Santa Pola for a late summer break, swimming in the sea in October and why I love Spain, time with Suzy, Elliot grows, Quo Vadis Boris Johnson and other stories.

Sunday 13th October, 2019

At one of my favourite spots - on the cliffs by the lighthouse 

Good morning everyone.

Here I am in our Santa Pola at our apartment. We will be leaving later this morning after a lovely late summer break by the sea.

Last Sunday saw us set off for here with Suzy and little Pippa. I suppose I should have written "autumn break" as it is autumn but the weather is so good it feels like summer. The weather people on the television are referring to it as "veroño" - a mixture of the two words "verano" (summer) and "otoño (autumn). We hadn't been since February so that's quite a while. We had been meaning to come in the summer but there never seemed to be the right time. Plus of course Elliot was due to arrive and no way could we be away for that. We would miss him here of course but spoke to Oli nearly everyday on a whatsapp video call so that we could see the little tot.

We set off at about 10.30 with a car full of luggage and lots of food. I didn't want to have to do food shopping when we arrived so took as much with me as possible. Here are Suzy and Pippa ready to go.

Suzy and Pippa just as we set off last Sunday

Suzy hadn't been since October 2018 and was looking forward to time at our relaxing pad near the sea which we bought 20 years ago. Gosh I remember it as if it were yesterday. I had just been given severance pay after 9 years with Motorola and we decided to invest in a property by the sea.  We have never regretted that decision. It's a modest little place but we have grown to love it.

On the way we stopped for lunch at the Parador in Albacete, a sleepy big town famous for making steel which is nobody's destination as it is pretty ugly. Maybe its inhabitants don't agree but for me it's just a stopping place on the way to Alicante. However, we love the Parador which is situated on the outskirts.

We arrived at our flat to 28c at about 4.30 and everything was in order. It took us about an hour to clean the floors and surfaces, unpack and settle in. Eladio was tired after the long drive but Suzy, Pippa and I wanted a walk and that's what we got.

We set off for the lighthouse over the cliffs with its great viewing point of  the little island of Tabarca which we have recently rediscovered.

The view from the cliffs

I always love that walk and so does Suzy. When we first came it was a pretty unknown spot with not many people around. Recently, however, two ugly pier like bridges have been built which are a total eyesore. I always ignore them. However, they have attracted people and there were quite a few around that evening, being a Sunday. We ignored them and walked a bit further away to admire the views and take some pictures. Usually I go alone with Pippa and have to take a selfie. That day I had Suzy to take the photos. I have chosen one of them as the main photo for this week's post as it's a place I love, so relaxing and beautiful. Here is another one of me kissing Pippa, my adored little miniature dachshund.

Pippa and I on the cliffs

It's just over an hour's walk there and back and we were home by just after 7 pm. Eladio was sitting on our little terrace and we could see him from the Mediterranean garden which surrounds our blocks of flats. See if you can spot him.

Spot Eladio looking out of our terrace 

It was very warm on our walk and I came home to have a shower. I then sat with Eladio on the terrace catching up on my social media. That's when I realised I had been bitten by mosquitoes. There are not usually many here and especially not at this time of year but this week there have been. When I went to take Pippa out later that night, I was bitten alive. That was the unpleasant part of our time here. The next day I went to the chemist to get insect repellent and mosquito bite relief cream. That's when I heard from the pharmacist that there are swarms of them caused apparently by the devastating freak weather and flooding that happened a few weeks ago. I also read later that as the world gets warmer, owing to climate change, one of the horrible consequences is plagues of mosquitoes. I was horrified. 

We had a lovely meal of prawns with avocado and mango salad followed by fresh figs - how healthy and delicious after which we called Olivia. It was great to see little Elliot feeding at her breast and to talk to Oli and Miguel.

Later we watched the news. There is a lot of tension around what will happen on 31st October vs a vs Brexit. Oh how the subject gets me down. Doesn't it get you down?

Thankfully the film we watched that night took my mind off it. We were up till past midnight watching a film about a dangerous sect in the Canary Islands in the late 90's and then it was time for bed.

I was awake a t 7 am on Monday morning.  It looked wet outside as if it had rained during the night but on closer inspection I saw it was dew as there is a lot of condensation here owing to the sticky climate in the area. 26ºc which was the temperature it reached here on Monday is warm for the coast. As Suzy had lessons from 12 to 3 the days she was here, we fitted into her timetable, going to the beach or for a walk in the morning and making lunch for when she finished. Thus at around 9.30 am we were down by the beach and amazingly had it more or less to ourselves. There was no fighting for front line space which happens in July and August. The temperature was perfect and the sea water was crystal clear, calm and not at all cold as I realised when I went in. I hadn't swum in the sea since last summer and loved the moment my skin touched the clean water. Here I am about to go in.

On a nearly empty beach on Monday morning

The beach we usually go to is called Arenales del Sol and has two parts, one built up and the other which is a natural beach with dunes and absolutely no buildings. We choose the latter always. I couldn't persuade Suzy or Eladio to join me although I did manage to get my husband to go in later. We took Pippa with us although dogs are not allowed on this beach and on very few in Spain - unfair! We wouldn't dare take her to it in the high season but I don't care when it is low season. I don't think the other people care either. I mean, why cannot dogs go on beaches, a natural habitat for them? Spain is such a non dog friendly country and yet has a high percentage of owners, I just don't get it. There are very few places to take them. Where we have our apartment, they are not allowed by the pool either nor in the gardens surrounding the buildings. Where are they supposed to go then I ask myself? So on Monday Pippa enjoyed her walk and time on the beach even though it was illegal for her to be there. Damn it.

Soon we were on our walk  to the far end of the natural beach to the rocks where people fish except that day there was no one there. It was only when we were back at our chairs which by the way have stood the time very well as we bought them 20 years ago, that after seeing me go in the water again, Eladio copied me and went in too. Here he is enjoying his moment, his first bathe this year too.

Eladio in the sea on Monday

 A friend, Joanne, commented on the photos above which I also posted on Instagram,  saying "You are lucky. We need a wet suit to even think about going to the sea". My friend Sandra commented on the photo of me by the lighthouse saying: "seems odd to see you by the sea in a t-shirt. Have the heating on in Brussels and walking the dog in my winter rain attire! Time to plan a southern retirement".  Our dear Danish friend Pernille, commented on the photo of me in the sea: "That's why I love Spain". It's why I love Spain too, because of its climate. I could never have known when I was s teenager coming here and enjoying the good weather that I would end up living in Spain. For me as a teenager, sunny weather was something only to be found on a holiday abroad. No wonder so many retired people come to live on the "Costas". I don't blame them. On days like these I too think that this is one of the reasons why I also love Spain.

I could have stayed there all morning but we had to leave at 11.30 for Suzy to get ready for her lessons. She is lucky working for Dada as she can work anywhere provided she has an internet connection. At the apartment we don't have wifi as we don't come often enough so we use our mobile phones as wifi hotspots and it works a treat. We came home to have a shower; Pippa and I that is and then Eladio and I had a well deserved cup of coffee and some fruit before going out on errands. We had to go and arrange for some curtains that had been mended at a shop where we took them back in February to be installed that day at home. We then went to the ubiquitous Mercadona to get a few things we had forgotten to bring from home and then came home to slowly make lunch. Eladio took the time to paint the windows where the curtains would be installed.

Lunch was lovely and was made with no rush which is how I like to cook. After lunch we all took a siesta and I was up again at 5 where I joined Suzy on the terrace. She suggested a walk to the beach but I felt lazy. It's not far at all but as our apartment is on a cliff it's a steep walk down and up. I spent the afternoon lazily reading a detective story. I only went out to take Pippa down to the garden a couple of times, well aware she is not allowed there. But where else can I take her when she needs a physical break I asked myself?

Suzy was back just before the "curtain man" who came at around 8 pm. He was going to take a while so we set about making a big salad for dinner which we would have with ham. Suzy says I eat too much ham - she is vegan. Later we watched the news, a silly film and were in bed by 11 pm.

I fought the mosquito bite itching during the night a couple of times and was up on Tuesday at 7 a.m. We aimed to go the beach that morning but the gas man came to inspect the installations so we were held up. As Suzy was running out of time for her lessons, we went for a walk to the lighthouse instead. Suzy features in my headline this week. We have had quality time with her which is a good and necessary thing as I am well aware her 6 months with us are coming to a close. She will be returning to her new life in Bali on 24th October and we will miss her so much. It's just too far away. This week I read there are investments in a new airplane that will take just one hour from London to New York. I don't suppose it will be in my lifetime although I wish it would, but shortening travel times is just a question of time and technology. Over a 100 years ago people still traveled with a horse and cart, cars were a luxury few could afford and there was hardly any if no  commercial air travel. How things have changed today in just one century. The advance of technology is speeding up so fast these days, I have no doubt that in the future travel may well become instant. Wouldn't that be great? Suzy says it won't but I think it will. If it was available today I would be able to go round and see her anytime and swim with her on a beach in Bali. Maybe Elliot will see that in his lifetime.

Talking of Elliot, on Tuesday, Oli and Miguel took him to the pediatrician for his weekly check up. He had put on weight and also had grown from 53 cm at birth to 55 cm. He eats all the time so I can only imagine him becoming a very tall boy. Just look at his legs at 3 weeks old.

