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| With Eladio, Olivia and Elsa at the San Perrestre dog race on Monday |
Hi everyone,
Today is
Sunday and it’s been a week since Suzy left. You will be glad to know she
arrived safely in England where the population is suffering terrible
storms. The weather has been a big topic
on the news this week with freezing temperatures in the US and boiling
temperatures in Australia. Here in Spain
the weather has been foul for days, with lots of wind and rain.
The main news
of course last Sunday was of Michael Schumacher’s skiing accident. He is now fighting for his life at a hospital
in Grenoble with severe brain trauma. I
wish him a quick recovery and somehow think that such a strong and valiant
sportsman like the “Kaiser” as he is known, will somehow get through with few
repercussions.
Monday was
really the highlight of the week for us.
Olivia had been asked by her TVE programme, La Mañana de la 1, to cover
the New Year “San Perrestre” dog race in Madrid that morning. In fact they had asked for a reporter who had
their own dog to do the job and also to run the 3km race through the streets of
Madrid. Olivia immediately volunteered
to do so with our lovely 2 year old golden Labrador Elsa. However she needed our assistance which I was
delighted to provide. Eladio was more
reluctant although later on he admitted he’d had a great time. You see it was Elsa’s first time in the
streets of Madrid and her longest car journey.
However she behaved perfectly. We
would have liked to take Norah our beagle but she is a nervous dog and would
not have behaved as well as Elsa.
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| Elsa was the star of the show on Oli's TVE programme |
600 dogs would
be racing from the centre of Madrid (Cibeles) in an event, in its 3rd
year, organized by “El Refugio” an organization that protects animals. The name “San Perrestre” is a play on the
famous New Year race that takes place the next day in Madrid which is called “San
Silvestre”. At the end of both races,
grapes are eaten on each chime of the clock in an early celebration of New
Year. You probably already know that
that is the way Spaniards celebrate the New Year. For the dogs however, there were 12 dog food
pellets. As dog lovers, Eladio, Olivia and I were in our element as was darling
Elsa.
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| Oli about to race with Elsa at the San Perrestre dog race on Monday |
Eladio and I
had a great time, despite the freezing cold, seeing the behind the scenes of
Olivia’s job when she reports live. We
had never seen her before and were very proud to watch as she coordinated each
live report with the organisers and her cameramen and producer. She also talked to dog owners participating
to find out good stories to tell in her reports.
It was my job
to hold Elsa’s lead whilst Olivia was reporting and also my job to hand her the
12 dog food pellets during the simulated New Year celebration. Thus both Eladio and I were on camera
throughout both live reports. It was the
first time that occurred since Olivia has been a TV reporter. I must say the whole morning was hugely
successful and great fun. Maybe even
next year I will race with Elsa and Eladio will race with poor Norah who got
left at home. You can see the first live
report here if you fast forward to 10.16h.
The second report you can see from beginning to end on this link. You will notice how Olivia hugs me live on
television. The screen shot of that
moment is just below.
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| Oli hugging me live on TVE on Monday |
Only her
family and friends would have known that the person she was hugging was her
Mother. It was a wonderful moment for us
both. Thanks Olivia for a marvelous morning.
You can see more photos of our morning at the dog race here.
Olivia’s boyfriend,
a cameraman for TVE based in Valencia would have loved to have been with us
this morning. He had to make do with
watching us on his mobile whilst coming from Valencia that day but he was as
pleased as punch to see the three of us together on TV!
His arrival in
the early evening brought with it more Christmas present opening. They had bought each other many presents. I was chuffed
to receive some lovely Carolina Herrera fragrance from him as was Eladio to
receive his Paco Rabanne Invictus Eau de Toilette. I hope he liked the watch I
had got him. Later we had dinner
together and chatted enthusiastically about the San Perrestre dog race; the
highlight of my week.
The next day
was Tuesday, New Year’s Eve. Eladio and
I were up quite early to get a good start on our car journey to León where we would
be celebrating with his numerous family, as we have done now for years and
years. The nicest part about driving to
León, which takes about 3 hours, is the traditional stop at Rueda in the
Valladolid province and famous for its white wine. We always stop at the Palacio de Bornos
winery and here I am making a toast with some wine and ham. I look happy don’t I?
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| Toasting the New Year in Rueda on 31st December |
We arrived in
León just before lunch and on time to go out for some wine and tapas with my
brother-in-law Andrés. Lunch was at Pili
and Andrés’ house where we would be staying and Pili prepared a splendid meal
which we enjoyed with their grown up “children” Mario and Paula. Afterwards I was in need of a siesta which I
enjoyed with their delightful dalmation Trébol on the sofa in their lounge. The photo Eladio took of us is one my
favourite ever. I wonder if you agree.
