Time out in Santa Pola, sibling love, volcano erupts in the Canary Islands, grounded and out of action, home again, Eladio's scaled down birthday and other tales of the week.

Sunday 26th September, 2021

At the hospital waiting for an X-ray to find out what I had done to my knee

Good morning all.

Here I am grounded and out of action. I had hoped to tell you about a lovely wedding we should have been at yesterday but as it turned out I couldn't go because I am grounded and out of action. Read on to find out what happened.

How has your week been? Mine was great until Wednesday evening and after reporting on this week's Covid numbers I shall tell you all about it.

This time last Sunday the global figures for infections and death were 228.952.022 and 4.070.279. Today they have gone up to 232.295.615 and 4.757.625. In Spain the number of people newly infected per 100.000 is decreasing daily. The latest figure was 71 but we still have to be watchful. Last week in this country they began giving a third jab to senior citizens in care homes. I understand the possible need but I would really like to see news on ramping up a proper vaccination programme in third world countries. 

Last Sunday we left for Santa Pola rather late, at around 12. We had aimed to go at 10.30 but had to wait for Suzy who was late. We were going there for pleasure but also for work purposes.  Recently I was finally granted a tourist licence and needed to register the apartment with the local police. That means that I will have to register any guests from now on. It's a bit of a bind but at least it means renting the apartment  is now legal.  

The day we were going, other guests were leaving. I hoped Macarena and her family would leave me a good review. I was terribly pleased to get 10 stars from the guests before her. Three young men from France left me the best review ever on Booking. This summer I have had many more reservations through Booking rather than Airbnb. It's a mystery to me. 

A great view for our apartment in Santa Pola

The apartment now has an overall score of 9. You can see the link here.  It would probably be 9.5 if it weren't for one bad review from a woman who complained about the noise of the fans. She gave me a 4 which took the average down a lot. Unlike Airbnb, on Booking it is only the guest who can make a review which is not very fair. Hopefully any future guests will see that all the other reviews are great and will ignore hers. She complained about mosquitoes of which there are many along the whole coast. Last week we put in mosquito nets in the windows of the three bedrooms. Hopefully there will be no more complaints about them now.

That made me happy. I was happy too to be traveling to our apartment although the 4 hour drive is a bit of a bore. What made it more pleasurable was the picnic lunch we had on the way. We stopped at the little town of Honrubia whree we found a deserted park to set up our lunch.

Picnic lunch on the way here

My happiness would have been complete if Oli and her little family could have come with us but of course Juliet is far too small yet to travel. This weekend she turned 3 weeks old. That's so little. Oli sent me some lovely photos of Elliot kissing her like this one. It's very cute.

Elliot kissing little Juliet

I liked another photo too, one where he is gazing at her.

Elliot gazing at Juliet

I wonder if he realises he is her big brother. He will in time and I hope their sibling love will blossom. 

It was on the road about an hour after our picnic that we heard "the news". The big news topic in Spain this week was the story of the eruption of a volcano called "Teneguía" but also "Cumbre Vieja". It is located on the small island of La Palma in the Canary Islands not to be confused with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It's one of the smaller islands and has a population of approximately 80.000. La Palma relies on tourism and agriculture for its economy, both badly hit now by the volcano. I was amazed to read that the island produces approximately 130 million kilos of bananas a year. That's a lot of bananas. 

This volcano has erupted for the 8th time in 600 years. That makes me wonder why people built houses in the vicinity. The last time Teneguía erupted was in 1971, 50 years ago and it had been rumbling now for weeks. Finally it erupted last Sunday at around 15h which was earlier than predicted.

The volcano erupting last Sunday in La Palma

5500 people from a few villages nearby had to be evacuated. There were fears too for people's houses as the lava made its way to the sea. By yesterday over 500 houses had been destroyed, engulfed by rivers of lava  Another 1500 are expected to be destroyed too. According to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute the eruption released up to 20 million cubic metres of magma. The lava was moving at 700 metres per hour but as the week progressed its pace decreased to less than 100 metres per hour and is now hardly moving. No one knows how long the volcano will continue to expel rock and lava but an estimate is over 50 days.  There are two main rivers if that's what they are called and one halted. The other will reach the sea at one point.  It must be dreadful to watch the lava streams and know your house is going to be engulfed. Some escaped the tragedy and this photo by Spain's acclaimed photographer, Emilio Morenatti speaks volumes. It is of a single house metres only from lava on both sides which was not destroyed. It has been photographed by others and has hit the headlines internationally with the house being called "the miracle house". 

A single house not engulfed by the lava in La Palma this week

No doubt its owner will be relieved. However he or she will now live in a very isolated spot with difficult access as lava turns into rock. I later found out that the miracle house belongs to a Danish couple. They can't believe their luck but are upset about the natural disaster and the terrible consequences especially for the islanders. On top of this the inhabitants have to face the consequences of all the ash and smoke spreading everywhere. The smoke is said to have already reached the southern tip of the Spanish peninsula which is a long way away. As to the ash it is a danger in itself. There is so much of it that planes cannot use the runway and airline traffic has been cancelled. The only way out of the island now is by boat to Tenerife and there are not enough boats for those who need to leave. 

One hour or in some cases just 15 minutes, was a small margin for those whose houses were going to be destroyed, to rescue  their most valuable possessions. Only one person per household was allowed. The authorities told them to get their documents first, especially the house deeds which will be necessary to battle for insurance. How do you choose in such a short time what to take? Can you imagine the situation?  I know if I was in their position the first thing I would take after documents would be photos from old albums taken before digital photography existed and all my parents records. Then I suppose it would be PCs, etc and jewelry. 

I  read that when the lava from a volcano hits the sea it causes explosions and produces clouds of acidic rain. As to the heat of the lava it was reported to be over 1.000 centigrade. I had to look up the  difference between magma and lava.  Magma is the name for the hot liquid rock under the earth's surface. When it is released and flows outside it is called lava. Isn't that a funny piece of information?

Houses were destroyed but there were no casualties reported last Sunday when the Spanish Prime Minister cancelled his presence at a UN meeting and flew directly to the Canaries to be on the ground and meet with the authorities dealing with the natural disaster. On Monday after an earthquake of 3.8, elsewhere reported as 4.2, on the Richter scale, another fissure appeared which meant more residents had to be evacuated. Up to 10.000 will probably have to be evacuated as the rivers of lava flow down the mountains and into the sea. As yet they haven't reached the sea. When they do all hell will let loose. 

