Update on the building work

Sorry I have not been saying much on this lately - or posting many pictures.

Our efforts are going on getting the ground floor guest bedroom complete with en-suite ready for my Dad's visit - next weekend now. After many hours walking round Dcheira looking at wall tiles I have ended up buying something very similar to our downstairs bathroom.... and the tiler is coming on Friday to start work on that. The builder has to come back to fit the window and door frames (haven't actually got doors yet)and then we have to get some tiles for the floor and the wc, sink, taps etc, It will be nice to have one complete room - though I am not convinced it will be 100% ready before dad arrives.

Miluda is finally getting married this weekend - this is the wedding that was supposed to take place at the beginning of September. So I have been dusting off my takshita and generally getting myself ready for a party.

Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes. For my birthday this year I want to take the females in my little dog walking crew to get neutered.. I guess we will have to ask Snitch's nominal owners if they are OK about that. I can't see them objecting as they take very little to do with her. I also have to wait till Trot has finished rearing her puppies first - though I am not sure how many she has and if they are still alive.... She went away to a little hidey hole to have them and although I have visited a few times I have only heard a little bit of puppy squeaking and not actually seen one so I don't know how many she has had or if they are boys or girls. She spends a fair bit of time at our back door but does not like it if the other dogs go any where near her den so I haven't been able to get a good look. The pups should be getting more mobile now so I will try and visit again this week.

Mohamed's university term has finally started. This term he has to read The Old Man and the Sea, Animal Farm and Jude the Obscure. What a strange set of books!!

Well back to work

Saying goodbye to Little Rag

I have some very sad news. Little Rag was asleep under our car yesterday and Mohamed did not see her when he got in to drive into town. We took her to the vet but she died just as we got into the surgery. She lost a lot of blood and didn't seem conscious so I hope she wasn't in any pain.

Mohamed is really upset.

We buried her in the garden last night.

October Catch Up

Sorry so much time has passed again without an update.

Life goes on. My friend Kate came out a couple of weeks ago and we had a lovely time, swimming in the sea, eating late breakfasts and lunches and driving through the mountains in search of saffron, caves and waterfalls (well I didn't need to search for the waterfall) and talking....



We drove all the way out to Talouine in the Anti-Atlas mountains to see the saffron harvest but were a month too early (so much for the website I looked up). Still it was a good day out and we saw some amazing countryside and had a lovely lunch - and it will be harvest time in late October and November so will be worth another trip in that direction when my next visitors arrive.

We also did the trip to Immouzzer but I could see from the hillside that there was no water in the falls so it didn't seem worth while driving all the way down just to be hassled by the local guides and souvenir sellers. We had previously gone on quite a detour looking for the Ouitinedoume (?) caves which I have seen signposted (everytime I drive along that road) but never visited. We followed a road up into the mountains but it just stopped in a carpark. There was a rough track heading off round the edge of the mountain but no signs of life and it was too hot to trek miles up the side of a mountain so we got back in the car and carried on to Immouzzer.

Back at the house we have the wiring and most of the plumbing done on Dad's room and should get a window next week. The builder is due to come next week to install the window and render the walls, then we need to get the tiling done and the bathroom fitted out... painting.. door - almost there! but less than 3 weeks to do it!

Dad is coming out for a month on 29th October and will be here for the Eid. I think Aicha and Said and the kids are coming over as well... so it will be almost like Christmas!

Ruby and the cats are well. Trot has had her puppies... not sure how many as she has them hidden away. Snitch did have puppies but I think something must have happened to them as she doesn't seem to spend much time with them - but maybe she just has them hidden away as well.



Mohamed is still waiting to hear when the new university term will start... they have started posting timetables so it looks like it might be soon but then again it might not be till after the Eid.

I think that is all the news... now to try and post some pictures (if you have already seen them you will know this has worked!)

Happy (re)Birthday Ruby

It was a year ago today that Ruby first appeared at our back door as a little skeletal dog. I can't believe it is a whole year already and can't imagine life without her now. She is such a good tempered and affectionate dog.



We are in the last few days of Ramadan now.... just hoping for a clear night when the new moon arrives. It has not been as bad as I thought it would be, but then the weather has not been so unremittingly hot as it usually is this time of year - in fact some days it has been distinctly cool.

Mohamed's sister Aicha and family are here for a few days. It is nice to see them but quite hard work... they are all staying up late and eating late and then sleeping late while I would rather get a good nights sleep (not really possible with a house full of fully awake Moroccans) and get up early (which I have to do to work and feed animals) and so would prefer to eat earlier.... but I guess it is only for a few days. It would be better if it wasn't Ramadan though.

I think his other sister Khadija will be here for a few days next week.

