It's raining cats and dogs

It was raining for days...and not just tropical afternoon showers...it was raining hard and it was raining all day long. In addition to finding all the leaks in the roof, we found...or rather they found us...cats and dogs. This was a week of animal stories.

Anyone who has traveled in Puerto Rico knows that one of the most difficult things to see is the amount of stray animals on the roads. Skinny and mangy, animals are left to fend for themselves. Road kill is frequent. Dumping unwanted animals on an isolated country road is prevalent.

Before the strays showed up, we had a doggie guest, Titleist...a service dog who warned his owner if he needed to take his seizure medicine. We never saw Titleist in uniform...he has a vest he wears to go to restaurants, etc. but he quickly became part of the family. Just ask Puppy.

After Titleist left, Maxine appeared. She didn't arrive at the gate, like most strays...rather Tina took Rafael and Tony to the bottom of the hill to save her. Rafael lives part time in Ciales and the family dog watching over his mother's house was taken, so he was in the market for a new one. Abandoned in a box, she was not in good shape...but was in good spirits. Tina took her to the vet to check out her mange and dangling leg. While first sleeping in a box in the garage, Maxine made her way to the balcon the next day and when Rafael picked her up, she was already part of the family. Good Luck you guys. I hope things work out ok. After promising a home for Maxie, he found out his brother had already gotten another puppy...oh. well...now the dogs have company while taking care of the house.

Now we just have a kitty problem. She was so shy...curling her back and hissing ...
and today I found her in my room. Ay dios mio...what to do. Puppy barks...he ignores our cats, except to eat their food...but this black kitty really gets him going. Anyone want a kitty?

TJ Ranch...Valentine's Day is coming soon

TJ Ranch is pleased to announce the marriage of Carlos and Melisa. Yesterday they came, along with their photographers, to document the road to matrimony.

Last Valentine's Day they fell in love, although they weren't sure of how the details were going to work out. She was living in New York and he was here. This year the wedding is planned and everything is moving right on schedule with the couple settling in Puerto Rico.

So...love is in the air......Valentine's Day is around the corner and TJ Ranch is the perfect place for your romantic getaway. But be prepared...TJ Ranch is very fertile. Many babies have been made here. Back in the '90s we had some Australian campers who wrote to us as they were making their way east, back to Australia, to announce the news. Although we didn't care for knowing the details of what went on under the banana trees, our friends from Cabo Rojo made their first- born here...and I think the same is true of our grand daughter.

If I don't get my annual valentine's day card out this year...Have a very Happy, Healthy and Loving Day...and Year...and here's last year's card: