Day 30: Eid Mubarak

Firstly, I must say Eid Mubarak to all our Muslim friends as they celebrate today. It is very quiet here as all work has stopped and most people are spending time with their family. Said is looking very dapper in his djellabah when he returns from the festivities this afternoon. He tells us that he has slaughtered a lamb for his aunt as her husband has died and there are only girls in the family. This task must be performed by a man. It does not seem to have fazed him in the slightest, though it makes us feel a bit queasy as he describes how it is done and informs us that the family eat the liver straight away, then tomorrow they will eat the back right leg. I prefer my lamb from Sainsbury's, thank you! He goes on to talk about what we will do at Christmas, suggesting that he will go with us to buy a live turkey from the market and kill it for us, then pluck its feathers, so we can have our traditional Christmas dinner. Very kind and all that, but I think I'll stick to a tajine!!

You'll be glad to hear that mum and puppies seem to be doing fine today. Mrs Dog went for a run around the garden whilst Mr Dog took up his post in front of the den. It seems that the third dog may have done a runner, as he hasn't been around the last two days. I won't comment on that!

I forgot to mention yesterday that whilst at Kasbah Angour for lunch, we spoke to a young couple who had actually encountered a wild boar when out walking in the mountains just moments before. They had scrambled up a bank to get away from it, and it had turned and fled. Interesting to note that they do really exist and are not just a fable!