Week 2 of Mounjaro, Slava Ukraini, to Asturias in search of a cleaner, Starmer meets Trump, Juliet and Elliot get a haircut, angry meeting with Zelensky at the White House, home again and other stories of the week.

 Home again, Madrid, Sunday 2nd March 2025

Having a coffee in the sun in Llanes on Wednesday

Good morning everyone. This week found me in Asturias where we hadn't been since last July and went to search of a cleaner for our Airbnb and Booking guests as well as get the house ready for the spring. We needed a new cleaner as my neighbour can no longer do the job and without one we can't rent the house.  But before I tell you all about our stay here, let me rewind to last Sunday when we were still at home in Madrid. 

It was my third day since I started on Mounjaro (the drug dispensed in a pen for weight loss in my case as well as high cholesterol and high blood pressure and which contains both tirzepatide and semiglutide)  and I still hadn't felt any decrease in my appetite. As I write today I still don't feel it. What it has most obviously given me is a horrible headache which just won't go away and must be one of the side effects. I took my second dose on Friday and will be seeing my GP on Tuesday to discuss any next steps. I think it's not worth taking if I am going to have a constant headache. Hopefully, though, it may go away as my body gets used to the drugs. 

It was a sunny day and we went for our new short walk - just half an hour because of my knee. We had coffee at home for once and I wondered how the General Elections were going in Germany. In the end the Conservative party won and  although the Far Right (AfD) got an astonishing 20% of votes, the former will be able to govern in a coalition with the SDP party. The Conservative candidate, Friedrich Metz will be the new Chancellor. No, we don't want fascism in Germany again do we?

3 guests left that day and 1 new one came but I didn't see any of them. Isn't that amazing? My only social interaction apart from with my family that day, was in a Skype call with Adele and Sandra, my Uni friends who live in Brittany and Brussels. We have planned a get together in Santa Pola, just the three of us in June and I know we will have a blast.

Monday came and marked 3 years since Russia invaded Ukraine. This week Trump tried to force Zelensky to sign an agreement with Trump, giving him a huge amount of the rare minerals he so wants, such as lithium. However, any form of defence against Russia is not in the picture. The Ukraine President was in the White House on Friday and as we all now the agreement did not go ahead. What an awful angry meeting that was and how badly Trump and Vance treated him. So why would Zelensky sign such an  agreement I asked myself and I don't really have an answer. Maybe he just needs to be in Trump's good books which he isn't of course now.  Slava Ukraini is all I can say. I must mention too that on Monday, French Premiere, Emanuel Macron met with Trump too. Of course he went to defend Ukraine and I'm not sure he came away with anything but at least he seemed to have won over the American with his French charm. But French charm isn't going to solve anything. Despite his visit, Trump announced he will most likely be imposing 25% tariffs on EU countries. Damn the man.

Early that morning we did the shopping as the cupboards were bare upon my return from the UK on 20th February. We had to go early as at 11 am I had an appointment with Eladio's eye specialist. I went to see him as my vision has seemed a bit cloudy for a while  and I wondered why as I had my cataracts operated on in 2018. Dr. Moreno, quickly saw that a membrane had grown over my right lens. Not sure that is the right description so I looked it up and found I must have had Posterior Capsular Opacification. It's sometimes called a secondary cataract which it actually isn't but that's the best way to explain it. I thought I was in for surgery again but bless the man, he removed it with laser there and then in a procedure called laser capsulotomy. My vision seems to have improved since then but I am seeing black specks which look like tiny mosquitoes. I hope they go away soon. 

I was up at the crack of dawn on Tuesday morning and on plenty of time to watch Oli at 8 am live on TV. This week saw her reporting on yet another corruption case; this one about the purchase of face masks during the pandemic in Madrid. The dealers who sold them for about 12 million euros, took a cut of around 3 for themselves. Disgraceful.  Here is a photo of her on TV and  the video I took. I still get a kick when I see my daughter Olivia live on TV. I always do. 

Oli reporting live on Tuesday for RTVE

We left quite early for El Cuetu that morning but it's a long drive; over 5 hours without a stop but we always stop and did so for a coffee that day in Villacastín and for lunch in Alar del Rey. We arrived to good weather but oh how cold the house was. Thanks to my wonderful husband who is good with his hands we soon had hot water and the heating on. For more warmth we brought with us a gas heater and small radiator which we used to have in Santa Pola. So soon the house was cozy. We had a frugal dinner and went to bed early. My book time reading this week, American Dirt,  is a horrific story about a mother and son who are Mexican migrants trying to flee the cartels who killed 16 members of their family in Acapulco after her husband who was a journalist wrote an article on the deeds of the cartel; "los jardineros". They have to flee to the USA and the only way to do so is on that frightening train called "La Bestia" (The Beast). It may be a novel but it is not fiction. These things happen to so many of  the Latin American migrants who flee their countries. 

Amazingly I slept well that night, getting 7.5 shut eye. I really needed it. Wednesday  was a beautiful sunny day with a very blue sky and I took some photos to share with you here.

El Cueto with a beautiful blue sky on Wednesday morning and views of the snow capped Peaks of Europe (Los Picos de Europa). 