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| Chilling out with Trébol on Pili and Andrés' sofa on New Year's Eve |
The afternoon
was spent as it always is on New Year’s Eve in León at Adela’s house
nearby. We were also to celebrate her
son Roberto’s 42nd birthday.
The photo below is also priceless; of Roberto surrounded by most of the
women in his life; his two daughters, Lidia and Diana, his grandmother
Ernestina, his wife Ana, his Mother Adela and some of his cousins.
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| Roberto my nephew with the most important women in his life and some of his cousins on New Year's Eve |
It was too wet
and cold for a walk that evening, so we skipped it although my body would have
benefitted from a brisk walk in between heavy meals, and went back to Pili’s
house to get changed for the annual dinner.
Here is a photo of Pili and I dressed to the nines. We both commented that we didn’t look too bad
in our “50s”!
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| Pili and I dressed up for New Year's Eve |
Dinner was at
Amancio’s where we celebrate New Year’s Eve nearly every year. Here is a photo of most of us, as it is
nearly impossible to get all of us on camera.
We were 18 this year and would be 21 when we were joined for coffee
afterwards by Roberto and his family.
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| Our New Year's Eve family dinner in León at Amancio's. |
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| Suzy celebrating New Year's Eve in London |
Meanwhile
Olivia was at home having dinner with Juli, Rocío and Anita and this is the
photo she sent me.
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| Oli celebrating New Year's Eve at home in Madrid |
She had
forgotten to get grapes for midnight so they ate mandarin segments
instead! Later they would be joined by
Miguel. I heard later that they did not
go out partying afterwards which must be a first.
After our own
copious dinner at Amancio’s some of the family gathered at Pili’s house where
we spent a good two hours watching old videos of the family which Andrés had
converted into dvds. It was amazing to see
us all in 1994, 20 years ago, during Eladio’s parents' golden wedding
anniversary. I was 37 and looked amazing
and the girls were 8 and 9! Eladio’s
hair was jet black! It is thanks to Andrés, the only member of our family able to
afford a video camera at the time, that we now have videos of when we and our
children were young.
After
breakfast the next day we watched more videos, some of 1990. I had long hair, the girls were tiny and
there is a priceless one of Suzy aged 6 in her birthday suit telling Andrés not
to film her like that after which she immediately said ok go on film me undressed!
This year we
stayed in León for lunch, invited by Adela and Primo. Adela had made a typical regional dish called
“llosco”. That’s the name of it in
Montrondo but the proper word is “botillo”. You can find out more about this
dish here.
Soon it was
time to leave and head home in the ghastly rain and wind. The roads were full of other New Year
celebrants returning home. On our way
back we did not stop at Rueda as the winery was closed on New Year’s Day. Once
home I unpacked a wonderful homemade hamper Adela had made for me. I think it was to thank me for taking her to
London; but that wasn’t necessary.
Thanks anyway Adela, the hamper is lovely and full of wonderful produce
we will enjoy.
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| Me with the Christmas hamper Adela made for me at home on New Year's Day |
You can see
the full collection of my photos of our New Year’s Eve in León here.
It was nice to
see the family and dogs again. Miguel
and Olivia joined us for a frugal dinner where we had some more of one of the 3
hams I had been given for Christmas.
Thursday was a
boring cold day when I fasted for the second time which always makes the day
feel so much longer.
Friday was
more fun. Olivia would be reporting from
a circus that morning and we were eager to watch her, as was my Father. The live report was about 3 female elephants’
morning snack at the American circus – mostly fruit and vegetables. You can watch it here if you fast forward to
13.23.
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| Oli live on TVE on Friday morning presenting the elephants at the circus. She is wearing one of Miguel's Christmas presents - the lovely burgandy dress by Purificación García which I, incidentally, have also worn. |
Oli, who does
not know much about mammoths, told her audience that each one weighed more than
2000 kilos and actually fed them live on the TV! When asked by the presenter how much an elephant
eats in a day, she produced an answer out of the hat, not really knowing the
right answer, and replied that they ate an awful lot and that this was just a
morning snack!
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| Oli feeding the elephants live on TVE on Friday morning. |
In the
afternoon Eladio and I braved the weather and took the dogs for a walk in the
rain and wind. I needed a hot shower
afterwards. Dinner that night was at
Tony Romas where we feasted on delicious ribs.
We brought back the bones for our dogs in a doggy bag to the amazement
of our waitress whose first day it was at Tony Romas.
On Saturday
morning, we had Kings’ cake (roscón de reyes) for breakfast. Olivia and Miguel
had bought us the cream variety. I am
very traditional and only ever buy the “roscón” to be eaten on Kings’ Day on 6th
January, but who was I not to succumb to the temptation at breakfast yesterday? Later that day I bought the plain variety as
I prefer to toast my “roscón”.
