Diary of a dog: Part 1

Let me first take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Vlekkie and I am the volunteer house dog at African Impact in St. Lucia. No one is really sure how old I am and I like it that way! 

It is my job to chase away the monkeys and to bark at anyone that is approaching the house. I take my 

job very seriously, but I also enjoy lying out in the sun and of course receiving love from the volunteers.
 
Monday March 5, 2012
07.00

Today is a beautiful day. After greeting Mumsy, our housekeeper, I ran around to make sure everything was okay with the house. I am relieved to say that it was.
 
07.30

The volunteers are leaving their rooms - hooray! That means it is time for breakfast.  What that means for me is - CRUMBS!!!

I love sitting under the table listening to the volunteers talk about what they are going to do today. Some of them are going to the crèche while others are going to Khula Clinic. It sounds so exciting. I wish that I could go to the crèche with the community volunteers – I think that the kids would love me. I could help the volunteers teach the kids about healthy and unhealthy foods or sing the ABCs.  

08.05

Oh My Gosh! I am late for our morning staff meeting!  I hope no one notices that I am late. Oops, they did, but no one is mad!

I enjoy listening to Nokwethemba and Shwele telling the rest of the team how their days has been out on projects. It is nice to have everyone gathered around me like this, getting scratched while the plan of the day is discussed.
 
08.40

The cars are gone and the house is quiet again. Now it is time for me to focus and get some work done. Now which couch should I rest in this morning? It is tough to be me but someone has to do it.
 
Wednesday March 14, 2012

10.05

The morning was really eventful. The dogs next door started barking and woke me up from my mid morning nap. I walked over to the wall to tell them to please stop because I need my beauty sleep. That's when I saw the monkeys trying to eat the bananas that the volunteers bring to crèche! It was a 20-minute hunt but I think I chased them all away.

I decided to keep Sofie company in the office. After speaking to voices in the computer, a man visited with brand new African Impact signs for the cars. After a meeting with Sofie, the cars were all given brand new signs so people can recognise the volunteers while they're in the community! 

12.20

When the volunteers returned I noticed the yoga mats were being put back. That means that a support group met today. The support groups always do yoga after each of the members and volunteers shared their week and discussed different topics. I like to do yoga. Can you guess my favorite pose? That's right - Downward Dog!

16.30

This afternoon the volunteers came home all covered in dirt, as though they had been gardening all afternoon. Could that be right? Wait… they are pulling spades and hoes from the back of the Condor.  I was right. 

Oh look! There is the rubber chicken I was looking for the other day. Let me carry her to a safe place so that Maverick, Alanna's dog, cannot find her. I wonder when Maverick is going to visit. He and I enjoy running around the yard fighting over who is more loved in this house.  His legs are so long and he runs really funny but I am small and can twist my head so everyone adores me, so I would say its a tough call.

It is now time for my walk around the block smelling every hippo trace I can and then to have my ears scratched by the volunteers and listen to them talk about their afternoons before dinner.

It really is a lovely life I'm living, isn't it?