The news of the eruption has hit the headlines the world over. A volcano erupting and causing rivers of lava is always a spectacle. However, when the Spanish Minister for Tourism, Reyes Maroto suggested it was a pull for tourism I was appalled and shocked. She apparently said "The Canary Islands are safe to visit and a volcano eruption there is a wonderful show"! A wonderful show when thousands have to flee their homes and hundreds lose their houses? Her words hit the headlines too and not for good reasons. How dare she say that? What a lack of compassion. Tourism should be the least of the worries of the Spanish government. She later volte faced and  apologised for her words. Maroto is a newly appointed minister who was not well known in Spain but no doubt she is now because of  her unfortunate words. In a way though she was right as there are many people curious to see the spectacle who have traveled to La Palma to see the volcano. I think that's downright stupid. 

Luckily there are no volcanoes anywhere near Santa Pola where we arrived at around 5 pm. Lucy, my neighbour, had done her job and the apartment was sparkling clean. In the old days we always had to clean on arrival and make the beds. I'm so glad we found Lucy to do that for us. We soon settled in and I relaxed for the rest of the day. It felt good to be back. As my Swedish neighbour, Magda, says "home away from home". It is. Thus it didn't take long to settle in. We were to experience for the first time our new anti mosquito nets in the bedroom windows. The whole coastline there is plagued by mosquitoes and I am always their target; not so Eladio or Suzy. I also came armed with repellent and a relief product. Despite all my measures I still got bitten. For mosquitoes not to enter the bedrooms the doors have to be closed all day. If  not the nasty tiny flying insects can be waiting for you at night. I spent our whole stay making sure our bedroom door was permanently closed hahaha.

The view from our apartment, a view I never tire of

The beautiful pool overlooking the sea - another view I never tire of

We had a light dinner, then watched the news - more about the volcano. I was up till late watching Grey's Anatomy on our lovely little terrace. 

I woke up on Monday morning at 7 - a reasonable time to wake up, at least for me. It was to be a warm sunny day but with some clouds and the forecast was for rain. The rain didn't come though until late that night. We did what we always do on the day after our arrival; the food shopping at the ubiquitous Mercadona supermarket. I could hear a lot of English and presumed the Brits were back. The complex where we have our apartment is full of a lot of retired Brits and Scandinavians who have houses here. They usually spend the summer in their own countries and the winter in Spain because of the milder climate. 

Once home it was our mid morning coffee time which we usually have at 12 which is 11 in the UK so could be called "elevenses".  We like to go out for coffee nearby when we stay at our apartment  to a bakery which is where went on Monday. On our way back I just had to pop into the British supermarket, Quicksave, which has been going strong more or less since we bought the apartment 22 years ago in 1999. I got some decaf tea and then chocolate and ice cream. Suzy got chocolate too, Bournville, to make a vegan dessert with dates which I wouldn't taste as I am not fond of dark chocolate. I am however very fond of milk or white chocolate and one of my favourites is mint aero. 

One of my favourite types of chocolate. It's my downfall that it is sold by the local British supermarket called Quicksave in Gran Alacant - across the road from our apartment.  

I had a bit of time before lunch and used it to order a birthday cake for Eladio for yesterday's birthday lunch.  I have a friend, an ex Nokia colleague, Juana who always has the best contacts for anything culinary or otherwise. She posted a photo of a cream and strawberry sponge cake on her Instagram on Monday. I took one look and decided there and then to order the same cake for Eladio. This is it. Isn't it marvelous?

The cake I ordered for Eladio's birthday 

Juana told me the owner, an amazing cake maker, is a friend of a friend and that the cakes are delicious. You can see for yourselves if you browse the website of the bakery which is called "Balbisiana". There I read that each cake is handmade. 

Lunch was easy - steak with small green peppers called "pimientos de padrón" here. It was only later during the day that we ventured out again. It wasn't warm enough for the beach so we went on our usual walk to the lighthouse, one of my favourite spots in the area. The lighthouse is located at the top of cliffs with views of the tiny but inhabited island of Tabarca and also of the Bay of Alicante which you can see on the horizon.

The view of the tiny island of Tabarca from the cliff tops

Tabarca is the only inhabited island on this part of the coast. I was interested to know its population which I imagined to be quite small. In 2019 apparently around 50 people were on the census. I wonder though if they all live there the year round.  It's about 8 miles from Santa Pola which is near but no so near if you live there when it comes to practical issues such as food shopping, house maintenance, etc. It's a pretty little islet but I would not want to own a house in Tabarca. 

The view of the Bay of Alicante from the cliff tops

The cliff tops  known as the Cape of Santa Pola, is one of my favourite spots for photos - I have many taken there - and that day wasn't going to be different. As usual my dear husband took one of Pippa and me.

On the cliffs with Pippa - as always - on Monday on our walk

We came back to read or in my case carry on with my drug -  Grey's Anatomy - until it was time for dinner. We weren't very hungry but I rustled up a simple meal of gazpacho, bread and ham accompanied by a glass of Luis Cañas Rioja wine - one of our favourites. I do have so many favourite things don't I? What are yours?

I was in bed earlier that night at around 12 and slept relatively well until Pippa woke me up by scratching the door. It was 7 am and the first day of autumn and very atypically for the area it was pouring with rain. 

Pippa didn't want to go out of the door and stayed in while I had my coffee and read the headlines. You probably know I subscribe to The Times which I try to read every day. One of my favourite sections is the Photos of the Day. Well on Tuesday I was struck by the most picture perfect photo  you could imagine. This is it.

The perfect picture post card

It is in a village in North Wales called Llanrwst which I had never heard of. If I had we would have gone there when we were in Anglesey in the summer of 2019. I love the bridge but it's the cottage covered in ivy that really made an impact. I do love those sort of cottages. This cottage is actually an award winning tea house called Tu Hwnt l'r Bont Tea Room - try saying that. I could only imagine standing on that beautiful bridge or having afternoon tea at the cottage which I read is a 15th century grade II listed building. The river the bridge crosses is the River Conwy. One day I will go. I loved the picture so much I had to share it on Instagram and also make it my screensaver. I shall have to put this place on my ever increasing bucket list of places to visit. Of course the picture was taken on a sunny day but it must be just as beautiful on a wet day and Wales is a very wet region. 

