Man the Barricades

Our fence line has recently come under attack, necessitating the creation of barricades.

Along various sections of our fence, sticks have been driven into the ground to keep the intruder at bay.

And who or what might this intruder be? This wily little creature:

It's our next door neighbor's dog. She has been getting out of their yard and coming by to say "Hi!" to our dogs. As she runs around our fence line, she figures out a spot she can dig under the fence to come on in and play. 

It's obvious that she's lonely and wants to be friends, going so far as to immediately fall to the ground with her belly up to show she isn't to be feared.

And while I feel sorry for her, every spot she digs under the fence means an opportunity for our dogs to get out. Hence the barricades.

We've brought the situation to the attention of our neighbors, but results have been rather hit or miss. Some days she stays in their yard, other days, not so much.

One might ask about contacting an agency, such as animal control, to help resolve the problem. The thing is, there are no such agencies like that here. Matter of fact, the overriding attitude toward dogs is pretty abysmal. Not many dogs are considered pets, but rather four-legged alarm systems who live their lives chained up. Most dogs have never been to a vet, had shots, been fixed or even adequate nutrition. Strays roam almost all the streets scrounging for whatever scraps they can find. It's sad, disheartening, and difficult to deal with. 

There are some grass roots efforts taking place to raise awareness about animal welfare and some slow, but steady progress is being made. 

In the meantime, we have sticks at the ready to build more barricades.

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Updates to The Wright Table

Even when living in a tropical paradise, there are days/weeks that feel like I've been given a free rail pass for the Crazy Train. To regain some balance, I spend time in the kitchen.

Here are some dishes that soothed my soul and appeared on The Wright Table:

Chicken Tinga

Nicoise Toasts

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

Whitefish with Citrus-Olive-Caper Sauce