My birthday, off to the Parador de Saler in search of sun, visiting Valencia, then to Santa Pola, George's birthday, home again to more rain, St. Valentine's Day and other stories of the week.

 Madrid,  Sunday 15th February, 2026

The four of us on my birthday last Sunday

Good morning everyone. How was your week? Mine was splendid. I always like birthdays although I'm not too happy to have turned 69 as I will be 70 next year. Old age is on my mind a lot these days. I hate my wrinkles, my worsening memory and ageing body. However, I am enjoying retirement while I am still relatively fit and have to be grateful for that. 

I turned 69 last Sunday 8th February. February has been cold and extremely wet in Spain, nearly everywhere. The Iberian Peninsula has been battered by storm after storm and this has to be the longest period of rain I have ever known since I came to live in Spain in 1981. The floods in Andalusia were frightening as were the hurricane winds in Galicia, Catolonia and now in Valencia and Alicante. I am aching for sunny and dry weather and thankfully we got some sun in Valencia. It was sunny too in Santa Pola but too windy for words. We are experiencing extreme and freak weather which of course is because of climate change and I don't like it at all. I wish too that my birthday fell on a warmer month than February. 

We went out for a birthday breakfast and walked to the churros cafe and back. I enjoyed my 2 big porras with thick hot chocolate which is such a treat. Here I am digging in.

My birthday breakfast - chocolate con churros; such a treat

I came home to make fish and chips with mushy peas, our favourite for birthday lunches. Soon Oli and Juliet arrived and my darling granddaughter was carrying a huge bunch of flowers for me, bless her. Thank you Oli.  I do love flowers as a treat.

Juliet bringing me flowers for my birthday

The table was laid and the fish and chips were ready to eat just as Miguel and Elliot arrived. 

Fish and chips for my birthday lunch

I had hoped for a photo with my grandchildren or all of us but Elliot wasn't having it so I had to do with one just of the four of us. I have chosen it as this weeks' feature photo. But I did get photos with Juliet when it was the cake moment. 

The cake moment

I had ordered my favourite cake from Alverán with white chocolate and strawberries and cream. It is simply the best.

I loved my presents too which of course Elliot and Juliet opened for me and then went off and hid them. I got slippers, a fleece, a travel coffee mug and a voucher for a massage from Suzy. Thank you darlings. Loved my presents. 

Oli and family stayed until the evening after which I packed for our trip to Valencia which was part of my birthday treat. 

I was up at 6.15 on Monday and we were soon on the road. We said goodbye to the rain and cold of Madrid and as we neared Valencia the temperature kept going up until it reached 23ºc with lots of sun. Wonderful. I had booked a table and ordered a seafood paella at a restaurant we went to years ago. Called L'Establiment it is in El Palmar right next to the Albufera lake or lagoon. The Albufera lake is the largest in Spain and it is where the best rice is grown and used for paella. I love that lake and the nature around it and the fact that the whole natural park is so unspoiled. 

Lunch - paella - by the Albufera Lake at L'Establiment in El Palmar on Monday

There was too much for us to eat so we got a doggy bag and I actually ate more of it yesterday and it was still nice. 

We had chosen to stay at the Parador de Saler as we love Paradors and prefer staying in the countryside and beside the sea rather than in a big city. It is only a 20 minute drive though to Spain's third largest city, Valencia. Most Paradors in Spain are housed in lovely old monumental buildings but that is not generally so for those built by the sea as is the case of the one in Saler. However the quality is just the same.

At 7 pm I had booked an hour long massage at the spa. I would have enjoyed the spa if it hadn't been for a big group of German football players who hogged it all. I loved my massage; another birthday present to the add to the list and I still have Suzy's to look forward to.

We were not hungry enough to have dinner at the Parador and instead I enjoyed a glass of wine, some pistachios and fruit. The beds were hard but I actually slept a whole 7 hours. Wow!

On Tuesday morning we had the Parador breakfast to look forward to. They are always splendid and this was no less. Eladio always goes for savoury and I always go for sweet and especially enjoyed the pancakes. Here is Eladio having his breakfast with a view of the golf course and dunes.

Breakfast at the Parador was splendid

After a sumptuous breakfast we walked down to the beach and to explore the surroundings of the Parador which is also a golf course and there were plenty of golfers around. The beach was very empty and the sun timid at that moment so we didn't get good photos. It must be lovely later in the year.

At the beach by the Parador and the golf course - the Parador is just behind me.

The morning was to be spent in Valencia in the historic quarter. I had last been in 2017 but I don't think Eladio had ever visited the city. I loved the drive into the centre, past parts of the lake. I had to get Eladio to stop when I spied a "barraca". Barracas are unique to this area and are traditional farmhouses or cabins to be found in the orchard areas (Horta) and near the Lagoon. They are iconic with their steep pitched thatched roofs and whitewashed walls.I had to have a photo.

A typical Valencian "barraca"

I first learned that word when I was in my first year of Spanish at Nottingham University and we had to read Blasco Ibañez' "La Barraca". Ibañez was one of the famous 1898 Spanish authors. I don't remember much about it  apart from it being set in the Valencian "huerta" (horta in the local language). You must remember that Valencia is often called the Orchard of Spain - and you see oranges everywhere.  I had to look it up to remind myself it was a novel about social injustice and collective violence. Just seeing the "barraca" and many more while in the area, reminded me of one of my most important set books which I can now hardly remember. I found the scene very romantic.

We carried on our drive on the same straight road into the centre. My son-in-law, Miguel, worked for TVE and lived in Valencia for many years (it's where he and Oli met while working together) so I had asked him for some tips. One was where to park. He recommended the car park underneath the iconic fruit and veg market, Mercat de Colom. It was full but we found one next to it and were soon out on the streets in the sunshine and about to savour a bit of Valencia.

The Mercat de Colom in Valencia

We made our way to the main square, Plaza de la Reina. There we visited the Santa Catalina church but did not go up the tower. It was soon time for coffee and we only found a table at one of the cafes which turned out to be the most expensive in Spain in my experience, so far, at 9 euros for one coffee and a coca cola. But it was lovely to be there in the sunshine and admire the beautiful buildings. According to Google, the square is a "historic tapestry of Valencia's evolution, featuring a mix of Gothic, Baroque and Modernist styles. 

