Spain update November 2023
Wednesday the 22nd of November 2023
After a few gloomy dark weeks and days that, despite rain or shine from dawn till late in the evening, were startled by gun shots of murdering hunters we received a phone call yesterday that as usual a galguero wanted to give up his wounded dog, fortunately!! It is better to give the dog up than dump somewhere in the middle of nowhere until death follows… In the evening Marie-Carmen brought her, a very young female who somewhere in the fields, was moved from the galguero’s car into Marie-Carmen’s and came to us with what turned out to be a painfully battered broken front leg. While Dirk was applying an emergency bandage, I sent a mail message to Dr. De Frutos who after having seen the video of her leg returned a message asap that we were expected this morning. Which means that today at 8:00h we left for Talavera under a blinding rising sun with the beautiful young kind female. Even though she must have suffered terribly she stood up to look outside. Incredible how much pain galgos can endure without complaining I thought while I was watching her. Whilst I was worrying which name I would give her, I looked at the vast landscape that after the end of the recent hunting season was not disturbed anymore by the many galguero’s Land Rovers that stood here and there in the fields. When after an hour we arrived in Talavera I had decided to give her the name Hatsjepsoet… We arrived together with Dr. De Frutos whose receptionist as usual registered her. It was not obvious when she heard the dog’s name, and she startled handed the document over to me because only Dr. De Frutos knew immediately who Hatsjepoet was…
After I signed the papers for agreement, he took along the brave galgo for RX-rays after which it became apparent that the bone of her leg was completely cut in half and the two halves stood next to each other. As so often it was an incredible painful fracture with which the poor dog was left behind. Fortunately, she ended up with us and as of now everything would be done to secure and make her future brighter. When everything was settled, and I had asked Dr. De Frutos to also sterilize her, if possible, we returned to Calypo where the rest of the Casa Belgica gang was waiting for us. Hermione and Hélène are barely recovered, and they already get a new companion, they have shown yesterday upon Hatsjepsoet’s arrival that it was not a problem for them. For the puppies who meanwhile have grown a lot, it is not a problem at all, they have an additional attraction when the ladies are let out and they can watch the newcomer from behind the partition. Fortunately, after months of vacation in Casa Belgica it is for them not long anymore before they can go to their new home, they become impatient. So sorry that they must wait that long but it is just the law that puppies cannot travel before they are 16 weeks old and that is all related to the anti-rabies vaccines. Hopefully their patience will be rewarded with a warm loving forever home and that just like in Casa Belgica they will be immersed with love, a lot of patience and understanding for their youth… At 13:30h Dr. De Frutos sends a message that the operation went well but that she must stay until tomorrow due to some loss of blood. He will let us know when we can pick her up. So far….
Thursday the 23rd of November 2023
At 9:00h we leave again for Talavera to pick up Hatsjepsoet whose operation was a perfect success according to Dr. De Frutos. While underway I look at the storks overflying in a formation on their way to Africa, I think that the name Hatsjepsoet is not chosen simply, there is a purpose behind it and hopefully… With the name of the first female Farao I addressed someone and hopefully she will understand my message. I assume so because Claire is an ardent supporter of Egyptology and, like me, she is a fan of Hatsjepsoet. Wait and see. I hope so because I would like so much the tiny, nice, sweet girl to stay in the GINB-family and thus where can she be better than with Claire. They are meant for each other. Almost an hour later we are again looking for a parking place in Talavera. Dr. De Frutos is extremely satisfied with the result of the operation and insists that between now and a few days we will come back for inspection. On Saturday when we return for “Soet’s” check-up Dr. De Frutos is still just as satisfied, and she gets green light for the long journey that is now coming very close as on Tuesday co-driver Dirk Buffalo will arrive and I will leave with the same Iberia flight to Belgium. Fortunately, I do not know yet what is ahead of me. I am still in the dark about the fact that the lady purser suddenly does not want to give me my seat that had been reserved and paid for weeks ago and now due to safety reasons and a vague explanation has been given to a businessman!!! Seat 1D that is mentioned on my boarding pass is crossed out with a pen and I must sit on seat 3D!!! I absolutely do not agree but she persists and says that when I do not agree I have to file a complaint which I have done in the meantime. So far…
Tuesday the 28th of November 2023
Anyway, before my departure I had called adopters during the entire weekend to agree on the time they are expected on the adoption day and packed suitcases, I arrive on Tuesday the 28th of November in Zaventem after the miserable flight. Gilles, who as usual takes me home gets the full story during the trip to De Pinte. Even he cannot understand that they can refuse and give away someone’s reserved and paid for seat to someone else. When Dirk calls and hears the story he immediately sits on his warhorse and tells me to prepare immediately a letter of complaint for his arrival on Friday. I am happy to be at home and finally alone. On the table are the usual welcome flowers from Claire, this time a Christmas rose. Next to it is a letter because as usual she has done some shopping and filled the refrigerator. Alone for 3 days now and apart from telephone calls to Dirk, I am closed off from the outside world, alone with my PC and the many incoming mails. On Wednesday night during a call with the two Dirks I got the report of the day and the promise that my Dirk would call me before they leave. Everybody is doing well and all dogs, from the three recovering ladies to the puppies and our dogs, know and feel that a big event is coming... As promised, I receive a call in the morning from an ever-nervous husband who after all these years is still walking on the tips of his toes when loading the dogs… Fortunately Buffalo is the right always calm opposite to keep him calm. When they had left for about three hours, I received a call that they are past the Somosierra, it is raining and the wind blows but the dogs are quiet, everything is fine. And it continues this way, every time Buffalo takes over the steering wheel Dirk calls me with updates… One thing is certain, in Paris they must not drive through the center this time due to night work and I can tell them the good news that Sonja and big Dirk have adopted Hermione.