We have just about cleared up all the concrete dust and rubble and are getting things together to start on finishing a room upstairs so that guests (who don't want to sleep on the living room floor) will have a bedroom with ensuite - with the aim of getting it ready for my Dad when he visits in October/November.

and that is about all the news.

I hope you are all well.

Ramadan Kareem

Today we have had a reprieve and it is not quite Ramadan here in Morocco - I think it must have been too cloudy everywhere for the new moon to be seen. Still it is going to be starting soon - probably tomorrow. Mohamed and I need to get to the souk today and buy chebekia and dates and chickpeas and everything else we need to buy to eat in Ramadan. It always strikes me as very contradictory all the food preparation that goes on for a month that is supposed to be about fasting.

Well the other week we went to the house-warming party at Aisha and Said's new house. It was the first time I had been to the house for a while and it was looking very lovely and surprisingly light - I was worried that it would be dark with the lack of windows.

The party was a big affair (not the family lunch and dinner I was expecting). We went on Thursday which was officially ladies night (though there were a lot of men there) and there was a disco upstairs on the roof for dancing as well as the out door kitchen with the cooks cooking up huge amounts of tagine and chicken and sfah (sweet couscous)etc etc.... My new best friend is Fatima the professional cook who was brought in for 3 days to get all the food prepared and cooked.

On Friday it was men's day where the men all come and read from the Koran and eat couscous and no doubt sit around talking seriously about weighty things.

And at the end of the night Miluda and M'bark got formally engaged. This wedding has been talked about for over a year and will finally take place in early September - once Ramadan is over. M'bark is the younger brother of the father of Jamia (Rachid's wife)... so large families grow larger. I first met them when I took photos of his sister's wedding. They seem like a really lovely family and live on a farm just at the edge of Taroudant - which I guess will be Miluda's new home. Mbark works in the Shell garage in town.

On the home front we are in the final throes of building building work. The walls on the roof are just about finished so now I can go on the roof without worrying about falling over the edge (my worry) or being seen by the neighbours (Mohamed's worry).

It was quite funny when the stairs were complete Ruby would not go up onto the roof. She was really freaked out by it all....and it is not about being at height as she goes rock climbing all the time. The cats went up and explored and started chasing each other round almost straight away. I think it is that cats are very much in the present. They know perfectly well that it is a new roof and that it wasn't there before... but it is here now and that is all that matters. Dogs on the other hand (or Ruby anyway) worry about change.

And our other news... well Mohamed's results for the year are out and it looks like he is top of the year. So well done to him.

I will post some photos some time when I have a better internet speed.

July

Thankfully, though still hot and sunny, things have cooled down a bit from the horribly hot weather we had in mid June.

What's new, well the builder is coming back on Wednesday (fingers crossed) to build the stairs up to the roof. That will take a week to set and then he will start on the walls.

We are slowly getting rid of all the rubble in the ground floor rooms. Process has slowed due to Mohamed discovering that he had another exam (today). The teacher had originally said that he would just give marks based on their classwork and work handed in but he only managed to mark a handful before he was taken seriously ill and died! Mohamed's was one of the marks he had given but we are not sure if they still stand or if everyone has to take the exam so .... Apart from that he has been doing well, at the top of his class or near it in all exams.

We, well I, had a nice day yesterday pottering around upstairs, grilling aubergines, courgettes and peppers on charcoal and then bottling them in olive oil.... and then we had lunch of grilled chicken and salad sitting at my table - all very civilised, cutlery and everything.

I went back to the doctor last week and despite my attempts to convince him otherwise he insisted that I keep taking the Lyrica and come back again in 2 months. I think this will be the last visit, regardless of what he says - unless something disastrous happens in the meantime.

I heard from Kate and Douglas from Innes Street and they are planning a trip to Morocco in September. Douglas is going to Essouira for a week long course on film making so Kate is going to come here and I think we might have a trip to the Saffron fields in Talaouine as it will be around harvest time.

Hope you are all well.

Scorchio

Well summer has arrived, as evidenced by the cats seeking out the coolest places and lying on their back, exposing as much skin as possible to the air (not very cool looking) and me putting the tent up in the proto-living room so I can sleep at night. Tent = no mosquitoes + cool night air. Ruby just pants all day.

Mohamed has finished his exams and the results in so far look good. He is still in holiday mood though and has not finished clearing the rubble out of the rooms upstairs. (You can tell I have started to nag....)

I think we are going to build the stairs going up to the roof next and get the wall built that will surround the roof and give us safety and privacy. Then, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, the building work is complete and we can just get on and finish rooms.

