First barbecue of the season, off to Santa Pola to see Suzy, Elliot and Juliet experiencing snow (and a mice invasion) for the first time in Montrondo, home again, the clocks go forward and other tales of the week.

 Madrid, Easter Day, Sunday, 31st March, 2024

By the sea this week

Good morning friends and Happy Easter. Here we are home again after a few days in Santa Pola visiting our daughter Suzy.

Last Sunday the weather was marvelous so we made the most of it and inaugurated the barbecue season. As nearly always happens in Spain, the Easter holidays don't often get warm weather which was the case once again this year. Even so millions leave their homes for a holiday by the coast, in the mountains or, if they are lucky, in their "pueblo", or abroad. 

However, on Sunday last it reached 26ºc whereas in Montrondo this week it was often below zero, bringing snow,  and in Santa Pola it never hovered above 20c. My husband always makes the barbecue and here he is grilling various types of chorizos and gourmet hamburgers.

The first barbecue of the season

To partake of the meal Olivia had invited the girls' oldest friend, Copi, and her mother Celeste. The only person missing was Suzy which made me sad. But we would see her the next day.

Oli came bearing all sorts of desserts including home made "torrijas" - a sort of cold French toast which is very popular here at Easter. I am much more into Easter eggs - chocolate, you see. 

We made a French exit around 5 and were able to rest in our quarters. I carried on binge watching Call the Midwife on the BBC iPlayer (thanks to my Express VPN). I love that it is set in the UK in the 60's, so reminiscent of my childhood. Many of the characters are nuns or nurses which always appeal to me on screen for some reason, along with prisons, schools and institutions of most sorts. I wonder what a psychologist would  make of that?  As a little girl I said I wanted to be a nurse but of course that could never have happened as I am far too squeamish. Another reason I love CTM is because of the language in the script. It's wonderful to hear expressions like "tickety boo" or "all shipshape and Bristol fashion". I relate to words and expressions like this as I left England in the early 80's and my vocab is pretty old fashioned. Not for me words and expressions like "awesome", "the both of us" not to mention "cancel culture" and "woke" which make my blood boil. Cool too was before my time. I used to say "groovy". Do you remember?

Monday came and come what may we were driving to Santa Pola to see Suzy who had stalled 2 previous attempts to visit her recently. The bad weather hit us as soon as we left Madrid and it rained insistently until our arrival in Gran Alacant. We bought the flat in 1999 and I swear I have only ever experienced rain there about 3 or 4 times which made it  quite unusual to arrive to rain. 

Thankfully, Suzy was delighted to see us and we were happy to see her. She had been fasting for 3 days and looked very undernourished. She fainted after dinner which gave me the shock of my life. I was about to call the emergency services when she came round. Eladio had to drag her on the floor to her room and between us we got her on the bed. I was worried all night but happy to hear she had slept quite well and woke up feeling better on Tuesday. Just before she fell and fainted we had been telling her about Eladio's fall when he got concussion. Was it just a coincidence then that Suzy fell and fainted too just after telling her? She is very highly sensitive. Could this have been psychosomatic or because of her fasting.? é We shall never know. But what an enormous shock she gave us. When she lolled her head and her eyes rolled, I honestly thought she may be dying; a mother's worst fear. Thankfully she was better very soon. Oh dear Suzy, I love you and worry so much about you.  

Meanwhile, more than 800km away, Oli and family arrived that afternoon in  Montrondo and had the misfortune to find an invasion of mice and all their droppings. It has happened to us before and I know the feeling. No doubt Elliot would have found the whole thing exciting but Olivia hates mice. Me too and I felt for her.  Mice get in if you leave the door open during the day. We usually leave traps, just in case, but Oli and family were the last to visit and they didn't. They caught 4 mice and this time have left the traps. Oli is scared stiff of mice and it was most unpleasant. 

What was wonderful though for them was arriving to a warm house and to find some of their little cousins there; Luna, Camilo and later Jara, Gael and little Sara. They played together every day of their stay. Here they are wrapped up well just after they arrived.

Juliet and Elliot in Montrondo on Monday, the day they arrived and the day before the snow came. 

I woke up on Tuesday at 6.30 after a reasonable night's sleep. But then I went and hurt my back. I felt a crick and realised I had a muscle contraction right down the left side of my back. I was in agony. I desperately tried to find an ostoeopath and I did. Andrea from La Clau in Santa Pola received me at 10 am and worked her magic. She gave me the best massage I have ever had and nearly removed the contraction completely. Oh bless her. I came out feeling so much better and made my way to the main square where Eladio was waiting for me. In turn we were waiting for Suzy who I had treated to a pedicure and manicure at Angeles, a nail bar and beauty salon on the main street. She came out feeling on top of the world and I had to have a photo of her with her father which I entitled Father and daughter on social media.