Eladio in the Plaza de la Reina Valencia with the cathedral in the background

We made a beeline for the cathedral which claims to house the Holy Grail; the cup believed by many to have been used by Jesus at the Last Supper. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is a city landmark built in the 13th and 15th centuries and a mixture of architectural styles. They include Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical styles. I saw a lot of Baroque. 

Suitably impressed we continued to explore the old part of the city and made our way to the Plaza de la Virgen where we saw the Turia fountain and nearby the Autonomous Community HQ, the Generalitat, so much in the news after the flash floods in 2024. We didn't have much time for more as we had a booking for lunch at a place recommended by Miguel. Called La Alqueria del Pou meaning something like "the well country house or farm". It was on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by a huge kitchen garden full of fields of artichokes and orange trees. It's an oasis in the city with the now iconic City of Arts buildings in the distance which we did not visit. 

La Alqueria del Pou restaurant where we had lunch on Tuesday

After such a big breakfast, I was not hungry and only wanted some artichokes and local tomatoes - delicious. But Eladio wanted to try the classic and traditional paella. It's rice with chicken, rabbit, broad beans, snails (yes) and runner beans. And here he is about to enjoy it. 

The real paella is made with rice, chicken, rabbit, snails, broad and runner beans. Not for me. 

I didn't try it but I devoured the garlic mayonnaise with tomato which is served everywhere in Valencia and Alicante. I always go for it and then have no appetite for what I have ordered.

Typical starter in Valencia and Alicante - garlic mayonnaise with crushed tomato and toast or bread

We seemed to spend hours in that lovely place and then walked out with lots of doggy bags of food to be consumed later.

We spent the rest of our time in our lovely room with a terrace overlooking the golf course, lounging around, reading and then watching the news and some rubbish on the TV.

Breakfast was slightly spoiled on  Wednesday morning when Eladio was served a rotten hard boiled egg. We only discovered it when he took the shell off. We asked for another one which didn't look good either so we gave up. 

We were leaving that morning and had decided to continue on to Santa Pola (188km away) to enjoy more sunshine. And that we did. We got to our flat with 23c outside but it was cold inside and we had hardly any provisions. Thus we got into the car again and drove into town and had a pleasant menu of the day at La Sal.

It was good to be back at our flat but I didn't like the cold which was tempered a bit by the hot air from the a/c units. 

The view from our terrace in Santa Pola

On Thursday morning there was  a lot of wind coming from Catalonia so we decided to head home after just one night back at our apartment. Eladio did a lot of driving this week and he is such a champ. We left quite early and stopped for lunch at the Venta de San José arriving home mid afternoon. As usual, Suzy, Tana and Pippa were there to greet us. We had left the wind behind but returned to rain and cold weather - aarrgghh.

I kept thinking about my brother George who would have turned 71 on Thursday 12th February. But that was not to be  because he sadly died of skin cancer (melanoma) aged just 46 on 15th May 2001. I remember him always and have missed him so much since he left us. Oh dear! Life can be cruel can't it? It was to him in many ways.

It was nice to be home though if only for our wonderful central heating which costs a fortune but keeps us so warm.  I had a funny guest arrive that day who I had concerns about but it was ok. Also arriving was Elena from Puebla Mexico who had been with us in the autumn and will be staying for 12 nights. Bienvenida. She is a delight.

The next morning was Friday 13th but thankfully nothing unlucky happened. It rained though and all day so we just didn't leave the house. I had lots of rental admin to do which is always a good sign. I was also looking forward to Friday evening dinner with Oli and the kids. But it was aborted at around 7.30 just when everything was ready. Oli rang to say she had lost her voice and it seems she had a bit of tonsillitis. So there we were with a table groaning with freshly made Spanish omelets, my Russian meat pies, a plate of ham and cut up fruit. It was a bit of a disappointment. But no worries, we ate some of it and left the rest for today when they will be coming for lunch as Oli is feeling on the mend.

Saturday dawned and it was St. Valentine's Day, 14th February. The great thing is that the rain had gone and the sun came out. And even if it was very windy, we got our walk in. Lunch was to be at De María in Majadahonda to celebrate Valentine's Day.  It's  a very posh and cozy steak house right next to the Atlético de Madrid training grounds and a restaurant I love. They give you lovely little starters so you only need a second course. You don't even need a dessert as they ply you with lemon sorbet and home made almond biscuits. We had a wonderful piece of steak with chips and an Argentinian sauce called "chimichurri" which is spicy and goes well with meat. This year we did not get a Valentine photo of the two of us. Instead I took one of Eladio. I just couldn't remove the two men behind him from the photo with the object eraser for some reason. So here it is, raw, just as I took it.

My own sweet Valentine at lunch yesterday at De María

Just as we were coming home, we bumped into both Suzy and Oli. They were off to a party for their friend Copi's birthday which is on the same day as mine. Oli laughingly asked us if we were then going to bed. How well she knows us. I seem to spend all my afternoons in bed. Best place to be, hahahaha.

I had an unexpected guest that evening. Alvaro booked the room that the funny man had vacated in the morning and thank God Tana had cleaned it. He booked it at the last minute as he had come to Madrid from Valencia (just where we have been) to buy a car but the transaction cannot be completed until Monday so he had to look for somewhere to stay and found our house. Nice. 

We had a quiet and very small dinner after which we watched the news. It came to no surprise to me to hear that the Russian opposition leader Navalny had been poisoned by Putin. He did not die of natural causes in the jail in the Arctic but from some deadly rat poison. Nasty news indeed.

Today is Sunday and the sun is shining so we shall go for our walk after I publish this. 

Cheers then to ye and all until next Sunday,

Masha

Alcaraz beats Djokovic in Australian Open and becomes youngest man to complete career Grand Slam, Kafkian new rule for rental hosts, some retail therapy, flooding in Spain, Suzy invited us to lunch at Honest Greens and other stories of the week

 Madrid, Sunday 8th February 2026 - My birthday

The four of us at Honest Greens on Friday where Suzy invited us all to lunch. Thank you Suzy. 

Hi everyone. Today is a great day. It is my birthday and I am just shy of 70 so have one more year in my 60's. Where did the years go? Time flies doesn't it? 

