First vaccines administered in Spain, beware of the next pandemic, Brexit comes into force, the best Brownie ever, good riddance 2020, hello 2021, our New Year's Eve dinner and other stories.

 Sunday, 3rd January, 2021

Good morning all. This is my first post published in the new year, 2021, the year we all have such high hopes for, hopes to be rid of the virus thanks to the new vaccines, hopes for health, happiness and peace. Good riddance 2020. Above all I want 2021 to be the year we get our lives back, the lives we had before Covid.  

Last Sunday, still 2020, was an historic day for Spain and the other countries in the EU. It was the day the first vaccines were administered to people from the most vulnerable groups, residents in care home and medical staff. I heard from my husband that his mother would be among those to be vaccinated that day in her care home in León.  It didn't happen though as the care homes had to be Covid free and there was one new case of the virus there. News of the first residents, the first health staff to be vaccinated and even of the first nurses and doctors to administer the vaccine made the headlines everywhere. 96 year old Araceli was the first woman to be administered the dose. Araceli who lives in a care home in Guadalajara,  said she was very nervous and even made the sign of the cross before getting the jab in front of the cameras. Minutes later she said she hadn't felt anything and gave thanks to God for having received the vaccine.

Aracelia, aged 96, the first person in Spain to receive the vaccine last Sunday

I'm not sure how much God had to do with it but if her faith helped her, so be it. It is the scientists involved we really have to thank, an unprecedented global collaboration, a gathering of the finest brains and above all money that have made possible the impossible task of having a vaccine just one year after the first cases of the virus appeared in China. Vaccines normally take 10 years so the fact that we have one in just one year is actually amazing. The  vaccination campaign was being hailed as the biggest ever and also the most complicated, owing to the logistics to get the Pfizer vaccine to the care homes because it has to be kept at such low temperatures. Another difficulty arises with its distribution and administration and even the danger that supplies could be stolen on the way. After, all this is a medical product you can't buy and it could fetch enormous sums on the black market. So, no, however rich or poor you are, it can't be had for love or money. That is perhaps a good thing so long as the roll out goes faster than it seems to be going.  As to when the rest of the population will get our chance, the Health Minister said that day that most probably 60 or 70% would be inoculated by the end of the summer. The next groups will be the elderly not in care homes which I hope includes my father as soon as possible and then maybe those over 64 (which could include me as I turn 64 in February) as well as people with underlying diseases. If this is the time frame, I can live with it. All I want is for life to return to normal, or as normal as possible, as soon as possible. Sunday gave us hope that it will in this new year, 2021, the year of the vaccine. 

Last Sunday was still 2020, the last few days of the worst year in most of our lives, only on a par with life during war. Life in the pandemic has often been compared to life in WW2. There are similarities I am sure; the result in our mental health and the infringement on our freedom of movement, but we did not have bombs falling around us and people were not killed brutally on such a large scale. My father has lived through both events and is taking the virus stoically. As always, here are the dreaded numbers for today as compared to last Sunday. The number of cases rose from 80 to just under 85 million and the death toll went from 1.692.114 to 1.843.866. 

Our Sunday was quiet, extremely quiet with not much to report. On Monday I would have a break with Covid imposed routine. I had a coffee date that morning with a former Yoigo colleague, Juan. Or so I thought until he stood me up. He had understood we had agreed to meet on Tuesday. Thus I went home feeling a little dejected. I imagine the Spanish Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, was feeling a little down too when the next lot of vaccines due to leave Pfizer's premises in Brussels did not leave the factory, because of a glitch. This unexplained logistical problem affected 8 countries including Spain. Supposedly the next day, the 350.000 or so vials were supposed to get here. Thankfully they did.. Later in the week it was announced that Illa, such a public face now, was to leave his job as Health Minister in the middle of the pandemic to become the Socialist party's candidate for the upcoming elections in  Catalonia. It felt like he had abandoned the ship. 

That day, hundreds of Brits holidaying in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier fled to escape quarantine after the Swiss authorities imposed it on all UK travelers backtracking to 14th December. Shame on them I thought. Then I asked myself, what the hell were they doing there when we are in the middle of a pandemic? Some people are just plain selfish. Dejected too I imagine Boris Johnson felt when the UK recorded the highest number of infected since the pandemic began with other 41.000 new cases! Meanwhile, the dreaded new UK strain of the virus was creeping around the world with cases being uncovered everywhere. 

