Annus Horribilis Part 1 …

 This has been a memorable year for all of the wrong reasons and it has contained the stuff of nightmares and many tears. And the most awful thing is that most of what has happened was unnecessary, and outside of our control. But, dear reader, we have come out of the experiences stronger and in a better place. But the cost to us as people has been immense. Ann’s strength and my obstinacy have been essential but I would not have wished 2025 on anyone.

At the end of last year we were coming to terms with the unexpected death of our darling dog, Daisy. Nothing anyone can say will persuade us that her death was unavoidable. The vet, with his complacent attitude, sent us away after pain-killing and anti-emetic injections and told us to return in a “couple of days”. Twenty-four hours later Daisy died in the early hours of the morning in our arms. “Forgive and Forget” - no chance.

Never again, we told each other. No more pain. But after the good counsel of a lady we knew, we started looking for another dog (not a replacement by any means). The charities running the various pounds and shelters were useless, staffed by well-meaning amateurs - who on more than one occasion led us up the proverbial garden path. And then the lady, who had advised us to take on another rescue dog as a companion, got in touch. She had seen a lovely dog on Facebook who needed a new home as his owner could not cope with the way her life was developing.

She bought the dog to meet us and he was the sweetest dog imaginable. The lady loved our home and took to us, and we all agreed to think things over for a couple of days. Decisions were made and we drove to Paphos to meet her and take him home with us. An “interesting” journey back and Oscar (as he was to be called - she had called him Oski) became part of the family. Looking like a long-legged Dachshund (we discovered he is mainly Mini Pinscher), he immediately found our bed, jumped up and made himself at home.

OSCAR AT REST

The rest, of course, was not straightforward. Being the breed (and crossed with an unknown type) he is an escape artiste par excellence. Our garden and gate were easily bypassed and we came to the decision we would need some form of mesh to keep him in. Our gardener put up a green mesh plastic fence, which cost a small fortune. Αnd Oscar chewed through it and was off to pastures new over and over again. Eventually our local garden centre came and constructed a chain-link fence at considerable expense to ensure his safety (€750). And still he escaped - twice they returned and finally the garden was secure. Ann was understandably irate with the gardener who told us he only agreed to put the mesh up because we had bought it. He left our employ shortly after.

Oscar has been with us about a year now and has proved to be a perpetual delight. Without any knowledge of his life before he became part of our family, it was soon apparent that he distrusts men. Goodness knows how he might have been mistreated by them in the past. However he has accepted me and trusts me, although he is very much Ann’s dog.

In March the unexpected happened. Our landlady’s husband, a man of honour and integrity, was taken ill one afternoon and died a couple of hours later. Our dealings for the last twelve years (as far as the house was concerned) had always been with him and, without exception, he had treated us fairly. But, unbeknown to us, the situation was about to change dramatically and for the worse.

That part of the year will be dealt with in Part 2, published in the next few days.