Gosh, this is our last day here. It seems such a short time ago we came for our annual summer holiday here 10 days ago. We have had a very quiet and pleasant time and now I am actually looking forward to going home.
Last Sunday we were still alone - the girls wouldn't come until later in the week. Our walk that morning was up into the mountains as far as "El Zalamal" - each nook and cranny has a name in Montrondo. We met one of the only two farmers left in the village, Manolo, as we set off on our walk. I was sad to hear he had lost one of his two dogs after an accident with one of his horses. I asked after his cows, hoping to see some of the calves but they were in a far of field. He had one cow confined in a field nearing giving birth and I asked him to let me know when it happened as I have never seen a cow giving birth. This is it poor thing. I heard yesterday that it still hasn't given birth so I shall miss the opportunity as we are leaving tomorrow.
We were the only people on the walk up into the mountains. The first part is extremely steep. This is where I fell in the ice a few years ago and broke my leg so I'm always very cautious here. There are lots of natural streams to drink fresh water from like this one the name of which escapes me.
When we got to the birch wood forest ("el abedular"), my father's favourite spot, we could see the highest peak, El Tambarón mountain, in the distance which is 2100 metres high. We have been up it twice in the past few years but were not in the mood that day. It is, after all, about an 8 hour hike there and back.
After an hour climbing up into the mountains, we turned back to walk down into the village again. There we didn't see a soul. We had a well deserved cup of coffee upon our arrival and later read on our sun beds. At one stage I fell asleep in the sunshine and had to move into the shade.
I had a lazy morning and didn't cook that day as there was so much shepherds' pie left. After the news, we both had a siesta and then spent the afternoon outside reading again. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon in Montrondo.
The girls, meanwhile, were suffering another heatwave in Madrid where the temperature reached 40ºc. They had friends round and spent the afternoon by the pool. Oli's school friend, Cristina, came with her husband and 3 small children. I don't think I have seen her since they left St. Michael's School and it was funny to think that she is now a grown woman and mother like Oli will be soon too. Here they are enjoying the water.
That night we started watching the 2017 film, Dunkirk, about the evacuation of some 400.000 British troops and some French soldiers after they were pushed back to the sea by the Germans. It's a much acclaimed film and although one of my favourite film genres is about WW2, within this genre the battle scenes are not my favourite. We finished watching it the next night but frankly we were rather disappointed with the film overall.
I was interrupted a bit by a new Airbnb reservation. Another French family would be coming this week. Our place is very popular with the French, especially in the summer. If I think of all the nationalities that come, French probably ties first with Spanish after which come the English. Oli and Suzy told me they hardly left the house.
Monday came and according to our current routine here, after breakfast we set off on our walk. This time we went up the old path called "el camino valle" into the hills and along a path that looks over the next village Murias de Paredes. It's a beautiful walk through at least three different woods and has a lot of shade.
This time there were no cows and we were able to finish our walk. We were home by 11ish and of course it was time for "elevenses" which we had outside on our back terrace which we don't use much as the sun hardly gets to it.
I carried on reading my book in the afternoon on the sun beds. I was interrupted, however, by thunder which threatened rain. I quickly removed the clothes from the washing line and we had to retreat indoors. The rain didn't last long but it certainly refreshed the air.
Meanwhile in Madrid at the Spanish Parliament a day long debate was taking place as part of the investiture process to vote for the new government. Similarly in the UK, Conservative MPs would be voting for a new leader this week and we all knew what the outcome would be; that buffoon, Boris Johnson would be elected, the UK's answer to Donald Trump. Oh what a mess!
Funnily enough I got another email from another past pupil just after the one from David. This one was from Henry Daniels who sent me a link to a performance by the WW2 forces' favourite singer, Dame Vera Lynn. He said he thought of my father when he saw it. I was very moved by her performance. She is still alive, being about two years older than my father and Henry is in touch with her as he wrote a book which touches her life. I have yet to read it and will. Called "Cat among the pigeons", like mine, it is also available on Amazon Kindle.
"Dunkirk" and then started on series 3 of "Money Heist". Called "La casa de papel" in Spanish it is the most popular non-English language series on Netflix. Eladio is not very keen but I find it highly entertaining. If you haven't seen it, give series 1 a go and see what you think.
