Long lost letters from my brother George, more photos from the past, shopping spree, Orbaneja del Castillo, a press conference, my birthday and other tales of the week.

Sunday 10th February, 2019

62 this week and who cares? It's only a number but with wrinkles.

Good morning friends and readers.

It's been a busy week and also my birthday. Last Sunday was quiet. I  literally spent the whole morning writing a difficult press release about financing for one of my customers. However, I was free in the afternoon and we went on another cold walk.

I continued editing and updating my Father's biography which I sort of finished that day. That's not quite true as I keep adding things. While rummaging through old photos, documents etc,  I came across letters from my brother George to me when we were young - he died aged 46 of melanoma - and they were lovely to read.

My good looking brother, George, in the mid 70's. 

At the time he was studying Latin American Studies at Portsmouth Polytechnic and I was studying Hispanic Studies at Nottingham University. The letters are lovely, all about his various girlfriends - he was so good looking - and his student life. In one of them he tells me he loves me. I think there are more, I must search and read every one of them. They were a lovely discovery as I didn't know they existed.

For the records, here is one of them. He wrote it to me when I was living in Madrid in 1979, as part of my studies.

Page 1 of a letter from my brother George written in 1979,

Page 2 of George's letter

I will cherish them forever.

The day ended watching an interview on the Spanish programme, Salvados, with Nicolas Maduro. The next day, Spain and other countries in Europe would recognize Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's President which would have its consequences. Donald Trump was saying that intervention in the country was "on the table" and Maduro would say the country was ready to fight. Will this be another Vietnam? I sincerely hope not.

Monday came and it was busy too. I did the fruit and veg shopping, quite a task as you will appreciate when you see the photo below hahaha. Hopefully it would last us the week.

The fruit and veg I got  at the Villaviciosa de Odón market on Monday

I spent the rest of the morning working on preparations for the Adamo press conference breakfast which would take place on Friday. With just a week to prepare it there was lots of work to be done. 

I had a break though to talk to my darling daughter Suzy who is living in Bali. Here are two great photo of her singing. She sings in a band she has created called "Los Chuchis". You can follow them on Instagram where they are called "Chuchis Chuchis".

Suzy singing with her band and looking happy

Suzy with her band, Los Chuchis

In the afternoon we went on a lovely brisk walk with the dogs in brilliant sunshine. The storms seem to have receded in Spain thank goodness. This week for example Santa Pola would experience 23ºc. I would have loved to have gone there but was stuck at home with my work.

Editing my father's biography, I also found yet more photos of his past and our past too. They came from the family album which I had been looking for in the past few weeks. Finally I found it on Monday. Here are some of the lovely photos. It made me so sad to see that only my Father and I are left now. It's very emotional.

My Father in Norway after the war

My Father at Cambridge

Teaching spies in Cambridge. My Father is on the front row wearing his school cricket jumper which he still wears today!

My parents on their engagement

Our house in Ruskington in Lincolnshire

George and I with Mummy and her pigs in Ruskington, probably in about 1961

My Grandfather with his children, my Father Courtenay (right), his brother Raymond and little sister Gloria. Henbury Bristol, probably about 1929.

The new Vicarage in Henbury, Bristol, built especially for my Grandfather and his family when they moved there in the 20's. Sadly it was burnt by vandals this last summer, 2018.

Later after a dinner full of vegetables and fruit, off we went to bed to watch the news - all about Venezuela. We later watched a film by Woody Allen (horrible man) called Irrational Man. I fell asleep. I have never really liked his films, apart from Match Point.

Tuesday came.  I spent more or less the whole day again on preparations for the press conference on Friday and it really felt like being back to work like in the old times. I don't think I could stand that rhythm every day of my life now as I have reached 62. I think I have the perfect work life balance now.

I was all dressed up ready to go out for lunch with my friends Julio and Fátima and then realised the lunch date was for Wednesday, not Tuesday hahaha. That was actually good as I was able to finish most of my work preparations.