It's been an up and down week but last Sunday was certainly an up day. It was a great day for Spain's tennis prodigy, Carlos Alcaraz. Aged just 22, he beat the GOAT of tennis, Novak Djokovic, aged 38, the holder of 24 grand slams. At the moment the match finished, Carlitos became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam (all four major tournaments - Wimbledon, Roland Garros, US Open and the Australian Open). He also won his 7th grand slam, the youngest man  to reach that number. He now leads the select club of those male tennis players who have also completed the Career Grand Slam. For the books the others are: Rafa Nadal (24), Roger Federer (27), Novak Djokovic (29), Andre Agassi (29) and Rod Laver (31). Quite a select club from the Open Era. But did you know that Steffi Graf was already a Career Grand Slam winner aged just 18? 

Eladio watched the match but I couldn't as it was too nerve wracking. So I followed it on my phone in the bathroom. As soon as I saw the 4th set score, I knew he had done it and rushed into our room to see him live - such a pleasure. Both he and Novak were amazing and there was Rafa Nadal watching them from the stadium. Later they hugged which was beautiful to see. I love watching the prize ceremony when a Spanish or British tennis player wins and Sunday was unique. I later came across  a great photo of them and their trophies combined with a photo of Carlitos aged 13  watching Novak practice at the Madrid Open. When that photo was taken could Alcaraz ever have imagined playing the GOAT (greatest of all time) in a Grand Slam final and beating him? Who knows? Anyway, here is the photo which went viral, of course.

Above, Carlos aged 13 watching Djokovic practicing in 2016 and below after beating him at the Australian Open

In the press conference afterwards, one question stood out. Could he win all four grand slams in one season? Even Carlos thought that was quite an impossible objective. But who knows? He could do it. The last man to do that was Rod Laver in 1969. More women have achieved the "Golden Slam" though and they are Maureen Connolly (Little Mo), Margaret Court and Steffi Graf. Of interest, by the way, sitting in the stadium was the GOAT of women's tennis, the one and only Margaret Court who is Australian. Both she and Djokovic hold the greatest number of singles grand slams and last Sunday Djokovic's main objective was to reach 25 and beat Court. It was not to be but he may still do it. Who knows?

If you are not into tennis, I hope you don't find my blog boring. Sorry if it's not your thing.

The highlight of Sunday was a long video call with my dear friends Kathy and Phil. Oh how I wish I could be with them in Yorkshire now. 

Monday was, by the way, Groundhog Day and it felt like it. The weather was foul, robbing us, once again, of our walk and it seems to have rained everyday since. We have had Storms Leonardo and now Marta and they have caused havoc, mostly in the South of Spain.

If Sunday was an up day, Monday was definitely a down day. I had to battle with trying to comply to a new and Kafkian rule for short term rental hosts, like me. It was so difficult I even began to think it was impossible and we would have to sell our houses and give up the business. If last year I had to battle to get a special number for each listing from 3 different Land Registry Offices which took me the best of 3 months, this year a new requirement was published and it is a nightmare. It has to be finished by the end of this month and if you don't submit the forms, they will  cancel  your special number and I and many others won't be able to publish our listings on Airbnb, Booking and the like. Basically the Government wants to know the dates of each reservation and the reason for the guest staying but why I really don't know. I suspect it is just more control. The form to fill all this out - and in my case that is 7 forms, is devilish. You have to download a software programme called N2 and have a digital certificate as well as be a subscriber of the Registry Office. The N2 app is awful and had me in knots. Just look at my PC while I struggled to complete the processes.

Struggling with the ghastly N2 app to fill out the forms online

Next to me I had a 41 page manual on how to complete the process to be found on the Land Registry website which is a complicated site if ever I've seen one and I'm not completely computer illiterate. But imagine people who don't have a PC or Windows - there is no MAC version yet - Thankfully I was not the only person lost and took comfort in forums on Facebook for hosts and got help. I found a wonderful computer geek, Carlos from Valencia, who is also an avocado farmer, who for not much money would be my saviour. Actually, once he showed me how to do it, I learned but it wasn't easy, not even for him. Whoever designed the programme should be fired. 

I had a break from battling with the N2 programme when it was time for my weekly video call with Amanda. She commiserated and it was great to get up to speed again. 

Tuesday was an up day although I didn't think it was going to be.  I finally got on the scales. The last time was in the middle of August after I had finished my last dose of Mounjaro when I had reached my desired weight. I had seriously thought I had put on weight, especially after Christmas, and was thinking of asking my GP for more Mounjaro. But I was blessed as I only put on just under 2 kilos. How could that be as I have been eating more than I need and lots of chocolate?  I had been wearing black leggings for weeks and weeks and that day tried on my jeans and they were fine as were all the other trousers I wore this week. Whoopee I thought. I hate the scales but for once they told a nice story. 

To add to my happiness, that day I got 3 new bookings. I also cancelled our two night stay at the Parador in Gredos and swapped it for the Parador de Saler near Valencia where the weather will be much better. That's where we are going tomorrow to continue celebrating my birthday and from there to Santa Pola. As soon as I learned that the Parador in Valencia has a spa, I booked a massage. I also booked a table at a restaurant we went to near it about 10 years ago. It's called L'Establiment and is in El Palmar right by the Albufera lagoon. I have ordered  a seafood paella and can't wait to go there.

Feeling good and needing a bit more nurturing I suggested to Eladio that we go and have coffee - well just me - and do some retail therapy at our local shopping centre in Majadahonda. It was to buy my birthday presents. I have a wonderful husband but he is no good at buying presents, haha. I had a grand time, first celebrating the news from the scales by having a coffee and a croissant. I then left Eladio sitting at the cafe while I went looking for presents for me. I found a warm and snuggly cream coloured fleece at Oysho which I know I will wear a lot. This is it.

My birthday present, a fleece from Oysho

Eladio then joined me looking for a pair of pink slippers which I found at Victoria's Secret. On our way out I spied a red and white striped Rugby type jumper at Mango but they were all over size. Thus I ordered an S online which came on Friday. I now wish I had bought a size XS hahaha. This is it. Very me right?

The red and white striped jumper I got from Mango this week. I look as though I'm about to go and watch cricket, hahaha. 

My afternoon was interrupted because of a routine doctor's appointment. But I was soon home and enjoying more of The Night Manager Season 2 which I finished this week. I am a fan of that series and pleased to hear that there will be a Season 3 soon and we won't have to wait another 10 years for it. 

