This line is from a favourite poem, 'The Darkling Thrush' by Thomas Hardy and reminds me of bright frosty days walking with my brother Graham in Dorset - Hardy's Wessex - and puts me in a melancholy mood. My brother has been gone from this troubled world years ago now and so many of my lovely canine companions departed too. You might think that living in a sunshine island in the Med would be cheering but a freezing wind and sleet is accompanying the sun today. The wealthy politicians in the UK decided a year or so ago that ex-pats should be denied the cold weather allowance even when they have paid in contributions for an entire working life of 40+ years and temperatures in this part of the world drop to below freezing and annually kill off my lush Morning Glory foliage (saving me the trouble of cutting back these invasive plants but highlighting how desolate the landscape can be in winter). We have been battered and deluged by familiar storms up here on the edge of the Troodos mountains and of course the Salukis have saved up some of their worse ailments for these wintery days.
The autumn began with a lessening of Roman's breathing difficulties with cooler weather but very soon he joined the other 'boys' in going crazy over 'mum'/'grandma' Paschale, at the grand age of 13, appeared to be having a 'blind' season - anyone familiar with this infuriating female condition, please contribute - but still managed to cause the 2 brothers to live semi-permanently in fight-mode and poor Roman to get breathless again with excitement. Even Ahlu became quite feisty and he was neutered 8 years ago! I worried that Paschale may really have been having hormonal problems but she seemed in every way strong and lively. I sent the 'girls' up to Michael in his little house further up the mountains - the boys failed to calm down and it reminded me that, from all the years of observation, I am convinced that males continue to follow through the entire period of heat even when the females have been removed - its as if they have the pattern fixed in their beings just as much as the object of desire - comments please. Paschale's daughter (litter -sis of Roman) appeared to have given up seasons ('I've had my perfect children and I have to watch my figure at my age') which at only 10 years old - not an advanced age for a Saluki - she might have ovarian cysts or some other problem but again, she seemed absolutely healthy and happy and other veterinary problems took precedence - Roman continued to give concern but, as the damp/cold weather crept in, the crazy one came into unwanted focus yet again....
The autumn began with a lessening of Roman's breathing difficulties with cooler weather but very soon he joined the other 'boys' in going crazy over 'mum'/'grandma' Paschale, at the grand age of 13, appeared to be having a 'blind' season - anyone familiar with this infuriating female condition, please contribute - but still managed to cause the 2 brothers to live semi-permanently in fight-mode and poor Roman to get breathless again with excitement. Even Ahlu became quite feisty and he was neutered 8 years ago! I worried that Paschale may really have been having hormonal problems but she seemed in every way strong and lively. I sent the 'girls' up to Michael in his little house further up the mountains - the boys failed to calm down and it reminded me that, from all the years of observation, I am convinced that males continue to follow through the entire period of heat even when the females have been removed - its as if they have the pattern fixed in their beings just as much as the object of desire - comments please. Paschale's daughter (litter -sis of Roman) appeared to have given up seasons ('I've had my perfect children and I have to watch my figure at my age') which at only 10 years old - not an advanced age for a Saluki - she might have ovarian cysts or some other problem but again, she seemed absolutely healthy and happy and other veterinary problems took precedence - Roman continued to give concern but, as the damp/cold weather crept in, the crazy one came into unwanted focus yet again....
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