Sunday 3rd April, 2022.
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| With some of the press the day he left - notice him in the far right corner with all his luggage. Notice too the smiles on our faces. We have our lives back again. |
Good morning all.
Well, what can I say? Goodbye Felipe Turover. I have great news this week. Our unwanted squatter finally left. He did so on Wednesday 30th but it was touch and go until we were finally rid of him. Our lives felt as if they were on hold when he stopped paying and we filed a court case against him on 19th November - nearly 6 months ago Now we can turn the page and start a new chapter in our lives. Now we have many reasons to smile. One of them this week was when I said goodbye to Covid.
Just after publishing my blog last Sunday I took a lateral flow test. I expected to still test positive but was delighted to see just one line on the C meaning I was negative. Wow! That was quick as I had first tested positive the Wednesday before. It gave me an immediate high.
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| I tested negative last Sunday |
I was so relieved and pleased at the same time. Sunday was the day the clocks went forward which always pleases me too so I had two reasons to be happy that day. Thus I suggested to Eladio that instead of going on our usual walk through the woods, that we walk to the local shopping centre and have a cup of coffee and a "porra" (literally police like truncheon - because of its shape). A porra is like a thick churro (the Spanish fritter usually eaten with thick chocolate). It was to do something different and also celebrate that the virus had finally left my body. I still had cold like symptoms but I was rid of it and it had been very mild. Here I am making the victory sign like dear old Churchill. I had to make a conscious effort not to do it the other way round which you all know, if you are from the UK, means something very rude.
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| Celebrating with a cup of coffee after beating Covid |
Just having beaten Covid gave me renewed and positive energy and I immediately felt better. Psychology has so much to do with ones mood. In order to be free of it completely though I would have to take another test the next day. I did and it was negative again. Two recurrent negative tests are required to demonstrate you are Covid free. I was happy to be able to say "goodbye Covid". Let's see how long the immunity lasts.
Monday came, just 2 days before Felipe Turover was supposed to leave if he was to respect the court settlement. We still had our doubts. We expressed them on our walk that morning in the sun, for once. Here are Eladio and Pippa on our walk that day. There are more and more signs of spring these days; more wild flowers and green leaves appearing on some of the trees.
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| Eladio and Pippa on our walk on Monday morning |
It was a pleasant morning for us; not so for the people of Ukraine. The war continued we are now into the 6th week since the invasion on 24th February. The Ukranians are resisting but at great cost. 4 million have left the country. Previously Moscow had stated the first part of the "operation" was over and they would concentrate on the Donbas region. I was horrified to read of stories of Russian soldiers raping Ukrainian women. There again I should not be surprised as that is just what they did in Germany in WW2. Disgusting! The Russians were not happy that day after Biden said off script Putin should not be running the country. He said what we all feel but no else dares to say. His words may have fueled the war more though as Russia intensified its attacks and did not let refugees escape through humanitarian corridors. There are 160.000 people trapped in the port town of Mariupol with no water, electricity, power of any sort and not to mention food. Meanwhile we heard that the oligarch Abramovich had been a victim of poisoning when taking part in peace talks in Kyiv. That does not surprise me; not that I am a great fan of the oligarch who is now obviously out of favour with Putin. As to peace talks well I wonder whether they will do any good as Ukraine has too much to lose in order for the Russian troops to disengage. Some people are predicting a divided Ukraine, a bit like North and South Korea. I sincerely hope not. The only way out that I can see is the fulfilled wishes of Biden for Russia to be rid of Putin. That, though, can only happen at the hands of his own people like it did with Tsar Nicholas II and at the moment they are gagged.
Life continued peacefully here with our own Russian spy, Felipe Turover, still here. He went out that day and we took the opportunity to go into "his" room, mostly to measure the bathroom curtains which were disgusting, so as to order some new ones for when we are rid of him. All his stuff was there; one man and all his possessions. I wondered how on earth he would remove them all and where he would take them.
I didn't have much time to ponder that afternoon as at 4.30 I had to pick up little Elliot from the nursery. It's our turn this week to lend a hand as Miguel was working from 11 am to 11 pm. I love picking up my little grandson. He is so happy to see me and I just love scooping him up in my arms. In that moment there are no thoughts of Covid, the war or our unwanted KGB spy, just sheer love. I took him home after figuring out how to fasten him into his new car seat - baby paraphernalia is so complicated these days - actually I had to ask a young mother to show me (hahaha). We went straight to his home where Oli and Juliet were waiting. So I had some quality time with my daughter and grandchildren. Next week Oli will be back at work and will be taking Juliet to the nursery at the RTVE premises. She needed a photo for the nursery files and I had to hold Juliet for her to take it. I tickled her a bit to make her smile and it worked. That was not hard as she is a very smiley sort of baby. Here she is chuckling for her portrait photo.
