Christmas Greetings from St Lucia

Not all dogs in St Lucia live miserable lives!

Please hold SLAPS in your thoughts over the coming year and put the squeeze on any rich friends.

Thanks.

Signed: Penny, Fifi, Lukas and Lazarus

'You can judge a nation by the way it treats its animals' . . Ghandi

Elaine said that this little fellow was the worst case she's ever seen. Just skin and bone, he was vomiting aluminium foil and chicken bones that he'd picked up whilst scavenging for food. He was brought into SLAPS last Tuesday afternoon and we nursed him through most of Wednesday but, sadly, he didn't make it.

Donations to SLAPS (via me) always welcome.

These tiny puppies were brought into SLAPS by someone who found them inside an old fridge. Sadly, the one on the right died a couple of days ago but the other two - which I have privately christened Buttercup and Daisy - seem to be making good progress. They get children's vitamins - Minadex, does anyone remember that? - every evening.

Convinced that Penny bites her feet so much as a reaction to stress, I have obtained some Dog Appeasing Pheromone spray.

It does seem to be reducing the foot-biting - and has other beneficial results too!

Lazarus and his amazing technicolour dream collar

Lazarus has a new collar. It is all colours of the rainbow, yellow and purple underneath where you can't see in the photo.

He looks like a real Caribbean puppy in it!

I was delighted that Catherine's mum joined us as I hadn't met her before.

Here she is, sitting between Catherine and George.

Julius cracked open the bottle of Scotch kindly provided by Ian.

Here are Renate and Ian chatting with George, who seems to have had rather a severe hair cut!

Catherine and her sister, Vel (pictured) insisted on having a party for Ian and Renate. The party was here but I was instructed to do absolutely nothing, they would bring everything over here.

Vel was the chief cook, providing us with gorgeous food, Catherine was in charge of the barbecue and assorted other friends turned up to join in the fun!

Hardly worth bothering with a towel!

They really enjoyed the swimming pool, going in at least once most days. This picture is blurry because it was taken in the pouring rain!

Ian and Renate's visit October 2006

It was wonderful to see Ian and Renate Mathers who came for a week 'on their way home' from a holiday in Canada and the States.

They were perfect guests, even mopping up puppy puddles if they saw them before I did and I hope complications over their journey home won't stop them coming again for longer.

I must have said something provocative just before I snapped this!

Going Upmarket

I 'splashed' out and bought some poolside furniture. This pic is actually like those estate agents' white lies as the view across from the table is of a long line of blue tarpaulin.

If we put the table at the shallow end of the pool, with a view towards Mt. Gimie, anyone sitting there would be soaked by Lukas launching himself into the pool or shaking when he comes out!

The other night Pat, Julius, Merphi and I sat out here with the pool lights on - like fairyland! I now know how to switch the lights on - thanks, Pat!

Wooden Spoon Reversal

The other day Pat decided the bottom of the pool needed scrubbing before he hoovered it. He borrowed a snorkel mask and stripped off.

He'd shut the dogs in before he went down to the pool, but I let them out again, wielding MY wooden spoon for a change!

This is Pat and Lukas having a water fight.

SLAPS BABES

Although Lukas seems to be Lazarus's role model, Fifi is a combination of playmate and surrogate Mum.

Their play sometimes looks rough but Fifi always seems to know how far to go - it isn't that long, after all, since she had pups of her own. I've never heard Laz squeal or cry during their playtimes.

He also likes to lie beside her on the front drive, soaking up the sun.

Lazarus in Lukas's bed with Lukey's tug toy. He's still quite tiny but I think he's beginning to grow at last.

On Friday he was invited to lunch at Pam's with Elaine and me but he had a dodgy tummy. He didn't want to be cuddled, unusually for him, so it didn't seem fair to lug him round with us.

He's fine again now, up to mischief as usual!

Fifi looking pensive.

Problems in pool pumphouse

I've had water dripping out of the left hand silver electrical box. Philius insisted (without coming to look at it) that I was making a fuss over nothing and it was to do with the level of water in the pool.
Eventually the electrician came and agreed with me that it should not be happening. It appears that when the pool lights were connected (by Philius) he did this incorrectly and water is leaking into the electrical boxes that shouldn't be. To correct this the electrician says we have to dig up part of the pool deck beside each light and rearrange the wiring. I'm waiting (in vain) for him to come and do this.
Philius has conveniently been on holiday in St Kitts for the past 2 weeks, he returns on Wednesday. He will have to eat humble pie over this.
He also broke my (very expensive) pool net, using it to pick avocados from my tree! He doesn't know I know this, and I wouldn't if Pat hadn't seen him do it!

Culture Vulture

Lazarus listening to Beethoven.

Just think what he would have missed if Elaine hadn't got his heart going again!

The tarps are now in place. They don't look very elegant but they'e only temporary and they do give us some privacy.