Mohamed has been to see the man in charge of granting licenses and been told that we will not get a license as we are not within the boundaries of the village.... but that is kind of good news as it means we are less likely to get people building next to us. We will just have to go back to plan A and pay the local man in charge so that he loses us when it comes to prosecuting people for building without license. The man in charge of licensing told Mohamed just to go ahead and build as there are people throwing up houses all over the place and we are not the worst offenders so it's not like that anyone will bother us. And it is true, as we drive into Agadir I see a crazy amount of building work going on.

The new draft constitution has been released and there will be a referendum on 1st July. It will probably be passed as there is a lot of pressure from the "establishment" for people to vote yes. Apparently last Friday all the Imans advised people to vote Yes. The No voters will keep on protesting and demanding a true democracy, but I guess that it will take time to get there. I haven't managed to see an english version of the new constitution but I think it is good in parts. eg adoption of Human Rights law, but the king has not given up enough power for it to be called democracy.

On Sunday Mohamed went to join a Vote No rally while Ruby and I went for a walk on the beach. Poor Ruby was travel sick (as usual) but I think she enjoyed our walk on the beach.... apart from disappointment at not being able to chase seagulls - they were all landing on the King's Private part of the beach - or have a walk through the gardens of the Royal Atlas Hotel - I had taken preventative measures and put her on the lead and there were 3 very hostile guard dogs. We got home without any more sickness.

In the village there has been some construction work underway near the village pond, which is apparently related to the water supply, a pump room and a holding tank I think, and in Taazhout the water tower has been built.... so it seems that the next stage must be getting the water pipes in and around the village. Trying to contain my excitement.

June, Moon etc

So did you see the eclipse? For once it was not so late I was asleep or so cloudy there was nothing to see so Yes I did. The moon looked really strange, crepey and spherical instead of diamond sharp and flat.

All the wood (well there are a couple of bits still sticking to the ceiling) has gone - Hurrah. All the rubble is still here - Boo. I have been sweeping out the rooms a bit at a time but I am going to leave the serious rubble clearing to Mohamed and he has had his end of term exams this week.

I haven't been up on the roof yet as the builder took his ladder away. We need to sit down and work out what are the next things to tackle.... stairs up to the roof might be one, my dad's room a definite priority and my office I think.

I have another snake sighting to add to my collection, this time it was a Natrix maura - a completely harmless water snake.

We are waiting to hear what the new Constitution is going to look like... no date but it must be nearly due out and there has been some comment on what is in it on TV (leaks I think).

Bread fail

hmmm... I think I will leave the breadmaking (moroccan style) to the experts. Maybe the yeast was too old or maybe I should have left it to rise but it just didn't cook right. Anyway it sort of tasted OK and Ruby liked it!

I made scotch pancakes for the builder's breakfast.

More Roof

Weel this is taking longer than I thought it would, de-wooding the roof that is. They started this morning and by lunchtime had not quite finished one room. I think the wood is sticking to the concrete too much. Anyway from the bangs and crashes over my head it sounds as if they have moved on to our bedroom.

I think the truck was supposed to be coming today to take the wood away (except what is going to be used by the neighbour for their roof), but it has been put off till tomorrow. Though at this rate they will not be ready for it - unless we find a lot more bodies to throw at it. Mohamed could only find one guy last night.

In meantime I am about to attempt to make bread for the first time since coming to Morocco -- well for a long time really (apart from pizza). My oven is really crap so I am trying to make some flat bread that I can cook in a (dry) frying pan. I have in mind the really delicious bread that Mina and Miluda make while we all sit round the little charcoal brazier in their house in Taroudant. Everyone with a glass of tea waiting for more hot bread to eat, running with just butter or if we are lucky butter and honey. I hope my bread will be half as good... somehow Mohamed's mothers bread isn't as good.

The reason I am making bread is that we have run out and there is no bread in the village shop (they don't get much in as a rule as most women in the village make their own) and I have to give breakfast to the workers this afternoon. (They have about 2 breakfasts here ... this one is breaking the fast since lunchtime!)

Thinking of bread reminded me of the bread that our two guides cooked when we were horse trekking in China. They made a really big, dense loaf in a saucepan on the campfire. About halfway through the cooking they piled charcoal from the fire over the lid of the pan. I think we ate it for breakfast the next day, and lunch, and there was some left over which I suppose we would have eaten for dinner but luckily we had made it back to Songpan by then and had dinner at the guide Yo's beautiful wooden house. The food on that trek was both awful and amazing at the same time.

Anyway enough of the delaying tactics off I go.

The Roof (the whole roof.....)

Yes we have a roof upstairs now... which is a major step forward and means that we can do everything else a bit at a time. At the moment it just seems that everything is coated in concrete but next weekend we will get rid of the wood and be able to clear out the rooms and start working out our next steps.

Mohamed's priority today is to get some more water, all the water in our well was used in the concreting and at the moment the water in the aqueduct does not come all the way to the river. He needs to go down and clear where it passes under the road just opposite the house. This morning he has been setting up the electric cables and water pipes so that the pump will be ready when the water arrives.