Long legged Elliot at 3 weeks old

With those legs he will make a good sportsman too and no doubt his father who is very sporty, and his mother, will bring him up to be an active young boy. Maybe he will play basketball, who knows? His father is a cross fit fan and a very good swimmer so let's see what sport Elliot likes when he grows.

Our only sport is walking but that is a very healthy thing and that morning, as I said, we walked to the lighthouse and back which takes just over an hour. This time we had Suzy to take a photo of us with little Pippa on the edge of the cliffs looking out onto the ocean. Here is one I love.

Eladio, Pippa and I on the cliffs near the lighthouse

I caught Suzy on camera too when I took this photo of her on the pier like bridge on the cliffs. I don't like the structure but have to admit the views from there are superb.

Suzy looking out at the sea from the bridge by the cliffs

The temperature reached 27º c that day and when we got home I needed a shower. I also needed one to relieve the awful itching on my legs from the damned mosquitoes. I was wearing insect repellent but hadn't put any on my face and got two bites, one on my cheek and one on my scalp; a second one. Oh how I hate them. Why is it only me who gets bitten? Eladio never does. They probably prefer my whiter skin damn them. Later I counted and I had over 25 bites on my body!

We spent the rest of the morning leisurely while Suzy taught. I could hear peels of laughter while she did fun activities with her little Chinese children. She has told me they hardly have time to play; it's all work for them with little time off and that they spend most of their time studying. Poor them.

I made our lunch; fish with lots of veggies to make Suzy happy and we watched the news while eating, something we never do at home. The news that day was depressing. Angela Merkel and Boris Johnson had a phone call about his plan with the contentious Irish border issue and she told him Europe would mot approve it. He is blaming the EU but this is not a blaming game. Later Donald Tusk, the President of the European council, tweeted: "what's at stake is not some stupid blame game. At stake is the future of Europe and the UK as well as the security and interests of our people". He added something I suspect is true and if it is- it's awful: "You don't want a deal, you don't want an extension, you don''t want to revoke, quo vadis? He used the term "quo vadis" meaning where are you going? I imagine because Boris Johnson is a great classics fan and is always using Latin terms, in that rather superior Etonian way. Yes Boris, I ask you "where are you going, where are you leading us too, to doom?

The other news was not good either; the impeachment process of Donald Trump, huge demonstrations in Ecuador over fuel subsidy cuts which saw the government move from Quito to Guayaquil, Trump backing Erdogan, Turkey's premier, in attacks against Kurds, more unrest in Hong Kong and the bad news went on. I always wonder why it is nearly only bad news that is reported on when I am sure there are lots of positive things that we don't hear much about. For instance, there has been progress in the combat of alzheimer  with the discovery of a new medicine that could halt loss of memory. In my mind if the two most deadly diseases, alzheimer and cancer could be overcome then that would be the best news of the century. I trust it will come, maybe not in my life but hopefully in Elliot's. I love to see advances in science to combat medical diseases. A few decades ago when I was younger, Aids was the great curse and that is no longer the case, so I think there is hope for alzheimer and cancer. I sincerely hope I am right. 

In the afternoon while Eladio slept his Spanish siesta, Suzy and I set off for the beach with Pippa. We decided to walk down. It would be the first time I have walked there. It's not far, just a few minutes in the car but our apartment is high up on a cliff and although it looks over the sea and seems very near the walk is quite long. I always wish they would build a straight path then the walk would be much shorter. They could even build a lift or cable car. Now that would be a great idea. The walk did us good but it was hot at 5 pm and I was dying for a swim when we got to the beach; Playa de Carabasi, the nearest one to our house. There were some people there but not many. I far prefer the beach out of season. Well who doesn't? But not everyone has the luxury of choosing when to go like we do.

Suzy and I read sitting on our towels in the sand and an hour or so later my husband came looking for us. By then it was getting cool but hey I thought, 24ºc at 19.15 is pretty amazing. As a friend told me later, at that time in the UK it would be dark. Not here, yet, another reason I love Spain, for all the light in the day that we get.  Just before we left, I caught, Suzy, laughing her head off, Eladio and Pippa on camera. I love the picture don't you?

On the beach at 19.15 with sun on Tuesday evening

We left shortly afterwards and I came home to have my shower feeling very hungry after all the exercise and sea breeze. That night I made tortilla for dinner which is always popular. Later we watched the depressing news again. Not having a smart TV to watch Netflix on, we went to bed to read on our kindles but not before video calling Oli and Miguel to see little Elliot. Bless the little sweetie, he was asleep in Miguel's arms. Oli warned us his peacefulness would end shortly when they went to bed which is generally when he wakes up hahaha.

I slept with lots of insect repellent on - what a stink - but I woke up, thankfully with no more bites although there would me more later.  Wednesday was to be Suzy's last day with us. She would be leaving that evening as on Thursday her friend, Sandra, was coming from London to see her for a few days. We stayed on  to get the most of the best weather here, although the weather in Madrid has been just as good.

Our intention was to go the beach that morning but the damned Volvo wouldn't start. It plays that trick sometimes and so far mechanics don't know what is wrong with it. Thus Eladio had to call the insurance company for a man to come out and get it to start. Meanwhile, Suzy and I decided to spend the time by the pool which belongs to the complex of buildings where we have our apartment. Unlike public pools in most of Spain that close on 15th September and only open again on 15th June, the one here is open for most of the year. We were lucky as we had it to ourselves. See if you can spot Suzy sunbathing in this photo below.

The pool we share with the other apartments - spot Suzy

After the man had come about the car which he had got to start and told Eladio the problem was the automatic starter, Eladio joined us. He left the car on a downhill slope just in case it wouldn't start again. Here he is sitting a reading on the grass with views of the sea behind him. It's such a peaceful place to be I don't know why we don't spend more time there.

Eladio reading by the pool on Wednesday

Olivia and Elliot were also out and about that morning in Madrid enjoying the October sunshine. She sent us some lovely photos of her and Elliot with his eyes wide open. It's possible he bears more of a resemblance to his father than to her but only time will tell. What a big little chap he is becoming. Here they are together.

Mummy Olivia and her baby, little Elliot

The rest of the day was spent very lazily and we didn't get our walk in. After lunch Suzy walked down to the beach to get her last few hours of beach time. I didn't join her probably out of sheer laziness. I did go though with Eladio to pick her up. He was afraid the car wouldn't start but it did - have to get it mended.

Shortly afterwards we drove her to Alicante where she was to catch the high speed train to Madrid. She had a bit of an adventure getting home as the train was late which is unusual for the "Ave". That meant she missed the last bus to where we live and had to order a Uber. Thank God for Uber I say.

We didn't fall asleep until we knew she was safely home.  I slept fitfully owing to all the old and new mosquito bites. At times it felt like I had a small bout of malaria - I'm exaggerating but oh how they plague me. I do wish some sort of ointment or medication could be invented that really puts a stop to the itching but nothing really works properly. Eladio, on the other hand, has hardly been bitten and where he has it doesn't itch. That proves they prefer the blood of fairer skinned people like me.

Thursday came and it was market day in Gran Alacant. We love buying the local fresh fruit and vegetables there but I also like to look at the clothes. I tried on a dress which didn't convince me, looked at some cheap blouses but decided I really didn't need anything. What interested me more were the baby clothes stalls now that I have a small grandson and at one of them I bought a lovely baby grow. I always dressed my babies in them and found them the most practical baby ware there is. Spaniards only use them as pyjamas; I used them all the time.

We bought lots of fruit and veg although this is not the best season for fruit. I far prefer summer fruit; peaches, etc but they are hard now. Here I am picking my own choice at one of the stalls.

At the fruit and veg market on Thursday

After shopping at the market we decided to go out for the day. There are plenty of choices but I nearly always want to go to the same place; to Callosa, Algar or Bollula, the area where my mother and Auntie Masha bought a house each in 1972. It's also the area where Eladio and I fell in love in the summer of 1980 so it means an awful lot to me. We decided on Algar, a lovely enclave in an orange grove gorge in the mountains that has spectacular waterfalls and natural pools with very cold water. We also like to go there for lunch and use one of the swimming pools either at Casa Marcos or at Don Juan de Algar. We went to the latter as the former was closed down for October which is the month of the "fiestas" in Callosa.

We got there by just after 1.30 and decided to have lunch immediately. We were given a table by the pool and were the first guests. Here are Eladio and Pippa at the table by the pool.

Eladio at Algar sitting down for lunch with Pippa under his chair

I do love the setting and remember many happy times there as a teenager, as a love struck young girl and  later as a young mother when we took the girls there when on holiday at my aunt's house in Bolulla. Oh if only my aunt, my mother and my brother could have risen from their graves to be with us on Thursday. Oh, how I miss them.

My mother would have loved our choice of food: "arroz señoret" a type of paella where the seafood is shelled as she adored rice. This was it and we polished off three quarters of it, taking back the rest in a "doggy bag".

Our "arroz señoret" at Algar on Thursday

We used to go there a lot and I remember the swimming pool being opened in the 70's. It's still going strong.

The pool at Algar

That's where we headed after our lunch and where we stayed all afternoon. I would have liked to visit the waterfalls and swim in the natural pools but Eladio wasn't keen. I would also have liked to visit Bolulla afterwards and have dinner there for old times sake but we didn't this time. I sat in the sun reading occasionally going into the empty pool to cool off every now and again while Eladio slept his siesta on one of the sunbeds.