I went to bed late as I got hooked on the new series which no doubt I will have to watch alone from now on as Eladio isn't keen.
Tuesday came and I was awake at 5.45 which is far too early but what to do? If my body wakes up my mind becomes active and I just have to get up. It was to be a sad and depressing day for the future of my birth country as on Tuesday the Conservative Party voted for Boris Johnson, "Britain's Trump" to be their leader and consequently the Prime Minister of Great Britain when Teresa May stepped down this week. Oh my goodness I thought. We saw this coming of course as the buffoon had too - apparently when he was at Eton his ambition was to be "the king of the world".Well he won't be that, but just as bad he will be the one to try and lead the UK out of the Brexit mess it is in. The foolish man voted for by fools said after the voting he was the "dude" to would "deliver (Brexit), unite (the country) and defeat (the labour party) which stands for "dud", so he added "energise" to make the acronym of "dude" referring to himself jokingly. This man is a joker whose promises can only compromise the future of the UK. He is the man who has said he will lead the UK out of the EU even if there is no agreement by Halloween. What can I say? Only that he is the worst man for the job. He will neither deliver Brexit in an orderly way, nor will he be able to unite a completely divided country and whether he will defeat the labor party remains to be seen. Energy he certainly has but the wrong kind for the job. All I could think was God save England and the future of my birth country. Unbelievably we now have our own British Trump in the figure of this larger than life and dangerous man who above all things is only in the seat of PM for his own benefit. What a huge big mess for the UK which with BJ in the driving seat is now the laughing stock of Europe and the world. Only his american counterpart seems happy about the choice.
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| We now have our very own version of Donald Trump in the figure of Boris Johnson in the driving seat of the UK government. God help us. |
With this on my mind I got on with the day. We did a little laundry, changing sheets and duvet covers - oh how I hate removing and replacing duvet covers. When will someone invent one that is easier to put on I always wonder? The sun shone and the washing dried soon but later a storm threatened and I had to bring it in quickly. But the morning was dry and warm and we went on our walk this time choosing the one to Senra and back which offers the reward of a cup of coffee at the bar with the grumpy man. On our way we passed my "sitting bull" but this time it was with its family, a cow and their bullock. Oh what a lovely picture they made and even posed for me like in the photo below.
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| The bull and its family in peace together in a lush field near Senra |
We were home on time for making lunch and also reading in the shade under the apple trees in the back garden, my favourite spot here.
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| The back garden in Montrondo where we spend a lot of our time reading on the new sun beds under the shade of the apple trees |
That was when the storm gathered and I had to bring the washing in. Often the storms here interrupt the TV and can even destroy an internet router so that day we had to forego watching the midday news. We had an early siesta and when we woke up the sun was shining again.
As the girls were coming and we were running out of provisions, we drove to the nearest town, Villablino, to do some shopping which hopefully would last until the end of our stay. I do like the supermarket, Gadis, that they have there and which is only to be found in the north of Spain. We drove back with the car full of food, on the mountain road with breathtaking views and with thick forests where Eladio suspects there will be bears. He is probably right.
We came home to put everything away and realised just how much fruit we had bought. This is just some of it hahaha.
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| Some of the fruit we bought at Gadis on Tuesday |
At dinner there was another storm and we could only use internet and watch the TV when it stopped. That night we watched an interesting Danish film recommended to us by Olivia; "
A fortunate man". (Lykke Per in Danish) It was just up our street. I found out later that the film is based on the
book "Lucky Per" by the Danish Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Henric Pontoppidan and that it is partly autobiographical. We loved it and thus went to bed late. It was nice to sleep in clean white sheets. I could add the word "crisp" but they weren't as I am not a one for ironing sheets I'm afraid.
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| The film we watched on Netflix on Tuesday night |
I woke up quite late for me on Wednesday, at 6.45 and had to deal with an Airbn request from a family from Peru who will be bringing their daughters to study at the local University next term. No doubt we will get lots of University related reservations in September and October too as parents their sons and daughters start their new term in another country. The UEM has a very high percentage of foreign students.