There was no siesta and news that day but there was a walk with Eladio and the dogs. There was no need for Pippa to wear her jumper as the sun was shining and the cold spell is now over.

Pippa ready for her walk on Tuesday

What would we do without our walks? It was a glorious day and we started talking about plans for next week to celebrate St. Valentine's Day at Eladio's suggestion. Sure we will. We are even thinking of going to our pad by the beach at Santa Pola, depending on the weather but maybe have to leave that until the following week.

Dinner was omelet with spinach and asparagus from the huge amount of veg I bought on Monday and it was delicious. The news that night was centred again on Venezuela and back here on the 16 day taxi strike in Madrid which thankfully ended that day. The taxi drivers and the local government are at stalemate in their negotiations and the former say they will battle on. They do not have the support of the public at large after their violent behaviour and they don't have mine.

Wednesday would see me in Madrid and what a lovely day I would have and above all a change in routine. I had to go into town to visit EQT's offices, the Investment Fund company that owns the majority of my customer Adamo, to check them out for Friday's press conference. I decided that once in Madrid I would go  to see the girls from my events agency, QuintaEsencia, Cristina, Gloria and Bea who are sisters by the way. I have known them for probably more than 20 years and we are more friends than work colleagues. Apart from events, they also have a new sideline business, selling lovely things called Qrabbit which now includes clothes. Cristina is the one who started the clothes side of the business and as I love her style, similar to mine, had seen some of the stuff on Instagram, and decided clothes from their range would be my birthday present. It was to their offices in Calle Lagasca that I went first as I had all  morning to visit EQT, after which I had a lunch appointment in the same area, the very swanky Serrano neighbourhood.

It was great to see the girls again but I was sorry for them when they showed me the result of a fallen false ceiling and flooding on their show room. It looked like a bomb had hit it. Thankfully insurance will cover the costs but not the inconvenience. Thus they had the clothes in their main meeting room. Here I spied all the items I wanted to try on and I bought every one of them. You can too if you go to see them at Lagasca number 33 or to their website here.

As I was trying everything on, in came Bea. She was wearing the same tartan coat I was trying on. Here we are, what a laugh.

Bea and I in the same tartan coat. 

It's typically oversize so looks a bit big on me. When I tried it on for Eladio he asked whether I had bought a dressing gown, hahaha. That's maybe  because I bought him some pyjamas in the same red tartan and I have a similar pair too. You probably have guessed by now that I love tartan. Actually, I have quite a few red tartan garments: trousers, a jacket, the pyjamas, a short Zara coat and now this one. I even spotted some red tartan shoes in a shop nearby later but resisted as they cost 200 euros, more than I spent on all the clothing I got at Qrabit hahaha.

I bought 5 garments, including a rain coat in a tartan, but not red this time . Later in the evening when I got home, I tried everything on and got Eladio to take photos of his presents for me (hahahaha) I shouldn't have as the clothes were for my birthday on Friday but I couldn't resist. Here is a little fashion show for you  of the other garments I got, including a lovely tartan raincoat.

Clothes from my shopping spree at QRabit for my birthday.

Don't you just love the pink fur denim jacket? I think it's my favourite as well as the pink jumper. While there I also bought a birthday present for my friend Fátima with whom I would have lunch afterwards with our other friend Julio to celebrate our birthdays, both hers and mine. I chose the tartan rain coat which was a huge success.

It was great trying on the clothes and being with the girls, catching up on each other's lives, but I was interrupted constantly by work related messages, mails, etc which made my time at QuintaEsencia a little stressful.

After the wonderful shopping spree, I went to see EQT's offices, accompanied by two of QuintaEsencia's account managers as I would need their assistance at the press conference on Friday. Located around the corner from Calle Serrano (Madrid's Bond Street) they are very Swedish and swish. I knew their main board room would be perfect for our event as soon as I saw it.

