Juliet and Elliot left, without a car in Montrondo, Olivia reporting live from her news desk, our experience of the full eclipse in Senra and other stories of the week.

 Montrondo, Sunday 16th August, 2026

Ready for the full solar eclipse in nearby Senra

Good morning once again from Montrondo where we have now been for a whole month, the longest time ever. We are enjoying quiet time here with Eladio's siblings and their families and are happy to have escaped the heat of Madrid.

This time last Sunday, Oli and family left us after nearly 2 weeks. They took Pippa with them as we had no one to look after her when we go to Biarritz this week. We were sad to see them go. They were too, especially Juliet who burst into tears when she realised what was happening. I cried too. She is a little devil but a very affectionate little girl. Oli later sent me a photo of the three of them in the back of the car.

Elliot and Juliet going home to Madrid and taking Pippa with them

They were at our house within just 4 hours and Pippa was soon in Suzy's arms whom she loves just as much as she loves us or maybe more. Here she is back home. I have missed her every day, especially on our walks.

Pippa home and in Suzy's arms, bless her. Isn't she lovely?

The house was empty without her and even emptier without our grandchildren. We stripped some of the beds, started on the washing and cleaning which is quite a job but kept us busy for a few days. Lunch was a bit of a disaster. I was going to make spaghetti carbonara.  I thought I was missing eggs which Pili gave me. Then I didn't have any spaghetti so got some from Dolores. When I realised the pancetta wasn't there either I had to improvise and made fried eggs and chips. We were running out of provisions. 

Eladio commented he thought the brakes of our brand new Volkswagen T Roc were not working right. He had noticed it a week before on a drive to Villablino. If only he hadn't waited a week to tell me. Now we had less time to react before our trip to Biarritz which at the moment is touch and go. On Monday we called VW who sent a breakdown truck to pick it up. They took it to the VW garage in León, an hour and a quarter away from here, on Tuesday and we didn't hear from them till Wednesday and then again on Friday. Bottom line is they won't inspect it until tomorrow 17th and we are off on 20th. We asked for a courtesy car, of course, but they didn't have one. Thus we have been without a car since Monday. If the car is not ready we shall have to take a bus or train to San Sebastian and another bus or train to Biarritz which would take a whole day rather than a 5 hour drive in our new car. Fingers crossed it will be fixed before our trip. Thanks. 

That evening there was a  dinner and dance in the marquee on the village green. As we don't eat much dinner we didn't have dinner but went to see what was going on after our walk. On our walk, amazingly, we bumped into two ladies speaking English which is unheard of here. Jacky who is a bit older than me is from London and married a man from this area in the 70's. They have a house in Murias and live in Pozuelo, near us in Madrid. What a coincidence. We met them again another day and no doubt I would have met up with Jacky for a coffee but she has just left for England. 

Dancing is not my thing as I have two left feet and so does Eladio but it was quite lively. Eladio had a wonderful time socialising with friends he went to school with and who are now in their 80s. He came home feeling quite emotional which is unusual for him. It was cold as we left and we came back to a quiet house with the central heating on. As we have done every night we slept in our pyjamas and covered with a duvet. That would be impossible in Madrid and feels like luxury.

Monday came and Oli was back to work. Her next holiday isn't until the beginning of September. This week she has been the presenter for the news desk which I think she quite enjoys although she confessed she far prefers being out on the job. She was on and off the TV all morning and I caught her about twice. The main news topics this week were the earthquake in Colombia, the eclipse - of course - and the situation in Ceuta where there are at least still 10.000 illegal immigrants.  She sent me some photos after being made up for the job. She looks stunning. 

Olivia all dressed up and ready for her news desk reporting job this week for her programme, La Hora de la 1. She does a splendid job.

I switched her programme on every day  this week on my iPad and had the pleasure of seeing her reporting live multiple times. 

Meanwhile in Montrondo, I hitched a ride with Eladio's sisters and went shopping in Villablino as we were running out of food. This time I made sure I had the ingredients to make spaghetti carbonara. 

In the afternoon we invited the family for coffee here on the back terrace which is the coolest place to be in hot weather. We tried out the eclipse glasses and I was thankful to see they were the approved ones. There was so much talk about wrong glasses and the danger of looking at the sun during an eclipse we all became a bit worried. That afternoon, Eladio and I socialised again and went to the village bar where we sat with lots of women from his generation and whom he had been to school with too. I had to have a photo to share here.

At the bar this week with some of the women Eladio went to school with many, many years ago.