Wednesday brought more rain, snow and flooding. The north was very affected but much more so the south and also Extremadura. Storm Leonardo also battered Morocco and Portugal. One woman died in Malaga and more than 11.000 people have been evacuated as rivers overflow and water pours everywhere. On some footage we saw water gushing out of electricity sockets. We are not immune in Madrid either with the threat of the River Jarama flooding. Part of our garage was flooded as water seeped in through the walls. That is going to be costly to mend but at least we are safe at home. No one can deny climate change. One village, Grazalema in Córdoba registered a staggering 672mm of rain in just 36 hours. To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent to London's average annual rainfall!! Imagine. No I can't. 

Amazingly we managed a walk in the morning. It was on Wednesday I read an article I urge you all to read by Helen Rumbelow published in The Times on 4th February. This week has been all about the latest findings from these millions of  Epstein files published a week or so ago. Rumbelow studied them and I thank her for that. Rather than focusing on those involved - the big names - she explores the vile club of women hating men these powerful and rich men belonged to and still do. It is chilling and makes you understand just how widespread this is. The sorry story is that only 2 people have been convicted - Epstein himself and Maxwell.  There is not enough evidence to put the rest - Gates, Musk, Trump, Andrew, Clinton, Madelson, etc - behind bars. Ah but Pandora's box has opened and we know what they did and some of them are getting their comeuppance. If only poor Virginia Guiffre had not committed suicide and lived to see at least some of it. As the article has a paywall, I copied and pasted it into a Linkedin article which you can read here. It only takes 5 minutes. Bravo Helen Rumbelow. All women should read this. 

It was in the afternoon I had my first session with Carlos the computer geek. He was my saviour and it was fun working with him. I was exhausted after 1.5h and I would have another session the next day and by Friday everything was submitted and I could feel peaceful again and not worried about having to sell our houses. 

Thursday saw me working on the forms, now by myself, until I had to go to the Qurión hospital for my annual gynecological MOT as I call it. The smear was fine and now I will have  appointments for a bone density test followed by the dreaded mammogram and echo mammogram. I go every year and have being doing so since I gave birth. My mother had breast cancer so I must be extra careful and I try to be. 

Eladio went with me and we had to wait more than an hour for my appointment but were home on time for lunch with Suzy. The rest of the afternoon was spent working with Carlos who accessed my computer remotely and by the end of the day nearly all was done but not quite dusted. 

Friday brought more damned rain. It also brought a negative reply from the Land Registry Office in Santa Pola. What had we done wrong. I rang the office and  apparently I hadn't ticked something. This time I didn't need Carlos' help. I just redid it and rang the girl to see if all was well and it was. I felt like a champion. 

Friday was a champion day actually as it was the day we went for lunch with Suzy - her Kings' Day present to the 3 of us, Eladio, Oli and I. She took us to Honest Greens which Honest to God, hahaha, I love. What a place. The food is so good and  healthy and the place has good vibes. It was lovely just to be the 4 of us,  the original family which doesn't happen often. I have chosen one of the photos we took that day as my feature photo. Here are some more.

Suzy's Kings' Day invitation lunch at Honest Greens on Friday

Best of all was the fact that Suzy could invite us as she now has  a job which she takes very seriously. A year ago I would never have envisaged that this day would come. Bravo Suzy. She is seeing a new therapist online - a lady from Cork - and is also going to Yoga classes. What I don't like though is that she now back to smoking dope which is so bad for her as it can trigger her delusions. I wish she could stop. She knows she has to but it's not easy. I understand as I am a smoker but not of dope which I have always hated.

On our way there I had spied a Balbisiana bakery which must have just opened recently. So I had to take the girls there on our way back. Suzy didn't want to be tempted, Eladio has not got a sweet tooth thus it was only Oli and I who went in. Balbisiana is the nearest to a chic Parisien patisserie or even a Bettys although the branch in Pozuelo is quite small. I first heard of this bakery through a friend, Juana who I think knows the owner Paula. Paula started her cake business online a few years ago and now has at least 8 bakeries in Madrid including one at Terminal 4 of the airport. Well done. I am not surprised because her cakes and pastries are utterly divine. Braveo Balbisiana. Here is Oli posing for me while we decided which truffles to take home.

Oli at Balbisiana in Pozuelo on Friday. We had trouble choosing. The place is divine. 

I had earned a rest in the afternoon when we got back as all my work had been done and I could enjoy my peace again. 

We had guests coming and going this week but I hardly saw them. Bless them. They are loyal guests who always come back. 

Saturday dawned and I was up a bit too early. It didn't rain on our walk but then the heavens opened so I'm glad we went when we did. Tana was off and is coming back today to help with my birthday lunch. Thus I made lunch and most of it was preparing artichokes which take ages to make but when they are on your plate they are delicious. Suzy was happy with them too. 

Today, my friends, is my birthday and we shall celebrate it with the family as we always do.On the menu will be my home made beer battered fish and chips with mushy peas, followed by a white chocolate and strawberry cake from Alverán.  My birthday won't end today as we shall continue to celebrate when we go to Valencia tomorrow. What  a treat.

And that's it from me for today. I must get ready now to go out with Eladio to have chocolate and churros for our breakfast, a wonderful treat we both love.

Cheers till next Sunday,

Masha

To León and back in a day, Storm Kristin brought snow to Madrid, hibernating at home, 3 million more pages of Epstein files released - watch out Trump and Andrew - and other stories of the week

 Sunday, 1st February, 2026

Lunch in León on Monday with Eladio's siblings and partners

Good morning again my friends this first day of February. I am very happy to see the end of what has been a rather dismal month of January. It has been cold and miserable and I only hope we get better weather in February.  

Last Sunday, at least, was a sunny day. Elliot had a race that day and came second in his group. Well done my dear boy. His father, Miguel, I heard, got quite emotional. 

Elliot came second by a millisecond 

I rather wish we had been there but Oli never told us. Later Suzy and I commented on how sporty Elliot is and how neither Eladio nor I brought Suzy and Oli up to be sporty. As Suzy said, it's a bit late now. Oh dear. 

We were pretty much alone that day as Suzy was out working and had lunch with Oli and Elenita. I had a nightmare during my siesta and nearly missed my weekly call with Amanda. She more or less woke me up which was a good thing. A good thing came out of our call too. We had planned to take Andy and Amanda to Seville and Doñana in May when I was with them in December. The next day I booked an apartment for 4 nights in Seville and rooms  at the Parador de Mazagón for 3 nights and Amanda booked the flights. That will be something lovely to look forward to. Our friends are very into nature and birds and keen to visit Doñana, Spain's biggest nature reserve and the biggest wetland in Europe I think. 