Santa Pola is the exact opposite of Wales but unusually it had rained all night. However,   by 9.30 or so the sky was clear and the sun came out. Wouldn't it be perfect if it only ever rained at night and was sunny during the day everywhere in the world? I wonder if technology will ever advance enough for that to happen? Maybe not in my life time but in Juliet's or Elliot's.

That day Oli and Miguel were taking Juliet to the hospital where she was born to get the results of her hearing test (fine) and also to have her ears pierced for the little white gold star shaped earrings they had bought for her. If you are not from Spain you might think it is a bit extreme to pierce baby girls' ears but it is very common here. Mostly it is done to distinguish girls from boys when people peer into a pram and ask the gender. I remember both our girls getting their ears pierced just after they were born.  It's a very Spanish tradition and one I do not oppose. I had mine pierced in my late teens as in my days it wasn't very common in the UK. Later Oli sent us a photo of little Juliet with her earrings. 

Juliet with her earrings.

It's also a very Spanish thing to dress up baby girls in a very girly way - I used to do that - and for babies here to wear shoes even though they cannot walk. So when Oli posted this delightful photo of Juliet in a pretty little dress and pink Converse type shoes, my friend Sandra in Brussels found it very funny. Sandra didn't see the point if Juliet can't walk. It's not about walking it's about dressing up your baby girl and mothers like to do that here in Spain where looking smart and well dressed is a big thing. 

Juliet in shoes she doesn't need but make her look good

I think for a mother there is nothing nicer than buying clothes for your baby girl.  I used to love it and far more so than buying clothes for myself. I suppose it's like dressing your own real  dolls. Oli used to love dressing her Barbies and also the beagle puppies we used to have hahaha. Now she gets to do it for real. 

While Juliet was at the hospital, Eladio and I had gone to Santa Pola to the Guardia Civil  (Civil guard similar to the Gendarmerie). I had to register our apartment with them which is the law in Spain when you have a tourist licence to rent property. They will then give me a password to register guests and guests will have to fill out a form with their details which I shall have to upload on the G.C online guest registry. I was told by the agent who received me that I had to keep the forms for 3 years. What a bind. He pointed out this was for everyone's safety and I suppose the registry exists to help the police or G.C find criminals. I hope I never host a criminal. But you never know. This was one of the main reasons we had gone to Santa Pola.

Once our mission was complete we drove into the town centre for our  all important mid morning coffee. It's always difficult to find a parking spot near the main square, the castle square. Yes, Santa Pola has a castle as do many many towns in this region in their fight against the Moors centuries ago. We picked one of our favourite cafes, "Cafetería Juande" which we have been going to since the beginning. I think we came across it when we first came to search for an apartment back in 1999. It hasn't changed much and serves delicious coffee which we had under a parasol in the square. Before drinking the beverage I had to have photos to record the moment. It had to be one photo of each of us  rather than of us together. Eladio suggested we ask someone to take the photo but due to Covid I was hesitant. That is just one more thing that this damned virus has changed. 

Mid morning coffee with my husband - one of life's little pleasures - here in the main square of Santa Pola on Tuesday morning

We took our time over it and enjoyed the moment. It was really warm  - around 28c. It is always warmer in Santa Pola than in our urbanization, Gran Alacant. That's because Santa Pola is beside the sea and we are up on  a cliff. 

We had one last errand to do before heading home. I had to print out the registry forms for future guests. Near where we had parked I found the right place. I couldn't believe the price, 0,5 cents per copy which came to 5 euros for 100 copies. 

We came home to make a very simple lunch - fish fried in bread crumbs with steamed fresh asparagus. We didn't go out again that day as it was not a beach warm day and it was also very windy. This area of Spain is known not just as the Costa Blanca but also as the "Levante" after the name of the wind. The wind was pretty strong that day so we stayed inside. The rest of the day was quiet and we enjoyed it peacefully in our little pad by the sea. 

Wednesday came and despite the forecast it had not rained. It was  the warmest days of our stay and we decided to take advantage of the weather and spend the morning on the beach. It was just Eladio and I as Suzy had came to job seek as soon she will be living full time in our apartment in Santa Pola. She spent all her time on this during our stay and stayed behind when we left on Thursday. She is starting a whole new life and I hope it goes well for her. 

Being the end of September there was no problem parking. There were people on the beach but far fewer than at the height of the summer. The sea looked a bit rough and the red flag was out but even so I went in but only to my knees. The water was warm and the feeling of the sun and water on my body was sensational. I got Eladio to take pics. He didn't want to go in at the beginning. I did because I knew it was my last chance this year. Later he would change his mind. 

Me in the sea on Wednesday morning

We sat for a while soaking in the sun and our surroundings and then set off on our walk to the end of the beach which takes about 25 minutes - it's a very long beach. We spied a beach bar called the Blue Monkey and as it was noon decided upon having our morning coffee there. It was full of Brits and Scandis having mojitos which I thought was a bit early hahaha. It felt like luxury to be on the beach at the end of September with such beautiful weather.

Eladio getting our coffees

When we get to the end of the beach on our walk we always stop by the rocks to admire the view which includes the little island of Tabarca. We sit on one of the big rocks with our feet in warm water and life feels at its best. This time I took a photo of Eladio.

On the rocks at the end of the beach

By 1.30 we were back at the apartment. I went straight to the nearly empty pool for a refreshing bathe before going home for a shower. Then I had to make lunch - a simple meal again. I rustled up a dish including "bitki" (Russian type hamburgers I had brought from home) which we had with grilled peppers and mushrooms.

The afternoon was spent lazily on the terrace. When dinner time came, on the spur of the moment I suggested to Eladio that we go to the fish and chip shop nearby. Called The Chippy 2, it serves fish and chips as good as they come in England. I would later regret my decision but not because of the food. Jenna, the owner, was very welcoming and remembered us from when we went in June. The whole atmosphere there and in the bars and restaurants around The Chippy 2 was very British. Fish and chips with mushy peas and bread and butter (didn't want the latter) comes at only 7.30 euros which is dirt cheap. I commented to Jenna that she should charge more but she said she couldn't as her clientele are mostly British pensioners who can't afford to pay more. That got me wondering what pensions are like in the UK and they don't seem so high. The portions served at The Chippy were pretty big and we had difficulty finishing what was on our plate.