The worst think I heard that day and for a long time, came from words spoken by Michael J. Ryan, Executive Director  of the WHO, words I heard him speak on the news but little of what he said was commented on. I wish more people had taken note.  I listened aghast when he said that we could expect a new deadly virus and that Covid wasn't necessarily the "big one". He said that coronavirus has had a devastating impact on the world but that worse pandemics lie ahead. These were his words which I think we should take seriously: "While the virus is very transmissible and it kills people .... its current case fatality rate is reasonably low in comparison to emerging diseases ..... We need to get ready for something that may even be more severe in the future. The WHO's senior advisor, Bruce Aylward also had words on the subject when he said: "We are into the second and third waves of this virus and we are still not prepared to deal and manage those, so while we are better prepared .... we are not fully prepared for this one, let alone the next one". OMG. They didn't explain why another and worse pandemic could be coming. I was so worried at these words and the idea of a new and worse pandemic, I did a little research and came up with quite a few articles. According to the FT (a reliable source) and other articles, the bottom line is that it is the fault of deforestation and climate change. There are virus hunters out there searching for new viruses that can spread from animals to humans and there are thousands of them. Just when these new viruses will make the leap is a question of time and how we treat our planet. This obviously  means that once we have beaten Covid, there will be new and more deadly viruses we have to fight. This could change the way we live always. I can hardly imagine living in semi lockdown for life. Can you? Sorry for being so negative but this really caught my attention and worried me. I hope it worries governments around the world and that they prepare better this time for "the next one". 

The only way to keep my mind off negative thoughts and to sit out the pandemic and our semi lockdown was to binge watch stuff on Netflix. I felt guilty doing it as I watched episode after episode most afternoons this week with Pippa curled up at my feet but I swear that is the only thing keeping me sane at the moment. 

One thing though did cheer me up that day and it was when Suzy sent us a photo of her and friends on the beach in Jacó (Costa Rica). As I always say; if she is happy, so am I.

Suzy with friends Elizabeth (left) and Valeria (right)

They are largely living a semi Covid free life over there. Long may that last. 

Tuesday came, the day for Elsa, our lab's, foot operation. But she wasn't well. On Monday she wouldn't eat and we suspected that her mouth infection was back. So Eladio took her to the vet at 08.30 which was when he was supposed to admit her to the vet hospital. He was home an hour later with more medicines and would go back again on Wednesday. Oh poor Elsa, what a bad time she has had. Since then she has got  better but we will know more when we take her to the vet again this week.

My coffee date with ex colleague, Juan, which he had forgotten about on Monday, went ahead that day and we duly met at Alverán pastry shop and cafe at midday. We sat outside of course, in the freezing cold, I should say, as most people are reluctant to go indoors where Covid spreads faster. I hadn't seen Juan since my goodbye party when I left Yoigo nearly 4 years ago. Wow, how time has flown. Juan headed up Customer Care and was brilliant at it. In my role as Communications Director we worked a lot together and he was one of my favourite colleagues. I think it was mutual. Some of my other favourite colleages were Belén, Tony, Pedro C, Antonio, Angeles, Juan Manuel, Gaby and Javier M not to mention our amazing mutual boss, Johan. Juan"left" Yoigo in July. When I lost my job in January 2017, I took the decision to move on and reinvent myself without looking back. I didn't spend my time on gossip with former colleagues. I now have a new life. I became a freelance communications consultant, quite successful but nothing astonishing. I also became an Airbnb host and I wrote a book - the biography of my father on his 100th birthday. I became a grandmother (bless you Elliot) and I bought a house in Asturias. If I think about it, that's quite an achievement in 4 years. Juan is in the same position as I was and is wondering what to do with himself. That's not easy when you are 60. But, no doubt, he will find a way. For the moment he is enjoying time with his family but, like me, is fed up of living through the Covid pandemic. 

It was great to do something different. They always say a change is as good as a rest, and it was; a rest from being stuck indoors. So thanks Juan, it was great to see you. 

I came home to a quiet house and to lunch I had already prepared; chicken noodle soup followed by Asturian bean stew (pote asturiano). Then I binge watched more of Homeland. At times Eladio joined me. On the topic of food I spent most of the beginning of the week trying to come up with a menu for New Year's Eve. This was it in the end: prawn cocktail vol au vent, foie gras, croquettes (a must in Spain), thinly sliced beef entrecot grilled at the table and chips. Eladio said the chips were very mundane but then steak is never the same without them is it? The piece de resistance was the pudding; my home made brownies with Hagan Dazs macadamia ice cream. Delicious eh? Our choice of wine? Luis Cañas Reserva which I can highly recommend.