We also spoke about a reunion with our BGS pals from the early 70's after a chat earlier this month with Mark. We hope to meet up in Yorkshire in June. Wouldn't that be wonderful and something else to look forward to? I hope it works out.

Monday came, the day we were going to León and back in the day. Eladio and I had to meet all his siblings and their partners at a Notary. It was to finalise getting deeds for all our houses and plots of land in Montrondo. Once it was just a farm owned by their parents and I don't even think they had deeds for that. Big thanks to Eladio's sister Pili who has been working on this for more than a year and it was very complicated as I would learn at the Notary. 

I was up at the unearthly hour of 5.40 and we left the house at 8.30. It was a wet and cold day and would rain throughout. It even snowed in the mountains of Madrid as we passed the long tunnel. Thankfully there was more rain than snow as we do not have winter tyres nor do we have chains. We got to León at around 12, an hour before the appointment. After parking in the Plaza de Santo Domingo we walked up the main street Ordoño II until we found the location. With time on our hands we had coffee at a marvelous cafe called Valkiria. Just before 13 we all met outside and we were quite a crowd; Eladio, the oldest of the 6 siblings with 4 partners. The whole thing took about 2 hours as there were so many documents to produce and identities to check. We were finished by 15h and Pili had booked a table for lunch for all of us at Pico Pico in the old part of the city. It was wonderful to escape the cold and rain and to eat something as we were very hungry. Pico Pico had a great menu of the day and it was an enjoyable lunch. As it's not often the 6 brothers and sisters; Eladio, Toño, Adela, Alejandro, Pili and Isidro, get together, only about once a year in the summer in Montrondo, we took photos. I chose one of them for this week's feature photo. Here is another.

Lunch in León last Monday

We had to leave at around 5 as we had quite a long journey home; about 3.5h. It was smooth driving and Eladio is a champ driver so we were home at about 8.30. There were Suzy, Tana and Pippa waiting for us. We skipped dinner and went straight to our bedroom to get ready for bed and watch the news. Eladio was soon asleep. I envy his ability to sleep so fast and so well. I was suffering a bit as I still had (and have) a cold and that day a bit of an earache. 

Tuesday 27th was the anniversary  of the liberation of Auschwitzh-Birkenau and International Holocaust Remembrance Day. That is 81 years ago and I was happy to still see some survivors present although they are dwindling and soon there will be none left. But we must never forget and keep their memories alive. That is what the Remembrance Day is for. I was born 12 years after but WW2 has forever marked me as a person and still does today. I was brought up on stories of the war by my parents and I met many survivors in Bradford where we lived, mainly Polish but also German Jews and being told how so many of them lost their families. That remained with me always. The Toczeks were our neighbours at 7 Heaton Grove and only recently did I read how Paula's father and twin brother escaped the Holocaust and came to England as Jewish refugees. 

It rained all day and we didn't leave the house. In fact we hardly left it all week apart from León on Monday. Suzy said it was like hibernating and it was. 

The big news on the international scene that day was what was being called the Mother of all trade deals,  a big trade deal between the EU and India. It comes after the recent agreement for a trade deal between the EU and Mercosur. It's a sign of bad relations with Trump's America if we have to look elsewhere for trade. Another sign was Starmer's trip to China this week looking for another deal. Trump's America is in dire trouble. This week was the aftermath of the killing by ICE officers of protester and nurse Alex Pretti in Minnesota. Trump sent his border Tsar who has lukewarmly agreed to deescalate but we have yet to see it. Meanwhile, protests are ongoing in major US cities. The way Trump cracks down on immigration is a warning sign of a fascist state.

Meanwhile in Spain, quite the opposite is happening. That day, our left wing PM Sánchez announced that the approximate 500.000 illegal immigrants living here will be made legal fast. They only have to have been in the country for 5 months. You would think he really cares about the immigrants. He doesn't. It's just a ploy to get his far left partner, Podemos, happy with this move, to  agree in exchange to let Catalonia take charge of immigration in the region. That in turn is to make his other partner, the far right separatist party, Junts, happy too. He needs them to be happy in order to vote in his favour when he presents new bills as he does not have a majority government. And that is how he governs. Anyway, it will make the illegal immigrants happy. Nearly 20% of Spain's population which has increased to 50 million, are immigrants. Soon they will be able to vote for Sanchez' socialist party. He knows what he is doing - but not always as we shall see. 

Wednesday came and I was quietly reading the news while having breakfast when suddenly it began to snow. Snow is big news in Madrid as it hardly ever makes its presence. IA says it happens about once in 5 years. Storm Kristin brought it apparently. Every day this week we seem to have had a different storm and I can't keep up with the names. Eladio and I watched the snow with pleasure. Tana who is from Paraguay,  watched it with elation as it was the first time she had ever seen snow. It began with a few flurries and then snowed heavily for about 2 hours. I caught it on camera of course to share in this blog. Here is a video and a couple of photos. 

Snow on Wednesday!

It was lovely to enjoy it from the comfort of our warm home but it apparently caused chaos in the city as Madrid is not prepared for snow. They even blocked the A6, the motorway to the North West which we drove on on Monday. If the meeting in Leon had been on Wednesday we wouldn't have been able to go. Fortunately or unfortunately after about 2 hours it was over and soon it disappeared but I loved it while it lasted. 

I spent part of my day fighting with Airbnb over a complicated guest who had booked for one person but was bringing another one and didn't want to pay  extra. I also enjoyed episode 5 of Season 2 of the Night Manager. Today I shall devour episode 6. 

Thursday dawned and the rain continued but not a snowflake in sight.  That day I also booked another jolly, 2 nights next week at the Parador in Gredos to celebrate my upcoming birthday with Eladio. That is something to look forward to also. Something else to look forward to will be lunch at De Maria in Majadahonda on St. Valentine's Day this month where I booked a table that day. I love that place.

We went out only on an important errand and I had a coffee out or rather inside at Alverán and then we rushed home to escape the rain and the cold. 

That evening a  religious funeral was held in Huelva for the 45 victims of the terrible train crash which is still the main news in this country. Our left wing PM Pedro Sánchez did not go which I think is shameful. It was claimed he doesn't go to religious services which is BS. I think he was afraid of being accused by the families of the victims for his part in the crash; i.e. the failure of his government to keep the tracks maintained. The King and Queen went and they did a good job. The government still wants to organise a state funeral but wants it to be non religious. Ridiculous in a former Catholic country. We all know that most of the families of the victims would prefer a mass as they are believers as many people are in Andalusia where they are from. What problem does Sánchez have with that I ask? 

