R.I.P. Cola

Sadly our beautiful big boy died yesterday morning due to complications with the heart pills...
I can say no more just now.

Family Crisis

Well to us it was a family crisis...
Our lovely beautiful boy, Cola our Dobermann has been so very ill for almost two weeks... we were heartbroken, he's old for a Dobe, being nine years old. We've known for a while that his legs were bad, his joints cause him pain, we've been giving him Devils Claw to try to ease it for him and up untill recently its been very effective, but then he got tired and just didnt seem to bother with anything, wasnt eating, short of breath, and limping badly...
we though the worst time had finally come... And were dreading the phone call we had to make...
We called the vet after a sleepless and very difficult night, Paulo our vet was fantastic, he came within an hour, and its a 35 min journey... but the good news is... he's fine!!!
After a thorough examination, he was given two shots, for his joints, and some pills for a heart complaint... he has to take pills now for the rest of his life but he's like a new boy... running around, eating everything and anything and just has a new lease of life... we are so over joyed its impossible to describe...
The problem is the pills will cost us a huge amount every month... but hey, who cares... we'll manage somehow, its worth it!! Every damn penny...

We have a new helper as well. A kiwi girl called Ana, she's great, she spent the morning in the veggie plot today and already there is a huge improvement, she's a hard worker and a pleasure to have around... another success...

This n that update..

Well the girls left, and seemed to have enjoyed their stay, they certainly enjoyed the food... how can two such skinny things eat so much... hehehe Im glad they did!
I have another girl arriving in a few days for two weeks so hopefully she'll be as nice as those first ones.
I have tons of people applying... and tons who are so rude... sadly it seems that Australians are the worst! They apply.. tell you how WONDERFUL the place looks and how they cant wait to come... and then I tell them they can come... and they dont even reply... when you check, they've said the same thing to dozens of other hosts and picked someone else... thats not my problem... I just find it so damn rude that they dont even bother to email and say they are fixed up thanks...
Then of course you get the ones who just dont turn up... its soooooooo frustrating!!!
But... I enjoyed the experience and we will continue...

The veg plot seems to be picking up, although we wont have many peas (Ive worked out it was mice!) and the onions are not so good this year... we have beans everywhere...
The peas we do have growing are cropping now and well... we are eating some and trying to stash some for winter, we have lettuce bigger than cabbage... I picked the first baby beets the other day too but Rcky ate them before I could pickle them! Im also thinning out the carrots and we are having the first babies for dinner this evening. Plus the spuds... they are just scrummy... we've given a huge bag to some friends and are eating them almost every day... and still loads to come...
The cabbage is hearting up well and the caulis and brocc are looking good... we have tiny toms on the tomatoes, and flowers on the chickpeas... oh and the courgettes... so really everything is just poised to burst into action...