Friday the 1st of December – Saturday the 2nd of December 2023
It was 4:30h when he dropped the luggage in the hall and came to bed with a cold that he got from Buffalo. As always, a burden falls from my shoulders, the worrying is over. They are safe at home, the dogs are welcomed in Hof Rosa Canina by Martine, Nensie, Christel and Kevin, the arrival team, they are let out, fed, and put in bed. Dirk lies next to me. Not for long because at 8:00h he leaves for Doornik to Marianne with 4 galgo males whose teeth must be treated. Thereafter he returns to Hof Rosa Canina to clean the van etc… Then we must go shopping for tomorrow’s adoption day etc… The morning comes earlier than expected and it is barely 8:30h when we leave for Hof Rosa Canina where a lot still needs to be done, set up the tent, prepare the reception/annex office and photo studio for the adopters, the kitchen where the coffee will be made, the sandwiches for the co-workers and to arrange the shared breakfast room. Upon our arrival our dogs, who reside with Christel, are going crazy and I hurry inside. Before 11:00h the first adopters arrive, the new parents for the puppies first, I scheduled them first which was successful. Then it is the other adopter’s turn amongst them many old faithful who adopt a second, a third or another one. Despite the cold it was a cozy adoption day, everyone was happy with the new family member, and they all said goodbye cheerfully. Around 14:00h the last one arrives, and our installations can be demolished. When all co-workers enter again numb it is time for a present, a Spanish candy, which is good for their warming-up… Kevin leaves sick first and takes Hélène along. Yolanda follows and takes Hatsjepsoet along. When she is ready to say goodbye, I say to Claire that Hatsjepsoet was meant for her after all… She yells, “I knew it, I knew it!!!’ And you know what, she and Raymond succumbed on the spot…Premature Christmas stories…
Next week the doctor visits, write the magazine, updates, on Saturday Glabbeek to prepare the hall and on Sunday Christmas market. In between rest a little…
Monday the 11th of December 2023
In the past week, we finalized as much as possible conscientiously our planning as foreseen and on Saturday morning at 8:30h we left for Glabbeek. We had only driven 500 meters when Dirk observed that the van did not pick up speed… Maybe it is the humidity he said hesitantly but not… Before we drove onto the highway, he wanted to be sure, and he could just take the roundabout back “home”. He put the van back on the parking of the town hall and loaded our luggage and the three big donuts in the rental car and called the garage and left for the second time to Glabbeek… As expected, he philosophized during the entire drive over the possible cause of the defective van, sigh… Anyway, because we left that early, we still managed to arrive at 10:00h at our destination where Yolanda, Kelly and helpers were already busy with the Christmas decorations and the assembling of the many Christmas trees… While volunteers and the rest of the co-workers were struggling with tables and paper cloths for the stands, Claire was installing the GINB-shop, Dirk Buffalo prepared the bar and Dirk and Kevin were doing all kinds of things, Gerda, Martine, and I started to set up the Christmas trees, to untangle the lamps, pick out the Christmas balls, the garlands etc... a laborious work. Raymond was our forefront who together with Yolanda put the remaining Christmas trees together. Anyway, after a few hours of hard work the hall was transformed from a cool storage place into a real Christmas market, and we could finally sit at the table for a well-deserved lunch. Everything was ready and the stands were just waiting for their exposers and the food stands, where for the first time Nancy’s and Ann’s vegetarian and classic croque-monsieurs were made, were waiting for their guests.
Around 16:00h Dirk and I left in the pouring rain for our hotel in Beringen where we sleep every year after the Lommel walk or the Christmas market. When we arrived in the room it was ice cold and after Dirk tried to change the thermostat, I called reception. After a few unsuccessful calls the reception lady came knocking on our door and tried also to set the thermostat that reacted and was blowing warm air. Unfortunately, when after our meal in the restaurant of the hotel we returned to our room it was ice cold again and it would stay that way the whole night. While a strong wind was blowing against the windows, I was shivering in bed much to Dirk’s annoyance and it was a relief when I finally could get up and get dressed in the cold. After we had breakfast and the car was loaded again, we returned around 9:30h to Glabbeek. Half an hour later when we drove into the street, I asked Dirk ‘there will not be any participants yet?’ Wrong thought because the parking was half full and I had a full mouth to chat with people, and talk, and talk… But it was wonderful to meet so many people with their adopted galgos again and reminisce and look at photos. It was a success, the tombola, the “art stands”, “Warm & Cozy”, food stands, all were busy. A lot of soup with bread was eaten, also a lot of pancakes and many croques. Near the end I thought of only one thing, everything had to be taken down again. When all were gone, I was chatting with the last ones, and I saw from the corner of an eye that Gerda had already started to dismantle the Christmas trees. Fortunately…
