Hire a car

8th May - evening - we are sitting on the sofa and discover Polly (elderly Jack Russell) has developed 'lumps' on her neck where a cancerous growth had be removed. We are all very sad.

9th May The lumps are rapidly growing and Polly goes to the vet early for a sample to be taken; biopsy. This could change our itinerary.

Back from the vets we go to hire a car. The plan is for Robyn and I to take off for a few days along the Great Ocean Road - but I feel (as much as anybody) the anxiety about Polly.

We take the hired car for a spin to the Animal Sanctuary in Healesville - an extension of the Melbourne Zoo but also a rescue centre for sick or injured local animals. See lots of different Australian animals like Duckbilled Platypusses (?plural) and kangaroos etc....... (Will put a hyperlink through when I get home.)

A good day out. I drive the hired car nearer home - it is the first time I've driven an automatic in 20 years - so much easier.

Back to Bellbird Road and all three dogs OK - but we are worried. Percy the brother of Polly is also in a poor way, having obtained a spider bite on his paw a couple of weeks ago and is slow in mending with a bandage on his paw.

I don't want Robyn to feel obliged in entertaining me with a dying dog - I might take off to the north to warmer climes next week.

The weather here is very cold and it is pouring torrentially tonight as I write. Anything could happen.

At least I feel really rested now = the whole point of a good holiday!