One of the main items of news that day and during the week was the weather or rather extreme weather countries in Europe were facing. The climate crisis was blamed as temperature records were broken in Belgium, Holland and Germany where mercury reached over 39ºc, a whole lot hotter than here in Montrondo. We are so happy to have escaped the 40ºc in Madrid this week. France too was sweltering and Paris was set to break records too and registered 42ºc on Thursday.
Of course the other was Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister after being received by the Queen. He then went to install himself at 10 Downing Street. Internet made fun of this calling it "Clowning Street". His first job was to sack most of Theresa May's government and appoint new ministers; mostly pro Brexiters.
In Spain there were last minute negotiations between the Socialist Government with the far left party, Podemos, whose votes they needed for their leader, Pedro Sánchez, to be sworn in as PM on Thursday too. The latter want a coalition even though they only have 50 odd seats vs 124 of the PSOE but their demands to be in charge of key ministries proved too much for Sánchez. Late on Wednesday night the negotiations broke down and things were not looking good. Because of the break down in negotiations - according to the PSOE party, Podemos were after half the government posts - Pedro Sánchez lost the votes again in the second parliamentary investiture. He now has until 24th September to reach an agreement with another party or try to gain more votes. If that doesn't work out it will mean another general election in November. So for now we have a caretaker government.
Here in Montrondo, life continued peacefully and we had another pleasant day. In the morning we walked to Senra and back and had our coffee at Cumbres de Omaña. Eladio broke his cup by mistake and was dreading the reaction of the grumpy bar owner. Thankfully he didn't get cross haha. My bovine family - the bull, the calf and their bullock - seemed to be having another pleasant day too in their lush field. Eladio doesn't understand my insistence in stopping to take photos of them each time but I just can't resist them. I do so love 4 legged animals don't I? Here are the mother and cow with the father looking on and all lying down in perfect harmony.
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| My bovine family in the field near Senra |
My favourite part of the walk is the shaded area of the old path between Murias and Montrondo. This time I took a photo of Eladio and Pippa to capture the moment.
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| Eladio and Pippa on our walk on Wednesday on the old path from Murias to Montrondo which is shaded by the trees. |
We were home by 11.30 after our 8 km. walk and my task that morning, like every morning here, was to prepare lunch. That day I made my new dish which we love; pork rib stew with potatoes.
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| Lunch on Wednesday - pork rib stew |
I spent the afternoon on one of the sun beds in the garden behind the house with Pippa. She is my sentry and guardian, barking at anyone who comes near. I wish she wouldn't but I can't stop her. Here she is standing guard and barking her head off hahaha.
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| Pippa standing on guard and barking her head off at the back of the house |
The rest of the afternoon panned out as usual. I finished my book on the SOE which I found very interesting. I shall now look out for books on the spies who worked for that most secret of organisations which helped the resistance during WW2. You must have noticed by now my fascination with the last great European war. I was brought up on stories of it by my parents and have never shaken it off.
The evening ended with us finishing the film A fortunate man and later started watching a new Spanish series, "Alta Mar" which didn't convince us. I thought about reading the book, Luck Per, but was a bit put off to find out it is 8 volumes long. So maybe for another life time hahaha.
Thursday dawned and again I woke up slightly later at 6.45. Thursday was the day the girls and Miguel were coming but they wouldn't arrive until late that night. That morning, following the habit we have created here, we went on our walk in the morning shortly after breakfast. We had to postpone setting off when I saw a mouse scuttle into the lounge. That had Eladio trying to catch it while I sat outside with Pippa. He never caught it but left a mouse trap with some cheese while we were out. The cheese was still there when we got back. Later in the day the cheese disappeared but not the clever little mouse so we now have another creature living with us for the moment.
What struck me on our bucolic walk along the old path from Montrondo to Murias were the fields with their hay stacks. Some of the farmers had been busy cutting the grass which would turn into hay for the cows in the village. It just looked so beautiful and I don't know why but it conjured up images for me from Thomas Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge which was my set novel for O' level English many years ago.
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| Hay stacks in the fields of Montrondo, such a pretty sight. |
We had our usual coffee at Cumbres de Omaña and walked back to Montrondo with a lot less sun than the past few days. Even so, Pippa was very thirsty when we got back to the village. I lead her to the spring - one of two old ones in the village - for her to drink the cool mountain water. I had some too. Here we are by the spring.