Wednesday came and there was good news in the UK. The Oxford vaccine had been approved. The UK registered its highest infection figures this week. If on Monday it reached 40.000, the figure rose to 53.000 on Tuesday. The next day it was over 50.000 again and the death toll just under 1000 people! and it just got worse and worse. The vaccination process started before the rest of Europe but at only a few hundred thousand vaccines a week, infections will continue to rise. They need to be giving out 2  million doses a week, I read, something not that easy. Meanwhile hospitals are nearly at full capacity with  talk again of triage when it comes administering oxygen. Medical chiefs are calling for the UK to be put into a new lockdown. There is also a huge debate about going back to school this week. Children may not get ill from Covid but not going to school is probably as bad. 

The approval of the Oxford vaccine came on 30th December, just one day before the last day of the Brexit transition period. That day, both the EU leaders and Boris Johnson signed the trade deal. I think the Queen did too - bet she hated that.  Whether you like it or not - and I don't - at least the UK is not crashing out. It marks the end of 4 years of negotiations and Brexit fatigue. When news goes on for years it creates fatigue. I remember that with the Vietnam War and the IRA when I was a younger woman and child. Brexit is a prime example. Covid is not yet, thank goodness, although we are all sick and tired of it and the negative news it generates. 

The signing of the trade deal

The Oxford vaccine and the signing of the deal just before the end of the transition period were the main items on the news that day. The deal was voted for in Parliament with an easy majority, not that everyone liked what was in it. The effect on fishing and services is not popular and neither is the end to real freedom of movement but what I find quite astonishing is the effect on Northern Ireland, a part of the UK. In order for there not to be a hard border with the Republic of Ireland which is part of the EU,  Northern Ireland finds itself in a unique position. It will remain part of the single market yet also in the UK. I can hardly imagine the complications for the Irish. Maybe one day there will be one independent Ireland. One part of leaving the EU that was not covered was the future of the status of Gibraltar or rather the status of its border.  Every day, 15000 people cross to and from the Rock to go to work. It seems they will need a special pass. Sense prevailed and on New Year's Eve, the Spanish Minister of Foreign affairs announced there would be no hard border, that Gibraltar would be part of Schengen. I remember when the border was totally closed for years by Franco. Eladio and I went there the summer we met in 1980 and found it frustrating that there was no way in apart from going to Morocco and flying or taking a boat! We went back years later, in 2008, with my father who had not been since "the war".  I remember we stayed at the iconic Rock Hotel. It's a pretty unique place, a little bit of British territory in the south of Spain which the latter signed away in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. It also signed away Menorca which belonged to England for many years until the Spaniards fought back for it. They tried to do the same many times with Gibraltar but never succeeded. In 2008 we were let in through an open but rather strict border. So, I was happy to hear there will be no physical border from this year. 

Me in Gibraltar in 2008

I had another coffee date on Wednesday, another break with routine and my God I needed it. But first I had to relieve Eladio at the vet with Elsa, bring her home (and her meds) and then do the food shopping as my husband had a (routine) doctor's appointment. My date was at 12 so I had to rush if I was to do all my shopping before I met Julio, my long standing friend who I first knew when I joined Nokia in 2000. In case you didn't know it, it was Julio who hired my best friend Fátima (RIP) and the three of us became close, so close that we called ourselves the Three Musketeers. Again I chose Alverán for our date,  that lovely bakery I keep telling you about. Julio is grieving for the death of his 57 year old sister who died of melanoma this month, the same cancer my brother George succumbed to when he was 46. He came armed with presents for us yet I had only brought him my new year calendar. He always features in it and it's something of a tradition. We spent a good 1.5h over a slowly drunk cup of coffee at a terrace table which got quite cold in the end. Wearing masks, we reflected on 2020, the loss of our siblings, the responsibility of looking after elderly parents and how we would love to travel again. We tried to laugh a bit but at times there were tears in my eyes. Whenever I talk about my brother George, I well up. I can't help it. Julio told me not to cry. I told him I needed to, so as never to forget my dear brother. We cheered up when it was time to leave and pay. There at the counter the cakes and pastries were so tempting I offered to buy him a Roscón (Spanish Christmas cake). He refused - he lives alone and would never get through it - but I resisted temptation and bought a large one filled with cream. I dropped it on the way out but it still tasted ok hahahahaha. When we parted, vowing to meet every month for a coffee this year, I was so engrossed in talking to my dear friend, one of my dearest, I forgot to take a photo. Not many photos in this week's post, sorry about that.