I have been really tired this week, not sure why but felt totally wiped out. Cooked a mega lunch for all the builders on Thursday and I had a few late nights doing some research for Mohamed's homework - he has been trying to keep up to date with his course while making sure the building work continued on schedule and next week his exams start.

I found this beautiful lizard while out walking the other day. He was staying stock still in the hope that I wouldn't see him - which would have worked if he had been standing on a blue tile... but where he was I really couldn't miss him. He is an Agama impalearus, but that is all I know about him.

Other news that I have just heard is that one of my Dad's dogs has died. Kessie lived to a good age - I seem to remember going to pick her out on my Dad's 70th birthday and he is almost 84 (though I think my Dad says she was 15 so maybe I have got that wrong). I remember it was really difficult finding puppies, because I said was getting one for my Dad, Munlochy Animal Aid would not give me one. Anyhow we ended up going to look at a litter in Carnarc Crescent and Dad ending up taking two pups: Kessy and Bridie named after the Kessock Bridge. Poor Bridie will be lost without her sister and I know my Dad is also feeling the loss. The house will be a lot quieter as Kessie always had a lot to say for herself.

Work in Progess

Well we are almost there with the roof, tomorrow should be the big day of the concrete pouring... but this morning Mohamed got a phone call summoning him to the Caid. I am just waiting to see what the story is.

In the meantime here is a picture

I thought this was Ruby, but on closer inspection it is in fact Trot, sneaking in to eat leftover couscous. For some reason the neighbours decided to give everyone lunch yesterday. I will be doing lunch on Thursday (fingers crossed) when the concreting is being done..... and I do prepare a massive breakfast twice a day but have drawn the line at providing lunch everyday.

Well that is my life at the moment, working eating sleeping and walking the dog....

Will let you know what happens.

Quick News

Yes they have started work on the roof. There has been hammering upstairs since yesterday morning and they are about halfway round the roof putting up the framework of wood for the iron to sit in. Next stage is the iron frame and then the concrete is poured in.

Yesterday we (me, Ruby, Trot and Marmela) saw two snakes while out on our walk... the first was a large but mostly harmless Montpellier's snake. The second was (I think) a beautiful but deadly silver Moorish Viper. It was hunting in the thorn hedge. You can read more of our dog walking adventures on walkingthedogs.tumblr.com where I keep a daily journal of the walks.

I will get some photos of the construction online soon.

This week we have had weather

Yes, thunder and lightening, wind and rain and sunshine and heat as well. I am sitting listening to the weather now. It certainly makes a change from "Scorchio" every day.

I am slowly getting back to normal. I have a little exercise routine which I do most days. I have to say I was very disappointed when I went back to the doctor and he said carry on with the Lyrica and come back in 2 months... but then I also expected it as I did still have some pain in my right ankle and hip. However I am now feeling much better, much more normal though I feel as if I have lost a lot of fitness.

Ruby and I are getting out for proper walks - usually with Trot and we are slowly building up the distance that we cover.... though a lot does depend on when I get out and what the weather is doing. Yesterday was so heavy, humid and hot that I really struggled to get one foot in front of the other.

I am hoping that we will start building again sometime this week (or next) it should have been today but the guy with the wood (to make the shuttering for the roof) let us down. Wood from a different source is supposed to arrive today or tomorrow. We have decided not to wait till the license comes through as there is a "window of opportunity" that will close in a few weeks when the new constitution is announced. At the moment there seems to be a bit of laissez faire going on. In the village there are at least 2 new houses being built from the ground and lots of additions being made. All this means that the price of wood and labour has gone up. We are getting wood from Taroudant which is cheaper - even considering the transport costs (our own anyway).

It will be strange not being able to go up to the roof. It will be a while before the stairs to the new roof will be built. Once the roof is on we will start with the wiring and plumbing and then doors and windows, plasterwork, tiling etc etc as and when we get the cash. If we manage to get Ouled Said sold that will mean we can just get it all done... but bit by bit it will be finished.

Well time I put some clothes on (remind me to tell you the story of buying trousers) and get out with the dogs. For once I am not exactly sure what I should wear... will I need a jacket or not?

More April Flowers

We had some rain yesterday morning and I went for a short walk just after it stopped. It was lovely, everything glistening in the sunshine and smelling fresh. It actually rained quite a lot last night.... which is all welcome water.



This first is my lovely mystery flower.



I first saw it (single specimen) when I was on one of my trial walks... still very wobbly and dizzy. When I went back to get a photograph of it - it had disappeared. I was seriously thinking I had dreamed (or hallucinated) it - but then I realised that someone had grazed a herd of goats over the land and they had eaten everything apart from the prickly stuff. Anyway on Thursday I finally spotted another plant.
From above it looks like not very much, the original plant I saw was not so yellow but the actual flowers are really pretty.