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| Juliet's nursery photo - smiling with my hands round her |
Both children behaved quite well. I love to see Elliot playing happily by himself with all his cars, animals and lots of little people from his favourite cartoons; especially Lady Bug, Fireman Sam and Paw Patrol. I left at around 7.30 on time for dinner at home with Eladio and took a photo of the peaceful scene before I left.
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| The children at their home on Monday evening. |
I loved the fact that it was still light when I got home, after the clocks went forward last Sunday. We had a frugal dinner - soup and fruit and some bread and were in bed by 8.30. That is early but we like to watch the TV from our great big bed.
The big news that day did not only come from Ukraine, it also came from Los Angeles where this year's Oscars were held last Sunday night. Any winners' news was totally eclipsed by a violent slap from Will Smith who would later win best actor award. He slapped the presenter Chris Rock (who I had never heard of) when the latter made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett's baldness (alopecia). As soon as he heard the quip, the actor stormed onto the stage slapping the MC. He then went back to his seat and shouted out loud twice for Chris to "take his wife's name out of his f****** mouth). Wow what a moment.
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| The moment Will Smith slaps presenter Chris Rock at last Sunday's Oscars |
This was before he was handed the award for best actor. Physical violence is just unacceptable. I would have accepted his words from the stalls to defend his wife but not his violence. He later apologised but for me it's too late and he will go down in history for this one violent act. The Academy Awards people are looking at sanctions of some sort but frankly I think they should not stop short of withdrawing the award.
Tuesday dawned. In the UK the main news was the attendance of the Queen at the memorial service to celebrate the life of the late Duke of Edinburgh, her beloved husband who died last year when Covid restrictions only allowed 30 people to be present. It took place at Westminster Abbey where the Queen and Duke married 70 odd years ago. There was talk the Queen was too frail to attend but she looked ok to me when she walked in. She is 95 and soon to be 96 and stunned the world when she walked in accompanied by her son the disgraced Prince Andrews.
That for me was not good PR but I suppose he is her son and she is her mother and of course she still loves him. This gesture sort of overshadowed news of the ceremony which was otherwise short, beautiful and just how the Duke wanted it.
But most of the world had eyes for the peace talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine. I don't really like the fact that Erdogan, not a nice of piece of work, the Turkish President, is taking centre stage between the two sides. Abromovich appeared again after he had recovered from the supposed poisoning at one of the last talks. The Ukrainian delegation members were under strict instructions to drink nothing, eat nothing and touch nothing, less they too be poisoned; Russia's way of intimidating them. There was timid good news from Turkey when it was announced that Russia would deescalate in Kiyv and concentrate on the Donbas. No one believes it though. Ukraine agreed again not to join Nato and it seems Russia has ceded on its enemy joining the EU. But this is all talk and peace is far away.
On the home front Tuesday was a day of nerves, the day before Felipe Turover, our unwanted ex KGB operative who has been squatting in our house since October, was supposed to leave. I had my doubts but that morning our lawyer sent a document for us all to sign in which he had to relinquish all rights to living in our house. He wrote to send me the same document telling me he agreed to it. But it was only in the afternoon when he asked Lucy to open the gate, that I had proof he was leaving when he took 3 big suitcases away. That was the sign.
Needless to say I could not sleep that night, thinking about life after his departure and all that he had done to us.
D Day, 30th March, arrived and I awoke at 5.30 am. Writing now the whole day seems like one big blur. Our nightmare was about to be over but we couldn't believe it or take it in. I didn't know until he emerged from his room at around 10.30 am that he was really leaving. By then Oli had gathered quite a few camera crews from various TV stations (Telemadrid, Telecinco and Cuatro) who were waiting to witness his leaving. They had covered the story ever since it erupted thanks to the article published by Spain's top newspaper El País. If you have been following my blog you will know about our unwanted guest who turned into a squatter - not paying us since last September - Felipe Turover, a supposed ex KGB spy, involved in the demise of Boris Yeltsin and rise of Vladimir Putin with a strong background of corruption and fame for being a serial liar and a swindler - not my words but they they turned out to be true during his stay with us. He emerged with all his luggage and wanted to sign the document our lawyers had prepared where he relinquishes all rights on the room he has occupied. I retorted, not until he was out in the street with all his luggage.