We had lots to do that morning, errands, a visit to the Land Registry Office, find a cleaner, etc. For this we went to the capital of the area, the lovely town of Llanes. After various errands we went to the Land Registry Office to ask about the process of obtaining what is called a "Registry Code", made up by our socialist government and their communist allies. Without it you cant rent property to tourists or face a fine of 30k euros. To cut a long story short, although I had a tourist licence from the province, I was told I should have another one from the Town Hall. Only then could I restart the process. So off we went to the Town Hall. Again to cut a long story short, we were given a list of documents we had to provide in order to transfer the current licence in the name of the previous owners to mine. OMG I thought, how on earth are we going to do that? We would need what is called a "gestoria" in Spain, an office that does the paperwork for you as my God if you do it yourself, it would be never ending. So now I not only needed a cleaner, I needed a new licence from the town hall and only then could I submit a request for this stupid new Registry Code. If we couldn't do that, we both believed we would just have to sell up. Our nasty expedition which felt like a scene from Kafka's The Trial, was offset by a lovely cup of coffee at our favourite bar, La Galerna in the town square, Plaza Parres Sobrino. That's where Eladio took this week's feature photo. 

It was lovely to be sitting in the sun in one of my favourite places in the area.   There is another favourite place in that very square called Aramburu which sells local delicacies, some we cannot resist. I was greeted by the shopkeeper who remembered my name and bless the man, he asked Eladio how he, from León, had found such a beautiful English woman like me. That made me happy for a moment. Before heading back to Posada to do some shopping we stopped at the ironmonger to get stuff for the house. We have spent so much money at Ferreteria La Plaza since we bought the house in September 2020. As you see we hadn't come on holiday but to do errands, some of them very challenging. It was to be another bus man's holiday, hahaha. Ah but I have one good piece of news. I rang the Land Registry Ofrice in Santa Pola later in the week and was happy to hear I have been conceded  the elusive Registry Code for our apartment there which we have to pick up when we go next. Hallelujah. 

Lunch was a piece of pie from Aramburu with some soup I had brought from Madrid. I spent my afternoon trying to find a "gestoria" willing to do the paperwork to get the local tourist licence and didn't find one. Ah but I did find 2 possible cleaners who were to be in touch with me later in the week. Hallelujah again. Once my work was over, I enjoyed the latest episode of Call the Midwife. Set in the late 60's I thought to myself, just how simpler life was then. 

Thursday came after a dreadful night fighting yet another headache and I only got 5h sleep. Even my smart watch told me I hadn't slept enough; as if I didn't know it. My first coffee helped the headache and I was able to watch Olivia at around 8 am  continue to report on the face mask corruption case. Here she is doing the job she loves.

Olivia reporting again live on Wednesday morning

We went out again that morning to ask local businesses to stick an ad for a cleaner in their shop windows and they all willingly did so. And then, like the genie from Aladin's lamp, I found a local 
"gestoria" who quite willingly offered to do the paperwork to get the elusive local town hall tourist licence. I had everything they needed except the previous or current licence and had to reach out to Mari Paz who if she can't find it can easily get a copy. We walked out feeling triumphant. We really did.

My day was going quite well. I wondered how the UK PM, Starmer was getting on in Washington where he went to meet Trump mainly to talk about peace for Ukraine and Defence. He took along with him a formal invitation from King Charles for a state visit to the UK which of course the madman accepted. He must love British royalty.  There has been so much blurb about the meeting but I came away with this one in reference to Trump calling Zelensky a dictator. Asked by Chris Mason of the BBC if he still thought Ukraine's President Zelensky was a dictator.  His answer  "Did I really say that?  I can't believe I said that. Next question". Honest to God, the man is contradictory to say the least. It seems the "special relationship is not over" when Trump said of the UK and Starmer "It's a very special place  and he's a special man - and the UK is a wonderful country that I know very well, I'm there a lot". Starmer came home with some good news; a possible new tariff free trade agreement and an OK from Trump on the plan to give up the Chagos Islands, among others. However, like Macron, he did not come back with any sort of security guarantee for Ukraine and that is what worries the world. Here are the two of them together, 2 very different men who have to get along, come what may.

Trump and Starmer on Thursday in Washington

I'm not sure they mentioned the Israeli Gaza war, but of importance on Thursday too, Hamas returned 4 dead bodies with no ceremony while Israel finally released the 600 Palestinian prisoners they said they would only release if Hamas stopped the ceremonial return of hostages. This now marks the end of Phase 1 of the Gaza Ceasefire. Let's see what happens next. Meanwhile, on the same day Russian and US officials were meeting in Turkey to discuss their relations and I suppose the situation in Ukraine. What is Trump playing at making friends with Putin and voting with the Russians at the UN? 

Our lives continued quietly in El Cuetu while all this was happening. Lunch was stew I had made in the morning after which we had a siesta except that I didn't sleep. Instead I read quietly in bed. My dear husband had various tasks to complete in the house which he did that afternoon; put up a new large mirror in one of the bedrooms, put new wheels on the gas heater and mount a bracket on the wall for the TV we bought in July. If I am frank, I could not do one of these jobs so thank goodness I married a man who, apart from being handsome and cultured, is good with his hands. 