We left at around 7 am, before sunset and headed off home down the very familiar road towards Benidorm and past the picturesque villages of my youth, Polop and La Nucia. Just before we got home we went to the local Mercadona to get more provisions as our cupboards were a bit bare after so many days here. We had a very simple but delicious dinner of ham and salad, a dinner we have possibly too often - Suzy tells me I shouldn't eat so much ham:(

We later watched the news. It was on Thursday that the Nobel Literature prize or prizes - as there were two winners - were announced. I think there were two as owing to the scandal there had been no prize last year. The prizes for 2018 and 2019 went to authors I'm afraid I had never heard of which is often the case. They went to a Polish woman author Olga Tokarczuk and German author Peter Handke. I later read he had delivered a eulogy at Slobodan Milosevic's funeral - the former Serbian leader of Yugoslavia who is famous for his vicious war crimes.  Frankly, I think they could have found a more deserving candidate, not an advocate of Milosevic and his cronies.

Later we watched a programme called El Hormiguero where the extreme far right candidate for the upcoming general elections, Santiago Abascal was interviewed and which caused a bit of controversy in this country.  He surprised me when he came across as quite human when the media have painted him a fascist.  I  watched until I felt my eyes shutting and it was time for bed. We had had a lovely day.

Friday came and we had another break down, this time it was our 20 year old washing machine. Eladio battled with it for most of the day and realised the problem was that it wouldn't rinse so the pump must be faulty. Thankfully he found a repair company who sent a chap later in the evening to change the pump for a new one. The service was fast and efficient but at an extortionate price.

That morning we went down to the beach again and spent a couple of hours there enjoying our time. I swam a couple of times but there were far too many waves so I couldn't go too far in. Eladio and Pippa stayed on the sand watching me. Here they are.

Eladio and Pippa on the beach on Friday morning

It was a bit cloudy when I took the photo but later the sun came out. We didn't go back up to the flat till quite late having enjoyed a walk and a bathe - me at least - on the beach. I made lunch; fresh fish and vegetables after which we watched the news as we do everyday. The main items that day were to do with the removal of Franco's remains from the Valley of the Fallen mausoleum near El Escorial just outside Madrid. It has been a long process since Pedro Sánchez announced the move when he first came into power. As during the Civil War, Spain today is still divided on the question. It hasn't actually happened yet but should do before 25th October, despite protests from his family and from the Prior at the Basílica where he is interred. Brighter news came from Norway when the Nobel peace prize was announced that day. There was much expectation that it would go to the climate activist, 16 year old Greta Thunberg but she didn't win it, at least not this year.

The Nobel Peace prize for 2019 went to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali for "his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, an in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritera. I know nothing about the politician but if he has contributed to the end of what is more like a civil war that has lasted for decades between Ethiopia and Eritrea then he gets my applause too as the new peace laureate.

Abiy Ahmed Ali, P.M. of Ethiopia and this year's Nobel Peace prize winner

The other news, also local, has to do with the upcoming sentence on the instigators of the illegal referendum for independence in Catalonia. It looks like the sentence will be announced next week and whatever the outcome there will be protests. The government is preparing for them with a huge police contingency. Oh what a mess. This is Spain's Brexit and it will never go away.

I read my detective story on the terrace afterwards while Eladio slept. Later we went into Santa Pola, the town, on a couple of errands and came back just before the washing machine plumber arrived. Thank God it works again and that we didn't have to buy a new one.

Meanwhile. at home, new Airbnb guests arrived, a repeat guest, Noel, from Málaga and someone called David from Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Thankfully Lucy took care of them. Suzy was out with her friend, Sandra, a nurse with whom she lived with in London just before she left for Bali. That night Suzy spent time with Oli, Elliot and Miguel and rewarded me with a photo. Oh how I love to see them together.

Suzy with Oli, Elliot and Miguel on Friday evening

Saturday came and it was a national holiday although it didn't feel like it around here.  12th October is the feast of the Virgin of Pilar, the patron saint of the city of Zaragoza and of the armed forces as well as the anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering America.  Thus there would be lots of military processions. It is also the national day of Spain but that is focused on less. In Spain there is little sense of patriotism so "El Pilar" as it is often known is nothing like 14th July in France for example. Any flags hung out by people  are ironically associated with the far right and with fascism. Isn't that stupid? In other countries people are proud of their nation's flag but not in Spain I'm afraid.

Eladio was glued to the TV watching the processions. He has a penchant for the military. Eladio, as you know is a philosopher and is quite academic. However, he has some strange tastes or should I say different tastes to me or contrasting ones for an academic.  Some of these are: boxing, military processions and a silly programme on the TV called "First Date". He is fascinated with animals as I am but has  a much better stomach for violence than I do. One of his favourite things is watching You Tube videos of wild life. I love these too. For example yesterday he was watching a video of a zebra giving birth after which predators were hovering around ready to snatch the new born zebra. Well, that I couldn't watch but he carried on, looking engrossed. He has also become slightly addicted to the Google News feed on his mobile phone which, unlike me, he has not tailored to his interests. Thus, often, he comes up with the most bizarre information to share with me. It makes me laugh. I do love him so. Yesterday I had to interrupt him from the processions to go on our walk and he happily joined me, knowing he could watch more when we got back.

It was a warm day but cloudy and not having walked very much here, we took the road to the lighthouse cliffs. I have taken so many photos there, I must be boring you. Well, here is one more, the last for this week. It's of the view to the open sea where the island of Tabarca is not very visible. We didn't go there this time but it's one of our favourite places to visit.

The view from the lighthouse cliffs yesterday

On the way back to the apartment, I popped into the British supermarket, Quicksave, to get a few things to take home, products I can't get elsewhere. These included a big pack of polos for my Father - his favourite sweets - along with 2 bounty bars and 3 toblerones. I also got decaf tea which should last me a while as well as a packet of sage and onion stuffing for Christmas!

Eladio continued watching the processions presided by the King of Spain. Missing were the authorities from the separatist areas of Spain, Catalonia and the Basque Country. Unfortunately, one of the main activities, a parachutist carrying the Spanish flag, went wrong. He was supposed to land at the feet of the King and entourage but unfortunately fell into a lamp post. He was mortified as he got up but was applauded wildly by the crowds.

Much more interesting for me was the news about the 34 year old marathon runner, Eliud Kipchoge. One of my penchants as you probably know is about sport in general or rather sports results. I was delighted to read that Kipchoge has become the first athlete to run a marathon in under two hours, beating the mark by 20 seconds. It took place in Vienna but will not be considered an official world record as it was not an open competition. But who cares? His feat was amazing. Imagine: 42 kilometres in under two hours. That meant he was running at 21km per hour and he's a man, not a cheetah. Actually a cheetah can run at over 90 km per hour. He must have been ecstatic yesterday. If people hadn't heard his name before, they know it now. Eliud Kipchoge, that's the man, the fastest in the world, although unofficially. His motto for the event was "I believe no human is limited". I like that.

Eliud Kipchoge yesterday at the finish line

The rest of our day was spent quietly. We hardly left the flat. I read a lot in the afternoon while Eladio watched his zebras or rather videos on the Spanish Civil War, his current passion. On the other side of the world, in Japan, the country was hit by the biggest typhoon in decades.

Spain was playing a qualifying match for the European cup with Norway last night. Football is another of Eladio's interests, although it's quite  mild compared to most Spaniards. I am interested in football results but don't care ,much for the actual matches. Funny aren't I? Well Spain should have easily beaten the Norwegians but the match ended in a draw 1-1. That was not a good result for the Spanish squad.

I interrupted Eladio watching the match to video call Oli and Miguel and little Elliot. It was so nice to catch up with them in Elliot land. The poor things are pretty exhausted from their sleepless nights. He does tend to cry at night but is quite content during the day. Here is a screenshot of Oli and her darling baby which I love.

Video call with Oli and Elliot last night.

I went to bed late last night after watching the end of a film about young Turkish girls, forced into marriage at an early age, two of who manage to escape to Istanbul. Later there was a documentary on missing women, or rather the abortion of baby girls which still goes on in India and other parts. The result today is that there are more men than women in many areas and thus fewer brides to choose from. It was very depressing.

I was in bed way past midnight and woke up this morning at 6 am, raring to go as we shall be going home this morning. I am keen to get home as soon as possible as I want to go and see Oli, Miguel and little Elliot who I haven't seen for more than a week.

Thus I will leave you and get on with all that needs doing before leaving, mostly cleaning, something I have no penchant for at all my friends.

Cheers till next week,
Masha

Sunday with little Elliot, lunch with Belén and Mónica, 20 years since my mother died, grandfather and grandson and other stories.

Sunday 6th October, 2019

Eladio the happy grandfather with his grandson Elliot. I love seeing the two together. Eladio has such a calming influence on him. 

Dear all.

Another week has gone past and my grandson is growing slowly. He is now nearly three weeks old and still, of course, the centre of our universe. Who would have known what a doting grandmother I would turn out to be? Me, who is a person not normally attracted to babies yet besotted with my grandson. Funny eh?  Well, I suppose it is instinct and  nature and above all an all encompassing feeling of love that makes me so happy. No doubt, I am boring you with my baby tales. Sorry if that is so. Before Elliot's birth, I too would have been bored. However, if you are a grandparent no doubt you will understand me.