Father and daughter in Santa Pola on Tuesday

As you can see in the photo, they are both wearing their coats. It was cold for this area on Tuesday but would get warmer on Wednesday. We then went food shopping to replenish Suzy's very empty shelves and fridge. I also went into Quicksave, the English supermarket across the way from our flat. I stocked up on Cadbury's creme eggs, the last Easter egg they had, some polos, hot cross buns - important for Good Friday and then crumpets, scones and muffins. These were to take home and freeze. But we would enjoy the hot cross buns on Friday of course, as tradition dictates or did so in my home as a child. 

While I was nursing my back pain in bed that afternoon with Charles Spencer's new book - A very private school - it had just begun to snow in Montrondo. It was a pretty light fall but enough for the children to enjoy and out they went to experience snow for the first time. How exciting. I do wish I had been there to witness the moment myself. Oli took a video which you can see here and sent us some pictures to remember the moment.

The kids with their cousins just as it began to snow on Tuesday

Oli later sent us a lovely photo of the back of our house in the snow at night, courtesy of my nephew Miguel who is now living permanently with his wife, Claudia, and their children in Montrondo. They are quite brave to have set up their home there. I loved the picture so much, I had to share it with you.

Our house in the snow this week - picture postcard like

There was a bigger snowfall on Wednesday and they were even able to make a snowman. Elliot later corrected me and told me they made 3!

More snow in Montrondo on Wednesday

These photos brought back memories of winter and early spring holidays with the girls in the village when they were small. I shall never forget Eladio, his father and brothers making a big igloo and my father-in-law sitting inside it. The girls, like Elliot and Juliet today, loved their holidays in Montrondo with all their cousins. It's like history repeating itself, but nice history. 

Meanwhile in Santa Pola, it was nearly 20 degrees more and out we went to enjoy the sun and the sea. We drove to the end of the coastal road and parked at the end. From there we walked along the promenade - our favourite walk in the area, after the lighthouse walk. Eladio took a picture of me which I have chosen as this week's feature photo as it was one of the highlights of this week. We then sat down in the sun at Ca Pacorro for a coffee and I got another photo. Pippa is with me in both photos, just as she is nearly always with us. Pippa adds so much to our life, bless her.

Enjoying coffee in the sun at Ca Pacorro on Wednesday

Once home and with plenty of time on my hands, I ambled down to the pool which is open all year round and faces the garden and the sea. I had it all to myself which was very pleasant.

The communal pool which I had all to myself on Wednesday

I continued reading Charles Spencer's book, "A very private school" the terrible story of his childhood which focuses on the cruelty and abuse he suffered at the Maidwell prep school where he was sent away at the age of 8. Lady Diana's brother is nearly 10 years younger than me, well 8. To think this cruelty was meted out in the 70's in England. I went to school in the 70's but it was a wonderful grammar school run by Irish nuns who were never cruel. 

A very sobering tale of cruelty and abuse at a top British boarding school

What is it about British upper class boarding schools that made generations of children unhappy and be cruelly treated? Why on earth did their parents send them away out of the bosom of their families at such a tender age? Why on earth where the adults running these institutions cruel and despotic many times? The ones described in the Earl's book were pedophiles, predators and sadists. There is no other description for them.  This type of so-called teachers or headmasters and matrons were prevalent at many boarding schools for years until society began to understand child care and nurturing. I think Charles Spencer was very brave to write this totally unabridged story of what a psychologist later told him was a "fucked up childhood".  Now  a bestseller, it makes for harrowing reading. I can only hope that in writing it the author somehow got therapy for what should never have happened to a small child in  England in the 70's or ever.

Maunday Thursday came and we were back at the osteopath Andrea from La Clau. This time it was to give Eladio a massage. There I was complaining about my back, while all the time he was suffering from sciatica which he got when he mowed the lawn the week before. While he was there I went for an amble with Pippa and explored the shops on the main street. I bought a light pink cotton jumper - not stripes this time, although I was tempted.

Suzy, meanwhile, was at the hairdresser for a much needed cut She looks lovely now with shorter hair and a fringe. 

Part of the afternoon was spent watching a new series on Netflix, the Testament of Moses. Both Eladio and I are suckers for sweeping drama films based on stories from the Bible or Roman Times (Quo Vadis, Benhur, etc).  We only watched the first of the three episodes and it' not bad but actually not a patch on the 1956 film, The Ten Commandments with Yul Brynner. Remember? Around Easter we always love watching these types of films. 