After the visit, the morning was nearly over and I had just 30 minutes to spare before meeting Julio and Fátima at a lovely but expensive restaurant, Paraguas on Calle Jorge Juan. So I sat in the sun on Calle Serrano, opposite Plaza de Colón and diagonally opposite the National Library. It was such a lovely moment, a moment to myself in town, after a successful shopping spree and feeling as free as a bird. I checked in at home, ringing Eladio, made a few work related phone calls and then walked at my leisure to the restaurant.

My friends were on time and we had a divine lunch. We chatted non stop so I forgot to take photos unfortunately. We left at around 4 pm; yes Spanish lunches start and end late:-) and after saying goodbye to Julio, I took Fátima to QuintaEsencia to pick up my clothes and also for her to have a look. She has a different style so was not so bowled over but did buy a garment for her daughter. My friend  then drove me to my car at the Metro Station, Colonia Jardin and we both agreed we must go into town together more often. I was home by about 5.30, not too late for my walk but I had to cancel it because of work. I think I was at my desk until 8 pm when it was time for dinner.

Meanwhile Oli was in a lovely little village in Burgos called Orbanejo del Castillo. It is apparently the second most popular village to visit in Spain. And I'd never heard of it. Now I have. That day, Oli was preparing a report for TV which would be broadcast on Friday. Here she is with Miguel by the famous waterfall in the village which is what makes it so attractive.

Orbaneja del Castillo - Oli and Miguel by the famous waterfall.

That night Real Madrid were playing Barcelona in a so called "Clásico" at the Camp Nou in the final stages of the Copa del Rey. Eladio watched it while I read. It ended in a draw 1-1 and we will have to wait to the second round to see who goes through to the final. I'm not really into the Copa del Real, far preferring international championships.

My current book? Well about WW2 again of course, this time the biography of one of Churchill's secretaries, Elizabeth Nell. Called "Winston Churchill by his personal Secretary, I am reading it for the second time and am loving every minute of it because you get to see the man as he was right up close. What amazing times.

Thursday came and I had just one day before "D Day", my press conference. It just would have to coincide with my birthday once again. This is the 3rd year in a row I've had to organise a press conference on my birthday  - not fair hahaha.

What a busy day it was. I worked frantically on preparations for the press conference and a bit frustratingly too as there were so many people involved and too many emails and people weren't answering and when they were I had to reply on my phone. It's because I use gmail which is so inferior to outlook. Anyway, all would be well on the day, Friday morning.

That morning, Bradford Grammar School, in preparations for an article in their magazine, The Bradfordian, on the occasion of my Father's upcoming 100th birthday sent me his mugshot. That is his photo which hangs on the walls outside the school common room along with other past masters. Teachers at the school, commonly known as "BGS" are always called masters and wear their University gowns.  This is the photo which must have been taken the year he retired as he signs it. He looks very stern but I promise it's only the exterior. Underneath is the nicest and most gentle man, in both senses, in the world. I showed it to him and he smiled. 

My Father's mug shot still hanging on the walls outside the Common Room at Bradford Grammar School

I must say the photo took me back a bit, as in back to memory lane and I was delighted to have it. 

Oli preparing her report for TVE1 in the village in Burgos

I was too busy on Thursday to see Olivia on TV where she was preparing her report. Here is a shot of her on camera interviewing the local people. Amazingly, this tiny village, receives some 4000 people in a day in the high season.  Later though it was posted on social media and  I was able to see it. You can too on this link.

I managed to go on our walk with Eladio and the dogs in between working but throughout the walk I was on my phone answering emails and when I got back at about 7 pm, I had to sit down at my desk and carry on until 10 pm at night. I do wish everything could have been arranged, prepared and ready to go a few days ago rather than at the very last minute. I felt pretty stressed. Finally I sat down to dinner with Eladio at 10 pm and even after that had to make a phone call. 

I didn't get to bed until really late and then found it difficult to sleep I was so worked up and my head full of the day's work and what lay ahead. We watched some documentary on the Pyramids and then one on the Crusades which I found fascinating. Thus I switched off the light really late.