So I was delighted Oli, Miguel and little Elliot (that is what we call him) were coming for lunch on Sunday. I thought I had plenty of time to prepare my famed oxtail stew of the Spanish recipe book Simone Ortega but unfortunately after 2.5 h cooking the meat was hard. People were very polite but there was not getting away from it, the oxtail was tough. Everything else was perfect and I refer more to the fact that it was a perfect family gathering. Only Suzy was not there as she was helping a friend move out of a flat after her boyfriend had broken off with her. Suzy was not just there for practical help but emotional help too, bless her. But her absence was made up by the presence of Oli's best Uni friend, "Anita", her friend who has just got over Hodgkin's disease and  who is looking so good. 

Anita was to see little Elliot for the first time and fell in love with him as we all did. I got her on camera while Eladio was holding him. Eladio has a wonderful calming presence around his grandson and if he is crying Eladio always calms him down. He's much better at that than me. I use singing to calm him down; baby songs such as "ba ba black sheep, twinkle twinkle little star" but Eladio needs no tricks. 

Eladio, "Anita" and Oli last Sunday

Sunday was the only time I have seen him unsettled during the day. Until then he was largely asleep during the day and playing up at night. After lunch we moved to the pool area where my new Airbnb guest, Noel from Malaga, was enjoying the sun and swimming. Our other guests, Andy, our more or less permanent lodger, was out all day in Madrid with his daughter, Lorna, who had come to visit him for 4 days. Eladio went off for a siesta and we urged Miguel to do the same as Elliot's father definitely needed to catch up on some slumber because of the sleepless nights. Thus the three girls (including me hahaha) stayed up by the pool with little Elliot. All Elliot wanted that day was to be at his mother's breast permanently and not always necessarily breast feeding, just lying in her arms, skin on skin, and feeling content. Thankfully Oli has come across something that I could have done with in my day, a sort of nipple shield which helps them feeling sore from so much breastfeeding. What a wonderful invention. He seems to like it too.

Beautiful Oli and beautiful Elliot

The day was wonderful all round except that in the afternoon I was given the bad news that my darling little cousin, Ruby, aged 10 who lives in New Zealand, on the other side of the world, had been taken into hospital with problems with her liver. It had me worried for the rest of the day and messaging with her mother, Katty who I adore and who I know was worried sick. I only wished I could be with her or with her mother Zuka, my cousin who lives in France and who was very worried.  Zuka had rung me to ask for our prayers and that is what she got. I could only hope and pray that little Ruby's condition would be something minor and easy to deal with. Little Ruby would be on my mind all the time until that magical moment when her mother, Katty, told me the final diagnosis was Hepatitis A which her body had begun to fight. By Wednesday morning she was a lot better and would be sent home. I'm so happy that our prayers were answered. 

Tired of being seated all afternoon breastfeeding little Elliot for such a long period of time, Oli and Miguel went out to take him on a walk before coming home for dinner.

I prepared a simple meal of scrambled eggs and asparagus and we sat down to dinner at about 8.30 and ate outside. The weather was just wonderful as it was last week and all of this week. Suzy arrived just before they left so she got to see her sister and nephew. Then it was time for bed and a bit of TV to help me fall asleep. Hopefully if Elliot had been awake all day and restless that would mean he would sleep well during the night allowing his parents to get some slumber too. 

I was up on Monday at 6.30 and eager for news of Ruby. She had been sent home while her blood tests were being analysed and before a biopsy would be performed later in the week but wasn't in the end.  It was much better for her to be at home and treated as an outpatient. 

On Monday I had a lunch appointment with Belén and Mónica, both lawyers who work for    my previous employer. I was taking them out to lunch to thank them for the help they gave me with the contract for publishing my book in England. Mónica, herself is an author and her father is a cinema producer so she is very familiar with publishing contracts. I was very grateful for their help. I took them to one of my favourite places in the very swanky area of La Moraleja, Aspen, a restaurant I have always been told is a favourite with the emeritus King of Spain. I've never seen him there but still love the place. It was a glorious day again and we were given a table outside. I had brought along a copy of my father's book for both of them which I hope they will enjoy. It was a great girly type lunch and good to catch up. Funnily enough we didn't talk a lot of "shop" but rather about the book and bits about their lives. I was very close to Belén when I worked at Yoigo as she was my assigned lawyer. As usual the food at Aspen was great and I went for their famed hamburger as did Belén. Here we are seated at the table just before we left. I do wish waiters were trained how to take photos. They never take good ones do they? In any case it's nice to have a photo to remember Monday's most pleasant lunch.

Lunch with Belen (left, long hair) and Mónica (right)

It was nice to dress up to go out, put some makeup on and not have to deal with making lunch at home. I was back by after 5 - yes lunches in Spain tend to start and end very late - Andy and his daughter Lorna were by the pool. It was 30ºc or more and I thought I'd take a leaf out of their book and go in the pool myself as it may have been the last opportunity. I don't know if I will go in again although the forecast is very good at the moment.

Here I am in the pool on the last day of September. That's one of the perks of living in Spain and having your own pool. Public pools, whatever the weather, always open on 15th June and close on 15th September. We, on the other hand can choose when to close and open ours depending on the weather.

Me in the pool on Monday afternoon

Later after having dried off, I sat by the pool reading until dinner time. Andy left to take Lorna to the airport and there was no sign of our other guest, Noel. Eladio, Suzy and I prepared a very simple dinner of tuna fish salad. Meanwhile back at Oli and Miguel's apartment, little Elliot was at her breast again when I asked for a photo. I commented it was his favourite place. It is indeed but must be a bit exhausting for poor Oli. Here they are together.

Oli and Elliot, Elliot and Oli on Monday

If I don't see my grandson, I need to have a photo of him every day.

After dinner, Suzy and I resumed to Oli's terrace for a long mother and daughter chat until quite late. Shortly afterwards Katty and Ruby video called us. It was great to see them and good to see Ruby was getting better. Here is the little darling, a girl I adore for all her values and sweetness. I shall never forget her urging me on to go kayaking with the family. I was rather reluctant and she told me to stop being negative. I took her advice.

Ruby on the mend

There was not much on the "telly" that night not even on Netflix or Amazon Prime. It was early to sleep that night and on Tuesday morning I woke up at 6.45 which is not bad.

Tuesday was 1st October, a date always etched in my mind as my mother died on 1st October. This week would be the 20th year since we lost her. Who could forget her if they knew her? No one. She was unique and I miss her every day. When Elliot was born one of my first thoughts was oh how I would have loved her to meet him. I have the same thoughts on all significant days and events and miss her so. But it is my father who misses her most, his life partner. I don't know how he was able to go on after her death 20 years ago.

My vivacious and unique mother who died 20 years ago on 1st October 1989 and who we miss every day

She would be in my thoughts all day. Every year on 1st October I mention her in this blog. It's difficult to describe what an amazing person she was or rather what an amazing personality she had. She oozed charisma and charm and people, young, old, rich and poor, all loved her.  We miss her every day. Missing her is especially acute at important times in our family. So, as I said,  when Elliot was born I just wished she could be here to see him. How she would have loved him, just as she adored her grandchildren. Suzy and Oli were just 15 and 14 when she died and have missed her ever since. Even though I say this myself, I can quite objectively tell you she was a very unique woman. I like to think she is looking down at us during bad and good moments and if I have to pray I always ask her for help. No doubt she was in my father's mind on 1st October too. How he must miss her. For he was the hardest hit when he lost her 20 years ago and faced old age on his own. If that happened to me with Eladio, I don't think I could pick up and go on like he did.

So Tuesday was not a good day all round. Other things happened which I cannot write about here as sometimes I have to censor myself if what has happened has occurred to other people.  It would be a long day too as my new Airbnb guests, two German ladies in their early 60's  arrived very late; at nearly 1 in the morning. After that I could not fall  asleep and slept badly. Later I would have time to meet them and size them up and they are a great pair, full of fun and energy and a youthful spirit. They hardly seem German at all if you compare them to the German stereotype.  They are from Dortmund by the way.

On Wednesday I was up at 6.30 after less than 5 hours sleep. I would try to make up for it by taking a siesta in the afternoon. I was determined that Wednesday would be a good day and it was. There was no walk that day. Instead Suzy and I went retail therapy shopping, something I hadn't done for a long time. First we hosted our German guests, Brigitta and Petra, showing them the local supermarket, a nice restaurant for lunch or dinner (Tinglado) and somewhere to enjoy a coffee (Alverán). Suzy and I headed off to Centro Oeste in Majadahonda, that posh little town outside Madrid. Later Brigitta and Petra told us they too had gone shopping. Suzy wanted to buy t-shirts for her Indonesian beau, Daus. I hadn't intended to buy anything but happened upon some great white jeans and a black t-shirt at H+M. Early that morning I had organised all my t-shirts which were in a huge mess in my walk-in-closet after the summer and I realised I didn't have  a short sleeved black one. I only paid 10 euros for the two garments which were discounted thanks to some bonus on my H+M app. I guiltily thought of the slave labour involved in the clothes I was taking home that really, if I think about it, I did not need. On the other hand, they make me happy. Oh dear.

Oli and Miguel were at the family doctor for Elliot's weekly check up and we encouraged them to come to lunch which, to our delight, they did. I just love it when we are all together. My father does too. After lunch and after Elliot had fed, Suzy took over and held him in her arms for 2 hours while he slept, allowing his parents to catch up on their own sleep.