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| A "roscón de reyes" cake |
Christmas, New
Year and Reyes (the 3 Kings’ day on 6th January– so important in
Spain and the main day for receiving presents) are killers if you want to
maintain your weight. My new year’s
resolution this year is to shed the extra kilos I have put on since the summer
and I promise I will do it. I have a new helper, a wearable fitness device, “one”
by “fitbit” which Olivia bought me for Christmas; the idea being prompted by my
friend Juana. It’s a little device you
clip into your bra and via Bluetooth it synchronises the data monitored on both
your mobile phone and pc. It helps monitor your daily activity and even your
sleep. On a walk day it tells me I
generally walk about 10km and burn about 2000 calories. Last night I used the sleep monitor for the
first time and found out something which did not surprise me: I slept 9h.42
mins, 36 minutes of which I was awake, 34 minutes of which I was restless and
that I woke up 4 times to go to the bathroom.
These wearable fitness devices are very much in fashion and I’m not sure
whether I really want to monitor all my activity every day of my life. Yesterday I read an article in The Guardian entitled
“The unhealthy side of wearable fitness devices” and was appalled to read that
there is even a device called a jawbone.
I can only imagine it fits in your mouth and either stops you eating or
monitors your food intake. Isn’t that
taking it too far?
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| My wearable fitness device, the Fitbit "One" |
Yesterday,
Saturday was a busy day. After the “roscón” breakfast, we set about giving the
dogs their bi weekly bath. While I was
putting their blankets and collars in the wash, I heard a tremendous noise
coming from the downstairs guest room bathroom.
I rushed in to find Eladio patiently carrying on bathing Elsa after
about a quarter of the plaster had just crashed from the ceiling onto the
toilet, floor and basin. It was amazing
it hit everywhere except his and the dog’s heads. I hate to imagine what would have happened
had they been hit as the plaster is pretty heavy.
Unscathed and
with clean dogs, Eladio and I set off to El Corte Inglés (Spain’s most famous
department store) in nearby Pozuelo. We
had to get presents for Kings’ day on Monday.
Of course our main presents are given on Christmas day but we give token
presents on Kings’ day too. The place
was buzzing with last minute Kings’ day shoppers and the queues were enormous
and the shop assistants’ tempers a little frayed. Purchases done, we were home
in time for lunch with my Father and Olivia and Miguel who had been out
swimming at the indoor pool in Villaviciosa.
In the
afternoon we watched a film recommended by Olivia on the TV in our bedroom via
Miguel’s external disk (we are keeping up with the times!). It was Headhunters, a very entertaining Norwegian
thriller which kept our eyes wide open when normally we would probably have
fallen asleep.
Our walk
yesterday was very blustery and at one stage I fell in the mud. Meanwhile in the centre of Madrid gales of up
to 140km caused Christmas trees in two main squares to fall. In the evening we watched another film, courtesy
of Miguel’s external disc, The Flight with Denzel Washington, which we didn’t
enjoy half as much as Headhunters and were asleep by about 10pm – thus the 9.45h
sleep recorded by my “fitbit” last night.
Suzy yesterday
was having the time of her life with her boyfriend Gabor in London. They were enjoying her Christmas present to
him: a blind dinner at Dans Le Noir – I’m dying to hear what it’s like to eat
in total darkness. This was followed by
a night at a 5 star hotel where she got a discount from a friend who works
there. This is the photo she sent us on
whatsapp of the two of them in their wonderful room at the hotel where they
would be drinking champagne and enjoying a massage! This was her present to him. Well you know his present to her is probably
even better. He has bought tickets on
the Eurostar to take her to Paris for a long weekend at the end of January. All
I can say is long live romance.
.JPG) |
| Suzy and Gabor enjoying one of her Christmas presents to him yesterday - a night at a 5 star hotel in London. |
And today is
Sunday. Finally the rain has disappeared
but probably not for long. Tonight is
Kings’ night when Spanish children cannot sleep for the excitement of waking up
to the presents the Magi from the East will be bringing during the night. We will have our own family Kings’ breakfast
tomorrow when we will exchange our token presents and then we have a big family
lunch to look forward to. José Antonio,
Dolores and their three grown up kids, Miguel, Sara and Juan will be coming
from Montrondo where it has been snowing heavily since yesterday morning. But I
trust the roads will be clear and they will be able to leave the village
today.
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| Snow in Montrondo yesterday |
And I have now
reached the end of the tale of this week, the last week of Christmas, if I don’t
count Kings’ day tomorrow.
So wishing you all a great week ahead, cheers till next time,
Masha.
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