Phew, well that’s all over for another year ! Hope you have had a good Holiday Season. We had a couple of magical days at Ernst’s sister’s chalet in La Clusaz. A beautiful old chalet looking down over the village, it was all snow, twinkly lights and all things Christmassy. Back to reality on the 26th and then to the news of three deaths ( I did warn you in the last newsletter that people are dropping like flies round me !). A neighbour on the 25th, a friend on the 26th and a cousin on the 27th. So I’m off to another funeral next week.
Lesley’s planned New Year’s Eve / daughter Marta’s birthday party was nearly put on hold for the 31st because the friend who died had been very close to the family but it was decided that ‘the show must go on’ and despite our sadness a great time was had by all.
Poorpaws did have it’s own two Christmas miracles !! The lovely Porthos went off to a new home on the 31st, we’re all thinking of you Porthos and hope you have the happiness you deserve. I am especially (selfishly) delighted as I had sworn off chocolate until he was homed. I’m now making up for lost time although I have to own up to giving in to temptation ever so slightly over the last month !
The second miracle concerned little Betty the Beagle. I took tiny Betty from Carcassonne a couple of years ago as she was elderly and not doing well there. She came to Poorpaws and I homed her with an elderly lady in Montcuq. “Stuff that” she said (Betty, not the lady) and ran away on the first day. She was found and brought back and a couple of weeks later was rehomed with a lovely lady who had adopted a little old dog, Nounours, from us many years ago. Carol thought Nounurs would like the company of a little old female. Sadly Betty the Beagle turned into Betty the Bully and poor Nounours wasn’t allowed to eat out of his own dish or even sleep in his own bed !! Regretfully an amicable divorce was arranged and Betty came back to us. She was an escape artist and cost me a fortune in bottles of wine for people bringing her home. Then one day 19 months ago Betty ran off and never came home. I was desperately sad thinking of her hit by a car or down a rabbit / fox hole dying a horrible death. On the Saturday before Christmas I had a call saying the vet at Castelnau had had a visit from an elderly gentleman taking in his dog for treatment to an eye. The old boy said he had found the dog nearly two years ago and tried to find the owner but as there was no tatoo he had had no luck. The vet said she would just check for a chip and bingo, they realised that Betty was mine !!! The poor guy was very upset as he had grown so fond of Betty so I quickly reassured him that I would not take her back. I went to visit her last week and there she was nice and snug in her bed with two other little friends. I was just so happy except that she didn’t – or pretended not to – recognise me, little moo !!!
Other miracles arrived in the forms of Christmas donations. Thank you, all of you, who were kind enough to think of us, too many to mention all but a special thank you to dear Oscar who was one of our first adopteds and who never forgets us at Christmas and to the Wilds who still send even though their beloved Labrador has gone on to doggy heaven. You are all great.
Great news for the dogs at Castelsarrasin refuge. All the ones on the Poorpaws website except for one have been adopted and a young boxer pup will be on our adoptions page very soon.
Now then ………………………….PUPPIES !!!!! We are drowning in them, not to mention the buckets of puppy poo I have to collect up every day, the freshly planted pots which are found the next day empty of earth and flowers, my wellington boots which disappear regularly AND my Christmas gloves which lasted only to Boxing Day. HELP !!! Individually they are gorgeous, in a gang they are monsters. All chipped and vaccinated they can’t wait – and nor can I – to bring a bit of ‘lively’ into your home. Wasn’t one of your resolutions to get out more, get more exercise and get more fresh air. Answer ? Walking a dog, cheaper than gym membership and much more fun !!
A very, very, happy and healthy New Year to you all !
Love,
Sue