Suzy and little Elliot

In fact we all slept from about 3.30 to 5.30. I also caught up on lost sleep. Later we gathered around the swimming pool terrace just generally talking and enjoying being together. I took a photo which you can see below. Sorry that I caught Eladio with his eyes closed:-(

The family together on Wednesday

Eladio spoke about the demonstrations in Barcelona on the 2nd anniversary of the illegal referendum for self rule. I, meanwhile, thought about what was happening with Brexit. It was on Wednesday that some of the details of Boris Johnson's new agreement to quit were revealed and they mainly concerned Ireland. I was rather astonished to read that his proposal was for Northern Ireland (and of course the UK) to remain in the customs territory  for 4 years or more under EU legislation but to leave the Customs Union which of course means that Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would end up being two different territories. In effect he was proposing two borders!  I don't  think there ever can be a real solution to make the whole island of Ireland happy when it comes to leaving the EU.    Meanwhile the date of 31st October is looming. Will Boris ask for an extension? He says not. Will the UK really crash out of the EU without a deal. It's possible and it's a frightening idea.

I did not express my thoughts on this to my family who are far less interested in Brexit than I am, for obvious reasons. Both girls have a British and Spanish passport so it hardly affects them but it does affect both my father and myself.

I put these thoughts aside and, feeling hungry, like Elliot, suggested we had dinner. It was a little cool outside, especially for my grandson, so we had our meal in the dining room. And what a meal it was, thanks to Lucy making us a great tortilla. Good for her.

It was only when I was in bed at nearly 10 pm, that my latest guest, Jeff, arrived from Sweden. I had wondered at his perfect Spanish but non Spanish or Swedish name and what his origin was. He revealed he was of Colombian parentage but had been brought up in Stockholm. He looked a nice guy and would be here for 3 nights although we hardly saw him.  It has been full house this week and up to 6 cars have been parked on the property!

We started watching a series on Carlos V of Spain and Carlos 1 of Germany, who I knew as The Holy Roman Emperor from my history lessons with Miss Scorer at St. Joseph's College. That era is not my favourite period of history - I prefer more modern times - but it's quite interesting to watch. Now I know or remember who Cardinal Cisneros was and a bit more about the era. Eladio was not so keen dubbing the series too theatrical. So we never watched more than one episode.

Thursday came and it was the quietest day of the week with not much to report.   We didn't see Elliot (:-)), our guests were out all day and Suzy went out too, to her lessons and to see a friend. Thus Eladio and I had to the house to ourselves together with the dogs until our guests returned in the evening.

TV entertainment that night was a  good choice. We watched a film on Prime Video called "Ma Ma" with Penelope Cruz and Luis Tosar. It's sad - the mother is diagnosed with breast cancer - but at the same time terribly uplifting. Penelope Cruz is definitely my favourite Spanish actress. I am a fan of Luis Tosar too or rather I usually like the films he stars in.

A film we loved this week

My favourite Spanish actor is not Antonio Banderas who I do love actually, but someone called José Coronado. So who are my global non Spanish favourite actors and actresses? From my past they are Ingrid Bergman, the same as my father, and Clarke Gable (oh how I love him in Gone with the wind). Julie Andrews comes a close second. As to actors and actresses today, that's more difficult. If pushed I might say Robert de Niro and Meryl Streep or Julia Roberts. I'm afraid I'm not very acquainted with the current younger top actors. Who are yours?

Friday came and it was another beautiful day. Oh what a lovely Indian summer we are having. It's going to continue for a while now so, making the best of the good weather, we shall be off to our apartment near the beach in Santa Pola today. We haven't been for a while and we are craving for walks on the beach, Suzy and Pippa included, who are coming with us.

Friday was a quiet day, the highlight being the evening. At about 6 pm, the three of us set off for Oli's apartment or should I say Oli, Miguel and little Elliot's apartment? Maybe I should. We love going there especially since our grandson has been born. Oli and Miguel are so concentrated in "Elliot land" it's easy for us to go than for them to come. It was to be a lovely evening. As we arrived we found Elliot at Oli's breast which is where he likes to be all the time. It's not so much breast feeding on demand but demanding to be at her breast all the time so that in case he wakes up the food source is near  hahahah. For a while he was satiated, so I had the privilege of holding him for at least 1.5h while Oli got on with housework, something she doesn't have much time to do. My dear friend Adele had sent a present this week and when they exchanged whatsapp messages, Oli to thank her for the present (a lovely comforter), my friend who has 4 strapping boys, advised her to enjoy her time and to "f*** the housework" which made us laugh out loud. Soon it was time for Suzy to take over from me. She adores holding her little nephew who she calls "my little prince" and I took some photos. She just can't stop kissing him and he seems to love it. It looks like he will be quite a sociable little boy.

Suzy kissing and kissing Elliot "her prince"

The men went out to do food shopping for our dinner and we girls stayed behind with Elliot. He needed his nappy changing as usual but this time he also needed a bath. He doesn't like either but they have to be done. We helped with loving hands while he cried enthusiastically and I was proud to see just how capable my younger daughter is at handling a tiny new born  baby. Later as she sat and breastfed, she commented that "maternity is overrated" in a comic aside. The period after giving birth is very challenging. We who have been parents know that and there is nothing glamorous about any of it but it is also a wonderful time of life, caring for a defenseless little baby who is your own flesh and blood and all instincts to protect him come to the forefront and all you want to do is care for him. He becomes your centre of attention and your life completely changes, in that you are no longer number one ; he is and it remains pretty much so in parents' lives forever after.

The men were back soon with a load of shopping and Miguel, the house chef, set about making a delicious dinner of baked salmon, puré and onions all cooked in the oven to perfection. Elliot attuned to his mother's needs, always demands his food just as she is about to have hers (haha) so Oli ends up eating with one hand while Elliot is at her breast, mostly for the sake of comfort. She later had to bring up his wind. There seems to be a new technique these days; sitting the baby with his head held front ways while being patted on his back. He looks so funny but doesn't seem to mind.

Elliot at dinner or rather after his dinner on Friday, having his wind brought up with this new technique. 

Later to give Oli some leave way, Eladio gently picked up his grandson and held him and comforted him just with his calm presence. It's amazing. As soon as he is in his grandfather's arms, he is at peace. I love to see them together. I told the girls that their Eladio had been a marvelous father when they were small and he was and is. So it is the photo I took of grandfather and grandson together that I have chosen as this week's feature photo.  I must love my husband a lot as I just love to see him happy.

It was getting late and we had to call it a day. Friday ended with us going to bed late and commenting on just what a wonderful evening we had had.

Saturday came. Suzy was out all day with her friend Elenita at an all day yoga festival - good for her. Called Wanderlust , it took place at the "Hipódromo" (horse racing track) a beautiful area in Madrid. Later we got a photo of her with her friends happily practicing yoga. We wouldn't see her until this morning.

Suzy and her friends at Wanderlust yesterday

We didn't see little Elliot either and won't until we return from Santa Pola. I'll miss him. Thanks, though to our modern technology I can see him on video when Oli calls me and through the photos she sends. Last night she rang me and I was able to see the little mite breast feeding contentedly. I so love him. He is now 20 days old and from yesterday started latching onto his dummy which I hope will give his parents a breather on and off. Here are the three of them together, Elliot with his minute dummy, bless him.

The new and happy family

It was a beautiful day again and the temperature rose to 28ºc. Andy, our Scottish lodger, dared the cold of the swimming pool water and went in that day. I did not although I was tempted. For us it was a quiet day. We did the shopping, came home to make lunch, Eladio mowed the lawn and just as I was falling asleep for a siesta I was interrupted by the arrival or our latest guest. Ivan Prado Sejas, a writer and psychologist who is from Bolivia, arrived at around 3.30 pm. He has come to install his 23 year old daughter who will be doing a masters' degree in physiotherapy at the UEM University nearby. I settled him in and then went to sleep my siesta. Later that afternoon while Eladio continued mowing the lawn and I was reading by the pool, Ivan joined me and we had an interesting conversation. It's not often you get to talk to a Bolivian is it? Our house is full of people of all sorts of nationalities. Currently we have a Scot, 2 Germans and a Bolivian. Amazing. I know my mother would approve.

 I don't know much about Bolivia - only that it is poor and its leader is the famous Evo Morales of peasant extraction so I started the conversation by asking Ivan about Morales' government. We talked about the Amazon rain forest - after the big fires recently. He told me he was a writer and said "like you". Well, not exactly I told him as I have only written one book and he has written many but it made me feel good. Ivan, on the other hand has written many, mostly science fiction, not my genre. He asked me what there was to see in Madrid and surroundings and I explained. I also mentioned Madrid has mountains but then I thought how stupid as our mountains  at 2000 m high must seem like hills to him. Bolivia is of course in the Andes and the highest mountains there are over 6000 metres high. He himself comes from a village that stands at 2.500 metres and he told me some people live in places that are 4.500 metres high! Wow, that showed my ignorance of his country. We  also talked about Bolivia's perception of Spain which he said at times was negative because of the Spanish conquerors something completely understandable.  He commented on the EU and Europe disintegrating rather than uniting. Well, he has a point.  He also asked about the upcoming financial crisis. So that's the news they have of Europe on the other side of the world. Very recently news has been coming in about yet another recession. Another one I thought when we have hardly got over the other one? Oh dear. Eladio joined us for a while before Ivan, still jet lagged, went up to bed.

We had a quiet dinner on our own and ate outside which is a luxury in October. Suzy slept at Elenita's and wont' be back until about 9 am this morning. We aim to leave for Santa Pola just after that. Let's see how long it takes to get ready to leave.