Also found what looks like a young plant just growing.



This is another pretty flower that grows in quite large clumps, just tiny little pink petals showing among the grey....

... and some more.....





On Thursday I saw one of these seedheads, with 5 bees arranged on it as if they were mimicking petals - of course I didn't have my camera that day! It must have some really sweet stuff.



and here is Trot.



She comes with us for most of our walks and I give her breakfast most days. I call her Trot because I was reading David Copperfield when she first turned up, and because she moves in trot all the time.... and tells us to "hurrrrrahhurrah hurry" all the way home.

April Flowers

There was so many of these yellow flowers that the bottoms of my trousers turned yellow.

On the hill beside the house there is still a lot of greenness though the longer grasses have all seeded. Elsewhere the green has been scorched dry again for another year.



This strange flowering bulb came and went very quickly, if I had been a week longer incapacitated I might have missed it. It is one of the many bulbs that do well here, and an amazing colour. If anyone can put a name to it I would love to know.  (Update: I have since found out that it is a Tassel Hyacinth)

April

Still working away at my recovery.... doing my exercises everyday (though maybe not as often as I should during the day) and feeling much better, though a niggling pain in my hip, knee and ankle.

I am starting to get further afield in my walks, and as we have daylight saving at the moment I am able to get out a little later in the evening and enjoy a bit of coolness.

The day before yesterday I was late setting off and Ruby and I just went along the hillside - which was just as well as I looked behind us and found not only Trot and Snitch following but also one of Snitch's puppies! We are getting to be quite a procession - especially when Marmela comes.

What other news..... I know I did promise you some.

Well I finally got my new carte de sejour and it is valid for 3 years (though only just over 2 years are remaining since it took 9 months to arrive!)

We have taken the first, crucial steps to getting the land at Ouled Said titled. We managed to avoid the inconvenience of my name being on the papers (ie a foreigner therefore not allowed to do anything with the land without the Minister of Foreign Affairs approval) and so now we have to go through the process. I think it takes a bit of time but hopefully no more snags. ... and then we will sell it. Although we originally intended to go back there, I really love it here and don't want to move, and it is much better for Mohamed to be near Agadir - especially now he is doing his university course.

We are also working on getting a license to build the house, Mohamed is in town today with the architect who is drawing the plans. I am hopeful that this will mean we can get building in a couple of weeks (but that might be a Moroccan couple of weeks - ie a few months).

The villagers have managed to get the aqueduct cleared of earth and stones washed down by the rain this spring and we have water running as far as and into the river. The pipes that crossed the river were swept away so will need to be replaced before we have the water running all the way into the village. I think this year they should build a suspension bridge - input from any civil engineers (or budding civil engineers) would be welcome.

There has, despite rumours, been no progress on getting the mains water running in the village... no progress on the building of the water tower and no prog.... and electricity has just cut for the second time today... so bye for now

Catching Up

Well it has been a week of ups and downs. I was feeling much better, I had finished my pack of Lyrica and though the doctor had said I should keep taking it for a month (which meant buying more) I decided I had had enough. OK so it says on the packet don't stop taking suddenly and without your doctors advice. So the week ended with me feeling really unwell, very dizzy and nauseous and I am now (unwillingly) back on the Lyrica and admittedly feeling better. My right hip and leg still has some pain and my ankle is very weak, but on the upside my stomach muscles have stopped hurting with the push up or extension exercises.

The end of the week also coincided with a visit from Mohamed's sister Aicha and her husband and children. Always nice to see them though they are a bit of a rowdy crowd. I dread to think what it would have been like if I didn't have the train set and building blocks for the boys to play with.

Snitch has had 5 puppies, though there are only two around just now. I am trying not to get too involved..... and Mohamed's sister managed to get back home without one of the boys smuggling a puppy into the car.

Ruby is just lovely, she passed the Nutella test with flying colours and sat patiently while a 2 year manipulated her jowls and ears.

All the cats are well except for Marmela who has some unfortunate diarrhoea .... sometimes very unfortunate. If it doesn't get better she will have to have a trip to the vet.

All this lying and sleeping has actually had some good results - being really up to date with the news, when there was a lot of real news is one, but the best being that I managed to work out a recipe for the chicken with sauce that is served at weddings etc and in the chicken restaurants in Agadir. I am going to post the recipe on the Morocco Gateway to Dreams blog - if the internet will permit.