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| Pippa is always thirsty after our morning walks. |
The weather had taken a turn and was much cooler in sharp contrast to other parts of Spain and the sweltering countries of Holland, Belgium, France and even England where in my birth town, Cambridge, registered the highest temperature in England at 38.1ºc. It didn't last long though as later a storm cooled the air. In the afternoon in Montrondo it was less than half that, at just 17ºc. It was 32ºc in Finland in comparison which just goes to show that the world is upside down when it comes to weather now, owing of course to the climate crisis. Train tracks melted in England and there were delays for passengers. In Spain that doesn't happen as I suppose they are designed to reach temperatures over 40ºc.
So it was rather a cool day. I spent most of it thinking about the girls who were coming that night with Oli's boyfriend, Miguel. They left at around 5.45 and reached Montrondo at after 9.30 pm. I had prepared dinner but they weren't hungry as they had eaten sandwiches on the way but they were happy to eat fruit of which there was lots. I was happy to see them and so was Pippa and Eladio of course. Once dinner was over and they had settled in we watched Netflix together. They chose a great documentary, "
Empire of the Tsars" about the Romanov dynasty. It had me riveted especially when they played Russian Orthodox church music - always sung in harmony with no accompanying instrument. The sound of it transported me back to my childhood when my mother would take us to Russian Orthodox services. There is something about the singing that brings out the Russian roots in me and makes my hair stand on end.
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| A documentary on Romanov Russia by the BBC well worth watching |
Just as we were finishing the first episode, I suddenly got alerted to the fact that the programme I was on for Yoigo in 2015, "Undercover Boss" was being aired again for the umpteenth time but this time on the main channel of the very popular La Sexta.
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| A shot from one of the scenes of the Undercover Boss programme I featured in for Yoigo in 2015 and which keeps being aired again and again. |
You can't imagine how many messages I received from unknown people who were watching it, some positive and some negative. There were some nice comments on Twitter and some nasty ones - the usual trolls I'm afraid. It's rather ironic that it keeps getting re-broadcast when I was fired more than 2 years ago after Yoigo was bought up by Másmóvil. No doubt the latter are not too happy about it being aired over and over again. It's funny but I didn't want to watch it. I saw it when it first came out and have never really wanted to see it again. It brings back good and bad memories, especially of the end of my time with the company. Here is a
clip of the part when the producers change my look completely so that employees wouldn't recognise me. That's the part I hated most.
I went to bed after everyone else and couldn't sleep well. I suppose I was a little excited by the girls' arrival. I was also wondering if our new guests - 3 guys from Montpellier in France - had arrived that night. Lucy later told me they didn't get there till past midnight. The three French guests who had left the day before wrote a glowing report on Airbnb and gave me 5 stars overall and for every concept: accuracy, check-in, cleanliness, communication, location and value. This is what they wrote:
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| The glowing report from my recent French guests |
I tossed and turned until I finally relaxed and fell asleep although I woke up quite a few times during the night.
On Thursday morning I woke up at 6.25. I love that time of day which I have all to myself. It's a time to gather my thoughts after a first cup of coffee, check my emails and write my blog. An hour or so later Eladio was up and we prepared breakfast for all the family. How nice it was to be all together in Montrondo. We don't often have the luxury of having both girls with us here and Miguel, Oli's partner, who is already part of the family. Pippa was happy to have them here too and as usual got into most of our pictures.
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| Suzy on Friday morning |
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| Oli on Friday morning with Pippa |
Later they joined me on my morning walk. Eladio stayed behind to cut the hedges at the back of the house. It was quite a cool morning but later the sun came out.
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| Miguel and Oli on our walk on Friday morning |
We walked to Senra and back which is quite a long walk and as we spoke to so many people while leaving the village, it got a bit late for Suzy who had to be at her PC to give her daily lessons to the Chinese children she teaches English to at 12 noon. Coffee with Oli and Miguel at Cumbres de Omaña was the highlight of the day for me.
As we walked home, Miguel kept taking photos of Oli (he does love her so) and I particularly love this one of her with her big bump containing Elliot and holding little Pippa. My mother to be daughter looks so radiant.