The day ended with a frugal dinner followed by our daily evening walk with Toño and Dolores before going to bed. 

On Tuesday morning I went with Pili in her car to have coffee at Senra. There was to be no visibility of the eclipse the next day in either Montrondo nor Murias but we had been told that Senra was the place as the mountains don't cover the sun at that time - 8.30 pm. A local told us the exact two places which he himself had checked. Thus we later confirmed with the family where to go to watch the spectacle, the first full eclipse in over 100 years in Spain.

I came home to do more washing and then some ironing and made "solomillo" (tenderloin steak) with fresh mushrooms for lunch. The cut was divine. 

The rest of the day was spent having coffee with the family, making up the beds, our walk and watching something on the TV.

Wednesday came, the day of the much awaited, once in a century full eclipse. As Spain was the main inhabited region in the world of its path of totality, it drew massive astro and non astro tourism. NASA came and took over a whole village. The totality was mostly in northern and central Spain so many off the map villages  became visitor hubs but not Senra. We are far too way off the tourist map. What had started in Siberia ended in the Balearic islands. This eclipse is the start of a trilogy of eclipses to happen in Spain. Next year another total eclipse will take place in the south in Andalusia on August 2nd and in 2028 there will be what is called an annular ring of fire eclipse on January 26th. So Spain is the place to be for these astronomical events. I read many people have booked accommodation 4 years ago for the one next year. Last August a Canadian couple booked our place in Asturias but I am very sorry it was so cloudy there I think they didn't see much. 

We had a hearty lunch of roast lamb which I roasted slowly in the oven and it was divine. I think I was too excited to sleep a siesta so I made sandwiches to have while waiting for the eclipse. We had been told the moon would begin to cover the sun from 7.30 pm.  I made a very English sandwich filling of egg mayonnaise which was lovely although I think my Spanish family were a bit dubious. I also took plums, water and a jacket as apparently during the full eclipse when everything is dark it suddenly gets cold. I sort of wished the eclipse was at midday to get the full effect rather than at 8.30 pm, just one hour before sunset but apparently that was to add to the magic. 

At about 7 pm we set off in cars, some on bicycles, in the hot sun to find a spot to park in Senra. We had expected it to be full but it wasn't. We took along some beach chairs for the wait which we all appreciated. And here is some of Eladio's family wearing their special glasses; an historic photo I must say and difficult to get as everyone was all over the place and not paying attention.

The family ready to watch the eclipse

Pili took one of Eladio and I with ours on which I have chosen as this week's feature photo.

Meanwhile in Madrid, where visibility would be 99%, Suzy was out in the countryside near our house with Tana and Pippa also waiting for the eclipse. This is the photo she sent me.

Suzy and Tana with Pippa about to watch the eclipse

Thankfully, Pippa's eyes would not be damaged as I doubt she tried to look at the sun. And in Boadilla, Oli and Miguel chose to stay at home so as not to have problems with the children taking off their glasses. They did well to do that; much safer than arguing with a 4 year old to put his or her glasses on. 

Miguel with the kids waiting for the eclipse with their glasses on

By 7.45 we could already see the sun partially eclipsed by the moon but with our glasses and great care. That was difficult as everything is dark with them on. Then oh dear the clouds appeared and we thought that would be the end of our experience. But the stars aligned better than ever and at the last minute the clouds  went and we were able to watch the sun completely covered by the moon and  its corona and then a ring of what looked like red fire. That was a special moment. By then it was night time during the day, perhaps the most incredible moment. People cheered and 1 minute 40 seconds later it was daylight again, like dawn. What an amazing experience. I was unable to take any photos as I couldn't see to do so. I got this wonderful one from NASA taken in Zaragoza where the eclipse is reflected in the river so you get two eclipses.

NASA's best picture of the eclipse taken in Zaragoza

We walked home and I felt so energised. We saw people appear from fields where they had gathered to see this rare event which we felt part of. And then it got dark again naturally as the sun set at around 9.30 pm. We had had two dawns and two sunsets that day; something to remember always.

Thursday was an important day for Suzy. She was starting her new job as a dietitian for the Compass Group, a British catering company. She is working at the hospital in Alcorcón not far from home. I wish her a lot of luck. She deserves this chance. I went with Pili again to Senra to the grumpy man's bar - who, by the way was not interested in the eclipse - for our morning coffee which has been a bit of a ritual here and a nice one. It was a very hot day and in the evening we went on our walk with Toño and Dolores. I was happy to see my pony and my donkey back in their field. Eladio took a photo of me with my equestrian friends. I promised them I would bring them some food next time. I bought apples especially for them at the supermarket on Friday but they had moved fields. 