On the subject of news... so far things are fairly calm in Morocco though there have been some demonstrations and probably more trouble than has actually been reported in the Moroccan news. The King has taken some pre-emptive steps and promised a review of the constitution giving more power to the democratically elected assembly and also devolving more power to the provinces, more action to reduce unemployment, improved rights for women... all good things but - I am holding my breathe a little. On TV there seems to be a lot of heated discussion about Berber or Amirzigh rights with a big push for it to be recognised as one of the official languages.

I have more news... but need to go and stand up or lie down. Back soon.

back again!

and a double entendre as well....

Yes I have had a horrible month totally incapacitated by back pain! I don't think it was any one thing but just built up since last year when I hurt it pulling water from the well. Anyway after some really horrendous pain I went to see the doctor I saw a few years ago. He pronounced it serious ... no reflex all the way down my right leg ... and said that I might need surgery to get the disc back in place. Sent me off with a prescription for a range of drugs and asked to see me again in a week... or was it two??

Anyway the pain was less with the drugs but they made me very dizzy and drowsy and still unable to sit. So I spent a few weeks lying and sleeping interrupted only by some back exercises... oh and watching daytime tv and news... what a month of news!

The doctor is happy with my progress and surgery is no longer required. We have a new, very firm, mattress and I have a dustpan with a long handle that I can use to pick up and put down things like cat food bowls. This week I started back working and also walking Ruby again - just short walks.

It is great to be getting back to normality - but I can't overdo the sitting and must keep up the exercise.

I will post some more soon but just thought I should let you know that I hadn't fallen off the edge of the world.

The Souss valley full of cloud in the morning

some piccies

Mohamed in for scale... a green glade.



Travelling salesman - berber mountain style



Any ideas on what this tree is?



Daddy piggy protecting the rear from attack by Ruby (who was standing at the bottom of the hill barking)



some of the beautiful wild iris that have made an appearance this last week.

time to catch up

Yes I seem to be constantly apologizing for not writing... though I don’t feel too guilty as I do write a bit more regularly than other people :).

I have been a bit under the weather... I think I have an inner ear infection which has been making me feel a bit dizzy. I say I think as it has not been bad enough to go to the doctor though it has been going on for a while now so maybe I should. I had something similar a few years ago and I seem to remember the only thing the doctor could give me was something that made me feel totally doped up... so I think I would prefer just to deal with the dizziness.

I also hurt my back – not sure what I did but a few nights sleeping on the floor and being very careful about what I do seem to have sorted that out – though my hip has started hurting now. The hip though painful is not as incapacitating as the back pain was.

There is not really any news to report. The weather has not been so wet as last February (which shouldn’t be surprising as that was the wettest spring for 35 years) but there has been enough rain for the beautiful spring to continue. There are now masses of little white crocuses and alium (I think it must be what the locals call wolf’s onions) and here and there some beautiful dwarf iris and some wild clematis and little patches of aquilegia. I had not seen much in the way of wild pigs recently until today when I saw a whole family with lots of little babies.... so maybe they haven’t been out much while the babies were being born.

I had an unpleasant encounter on Friday... and have debated whether or not I should blog on it since it will be bound to cause sisters etc to over-worry but I think I need to give you all my news.. the good with the bad rather than just sugar coating everything. So starting with I am fine – what happened was that a man tried to molest me... This is something that Mohamed has always said might happen – apparently all Moroccan men think all foreign women just want to have sex with them... especially when they are out walking on the hills with their dog!

So I was out walking Ruby on Friday. For the first time since my back problems we set off to do a good walk, crossing the river with the aim of going up and along Camel Hill and then back by the Horse Valley. I saw a man coming up the path behind me and thought I would lose him when I turned off the track to start climbing the hill but instead he ran to intercept and catch up with me and kept following when I turned and started walking back the way I had come. At this point I stopped to try and see what he would do and what he did was come right up to me and lunge at me... trying to grab hold of me and kiss me.

Luckily for me, the last time I was out on a long walk I found a stick and had was carrying it with me. When I found it, I was in two minds whether to keep it or not as it is a little short and quite hefty – but I thought maybe my dad could make me a nice handle for it when he came out....and I thought it would be good while I was having this bit of dizziness. Any way I raised my stick to ward him off and he grabbed the stick and we wrestled for a few moments and I managed to hit him in the side of the head with it often enough for him to decide to back off. When he did that I could see that I had managed to cut his nose a bit... He went off in the direction of the track that goes through to the next village, muttering to himself, and seemingly disappointed to find out that I was not as expected.

I set off home – a little worried that he might double back and try again, or go for reinforcements... anyway I went home the long way and made sure I wasn’t being followed and got home safely, a little shaken but actually more angry than anything and determined not to let him spoil anything more than this one walk.

Mohamed came home just after I got in and together we went in the car to the villages over at the other end of the track to see if we could find him... we both thought that he needed to be taught a lesson but that we needed to have a bit more information before we went to the police. But we didn’t find him and don’t really know where he comes from or where he was going so in the end we didn’t go to the police. Mohamed asked around our village to see if anyone had seen him and then went back round the villages with one of the neighbours but still didn’t manage to track him down.

