Mima has the raggedy bunch which is the canine population of Gran Roques attending nightly training sessions on the beach outside our posada.
When we arrived at the beginning of the week dogs would appear totally at random, doing the usual dog like stuff. Fighting, chasing, a lot of rear end sniffing and other less savoury pursuits.
Since she has been involved in their welfare they now appear on the beach after supper and line up in descending order of height sitting calmly looking into the middle distance awaiting instruction from their leader.
There is even a junior division of puppies that arrive, somewhat unrully granted, but now even they seem happy to be cuddled for an extended period of time, even to forgo the use of their legs for a while. I seem to recollect from my Psychology Degree that this is a technique called habituation….. to repeatedly expose an animal to a new experience until it ceases to be alarmed or even to struggle.
I also applaud the zest with which our eldest has embraced ‘the wild’. Most kids I suppose if sitting on a boat in the middle of an unknown ocean, were the Captain to yell ‘Manta’ and make appropriate flapping movements with his arms, would go and have a peek over the side. Mimes grabs her mask and snorkel at lightening speed and dives in head first to get an up closer sort of experience.
But the piece de resistance has to be the disappearing lizard. I have never ever known anyone provide a safe haven for an animal in need in their own hair, albeit inadvertently. The tiny creature emerged unscathed from the sleeve of Mima’s t’shirt good couple of hours after its mysterious disappearance from Monty’s clutches. It seems it had been living happily at the top of one of her plaits.
Spiders are scrutinised, conches poked, turtles pursued, parrots befriended, pelicans painted, hermit crabs raced….. I’m fully expecting a crocodile to be wrestled before the end of the holiday.
...
Finally got some internet her in Caracas so here are a few choice shots of life in Los Roques.
Windsurfing with the family
The lizard
The girls
The teacher and her pupils
Spontaneous swimming in the sea
The kids on Francisqui
Relaxing in the sea.JPG)
Playing guitar
Girls being creative
The headmaster
Local crab
Cool pictures , looks like your'e having fun. That spider looks scary.
ReplyDeletelove beth
Hugh - just so you know what you missed:
ReplyDeleteMiles got a gold medal - it cost him 10 euros; Woody was last seen whistfully browsing the adverts for triple chainsets in the back of Cycling Weekly - the epiphany (actually 21 epiphanies on the Alpe alone) came one event later than anticipated; any time posted for Woody is a figment of his imagination - he 'accidentally' forgot his timing chip and then told the bloke giving out the certificates at the end how long it had taken him (we all believe him, right?).
Thanks for the update, was sorry to miss this as you know. Delighted that Woody´s epiphany finally arrived. Any news on Sid? And you?
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be having a moderately nice time! sounds fantastic - loving the smiley, smiley (and crabby and lizardy) photos. I would tell you what I was up to but I would hate to make your trip look inadequate! Carry on having fun.
ReplyDeleteLove Clarex
Sid had a hurty knee so pulled out the week before. I did 9h 32m 59s so missed gold by 18 min (9hrs in the saddle) which is 34min less than Miles missed it by (incidentally, not that it will be of any interest to you at all, he also missed the gold time for the over 60's). Chris did 9h 54m 17s which with a broken collar bone and 2-3months of inactivity before is impressive.
ReplyDeletePlease tell Mima that I could have done with her doglet training skills over the last few days; Balloo and Ebs came for a long weekend Chez Campbells before heading off to the land of Lands today for the remainder of their own little sejour. Charlie and Balloo now best mates whilst the two senior dogs behaved in a rather aloof manner refusing to take part in the youngsters' ruff and tumbles.
ReplyDeleteHowever, best bit was watching Ebs not let Iain into his own house when he got back from work on their first evening here!!! Interesting piece of negotiation on Iain's part - obviously involving several dog treats!! Since then, however, they bonded so much that I found the two of them curled up on the sofa "watching" the Wimblebum finals yesterday!! Have some great shots but, unlike you, haven't worked out how to "post" them to you. All love and keep blogging - we all rush home to get the latest installment xxx