Greeting my equestrian friends on one of our walks this week

I should have slept well that night but only got 5 hours sleep. On Friday morning Dolores and I went with Pili to get more provisions at Villablino. Pili also had to take her car for its annual MOT which, thankfully, it passed.

Once home and with the shopping unloaded,I made salmorejo - a thicker type of gazpacho - which we had followed by fish served with leek and potatoes. After our siesta we joined Eladio's family at Pili's house right next door to ours. At first we sat in the shade to have our afternoon coffee but soon the clouds came and then a thunderstorm. It lasted till late at night and briefly internet went. 

Back home, Suzy and Oli were at a birthday party for Celeste, Copi's mother. They sent me a lovely photo of the two of them together wearing flowers. Flowers were part of the party I later heard.

Suzy and Oli at Celeste's birthday party this weekend

It was on Friday evening that Tana told me Pippa wasn't eating her food, her dog food and what to do. I was a bit alarmed. Pippa is 12, going on 13 which is considered very old for a dog. For sure she is fed up of her usual kibble but I also think her taste and smell may be diminished because of her age. I gave her instructions and Suzy too, to buy her some appropriate human food; chicken, rice, sweet potato, boiled egg, beef, etc the very next day. They did that and she is now eating again bless her. 

We watched a great film on Netflix that night. Called "Los Creyentes" in Spanish,it is badly translated into "Truthers". It stars one of my favourite Spanish actors, José Coronado and nearly all the films he is in are good. Apparently it is in the Netflix top 10 in 65 countries. It had us riveted until nearly midnight.

Saturday dawned and I was up at 7 am and had slept 6 hours which is great for me. The main news that day was a 5 scale earthquake in Granada which saw no victims but did its damage to homes and cars. The other topic was Ceuta. It was expected there would be another influx of migrants like the one on 30th July when over 70.000 stormed the border from Morocco into Spain. It is said the Moroccan government allowed that to happen to get political clout. This time the latter thwarted the efforts of 300 migrants, nearly all of them from Sub Saharan Africa. They did so  by deploying hundreds of riot police, using water cannon, razor wire and tear gas on those poor souls hoping for a better life. I didn't like those scenes. And I don't like the scenes of more than 5000 desperate migrants stranded and desperate in Ceuta. There have been terrible stories of Moroccan migrants raping young Moroccan girls. The Spanish authorities have to step up there however difficult it is. 

Back in Montrondo, we knew another thunderstorm was coming in the afternoon so went on our walk in the morning, not wanting to be robbed of one again. Toño and Dolores with their dog, Pipo, came too. Morning coffee was at home this time after which I made our lunch, smoked pork cutlets with fresh asparagus and mushrooms again. I slept an hour long siesta after which the rain started and turned into a full blown thunderstorm including hail. It went on for hours and both the electricity and internet went. Life without internet is not much fun. I lit candles of which we have many around the house and waited for internet and electricity to return. It was only when Toño and Dolores came to see us hours later that we realised  the electricity had only gone in  our house. Eladio switched it on again and we had both light and internet again. How stupid we felt. 

Today is Sunday and the sun is shining although we expect another storm in the afternoon. Today will be a quiet day. Hopefully tomorrow we will have good news about the car. But more about that next week when we should be in Biarritz celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary. 

Cheers till then and all the best from Montrondo,

Masha

Buying eggs in Montrondo with Juliet, to the vet with Pippa, spectacular herd of cows passes through the village, Spain and Italy impose border checks after Ceuta migrant influx and other stories of the week.

 Montrondo, Sunday, 9th August, 2026

Elliot and Juliet came with us to the Vet in Villablino on Monday

Good morning from Montrondo, once again. We have now been here for 3 whole weeks and have another 2 to go until our holiday in Biarritz. 

It has been a very quiet week with not much to tell. We have continued to have the company of Oli and family and to enjoy our grandchildren, Elliot (6) and Juliet (4). Sadly, they are leaving this  morning as our daughter has to work on Monday.

Last Sunday was the day after the village fiesta and the family christening and lots of  people were here. One week later, many have left and it is much quieter. That  morning we joined some of Eladio's siblings for coffee in Senra. Here is a photo to remember the moment.

Coffee in Senra last Sunday with some of Eladio's family

I came home to put the roast chicken on. We had got it locally, from Riello and you could tell it wasn't shop bought. With the remains I later made a chicken noodle soup which everyone loves.