Fish and Chips at The Chippy 2 in Gran Alacant - like being back in Blighty. 

We left promising to come back another time. It was while we were walking to our car that I made a wrong movement when walking off the kerb onto the street, missing the step and I thought I must have strained the big tendon in my knee. Suddenly I was in pain and couldn't walk as I could not put any weight on my leg. Oh what a terrible moment. It was difficult reaching the car and even more difficult getting up to the apartment. Thankfully Suzy was there to help. Suddenly I couldn't walk and would need help from my husband and daughter for every little thing. What had I done to my leg? 

Getting through the night was not easy. Suzy helped me in the morning and had to make my coffee. Thursday was Eladio's birthday but it passed as if it wasn't. I was in no condition to arrange anything and I felt sorry for my husband. He didn't seem to mind. But I did as birthdays are important to me. Instead of going to a local hospital we decided to pack and drive to Madrid and go to a hospital near home. Suzy decided to stay as she is in the throes of finding a job or jobs which really can only be done in situ. She helped Eladio pack and by 10.45 I was in the car from where I wouldn't move until we got to the hospital. We stopped on the way for lunch which was a "bocadillo" (sandwich) that Eladio bought for us from a bar and which we ate sitting in the car. It wasn't exactly a birthday lunch but the bocadillos at least filled our stomachs. I think we arrived at the Quiron Salud private hospital in Pozuelo on the outskirts of Madrid at around 16h. Eladio went inside to get a wheel chair for me which was a huge relief. I was there for nearly 2 hours with lots of waiting in between doing the X-rays and seeing the orthopedic consultant. He told me I had joint knee effusion which basically means water on the knee which was obviously caused by the slip on the pavement even if I didn't actually fall. He prescribed anti inflammatory meds, a knee pad and complete rest for 2 to 3 weeks. He reckoned I would be able to walk again in that time frame. Oh well at least nothing was broken and I had a diagnosis. I got Eladio to take a photo in the wheel chair. I wanted to send it to my dear friend Irene to explain why I wouldn't be able to go to her son's wedding yesterday. She was upset and so was I. Irene is part of the family I lived with as a sort of au pair when I lived in Spain in my 3rd year at Nottingham University. I consider them my Spanish family and love them dearly. I'm very sorry I missed the wedding. 

So there I was grounded and out of action. I have been in this place before on quite a few occasions. The last time was about 6 years ago when I broke the bone in my ankle (the fibula) when I fell on ice in Montrondo. I had a cast put on and then an operation and it took more than 2 months to walk again. Thankfully the rest period will be shorter this time. Now you will understand why I wished we had never gone to eat fish and chips. If we hadn't I would not now be grounded and out of action. 

Eladio delivered me home and brought me a PC chair with wheels to give me some autonomy. With the chair I wheeled myself to the kitchen door and through to the staircase. I then had to go up the stairs on my "behind" - the only way to do it. Lucy brought me another PC chair - my more comfortable desk chair - to give me autonomy on the bedroom floor. Finally I was able to move by myself. After unpacking with Lucy's help I set up my home and office in bed. I am surrounded by all my pills, pots and potions, PC, iPad, kindle, phone, pillows, chargers, etc and the PC chair is by my bed. I was too tired to make it downstairs again for dinner though and Eladio brought up a tray. Lucy had made Spanish omelette which we had with bread and gazpacho and grapes for dessert. Poor Eladio's birthday had been eclipsed by my injury and all preparations scaled down. As you will read we had a small celebration at home yesterday without the girls or his grandchildren. I was a bit sad for him. 

Soon we were watching the news - more about the volcano which on Thursday evening was still 2km away from the sea. Eladio was tired from driving and I was tired from all the upheaval, plus my leg was hurting. So I fell asleep earlier than usual.

I woke up several times and had to use the wheelie chair to get to the bathroom and back to bed. I finally got up at 7 and managed it downstairs on my behind again and then had to get Lucy to bring me the other wheelie chair. I think it took me more than half an hour to make my breakfast hahaha. Being immobile makes you sympathise with paralysed people. The world is not made for them. It must be very hard to adapt. 

I think it took me about 30 minutes to make my coffee, porridge and peeled fruit which I ate while reading the headlines. They were dire this week for the UK. There seems to be total chaos back home thanks to the pandemic and Brexit. I follow the Covid figures avidly every day and am astounded that my home country is reporting over 30.000 new infections daily and quite a high mortality rate too. It's not in the headlines any more. I wonder if that is because nobody seems to care any longer which I find unacceptable.  I also ask myself  how can that be after what was hailed as a very successful vaccination programme? Added to that now are fuel and supermarket shortages with scares of them affecting Christmas. There is panic buying and rationing of petrol at petrol stations. Why? Because there are not enough HGV drivers. Why are there not enough? Most probably because of EU lorry drivers not being able to work in the UK since Brexit.  The government has now taken a U turn and will allow "foreign" drivers to work in the UK with visas of up to 3 months. I wonder which French, Spanish or German HGV driver would be lured by a 3 month contract when they can work full time in the EU. I doubt that will be the answer. The answer for now is possibly bringing in the army to drive the lorries. What a bloody mess. 

I had a very quiet day on Friday as you can imagine being grounded and out of action. I managed to shower myself by putting a stool in the shower. I spent most of the day in bed with my foot up and watching TV: Eladio did the shopping and also went to the chemist to get my knee cap which I have to wear during the day and the meds the doctor prescribed. It was a boring day and I have a lot of them ahead of me so I shall just have to grin and bear it.

I even missed meeting and greeting our new guests, a family from Luxembourg. Their daughter is at a boarding school nearby and they had come to celebrate her birthday. Eladio did my job that night and reported they were a lovely family. I'm sure he did his job well.

I did meet the mother while having breakfast on Saturday morning. Amandine is also an early riser. She is a top manager in a corporate company and reminded me a bit of myself when I was her age. I didn't see her again until this morning. I was happy to hear the family had had a great day which included a trip to the Madrid fun fair. Oh, I remember taking our girls there too. 

