The Rain in Spain - the joys of Ridgebacks and Mud!

Akina in full flight

This is just a quick catch up as I'm preparing for Michael's return.  It has been 2 months now!  I had hoped to have the place clean and shiny but there have been two days of almost continuous rain.  Not that we should complain as everything is fresh and green and the land sorely needs it.  However, trying to keep a very "white" house white is a nightmare with red clay for soil!  It sticks to everything and more importantly it sticks to dog's feet.  These same dog's feet then run across the gravel that surrounds the pool and gather stones between the dog's toes.  Then they run across the tiles around the pool, the granite around the house and across the cream tiles of the house.  Every paw leaves a large red muddy print and, because the weather is cool and the dogs have high energy, their running means the aforementioned paws spray mud and stones in all directions.  Ridgebacks, having very large paws, are exceptionally good and collecting and redistributing mud!  So rather than have a lovely spick and span house, I am firefighting - trying to keep up with the cleaning - but those paws can lay down prints faster than I can clean them up.

However, the looks of pure joy on the faces of the girls as they sprint and play and slide in the mud makes it hard to be too grumpy.  Of course they have more energy than usual because when it is throwing it down, they have not intention of getting out of bed unless it is essential.

Today is a day for cake baking, laundry, reading, essay writing for my Canine Behaviour Diploma and a bit of blogging.  The car washing is on hold!  I am looking forward to the week ahead - two Camino walks planned (so watch this space for the posts!) and showing Michael some of the walks the dogs and I have discovered while he has been away.

Well, in the words of Bug's Bunny "That's All Folks" - for today at least, but I will leave you with a bit of video from this morning's walk which will give you an idea of the exuberance of the girls in the current cooler weather conditions - enjoy a moment with them in the olive grove, a short walk from our house!