That day our Canadian guests who had booked our house in El Cuetu a whole year ago, to see the solar eclipse on 12th August, arrived. They nearly locked themselves in, sending me a message for me to "please" order my neighbour to go over with the key "immediately" . My neighbour is an elderly lady with Parkinsons so no way was I going to give her that order. There is a hidden spare key for emergencies which, in the end, they didn't need. This week I had more rental problems. The air con in the Green Room at home was not working and I had just one day to find someone to fix it. I did, at a very elevated cost. In Santa Pola, the guests broke the glass of the TV table. Thankfully, Gina, the lady who takes care of the apartment, fixed that . Hopefully the guests will pay the cost. They should do. 

Our day ended, as it nearly always does here, with an evening walk to Murias and back after dinner.

On Monday I was up at the crack of dawn at 5.30 am! When she was up,  Juliet  went with me to buy eggs from one of the farmers. My granddaughter insisted Pippa came with us. Here is a photo of her trying to walk our dog on the lead.

Juliet and Pippa came with me to buy eggs in the village on Monday

Juliet asked the farmer if she could see his hens which, kindly, he did. I took a photo of that moment to share with you here.

Juliet with some of the hens whose eggs we buy in the village. 

It must have been quite an experience for Juliet to come with me to buy eggs as she is more used to seeing her mother buy them in a supermarket! Buying eggs in Montrondo is very bucolic I think. Later my granddaughter who isn't afraid to speak her mind, asked the farmer why he only had one tooth and would he please show it to her. I was mortified and hope his feelings were not hurt.

Oli and her family later drove to Villablino for more provisions and I went with my neighbour Pili, Eladio's youngest sister,  to have morning coffee at the old prison in Murias which nowadays is a successfully run rural hotel. There is a large signpost saying the terrace is for guests only but we ignored it and enjoyed our coffee in the most beautiful of surroundings. Morning coffee is often the highlight of the day for me which you will know if you read this blog regularly.

 I came home to find Pippa being sick over and over again on an empty stomach which had me worried. After lunch she had diarrhea and I didn't hesitate to find and ring a vet. I rang one in Villablino and that is where we spent the afternoon. The kids wanted to come with us and I thought it would be an interesting experience for them and it was. We took a photo of them at the vet which I have chosen for this week's feature photo. They had a grand time and the best thing is that Pippa was promptly dealt with. The vet pronounced she had gastroenteritis. She took her temperature through her bum to the delight of Elliot and Juliet. They were sorry for her when she was administered 2 injections, an antibiotic and one to stop her being sick. They behaved so well, we invited them to an ice cream across the road from the vet before going home. I had  a panic moment when Juliet wanted to go to the loo. She was wearing a pinafore dress with devilish buttons at the back. I don't know how I got them off but had to ask the waitress to put them on again afterwards, haha.

Here they are enjoying the moment and also doing some puzzles the kind vet, Elena, had given them along with some crayons.

Lovely moments with our grandchildren when they came with us to the Vet on Monday

We later had a small dinner at home followed by our walk. Once back we spent time before bed with José Antonio and Dolores. 

I had a better night and woke up more refreshed on Tuesday. I was up at 6.20 - better than 5.30 - and fed Pippa the special food the vet gave us which she seemed to like. Her gastroenteritis soon disappeared and she was herself again, thank goodness. 

We went food shopping with José Antonio and Dolores, the highlight always being coffee and biscuits at a bar in Villablino. I brought back enough food for our lunches until Oli and family were leaving. No doubt we will be going again next Tuesday but will buy a lot less as I will only be making meals for 2; just us and not even Pippa. Pips, sadly, will be returning to Madrid today with Oli and family as we have no one to look after her when we go to France. So tonight she will be sleeping with Suzy. We will miss her badly and so will a lot of the village kids. 

I had my weekly Facetime call with Amanda in the afternoon. To get some privacy I sat on a chair near Toño's chickens, another local spectacle. We spoke for 1.5h and it was great therapy as usual. In a month's time we will be in Devon to celebrate her 70th birthday - yes 70! We have been friends for nearly 60 years, a lifetime. 

Once our call was over,  I joined Oli on a walk round the village following Juliet who went to her friend Carla's house where they have a bouncing castle. She loved it. I had to leave them to join Eladio for his 8 pm dinner after which we were joined by José Antonio and Dolores on our evening walk. It was good to have company and they have gone with us on more walks since then.