So my friends, I must leave you now to get on with preparations to leave for a week or so. I'm not sure whether next week's post will be posted from home or Santa Pola but no doubt in next week's post you will hear all about our time there. I can't wait for a walk on the beach.  It's been a long time since we were last there.

That's it then for now,
Cheers till next week/Masha

My father meets his great grandson, Eladio's birthday, lunch with Sophie, Democracy restored in the UK, The end of Thomas Cook, an angry Greta Thunberg, Norah is ill, more about Elliot and other stories.

Sunday 29th September 2019

The picture of the week and maybe the photo of the year - My father and Elliot meet for the first time. 4 generations in one photo. 

Dear all

We are now into Elliot's second week in this world and again this blog and many future posts will be "all about Elliot" as he is now the centre of our universe. Oli and Miguel are living in Elliot land at the moment, so concentrated are they on him they aren't following much of the news around them. I remember such times when Suzy was first born and the first month is like living in a cocoon or a bubble. We are part of that bubble I am happy to say and last Sunday Oli and Miguel  brought their newborn baby to our house for his first visit here. Hopefully it will be the first of very many as we cannot get enough of him.

After our walk, Suzy and I went to do some shopping for the family lunch and then I spent the next hour or so cooking. For the record I made meat loaf with home made tomato sauce and accompanied with pumpkin and potato pure. While we were cooking my friend Juana came to see us to drop off the perhaps the most beautiful present Elliot and Oli were to receive, a home made baby hamper made by my friend. A lot of the products were from Zara Home and Olivia loved them. This is it.

Home made baby hamper from Juana

It was lovely to see Juana and such a beautiful gesture. We are ex Nokia friends and our friendship goes back quite a few years, since 2000 when I first joined the Finnish company, It was a pity Oli wasn't home when Juana came but no doubt there will be other occasions. 

Meanwhile Oli, Miguel and little Elliot left their house for the first time since his birth as they had an appointment with the gynecologist at the hospital where he was born. Oli was pretty ravaged from the birth which was a very long and difficult one and needed examining. No doubt it will take some time for her to recover completely. On paper maternity is a rather glamorous state but in reality it can be very different.  

Elliot's first outing last Siunday

It was Elliot's first outing and he behaved beautifully all day. Basically he was peaceful and slept throughout. He had fed at 10.30 and was not fed again until well after lunch allowing his mother to eat. My father was to meet his great grandson for the first time in the flesh. I had showed him all the photos and I knew he was dying to see him. He said he was a beautiful baby and wished him a healthy, happy and constructive life. I liked his wish for a constructive life. We then had the photo taken which illustrates this post and what a photo it is. 4 generations together: the great grandfather, the grandmother, the aunt, the mother and her baby. To think my father is 100 years old and his great grandson is just days old.  Obviously this is the photo of the week or possibly the photo of the year and that's why I have chosen it as the feature photo of this post. And what a year we have had; my father turning 100, Suzy coming to stay from May to October and Elliot being born as well as the year of my book which has been one of the most important projects of my life. My most important project now is to be the best grandmother possible for little Elliot.

I was a little apprehensive about the dogs' reactions to my grandson, especially Pippa's as she doesn't like children and usually barks her head off. However, I think she must have realised instinctively that he is family and she was not worried at all, nor did she bark or try to jump up at the baby. Even so I kept a close eye on her. Poor Pips has now taken second place after Elliot but I am making up for that by treating her extra specially.

After lunch it was time for Elliot's feed so we all followed Oli up to her room to watch the spectacle because that is what it is for us. I caught Oli, the baby and Suzy and Eladio looking on and got this lovely photo.

Enjoying Elliot's feeding time

After his long feeding time, Elliiot went to sleep again. Suzy put him into his cot in Oli's room, a second cot they inherited and he went straight to sleep. Look how his Aunt prepared him for his nap:

Elliot in his cot at our house on Sunday

Once asleep that meant both Oli and Miguel could catch up on theirs and we left them to it. They were in dire need of a few hours of slumber and that's what they got.

In the early evening I sent them off for a walk as Oli has been prescribed lots of walks by her doctor which she does very slowly because of the stitches. Thus I was left in charge to baby sit my grandson. I did this with enormous joy and Suzy and I took turns to hold him. He loves being held in arms.

I later made our dinner while Suzy who can't keep her eyes off her darling nephew held him. We could have put him in his luxury pram but preferred to hold him. It was lovely to have Oli and Miguel with us for dinner and I had hoped they would stay the night so as to celebrate Eladio's birthday the next morning for breakfast but they had to go home for various logistical reasons. We would however see them on Eladio's birthday as we would celebrate it with them at dinner the next night. I didn't want to see Elliot leave but was comforted that I would see him again the next day.

We went to bed late. Eladio and I started watching Patriot on Netflix but it's not our thing.

I was awake at 7 am on Monday, Eladio's 75th birthday. How could he possibly be turning 75 I thought? I have known him now for 40 years as we met when he was 35 (I was 23). No way does he look it I can tell you but I'm sure he doesn't like the clock ticking so fast in his latter years. Neither do I. On the other hand, if we didn't celebrate birthdays we wouldn't be here and here we are. For once we didn't have a birthday breakfast as that would have been too much food. Of course, though, we made up for it at lunch and at dinner.

The day started with a walk. That day would be Elliot's first walk too, in his pram that is. It was a sunny day and Olivia and Miguel look as pleased as punch in a selfie he sent me. I was pleased for them. Oli says he is a little saint by day and a little devil at night. At night he keeps them awake and the "fiesta" starts and all he wants to do is feed and if he isn't at her breast he cries. They have had lots of sleepless nights this week poor things. He is at his most calm when he has skin contact. Thus he now sleeps with his parents in bed. It's not the ideal situation but if that's the only way he will sleep then it has to be. Here is a photo of the three of them in bed. It looks like a poster for a funny family film. hahaha.

This is how little Elliot likes to sleep at night

But in his pram in the morning he was fast asleep and behaving like a cherub.

Elliot's first walk

I spent the morning cooking for the birthday celebrations. For lunch I made roast lamb with all the trimmings including mint sauce made from mint from the garden. My father said it was a wonderful birthday lunch.

Roast lamb for Eladio's birthday lunch on Monday

The best moment was when we brought in the cake, or rather when we ate it as it was delicious. Covered in white chocolate it is made of sponge, lots of whipped cream and fruit. It is our favourite and we buy it from a cake shop in Boadilla called Alverán. Here is Eladio just after he blew out the candles.

The cake moment

As you can see Eladio was wearing special birthday glasses and a sash which I bought last year and now come out for all our birthdays. For his main present he got a box of tools which he himself had chosen on Amazon. I am so lucky my philosopher husband is such a good handy man.

Eladio with his new tool set. 

We all ate too much of course and a siesta was in order but not for too long for me. I had to finish preparing the dinner - oh gosh our stomachs would suffer that day and our figures. I had a doctor's appointment too so was pretty busy.

At 8 or so off we went, the three of us, to Miguel and Oli's flat with all the food and another cake - yes another cake - so that Oli could be part of her father's birthday. We were dying to see Elliot. I cannot get enough of him and neither can any of us. On arrival and as expected, little Elliot as we call him, was at Oli's breast. Suzy immediately sat down next to her and I got both girls and the little cherub's head on camera.

Suzy with Oli and Elliot

Suzy is completely in love with her little nephew I don't know what she is going to do when she returns to Indonesia as she is going to miss him so much. Afterwards we all took turns in holding him. I had to get a photo of Eladio with his darling grandson on his birthday and here they are.

Grandfather and grandson on Eladio's  birthday

As I looked at them, I just hoped, that like my father, Eladio would reach 100 and would spend as much time of his life with his grandson as is physically possible. I love the contented smile on my dear husband's face.

I, meanwhile, had to get on with preparing the dinner. I had made one of my signature dishes; potato salad with prawns and had also taken along ingredients for a big tuna salad. This is the potato salad. It was delicious and the recipe comes from my own grandfather who in turn got it from a Swiss recipe book no doubt about 100 years ago.

 Our potato salad with prawns from a family recipe.

Elliot let us eat on and off. He didn't stay still for long in his cot, far preferring skin contact so we took it turns to hold him so that Oli and Miguel could eat their meal in peace. It was Suzy who held him for longest after dinner and they practically fell asleep together. They looked like sleeping beauties in this photo Miguel took of the two of them. I love it.

Sleeping beauties

I can only hope that Suzy has a baby herself one day soon as she looks cut out for motherhood since she has met and fallen in love with Elliot.

We left reluctantly at about 11.30. Oli and Miguel were no doubt in for another sleepless night. I didn't sleep too well myself either as I forgot to take my trusted sleeping tablets.

Tuesday came and it was another sunny day. Tuesday brought with it important news. In Spain the Supreme Court ruled that Franco's body should be exhumed from the fascist site of The Valley of the Fallen. This comes 40 years after his death.  There had been a tug of war between the government and Franco's family since the socialist leader, Pedro Sánchez announced the measure when he came into power. Spain, as ever, is divided on this question but for me I think justice has been done.

My faith in British justice was restored that day too when the Supreme Court ruled that Boris Johnson's suspending of parliament was illegal. Good for Brenda Hale (Baroness Hale of Richmond), the president of the supreme, who by the way is from Yorkshire, for coming to that decision along with all the members of the court. Johnson had some very good lawyers but she wasn't buying his reasons for snatching the power from the people. For me, it's not just good news that parliament will go back to Westminster, the real news is that justice has been made and democracy restored in the UK, a democracy that frightful figure and laughing stock of Europe, the old Etonian called "Bojo", had played with. You can't play with democracy in the country that invented it although he thought he could. I have been reading more about Lady Hale who became famous overnight. She is well known, apparently for her animal brooches, and that day when she read the sentence she was wearing a large spider brooch which was an immediate hit on twitter. Some people referred to her as the black widow. I think she is very brave and love her grit which no doubt "hails" from her Yorkshire roots. 