Oh and Ruby and Snitch (who were both with me) were totally useless... Ruby just carried on hunting squirrels while this went on!

While we were on our manhunt we went into some really nice countryside... there is a lake on the other side of the hills that I didn’t know was there!

As I said I am determined that this is not going to spoil my enjoyment of my walks. On the whole Morocco is much, much safer than the UK. I am aware that Moroccans have a funny idea of foreigners and that men have a funny idea of how to treat women and what women should and should not do. I tend not to engage with other people while I am on my own and always make sure I am suitably dressed. Usually if I see someone, I take a detour to avoid meeting them. It does go against my natural inclination to be open and friendly with people – but when in Rome....

I do think it is appalling that anyone should believe that it is OK just to go up and grab another person and feel possibly even angrier that the same man would not have attempted anything on a Moroccan woman. The people that Mohamed spoke to were quite shocked that anyone locally would do such a thing.... it is the sort of behaviour that they expect from city dwellers – or arabs! The neighbours apparently said that I should just go for walks on the home hill and not stray too far. There is a very tribal mentality and an innocent or naive belief that women are safe with the men they know!

I would also guess that if the same thing had happened to a Moroccan woman – certainly to a young unmarried girl – she would probably not have said anything as the repercussions on her and her reputation would make life difficult for her – and I wonder if the same guy or others have got away with doing what they like with Moroccan women for that precise reason. And so Moroccan women do not go out walking except in the company of other people and it is commonly believed that women should be constantly scared for their safety..... for me it is one sign of an unhealthy society and it needs to change.

I will continue to take my stick and be aware of who else is on the hill with me and I will see if I can get hold of some pepper spray. I will be happier if we manage to find the man and take him to the local Sheriff... but I am not too confident that will happen now. Mohamed still thinks I should have a big dog for protection – or even that I should carry a gun! I can’t really see myself carrying a gun let alone using one and I think it is a bit OTT.

But I am not going to start living afraid to do something.

Any way on a lighter note I have had a couple of really good ideas recently and thought I would share them with you.

The first is not so much an idea as a thought. Rosie was sharing a photo of her latest pair of shoes with me – lovely purple suede with cross over straps and a gold ankle buckle – as she said “it is like wearing Prince” and while I loved them I could not imagine wearing them as the heels were just too high. Then it struck me that when I am old(er) and wheelchair bound they would be the ideal shoes to wear! Who cares if you can’t walk in them - you can sit and look at them!

This would also work with really delicate shoes eg with sequins that would just fall off when you walked in them. So now when you see a pair of shoes that you would love but cannot imagine being able to wear.... buy them and stockpile them for your old age! I already have one pair – high heels, gold sequins almost impossible to walk in. (and before the nay sayers weigh in with but what if your feet are arthritic and out of shape ... well I will just have an operation!)

So my other cunning plan came to me when I was thinking about poor Snitch (Ruby’s friend) who is now heavily pregnant... more unwanted puppies on the way. How about a dog sponsoring scheme? People who would like a dog but live in a flat in a city or are out at work all day could send me a monthly amount and I could feed the village dogs, get them all neutered, maybe foster them out and keep a daily blog of walks I do with photos of the dogs and things we find. We could even extend it to people coming for dog walking holidays! What do you think...kind of a cross between a penpal and adopting an orphan or sponsoring a child? Almost like a virtual pet. Answers on a postcard please.

Climb every mountain!

Scratching my head to think what I have been doing for the last couple of weeks..... and haven't really come up with anything. It has been busy time work-wise.

Ruby is all healed up and has a neat little scar on her belly. We also noticed that she only has 7 nipples!

Lets see.... I went back and climbed up through Scorpion Rocks.... no sting this time. Yes I did spend a few minutes throwing stones at the rocks before I climbed on to them.

Here is a photo of how it looks from the top.

We also had an amazing sunset .... but in the East - not sure what was causing this, some sort of reflection of the true sunset. Whatever it was very spectacular.

Marmela has come for a couple of longer walks.... I have been taking her lead and harness with me as I got fed up of just having to do short walks. So she had been dragged and carried up to the Red Kasbah and also round River Island.... since the last long walk she hasn't been hanging round to go out with us! Today Honey came instead. There is no way that Honey would be carried or harnessed but she did keep up with us, and today was just a little walk after yesterday's epic walk to the edge of the known universe.

