J is doing exceptionally well at his new school in the UK. I moved back to the UK at the end of October. Saying goodbye to our animals, home, friends and family was impossibly hard, I think I created a bubble around me to deal with it all.
On my return to Mallorca in September Ruffa-Roo was visibly ill. He'd lost weight in the 3 weeks I'd been away and he had lumps under his skin. I took him to the vet and almost immediately had to have him put to sleep. A biopsy taken, whilst I was away, showed he had very late stage cancer. He was beginning to have problems with his breathing and I decided not to make him suffer anymore - chemo was not an option - I saw what it did to C. No more suffering.
With an unbelievably awful year behind us, both J and I are now trying to move on with our lives. It is very hard to know what direction to go in at the moment, but I am sure that will come in time, hopefully sooner rather than later.
We both miss Mallorca very much and our life there, but onwards and upwards is the only way to go.
Thank you to all those that read this blog over the recent years. It will still be left here for now and you never know, perhaps added to again in the future.
Goodbye and always believe anything is possible, even if it only lasts a little while. xx
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
CRUEL BLOW, RUNNING AWAY & TURKEYS (written 30 July 2015)
(This post was initially written on the 30th July, but I have only just remembered to post it).
Life has dealt a cruel blow to us recently. On the 28th June 2015, after a very courageous and tough battle with cancer, C died.
Devastating.
We feel lost even though we have goals to reach, life is about to change dramatically. We are moving on, although we haven't a definite date yet, but hoping by the end of the year. J is off to school in the UK and I am sorting and organising as much as I can at the moment so I can follow him over as soon as possible.
J is coping amazingly and apparently so am I, many of my friends have been telling me how strong they think I am. I have to say that I don't feel it most of the time at the moment. I would love to run away, but I have too many responsibilities.
The Ruffa Roo and Rex are both fine, although Rex seems to be having a few problems with one of his legs, which he damaged in an accident many years ago - he's getting on a bit now.
I never managed to plant any more veggies, so the land lies fallow for now. The pool is good at the moment. We've currently got pears and the figs are ripening. Shame I don't like figs. I will have to pass them onto friends and family this year. I have no time to make fig jam!
The weather has been exceptionally hot this year, the humidity high, which makes it feel even hotter, everyone is suffering. It is fine if you are on holiday, but when you live here, work and lead a normal life, it's a big struggle to find the energy to keep moving and not flop into a pool or the sea somewhere!
We had some turkeys again. 3 in total, that I bought back in February/March time. Two black and a white one, they are Mallorquin turkeys - locally known as 'Indiots'. They are smaller than the usual big white birds we get in the UK etc. Sadly, the white one escaped and Ruffa ate it!! Horrible - white feathers everywhere! Luckily for me I wasn't here, but sadly for my Mum, she was! She arrived at the finca to find millions of white feathers everywhere - but no turkey - nothing! Today one of the black turkey's escaped, Ruffa got it again, however, it managed to escape from him and is safely back in it's pen! Turkey's are not the most intelligent animals I'm sure. He is injured, but I cannot catch him to examine him to see how bad he is. Perhaps he'll be ok, here's hoping. I will try to get him tomorrow.
We still have hens producing lovely eggs, I am about to give the turkeys and the hens away to someone, I need to concentrate on getting things organised for the UK.
I am trying to work out how to keep our Ruffa Roo, and get him to the UK. At the moment it isn't looking too positive, but I won't give up until the last. I have had an offer of him staying here where he lives at the moment, but if he can come with us, he will, he's my lovely boy, after J of course, even if he does have a taste for live turkey!!
The cats are as ever carrying on their semi-wild lives out the back of the finca. There have been many deaths and many births and lots of funny moments in-between.
This blog will probably stop by the end of the year, but we will see what happens and for now I will try to update when I can. Once this one stops perhaps I will start another one, about moving back to the UK!!!!
Life has dealt a cruel blow to us recently. On the 28th June 2015, after a very courageous and tough battle with cancer, C died.
Devastating.
We feel lost even though we have goals to reach, life is about to change dramatically. We are moving on, although we haven't a definite date yet, but hoping by the end of the year. J is off to school in the UK and I am sorting and organising as much as I can at the moment so I can follow him over as soon as possible.
J is coping amazingly and apparently so am I, many of my friends have been telling me how strong they think I am. I have to say that I don't feel it most of the time at the moment. I would love to run away, but I have too many responsibilities.