Wednesday came and wonder of wonders I had slept for nearly 6 and a half hours. Eladio and I took the kids with us for coffee at Senra and I got them a Fanta each as well as a small box of Pringles and some crisps. That meant, of course, they would not be hungry for lunch damn it. I go all out to make lunches I think they will like but they never do. I think they live off crisps, biscuits and sweets. No doubt they will go back to normal at school in September. 

Just as I got up from my siesta, I heard cows and walked to the main gate of our complex. Indeed there were cows and many of them, over 100 I would say. They had been dropped off in Murias and were being walked through Montrondo and up to the mountains where they will spend the rest of the summer. It was a beautiful spectacle and a bit of fun too as some of them veered across the road and into a neighbour's garden. The people here are used to cows but not so many at the same time. Our grandchildren loved what they saw. I took a video to share with you which you can see here.

Eladio felt like going out afterwards and wanted to visit his parents and grandmother's graves so we took Juliet (and Pippa) with us. Here is Juliet on her bike with Eladio on our way to the church.

Juliet on her bike coming with us to the cemetery

Eladio became very nostalgic, melanchonic and sad as he sat and contemplated the graves.I told Juliet her grandfather (Booboo) was sad and she went and gave him a hug, bless her. This was the moment.

Juliet hugging her beloved "Booboo" at the cemetery this week

She soon got bored and wanted to leave and we walked with her to the village green called "El Campo". A group of mostly men were playing a game of bowls unique to the area but although Eladio knows how to play he didn't want to join in. Instead he took a photo of me by the "Pilón", a well where his family used to get water before they had running water in the house. Imagine!

Me by the well on the village green this week

Eladio felt like socialising that day and suggested we go to the bar. We sat with a group of women we know well and felt at home. Later we went outside to talk to another group, some of whom had gone to school with Eladio. When they are here, Eladio and his siblings love to reminisce. They had a hard life but despite the difficulties there are many good times for them to look back on. 

The day ended the same as every day this week, dinner alone, our walk to Murias and back and early to bed.

On Thursday I weighed myself for the first time since I left Madrid, thanks to some modern scales Dolores gave us. Thank you Dolores. If the scales are right I now weigh about 61 kilos and have lost 5 thanks to Mounjaro. Whoopee. Again that morning I went with Pili for coffee at La Cárcel. 

I can't remember what I made for lunch that day - oh yes, roast chicken legs with potatoes - and again it was a struggle for the kids to eat the meal I had made. They have no idea at age 4 and  6 the effort I put in here to feed everyone everyday. 

Suzy had good news that day. She had been offered another job, this one was up her street as a dietitian at a hospital in Alcorcón, a town near us. She has been hired by a British catering company called Compass Group. Later came the bad news, she wants to leave home which we know will be difficult on her salary and her intention is to go and live in London again. What worries us is that she won't take her medication if she leaves home. She starts next week and I wish her luck. 

Friday morning saw me making "cocido madrileño", a slow cooked chickpea, meat and vegetable stew which we all love. I spent all morning making it, only stopping to go with Eladio for a coffee to Senra. We had a lazy afternoon and evening and our day ended as usual. 

On Saturday I was up at about 6 am and had only had 5 hours sleep; just not enough. It was Oli family's last full day here. We went on our only walk together and it was to Murias where, unfortunately, there was nowhere to have our coffee. Meanwhile, Eladio and Toño, together with Pippa who I miss already, walked up the mountains as far as the Birch tree forest and came back exhausted. Pippa came back very dirty and had to have another bathe in our claw foot bathtub:-)

The big news that day came from the Spanish government which introduced temporary border checks on visitors from Italy. This was in retaliation for Rome imposing similar measures to Spanish visitors after the major influx of migrants to Ceuta. Georgia Meloni, the Italian Premiere announced the extreme measure even though she knew and knows that any non EU visitor has to face a Police Control when leaving Ceuta for the Spanish mainland. The whole thing is a political storm in a teacup and is ridiculous. The press published pictures yesterday of the new control for Spaniards arriving in Italy who now have to go through a separate lane and be checked for their ID. This goes against the Schengen agreement where EU citizens travelling within the EU are not generally submitted to border checks. It made me quite angry when I saw this photo.

A special lane for Spaniards arriving in Italy.

It rained yesterday, on and off for the second time in 3 weeks. There was a huge thunderstorm with lightning which thankfully did not cause a fire as the terrain was wet. It was lightning during a dry thunderstorm that caused last year's dreadful fire.

