Madrid, 2nd November, 2025
 |
| Coffee at home this week - on the way to recovery. |
Good morning all.
What can I say about this week? Nearly every day has felt like Groundhog day because I have not been out and about. If you read last week's post, you will know that on 24th October I had major surgery on my pelvic floor organs which is not nice at all to recover from. But just one week later, I can report I am feeling a lot better. I still have a very foggy brain and am lacking my usual energy. Right now I can't wait to feel 100% and be on the road again. We are planning a mini break for when I feel much better so watch this space.
Last Sunday I was beginning my journey of recovery and hardly noticed the clocks went back except in the evening. I don't like it being dark so early on. It's also got colder and there has been some rain and this week the heating went on for the first time since the spring. It's nice and cozy now. There was no walk that day as there wouldn't be a proper one until yesterday. Oli came for lunch which, amazingly, we had outside and probably for the last time.
Monday was, as I said, like groundhog day and I was in quite a bit of pain. My dear friend Amanda cheered me up as she always does in our weekly Facetime calls. Here she is this week looking lovely.
 |
| My dear friend Amanda |
A new guest came that day, Marjorie from the French Riviera. She was a journalist and is now a teacher in Monaco. She describes some of the super rich Monegasque pupils who sit side by side with French children from not so rich nearby villages. Marjorie and her daughter Chiara were most welcome here and I hope to see them again. So too Elena from Slovenia who also came this week and lives in the Dominican Republic, owning at least 12 sausage dogs. She and Pippa got on famously. I enjoyed my conversations with both of them. This weekend we have a family from Antwerp and another solo guest from Belgium whom I haven't seen yet. I can't believe the house is still full in November. That's a good thing.
On Tuesday I felt a bit better and was determined to do things. I walked 11 laps of the garden and got down to some of my rental admin work which I cannot let pile up and generally don't. I already have my calendar for 2026 and 24 bookings for next year. Tana was having a late weekend off and we were alone for our meals as Suzy was out socialising. I'm so happy for her. She now has a reason to wake up in the mornings. What was not good about Tuesday was to hear that Israel had resumed bombing Gaza and breaking the ceasefire. Both sides have and until the mediators can negotiate the next part of the peace plan, the Gazan population will continue to suffer.
On Wednesday it rained non stop which is pretty unusual for Madrid. We went out shopping for fresh food. It was nice to go out but I felt exhausted when I got home. Once again Suzy was out, this time having lunch with Olivia and her great friend Copi. Copi has done her a lot of good and it all started with her wedding this summer where the girls were her bridesmaids. I have a lot to thank her for. Gracias Copi. Gradually, since then, she has reintegrated into society. She now has a job and even a beau.
Wednesday was also the day that Category 5 Hurricane Melissa landed in Jamaica causing widespread damage and loss of lives also in the Domincan Republic and Haiti. It was rather fitting that it rained in most of Spain on that day which was the 1st anniversary of the terrible flash floods in Valencia last year, the worst natural disaster that has ever hit Spain. It resulted in the death of 237 people, mostly in the Valencia region. 60.000 homes were lost, as were 105.000 cars and 10.000 shops.
It's impossible to describe the damage done and how it has affected those who survived, many of whom are still waiting for promised financial help. I have seen many images on the TV, especially of cars piled up like this and the whole thing looks like the aftermath of a tsunami.
 |
| This image of the flash floods is the one that will stay in my head forever |
This week we watched a documentary on Prime Video called Riadas (Flash Floods) which goes much deeper into what really happened. Here is the trailer. The people affected are still very angry, and rightly so, as they were not warned in advance. The warning came at 8.15 in the evening when most of the deaths had already occurred. They blame the local President, Carlos Mazon who happens to be from the right wing opposition party, the PP. He still has to account for where he was when all this happened. The whole thing has become so politicised and the central left wing government, the PSOE, led by Pedro Sánchez, uses the tragedy to undermine the Opposition. They were never to agree and nor were they coordinated and it was up to volunteers to clear up the mess initially before the Army stepped in. It took too long. Mazón was having lunch with a journalist and Sánchez was in India. Wednesday was the day of the state funeral of the 1st anniversary and it was a very somber affair, held in the City of Arts. Many of the victims strongly protested at the presence of Mazon who has become the scapegoat. He has to resign and resign soon but the government has to keep its word and make the funding it promised in the first few days, available for people who still haven't regained their homes or businesses. To think that in some of the blocks of flats the lifts are still not working after one year with all that that means to people with reduced mobility, seems a crime to me. The "Dana" was the main news this week. What a terrible tragedy. There was a similar flood in 1957 but since then only one proper measure was put in place to avoid flooding and since then homes have been built in flood risk areas. There was a plan made in 2010 which would have saved many lives but it was never put into action.
