Week ending 14 October 2007

Sunday

Went to dominoes and visited Richard the dog, who was not very interested.  Mike took his pup Bones to meet Richard and thinks she is Bones’ mother.

I did not go to Coral Cove Pot Luck, but cooked a proper dinner and watched a movie.

Monday

Mike picked up Deb and Richard in his car and then me and we went to the animal shelter.  Richard was not easy to persuade to get in the car, but was very good for the journey.  She goes on a lead very easily and went into the vet’s better than the domestic dog there.  She weighs 53 pounds and the vet said that she was in good condition other than she has a tumour which is caused by an infection and needs to be treated.  The treatment is 5 weekly shots, so she had her first one, three other vaccinations and treatments.  She did not like the visit, but the vet and his assistant were very kind and gentle.  Then it was back in the car and off to Crews Inn to give her a shampoo as the water had been off at TTSA.  She did not like the water, but stood for the shower.  Debs family said goodbye and we took her in Debs car back to TTSA.  By this time I had firmly changed her name to Ricki.  I walked her in on the lead confidently past the No Animals sign on the gate and introduced her to cruisers from at least 6 boats; she was very good.  Then Jimmy took her in his dinghy back to the boat, she liked the dinghy about as much as she had enjoyed the car and the water, not at all.  Luckily my boat has a low transom and she could get on easily, once hauled over the top of the dinghy.  We had several visitors and she was fine.  What a day for her. 

Mike brought his boat round, it was rough on his side of the lump, but I am sure Ricki was a good part of his decision.  I stayed in cockpit until 9 and then decided to go to bed, I did not sleep much, but Ricki was fine. 

Tuesday

In the morning I resisted Mike’s repeated offer to take her ashore, because I wanted her to get used to the boat and not waiting for me to take her for a walk.  She was quiet and rather poorly which was a mixture of all the recent events and the medication pumped into her yesterday.  I was trying to hold out, but did not want her to get really ill and so lunchtime I gave in and we took her to an old barge.  Here she could run about a bit, but not get to land and there was no way she was going to swim for it.  If she was a puppy training would be easier, but she must be about 6 and is very intelligent and good, so now I have to start again.

After her little exercise she perked up and I left her on the boat while I went for a sail on Blue Water Cat for a few hours.  Mike was 20 feet away on his boat, but she does not bark, howl or fret and I left the back of the boat open in case she wanted to use the transom, but there was little chance of that and even less of her jumping off the boat.  We returned from our sail and had a few drinks and when I got back to my boat Ricki was very happy to see me. 

Wednesday

This morning Mike took his dogs and Jimmy took Ricki and I to the outside corner of the lump over here and we went for a walk.  Afterwards I made a small loaf which was a bit dense, but a good chocolate cake. 

We left Ricki on the boat and went to do internet and when we came back she immediately came to meet us.  She was torn between wanting to go somewhere, but not wanting the dinghy ride.  She is quite good if the dinghy is side on as it is lower.  We went to the shore here as I wanted to find something to make a litter tray, there is so much plastic and styrofoam it is disgusting, but nothing suitable. 

Mike was leaving to go back to Chaguaramas Bay and he has lent me a tray that he does not need at present. 

I got an e mail today from my insurance broker, that time of the year again.  I told him where I was planning to go and asked for a premium reduction as I now have an alam system.

Ricki now has me firmly on a piece of string.  She sleeps wherever it is shady, with a breeze, under the awning, under the specially placed dinghy, on the solar panel – that really helps the batteries charging.  If it is cool or raining she lies on her bed of vinyl covered foam by the companionway.  It rained hard this afternoon and she was not pleased that some of it reached her, so I had to put the sprayhood up.  She is a black labrador, mostly.  We have yet to get over this dislike of water.  I only have to pick up the bucket to do anything and she is up on the bow, as far away as she can get.

Thursday

Jimmy, Donna and I took Ricki for a long walk.  Then Donna and I went into West Mall and I bought some dog biscuits and a battery powered fan which will come in handy.  In the evening we went to Poker, but could not get a maxi back and luckily Jesse James, who runs a taxi service here gave us a lift.

Friday

6.30 and I launched the dinghy and took Ricki to the near shore.  Upon returning  I fed Ricki and washed down the boat.  I did the washing, but am waiting for rain to rinse it, it never rains when you need it.  I tidied the sewing locker and have put lots of bits out to give away up the river and then made a good lunch as I will not have time tomorrow or Sunday.

I rowed Ricki to the dock, which is quite a long way, dumped some rubbish and filled 2 bottles with water – dogs are not welcome other than passing through the gate and I would not have wanted to risk taking the computer and the dog in the dinghy.  Ricki was very good, but needs to learn where to sit so that I do not keep smacking her in the mouth with the oars.  She did get in the way enough to send me off course a few times, but we are getting there and she now gets in and out of the dinghy very well.

Saturday

Today is a Trade Show for yachties, it was not very extensive, but I got all the freebies I could – including a choc ice from the refrigeration stand.  Tonight it is Pot Luck at our gazebo.