The Ruffa Roo and Rex are both fine, although Rex seems to be having a few problems with one of his legs, which he damaged in an accident many years ago - he's getting on a bit now.
I never managed to plant any more veggies, so the land lies fallow for now. The pool is good at the moment. We've currently got pears and the figs are ripening. Shame I don't like figs. I will have to pass them onto friends and family this year. I have no time to make fig jam!
The weather has been exceptionally hot this year, the humidity high, which makes it feel even hotter, everyone is suffering. It is fine if you are on holiday, but when you live here, work and lead a normal life, it's a big struggle to find the energy to keep moving and not flop into a pool or the sea somewhere!
We had some turkeys again. 3 in total, that I bought back in February/March time. Two black and a white one, they are Mallorquin turkeys - locally known as 'Indiots'. They are smaller than the usual big white birds we get in the UK etc. Sadly, the white one escaped and Ruffa ate it!! Horrible - white feathers everywhere! Luckily for me I wasn't here, but sadly for my Mum, she was! She arrived at the finca to find millions of white feathers everywhere - but no turkey - nothing! Today one of the black turkey's escaped, Ruffa got it again, however, it managed to escape from him and is safely back in it's pen! Turkey's are not the most intelligent animals I'm sure. He is injured, but I cannot catch him to examine him to see how bad he is. Perhaps he'll be ok, here's hoping. I will try to get him tomorrow.
We still have hens producing lovely eggs, I am about to give the turkeys and the hens away to someone, I need to concentrate on getting things organised for the UK.
I am trying to work out how to keep our Ruffa Roo, and get him to the UK. At the moment it isn't looking too positive, but I won't give up until the last. I have had an offer of him staying here where he lives at the moment, but if he can come with us, he will, he's my lovely boy, after J of course, even if he does have a taste for live turkey!!
The cats are as ever carrying on their semi-wild lives out the back of the finca. There have been many deaths and many births and lots of funny moments in-between.
This blog will probably stop by the end of the year, but we will see what happens and for now I will try to update when I can. Once this one stops perhaps I will start another one, about moving back to the UK!!!!
Saturday, February 21, 2015
INTO 2015 WITH A BANG!
Well, another year, HAPPY 2015 EVERYONE.
It has been a bit of time since writing.
This winter has been particularly cold (unlike last year). We haven't had any snow down on the ground in Sa Pobla, although I know there has been some in other parts of the island. The mountains had LOADS of snow dumped on them, and the chill winds blow freezing air off them down to our town! brrrrrrrrrrr!!
These photos were taken from near our finca in Sa Pobla. A beautiful sight on a cold but glorious sunny day.
On to the animals... The hens are all grown up and laying well. Our cockerel is growing enormous but luckily is still friendly. I haven't heard him crow very well yet, but I have heard him trying, which seems to be a strange mix of a gurgle/strangling sound and a yodle! The dogs are fine except Ruffa Roo seems rather sick today - no food for him tonight and we will see how he is in the morning.
We still have no vegetables growing, we will see what the next few weeks brings.
Hope to post again very soon.
It has been a bit of time since writing.
This winter has been particularly cold (unlike last year). We haven't had any snow down on the ground in Sa Pobla, although I know there has been some in other parts of the island. The mountains had LOADS of snow dumped on them, and the chill winds blow freezing air off them down to our town! brrrrrrrrrrr!!
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| PUIG DE MASANELLA (Mallorca's second highest mountain) |
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| Puig de Masanella (Puig means 'hill' in Catalan - although technically this is a mountain!) |
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| Puig de Masanella |
On to the animals... The hens are all grown up and laying well. Our cockerel is growing enormous but luckily is still friendly. I haven't heard him crow very well yet, but I have heard him trying, which seems to be a strange mix of a gurgle/strangling sound and a yodle! The dogs are fine except Ruffa Roo seems rather sick today - no food for him tonight and we will see how he is in the morning.
We still have no vegetables growing, we will see what the next few weeks brings.
Hope to post again very soon.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
GOOD RIDDANCE TO DECEMBER 2014 - BRING ON THE NEW YEAR 2015.