I had invited Oli and family round for an early dinner that day so missed watching the funeral. Eladio couldn't take his eyes off the TV and when he came down there were tears in them. I have hardly ever seen my husband cry. That says something.
We had a crazy time with the kids as usual. They never eat properly and run round taking off their clothes and causing chaos but I love them. They are so enthusiastic. Elliot's obsession that day was for his parents to get him a new costume for Halloween as if money grew on trees. I suggested he watch some of the images of children in Gaza before crying over a Halloween costume. That's the way kids are brought up today, at least in my milieu. They have everything and sometimes I think it is too much. It's not just my grandchildren; it's their generation; those lucky enough to live in comfort. I witnessed them being given some new pyjamas from Primark which didn't seem to impress them. It brought back a memory of my mother buying George and I new pyjamas from Marks and Spencer in Lincoln, when we lived in Ruskington. We hardly ever had anything new so I remember us jumping up and down on the bed we were so happy to have them. My mother used to make our birthday presents and I remember being given a rag doll I was delighted with. Unfortunately George buried it in the garden where it was found a year later or so. Anyway, maybe it's better to have lots than to have little. I don't know.
Thursday came and I was delighted to hear from Oli that Juliet was ok after a routine scan. Here they are together
 |
| Mother and daughter on Thursday morning |
I got dressed up in winter clothes to go out and have coffee with Eladio but we didn't and ended up having it at home. My dear husband who hardly every drinks coffee but often joins me, took photos of me and told me I was looking good. I was dressed in green and looked like I was going out hunting but of course I wasn't. For want of another photo I chose one of them to illustrate this week's post. Here is another one to remember the moment.
 |
| Coffee at home this week |
5 new suspects were arrested in connection with the Louvre robbery that day. So far they have caught 3 of the 4 thieves but there is still no sign of the jewels. Amanda and I Facetimed again that afternoon and planned my trip in December to see her. Shortly after, I booked my flights to Bristol. It will be lovely to see her and Andy and to be in England again. I hope we can do some Christmas shopping, talk lots, play Sevens and Ludo (Parchis) and I hope to get the opportunity to eat fish and chips and if there is time I would love to have a posh afternoon tea somewhere. After all, Devon is famous for its wonderful clotted cream. Roll on December.
It was very shortly after our call that bombshell news came from Buckingham Palace. If a couple of weeks ago, King Charles stripped his shamed brother Andrew of his Dukedom and other titles, this time he defenestrated him by removing his title of Prince and the style of HRH and all other titles and styles that remained. His shunned brother, known as Randy Andy and Air Miles Andy and more recently embroiled in the Epstein scandal, accused by Virginia Guiffre of being raped by him, something he denies, will also have to move out of the 30 room Royal Lodge in Windsor where he was paying what they call "Peppercorn rent". He will be sent to Sandringham so don't worry; he will still live in luxury. This was the statement.
 |
| The bombshell statement from Buckingham Palace. |
The Queen's supposed favourite son, Andrew who is 3 years my junior, will now be known as plain Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Well, he had it coming to him. From all accounts and purposes the once hailed hero pilot in the Falklands war, was a very demanding and entitled person, known for his expensive tastes and demands of those who served him. I had heard about his teddy bears and need for them to be placed in a certain order. This is what I got from IA: "
Prince Andrew has a well-documented and extensive collection of teddy bears and other stuffed animals which, according to former royal staff, had to be arranged in a very specific order every day. Staff even received a day's training and used a laminated diagram to ensure the precise placement of the toys". And woe betide if they get it wrong as he is known for shouting and screaming at his staff. You can even read too the precise instructions on how he likes his 4 poster bed made with bows hanging in the right place as well as pillows. What an entitled idiot. He has fed on his royal status so this will really hurt. And so it should.
If he is like this with his staff, I wonder how he treated people like Virginia Guiffre, who sadly took her own life this year after publishing her book which I am trying to read but finding uphill as it is so awful. Mr. Mountbatten Windsor may deny her allegations but they are surely documented somewhere as it is known that the paedophile Epstein filmed his friends. Hopefully more will come out when the Epstein files are fully released. Hopefully too, one day, his former wife and cohabitant at Royal Lodge, Sarah Ferguson, will spill the beans. Meanwhile, Guiffre's family were delighted with the news of the former Prince being stripped of his royal status, styles and titles. But they suggest that he be put behind bars. I totally agree with them.
