Flying solo

*Robin*

Dear Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

This morning I had a nice chat with the old boys who congregate in the Mayor's community garden; they were charmingly pleased to see me, said that last night's storm was the worst for at least two years, and I did the right thing moving out of the fiesta grounds (there's only a bus left down there, which I think will need the assistance of a JCB to get out as the wheels have sunk into the mud). The river is now flowing, although not a lot; it has absorbed the lake we found ourselves in last night.

CD didn't quite finish her dinner and it was attracting flies, so we donated it to the local feral cats who were delighted (must remember to reclaim CD's bowl). Cats can and do live wild very happily here, in fact there would probably be plagues of rats if well-meaning foreigners tried to adopt them all.. So I really don't feel guilty about leaving those kittens behind because they were with their Mum - but sometimes householders will just dump their cat's unwanted kittens [rather than pay for neutering]; those are the ones which need help if they're too young to have learned how to hunt.

Later:
The last kilometre is proving the most problematic of all..
Divo Three is no mechanic. He knew the other van was having trouble starting but did nothing about it, compounding the problem by parking in such a way as to make it very difficult to get another vehicle alongside with jump-leads.
It's a national holiday today so there's no-where open either to get the current battery charged up or buy a replacement.
So that's a job for tomorrow. :cool:
Meanwhile CD and I have moved again and I've awarded m'self a day of rest. Well, a day of house-keeping in camper-van and walking in the orchards with CD.

missrlr

Wow that was a series of unexpected possible calamities / issues to face. Glad the kittens were reclaimed by mum-cat. And the van is dry not soggy, with both of you enjoying a well deserved day off!
Enjoy and well done bringing rain with you!

*Robin*

Plenty of rain, Missrlr!
And yes, the van is dry - unlike most of the houses (it's easier to keep a bucket handy than fix a roof when rain is such a rarity, lol).
Divo Three gave us dinner, and walked us back to the van afterwards, bless him. Not that CD needed his guidance - she remembered every twist and turn in the paths (only tripping slightly once at a place where the footing had washed away last night). :T
..The rain began again just as I unlocked camper-van's door - great timing!

Unfortunately this gloomy weather means there is little reserve in the leisure battery - used too much power last night - so it's time to switch off lappy and get to bed.

Ought to take CD to visit Dear Vet tomorrow and find another battery for the Spanish van, but not if it's raining because there are two fords to cross.
When will we get to the Nest? ..Quite frustrating; can see the house up on the hillside, but really don't fancy walking up with even a basic kit of "stuff"!

mcculloch29

I admire your fortitude Robin, the severe Spanish/Portuguese weather made the late night weather round-up on the telly here, and it takes something out of the ordinary to do that.
May the waiting game be very short. x

Brightspark87

Oh Robin what an epic trip back to The Nest. Glad you haven't attempted to climb up even though it must be frustrating. Look after yourself and CD you will get there soon! x

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Dear Friends-in-the-Box, :hello:

Woke up to a Tolkienesque scene of silent dripping trees and swirling cloud, as if the pueblo were alone on the planet.. Yours truly decided to stay in bed and wait to see what would happen; Lord knows I'm tired enough to be grateful for a little extra rest.
Thankfully the Sun broke through after a couple of hours, banishing all the grey rain-clouds to beyond the closest mountain ridges.
Decided it was worth trying to get into town; the fords were both passable, although one was pretty bumpy with soil and stones that had washed downstream.

Boss Vet made us wait until two clients who came in later had been dealt with - which meant the battery shop closed for lunch before CD was seen; was quite upset about that and made m' feelings known. :cool:
But still, it meant BV didn't hurry when he finally got around to CD, and Dear Vet had arrived by then too which was just as well because it took all three of us to hold CD still for her scan - she really didn't want to lie spread-eagled on her back while BV prodded and poked, and we all stared at the grainy images on the screen.

..Very good news, backed up by repeat tests of the ones done in the UK: There is no blood or epithelial cells in CD's urine now, and no other signs of kidney cancer! :T
Of course I don't know whether the last UK vet who saw CD was wrong, or whether the higher doses of GP have destroyed the tumour; either way, CD is going to keep taking her GP - like it or not - for the next month, until her revision appointment (actually I'll probably keep giving it to her for life).

We wobbled out of the surgery feeling incredibly relieved (although I suspect for different reasons, lol). Decided not to go and see the damage at the coast while waiting for the end of siesta, but came straight back to the pueblo via a garage, where I bought some fuel camper-van doesn't really need in order to have an excuse to use their loo (wanted to empty the thunderbox ).

If it doesn't rain again before tomorrow, am going to try taking the Spanish van up the hill to the Nest. Despite not getting a new battery it is co-operating and will start up, although I was dismayed to discover that the power steering has a fault - it feels like a tank to drive at the moment (what does Divo Three do to vehicles? Every time he's borrowed the van something has gone wrong!).

Am exhausted now - pay-back for the journey is setting in; no less than expected, lol.

Thank you to everyone who comments, letting me know CD and I aren't as alone as it sometimes feels. Apologies for not replying in detail - blame brain fog and mental exhaustion. It's hard enough to write a simple pr!cis of events at the moment..

Spends:
Vet - total 76€ (remember that the UK vet wanted £900 for CD's scan? BV only charged 50€!).
Fuel - 21€
Groceries - 26€

missrlr

Great news on the v.e.t. Front even if CD has to suffer the indignity of a spread eagled scan.

Thankfully you survived the down pour and subsequent travels, hope fully you can get to the Nest soon.

I cannot begin to imaging what Divo Three does to vehicles. Hope it won't be too much of a palaver to sort. I realise I am teaching you to suck eggs, do check the power steering fluid levels

I am now going to try and get myself back into a better frame of mind and get my backside off to the doctors about this wretched ankle.

Take care with the weather m'dear

Brightspark87

Great news! well done CD and Robin I love the MSE vet visits xx

missrlr

Hello are you ok? Long time no hear and all that .....

Dansmam

Dropping in to echo missrir`s enquiry. Guessing you're settling back in at the nest and dealing with the exhaustion of the journey back. Hope all's well and has been well looked after while you were on your travels. News here has girls nearing Granada heading for Portugal for the winter. Flexible enough to move if too cool for overwintering in ancient van. Time will tell.
Lurcher boy would like to inform CD it's drizzly here and she's best staying somewhere warm and dry. Like the Nest, he hopes...