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| Oli with her bump holding Pippa on our walk on Friday |
I think it was quite a long walk for Olivia at her stage of pregnancy, nearly 8 months, so she was rather tired when she got back. Even so she and Miguel helped me make lunch while Suzy was giving her lessons.
Lunch together was another highlight of the day - all meals together are. Later everyone took a siesta except for Suzy and I. We decided to watch a film on Netflix. We chose one Eladio would never want to watch called "Wonder" about a little boy with a deformed face who goes to school for the first time. It was delightful but I fell asleep. Our Ikea sofa is very nice but most uncomfortable for sleeping and I got a crick in my neck which caused a headache which I wouldn't shake off until the next morning.
The rest of the day was spent quietly. I read outside a little but it was actually quite cold. Thus I wore a dressing gown and covered myself with a blanket with Pippa underneath for extra warmth.
Soon it was time for dinner again and Miguel and Olivia made it. It was great to be served a dinner I didn't make. Later we all watched another film on Netflix. Called
"Tu hijo" (Your son) it's a Spanish film which I highly recommend starring one of my favourite actors, José Coronado. It was a bit violent and had a very surprising end which rather disturbed me and I found it difficult to sleep.
On Saturday I was up at 6.30 and had slept quite well. Yesterday morning I had an interesting email to respond to. It was from a London publishing house which has shown interest in my father's book. However, as I have already self published, they can apparently only offer me a shared contract. So I wrote to thank them for the email and ask for an explanation as to what that would really entail. I was rather intrigued I have to say at their interest but must be wary of what publishing with them would mean. It doesn't help knowing nothing about the publishing world.
Saturday was the village festival or "fiesta" in honour of the patron saint of Montrondo, Santa Marta. For the first time ever, there was bad weather. It rained all morning threatening to spoil the activities for the day. It spoiled our walk too as it was pouring it down. There was no other option than to stay indoors. Eladio read, Oli and Miguel poured over shopping pages on the internet for more stuff for little Elliot and Suzy and I watched the film Kiss and Cry. It's a romantic film with a sad end based on the true story of a 17 year old promising Canadian ice skater, Carley Allison, who on the brink of a brilliant career is diagnosed with a very rare type of cancer. It was sugary sweet but a beautiful story.
Miguel was chef that day and made us one of his flagship dishes, mushroom risotto which we all enjoyed for lunch. I should have been happy but Saturday was a sad day for me really and it had nothing to do with the fiesta being a wash out. I had been thrilled to have my family here, the 5 of us together and it was amazing to have Suzy too who hadn't been back for the fiestas for 5 years. It was Suzy who made me sad when she admitted that morning that instead of staying in Spain until Christmas, she has such a yearning to return to her "simpler life" with her new friends who are all local in Bali that she is returning there in October and has already bought her ticket. I can't stop her. She is 35 and it's her life, not mine, but Indonesia is just so far away and it's not the life I want for her, so far away from her family. Also I worry that it is quite a dangerous place where just for being accused of smoking light drugs you can be imprisoned and this can happen as a corrupt system allows for trumping up charges in cahoots with the local police using locals happy to accuse an innocent tourist on a beach somewhere. I dread the thought of a call from the Spanish Embassy like in the notorious film, Midnight Express. Then there are the constant earthquakes and a host of other dangers a young woman like her alone there may have to face. It's not the life I imagined for her but if it's the only way for her to be happy all I can do is let her go and let her go with my blessing although it breaks my heart. She was on my mind all day.