Yesterday again I  was stuck in bed most of the day and only went up and down the stairs for meals. I did do exercises though, ones I googled. After all I have to move if I am going to be grounded for 2 or 3 weeks. 

Apart from for meals I also went down to have a coffee with my husband at 12 and it was then that Lucy handed me a parcel that had arrived in our absence. It was a present for Pippa, our miniature chocolate dachshund, from my dear friend Jackie. She had sent me a back pack to carry Pippa if we ever need to.  I thought it would be a good idea when we take her to indoor places where dogs are not often allowed in Spain. It's called a Doggy Pack Pro and is made or sold by Paws for Thought. That's a great name for a dog accessory company. We tried it out immediately on little Pips as we often call her. At the beginning she trembled then calmed down. I think she was worried but then rather liked being held close to our heart. This is her in the doggy ruck sack. Thanks so much Jackie. 

Trying out Pippa's "doggy pack pro"

It was on Saturday that we finally celebrated Eladio's birthday. Originally we would have done so today with all the family but Oli and co had gone to the beach and Suzy is in Santa Pola. Thus the beautiful cake I had ordered was far too big for just 4 of us; Eladio, my father, Zena - our weekend carer - and me. 

I also got my dear husband two packs of handkerchiefs with the initial E on them. He is very old fashioned and still uses cotton handkerchiefs and his supply was dwindling. Then there was a birthday card just signed by me this year. In the photo below you will see the cake moment and probably the candles showing that Eladio turned 77 this week. 77!!! How can that be possible? My father commented he was "quite young". Well, for someone aged 102, 77 must seem positively junior. But you will also see that my dear husband hardly ages. He just doesn't look his age does he? I think he looks great. Love you Eladio and I'm sorry your birthday was rather scaled down this year.

Celebrating Eladio's birthday yesterday

When I am up and about we shall go out to dinner to make up for the scaled down celebrations. The cake by the way was absolutely divine (thanks Juana) but I'm afraid I ate far too big a portion. Thus I wasn't hungry for dinner and only had fruit and yoghurt. No doubt we shall eat some more for lunch today which is not good for me. The kilos are piling on and I must do something about it and soon. 

Today my friends is Sunday, day 4 of being grounded. But there is a glimmer of hope. My leg doesn't hurt and although I can see some swelling from the water on my knee I tried to stand on both legs. That was ok. Then I took a step with the injured leg and wow I was able to walk. It was a Lazarus moment. I am so relieved. I have to take it carefully though and follow the doctor's orders and rest for 2 to 3 weeks and walk as little as possible. But it does mean now that I am not completely grounded. I am so relieved.

On that happy note I shall leave you now until next Sunday.

Cheers everyone,

Masha. 

Where am I from? Scenes from hell on the Costa del Sol, an alliance against China, online shopping spree, a new spice rack, our grandson turns 2, his birthday party and other stories of the week.

Madrid, 19th September, 2021.

With Elliot at his birthday party to celebrate turning 2. 

Good morning again everyone.

So what have I got to tell you this week? Not that much really compared to the excitement of the previous week when Juliet was born. But read on if you want to know about my week, or our week as Eladio would say when he tells me this blog is not just my story (hahaha).

Let me start with this week's Covid figures; something I have done since the pandemic began over a year and a half ago. Has it been that long already? It has and there are no signs of it going away yet here in Spain life seems almost back to normal. If last Sunday the numbers of infections and deaths were 225.119.796 and 4.638.780, today they stand at 228.952.022 and 4.700.279. Vaccination programmes are doing well but only in rich countries. 80% of all vaccinations have been given only in rich countries. Believe it or not some countries in the west, including Spain, are hording vaccines which are now going out of date, vaccines which could have been donated to less fortunate countries. Meanwhile, in Europe there is a debate about giving booster jabs to those who already having a double dose. Shouldn't the debate be about how to extend the programme to the poor countries? Until the whole world is vaccinated none of us are safe.

Last Sunday Covid was not on my mind. It was quiet and a bit of a bind for me as I was on my second day of dieting for a dreaded colonscopy which took place on Tuesday. All I could eat and drink  came down to strained juices,  broth, plain white toast, eggs and coffee and tea, neither of which I like without milk. After our walk we went to the local supermarket to stock up on eggs, white bread and fresh orange juice. For 3 days I had eggs for both lunch and dinner and won't be able to face one again in a long time. I was hungry most of the time so chewed on tasteless plain white toast and filled my stomach with orange juice. 

Monday would be worse as from 16.40 onward there were to be no solids at all; just a liquid diet. I shouldn't be complaining and knew I would survive as it was only 3 days and I was doing this for a reason. The reason was preventive medicine just to make sure I don't have any issues with my colon as my mother had colon cancer.  I should be taking the test once a year but it is such a pain to prepare for that I'm not sure when I will do my next one. All I had to do was to get through that day and the next and then on Tuesday evening I would be able to eat what I wanted. Eladio asked what that would be and actually I was stuck for an answer. What I was most looking forward to really was my morning coffee with milk the way I make it: a long and strong Nespresso with thickly foamed milk. That's what I missed most. They say true coffee connoisseurs like their coffee black - it's the same with chocolate - so I am obviously not a connoisseur just a coffee lover. I have always been; perhaps since I first tasted "café au lait" in France as a teenager traveling with inter rail at the Gare du Nord station, accompanied with that heavenly French pastry, the "croissant". There is nothing I like better than a freshly baked and light French croissant dipped into a café au lait. 

On Monday our French guests were leaving. We would miss Florence and Olivier who had come to deposit or bring their son Julien who will be studying physiotherapy at the UEM University. They were driving back to Lyons - about 1200km  - but this time would take the San Sebastian border route as they wanted to visit Bilbao. I have nothing against Bilbao but far prefer other cities in Spain. Tourists though flock to Bilbao as they do to Valencia. If only they knew there are other and better destinations such as Santander or Burgos to mention just two. The pull to visit Bilbao is the famous Guggenheim museum, if you are into modern art which we are not desperately. We did once visit the museum and were impressed but Bilbao, even though it has been given a new face over the years, remains for me a rather dark and industrial city in Spain and it's not even in my top 20. 