I made a cake of my own that day, if you can call Brownies or a Brownie a cake. If it was to be the piece de resistance of our New Year's Eve dinner, then it had to be the best one. Most brownies are dry inside and are often simple chocolate flavoured sponge cakes. Mine had to be squidgy inside. I found the perfect recipe which I followed to the tee. The only variation was that I added pecan nuts (love them) and iced it with Nutella (love that too). It turned out to be the best Brownie I have ever tasted, so if you are a fan of this dessert, here is the recipe. Ah and here is a photo. I remembered to take one this time.

My Brownie or Brownies - had to split it in two as I don't have a plate the right size.

With the cake out of the way, my tasks of the day were over so I was able to return to the company of Carrie Mathison, Saul Berenson and Peter Quinn.  I do not, though enjoy the company of Dar Adal, that creepy CIA black operations Director. You never can trust him and I can't stand the man. That afternoon I finished season 4. Then I only had season 5 to re-watch and that will be the end of Homeland for me for a while, at least, until Netflix makes Season 8, the final season, available for streaming. 

Dinner was a quiet affair, just the two of us with our dogs looking on after being given their doggy treats of the day. Elsa seemed better and finally she was eating again. 

Thursday came, the last day of the year. What a (horrible) year it has been. I couldn't wait to say goodbye to it could you? We couldn't even celebrate it freely and were all imposed restrictions because of Covid. Last year we had a party - a real party - Suzy was with us then and Miguel's family joined us as did Sandra who came from Brussels. We could not have known then while wishing each other a great 2020, what a terrible year it would be. Of course 2020 put paid to any New Year's Eve parties. I felt most sorry for the Scots and their famous Hogmanay. 

Last years's New Year's Eve, very different from this year's. 

I reflected on what 2020 had meant to my family and I. Life stood still for many of us early in the year when we went into lockdown. Hugs and kisses became weapons and not visiting loved ones became an act of love. Social distancing, face masks and washing our hands frequently became the norm. The virus changed the way we work  with many people now doing so from home. That is perhaps the only good thing the virus has brought. Millions lost their jobs. Streets were empty and for much of the year we either could not leave our houses or if we could we were not able to travel. Travel was allowed in the summer and I think we all went a bit mad, thinking the virus had gone but it hadn't. Our foolishness led to the next waves, the waves we are seeing now. We were some of the lucky ones not to be hit directly by Covid. My heart goes out to those it has killed and to the families left bereft. 2020 was hard for us all but I cannot complain as ours has been a walk in the park compared to many other people's. When we were not even allowed out to do sport or exercise, we had our garden to walk in and then the pool in the summer. I missed out on a lot of earnings from renting the house and flat in Alicante although business was good in the summer. Our summer was the highlight of the year when we were able to travel. If you have followed my life here, you will know we traveled to our beloved Asturias, that we went to our house in Montrondo and our apartment by the beach and that we celebrated our wedding anniversary in Nazaré Portugal. We even bought a house in Asturias. We have been blessed with no virus and with the company of our darling grandson Elliot who we saw grow day by day and week by week. I have also been blessed with the company of my father still gowing strong and soon to be 102 although he gave us a fright in September when he fell and knocked his head. I didn't see any of my best friends this year and sorely missed them. But I saw them virtually and often on Skype, Facetime and Whatsapp. I have loved my weekly calls with Amanda, my calls with Adele and Sandra and with Phil and Kathy. The days have been long and repetitive and often I have chastised myself for not doing anything useful. I could have written my mother's book but lost the inspiration when my PC crashed and Covid came. I do hope the inspiration comes back. I hope a lot of things that we have lost will come back but mostly freedom of movement, seeing friends and family and being able to hug and kiss again. 

These things were on my mind on the last day of the year. Eladio and I went out on a couple of small errands and enjoyed a cup of coffee  outside in the cold. Shortly after lunch, the rest of our family arrived; Oli, Miguel and Elliot. How lucky we were to have them with us on New Year's Eve. Otherwise it would have been a very quiet night. 

We spent quality family time together, enjoying Elliot's company. 

Miguel, Oli and Elliot in the afternoon of New Year's Eve

Lucy helped me lay the table as did Oli and it looked lovely. 

