November 2012 - Bike riding

November was a bad month for weather here on the Costa Blanca. We had over two weeks when we had no sunshine, it was very cloudy, cool (12-14 degrees) and with the occasional rain shower. (Sounds like a weather forecast for high summer in the UK).

So when the sun finally broke through we decided that we had put things off for long enough and got out the bicycles.

It was like being on holiday all over again.

We did two of the rides we had been planning, along the long causeway at Lo Pagan, and along the sea path from Mil Palmeras to Torre de la Horadada.

The pictures are from a later ride but the weather was just as beautiful.

Timmy was in the basket on Kathie's bike and seemed to enjoy it. We will see next time we get out the basket. If he runs and hides we will take that as a "No Thanks!!"

Great fun was had and it set us up, ready for the winter and many more rides we hope.

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October 2013 - RIP Tina

In October we sadly lost our little dog Tina to a tumor in her stomach.

She was 10 years old.

We bought Tina and Timmy in 2006 after a lot of soul searching.

Our dog Henry had died the previous October and Kathie was not on top form for many reasons. However, in her own words, she felt "dogless", and was ready to take on another pet. Having seen an advert in the local pet shop for two Yorkshire Terriers for sale, Kathie at first ignored it but after some time they were still there. The shop owner advised that they were in a poor state and could no doubt be had for not much money.

Kathie visited the owner and was shocked at the dogs' appearance, but Tina took to her straight away and the bond was sealed.

A deal was struck and we collected the two underfed, unwashed, un-neutered, uncombed, unvaccinated, little animals and took them home.

First job, bathing them then cutting away the tear residue from around their eyes which had built up into marble-sized balls. Tina was in-season at the time so both dogs had a high aroma factor. They scrubbed up well.

Both dogs were completely traumatised as they had led their lives either locked in a back yard, or locked in a back scullery. They had no concept of playing, had no bed apart from a dirty old sheet, and their toilet had been an old towel.

Timmy was quick to recover but it took Tina a couple of years before she stopped shivering when you tried to pick her up as, I suspect, the only reason anybody had bent down to her in the past was to smack her.

The first time she ran on her own was when we took them to Ainsdale Beach in 2008 and she suddenly took off and enjoyed the space.

We enjoyed having Tina until the end and felt that she had several happy years with us, much better than the cold and damp place she had been living in previously.

When she died it was a very sad day for both Kathie and I but I think even more so for Timmy as they had been together for over nine years and everywhere he went he was looking for her. We will continue to look after him until he goes to meet his maker then I think we shall become helpers rather than owners.

There are many dog sanctuaries around here that need help and are always struggling for volunteers and cash so we will see what we can do...

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