It was Oli and family's last day with us and it was bittersweet. Juliet told us she wanted to stay with her grandparents and was very loving towards us. It was Elliot's last day with his favourite cousin, Oliver, who have been inseparable throughout their stay. It was lovely to see their friendship blossom. 

Today is Sunday and as I write, they have just left. Poor Juliet burst into tears of emotion to leave us behind. That made me cry too but I hastened to tell her we will see each other again soon at Alicia's wedding in León at the end of the month. Pippa was fastened in between Elliot and Juliet and seemed to be quite comfortable but it was heart wrenching to see her go too. It was  a sad moment as their car left the gates and they were on their way. We wish them a very safe journey.

Our day will be much quieter and less chaotic without them I suppose. We shall continue to enjoy our stay here but it won't be the same.

Now it is time to leave you and have my second cup of coffee before I take my shower and get on with the day.

Wishing you all the best, cheers Masha

To A&E in León, Oli and family fly back from Mallorca and join us in Montrondo, 60.000 migrants cross into Ceutu, Spain from Morocco, a family christening in the village and other stories of the week.

Montrondo, Sunday 2nd August, 2026

Fun at the party yesterday

Good morning everyone from Montrondo where we have been since 14th July. It is really like a home away from home with the difference being we are up in the mountains and have escaped the heat of Madrid. Oh how I love this place in the summer. 

Thankfully, I can report that the terrible fires that raged in Madrid last week are finally under control and those evacuated have gone home. There are more of course and there was one very near here but it was put out immediately.  The main news here this week was of course the crossing of over 60.000 migrants from Morocco into the Spanish city of Ceuta which was a provocative invasion but I will come to that later. 

It was quiet until this week when more and more members of the family came and now the houses are full and yesterday at the christening for the latest addition to the family, little Tirso, there were 57 people gathered here, 40 adults and 17 children. Imagine!

Last  Sunday was the quietest day of the week. We didn't do much, our only excursion, our daily evening walk to Murias and back.

On Monday I decided I needed to go to A&E in León where there is a big hospital. My UTI was not getting better after two different bouts of antibiotics so off we went. I even took my suitcase as I thought I might be admitted. Thankfully, I wasn't. We spent most of the morning there and at one point they took me aside and injected me with what I thought was a potent antibiotic which turned out to be "Nolotil" a potent pain killer I did not need.

At A&E on Monday in León

To cut a long story short, the antibiotics were not working because unknowingly I had two bacteria; nasty ones called Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. They had come out in the culture results a few days after my first visit to A&E in Madrid but no doctor had seen them. I had showed them to AI which I now know you cannot trust. So one may have been killed off but not the other. Thus I was given yet another type of antibiotic which I have to take for 8 days. I am hating it because it has caused some sort of fungus in my you know where which is driving me mad.  We spent all morning at A&E but I came out relieved I didn't have to be admitted. We then drove into León for a late lunch. Later we shopped at Mercadona to stock up on things we cannot buy in this area. I think we didn't get home till nearly 7pm feeling pretty exhausted. We still managed our evening walk though. 

At about that time, Oli and family were flying back to Madrid from their holiday in Mallorca. Clever Miguel asked the pilot if Elliot and Juliet could visit the cockpit and they got the thrill of their lives. Elliot said there were a "lot of buttons". Here they are, the little mites having an exciting time.

Juliet and Elliot in the cockpit on the flight home from Mallorca on Monday

Tuesday was spent washing and cleaning in anticipation of their arrival on Wednesday. I also did a lot of rental admin stuff. This is a busy time of year for me, especially with all the reservations in Santa Pola and El Cuetu. But so far, so good. I have had some very happy guests who gave me great reviews which is wonderful. This  year I have a good cleaner in El Cuetu and Gina who looks after the flat and all my guests in Santa Pola is a treasure. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Oli took the kids for a much needed haircut. She sent me these photos:

Elliot and Juliet after their haircuts in Madrid on Tuesday

That evening we invited our neighbours, Pili, Toño and Dolores to wine and pistachios on our terrace. It was wonderful but I got a splitting headache afterwards. Alcohol often does that to me and I should drink very little which I do but sometimes I don't and then pay for the consequences. 

Wednesday came and our quiet time was over. I spent the morning cooking non stop as Oli and her family were arriving for lunch. I made the kids' favourite meal; meat balls, 60 of them! I served them with rice which came out perfect and runner beans. The bread was local from Murias, Oli's favourite and dessert was a platter of divine fruit: black cherries, cantaloupe melon, pineapple and black figs. Not for me, apples, pears and bananas. 