If I was unhappy, a 22 year old Colombian cyclist, Egan Bernal, was ecstatic when he was set to become the first of his countrymen to win the Tour of France. Until Friday he had not had a particularly illustrious race but then the weather changed all that when there was a freak hailstorm and the stage was cut short as it was impossible to continue. Until then the leader was Alaphilippe who was all set to become the first Frenchman to win the Tour de France since Bernard Hinault in the 70's. The Tour is a global sporting event but for the French it is an event of national pride and there has been a yearning for a Frenchman to win. On that freak weather stage on Friday, the young Colombian had made a break away and by the time the stage was cancelled he was in in the lead. He was given the coveted yellow jersey and broke down in tears, not quite believing his luck. His lead was just under 50 seconds over Alaphilippe and all would be decided in a shortened but tough mountain stage on Saturday. The Frenchman lost all his steam and didn't ride well, the Colombian maintained the jersey and is now all set to win today after the triumphal final stage which ends in Paris. I think what happened on Friday was very unfair for the leader but I suppose it is the luck of the game. Alaphilippe was hoping to be the first French cyclist to win Le Tour since Hinault today but it was not to be once again. All of Colombia will be ecstatic today as they watch Egan Bernal being crowned champion of the Tour of France. Having been many times to the Tour when I worked for Motorola and we had Lance Armstrong in our team, and knowing what life is behind the scenes, I can just imagine how the commentators of Radio Nacional de Colombia and Radio Caracol will be going mad in their broadcast today. For the Colombians there is no greater sport than cycling. So all I can say is "Viva Colombia" and partake of their happiness.
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| Egan Bernal set to fulfill the dreams of his country to become the first Colombian ever to win the Tour of France |
Never in a million years would Egan Bernal have thought he would win the biggest cycling race in the world when he set out 3 weeks ago in Brussels to take part in his second Tour de France.
Finally it stopped raining here in the afternoon and as a family we went to see the children's games which are always the most enjoyable part of the Santa Marta fiestas. Thankfully there is a marquee so although the fiestas were rather washed out in the morning and it was cold, activities could still take place under cover. The whole village gathered and it was lovely to talk to the people and catch up on their lives. It was also lovely to be with my girls there. Miguel took a photo of the three of us which I have chosen as this week's feature photo. I love it although I don't love how old I look in comparison to my beautiful daughters but who cares? I am 62 and all I can do is accept the oncoming of old age.
The games began lead by Javi, the youngest inhabitant of the village, with his sister, Lorena. There would be no fiestas if if wasn't for them. There was a warm up and then the usual games children love to play like the sack and egg and spoon races. Here are some of them during the warm up.
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| The children's games beginning yesterday at the fiestas |
There were trophies and prizes for all of them. The games ended with the traditional tug of war played by the children and the adults between girls and boys, women and men. The girls won the first race and we women lost to the men of course.
At about 8.30, Oli, Miguel, Suzy and I gave it a day and walked home feeling rather cold to make dinner in our well heated house. The fiestas hadn't finished though and at about 11.30 the traditional dance was to take place. The only member of our family to attend was Suzy who is always game for a night out in her beloved village. As children and teenagers, the girls would dress up and go out and enjoy the dance and stay up really late - well not so much Oli - and Suzy would come home in the early hours of the morning. She did just that yesterday too and came home at 7 in the morning today to find me making my coffee. Who knows how long she will sleep this morning hahaha?
And today is Sunday and thankfully the rain has stopped. The sun is out so no doubt we shall be going on our walk this morning but without Suzy hahha.
Facebook has just reminded me that today is the 36th anniversary of our civil registry wedding. The church wedding was 3 weeks later on 21st August but to be legally wed in Spain as our church wedding was at a Protestant church and not a Catholic one, we had to be married in a civil wedding first. I was not happy about that and you can see from my face that day just how I felt.
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| Eladio and I 36 years ago today during our civil wedding. |
I didn't want a registry wedding for such an important ceremony but I had to go through the motions if I was to be legally married. That night, unknowingly, Suzy, our eldest daughter, was conceived. She was born on 28th April 1984, 9 months to the day. I was just 26 years old in that photo and hardly recognise myself. I was much happier on our church wedding three weeks later.
Today will be our last full day here as tomorrow we shall be going home. I have something wonderful to look forward to though next week when Suzy and I go on a road trip together to France. I shall be taking her with me for the first time to the annual "cousinade", the gathering of my Russian cousins which has now become a tradition. Everyone else takes their families and I have always gone alone so it will be wonderful to take Suzy with me. I am looking forward to quality time with her and a great girly time together in France with Zuka, my Aunty Valya, Katty, Ruby and co. I can't wait. We shall hit the road next Sunday and you will hear all about our adventures the following week when I will be writing from Île de Ré where the Cousinade is to take place.
Now my friends, I have come to the end of the tales of this week, this lovely week spent together with my family in Montrondo.
So goodbye it is until next Sunday,
Cheers to you all,
Masha
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