Lost for words

WARNING:  TODAY'S BLOG COMES WITH GRAPHIC IMAGES OF A SICK DOG AND A BIT OF A RANT FROM ME. 

Today started very early - 5.30am to be exact. Up and to the kettle for my first cup of wake up and I was stuck straight into work. After an hour or so I let Rambo out as the sun came out and jumped in the shower and was off to get the men.

They were getting close to finishing the wooden frames for the partition walls and door frames for the second guest room and bathroom, so in order to check things I was called in and out a few times and asked a few questions to which there was a lot of charades and the use of some new words I have picked up over the last couple of weeks. I tried to explain that the suspended ceiling was to extend further out into the bedrooms to the support beam so that we could fit spotlights and you know what? I actually think I managed it because they were nodding their heads in that circular motion and saying "dobre" (good) a lot.

I managed to snap a picture or two at coffee break this morning. I am afraid I was so busy at work that I didn't get to take many, so apologies. This was the progress so far.

Just not tall enough

Suspended

 I did take a few breaks throughout the day, but not very many and mainly just to stretch my legs ans to hang the washing out etc. I do feel bad for Rambo sometimes, even though he is perfectly happy to chill out all day, so I take myself out for five or ten minutes at a time to play with him.

After lunch time I heard him barking. Not the usual "you're making noise and annoying me" bark that he does when the cows go past ringing their cowbells, but a "you are on my land" bark, so I legged it downstairs and he was in the lower garden with the hair stood right up on his back and neck. I looked and looked and couldn't see a thing, then out of the corner of my eye I saw another dog.  For a split second it really confused me as it had exactly the same colouring as Rambo did. I walked further towards the edge of the patio and saw a skinny little dog seemingly struggling to clamber through the broken branches of the Oak tree. He did not look well at all.

I ran upstairs to grab my camera and a loaf of bread and came down and put Rambo in his enclosure, just in case. By the time I got downstairs the little fellow was by the front gate, scared stiff and trying to find an escape.

Trying to escape

I walked slowly to him, never taking my eyes off him. You just don't know what these wild dogs are going to do and have to be careful in case they get too frightened and turn.  I ripped a piece of bread off and threw it close to him. As he turned I could see just how thin he really was.

Sickeningly thin

I threw a few more small pieces of bread and I was shocked to see that he did still have both eyes (from further back he looked like he had lost at least one), but also that they were weeping terribly and that he was suffering what looked like sever cataracts. Well, that was it, my eyes filled up and tears were rolling down my cheeks.

Blind

I could barely contain myself and jumped between anger and pity. If it is owned by someone, which I now suspect it is, how can they let an animal suffer like that?  HOW? They really do not seem to look after dogs here, generally they are either working dogs or wild dogs. I cried whilst I lured him with bread to the gate, having to leave a Hansel and Gretel trail of bread to the gates as he could not see and was too frightened to come when I called him. My heart absolutely broke in two. In the end, he was outside the gate and I went back upstairs and grabbed another half a loaf that I had sitting and took it down to him. He needed it much more than I did after all.

The poor little mite limped off after scoffing the bread so fast that I am surprised if he tasted it at all. The sad fact is, you just cannot take them all in. I have been well warned that three dogs are more than enough. And it is true, if you took one you would take them all. I am still very weepy after the whole saga though. I don't think I will ever harden to this side of living in this country.

Feeding it bread

The end of the day for me came at just before 5.30 - a 12 hour shift - and the men were beginning to tidy up and get ready for the off. So here is the end of play.

Great progress

End of play

They are so tidy you know. They have been chopping and sawing wood all week so far in that room and when I went in at the end of the day they had swept everything up and tidied most of the tools away ready for tomorrow. Perfect workmen. They even left me a pile of burning wood by the door when they tidied up!

Petchka wood

Sadly, they will be leaving us again, probably at the end of the week as they have other work commitments to tend to. We were lucky to get any time from them really at all as it was not planned, but the progress they have made here in a few weeks has been absolutely amazing. We will hopefully see them back another time though, later in the year.

I leave you with my sad day and hope I haven't left too much of a downer on your day.

Leka nosht.

A x