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| Olivia ready to film him leaving - some of his luggage on the landing outside "his" room. |
I went into the room to make sure he had taken his belongings. What a stink there was, not to mention the dirt and filth after the room not having been cleaned since last November. I can't begin to describe the bathroom. You don't want to know the details. I made him remove all his rubbish and we accompanied him outside.
There waiting for him were the TV cameras he hates so much. He had never reckoned upon our PR weaponry when he stopped paying and we took him to court. The campaign did not make him leave but it helped highlight the case - the outdated laws in Spain that protect delinquents like him. It also exposed him for who he was and helped accelerate the judicial process. Without the press no doubt our case would still be lying on the floor in a file at the local courts in that horrible suburban town of Móstoles.
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| Felipe outside hounded by the presss |
The press asked him why he hadn't paid, was he really a KGB officer and where he was going. One of the things he said was that he would take us to court for slander and for "our lies". That made us laugh. When I later saw some of the TV coverage one piece of news stuck out like a sore thumb. In one of the programmes a woman on the panel commenting on the case told viewers that coincidentally she knew his former girlfriend. She described how this woman had told her she was going out with a Russian spy and that he had told her that the house he lived in (ours) belonged to his parents (us)!! She went on to say that the girlfriend had told her that at Christmas he, Felipe, had given her one of my luxury branded scarves as a present. Really? I was tongue tied when I listened to that. If he stole one of my scarves, what else did he steal?
Anyway, back to his departure. He stood next to his luggage at the end of our street waiting presumably for a car. Meanwhile we all chatted animatedly, feeling happy. That's when we took the photo with the press that I have chosen to illustrated this week's blog.His photo made for a stark figure, someone at the end of the road literally.
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| One man, at the end of the road, with his luggage. A stark, lonely figure |
The press wanted to follow him - we did too- in case he went to another house like ours with intentions of squatting, so as to forewarn the owners. Unfortunately the press following him lost him shortly after he left. He actually left in a Mercedes - he always did love luxury. It was a Cabify car - Spain's equivalent of Uber. He left saying to the press he had done no wrong!!!" . And that was it, he was finally gone. Here is the photo of the day.
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| The moment he left at around 11.45 on Wednesday 30th March, D. Day. |
Stupidly I was upstairs with some of the TV teams being filmed showing them the disgusting state of his bedroom and bathroom. If only we could have followed him.
When the press left, it was all over. He had gone. Goodbye Felipe Turover. I hoped never to see him again but that would not be so as you will read later.
We all set about beginning on cleaning his room and later took tons of bedding and bathroom linen to the dry cleaners which will cost a pretty penny. We also washed the curtains and ordered new shower curtains to replace the disgusting ones which were black and full of mold. We have left the windows open ever since he left to get rid of the stench, a mixture of tobacco, strong incense and body smell. Ghastly. Now it's nearly ready.
We decided we deserved a meal out as a celebration of his leaving. Thus I booked a table at De María a swanky meat joint in Majadahonda. There, finally we were able to relax, The food was divine and we felt good.
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| Celebration lunch on Wednesday after "he" left |
We came back to have a siesta and later enjoy some quality time with Oli and our grandchildren. At 7.30 my time I had an important phone call. It was with the Dean of Bradford Cathedral to arrange for a memorial service in England and to take my father's ashes to be buried next to my mother at the Charlestown Cemetery near Baildon. The Dean was a darling and fulfilled my wish. He had been in touch with my father's old school, Bradford Grammar School, and between them they proposed the date and day of 6th May at 10 am. Wow, that is now something to get my teeth into. I have a month to plan but lots of local support. Anyone reading this is absolutely welcome to join us that day to honour my father on his return to the country where he was born, the country he fought for in WW2. I could hardly sleep that night but not because of our nightmare squatter but because all sorts of ideas bubbling in my head for my father's sendoff in his home country.
On Thursday morning the first thing I did was to book a cottage for us while in Yorkshire and get flights for us and the girls who will join us for a few days. I did all in that in the space of less than an hour. We shall be staying in the lovely village of Haworth, 10 miles from Bradford and the home of the famous Bronte sisters. It is going to be so special and I am very excited. I'm also loving the preparations. Juliet will also be coming as she cannot be separated from her mother who is still breastfeeding. I realised my granddaughter would need a passport so warned Oli. This is her new passport photo. Isn't she sweet?
