We’ve come to the conclusion that the weather makes a difference to everything. Even here in Spain where the climate in winter is so much more pleasant than Scotland we find our moods are affected by it. We’ve had several days of rain and cloud and it had a big impact on our energy. We didn’t want to go to the gym and swimming pool because we would have to get all happed up in waterproofs and then after the swim, which feels colder and wetter than it does when the sun is shining, things just get worse. Getting dried and dressed when the humidity is high is plain miserable. Your knickers develop an uncanny ability to roll up around your knees where they stay firmly stuck leaving you in the open changing room hopping about in a most ungainly manner with all your wobbly bits wobbling horribly. Grey skies make even the beautiful environment here look dull. With only our bikes for transport we couldn’t go off to shopping centres and spend money, although on reflection that is probably a positive but it didn’t feel like it at the time. We would have taken the van off the pitch for a wee change of scene if we hadn’t erected the big outside tent right in front of it. This left us with only one option. We just had to stay here and eat – a lot. All our dreams of being fit and healthy went clean out of the window this week. The supermarket on site has an unreasonably huge selection of all things wicked and I must confess that this week we have eaten most of it.

Today the sun came out again and as if by a miracle all our energy came back. The dogs had a long walk, we cycled into Catral and shopped for proper healthy food and this afternoon we played a ferocious hour of Padel before cooking a super healthy BBQ. We feel so much better – except for the horrible fact that our trousers now feel too tight.

Making friends

The weather might have had a dampening impact but there have been some highlights to report this week. We’re so enjoying chatting to our many newfound friends here at Marjal. Along from us are two couples, Archie and Joyce from Scotland and Linda and Barry from Yorkshire. They are such good fun and so funny that we’ve been thoroughly cheered up. Last night we joined them at the Happy Hour and entertainment at the site bar. Fuelled by enormous G&Ts that are probably the equivalent of triples at home we all ended up dancing like loonies to the singer who managed a rousing rendering of Rolling Stones, Beatles, Tom Jones … you name them – he could sing them. All the backing tracks were on his laptop and it was interesting watching him with his mic in one hand finishing one song while he searched through his playlist with the other hand, ready for the next song. Talk about multi tasking! Earlier in the week we were invited into Archie and Joyce’s awning for drinks and by the end of the afternoon there were ten of us in there sitting on anything that was safe to perch on. Archie has a selection of booze in one of the side lockers on his caravan that would put many a cocktail bar to shame.

One evening we joined a bunch of Ralliers for a game of Whist. It was one of those games where the winning man moves up a table, the winning lady moves down one, the losing man moves chairs and everyone gets confused. Some people get very serious about their game of whist and some are more interested in the chat. The difference between the two types gets more obvious as the evening wears on because everyone brings their own bottle and some people get progressively merrier. One lady kept doing that thing where you say something that only makes sense to yourself because you’ve been thinking about something and then suddenly your thoughts come out of your mouth. When the words come out they are completely sensible to you but no-one else knows what the heck you’re talking about. In the midst of a rather tense game she suddenly turned to me and said, “I had an audition but I didn’t get in.”

Boo’s Report

I just need to say this – I have no idea what made me do it. I wouldn’t normally do such a thing. In fact I don’t think I have done it since I was about six months. My only excuse is that the place really smelled of other dogs and that makes me feel this terrible urge.

I guess I’ll have to tell all now.

It started so well. The girls put us on our leads and set off towards the dog walk, or at least that’s where we assumed we were going. They did have a suspiciously bulky bag with them so I should probably have been better prepared for what happened. They took us to the dog bathroom again! Really! I honestly thought we were safe for a few weeks so my guard was down. Anyway, before we knew it we were in there, the door was shut and towels and shampoo, brushes and combs were all coming out of that suspicious bag. I know the routine. There’s a ramp you walk up that takes you to the bath and I got brave and walked up there all on my own without being asked. At the top there is a mirror. When I was a pup I used to think that the dog in the mirror was real and I used to bark at it. This time I got taken by surprise when I saw the black poodle at the top of the ramp and I did a very embarrassing thing. Up popped one of my back legs and I peed on the mirror. I am so ashamed! Margaret shrieked “No!” but it was too late. They had some cleaning up to do and for a moment I thought they had forgotten about the bath but no. We were both soaped up and rinsed in double quick time. Humans seem unable to understand that dogs don’t like smelling of anything other than dog. This one was Aloe Vera. I don’t know who Vera is but she doesn’t smell good at all.

… and another thing. Last time we were groomed Margaret cut my ears to different lengths. I’ve walked round with odd ears for two weeks. This time she tried to even them up – guess what – now the longer one is shorter than the short one. If she doesn’t stop soon I’ll have no ears at all. Please someone tell her.

Poppy’s comment

Tee hee hee