Such a perfect day

What a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the sky is blue blue blue and there is not a cloud in sight. What we at home call 'a blue golden day', one of the reasons we moved to Spain. Early spring here is a bit like summer in Holland and the UK, the countries we have lived in previously. I found myself singing whilst driving back from one of my patients. Singing badly, but hey, there was no-one who could hear it, and it seemed to come from somewhere deep inside.

Normally I do not like Sundays. They are my busiest day, because no-one else wants to work, and I have an extra patient three times on a Sunday, making it a day with little time for home, family cats and dogs. But today...everything just felt great. Wish I could bottle that feeling and release it when the day does not feel so perfect.

On the way back to our village I saw a field and someone had just released some goats into it. I have always loved goats and often thought that if I ever moved to Spain I would get a house with a large piece of land, and have lots of goats, a donkey, a pack of dogs and hundreds of cats. In reality we spent the first year here living in an apartment, though we now have the loveliest little house with a garden and swimming pool. However since Ben the dog manages to destroy more in one hour in the garden than a whole herd of goats would be able to destroy, I think we shall have to wait with the goat buying until we really do have a house out in the country.

Sophia, our little adopted street cat, is now finally able to move about properly. She was so ill when we first took her on, the vet held out little hope. But she has fought back well, and now she rules the roost. Our two 'English' cats just let her have the lead, they cannot be bothered to fight with her for control, they are older and have learnt that it makes no difference who is top cat, the food will be equally distributed and there will always be a comfortable bed to sleep on anyway.

Ben, our labrador/Rhodesian ridgeback cross, only 14 months old, just wants to play with Sophia, but she has different ideas, and her idea of the best game with him would involve multiple visits to the vet for plastic surgery on his face, I think. I know eventually that will settle down and they will be fine, but for now I have to teach him that not all cats are naturally friendly.

Time to squeeze some orange juice, from the oranges on our own tree. Still cannot get used to the idea that I just have to step into the garden to get my own orange or lemon, unwaxed, untreated and juicy. Then a walk along the sea, before seeing to next patient. Wish this day could last forever.