Our Brazilian guests, Fernando, Mirian and their daughter Laura would be changing rooms as would Felipe, our long term lodger. That meant work for Lucy but I had to supervise of course to make sure the transition went smoothly. 

So Monday was a bind and quiet for me. It wasn't for the new tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, the 18 year old who last weekend won the US Open. She was finally allowed some time off and used it to explore New York City. Good for her. She deserved some time off and time to savour her win and all that it means. She was pictured in the Big Apple by a poster of her on one of New York's big avenues. That picture surprised her. I wonder if she really understands just how much her life has changed and what it will be like to be a famous sportswoman, in the eye of the public everywhere she goes. 

Emma Raducanu comes across a poster of herself while sightseeing in New York after her first Grand Slam win this last Monday

I just hope she can keep her head. I also wish there would be less debate about her origins - born in Canada, moved to the UK aged 2 to a mother from China and father from Romania. It seems to me the British who are not all in favour of immigrants, do like immigrants who bring sporting success. I wonder if they feel the same about other people of mixed origin who just lead normal lives. I suspect that in some cases they don't. However, even people like Nigel Farage were quick to get on the band wagon of supporting her as a UK tennis star. She is not a UK tennis star. She is a universal tennis star. I understand that as I too am of mixed origin and I love that. 

So where am I from? Well, I was born in the UK, which makes me a UK citizen. I was born in Cambridge to an  English father (with a Welsh father and Irish grandmother) and to a Russian mother who was born in Rome. That's because when her family escaped from the Russian Revolution my grandmother  was pregnant with my mother and Rome is where they went for a while before settling in Bulgaria.  I lived in the UK until I was 24 and have now lived in Spain for 40 years. So, again, I ask myself, where am I from? I usually say I am half English and half Russian.  Home for me in England is not Cambridge where I was born or Lincolnshire where we lived when I was a small child but West Yorkshire where we moved in the early 60's and where I spent my formative years. I carry Yorkshire in my heart.  If anywhere is home in England it is Yorkshire, more specifically our house at 6 Heaton Grove in that dark but no longer so industrial city, Bradford. 

My parents' 19th century semi detached house - 6 Heaton Grove in Bradford West Yorkshire. I live there from aged 7 to 18. 

But what about the 40 years in Spain? Does that make me Spanish? It probably doesn't but it makes me a citizen of this wonderful Mediterranean country. In essence I just see myself as a citizen of the world and do not understand petty nationalist feelings. I never have.  I sort of like that - it makes me unique but it also makes me a bit of a multi cultural cocktail person, just like Emma Raducanu. 

As I have lived in Spain for so long I do feel I belong. So anything important that happens here is also important to me, except for damned politics which so divides this society. One of the most worrying stories this week was the huge wild fire in the Costa del Sol region, the worst Spain has even seen I think. There have been scenes from hell since it started on Wednesday the week before.  The region most affected is the Sierra de Bermeja near the popular resort of Estepona. The fires drove some 2000 people from their homes and one fire fighter died. The area is a dry and wooded terrain and the fires, deliberately provoked, they say, have been described as " unusual powers of power and strength". The area is immense, measuring thousands of hectares, 10.000 of which burnt completely. There were a record number of 365 fire fighters tackling the blaze and 41 aircraft and 25 vehicles. Aside from politics, it has been the biggest news in the country this week.  The worrying thing was the smoke cloud that  formed could have been just as deadly as the flames themselves.  Thankfully the rain came and by Tuesday evening this week it was under control although it is still being monitored. 

A scene from hell on the  Costa del Sol

The other big news, here and in other parts is the cost of electricity. It baffles me how the price just goes up and up. The government is under a lot of pressure to "lighten" the burden for Spanish households. It is a disgrace to see how while we users of electricity pay huge bills  the electricity companies continue to make enormous profit. It doesn't make sense to me. The answer they say is renewable energy which is supposedly cheaper to produce. It is true that today private households can install solar panels. We looked into it but it was not worth it. We would have had to invest over 20.000 euros and would only begin to benefit from cheaper electricity in 15 years time. By then we will be too old. Doesn't make sense does it with all the sun in Spain?

As there is nothing more to comment about our lives on Monday - except for my awful diet - let's move on to Tuesday, the day of the dreaded test. At 7 am I had to take my second dose of sodium phosphate followed by 2 litres of water. That gives you the runs for up to 6 hours which meant I couldn't leave the house. I told my friend Amanda, who turned 65 (happy birthday my dear friend) that day that I was having a "shitty day". I was in more than one sense (hahaha). 

The rain that came this week also fell in Madrid, the first rain we have seen in months. The temperature dropped to 20ºc which for us is not warm. That day I wore leggings and long sleeves for the first time. We didn't go for a walk, not because of the rain, but thanks to the preparations to clean out my gut completely. That had me sitting on the loo for most of the morning as it had me doing the same the night before from 8 pm to past midnight. Can't they for goodness sake come up with an easier way to clean the gut rather than 3 days diet and then the dreaded phosphate sodium mixture? I mean couldn't they put you to sleep and then do an enema? Many people don't do colonoscopies or are put  off them simply because of the preparations. But then I think back to my dear friend Fátima who died of bowel cancer. If only she'd had one on time to stop the cancer. There was a history of bowel cancer in her family and if she had done routine tests, no doubt she would still be alive today. 

Finally the time came to go to the hospital. Eladio took me in the rain and we were at the Rey Juan Carlos Hospital well on time. Thankfully the test was on time too. I had to lie in the fetus position on a stretcher like bed and was soon fully anaesthetised. The procedure took about an hour and 1h 20 minutes later I drowsily began to wake up. I am good at recovering from anaesthesia and usually perk up immediately but not so much this time. I tried to sit up after a few minutes and was told to lie down again. Finally the time came to leave the operating room and I was told I had had a polyp which they had removed. I won't get the results of the biopsy for another month. Whether it was cancerous or not I don't know but what I have read is that a cancerous polyp takes 10 years to turn into cancer. That means I shall probably have to have routine colonoscopies over the coming years. I came out feeling completely bloated as the instrument used to explore my gut (hate the words colon or bowel) obviously introduces a lot of air. I hadn't eaten for 24 hours and had had no liquid for over 6. I felt very thirsty but not very hungry. I could have eaten anything for dinner that night but all I fancied was a cup of decaf tea with buttered toast and a small plate of fruit. 