NYE dinner table

Before tucking into the croquettes, foie, etc, I did try to say Grace, we did make a toast and Miguel took the photos like the feature photo of us around the table about to begin. Eladio made a lovely speech - his main message was how lucky we had been not to catch the virus and to thank God for our health. Then everyone expressed their New Year's resolutions. Miguel's was to sell his flat in Valencia. Oli's was to buy a house or flat. Lucy surprised us by saying that hers was to work hard on the ice cream parlour she has invested in in Paraguay and which is being run from the front room of their house by her daughter and nephew.  Eladio's was to keep safe. Mine is always the same; to go on a diet after Christmas hahahahaha. We missed Suzy but later spoke to her on Skype. We spoke shortly before midnight when it was 5 in the afternoon in Jacó, Costa Rica. She was on the beach waiting to see the last sunset of the year.

Suzy on NYE, far away but always in our hearts

As Spanish tradition dictates, we waited up for midnight to come when, on each chime of the clock, Spaniards eat a grape. That means stuffing your face with one grape per second more or less. They are called the grapes of luck. Only Miguel and Eladio managed to eat all 12. We were all exhausted by then and skipped on the customary glass of champagne and were soon in bed. Outside fireworks were going off all around us and the noise was tremendous. The display was quite beautiful though. Thankfully they didn't wake up Elliot. It was a watered down celebration to say good riddance to 2020 and hello to 2021. 

Elliot woke up his parents early on New Year's Day at 7 am. That meant that our celebratory family breakfast started early this year. My father joined us and I was able to wish him a Happy New Year. He had not joined us the night before as being so old, he goes to bed early. He was pleased to see the table groaning with sweet delights such as a big Danish pastry, the Roscón I had dropped and mini croissants. I had to have a photo of him to mark the day and Oli posed with him. 

My 101 year old father with his granddaughter Olivia on New Year's Day in the morning

After such a heavy breakfast, I needed a walk. Eladio and I took the dogs, except for Elsa, and we also took Elliot - to give his parents a break. They enjoyed their one hour of freedom by watching more of Borgen on Netflix.

My big task of the day was making the family lunch, another celebration. This year I made roast lamb with all the trimmings. The table looked a treat as you can see below in the photo taken by Olivia.

Our New Year's Day lunch table

Miguel and Elliot had gone to his parents' house so we had a very peaceful  meal. I was so full afterwards I was not able to eat dinner. I slept and then watched more of Homeland until Elliot was back. His uncle Alberto, Miguel's older brother by one year, had given him a ball pit. I loved it as soon as I saw it and had to get in. We all went in, except for Elliot who was a bit afraid to go in. Ah but he loved the balls, as did Pippa who managed to chew a few of them.

Elliot's new ball pit

After everyone else had had dinner - I couldn't face a morsel - we rejoined in the library and TV lounge. Eladio had lit the fire again and it was very cozy. We went to bed quite late and I stayed up watching more of Homeland until possibly 1 in the morning.

Saturday 2nd January dawned. It was another sunny and crisp day. The maximum temperatures here this week have all been below 10ºc. In the north of Spain there has been a lot of snow, snow we missed because we couldn't go to Montrondo this year. But we were well wrapped up for our walk yesterday and enjoyed the exercise. Oli and her family left us just before lunch and, as always, when they leave, the house feels empty and quiet. 

I made the lunch - spaghetti carbonara, sometimes vulgarly referred to as spaghetti with bacon and eggs! Well, I suppose those are the main ingredients. Pasta is the ultimate comfort food which we hardly ever have but, hell, it's Christmas and all is allowed. That includes me eating far too much chocolate every day I'm afraid. For some Christmas is an excuse to drink as much booze as you want. My sin is chocolate, preferably milk or white but never black. 

Our first few days of the New Year have been very quiet and will continue to be so for a long time, until it is our turn for a vaccine and even then we will have to be careful as a vaccine does not stop spreading the virus. Today will be another quiet Sunday with no need to tell you what we will be up to as, if you read this blog often, you already know our routine.

Christmas is nearly over but not quite. Next Wednesday, 6th January, is Kings' Day in Spain when half of the country or more give their Christmas presents. We shall be celebrating too and I have already done most of my Kings' Day shopping online. I only have to get a few things tomorrow and my task will be complete. 

It just remains for me to wish you all a healthy and happy New Year. May 2021 be the turning point in beating Covid and the return to the lives we had before. 

Cheers my friends till next week,

Masha