On Friday it stopped raining and the sun came out. Whoopee. We went and did the food shopping to fill the fridge and cupboards again.  Of note that day I had my first guest from a country called Reunion near Madagascar which belongs to France.  Aurelien is a delight and has come for lectures in sports physiotherapy. Oli later asked in jest whether they have many reunions in Reunion. I have no idea. 

Sadly one more of the victims of the crash died that day in the Intensive Care Unit in Córdoba, making the death toll rise to 46. Sad!

It was very sad too to hear that it was little Bobby's funeral that day. My heart goes out to his parents, grandparents and family. He will never be forgotten. God bless him. 

On a happier note, Oli and family came for dinner as they often do on Fridays. And here is our little minx Juliet in my bed showing me her sweets. Bless her, she gave me her last one which I shall keep for her. 

Juliet in my bed with her sweets when she came yesterday with Oli and family

I made semi home made pizzas with salad for everyone and a grand time was had by all. I love having them over for meals together. Next Sunday they will be coming for my birthday lunch and I shall be making the customary fish and chips which we all love for birthdays.

When they went, we retired to our room to get ready for bed and watch the news. One big item was about Carlos Alcaraz. This week I  have been quietly following his progress at the Australian Open and am very happy about how the 22 year old Spaniard, who is number one, is doing. That day he played against the German Alexander Zverez. It turned out to be the longest semi final in the history of the tournament. Overcoming dreadful cramp, Alczaraz finally won 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5 which took over 5 hours. Interestingly he will meet Djokovic today in the final. The 38 year old and 24 time grand slam winner amazingly beat number two Jannik Sinner in a thrilling match that also went to five sets. Djokovic was heading home but his last two opponents had to retire. Thus he was given another chance and has had a long time to recover. So who will win of the two oldest and youngest players at the tournament? It will be a battle of titans. You all know who I am routing for. May the best man win I should say. 

The other news was the new release of Epstein files, more than  3 million  pages, 2000 videos and 180.000 images included.  That is an awful lot of documents to trawl through. The key revelations are shocking but not unexpected. In the files there are hundreds of mentions of Trump and a terrible allegation of him having raped a 13 year old girl for whom there is a witness. As to Andrew, the former Prince, there are new photos of him. In them he is positioned on all fours over a woman with a leery look on his face. There are mentions of the sexual involvement of Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Elon Musk. This is big and I hope they get their comeuppance.  I hope I am right when I include the words watch out Trump and watch out Andrew in my headline. They will probably get away with it but the world now knows. Some of the stuff is heavily redacted but not all and more revelations are to come when those involved finally read and watch everything. Wow what monsters live on this earth. 

On Saturday, the last day of  January it was our friend Phil's 70't birthday. Wow, that is quite a milestone. He and Kathy will have enjoyed his day I hope. Love to you both and congratulations. 

The sun came out again and we went on our only walk of this week but we do hope to go again today.  It was a quiet day for us. Good news came yesterday from Venezuela, when the new President, Delcy Rodriguez announced an amnesty law for all political prisoners. That is the one good thing that has come out of Trump's incursion in that country. Let's see how long it takes for the remaining 700 or so people imprisoned by Maduro on trumped up charges of treason. I hope it is soon

Today is Sunday 1st February and yes, it is raining again. So not so sure we will go on our walk. 

And that's it for this week from me. 

Cheers to you all until next Sunday,

Masha

Tragic train crash caused by a fractured rail kills 45 in Spain, Oli reporting from Adamuz, Greenland sovereingty saved for the moment, funeral for Benito, the American dream has become a nightmare, precious family time and other stories of the week.

Madrid, Sunday 25th January, 2026.

Precious family time on Saturday 

Good morning everyone. 

What a tragic week it has been. Spain suffered the worst train crash in a decade with a death toll of 45 people in an accident that could have been avoided as we would find out during the week.

Last Sunday morning those who died that night after the crash of two trains in Adamuz on the Andalusia Madrid high speed corridor at around 7.45 pm, were going about their lives. How life can change to death in just a few minutes with no prior warning. We had a quiet Sunday although I was very upset about my friends' loss something only time can heal and then never properly.

 It was cold but sunny in Madrid that day and perfect for our walk.  Here is Eladio fastening little Pippa's harness as she always comes with us. Usually she needs her woolen jumper but not that day.

I love this picture of Eladio so lovingly preparing Pippa for her walk last Sunday

We were alone with all the guests gone, as well as Tana and Suzy at work. She has been a bit down lately but I think that after some cajoling from us, her mood has improved a bit. She always worries me. 

We heard about the train crash while watching the evening news in bed. At the time we were told that 2 had died. By the time I went to sleep the death toll had risen to 22 and to 39 in the morning until it reached 45 people. What on earth had happened? In the first place an Iryo train run by an Italian company which was heading to Madrid from Málaga and carrying 300 people, derailed from carriage 6 to 8 just outside Adamuz, in a remote part of Córdoba. That meant it fell on the opposite track. If it had just derailed and the traffic halted, there would probably have been no fatalities. But oh my God, just 20 seconds after it derailed another train, an Alvia (hybrid high speed train) carrying 180 people and heading from Madrid to Huelva, collided with the 3 carriages. The impact forced the first few carriages of the Renfe Alvia to fall down an embankment. That was also a fatality as it wasn't  until at least 45 minutes later that rescue forces get to it. Below is a very good diagram of the accident I found from a railway expert.

A diagram of the collision 

I woke up on Monday morning to read all this and was horrified. If only the second train hadn't been coming just 20 seconds after the first one had derailed. 

