First bath for weeks …
…. as we’d waited to ensure his operation cut had healed.
I’m not bathing him?
Sowbhagya and Luka are bonding.
and I’m the official photographer — obviously.
He’s even in the painting
What’s he done to deserve this?
Category: a dog’s life
Today : cycle tour, dogs, hanging out
After getting up at 4am to try and sort out the new house agreement, I had fun with the Brits (Charles and Rosie) on a cycle tour, hung out with Luka and Gingee in the drive, and Satish kindly rode my Enfield to be fixed.
I’m beginning to wonder if the first bike accident (a twit coming towards me on the wrong side of the road and round a corner on the ring road! ) — was exacerbated by my tiredness from lack of sleep.
That’s why I was — this and most mornings — awake before four.
The dogs need more contact time and to learn how to behave outside their yard. So we’re bonding and I’m watching carefully (occasionally bossing them) so they don’t chew everything in reach.
Lucie’s death anniversary.
We remembered MAnjula and Lucie today in the field where we buried Lucie.
Wonderful that guests Maïlis (who was there helping support Lucie on her last day) and Maria and Ani were with us.
Also our loyal team members Satish, Akram and all put together by Sowbaghya.
And then there were dogs waiting to pounce …
Umesh has set it up as
Bow Wow pet resort and cemetery
a place for dogs to go holiday while we go on ours … plus somewhere to bury our pets, and a final resting place for dogs found on the roadside.
honey puppy wants a home
. ….
Friendly lovely honey puppy looking for a home.
We’re regretfully looking for a new home for Gingee and we’ll be very sad for her to go.
It was a mistake to adopt two dogs (Stephen’s idea!). It’s too much for us as well as our business (BnB and cycle tours) and looking after Kaveri.
Gingee is a great character. She’s had all her jabs (inoculations) and comes complete with lead, collar, bed and additional vet fees to sterilise her.
We’re in Siddarthanagar at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.
Do come and meet her and see if she can join your family. All injections are completed, with collar, lead and bed. Plus some food and vets bills covered. We’re in siddarthanagar in Mysore
Juggling the duties has proven too much. We can manage one!!
Luca we’re keeping as he’s the image of my lovely Lucie who died last year.
Gingee is a honey colour.
December
Has been fun as usual.
Kaveri visits alternate weeks
Guests to Mysore and Srirangapatnam — holidaying and touring
Some taking souvenirs
Some reminding us of past times and my beautiful
Plus the terrors getting bigger by the day ..
and as we approach Christmas itself (when Kaveri gets a paltry one day holiday) our lovely German families start the festivities a day early 🤭
Puppy training
Somehow, I don’t think my trademark— facilitating — is going to work in this situation.
After two days of chaos, we need a new approach. So ….
… we cleaned up the mess
Sowbaghya did a sterling job with my pathetic assistance.
Then some changes..
meals at regular timings, immediately clearing up their mess as soon as they deposit it, more suitable food for young pups, visiting the park to play and poo, and positive encouragement.
Footnote
I keep getting stopped in the street by people in our community who spotted us in ‘The Star of Mysore’
Plus odd stares as we walk into the park with the nameless
New friends, which name?
We know PFA from when Lucie was a pup. They spayed her and made the tell tale notch in her ear so she wouldn’t be picked up in the street and operated on again.
We chose two new friends
and appeared in the ‘Star of Mysore’
But what should we call them?
….
We’ve had the following suggestions. (Some more than once)
Ging (Ginj)
Luce (Luca)
Edwina (teddy bear)
Kappu
Shunti
Ginger (Rogers)
Fred (Astaire)
Inji (ginger)
Kari (black)
Tom
Hebden and Bridget ( a play on Hebden Bridge, where I’m from in the UK)
Amy and Vince (amor vincit omnia)
Blackie and Cinnamon
Black and Decker
Karrupa or Karuppan
Inji —- Together becoming …. Karrupinji
Pepper and Paprika.
Black and Tan
Ranelot and Bufolet
(french children’s book names for Frog and Toad)
Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont
(from Dangerous Liaisons to match Billet-Doux, our cat’s name)
Paddington
Spike
Summer
Shadow
Biscuit
Cheech and Chong
Luca
Lucia
Babu and Bibi
Ping and Pong
Jean-Philippe and Marie-Chantal .
ginger
Venus and Pluto
Bingo
Tofo
Coco
Tango
Momo
Milti
Millu
Broono
Blacky
Browny
Pancho
Jasmine
…
Thanks for your thoughtful suggestions
If there’s any strong favourites, let me know.
I’ll discuss with Captain Kaveri, ably assisted by General SB
Update on names
Luca (Lucka)
Tom
….
Jasmine (jas)
Gingee, Shingee or a variation.
Precious permanent memories
Maïlis has been with us now for almost two months. She’s really got into Mysore, become part of our little community and created a wide range of exciting experiences for herself.
I was invited by her wonderful new friends Pravallika and Cade to visit and find out where they’re learning to carve.
At this family workshop they’re famous for carving significant statues and especially Rama for the new Ayodya Temple
But there was a great big surprise waiting for me.
Maïlis as her very first project had carved our Lucie in stone
How wonderful is that?
Just one month ago Lucie gave up, she’d had too much after managing so well with a painful hip and difficulties with her kidneys. She was strong and brave and her gentle friendly nature had helped her connect with thousands of our guests.
… and a cat
A fantastic image of our precious family member which now has pride of place in our upstairs lounge.
We’re all impressed.
Lucie
Lucie departed on Sunday 26th January
That afternoon we buried her in a lovely field
Today we returned to do 11th day puja to help her spirit find its new home
Then lunch back at home
It’s very sad to lose such a wonderful friend, I miss her—-
—-being at home when I return, going on walks together and just being in my life.
Billet-Doux also misses Lucie
She’s such a famous dog with everyone asking about her.
Our special friend
My dear Lucie.
We met when someone had dumped you, your brother and sister at the end of our street.
We’ve had so much fun together. Almost from the very first moment I came to live in Mysore.
It didn’t take long for you to realise where the kindly Firangi, — who fixed your skin problems and regularly fed you — came from, so you all followed.
The man who lived downstairs was less keen on the black — India street dog and her siblings— setting up home under our tree. This was… Exactly where you came to rest on Saturday when you were feeling ill and went back to that same tree.
We’d chase and roll around in the park, with Vis another street dog becoming a friend.
In time I found homes for your brother and sister. You had the op at People for Animals, with a neat ‘bite’ taken out of your ear so you wouldn’t be re-captured and spayed again. (When I first visited India I wondered why many street dogs had a bite taken out of an ear. — it wasn’t another dog! ) 🤭
You became part of our wonderful family
Whenever neighbours saw me without you, they’d want know where you were. I even went to a hotel miles away on the other side of the city where a waiter asked where you were! He also lived in Siddarthanagar
It’s not surprising that you were so well known as we walked through the layout four times every day.
Now I have to go to the bakery, cafe and chai shop on my own.
When Manjula’s spirit moved on we had a lovely portrait painted of you both
I miss you both so much, hope you find each other, in your new lives. I’ll catch up with you eventually but in the meantime, I’ll now introduce you and share you both with even more people.
Friends from around the world are sending their love and sharing their memories.
Billet-Doux is still looking for you here and expects our walk last thing at night with the owl flitting above us
Missing you. Our life was ….
What a Wonderful family and friends we had. .
Until the next time
love
from us all and especially Sowbaghya, Billet-Doux, Kaveri, and Stephen.
Me and MYCycle 