Friday was Halloween and I didn't care. I do not like this new wave of the celebration of death. I was not brought up on it. Neither was Spain but oh boy how the Spaniards have embraced it. Oli sent photos of our grandchildren dressed up for the occasion. I was happy to see they hadn't given into any demands for new costumes. As last year, Elliot was dressed as Edward Scissor Hands and Juliet as a beautiful witch as you can see below.
 |
| Elliot and Juliet off to school in their Halloween outfits. They look smashing |
That photo put me to shame really as when our girls were small we also had to dress them up for Halloween. But in those days there was no Amazon or online shopping and it was difficult to buy outfits. I remember how a neighbour, Inés, the mother of their friend Beatriz, kindly made both Suzy and Oli a simple witch costume which they wore year after year and always complained about. I should have made more of an effort.
I had news for Elliot on Friday. He is obsessed with the tallest buildings in the world so when I read that the Sagrada Familia cathedral, designed by the famous architect, Gaudi, and which is still being built, is now the tallest church in the world, I wanted him to know. After a part of its central tower was lifted into place it now measures 162.9 metres, which overtakes Ulm Minster in Germany (161.53). In 2026 it should be completed and will then reach 172m.
I only ever saw it inside once and that was many, many years ago but it is a church, or cathedral of wonder.
This week I watched a lot of television as you can imagine. It's a coincidence really but when Oli told me of a TV series called The Long Shadow (again on Prime Video) that she recommended I was intrigued as it is about the Yorkshire Ripper. You see, this week is the 50th anniversary of his first awful killing; well the first we know of and I was living in Bradford then where he was from. I lived in Bradford from 1964 to 1981 bar the academic years spent at Uni. So, my formative years there made a huge mark on me.
In 1975 the Labour Government was led by Yorkshire man, Harold Wilson. It was a year of high inflation, many strikes and also the first ever national referendum which was to join the EU. I voted for that as I had just turned 18. It was also the year Margaret Thatcher was appointed leader of the Conservative party. Bradford, a big industrial city in central northern England and once the capital of the wool industry was in decline with factories closing and it showed. Immigration from Pakistan mostly was at its height. It was a grim city with some saving graces - mostly the outskirts; Bronte Country, The Dales and some beautiful places such as Ilkley, Harrogate and York. I didn't like the city and couldn't wait to leave which I did when I went to Nottingham University from 1976 to 1980 and in 1981 I moved to Spain permanently. Today I don't hate it; I just feel nostalgic about Bradford and Yorkshire which I do love.
I lived at home again from 1980 to 1981, the year the monster was caught so lived through the horrible period. In 1975, I was only 18 and remember well those 5 years he was on the rampage and wasn't caught while he killed so many women. One of the last women he killed was a student of French at Leeds University where my mother taught Russian. I remember very well the fear and the newspapers warning women not to trust even their fathers, their husbands or their brothers. But I trusted my father who would pick me up always from the bus stop. I also remember when Peter Sutcliffe was caught and it turned out he lived a mile or so up the road in the Heaton area. It was my Aunty Masha who took my mother and I to see his house. That was both macabre but memorable. To think he lived so close. I am still watching the series which has transported me back to that frightening period. But it has also transported me back to the Bradford and Yorkshire of 1975. Everything is so familiar; the way people dress, the way they speak, the buildings, the weather, the police uniforms, the cars. So, yes it was 50 years ago this week and may he rot in hell. My heart goes out to those victims and their families who have suffered ever since. What a horrible time it was. I can never forget. Meanwhile I am transfixed and taken back in time.
Saturday came, 1st November and All Saints' Day but most importantly for us, Suzy's first day at work on her own without training. She was scared I think but well prepared as she has been having training all of last week and on Thursday and Friday. I am happy to report she came home feeling triumphant when everything went well yesterday and she knew she could do the job - she is working as a dietitian for Sodexho, in charge of menus and meals for hospital patients and will be working only on weekends and holidays which is enough for her at the moment. For the first time in many months I saw a huge smile on her face. She has come a long way and I am proud of her. We shall be celebrating next week so watch this space.
Yesterday was the first day I dared go on our hour long morning walk and it felt good. For lunch I made masses of curry, chicken for us and prawn for Suzy. We convened again later for wine time at around 7.30. It was by the pool but with our dressing gowns on, hahaha.
Today is Sunday and I woke up to the most awful news - also hailing, in a way from my beloved Yorkshire. A train from Doncaster in Yorkshire travelling to London Kings Cross underwent the madness of multiple stabbing by a man or two men on board wielding a knife. He was subsequently caught but by then he had injured 9 people. So far no fatalities have been reported. I know that train. I have been on it countless times going from Yorkshire to London. How awful! How can this happen? I find it deeply concerning. It's not nice news to wake up to.
Today will be a quiet and sunny day; another Groundhog day but I'm not complaining. That's it from me for this week. Cheers till next time, Masha