The table laid for lunch on Wednesday when Oli and family were arriving.

It was hot that day in the village with the temperature reaching 28ºc but no complaining as that is 10 degrees less than Madrid and bearable. 

They arrived on time and it was a sweet reunion. The kids were delighted to be back. Later Oli asked Elliot from a scale of 1 to 10 how happy he was. His answer was 10. Well, it would be. Here the kids have all their cousins and other children from the village to play with. Here they are safe and can ride their bicycles till Kingdom come and stay up late. They are never bored here. When I watch them I am reminded of Suzy and Olivia when they were small and how much they enjoyed their time here.That also makes me conscious of our age. We are now the same age as Eladio's parents were at the time and we were the age of our children who are now nearly all in their 40's (from 55 down to 34). It is lovely to watch but makes you feel a bit old. Their cousins range from aged 16 to 5 months old with many around 4, 5, 6 and 7; perfect for 4 and 6 year old Elliot and Juliet who will turn 5 and 7 in September. It's a wonderful age as they can be independent here and their parents less vigilant. 

As soon as lunch was over, Miguel, my son-in-law went upstairs to assemble their new furniture from Ikea which had arrived in their absence. That day he finished the bunk bed and the next day their chest of drawers. I always think sleeping on a bunk bed is very exciting for children. Their room used to be my study. Now I don't have one but right now I am writing from the terrace at the back of the house which is  a lovely place to be and very inspiring. I am writing as they all sleep as it is impossible to do so when everyone is up as there are too many interruptions.

Since last year, we now have a bar in the village which is the focal point in the summer. Elliot loves it, knows all the prices and is especially happy as his drink, Aquarias or similar (not allowed Coca Cola) comes with some fruit gums on a plate. He was joined by two of his cousins. The bar was selling raffle tickets for Saturday's Santa Marta fiesta. For 1 euro you got 6 or 7 numbers and the prize was 300 euros. I bought numbers for all of us present and got the kids to put their names on the back. Years ago the raffle was for a baby lamb and our family won it. You won't be surprised I didn't want to eat it after getting to know the poor little animal. Thankfully, the raffle is not for an animal to be eaten .Much better to win money, hahaha. Oli was greeted by lots of the villagers who are firm fans of her on TV and many had seen her reporting on the earthquake in Venezuela. That made me very proud of course. 

I made the dinner for everyone but didn't partake of it as these days I am just now hungry for in the evening. We have a timetable problem here for the evening meal as Eladio wants his at 8 pm and the kids are out playing at that time. Thus I decided that from then on,  I would make lunch every day but not dinner. Making lunch can take hours until everything is put away and I refuse now to do that in the evenings too. In a way I went on strike, hahaha.  So Eladio and I went on our walk which we wouldn't miss for all the tea in China for want of a better expression. 

On Thursday, as always, I was the first up. I got up at 6.30 with Pippa who always gets up with me. We went for a coffee to Senra with Toño and Pili which was a nice interval in the day. I came home to start lunch which was roast lamb with roast potatoes which everyone loved. Lamb is my favourite meat. We tried to have a siesta but the noise from upstairs was thunderous. Many more members of Eladio's big family arrived and soon it felt a little overwhelming. We now all have a house each and I simply cannot fathom how we used to sleep when there was only one house, a restored barn and one bathroom to boot. We told Elliot the other day that when Eladio was  a child there was not bathroom or running water. He asked if they were poor.They were poor but never went hungry but were rich in many ways. When I see our grandchildren refusing their food I imagine what it was like for Eladio and their siblings as children. I bet they never dared to. Kids have it so easy these days and live in abundance. I think it was good for Elliot to hear his grandfather's story. The bar used to be the school and "Booboo" explained to his grandson that their were different entrances for the boys and girls. That he couldn't fathom. 

As we went for our walk that evening on the old path, there were tractors making haystacks in the fields. It was a sight for sore eyes. I had to have a photo of the hay stacks, the shape of these here are called "rollos"  (rolls). Eladio told me how hard it was every summer when he was young and the whole family had to work together to make them with their hands. Imagine!

Me with haystacks freshly made in the fields on our walk on Thursday evening. 