I slept relatively well that night and by Wednesday morning the nightmare was over. It was another rainy day. I was cheered up by a photo of little Juliet, growing every day. She is now 2 weeks old and her brother is 2 years old. Right now the difference in age seems enormous but in a few years time they will be siblings close in age.  Juliet is growing fast and in two weeks has gone from 3.5 to 3.7 kilos and from 52 inches to 54. 

Little Juliet growing - just what she has to do.

Breakfast cheered me up as after 4 days of dieting I could eat anything I wanted. I chose my usual healthy first meal of the day: oat bran porridge, coffee with milk (finally) and a plate of fruit. How wonderful to be able to have normal coffee again. I never got used to black coffee - not my thing.

I was looking forward to our walk. It had rained a lot and the path looked like we were in a jungle. Just see for yourselves in the photo below.

Eladio and the dogs on our "jungle" walk on Wednesday

But we had to turn back as the rain got heavier thus cutting short our walk which did not make me happy. 

Happy I was though to see Suzy when she visited that day. She came at noon - our time for mid morning coffee or "elevenses". It was good to see her. Today we are off to our apartment near Santa Pola and she will be coming with us so we shall have more of the pleasure of her company this week coming. 

We all had lunch together - fish and chips - appreciated by all and then, as usual it was siesta time. I think I might still have been under the effects of the anesthesia as I slept a full two hours. That night we were going to Oli's for dinner and I was to take some of the food. I decided on "perushki" (little pies of Russian origin using my mother's recipe) as I had all the ingredients necessary. 

My perushki (Russian pies)

Lucy helped me while Suzy had an early dinner at 6 pm - English time I commented:). She couldn't come to Oli's as she had an online course that evening. She does a lot of them. This one was about how to improve your breathing. Suzy is so into wellness.  I had to have a photo of her eating as she had both dogs at her feet and it was a funny moment. Besides I don't post many photos of Suzy as we don't see much of her. Here she is with Norah and little Pippa.

Suzy having an early dinner with the dogs looking on, hoping for crumbs

It was Lucy who helped me make the pies. In Paraguay where she is from pies are part of the food culture. I made enough also for Elliot's birthday party. 

Off we went at about 7.30 armed with our cider pump ("Isidrín"), the perushki and some bought but supposedly home made croquettes (Oli loves them). We were greeted enthusiastically by little Ellliot who hugged us over and over again. He immediately took our hands and led us to his toys; cars and horses. There was no time even for a peak at Juliet. I shall have to go in the mornings when he is at play school if I want to see her. But she was handed to me at the dinner table when Oli had finished breast feeding. The little mite had a bit of a crying episode which had us all stumped as this is most unusual for her. I suspected it was wind but who knows? We left the little family early at around 9.30 and were home in a jiffy. 

Just before going to bed I had a chat with our Brazilian guest, Fernando who works for Corona in Mexico where he is the head of industrial production. He was worked all his life in the same company but is thinking of eventually moving his family to Europe. The main reason is safety as he told me what I already know that both Brazil and Mexico are very dangerous countries to live in. My Brazilians had booked for 10 nights to install their daughter at the Uni nearby and were astounded that within 2 days everything was done including finding her a student room, getting her travel card and even opening a bank account. They told me these things in Mexico or Brazil would have taken anything up to a month. When they first arrived they kept asking me if this area where we live is safe. I kept assuring them it was and is as is all of Spain and Europe. No wonder they want to come and live here. I must say I love this family. They are just the type of guests I like best.

Again I slept well that night. I'm not sure President Macron of France or the Chinese government did though. That day we woke up to hear of a new so called security alliance between Australia, the US and the UK, designed to keep China at bay in many ways. This alliance is a military one and will allow Australia to have nuclear submarines. This was a snub in France's eye as it put an end to a  37 billion dollar deal for the French to supply Australia with ordinary submarines. It seems these days the Cold War has shifted towards China, now the supposed common enemy. The deal is called Aukus and has drawn criticism from allies and of course China. I am not sure what I think. What I didn't like was the way it was announced; with not a word about it to any of the three countries' allies before so.  Why are they going it alone? Why is Nato not involved? There are many whys here and one of them is from MPs in Britain. In the UK MPs are asking Boris Johnson if this means Britain could go to war if say China invaded Taiwan.  Later in the week France took an unprecedented move and recalled its ambassadors from the US and Australia. What troubled times we live in. I honestly think that Boris should attend more to things at home post Brexit. Shelves are emptying in supermarkets and there is a shortage of workers, especially heavy goods drivers. Oh Brexit what a mess you caused. 

The Aukus alliance being announced

All of this felt so far away to me on Thursday, another quiet day at home. The only excitement that day was the arrival of more products I had bought on Amazon. I am a bit addicted. It's so much easier to find products there than in stores and they are often cheaper too; not that I am too happy helping fund a company which is already a giant with a monopoly on online shopping.  I have just looked at the list of my orders over the last few weeks and this is what I have bought: cover for my new phone, a Samsung cable for my old one, summer pyjamas for Eladio, a cover for Eladio's phone (my old one), a phone memory card, a baby welcome set for Juliet, a Peppa Pig toy for Elliot, pack of Peppa Pig figures for Elliot, initialed handkerchiefs for Eladio's birthday (hope he doesn't read this), 9 assorted farm animals by Schleich for Elliot's birthday, a  winter cover for the swimming pool solar shower, extra strong detergent for toilets (!), a Peter Rabbit birthday card for Elliot, a T-shirt for Elliot with the words "I am 2", 2 mattress covers, a set of hotel like shower caps, a light strip for our bathroom, a roll of double sticky tape for the light strips as well as a long strapped small handbag for me. I carry one around this house the whole time and my last one now has holes in it. I dread to think what the total price comes to. Amazon must be pleased with me. I spotted one of their vans delivering some of my orders this week and took a quick photo. Here it is. 

Amazon delivering this week

It was a veritable online shopping spree but now it has to stop. 

