So much seems to have happened this month and we are only 3 weeks in!
First of all we seem to have collected another stray dog, Charlie, who pitched up at the end of last month and we thought he was just another visitor from the village. However it appears not to be so. He got thinner and thinner and hung around more. Wouldn't approach us but wanted to play with Bugsy and Scraps.
We have now started to feed him, he has made himself a den on our lower terrace and comes in to sleep in the back garden when he is really scared,which is most nights.
Bugsy and Scraps won't allow him into the front though and we can't take him on, but he now trusts us and allows us to lead him, groom and bath him but is nervous of other people.
Haven't yet managed to get him into the car to get him checked out at the vet, but are hoping to do so in the next week.
We now plan to train him to be happy with other people in the hope that we can get him adopted. If anyone reading this would like an affectionate but scared young male dog and can have the patience to make him trust you then please do get in touch with us. He will make a lovely family dog, given time and TLC.
The second event this month was working with Lili and friends of the dog shelter Cantinho da Lili, to open up a charity shop space. We are selling good quality second hand clothing and accessories, books, DVDs and some household fabric bits and bobs. It is in an existing second-hand shop 'De Klomp' (The Clog) which is run by a Dutch couple in a large building on the N17 between Sta Ovaia and Oliveira do Hospital.
They are kindly hosting our charity stuff for free and managing the purchases too. We are really very grateful to them. If you live in our area and don't know about the shop, or even if you do, go and see everything that they have on sale for really good prices.
We have also completed an application to the Dog Trust in the UK for a grant for Lili to develop a fit for purpose and more appropriate shelter on a new site- the application has gone in and we now await their decision. We all have our fingers crossed because the grants are sizeable and would make such a difference to both Lili and her helpers' lives.
But
getting away from dogs..... Fraser's final exhibition 'Memorabilia' opened on 9th August and the opening was attended by a lot
of friends.
For a change he included a couple of his models, one of the schooner Scottish Maid and a dolphin shadow box.
It's a great setting in a gallery/flower shop and we are grateful to Astrid and Ton for their support and space.
Some paintings have been sold already and we hope a couple more will be bought over the next couple of weeks.The exhibition closes on 13th September.
And finally we have a buyer for our lovely home!
We are still formulating contracts but essentially we hope we will be completing and moving from Portugal back to the UK in the spring of next year. Probably at the end of April, beginning of May.
No idea where we are going to move to....but we are on the lookout and doing our homework for finding nice and cheap and perfect places to choose from. So more on the subject in future posts.
So if you haven't come to visit us yet and want to come, you need to get a move on!!! I am returning to the UK next week to have my first Lexa birthday party as she is 4 next week and staying to help with her integration into her Reception class. Once more Fraser will be left holding the fort and the dogs and signing contracts for the house sale.