I have been eyeing the mountain opposite us for about a year now... and building up to the climb, but I also have been a little reluctant to do it. I think I might have had a subconscious superstitious feeling about climbing it because from our little valley it is the edge of the world, even though I know (I see every time I drive into Agadir) that there is just another hill on the other side. But it may just have been that I wasn't sure how fit I was for it! Anyway yesterday seemed right to do it so off we went - just Ruby and I.

We went round the back of Castle Hill and headed up the White Track which I have been along before. We went past the two tower rocks and then the path just disappeared. I don't know where it went, possibly damaged by the rain we have had. I did find lots of really pretty little fossil cockle shells, some with a little hint of mother of pearl. Eventually had to stop picking them up as my pockets were getting full. After clawing my way up what seemed like a river bed for a while I decided to head across the hill to where I could see the blue sky through the branches of the Argan trees and ended up on a shoulder between a little promontory and the mountain proper. I found a circle of stones where it seems people have been cooking but no sign of a track going up to the house... in fact from the shoulder there was no sign of the house - just scree and rocks above us! Anyway I set off, following Ruby up the scree and a couple of short rock climbs (big holds, quite safe Honestly) I pulled myself up onto the ridge just at the walls of the house.

So I did feel a little bit like the bear that climbed the mountain to see what it would see... there was the other side of the mountain... and not far below us another house or group of houses. The house on the hill seems just like a normal moroccan house - 3 rooms and a roofed shelter for the donkeys in the middle and what looked like a well (though I didn't open it up to look). I had expected something more like a shrine as Mohamed had said the house had been built to commemorate some old wise man who had died.... I think that story may be missing some detail.

There were obvious signs that Moroccans had been around recently ie the usual lack of regard when disposing of their rubbish :( However the views were amazing - even though it was quite hazy. I could see the sea as a shimmering greyness over to the West and Taazhout looked a bit like Machu Pichu.... and yes I could see our house!

(I am trying to post more photos .... but internet not cooperating - I will try again later)

We had a short rest (sorry I had a short rest, Ruby ran up and down exploring), and then set off down the hill. As I had been scrambling up I had thought "well at least from the top I will find the path down easily" but once again the path that I thought I should follow just disappeared into a sort of alpine meadow and I couldn't find anything other than cliffs on the way back down into our valley.

So I ended up walking down the wrong side of the mountain and after a lot of zig-zagging slowly down a quite thickly wooded and steep slope I finally slid (on my bottom) down into a, mostly dry, river. We followed the river bed downstream a few hundred yards and found ourselves at the fresh water spring. So it was just a case of hiking back along the road.... feeling absolutely exhausted and as if my feet had been in my boots for at least two hours longer than they should have been.

Apart from Ruby and some ground squirrels she was chasing I did not see much in the way of wildlife... I had hoped to get a closer view of the eagles I have seen circling the skies but no luck!

When I look back up at it from our house I do wonder how I managed to get up the little cliff faces but most of all I wonder where the path is!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone... and Happy Birthday Jo.

We have had a quiet time.... not really a big celebration here.

We took Ruby to the vets on Christmas Eve and she had her operation - no risk of unwanted puppies now. The vet provided a plastic funnel collar to keep her from chewing her stitches which worked really well until I took it off so she could eat her dinner on Wednesday and she took the opportunity of my turned back to eat all her stitches. So we went back to the vet on Thursday morning - poor Ruby was really sick and had diarrhoea in the car... and the vet wasn't there so we had to bring her home and take her back again in the evening. She is now stitched up again and the wound seems to be healing well.

We have had some lovely walks despite the funnel - it is a bit of an inconvenience when you are pushing your way through bushes and between rocks. We climbed the hill opposite and K9 (behind Wolf Hill) and found yet more ruined buildings - I can't help thinking of them as castles... fortified buildings - why else build perched on the top of the hill away from water etc unless it is for defence? I really wonder what was going on here and why everyone felt the need to build fortresses on the top of all the hills around us. I have asked Mohamed to check out if there is a history department in the University, maybe someone there has some knowledge of local history.

The weather is drier again and we have blue skies and sunshine though it is not really warm enough to warm my croissants in the morning (I have to put them in the oven!).

The rain has done a lot of damage to the road, especially the road going up to the spring and our river walks have changed... landmark boulders have been moved or covered with gravel and more boulders. The aqueduct has no water in it, and has been filled in with rocks and gravel almost all the way along... and the pipes where it crossed the river have been swept away. The village will have to get together and clear it all before the dry season bites. It was nice this year having water in the village pond all year round - well nice for the goats and donkeys and dogs and little boys that used to swim in it in the hot summer weather - and convenient for everyone else.

I have just about finished reading David Copperfield... I had forgotten what a great book it was. I picked it up on Christmas Eve and was in tears of sadness and laughter almost straight away.

Just listened to the anniversary edition of the Archers.... dun dun dun!!! Is it curtains for Nigel or just life in a wheelchair???