On Good Friday it was finally the day to have hot cross buns for breakfast. I had been dreaming about them for weeks, finally got some at Quicksave and this was the day. I have been having either porridge, Weetabix or muesli every day for breakfast as part of my semi diet now for months but what I really like for breakfast is toast or croissants. With my hot cross bun I also indulged in a crumpet, that most English of bakery products and which has a taste like none other. Liberally spread with Lurpak my breakfast was divine.

Suzy joined us on our walk that day which made it extra special. Once again we drove to the end of the old coastal road to park at the end and walk on the promenade towards our bar, Ca Pacorro. I couldn't believe just how crowded it was but of course it's Easter and figures. People will be heading home again today, back to the grindstone for many. That's why it's wonderful to be in early retirement. We managed to find a free table in the sun and ordered a coffee for me, beer for Suzy and a diet coke for Eladio. I managed a quick photo of Suzy with her new hairdo. Doesn't she look lovely? If only all was well.

Suzy on Friday morning joining us on our walk and coffee time by the sea
She has a lovely new hair cut which really suits her.

When I posted the photo on social media, two people wrote to say she looks just like me. My dear friend Adele even thought it was me - for a moment. I like that. 

These days she is heavily into reading the Bible so our talk was centred on that, the times of Jesus, the Romans and we even got as far back as Alexander the Great. We fear she is taking the Bible rather literally and her dear father who studied theology gave her much food for thought in his explanations. What a good teacher he is and how knowledgeable. If only she would take in some of his words of wisdom or be less radical in her beliefs. But, overall, we had a lovely time together. I am far less knowledgeable than my husband but I did do Religion A level and ´Theology "subsid" at University, which I think surprised my daughter who probably thought I didn't have a clue. I do and I did. 

We had a quiet afternoon and a simple dinner together - our last till next time. Then it was early to bed except I was woken by an upcoming guest who is in a different time zone. She was sending me messages for about an hour till late at night. 

But I got about 6.5h sleep - my average I think, and was up a little later on Saturday, the day of our departure. 

Departing too were Oli and family from Montrondo where the kids had had a grand time. Just as they were leaving, their favourite cousin arrived and whom they absolutely adore. Oli sent me this delightful photo of the three of them before they left.

Juliet and Elliot yesterday in Montrondo with their favourite cousin just before leaving

When they saw her they did not want to leave. I remember Suzy nearly always crying when we departed from  Montrondo. 

We left our apartment and Suzy in it at about 10.30. It had been good to spend time with her and I was happy that her shelves and fridge are now full. We shall see her next at the beginning of May to celebrate her 40th birthday, just before our next road trip.

We stopped for coffee and lunch and the nearer we got to Madrid, the colder it got. It rained too but that's good for the reservoirs; I know. We stopped for lunch at La Venta de San José in Zafra de Záncara about 1.5h from home. It is probably the best place to have a meal on the A3 road but I have never seen it so full. There was hardly a table to be had and of course no room in the dining area without a booking. We managed to get a small table and two stools by the bar. Here is Eladio about to tuck into his chickpea stew. 

Lunch at Venta de San José yesterday on our way home

We were home by 4pm to just 7ºc, 10 less than in Santa Pola. No wonder so many people retire to the Costa Blanca. Maybe we should?  Who knows?

Tana was waiting for us, eager to get off to Madrid for her short weekend off. All our guests were out and the house was warm, clean and tidy. How civilised. We retired to our quarters and after unpacking, just fell into bed. Later we had a video call with Oli and the kids and soon is was time for dinner, on our own in the kitchen. We had wine and chocolate with our dinner as a sort of pre Easter meal. We opened the wonderful new Terry's mint flavoured "chocolate orange". I hadn't had chocolate since Christmas and there is no better combination than chocolate with wine even if it gives me a headache.

Last night the clocks went forward. I had to remind Suzy and also tell Mohammad this morning who didn't have a clue. At 2 am it went forward to 3 am and thus we have lost an hour today. However we have gained an hour of light. Sunset today will be around 9pm which I love. When it gets warmer which should be quite soon, I look forward to dinners on the kitchen patio. 

We shall be alone for Easter Day. Oli is working and Miguel will take the kids to his mother's place. But we shall celebrate as I got out a leg and a shoulder of suckling lamb last night.  Then there are Easter eggs to look forward to. 

Having come to the end of the tales of this week, all that remains is to wish you all, once again, a very Happy Easter.

Cheers till next Sunday,

Masha