Update...

Thursday 24 January

We are obviously been very slack and have not updated the Blog for a couple of weeks. 
Bill kept us very entertained until his return to Tutbury on the 14th.

The weather was sunny until his return and since then has cooled down with some very mean and cold winds. We can see snow on the top of the mountain and have only been able to sit on the terrace when the sun is out and the wind has dropped. 

We had a lovely evening at Maggie and Nigel’s home during Bill’s last weekend here with Sue and Bob. They have renovated their house beautifully and we love the quirky and artistic details around the place. A great meal, lots to drink and lots of fun. 

We took Bill to Hotel Vinuela to meet up with his friend, Eric, who moved to Frigliana last year. They have been friends for many years and how wonderful to be able to meet and chat together in southern Spain. We sat outside overlooking over the lake and enjoyed a very good lunch. 

On Bill’s last full day (Sunday) we walked to Riogordo to see Viv and Mike for coffee and tangerine picking. A treat for Petra as Mike was listening to the Archers and she managed to listen for a few minutes. We sat in their garden for coffee and picked tangerines from their tree. Kevin very kindly taking them from the taller branches to save Viv getting the steps out. 

Bill got back home safely. Thankfully before the snow disrupted travel. We got back to the everyday routine of housework, shopping etc. A few walks to try to remove the pounds put on over Christmas. The almond blossom is out and looking very beautiful. So many different shades of pink. 

We had a night out with Sue, Mick, Ruth and Ken on the 18th at Tantos in Riogordo. We all opted for pizza except for Mick. The food was very good but maybe all those chips prevented some of us from finishing our pizzas?

The next day we stayed home as it was rainy, windy and cold. During the night the wind was so strong that it damaged the bamboo covering over the terrace and by morning about 50% of it was blown down and in pieces on the terrace. Thankfully Richard and Carole plan to replace it this year anyway. Still, on the up-side we now have plenty of kindling for the fire. 

The weather has been cold and very windy all week. A large branch ripped off the tree behind the house under which the cats live. In the village itself a wall has blown down across a road and trees and more branches damaged by the wind. Not really the weather for walking or exploring so we have concentrated on planning our route back to the UK. We have sorted out necessary appointments - dentist, habitation check and service for Campy. We have booked tickets for a music festival in June near Dorchester with overnight camping. 

We will post this later this evening when we go to the village for quiz night. 

Happy days with Bill

Wednesday 9 January

Life goes on here in Spain and we have become accustomed to a relaxed state of mind enjoying our warm sunny winter days on the south facing terrace. Our day starts off very slowly and we have our first cuppa at about 8.20 to 8.30am. Depending on how we feel, we might even have a second cup. In any case by the time we have had showers etc, it is gone 10am before we have breakfasted and washed up the dishes. By then the sun has warmed up enough to sit on the terrace and we get out the cushions for the sun loungers. Before you know it it’s time for a coffee then lunch and before long it we have been listening to music, reading books, done tapestry and well basically, relaxed all day and what do you know it, it’s time for the G&Ts. At about 5.30pm it is starting to get cool and so we go in and set the fire ablaze warming the house for the evening. It’s hard I know but someone has to do it!

Every couple of days we go for a walk down to the village and get some supplies. Bill has been amazing for 81 he’s there with the rest of us and is happy walking the hills with his thumb stick, even if it is a bit slower than the rest it doesn’t matter as we all get there in the end. He even did one of the walks to the back of the house designated as ‘tough’ so good for him.

On Friday 4th January we took Josie back to the airport. It was a sad day for us and we all miss her very much but happy that she is having such a good life. She has a couple of days in the UK then is off skiing on the 8th and with Paul and his family. Lucky girl, bet she will feel the cold having been here for 3 weeks.

Over the Christmas break Kevin was feeling a bit of sharp edge on one of his back molars and giving it a bit of an investigative poke he was horrified to find the filling (which is about the size of Wales by the way), and which encompassed the whole of the tooth was in his hand. Strangely, it was the sheer weight of the thing that amazed him at first then it dawned on him that we are in Spain and where is he going to get it fixed this time of the year? As the tooth wasn’t in any distress for its dismemberment he stuck the filling in his pocket and thought nothing of it for a couple of days. We did try an English speaking dentist near Velez Malaga but, it was clear that he was on holiday and was not in the least bit interested in helping Kev out. Certainly not without it costing an arm and a leg. Now, at the quiz night on Thursday Viv and Mike told us that there was a dentist in Riogordo and they were open the next day following the holiday. Brilliant, 10am we were there at the door first in and straight in to the chair. Kev showed the man (not sure if he was a dentist!) the filling which he took from him, blew it with his air gun, got out his super glue and whacked the said filling straight into the matching cavity. Once in, there was no smoothing it over and polishing just a cotton wedge to press down on and the advice not to eat or drink for one hour. Well, what do you expect for €20 and besides it hasn’t fallen out and works fine. Problem sorted.

On Saturday 5 January we went to a brilliant party at Sue and Bob’s. They are fellow quiz nighters and we were invitet to their curry night. We love curry....what a night we had. There was about 30 people quite a few we have never met before so it was nice to meet new faces. Sue and Bob have a really lovely house near the centre of the village. Sue and Bob are well travelled and have been to India in the past; Bob apparently doing a cookery course there. I have to say it showed, Bob makes the most amazing curries three or four different types with accompanying rice dishes. I think it is fair to say the food was well up there with the best I have ever had. (Note to self- must invite Sue and Bob around for a pizza before we go- no curry can’t compete with that). Anyway the evening was a blast and how I got Petra and Bill home up the hill is beyond me. All Petra could muster was “Look how beautiful the stars are” whilst the pair of them wondered over the road. It was with great relief that we made it back to base. So a huge thanks to Sue and Bob for the invite we are very grateful indeed and wouldn’t have missed it for all the tea in India.

On Wednesday 9 January we decided it was time to go out for a drive and we wanted to take Bill to the El Torcal, the place we took Jo and Paul to with all the rock formations. Mainly for the drive there as it is truly amazing and the view from the top takes your breath away. Only problem was when we got there the wind was howling a gale. We braved it to the viewing platform and the wing took Kev’s really expensive glasses clean off his face. They flew through the air and landing on the floor split into two (glasses and clip-on sunglasses and that was the last we saw of the sunglasses. They vanished over the side and into oblivion. Kev’s own fault for not taking them off and leaving them in the van. Now we have to find a replacement as he uses them for driving. Tragic.....

Comares and new arrival to the family

Tuesday 1 January
Happy New Year!

We had an outing to Comares yesterday (new year’s eve). It’s a pretty white village perched high on top of a hill (703m above sea level) with amazing views from all around the village. The drive up to the village took us along steep roads with hairpin bends - not for the faint hearted. We parked Campy outside the village and walked in. We explored the village and it was quite a workout walking around it’s very steep and narrow streets. 

Back at the house we found it was not quite warm enough to sunbathe so we sat outside at the table and spent the afternoon playing games including trivial pursuit. 

Later we had dinner followed by card games until midnight approached and we wrapped up and went out to the terrace to see the new year in. As the Church bell sounded midnight we toasted the new year and looked expectantly towards the village waiting to see fireworks. There were a paltry few and a few others in the distance. Time for bed!

Friday 28 December

Fantastic news Kev's Nephew, Chris and Jessica are proud parents for the first time. This makes us all here GREAT...So well done to them and we all can't wait to get home to see Sophia.

Ah.......