Home again, Madrid, Sunday 31st August, 2025
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| It's news; we have resumed our daily walks this week as the heat has finally receded |
Good morning on this last day of August. To think this time
last Sunday we were leaving Galicia after 5 days of sun, sea, good food and wine and. Time flies.
It was a long trip home and this time we did it all in one go and its one hell of a drive - over 650 km. As we drove through Ourense in Galica we once again witnessed the damage caused by so many forest fires. Today, still, would you believe it, the fire near Montrondo, in Fasgar, has still not been extinguished. It has been going on since 7th August when we were there.Thankfully the houses and people from the villages are safe but oh how sad for nature. It breaks my heart that the "Abedular" - the biggest birch tree forest south of Sweden, is all charred. My father used to walk up there and would be upset to hear it is destroyed. I only hope nature does its magic and the forest grows again. My heart goes out though to all those people who have lost their houses.
We stopped for a picnic lunch and, of course, to pick up Eladio's mobile phone he had left at a roadside café on our way to Galicia. He is now back in the world of the connected and says he didn't miss it. I don't believe him.
Once home we noticed the intense heat of August had finally receded. Today as I write on Saturday night at 9 pm approx the temperature is 27ºc which may seem a lot to you but it's much better than 37º or 40ºc which we suffered before going to Galicia. Finally we have been able to have meals outside and for the last few days we haven't had to put on the air conditioning. The heat has receded but of course summer is not over yet. Next Sunday we shall be taking the road again, this time to Santa Pola where we will be joined by our great friends Kathy and Phil. This weekend the apartment is full of guests after Oli and family left yesterday. I hope they had a great time. I do love being by the seaside.
There really is not much to tell this week as we have just been at home and back to our routines. It was good to be home and to sleep in our own beds and nice to have a break in between trips to catch our breaths I suppose.
On
Monday we went food shopping and accompanied Suzy to her therapist. In the afternoon I had more problems with our cleaner, Rosa, in Asturias. Once again she had done shoddy work and the guests complained there were not enough sheets or towels. I was so embarrassed and had to eat humble pie. In the end they went to buy sheets and towels, I rang another cleaner and when she took on the job, I fired Rosa whose work has been more than lacking. I just wondered what the hell she had done with all our bedding, 3 sets for all 5 beds and loads of towels. To top it all she was threatening, rather rude and refused to apologise. I have never worked with anyone worse than her and thanks to her have suffered numerous episodes this summer, which I have had to resolve as best I could at a distance. At times I wanted to throw it all in. Before that we shall give a chance to the new cleaner, Andrea who started on Friday and did a good job, to judge by the videos she sent me. On the plus side, that day I got a 10 out of 10 review on Booking from a recent guest in Santa Pola, bless him. That put my overall score up to 8.7 which is high for Booking.
Tuesday was a quiet day but not without work related to our small renting business. I had to get a plumber to change the shower head in Santa Pola and the administration people to mend the lock on the outside gate. There is always something. While I deal with these things, Eladio has to deal with leaks in the irrigation system in the garden. There is no peace for the wicked.
That's not quite true as that morning, Suzy and I went to our local nail bar to have manicure - me and a pedicure - Suzy.
On Wednesday the two of us went to have a coffee together and to to take a look inside a local boutique where we had bought clothes last month. I am proud to tell you she has become a volunteer for the Red Cross by the way. That was good Mother and daughter time. This week I have been preparing for Juliet and Elliot's birthdays on 4th and 17th September respectively. I ordered their cards on Amazon, bought balloons in the shape of a a4 and a 6 which are the ages they are turning as well as the cake candles and a little crown and some birthday glasses. This is what is waiting for them.
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| Preparations for Juliet and Elliot's upcoming birthdays. |
As to their presents, I got two books for Elliot. One is about how to draw and the other is from The National Geographic and is about amazing animal records which he is crazy about. For Juliet I bought a very girly present; a tea set. It's small but beautiful. Look
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| A tea set for Juliet for her 4th birthday on 4th September |
It was only on Thursday that we resumed our daily walks as that was when the temperatures really receded and with 20 or so degrees in the morning we were able to do so. I have hardly any photos to share with you this week. One of them is of me and Pippa on our first walk which I have chosen as this weeks' feature photo and the one below.
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| On our walk this week |
That evening, like every evening this week we convened by the pool for wine and pistachio time. I always love those moments.
The week flew past and suddenly it was Friday. Again we went on our walk and then did more shopping mostly for today's barbecue with Oli and family upon their return from Santa Pola.
Saturday was crucial for me as it would be a test for our new cleaner, Andrea who was cleaning for my last group this year who will be there until 6th September. She passed the test and only after that was I able to relax and stop worrying about sheets, bedding, cleaning, etc in El Cueto.
Just before our morning walk, Valerie arrived. She is a new guest and the mother of Milo who has been with us since the middle of August. She comes from Alaska but apparently lives in Denver. We have hardly seen her since. From Monday onward the house here will be full again, as it should be.
Saturday's highlight was resuming my weekly calls with Amanda and I enjoyed a long natter with my oldest friend for the best part of the afternoon.
We have resumed our walks and returned to our routines which include watching the news but you will have noticed an absence recently in this blog about what is happening in the world. It is all so depressing and repetitive that I am sick of it. There was a school shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis which sickens me and Russia made one of its worst attacks yet on Kyiv. The main news here are the forest fires which have rocked the nation and make us sit up and think how they should be better prevented despite climate change. I was shocked to read there is one in the North Yorkshire Moors near Whitby. In England too? Really? I am much more interested in how Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are faring in the US Open. They are doing well and are bound to meet in the final. I should say may the best man win but you know I want Carlitos to lift the trophy and garner his 6th Grand Slam.
Today is Sunday and we have lots to do to prepare today's barbecue. That will be the highlight of this week.
Sorry this has been such a short blog post but honestly there has been very little to tell. I will leave you now to get on with the day; our walk and then the barbecue preparations.
Cheers till next week, all the best Masha
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