On Friday after a better night's sleep we thought we had done everything we could apart from meeting cleaning candidates, but we were wrong. The previous owner, Mari Paz who lives nearby, found a copy of the Town Hall licence in our name and we agreed to meet in Posada at the Gestoria. According to the latter that was all we needed. But we hadn't finished had we? We took it to the Land Registry Office who told us it was not the right document. So we went to the Town Hall again who told us it was. I was in limbo so made both organisations talk to each other. Finally the Land Registry Office admitted it was. My task to get the elusive Registry Code  hadn't finished though as the online platform won't accept the Tourist Licence number I have from the Capital of the Province (Oviedo). This is so Kafkian. I rang the College of Land Registry Offices in Madrid to see if they can sort it and then sent them a long email. If the government comes up with new laws they shouldn't make it so difficult to comply. As I told Enrique a the LRO in Llanes, I love Spain but I hate its bureaucracy. 

So we were in Llanes again and it was late and I was determined to enjoy it a bit. So, when we had finished we went to take photos by the town beach, Playa del Sablón. Here is one. 

The Playa de Sablón in Llanes on Friday morning

It was so late by then we decided to have lunch in town and went to a place we had been before to have a local menu of the day that would include Asturias' signature dish; fabada (bean stew). Here is Eladio about to tuck into his.

We had to have fabada while in Asturias

Meanwhile, back in Madrid our grandchildren were dressed up to celebrate Carnival at school Here they are; Elliot as Harry Potter and Juliet as a little pirate. They do love dressing up.

Our grandchildren dressed up for Carnival on Friday morning

Later in the afternoon Oli took them for a haircut and sent a great picture I just have to share with you.

Juliet and Elliot getting a haircut on Friday

It may seem very mundane grandparent news but you must know that until not so long ago, Elliot (5) used to have huge tantrums if anyone came near him with a razor or scissors. Now he likes the process. How funny kids can be.

Anyway, back to El Cuetu. I still had to find a new cleaner to replace my neighbours in the village, Loli and her daughter Lucia, who can no longer do the job. It seemed difficult but after asking around and posting ads both online and in shop windows I ended up with 4 candidates; Rosa, Andrea, Olga and Sandra. In the end we had a choice. I was so glad, I immediately put the property back on Booking and Airbnb.  That afternoon while waiting for them to come we spent time quietly in our little house there. I went out at one stage and saw a lovely goat. I didn't get a photo of it but did get one of my husband peering out of our stable door which I must share with you.

Eladio looking out of the stable door

While waiting for the cleaning candidates my phone told me it was time for my second dose of Mounjaro. It's complicated to use but with Eladio's help we managed. I was terrified of  more headaches but since I took it that day, they seem to have receded a bit. I shall persist for the moment. 

3 of the cleaning candidates  were supposed to be coming that evening. Only 2 came in the end and we went for Rosa who, although not cheap, has great references. So, we gave her the key. Now our jobs were done and we could go home. We would have stayed longer but the weather turned for the worse so we decided to come home on Saturday.

Just as Rosa left I was able to follow the news live at the White House of the meeting between Trump, Vance and Zelensky who was criticised for not wearing a suit in the Oval Office. If you haven't seen the exchange here it is for everyone's view as the meeting was held with the press and streamed live. Trump later said it made for good television. No it didn't . It was disgraceful. This is the link if you haven't seen it and I urge you to do so to realise in whose hands the world is in; a madman's. The discussion got so heated it became a shouting match and ended with Zelensky being forced out of the White House and the press conference cancelled.

Zelensky under fire from Trump on Friday in the Oval Office

The two Americans behaved like bullies in a class room. They were furious Zelensky wouldn't sign the deal. Of course he wouldn't because it did not contain any sort of security for Ukraine. They were horrible to him and their main issue was he wasn't grateful enough to the US. Later the man had to eat humble pie and issue a statement showing his gratitude. This outcome of this meeting shook the western world with nearly all European leaders aligning with Ukraine. In sharp contrast to the Oval Office meeting, yesterday Zelensky was greeted warmly  at Downing Street by Starmer which I'm sure Trump won't like. Who has won here? Putin of course. He must be so happy. I have no more words and am worried for Ukraine and for Europe. Without US military aid the end story of the invasion of Ukraine does not look good does it?

That was the news we went to bed with; not good news. I slept so so and was up at 7.15 on Saturday morning. We left El Cuetu at around 11 and drove home with just a few stops. We arrived in the rain to find Oli and family at home but Suzy entrenched in her bedroom not wanting to socialise with anyone; not even Pippa. I know she is in a bad way. She breaks my heart.

After settling in, we spent some quality time with Oli, Miguel and the kids until they left. It was wonderful, as always to be home.

Today is Sunday and foul weather is predicted for the next 10 days and spring is nowhere in the air even though we are now into March. Roll on spring is all I can say.

I will leave you now to get on with the day which I know will be quiet. Cheers my friends until next Sunday.

Mash