20.01.08

At last a short time to breathe and reflect. Marilyn signed for the kennels at 18.00hrs on the 7th of January, and it was then a race to get her back to Toulouse airport in order to catch a flight back to Luton. A three hour return drive, with a stop for a meal on the way back along the A62 to Gans, meant that I returned to an unfamiliar rambling farmhouse at around 22.30 hrs.  A dog howled as I entered the gates and an owl hooted far off. The next three days saw me sleeping on a camping mattress, and cooking in army mess tins, on camping gas. Marilyn, David and mother in law, arrived at Bordeaux airport on Wednesday the 9th, but stayed in Bordeaux till the following day. The 10th of January found me being woken at 6.30hrs by the telephone - the removal men had taken a wrong turning off the A62 motorway, and were lost. This meant I had to go out and locate them 15 miles away at La Reole. Things became even more like a George Fedeu farce, when the removal van got stuck up to its axels in the soft grass upon entering our property. Later in the day we had to ask our new neighbour to pull the van out with a tractor.

The first two weeks has been extremely busy, trying to care for doggy guests plus our dogs, and sorting out our furniture and belongings. We have found a series of shortages in the kennels, such as a lack of cleaning materials and hot water - the gas boiler does not work. One quickly learns that nothing can be done between 12 noon and 14.00hrs if it involves going to the shops or the bank, and the Post office is only open between 13.00hrs and 16.00hrs. Shops etc. are over three miles away, Taking all this into account, life is sweet, but very, very tiring.      

 28.02.08

University lecturers are always being urged by their administrators to teach students 'personal transferable skills'. Only now do I realise what this means for the kennel man. The job, at least for me, seems to mean tending and repairing fences - electric ones to keep out wild pigs, lots of washing and scrubbing of kennels, designing publicity, handing out flyers and driving miles. Then, if I am lucky, I might see a dog or two.

This month has been very busy with  a variety of tasks needing doing. We have seen a variety of dogs stay with us, from a Doberman and a Rotti, to a Toy Poodle. This last week (holiday week in France) has seen us full to bursting, and the month as a whole has seen short stay visitors returning to us when their owners have had to work away from home.

Temperatures have varied from as low as -5 degrees at night to 20 degrees on one or two afternoons. Average daily temperature has been  14 degrees

One bitter disappointment has been Skye's failure to be confirmed by the SCC (French Kennel Club), but Fen has been confirmed. We have found that we have an abandoned dog with us, Bolton, and are currently trying to contact the registered owner.

At last the plans have arrived for the kennel alterations, so we can move forward on that.. Also our new Kuranda dog beds have arrived!! 

 27.07.08

It has been some months since I have made an entry as things have been very busy. April saw the arrival of three   ducks and six chickens plus a cockerel, while our two female goats arrived in May, and our first Bee colony at the start of June, However, although these additions have added a little to the work load, the most time consuming event has been the start of work on the alterations to the kennels, which started just as Marilyn and I were about to mark GCSE's.  (INSERT LINK)

On the kennel side of the business, March saw  Lizzy pass her 'debut'  test and qualify to enter Spaniel field trials. Skye qualified for Retriever trials by passing her 'Selective B' test in June. It is hoped that Fen will qualify at the end of August. Fen, Skye and Lizzy are all now confirmed and have either received, or are awaiting, their French Kennel Club registration papers.

The kennels have been operating at between half and full capacity, with July being full, as is most of August. The French seem to book at the last minute, making forward planning difficult, and at times chaotic with alterations going on.

Boarders have ranged from small terriers to a second visit from Kim, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog.

June was marked by dinner each Saturday night at the village hall to mark the election of the local council. Each councillor had a pine tree planted in their garden which was decorated, and three pines were planted each Saturday followed by a communal dinner.

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