December 2014 was a particularly AWFUL month. After C being away from us for 10 months he arrived home just before J's birthday at the end of November. C was very thin! During December we had to cope with my aunt having a heart attack and surgery (which she is recovering well from - a positive thing), then C was diagnosed with cancer - such a shock! To top off the month a close farming friend died (only 40 years old), he will be very sadly missed by us all.
The medical profession jumped into gear very quickly here and C has now completed the first chemo cycle! extremely nasty stuff. Second round - 9th of January - HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are fighting it and hope to bash the hell out of it, we are raising funds to keep us going day to day and medically - isn't life bizarre!
So, to the finca. Finally the cold has come and the trees have lost their leaves, some of the vines and fig trees (and I dare say other plants) began growing new bright green leaves as November was particularly warm! Snow covered the peak of Puig Major (the tallest mountain in Mallorca, standing at 1,445m in the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range) for the last couple of days but Sa Pobla hasn't had any so far. It isn't usual for us to get any, we lie in the Pla (plains) which are flat and the damp often hangs upon us like a soggy blanket in the winter! it's heaven when the sun comes out, like today - bright, sunny and cold, but crisp not damp.
The hens are doing great. We now have 7 whizzing about the coop with a young cockerel who is enormous already. His wing feathers sick out at angles! I need to check them and make sure they aren't deformed! He has only one long tail feather, I am hoping he will grow more. So far, he is a lot more tame than our last one!! Long may that last. Eggs are plentiful, even in the colder weather which is wonderful.
The dogs are great, Rex is getting much older and seems rather like an old bloke, but then suddenly bursts into a run across the yard barking warnings to the cats to get out of the way of the car. Ruffa (our boxer) always looks to Rex for guidance and often doesn't bark until he sees one of us or Rex says it's ok to do so.
We still have no veggies in the vegetable plot. It is more than ready to receive but unfortunately there is no time for the moment. I would love some broccoli/carrots etc etc in there. We will just have to wait.
All the cats that live outside seem to be fairing well. Several of them have had colds, but have got over them quite quickly. Puss (who lives indoors - much to the horror of C) also now has a cold, but he is snuggled up near the fire at the moment, so he'll probably recover quite quickly. We have had to put him back on kitten food as his stomach is so sensitive, adult cat food seems to upset him horribly!! No details required!
Well, as soon as I have any recent pictures to post I will put them up.
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. FELIZ AÑO NUEVO
The medical profession jumped into gear very quickly here and C has now completed the first chemo cycle! extremely nasty stuff. Second round - 9th of January - HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are fighting it and hope to bash the hell out of it, we are raising funds to keep us going day to day and medically - isn't life bizarre!
So, to the finca. Finally the cold has come and the trees have lost their leaves, some of the vines and fig trees (and I dare say other plants) began growing new bright green leaves as November was particularly warm! Snow covered the peak of Puig Major (the tallest mountain in Mallorca, standing at 1,445m in the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range) for the last couple of days but Sa Pobla hasn't had any so far. It isn't usual for us to get any, we lie in the Pla (plains) which are flat and the damp often hangs upon us like a soggy blanket in the winter! it's heaven when the sun comes out, like today - bright, sunny and cold, but crisp not damp.
 |
| Sunrise over the fields |
The hens are doing great. We now have 7 whizzing about the coop with a young cockerel who is enormous already. His wing feathers sick out at angles! I need to check them and make sure they aren't deformed! He has only one long tail feather, I am hoping he will grow more. So far, he is a lot more tame than our last one!! Long may that last. Eggs are plentiful, even in the colder weather which is wonderful.
The dogs are great, Rex is getting much older and seems rather like an old bloke, but then suddenly bursts into a run across the yard barking warnings to the cats to get out of the way of the car. Ruffa (our boxer) always looks to Rex for guidance and often doesn't bark until he sees one of us or Rex says it's ok to do so.
We still have no veggies in the vegetable plot. It is more than ready to receive but unfortunately there is no time for the moment. I would love some broccoli/carrots etc etc in there. We will just have to wait.
All the cats that live outside seem to be fairing well. Several of them have had colds, but have got over them quite quickly. Puss (who lives indoors - much to the horror of C) also now has a cold, but he is snuggled up near the fire at the moment, so he'll probably recover quite quickly. We have had to put him back on kitten food as his stomach is so sensitive, adult cat food seems to upset him horribly!! No details required!
Well, as soon as I have any recent pictures to post I will put them up.
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. FELIZ AÑO NUEVO
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