Another item I bought was a spice rack. Nothing special you will probably think, except that I probably have about 50 off spice jars which I kept in a cupboard where I couldn't see what I had. The result was I had tons of basil for example and no parsley. Inspired by Oli's partner who bought a drawer spice organiser, I came across this 5 piece rack on Amazon. Not only does Amazon have nearly anything you might want to buy for domestic use, it also delivers speedily so the racks arrived in one day. It didn't take Eladio long to set it up on the wall in the kitchen, adding to a bit of culinary atmosphere I like to think. 

Eladio setting up the spice rack

This is how it looked like when it was full. The problem now is that there is no room for any more spices so maybe I need one more rack. For now though, I have all my spices organised into types and at long last I can find the one I want in one moment's glance. I am especially happy to see all the different Indian curry powders together in one place. Looks great doesn't it?

My new spice rack

More than Amazon I have my husband to thank for fixing it to the wall. Eladio can put his hand to nearly anything when given a little push. That day after months of "gentle pushing", I also got him to put in a new light strip (LED this time) in our bathroom. The previous one had come to the end of its life. So I took the bull by the horns, found one on Amazon and it arrived the same day as the spice rack and my dear husband put it up too.  So why would I need a light strip in our bathroom? Because, my friends, I hate harsh electric light when it's dark outside. I need soft lighting in the evening and even more early in the morning. I far prefer natural light and possibly would never have complained at having to use a candle as people did before electric light became universal. I often wonder if this is because I have light coloured eyes - green by the way. 

It is actually getting darker these days now that we are coming to the end of September. Gone are those long days of May and June, my favourite part of the year. We had dinner on the terrace though as it was not that cold - the temperature reached 26ºc on Thursday and I marveled that we were alone despite having 5 guests in the house this week. It's amazing to think that 9 or 10 people have been sleeping here every night this week yet the house didn't feel at all full. I often wonder how many more years we will live here. We shall cross that bridge when we come to it. For the time being we enjoy the space and of course being surrounded by nature.

Friday came and it was Elliot's birthday; his second. I suppose he had no idea what that meant but a party had been planned for him at our house.  While he was at school where they celebrated with his class singing him happy birthday and his teacher "Ichi" giving him a crown she had made, it was business as usual for us. Friday was shopping day and after our walk off we went. We first went to the chemist where I got loads of stuff for my father and for me. Eladio dreads my visits to the chemist. He thinks I have a penchant for them and I do. Spanish chemists are a haven of cleanliness and good service and I love our local chemist where I know everyone. My husband, meanwhile, went to get us a table at the local churros bar where I couldn't resist a "porra" (the thicker type) with my coffee. Then it was to Mercadona where I make two lists, an easy one for Eladio and the rest for me. The shopping finished at Carrefour Market where we get the higher quality produce. We were home just before lunch and our meal was leftovers - pork rib stew which I didn't really fancy as I was a bit full after the "porra". We had our usual siesta but I hardly slept. I could hear noise in the kitchen and suspected Elliot was already there. So I rushed downstairs to find Oli in the kitchen making sandwiches for the party and little Juliet in her pram. She more or less slept through the whole party.

Here she is in my arms where she continued to sleep

I had to explore the garden to find my little grandson Elliot. He was playing with a new car on the patio behind the house by our study. With him were his father and his other grandmother, Merche. He came running to me and immediately took my hand and led me to the swimming pool. But first I wanted to give him his t-shirt, the one that said "I am 2". I managed to put it on him and then he made me go up the steps. He can now nearly manage them on his own. 

The birthday boy

Soon his beloved "Bubu" (possibly meaning "abuelo" - grandfather in Spanish), Eladio was with us and he jumped into his arms too. What a loving little boy he is. But I had work to do on food for his party so left him with Eladio. We all convened in the kitchen where Oli was making the sandwiches and Lucy the tortillas. I made the canapes and baked perushki. 

Shortly Suzy arrived bringing with her a sort of vegan brownie cake for Elliot which tasted delicious and the rest of Elliot's family too; Miguel's brother Alberto and his two sons, Ruben aged 12 and Hugo aged 10. They are beautifully behaved boys. We all sat around the big table on the kitchen patio and before tucking in had a group photo courtesy of Alberto. It was a very happy moment. I think Elliot was happy to have all the people who love him there and to be the centre of attention. As to it being his birthday I don't think he understood that; apart from maybe the cake moment when he had to blow out the candles. He loved that.

Group photo - Elliot's birthday party on Friday

We had just sat down when it began to rain and quite heavily too. Quickly we moved the table to the covered part of the patio which meant the table was just by the kitchen door - a bit of a squeeze. At one point Elliot went out into the rain as if he wanted to experience getting wet in it and Suzy joined him. Of course it wasn't cold so it didn't matter. He got his new t-shirt wet and had to get changed. That was no problem as his grandmother Merche had bought him lots of clothes for his birthday. 

There were far too many gifts for him - his father's side of the family had gone overboard and it was probably too much for Elliot. Thus I reserved the farm animals I had bought him for a later and quieter moment.  I knew he would love them and he did. 

Elliot playing with his farm animals - the ones I got from Amazon

Elliot's party was an afternoon tea one so at about 8 his father's family left. Suzy did  too just after the girls' friend, "Elenita" had joined us. We sat around talking until everyone went. Thankfully Lucy had cleared away most of the remnants of the party so we didn't have much to clear away ourselves  All in all it had been a wonderful afternoon. 

We were in bed by 9.15 and felt satisfied we had made our little boy happy that day; not that he realised why of course.

Saturday came and it was possibly the quietest day of the week. We only ventured out for our morning walk. We hardly saw our guests who will be leaving tomorrow. Our next set of guests are from Luxembourg and sound nice. They are a family with 2 young daughters, one of whom studies at a boarding school near us and they are coming because it is her birthday. 

We have guests too at our apartment in Santa Pola where we are going today, Sunday. They will have left by the time we arrive. I looked at the forecast and it's not so great with 3 days of rain during out stay. We wouldn't have gone, knowing that but I have to for work reasons. I have just been granted a tourist licence for the apartment - it took a year to come through - so must register the apartment with the police (Guardia Civil). That means that in the future I have to register all guests which I already do in Asturias. In any case it will be good to get a change of air and I look forward to walks on the beach. I just hope it doesn't rain too much.

So my friends I shall leave you now as I have lots to do before we set off in a couple of hours. Cheers then until next Sunday.

All the best, Masha.