Spain is so proud of its high speed train network, the largest in Europe and the second longest in the world after China.  But I don't think anyone feels proud this week. Sad is the word or astounded. But of course accidents happen and it wasn't the only one this week. The others though happened due to external circumstances. With 4000 km of track the network connects most major cities in the country. In Spain the high speed network is called the "AVE" meaning a bird and I have taken it numerous times always feeling safe. I was on one of the first trains ever from Madrid to Seville during the Tour of Spain in 1992. It has grown so much since that most people today prefer the Ave to flying as it is much quicker. It boasts carrying 40 million passengers annually. Until now there has never been a fatal accident on a pure high speed train. The last major train crash which was in 2013, happened to an Alvia a hybrid version. It took place just outside Santiago de Compostela from where my daughter Olivia, a budding TV journalist at the time,  reported extensively on the crash. She would also be reporting from the site of this week's terrible crash in the very unknown village of Adamuz, until now.  With just 4000 inhabitants,  it is nestled in an area populated with nothing more than olive trees and is about half an hour away from Córdoba. The villagers rose to the occasion and some of them reached the site saving people's lives before the rescue people got there. There was an added complication in that the Alvia was almost unreachable after falling down an embankment, leaving it 800 km away from the first train.  Oli sent me lots of photos and was told she was being sent to cover the story of the villagers' involvement the next day. 

The Iryo train after derailing and being crashed into by the Alvia train.

Meanwhile, I had to rush off as I had an appointment with a doctor about what I though was oral thrush. I was to see a maxillofacial consultant at the local hospital, The Quiron, in Pozuelo. She took one look and told me it wasn't thrush but that I had a "geographic tongue". I had never heard of this apparently benign condition where the tongue goes red and feels inflamed and your taste buds are heightened so much you cannot stand even tooth paste. It creates a map like pattern, hence the name, when for unknown reasons the papillae move around leaving bare patches. She prescribed vitamins. I'm not sure whether they work or not but I can happily report it's much better now. Funny thing to have but thankfully it is benign. 

We followed the news of the crash after lunch and most of the week in fact. It really affected me and I know no one involved but even so. That very morning as they were rescuing people, the investigations began and lots of speculation too. From very early on the Guardia Civil found a broken track  which later turned out to be the reason for the derailment or so a preliminary report published on Friday.

The crack in the track that is being treated as the main cause of the derailment of the first train. 

An English railway expert I came across on Twitter (sorry, Z), called Gareth Dennis wrote that "the Adamuz crash has a clear and predictable mechanism, triggered with very high likelihood by a broken rail at a weld" and according to him "this failure can only be because of inadequate inspection and maintenance".  According to the report the rail investigation commission (CIAF), the 40 cm fracture occurred prior to the passage of the train. They know that from the notches seen on wheels of three earlier trains. The passage of the trains must have widened the crack until the disaster happened. It's difficult to envisage how 4000 km of rail track can be in a continuously perfect state without non stop maintenance.  The Minister in charge, Oscar Puente swears maintenance took place regularly on this track and elsewhere but cannot explain the fracture. The investigation will now centre on the metal piece of the track to find out why it cracked. It shouldn't have. The big worry is if this can happen again. Spain declared three days of official mourning so for the first few days no one tried to take political advantage of the tragedy. Now the opposition is having a field day. 

Meanwhile, Trump was playing his strange international political game. He published private letters to and from the Norwegian government and one from Macron. In his letter to the the Norwegian PM, he gripes about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize. In Spain, at least this week, he has garnered far less coverage than normal owing to our own tragedy. It was  a good break but didn't last. 

It was lovely to talk that afternoon with my dear friends Kathy and Phil. We had so much to tell each other. I do miss them and hope I can travel sometime this year to Yorkshire to be with them.

Oli had already travelled to Córdoba with her team and was reporting early in the morning from Adamuz. I followed her whole programme  on Tuesday morning and felt very involved when it finished. She interviewed a 16 year old boy called Julio from the village who has since become known as the "Angel of Adamuz". He and his mother and a friend were coming back from fishing and were one of the first on the scene. They helped pulls victims from the wreckage and Julio gave a victim his own shoes. He saved one man's life whose father said Julio was his son's "guardian angel". 

Olivia interviewing Julio the "angel of Adamuz" on Monday

For a boy aged 16 he spoke remarkably well on TV and was very erudite despite  his strong local accent. I wanted to know about his friend José's involvement and later Oli told me he just could not talk on camera. Here is the video of Oli's report and interview which I uploaded to my YouTube channel. Julio soon emerged as a national hero and was greeted by the King and Queen when they visited Adamuz that day. King Felipe told him  he saw the best of Spanish youth reflected him. There were many other heroes from Adumuz, a town which will always be associated with this dreadful crash. I love the stories of how they all rallied round and helped the victims through the night. 

Olivia later sent us a photo with a team from the French national broadcaster, TF1 she had bumped into in Adamuz.  She said it was the highlight of her day as she is so keen on French as you all know. 

Olivia happy to meet colleagues from TF1 while reporting from Adamuz

It was on Tuesday that Storm Harry hit Spain. It was because of the storm that another fatal train accident happened which claimed the life of a young trainee driver. It was an intercity train belonging to the Rodiales network in the Barcelona area which was hit by a landslide from a retaining wall dividing the track from the AP7 motorway. The wall collapsed on the train as it was passing by. It wasn't a problem of maintenance, just   sheer bad luck. The landslide was caused by the heavy rain brought about by Storm Harry. Since then 2 more train accidents were reported this week making everyone go jittery about the safety of trains in Spain.  One was in Cartagena where a building crane collided with the train and the other was in Asturias. Rock fell on the train as it came out of a tunnel. Thankfully, there were no fatalities on these last 2 accidents. 

On Wednesday I was looking forward to watching Oli interview Julio again but she never told me when she would be on so I missed her. It was a rainy day as Storm Harry continued to cause havoc mostly in the north of Spain. When my daughter returned home from Córdoba and her children were whinging, she said to them "hey family, we are alive". How right she was in saying that. Indeed, we are all alive and have nothing relevant to whinge about. 

We did not go for a walk as the weather was foul. Instead I spent part of the morning  cooking peacefully with Suzy. I made a chicken curry while she made a veg one and we ate in harmony together. I am glad to see that she is eating with us again, even if she only eats one meal a day.  I must tell you too that we shall be enjoying her Kings' Day present, an invitation for the 4 of us to have lunch at Honest Greens on 6th February. I look forward to that. 

