June 2020: End of School Year and Continued Lockdown

The highlight of the month was Gio's virtual graduation from Elementary School.  Lots of friends left Kenya so our world feels even smaller than it has since the pandemic began.  We have a small hope of going to Italy in July but there are a lot of things that need to happen such as the airport re-opening to commercial flights.  Meanwhile we fill our days with math, reading, horseback riding, Legos, swimming and dog walking.  So basically exactly what we have been doing since March....

We continue to foster Ragu- he is doing quite well. He loves to go to Karura.  He does not go every day (I cannot handle 4 dogs!) but when I do take him he makes the most of it.

Maria's romantic life continues, even from across the world (Dominik is in USA).

Hide-and-Seek

Message from Dominik!

Morning greetings before she rides. 

Seniors discussing white muzzles, creaking joints and worn down teeth...

King of Karura!

Gioia was not allowed to return to Karura until the middle of June as she was still in season, but most mornings she tried to sneak into the car to come along.  It took all of our strength to haul her out!

Maria's Zoom class "office" with her trusty assistant.

Working on her passion project...

First jumping lesson...

Pals.

Preparing to give her passion project presentation on Zoom.

Maria rides 3 times/week. Not enough in her opinion!

Jagger has slept with Maria many nights this month.  This is the bed she prepares for him each evening.

Sleepover antics.

Carrots for Blackie.

My kitchen assistant.

Maria has "graduated" to a new pony though she has insisted she get to still ride Blackie once/week.  She made cards for Rudi to welcome him into her world!  She is moving on to Rudi as he is a good jumper and a more "challenging" pony.

My stress-reliever....

....and Maria's, too!

Waiting for Gio's virtual graduation to begin.

...and finally a haircut!

What our Sundays look like these days.
(25% of our dogs stay off furniture!)

Hanging out with her bestie.

Every single time I try to do a puzzle...

Post evening walk collapse.

It took me a month but I finally caught Cinnamon.  Off for annual vaccinations.

In the Karura "lake"- Ragu is nearly blind so he relies on Jagger when he is in unfamiliar places.  So Jagger is finally a Guide Dog after all!

Summer camp math class.

We had a lot of excitement the final week of June when a monkey began hanging out on our property and stealing food from our kitchen.  The dogs were very very excited about it all!

Reading challenge- this day it was to dress up as characters from a favorites story.  Our Totos did not cooperate.

Nothing makes Gio happier than when we order from his favorite Indian restaurant.  Must be his Delhi-born roots shining through.

These two are rarely apart.  A funny combo- a giant goofy puppy and a mostly deaf & blind senior.

New riding pants!

You know who does not mind hanging out in the house all day?  Salt is thrilled to always have someone to visit.

So will next month's post be written from Italy or still from here?? Stay tuned....

xoxo.  Clara