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

Part of the technical stuff in the pump house. I couldn't get the electrics in the picture.

'Wouldn't be surprised if you're sick later on. You don't know what they've been doing in this pool!'

I'm going to do what the big dogs do!

What big teeth you have, Grandma!

Guess Who' s Come To Dinner!

This is Laz. He's come to us on a trial basis to see how he gets on with my big dogs but if the first 24 hours are anything to go by he'll be staying.

We've had an outbreak of Parvo up at SLAPS and this little chap was very sick so Elaine took him home to nurse him. A couple of days later he was so ill that she considered just letting him slip quietly away but decided to keep going a bit longer. He very nearly died so we've called him Lazarus.

Elaine has four cats of her own and has just taken four kittens, so small that they can't see yet, to bottle feed because their mum died. It was all getting too much for her big cats (and for Elaine!) so I said I'd take him and see what happened.

Penny seems fine with him, she doesn't growl or curl her lip up in a silent snarl the way she does with Fifi. Lukas had to establish who was boss but, that done, he's fine too. The only one who seems a bit peeved is Fifi because Lazarus hero-worships Lukas and follows him everywhere.

As they say, you don't have to be crazy to live here but it helps!

This is a funny kind of ball. It tastes just like avocado!

Look, there's a puppy in the oven!

First wee in the garden. Good boy!

Pool filling Day 2

After everyone had gone home I took this pic from my balcony. The water is green because it's dirty - it'll be blue once the pump and filter are working and all the mud has been cleaned out. I didn't notice the reflections of the palm trees until I looked at the picture on the computer. Very enticing!

Lukas, who plunges fearlessly into the sea after a thrown toy, riding the breakers like a surfer, was strangely reluctant to go in the pool. We think he didn't like the steps after the smooth slope of the beach. Eventually, though, he plucked up the courage and here he is retrieving an empty plastic water bottle from the middle of the pool..

Once the water was in, I just had to have a swim. So in I went, clothes and all - you soon dry off if the sun's shining!

Look! It's covered the third step!

This afternoon the rest of the water went in. Merphi was here again, with several cousins in tow as well as Shadee.

Here's Merphi acting as hosemaster.

An exciting day!

And here she is with uncle Meraius who took most of the pictures.

Dab hand with a camera, isn't he?

When all the water had gone in, it was about 3' deep at the deep end.

Shadee thought it was wonderful and cried when it was time to go home!

Lukas looks on with interest.

Mothers's meeting

This is Malicia, Merphi and Meraius's sister and Shadee's mum, and me, having what looks like a very earnest conversation.

Everyone wanted to paddle. Here's 2 year old Shadee waving to uncle Meraius who took the picture.

Some of my neighbours saw the water truck arrive and came to join in the fun.

Here's Merphi with Teddy and Creatchie who came as well.

The Baptism

On Saturday the first water went in - just enough to cover the bottom to stop the Diamond Brite cracking. The rest should be coming today.

It was an exciting moment!

. . . . . . . and looks like this when it's finished

You can see the hint of blue in it which Philius says will make the water seem blue when the pool is full.

They are also putting the fence back up, thank goodness.

The Diamond Brite lining goes on . . . . .

It all has to go on in one day.

The answer is . . . . . . . . . . .

For anyone who isn't on my newsletter circulation list, the fruit in the picture below is a cashew. The prize was won by Sefton.

What's This?

If anyone who's coming out here can tell me what this is, I'll make a contribution to their air fare.

If anyone else knows.......we'll have to come to some arrangement!

Answer in my next newsletter.

Two views from my balcony

Although there is a lot of cloud, it is quite high and you can still see a long way into the distance.

During a torrential rainstorm nothing can be seen beyond the foreground.

(Compare these pics to the one at the beginning of my blog, taken under different weather conditions.)

More on the pool's progress

We now have a row of beautiful blue tiles along the top of the pool walls and coping stones to round it off nicely.

Here's a closer view.

Here is the tiler, whose name is Sun, cutting one of the coping stones into exactly the right shape.

I was particularly impressed with the way he tiled around the curves in the pool walls.