Thursday was important for Greenland. World leaders and important people were meeting in Davos this week and Trump was there too, of course and that day announced a deal for Greenland.  I think the head of Nato, the former Dutch PM, Mark Rutte, must have got his ear and brought him to his senses about his obsession to claim Greenland.   I have been reading that Trump is often referred to as "TACO" and it's not the Mexican tortilla. It means "Trump always chickens out". I think the meaning is that he is extreme in his negotiating and aims higher than is imaginable just to get his objective. So, maybe, in the end he didn't really mean to claim Greenland  - which by the way he often referred to as Iceland by mistake - but to get what he wanted there; more NATO and US presence. I might be wrong or right I don't know with this man. The stupid thing is that with the current agreement signed between Denmark and the USA after WW2, all or most of what Trump wanted he already had, such as more US bases. Rutte must have got him to agree to more military presence of both the US and NATO on the biggest island in the world. For the moment Greenland's sovereignty is saved and the 25% tariffs imposed on the EU countries who sent troops, withdrawn. All that drama for what I ask?

While in Davos, Trump continued to advertise his latest scheme, his very own Board of Peace which many think he wants to put in place to rival the United Nations. On board now are some very dubious countries who have paid millions to be members. First on the agenda is turning Gaza into a sort of Middle East Miami. The UK and Spain have refused to become members. 

Nothing exciting was happening here that day or on Friday.  We went food shopping and it was lovely that Suzy joined us and got out of the house for once. Coffee at Alverán was the highlight although we had to have it inside as it was so cold. 

Storm Harry now turned into Storm Ingrid hit León where we are going tomorrow as well as Montrondo. We had toyed with going to Montrondo this weekend but couldn't even think of trying to get there because of a heavy snowfall. Eladio's sister rang worried about our car journey to León tomorrow as it was snowing there too that morning. The alternative is going by the AVE which for the moment  neither of us wants to do. Hopefully by tomorrow all the roads will be clear. We are going and coming back on the same day. It's to meet with Eladio's siblings to finally sign papers and get individual deeds for the houses and plots of land we have in Montrondo. 

On Friday we had an important engagement in Madrid. It was to go to the funeral of our friend Benito  who passed away just before Christmas. You will have read about his passing away when I wrote a while back. What a sad Christmas for his wife and life time partner Loli. They are our oldest friends in Spain and we met them when we lived in Saconia in about 1981 or 1982 and have kept in touch always. Here is a photo of the four of last year just before Christmas. No one knew it would be Benito's last. How sad.

With Benito and Loli on 10th December last year at Filandón.

We went by car and metro to the church in Madrid where the funeral was held. The Iglesia de Santa Teresa and Santa Elena is beautiful. I'm not sure but I think it is where they first met and fell in love. Benito, like Eladio, was a man of the cloth too so we share similar romantic beginnings. They were both teachers like Eladio so we had a lot in common. 

Just before the funeral began, Loli asked Eladio to read one of the lessons which I thought was very touching. But sadly, very sadly, when he saw the text shown to him by the priest, he had to decline because of his poor eyesight. Eladio has degenerative macular disease in both eyes and can only read if the text is very big. The funeral was very fitting with lovely music - an organ player and male singer. We were happy to see too a very big turn out at the lovely church. When the mass was over we paid our condolences once again to Loli and then slipped out quietly into the dark and cold night in the centre of Madrid. In Spain there is no tradition of a wake; food and drink after a funeral which I always find a little lacking but that's how it is. 

We were home late but on time for a little something to eat. We coincided with the arrival of one our guests, Mar who Pippa was barking at madly. I haven't seen our other two guests, Leonardo and Dani but hope their stay was uneventful.

Saturday dawned and the sun shone. I had something to smile about yesterday as Oli and family were coming for dinner that night.

The sun didn't shine in Minnesota and no one was smiling.  It is freezing cold there and as you know there is huge unrest after Trump's thugs - the ICE immigration forces - 2000 of them - are hunting for illegal immigrants. This is part of Trump's crack down on immigrants. Since he came to office last year there have been 2.2 million self deportations and more than 675.000 deportations, almost all of them carried out in a disgusting and cruel way. ICE are even detaining small children. Yesterday they shot a young man who was protesting as many locals are because they cannot comprehend what is happening and are appalled. His name was Alex Pretti and he was a 37 year old nurse born and bred in the States. ICE are even going after their own citizens. They claimed he was brandishing his gun when he wasn't. All I can say is that the US is a monster government with a monster at the helm. This cannot be happening and reminds me of how Hitler's thugs went after Jews in Germany before and during WW2. This is history repeating itself in the USA, the very country that opened its arms to survivors of the War. It beggars belief. It really does. What happened to liberty, equality, democracy and the rule of law, all values of the US Constitution? I am infinitely glad I live in Spain where we have our problems but none like this. But my heart goes out to those immigrants living in fear of deportation, not daring to leave their houses. Their American dream has become a nightmare. 

Our day was quiet. Tana left for the weekend and our guests were in class at the University. We went for our walk and had a pleasant lunch with Suzy. It was in the late afternoon I prepared our family dinner and made meat loaf with oven baked root vegetables to go with it. For the first time ever we were to taste dark purple carrots I had found at Carrefour. 

Oli and family, meanwhile, were at a Judo competition, Elliot was participating in. And my goodness, he came second, quite a feat. Here is a picture to remember the day and his win. I love his blue kimono.

Elliot came 2nd in the judo competition he participated in yesterday

After a sleepless siesta, I went down to the kitchen to prepare our dinner but got a bit waylaid when our friend Loli rang me to thank us for going to the funeral. She didn't have to thank us as we wanted to be there. As Loli is from Seville, we spoke about the train accident. Would you believe 2 of her ex colleagues were in carriage number 5 of the Iryo train accident and made it to the funeral? Carriage 5 was saved as it didn't derail. The train shuddered and stopped but they didn't know what had happened even when they got them out. They were led to the village of Adamuz and from there went by bus to Madrid. Only when they saw the images on the TV did they realise the magnitude of the accident they had escaped. They are still reeling from the shock of it.

Oli and family came early and we had quality time together. It was Juliet who said she wanted a photo with her grandparents and thus we had  a photo session in the kitchen with me, as usual, in my pink dressing gown which I seem to live in. I have chosen one of them as this week's feature photo and here is one of Oli and her family together.

A lovely picture from last night

With no Tana to help, we all lent a hand clearing up the dinner. I think the kids had a grand time when we played charades and hide and seek. We had a lovely time last night - quality time with the family. 

Today is Sunday, the guests have left, Tana is away and Suzy is at work and will later have lunch with Oli and Elena at Honest Greens. Thus we are on our own, something that doesn't often happen in this house so we shall enjoy it.

That's it for now friends and readers and cheers till next Sunday,

Masha