I was awake and roaring to go on Friday morning at 5 damned 30 in the morning, far too early. However, wide awake by then, I got up and began my day. It was lovely to see already some birthday greetings on Facebook. They would continue throughout the day. I love Facebook on my birthday:-) I would be swamped with them. 

Javi and Alba, my Airbnb student guests had arrived during the night and I wouldn't see them until the next day. January has been very quiet and February too so far but thankfully I have them coming nearly every week and of course Andy our permanent lodger. 

Birthday greetings were coming all the time. However, I couldn't concentrate much on my big day as I would be busy all morning. I had the Adamo press conference that morning at EQT's offices in Madrid and could only concentrate on that. There were so many details to attend to even once I got there. It was starting at 11, but blow me, at 8 in the morning I found out Expansión - Spain's top financial newspaper - had given the game away. Through their sources in the financial sector they leaked the news. The news was Adamo had closed a financing deal of 100 million euros to further expand its network in rural Spain to reach 1 million homes. Damn it, if Expansión had already published it that would put off other journalists covering the story. In normal circumstances they probably wouldn't attend. But they did, apart from one whose editor wouldn't let him go,  as they are faithful to me and I was very grateful. I was also very happy that day to see my old boss from Yoigo, its ex CEO, the charismatic Swede Johan A who is actually Adamo's President. Here I am with him and 3 of the most senior and veteran reporters in the telecoms sector. Love the photo. It felt like old times and I was so glad I hadn't lost my touch in getting reporters to come to my press conferences and then publish the news.

With Johan and 3 veteran and well loved and respected reporters: Ana, Nacho and Miguel Angel

All the reporters knew it was my birthday and we took a photo together before the press conference began - very unorthodox for press conferences but that is how mine are. They sort of feel like a party and everyone feels at home.

With my 2 Swedish bosses, Johan and Fredrik and all my faithful journalists at Friday's press conference

The news was interesting for them and needless to say they would all publish the story. I spent the rest of the day monitoring all that was being published and frankly couldn't keep up with it as there was so much news. On Monday I should get a report from my press clipping agency, JP Media, but I already know I will have probably beaten a record for number of clippings.

I was on a big high and once it was over it was time to pack up, close my PC down, say goodbye to my Swedish bosses Johan and Fredrik who are just great to work with and leave feeling very happy for a job well done and for which they congratulated me. This may sound like boasting but it has been a year since I have held a national press conference and I'm always worried I'll lose my touch. But I haven't yet.

In the taxi home, my phone was full of messages from all the diverse media available to us and I could hardly keep up to. However, there was one particular email that made me very happy. It was from Clifton College Bristol where my Father and his brother Raymond went to school. They had unearthed his school photo from his file and this is it. I was delighted to see it and later showed it to my Father.

The file on my Father from his time at Clifton College Bristol. The photo is from 1933 when he was just 14. He was at North Tower, the day boy's tower.

They also included a photo of him and all his "chums" from North Tower, Clifton College, one of the day boys' towers. I must have it enlarged and printed. He was a very good looking boy. See if you can spot him in the photo.

My Father at Clifton College Bristol, his school. 1933.

I was home on time for lunch. I showed these photos excitedly to my Father who was rather surprised. I then told him what a fascinating life I thought he had. His reply was lovely "quite an enjoyable one I think".

We had a normal non birthday food lunch as I wasn't there to prepare it. But of course there was mabirthday cake, my favourite. Made with fruit, sponge and white chocolate it comes from Alveran, a bakery nearby.  You can see it in the photo at the top of this blog where I am about to blow out the candles. That is when I opened my presents, the clothes I had bought hahaha. I tried them on for all to see and they were met with approval.

Later I should have slept a siesta but was too revved up to sleep. I was also seeing and replying to all the amazing and countless birthday wishes. There were so many I couldn't keep up.