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| Juliet's passport photo |
It's wonderful to think she will be present at her great grandfather's memorial service. That reminded me that my own grandfather, Revd. John Collins Lloyd, had been at his grandfather's funeral - my great grandfather, John Collins (1829-1904) who had fought in the Light Brigade and the Indian Mutiny. Wow. Here is a clipping about his death.
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| Obituary of my great grandfather |
Thursday morning was spent with Oli and on errands -mostly to do with cleaning up "his" room. Eladio went to take her bicycle to be mended for a guest coming soon. Oli, Juliet and I waited at our favourite cafe, Alverán. It was just as we took our first sip of coffee that Oli looked out of the window and told me Felipe was coming. I honestly thought she was joking. But she wasn't. There he was large as life and coming to the same cafeteria. I thought I would never see him again but now I have.
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| The damned man coming our way to the Alveran cafe on Thursday morning. |
It is obvious he has moved very nearby and no doubt he is already cheating some new home owners like us. Poor devils. They don't know what is coming.
I spent more time in the afternoon on the memorial service plans but there was time for a skype call with my oldest friend Amanda. She and her darling husband Andy, ex pupil of my father too - will be at the service which we will be great. I am also planning a buffet dinner the night before, hopefully at the school itself. For once I didn't have to moan to my friend about Felipe.
Friday dawned and it was shopping day. Eladio and I went on our walk first and in the sun for a change. We were home on time for lunch. In the afternoon I was supposed to pick up Elliot but fell asleep - I was shattered. Eladio went instead and then they all came for dinner which was wonderful. For the first time we were on our own in the house without FT. A cloud had lifted and the good vibes had returned to our house.
They left at around 9.30 and we were in bed shortly afterwards. We fell asleep watching a film called Secrets of the Heart, set in Spain in 1960 - just our type of film.
Saturday came and I had an exciting and very different morning. I had a date with my sister in law and friend Dolores to go to the St. George's Anglican church spring jumble sale. We both love jumble sales and and agreed immediately to go when I saw it advertised. My mother loved them too and we both thought of her while there yesterday morning. We aimed to get there when it opened at 11 am so as to avoid the crowds. St .George's is where we had the funeral for my father and it was a pleasure to meet up again with Father Medhat who had officiated. What a kind man he is.
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| St, George's church in Madrid yesterday |
It wasn't a very big jumble sale. What I liked most was the location, the lovely church patio. Both Dolores and I made a beeline for the children's toy stall and bought lots - mostly little animal figures. I also got lots of clothes for baby Juliet at 2 euros a piece. Oli was delighted.
And here I am in my element at the jumble sale yesterday, my first in maybe 50 years. We shall be back next time the church holds one, that is for sure.
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| Feeling in my element at the jumble sale yesterday in Madrid |
It was lovely to be in the heart of the city of Madrid in the sun, although there was a distinct nip in the air. I wanted to take Dolores to a patisserie called Balbisiana on the very swanky street called Velázquez. It is run and owned by a woman who is a friend of a friend and for one of our birthdays I had ordered one of their cakes online. Until then they only sold online. Now they have a marvelous cafe which could rival the very best to be found in either Paris or Brussels. Everything is delicious. We were lucky we could get a table for two but we did and sat down to enjoy the sheer luxury of the moment.
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| Our coffee and raspberry tarts |
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| Enjoying the moment |
Everything about the place is amazing and I could not resist taking some cakes and truffles home. Even their packaging is spectacular. We shall be going back and meanwhile I can always order online.
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| The cakes and truffles I bought at Balbisiana to take home for lunch |
I was home in under an hour. I took the metro to a station not far from home where I had left my car and I was home by 1.45 or so. Oli was in the throes of cooking a vegan dish - courgette lasagne made without pasta but with layers of courgette and textured soy protein as part of the stuffing. Not my favourite meal but I wasn't complaining as I didn't have to cook. I loved the cakes though.
I spent the rest of the day and evening with Oli and the kids. They stayed for dinner and Miguel joined us. We made a splendid dinner (with real protein this time haha) but I was shattered at the end of the day.
Today Sunday will be another family day but let me tell you all about it in next week's post. Till then, cheers and all good wishes,
Masha
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