#Ukraine 🙏🙏🙏 - part 4
Date: Sun, 15 May 2022 at 13:35
They* have arrived - spilling out of a white transit at Withy Copse . 5 tiny Yorkshire terriers, one elderly black cat, and three very tired persons plus bags, cat carrier & a dog crate.
It was Tuesday 10th May 3pm. The scheduled time of arrival was 8-10am. This incredible courier company had transported everyone from the hotel in Poland across numerous borders including our own. As far as Jakub, myself, James, Rachel and Ekaterina, it was a miracle. None of us had admitted to the other that we thought the chances of these animals ending up in quarantine was several hundred to one against.
The courier company had not thought to mention that once they got to Folkestone they would transform themselves into a package delivery service and take six hours travelling round the South of England with their live cargo dropping off parcels to make their journey less expensive. If only they had explained that in advance, Jakub and I might have avoided several full and frank exchanges with each other and with the courier company.
But the important thing is that they had arrived - bewildered - exhausted. Hardly able to eat the cold chicken and salad and potatoes. Water out of the tap was assumed to be polluted. An electric cooker looked scary. They have only gas in Ukraine. The bicycle was the final straw. Too large said E. But I am the same size as you I remonstrated. She looked at me wondering what planet I was on and repeated that it was the bike that was too large. But I have ridden your bike, I persisted and I am the same size as you. But no dice !!
It took some persuading to get E to use the shower. From her perspective EVERYTHING needed cleaning and she personally could wait. Even the floor of her room got washed. The dog beds were lined up by her bed and the toys that Christine had so thoughtfully provided. A red sleeping bag was put on the bed - no doubt to protect the duvet from YT’s (Yorkshire Terriers). Well our Border Terrier, Thwaite sleeps on our duvet without a sleeping bag to protect anything but good for Anfisa.
There are three rooms in our annexe which are now spotless and I understand better Jakub’s comment that he would trust them all with the keys to his home. I have lined up brooms, washing bowls and hoovers - if anyone wants really impressive spring cleaning, I can ask Ekaterina if she would be prepared to help.
But yesterday was wall to wall bureaucracy. We all met Sally Ellis from Oxfordshire County Council at E's friends' flat which is at the top of Bishopsland where my parents live. Sally provided £200 per person on debit cards for immediate use. Amazing. Then we went shopping for basics which included unsalted butter ( much more widely used in Ukraine) and full fat milk. Then the pet shop for the sort of complete food that YT’s eat. Thwaite’s food is too large for tiny chaps and chappesses.
Finally we had ‘lunch’ at 4pm and then with Rachel’s help started on opening bank accounts. Monzo and Starling online accounts are recommended, but both require a mobile phone with a UK SIM card. So Rachel, being the hero that she is, after a day’s work took everyone except me ( I was exhausted) to the mobile phone Three shop to get SIM cards foc from Vodafone. Then they went for a curry and James and I, Dora and Thwaite went to bed at 9pm approx.
For Thwaite, life has looked up. He has just spent a relatively miserable week acclimatising to sharing his precious owners with a puppy. Dora is lovely and naughty and totally consuming and Thwaite not only has to take 2nd place to the demands of feeding Dora at 4hrly intervals but also finds she bites him under the chin incessantly. He is such a gent he does not bark at her but just looks beseechingly at me and James and my heart goes out to the poor chap…….
Enter 4 YT’s and this is good news. Dora is not allowed to play with anyone except Thwaite as she has not yet had her injections. But Thwaite has a whole new mainly female pack to play with and he is making the most of it. Every so often there is a YT bark but it doesn’t seem to bother Thwaite. I went over 3 times to Ekaterina’s quarters to apologise for trespassing but luckily E is v tolerant - thank goodness for that. So Thwaite ends up playing the diplomatic role that no one else could manage ……
Tomorrow morning is Ukrainian and Hosts coffee morning and tomorrow night is Gallowstree Common bring and share supper for us all. We are not going to be lonely!!!
Much love Jane
*They include
Ekaterina and 4 Yorkshire Terriers who will live with James and myself at Withy Copse.
E's friend and her daughter and 1 YT and 1 elderly cat who will live with my parents at Bishopsland.
The images attached -
Hastings UK!!!
Thwaite and Dora playing.
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