guy, who by now knows me for my strangely put requests laughed with me in disgust that the only way I could change my address was by phone and putting my pin in over the phone and not with the multitude of security passes I need to operate online. I can only change my address in the bank if I have a proof of address. Well, no I don't have a proof of address yet because we only moved a day ago. At least I know how to go about it there.

Back to the post office. I wanted to change our address on the forms we have there for our post office box where we get all our international mail. Who was standing there guarding money deliveries? The same guard from the bank! I think he thought I was following him. He looked at me and laughed... "So they let you in with your box?" I just blushed... again. I made a lame comment about the money delivery guy looking like Santa (he did too... the money bag was bright red and slung over his shoulder) just as they all disappeared, guns in hand, into the depths of the post office.

A brief stop at the supermarket (the one at the bottom of Zelina) and onto the bus home. No, my day wasn't over. I was worried about getting the right bus, as I couldn't look it up beforehand. It's amazing how I've come to rely on Google maps. I wanted a bus that didn't turn off at Giestas, but would go to the end of Ibitirama. Ah... found one! It was going to Shopping Plaza Sul. Great! I figured it would go down Ibitirama and turn right onto the river road. Ha! Clever is as clever does. I got on the bus, paid and as I went through the turnstile, the bus turned to the right. I asked a woman how far the next stop was. It was far... the bus went down and down... eventually it stopped and I stumbled off in despair. I had to walk all the way back up the hill to get another bus going down the other hill. I nearly cried. I was hot and bothered and lugging groceries and post boxes. With all the walking, I was feeling very sunburnt too. I eventually made it back to the top and took another bus home.

Let me tell you, I was grateful to get home! I did supper and headed out to my student who, thankfully, lives at the end of my road. What a pleasure!

And that, my friends, is the end of today's sorry tale. Wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Oh... we have loads of cats desperately trying to get into our place. Apparently the previous tenants had 4 cats! The last attempt was made by... a raccoon!! Yes, you read that right, Tat! A raccoon! : ) It ran away though. It was curious, but afraid. I'll see if it comes again and take a photo. There... I got a photo, as you saw. Not quite as raccoonish as Raccoon was, but close. She's very petit and friendly, except that she's taken to coming in and trying to swat the bird!

 

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Isn't it amazing?

 

I was sitting tonight, watching Specs sniff my fingers, then rub against my hand. I thought again who absolutely amazing the trust of an animal is. It is something that produces a feeling of awe in me... something so profound. Take Maluco. He was my baby. I was there at his birth. I miss him so much. He was the ultimate farm cat. He had no need for humans in his life, being totally self-sufficient, but every day, when I called, he'd come running home and sleep holding my mouse captive (yes, my mouse is under him in this photo) and at night, he'd sleep at the foot of my bed. When he was injured, he dragged himself home... how, I don't know. No one could touch him. He was in incredible pain, but he submitted to my nursing. He was extremely leery of other people after that, other than the three of us, of course. Trust.

One of my favourite quotes:
"Many of you have forgotten this truth
but you must never forget it:
you remain responsible, forever,
for what you have tamed."
by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I so often wonder how people can do harm to animals, especially those we have tamed... whose trust we have gained.

Then I got thinking... it is the same with my friends. I so often feel in awe of the friendship that is offered to me. It is a little like taming, isn't it? Only a little. It boils down to gaining the trust of another, especially when there is no need or tie that keeps them there.

Amazing...

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I'm angry

We just took our dogs and the cat for their annual rabies shots.
Specs was a breeze... she got a little wild in the eyes, but kept still and devoured her treats when we got home.

Dingo was easy, though she wet herself when the needle went in. That must have hurt. Still hyper as ever. In fact, I strongly suspect there was caffeine in that shot!

Romany... my tough boy... is hurting. We used to give our dogs their rabies shots ourselves, having large dogs (a shepherd, a great dane and a rotweiller) and living on a small holding. We injected, as the vets did, under the skin. Last time, they injected the dogs into the rump, which is fairly understandable too. This time, they lifted the dogs' hind leg and injected underneath the thigh.... close to... well... you know.... That must have hurt like crazy. Romany was crying all the way home and his leg kept twitching. He couldn't get comfortable lying, or standing. Sitting was out of the question. He refused all treats. Poor baby. He's so miserable. I gave him some Eco-heal, a homeopathic remedy for dogs, which speeds healing. He's looking more chipper now, but still sorry for himself. What on earth makes them inject under there??? There's so much that the needle can hit and cause damage to!

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