It was around that time and earlier that there was a mass crossing of migrants into the Spanish enclave, Cuetu in North Africa of up over 60.000 Moroccans and nearly 60 people died trying.  Word had spread that entry was allowed or rather that migrants would not be turned back after a court sentence prohibiting the return to Morocco of those who swam there. Many, many did, wearing wet suits and or rubber rings. Once on Spanish territory, they removed the suits, took our their phones and sent photos back to Morocco encouraging others to do the same. This came after the court sentence but also after Pedro Sánchez, Spain's PM, had visited their arch enemy, Algeria. Trump, an ally of the dictatorial Moroccan King, was gleeful in his criticism of Spain's left wing government. He accused it of encouraging migrants to come after the legalization of over a million in recent times. He used it as an excuse or example of what would happen to the USA if they let all illegal immigrants in.  He is also cross with Sanchez for his stance against Israel and for not letting the USA use their military bases in Spain for the Iran war. It was very probable that the Moroccan King supported the mass influx into Spain by allowing the Moroccan police to turn a blind eye. However, I think he overestimated the numbers that came.  Ceuta has a population of 80.00 so imagine the influx. It was awful and felt as though the city and the country had been invaded. Shops closed, people stayed at home and the unwelcome migrants had nowhere to go. The Promised Land did not look attractive once the tens of thousands arrived. There was nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat and the Spanish authorities just could not cope. Today as I write, most of them have turned back home. But Morocco and Trump have made their stance and made Spain look bad. Meloni of Italy and others wanted to close Spain's border with the rest of the Schengen countries and now Morocco, gleefully has made a political statement over the ownership of Ceuta and Melilla. It's complicated to go into but both enclaves have belonged to Spain since 1580. It's a bit like the Gibraltar issue which the UK hangs onto and of course the local population do not want to belong to poorer Morocco where there is a dictatorship. It was a huge crisis and it won't go away.

Far away in Montrondo life was quiet and we could hardly imagine what life was like in Ceuta; frightening I imagine.  On Friday morning Juliet visited us in our bedroom in the morning as she does often. Well, both of them do. Elliot comes to pinch my chewing gum. They love coming to see Pippa who sleeps with us. Here is Juliet stroking our wonderful canine member of the family.

Juliet stroking Pippa in our room where she comes often to see what we are up to.

Her brother Elliot loves Pippa just as much and here he is also stroking her that morning outside the house.

Elliot stroking Pippa. Oh how he loves her. 

That morning saw me at the local GP. She couldn't find the results of the urine culture but gave me something for the itch which didn't really work. It will only go when I finish the antibiotics, I suppose. From there we went to Senra for coffee, stopping on the way at the chemist. Aftewards I spent 3 hours making lunch which was exhausting. Yesterday we had a break from cooking because of the party but today will be similar. It's not really a holiday if you have to cook for 6 people every day is it? More and more people arrived for the party the next day and it was all rather crowded.  But it is wonderful for the whole family to gather for such an important gathering. The only pity was that Suzy couldn't come and I missed her dearly.

Saturday came, 1st August and the day of Montrondo's patron saint, Santa Marta. We had our own party really and I didn't see anything of the village festival. In any case the big event, the dance, never starts until 11.30 at night, way past my bedtime. 

The village mass was at 12.30 and was followed by the baptism. Here are some photos to remember the occasion.

At the baptism yesterday

Once it was over, we headed back to where our group of houses is with its big quadrangle, called "el corral". Pili had organised outside catering with 4 waiters and we didn't have to do anything except enjoy the food, the company and the festivities. I have to say it was the most splendid party I have ever seen in Montrondo. Here are some photos to remember it, including the dancing afterwards.

Some pictures from yesterday's party in Montrondo

Juliet in her element

Elliot

We had group photos taken and I have to include this year's photo of Eladio and his 5 siblings, as always in order of age. This is it.

The six siblings. From right to left: Eladio, José Antonio, Adela, Alejandro, Pili and Isidro. Their ages range from 82 to 64.  Life was very different for them when they grew up and a party like yesterday's would have been unthinkable. They had parties, of course, but everything was done at home. 

The party continued until late, long after the caterers had gone. We had a makeshift dinner all together outside in the "corral" which each household contributed to.  I think we must have all gone to bed exhausted but happy. It was a wonderful day; a day to be remembered.

Today is Sunday and I shall be cooking again as all my sisters-in-laws will be too. We shall probably go to Senra for coffee and in the afternoon gather together in the "corral" after which Eladio and I will resume our evening walks. We need them to work off the calories consumed yesterday hahaha.

I have come to the end of the tales of this week. All that remains is to wish you all a good day and to thank you for reading my blog. For that I am always grateful.

Cheers from Montrondo, 

Masha