We went for our walk of course which was much needed after all that cake. I came home to find a beautiful plant on my desk. It was from Andy, our lovely Scottish lodger for my birthday. I was very touched.

That night we went out to dinner too, as we would on Saturday night. Friday night was just the 2 of us and we went to Ginos where I gobbled down a huge pizza, well not all of it. Talking about the biography of my Father we ended up talking about my dear brother George who died too young in 2001 and as ever I ended up crying. I carry him in my heart always. I was too sad to have my dessert which is saying something as I always have one when I got out to dinner.

Once home I calmed down and treated myself to a piece of chocolate. I also met my 2 lovely student guests, Alba and Javi and chatted to them for a while. They are the best type of guests.

We were in bed later than normal and thankfully I slept better than usual, although I woke up at 5.59 and got up early as always.

On Saturday my birthday celebrations would continue. It started with the birthday breakfast that didn't happen on the day because of the press conference. This year it was just the three of us, Daddy (my father), Eladio and I. I did miss not having the girls with us. Here is what the table looked like before my father and I gobbled down all the pastries. Eladio doesn't like them. He doesn't have the sweet tooth we do hahaha.

The table in the dining room laid for my birthday breakfast yesterday

Late I spent the whole morning updating the biography. I keep asking him for more information about his life, information I wish I had asked before. The poor man is being bombarded by me with so many questions. Then I keep adding gems from memories from some of his old boys. David Whitlam, turning 60 this year, who studied Russian at Oxford and was my father's star pupil, paid a beautiful tribute to his ex teacher on Facebook which, if you haven't seen it, I have to reproduce here. It's so moving. He used the lovely photo of my father which is reproduced above, of when he was just 13 at Clifton College Bristol, his old school. Here is the marvelous tribute.

"I owe this amazing man so much.  Courtenay Lloyd, my Russian, French and Swedish teacher at Bradford Grammar School. You advised me to go to University College, Oxford for Russian in 1978. You will be 100 years old this year. You made my life. Thank you Masha for sharing this photo of your wonderful dad, I owe you a lot, "Clarence" (his nickname at BGS). Thanks too Masha for this lovely reminder of your dad's centenary. It's huge for little me".

I was very moved. Other old boys started commenting on David's post and one post I have to reproduce here as it is so funny. You see my father is not the saint I always paint him, but only sometimes and when it is deserved. Julian Michael K replied to David's moving tribute: "He was a great teacher. Not afraid of using unconventional tactics, such as calling me a "filthy idle swine" which is probably about right". I was shocked and asked what had provoked my father to utter such words from his gentlemanly mouth. Julian explained: "I rashly admitted I probably performed best with a boot up my backside. He did look a bit self-conscious about delivering said boot". I replied, laughingly, that he, Julian, had deserved the words my father delivered. I hope that made you laugh. I just can't imagine my father saying those words hahaha. He was a very even tempered person but when he got angry which was very seldom, woe betide the person at the receiving end. I was often on it as a naughty teenager hahaha.

At lunch, I asked my father more about his early years and got more gems of information which had me updating his biography again in the afternoon. Thus there was no siesta. But there was a walk with Eladio and the dogs and the weather was glorious. We went quite late and saw later that it only gets dark now at around 7 pm. We weren't the only creatures on the walk, the herd of sheep was all over the fields near the path but thankfully there were no sheep dogs to shoo us away.

Sheep on our walk yesterday

Once home, it was time to go out again. We were taking Olivia and Miguel to celebrate my birthday at De Maria in Majadahonda, the stalking grounds of many of the players and staff of the Atlético de Madrid football club. The meal was divine and it was nice to catch up with my daughter who I hadn't seen all week. It was a nice end to what has been a frenetic, busy but a great week with the highlights being the successful press conference and my birthday of course.

Today is Sunday and the sun is shining. I am now at the end of the tales of this week and will love you now and leave you to get on with the day. I hope you have enjoyed this post.

Until next week my friends,

Masha