Lady Hale reading the historic ruling yesterday wearing a spider brooch

After the ruling, people were calling for Boris Johnson's head, as he cut short his visit to the UN and returned to the UK. Meanwhile, John Bercow, the speaker I am so fond of, called for MPs to return to Parliament the next day. I personally think Johnson should resign. British politics is in chaos.

The other big news from the UK was about the second biggest tour operator in the world and the inventor of the package tour, Thomas Cook,  which went into administration. British tourists were stranded all over the world and more than a million who had bought flights or holiday packages will have seen them cancelled. This is such a big thing for tourism in both the UK and the countries Thomas Cook tourists travel to. For me Thomas Cook is a household name, the name of the travel agency my father taught me was reputable and where he would go to buy our train tickets in Bradford and of course our travelers' checks.  A visit with my father to Thomas Cook on Broadway was always exciting because it meant we were going somewhere. My father always bought me lots of travelers' checks to cash in foreign banks for local currency as that was how people did it in those days. For me too Thomas Cook is a brand that conjures up nostalgia of my childhood.  No doubt my father will feel the same as I think it was this company where, as a young man, he too bought his tickets to travel to Scandinavia and other places in Europe. So I find it very sad that the company thanks to which we went on holiday across Europe summer after summer when I was a teenager, has just disappeared from the map. I fell sorry for both the staff who will have lost their jobs and for anyone stranded or with a flight cancelled. Tuesday was very bad news for the tourism industry.

The end of Thomas Cook

Tuesday was certainly a day of big news. On the home front, Oli and Miguel had taken little Elliot for his first doctor's appointment after his birth just one week before. They go to the clinic near us so paid us a surprise visit afterwards. I was delighted to see them again. They came just as we were about to leave for Madrid for lunch with my cousin Sophie and her partner Olivier, so I left feeling a bit divided really wanting to stay. But we had to go.

Sophie is one of my cousin Masha's four daughters who all live in France. Masha is the daughter of my mother's first cousin on my maternal grandmother's side, confusingly also called Masha hahaha. I see Sophie every year at the cousinade and I also know her from before when as a teenager she came here in an exchange visit with one of my Spanish nieces. Sophie, aged 28, works in communication in the French administration in Paris and Olivier must be an electrical engineer as he works in the electricity industry. They had been on holiday in Spain where they visited the mountainous area in between Leon and Asturias known as the peaks of Europe (Picos de Europa). From Asturias they traveled to Madrid and from Madrid would go to Valencia before heading back to France today. I had booked a table at the rather chic and in restaurant called Ten con Ten in the posh street of Ayala in the more upmarket part of El Barrio de Salamanca near where we used to live when we got married, although our house was in the poorer part. There was valet parking thank goodness as otherwise we would have had to go by public transport. We had a very civilised lunch in a very civilised place and it was nice to go out into town and also to be accompanied by my husband who is usually reluctant to leave our gorgeous home hahaha. The food at Ten con Ten is delicious and beautifully served too. We had artichokes to start with - my favourite veg - and both Sophie and I had the oxtail burger. Being on a "diet" I should have skipped "pudding " but when I saw they had pistachio ice cream on their dessert menu I just couldn't resist it. And here we are sitting at our table after lunch together on Tuesday.

Lunch with Sophie and Olivier on Tuesday in Madrid

It was great to see my cousin and her partner. We parted with a big hug at around 4 something and headed home. I was very happy to see that Oli and Miguel and of course little Elliot were still there and rushed up to my daughter's room to see them. It was time for Elliot's umpteenth feed that day and I was happy to sit on the bed and watch. Pippa wanted to watch too. As I said, I had been wary of how our miniature dachshund who generally hates children, would react to Elliot but I was in for a pleasant surprise. She was mostly curious and just wanted to be part of what the group was doing. So I lifted her up on the bed with me and held her while Elliot fed. Suzy was with us and took one look and said "Mummy and her baby and Oli and her baby" and took a snapshot. We did laugh as I hope you will too when you see the photo below.

Me and my baby and Olivia and her baby - at home on Tuesday

It was  a very funny moment. The doctor had pronounced Elliot very healthy but had said he needed a bit of sun and fresh air as he hadn't been out much since his birth. Thus at around 7 and before sunset, the new family left in their car with all the baby paraphernalia and headed for the park in Boadilla near the palace. Miguel later sent this lovely photo of Oli and baby in the pram against the sunset with the palace in the background. It's quite a stunning picture.

A stunning photo of Oli and her baby in the pram against the palace and just as the sun set on Tuesday afternoon

When they left, Eladio and I were alone with the dogs as Suzy had gone out too, to one of her private English lessons. I took the time to watch the 16 year old Greta Thunberg's tearful and angry speech at the UN this week which if you haven't seen I urge you to do so. With tears in her eyes and clear but halting English this new icon for climate change told her audience that what she was doing was not right. She said she should be back at school and that they should be doing their job. Her words were very strong. Here is just one quote from her amazing speech: "People are suffering, people are dying, entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of mass extinction and all you talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth". At many points in her speech she said "how dare you?" She also said: "You have stolen my childhood and my dreams with your empty words" and hopefully shamed her audience and the world. This girl is a new wonder as it it thanks to her that the world is waking up to the dangers of climate change and that time is running out. One person who she has not shamed is Donald Trump who stupidly doesn't believe in climate change despite the scientific evidence. He was at her speech too, ignored her and later posted a mocking tweet about this young girl, who if he listened, could teach him a real lesson. This was it:  "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see! Later Greta changed her twitter profile bio to reflect these mocking words. That was the best response she could have given him. It's amazing how many detractors she has who troll her on internet. It's quite amazing too how a 16 year old with plaits trying to save the planet can inspire such rage. The truth behind this is that she scares them and all that she stands for, youth, determination and change. I can only thank her for what she is doing.

An angry Greta Thunberg during her speech on Monday at the UN in New York

Both Eladio and I are very impressed with her and think she deserves a Nobel prize for her work.  However, there is a side to her that unsettles me a bit. Some people say that the people driving her are her parents but it seems, if what I read is true, that it is the other way around. She has forced her parents to go vegan and her mother to give up her job. That sounds a bit like bullying to me. Her mother was an opera singer and used to fly a lot. Greta is against flying because of the carbon emissions. But how else I ask can we get around the world. Are we supposed to stop traveling?  My daughter is vegan and vegetarian, depending on the moment and she hasn't bullied me into anything although she does often make comments about our eating meat, etc. As parents we should not accept mandates from our children in general.  We discussed the new climate star and the day's news over a quick and quiet dinner on the terrace that night. Suzy joined us after her lessons and then I spent at least an hour catching up with her before going to bed. She only has one month to go before leaving again for Bali which she now considers her home and I am going to miss her.

Wednesday came and brought with it more wonderful sunshine. We are in for a lovely sunny and warm spell after all the rain. Norah our beagle was a bit off and wasn't eating but amazingly wanted to come on our walk. We observed her all day - she wouldn't eat - and decided that if she wasn't better by the end of the day we would take her to the vet. 

Wednesday was a very quiet day and one of the only days we hadn't seen Elliot since his birth. I get updates each morning from Oli on how the nights have been. Her conclusion, once again is that little Elliot is a little saint during the day and a little devil at night. Thus Oli and Miguel get very little sleep. Well, we've all been there haven't we? I always ask for a morning photo and this was Wednesday's.

Little Elliot on Wednesday morning

Parliament was back in session in the UK after the supreme court's historic ruling and Boris Johnson was on his way home from New York. There was total chaos at Westminster and no one knows really what the outcome will be. There were calls for the PM to resign which he has refused to do. He called for General Elections which Labour refuse to back and others. This is because they want an extension with the EU to happen before elections are called so as to avoid leaving the EU without a deal. It really is one big shambles and each day there are new twists and turns.  That day had me thinking again that when Britain leaves the EU, with our without a deal, I shall most probably have to apply for Spanish nationality, something I will be forced to do rather than  voluntarily. That makes me angry. I wonder too what will happen to my father's health care which is now in the reliable hands of the Spanish health system. Will he lose that right here? If he does we will have to fork out for a private health policy which for a 100 year old will be prohibitive. I can only hope and pray that the British government comes to its senses and agrees to reciprocal rights for Spaniards in the UK which is what the Spanish government has asked for in return for offering full residency rights to Brits in Spain of whom there are many many more than Spaniards in the UK. What a mess. 

There is not much more to tell about Wednesday. Suzy was the lucky one to see Elliot that day when she went to visit Oli and her new family after her lessons. Suzy is the happiest aunt in the world. I have never had a sister and wish I did have one as sisterly love is something I have always thought was something very special. Here she is with her little nephew again. I love photos of Suzy with Elliot and the love between them which is oh so pure.

Suzy and Elliot

Thursday came. We had a guest called Sergio who was leaving that day. He had come for three nights and not once did we see him. He had been before and I don't think I saw him last time either. Two more guests were coming that day, Lorna, Andy's daughter from France and another girl, also from France (Perpignan) called Elisabeth.

Thursday was going to be a day like any other day except that it ended up being the highlight of the week as Oli, Miguel and Elliot came unexpectedly for lunch and stayed until after dinner. That meant I could feast my eyes on my darling grandson. The only downside was that in the morning I had to take Norah, our 10 year old beagle, to the vet. She hadn't been well since Tuesday and had something wrong with her "tummy" and she hadn't eaten for two days. So off I went with her alone in the car as Suzy was busy and Eladio had gone to a routine doctor's appointment. Usually she hates the car but on Thursday she sat very quietly, a sure sign she was not well.  I was lucky that I didn't have to wait too long at the vet before someone saw her. Here she is on the vet's table looking a sorry sight.

Norah at the vet on Thursday morning

After an initial exploration, an X-ray and a scan it was obvious she had some foreign object in her stomach. We had no idea what it was. But it was causing her pain and inflammation. The vet recommended that she stay in hospital and be given treatment for whatever it was to be expelled naturally. If it didn't come out, the next day she would have to be operated on. So I left the poor dog at the hospital and wouldn't know anything until the next day. Oh dear, Norah is always on the lookout for any sort of food and this was bound to happen one day. I wondered if it was a conker as the size was right, about 2cm wide.

I came home to prepare the fruit and flowers for our new guests' rooms and then took a late walk with Pippa. It was so hot I didn't make it to the end. As I was coming back, Oli wrote to say they were coming for lunch. Lunch would have been a minor affair that day as I had run out of provisions. Thus I had to do a sort of fish and loaves miracle and came up with a dish of baked salmon, mushroom sauce, rice, roast red peppers and blue cabbage with garlic. The plates looked very colourful. We had lunch late and even Suzy who finished her lessons that day at 3.10 was able to join us. We ate outside in the sun and I know my father was delighted to see little Elliot.

That morning, even more cards and parcels arrived for Oli, Miguel and Elliot from girlfriends of mine. The postman was busy that day at our house delivering all sorts of enticing looking post. That day there was a parcel from Anne, my Finnish friend who had knitted a beautiful blanket. There was also a parcel from Joanne with lots of lovely baby wear as well as lovely cards, the type you can only get in the UK. There was even one for us, as grandparents, congratulating us on the birth of our grandson. I was very touched. So was Oli who remarked that my friends must really love me. They do and I am very grateful. So thanks once again to Zuka, the girls from QE (Cris, Bea and Gloria), Sandra, Jacky, Joanne and Anne.

Oli and Miguel opened their new parcels after lunch and immediately put the new clothes to use. Here is little Elliot covered in Anne's home made colourful blanket.  He is also wearing one of Joanne's little baby caps to keep his head warm. Oli told me she had learned from the baby classes that babies always need one more layer of clothes than adults.

Elliot and his new blanket and cap

As you can see in the photo he is about to cry. He doesn't like being in his cot, far preferring the comfort of arms and especially his mother's where he can suckle to his heart's content. And that's what he did for most of the afternoon. Later I helped Oli bathe him. He doesn't like water yet either and later when he was warm and dry and clean I held him in my arms for quite a long time enjoying the bonding moments and speaking to him in English. Here he is in my arms a place I love him to be.

My babe in arms

Eladio soon joined us and took little Elliot from me to hold in his arms. I love seeing little Elliot being held by his grandfather. Oli took a photo of us together with her baby, the two doting grandparents. I love it.

The two doting grandparents with their darling grandson Elliot

This time I had nothing with which to rustle up dinner so Eladio and I went out to Carrefour to bring back delicious ingredients for dinner. Oli was delighted to see the table laid and groaning with lovely food: left over tortilla, ibérico ham and lomo, cheese, a salad, gazpacho and her favourite; croquettes. It was so warm at 9 pm (24ºc) we ate outside again. At around 10 pm, the newly formed family left with our grandson for what I hoped would be a reasonable night for the parents.

Left alone with Suzy out and the guests out too, apart from a new arrival, we went up to our quarters. We watched a documentary on stories of escape from Alcatraz and an interesting one on Japan after WW2. I had to stay awake until Elisabeth arrived at 12.15. After showing her to her room, I was able to go back to sleep.

I woke up at 6.40 on Friday morning and it was to be a quiet and sunny day. I was worried about Norah and rang the vet. I was happy to hear our naughty beagle had expelled what looked like a peach stone that very morning. Of course they had to check by doing another scan whether it was the stone that was causing the problem.

We went and did the food shopping at my least favourite supermarket, Mercadona, before heading for the vet to pick up Norah. Thankfully the clinic was not too full and we didn't have to wait very long. The scan had been completed and our beagle was given the all clear. Soon she was with us. As soon as she saw us she began to cry in her beagle voice way. Poor thing she must have missed us while being in a cage which is a horrible way for animals to be left in hospital. But thank goodness the stone had come out on its own and that she didn't need surgery. It turned out to be a nectarine stone which the vet showed us. This is what was in her stomach.

The "foreign object" in Norah's stomach

We were told that it is very unusual for something so big to come out naturally and that Norah had been very lucky. Yes, she had, but she's a very silly dog who will eat anything she finds and the whole episode cost us just under 400 euros. I wondered how on earth the stone had got into her body and could only think she may have picked up an eaten nectarine from the dustbin under the sink. It is usually kept shut tight, just because of Norah, but maybe someone had left it a little open.

So all is well that ends well and we brought Norah home. She was delighted to be back and her appetite had returned too. I gave her a bowl of rice with some meat loaf in it which she wolfed down while the other dogs looked on jealously hahaha.

That was the good news of the day. There is little else to tell on the home front. On the international and domestic front was news of a big climate strike being led by young people all over the world. As I said, people are waking up to the dangers and are goading politicians and governments to do something about it soon. The other story this week apart from depressing British politics is the process to impeach Donald Trump after news of a phone call with the Ukrainian President was leaked through a CIA whistle blower. In the call Trump is asking his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate his rival Jo Biden and his son for their involvement in some corruption case in that country. Will he be impeached? I hope so but somehow I don't think it will come to that and God forbid he will be re-elected for a second term.

On the bright side, there is always Elliot to cheer me up and keep me going. I can't get enough of him and although I didn't see him on Friday, Oli sent me photos. Here is one of him at her breast or nodding by it which is where he seems to prefer to lie down. Oh how I love this little boy.

Elliot on Friday at 10 days old

In the afternoon we had the place almost to ourselves. Our guests were out and Eladio and I, accompanied by the dogs, sat by the pool reading. The temperature reached 30ºc that day. We now have our dinners outside which we love.

Saturday came and our French student, Elisabeth, left. Oliver from the US would be coming to occupy her room that day but wouldn't arrive until past 10 pm when I would be asleep. I do hate having to leave my bed late at night to meet guests. My latest check in time is at 9 pm but often guests ignore this unfortunately.

Saturday was a lovely busy day with a visit to Elliot to make it extra special. The morning was spent on errands after our walk. We had to buy yet another new hoover  as the old one had broken down. Eladio tried to mend it but the engine was burnt. Thus we went out missing a morning at home in the sunshine. I would have loved to join Suzy in the garden. We were home for lunch though and what did I make? Ah yes, broccoli and mushroom soup followed by bean stew (fabada). I didn't have the latter owing to my careful eating these days and ate fillet steak instead.

At about 4.30, Suzy and I set off for Oli and Miguel's flat eager to visit. Eladio stayed behind wanting a quiet time and arguing he would see them today for lunch. When we got there, the girls' friend Elenita was visiting and Miguel's parents had just left. They had lots of visitors that day and little Elliot behaved perfectly. He was in Elena's arms when we arrived and she soon passed on my grandson to me. He slept throughout our visit and peacefully so against my chest which seems to be his favourite position. Here we are together enjoying grandmother and grandson time. I have to say I am the happiest grandmother in the world. Who would have believed that of me, someone who generally is not interested in babies, far preferring puppies? Ah, but he is my own flesh and blood and that is so strong there is no ignoring it.

Me again with little Elliot in my arms, the happiest grandmother in the world.

It was such wonderful weather outside, we went for a walk with Elliot for him to get a bit of vitamin D. It was my first walk with my grandson and he behaved beautifully. He might not like his cot at home but he is quite content usually in his pram or car seat. He must like the movement.

Soon we had to leave if we were to be home again on time for dinner with Eladio who likes his meal at 8.15 or approximately that time. So we left reluctantly but happy that we would see the new family the next day for lunch at home.

Again we had dinner outside because of the wonderful weather - the so-called "veranillo de San Miguel" (San Miguel summer) which comes at the end of September in Spain. It's a sort of "Indian summer". Suzy joined us but later went to stay the night with a friend.

We settled down in bed to watch more of a not too interesting series based on true facts called "Manhunt - Unabomber" until I was woken up by my latest guest, Oliver a young man from New York. He had arrived late and left early this morning so I only saw him for a few minutes. Today another young man, Noel, who is Spanish, will be coming to occupy his room. September has been very busy with Airbnb and October looks to be busy too.

I found it difficult to sleep afterwards and continued watching the series until I fell asleep at about 1 am. I was up today slightly later at 7.30 and was first in the kitchen to feed the dogs.

Today will be another lovely sunny day and you will hear all about it in next week's post.

Sorry again if I have bored you with my tales of little Elliot but I think you can forgive me can't you?

Now my friends, it's time to sign off now and get on with the day.

Cheers till next Sunday,
Masha

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