Guests from 5 nations; Peru, Canada, China, Slovenia and Irak. Olivia MC at an EU event in Madrid, Israel calls for UN chief to resign and war escalates, a Yoigo reunion, the clocks go back and other stories of the week.

Sunday, 29th October, 2023

Coffee at Alverán last Sunday is becoming something of a tradition. 

Good morning again.

How are you all feeling? Have you adjusted to the clock going back one hour? I never like the two occasions in the year when the clocks go back in October and forward in the spring, although I prefer the latter. What I hate is having one hour less of daylight time, or sun; not that there has been much of that this week.

Last Sunday was dry and sunny for most of the day until the heavens opened again in the evening. This was the beginning of Storm Bernard (yes Adele!) which would batter parts of Spain. This is so unusual in this country when it is normally sunny and dry. 

But last Sunday was a good day. At 12 we met Oli and the kids for coffee (and a pastry called "vigiliante") at our favourite coffee bar, Alverán. I had dressed up that day as we had a lunch date in Madrid. For the record I was wearing a new dress I had bought at the market in Santa Pola with my friends Sandra and Adele. Eladio took a photo but you can't see much of the dress as I am wearing my very old white Zara coat and a white scarf on top. It was the first time I was wearing "winter" clothes in a very long time. Here I am with the table full of coffee and pastries, awaiting the arrival of Oli, Juliet and Elliot. Sorry it's a repeat of my feature photo - I did not have a better one this week. 

Coffee at Alverán last Sunday

We parted ways at around 13 and left for Madrid. Again we parked our car at the metro station and took the train into the city. We were at José Antonio and Dolores' house - our old house too - by about 45 minutes later. I remarked to Eladio how easy and painless it is to get into Madrid these days. We no longer take the car as there are so many rules about emissions. 

We had a pleasant and quiet lunch with conversation mostly centred on how their kids are - their grown up kids - and grandchildren. We also spoke about the war. Which war? Well Israel and Hamas of course. We also spoke about travel, our road trip and their recent trip to Uzbekistan. Wow, what a place to visit. It's on my bucket list too. 

Just as we were traveling home, I got a sudden reservation from a guy called Mohammad for my father's room, newly baptised "the book room". He was coming for 3 nights but where was he from? His number was from Malaysia but there was another one from Oman. I would find out later. As soon as I was home, a new guest arrived, Ma Juan from China who doesn't speak a word of English or Spanish. She came with some Chinese friends who tried to interpret for her. I never did find out why she came. Mohammad arrived shortly afterwards. He is my first guest from Irak!! He is also here to study at the local University where he will be doing a master degree in Sport Management. 

But the house was quiet, now that the Chinese family had left and gone to Granada. That night we watched  an interview on a programme called Salvados with an Israeli and Palestinian who both live in Spain. We then watched a documentary on life in Kabul. Eladio remarked life wasn't worth living there. Isn't life a lottery when it comes to where one is born? It certainly is.

Monday came and brought some sunshine, despite Storm Bernard. Thus we were able to go on our walk, albeit on the pavement rather than through the woods. I came home to make our lunch; cream of pumpkin and carrot soup followed by baked salmon with leek. I made an effort that day as both Oli and Miguel were coming for lunch. They came alone as the children were at school so we had a very peaceful meal together. We also had a siesta that day as we do most days, although I hardly ever sleep but I did on Monday and woke up too late for my weekly Skype call with Amanda which we had to reschedule to Tuesday. Both Eladio and I had medical appointments that evening. Mine was to get my annual flu jab and my 5th Covid jab. The nurse told me it will now be annual and that Covid will live with us like flu but is now far less dangerous. She told me there was a lot around! I'm glad I had my jab and do not believe all the fake news about the dangers of vaccinations.  On my way home I dropped in at Oli's house to get a new remote for Tana's TV so I got a chance to see my grandchildren for a short while. Juliet was surprised to see me alone and kept asking where was "Booboo" (their version of "abuelo" meaning grandfather). Of course, she always sees us together and wondered where he was. The kids were disappointed I left so fast as I had to be home for dinner at 8 with "Booboo". 

We had a quiet dinner in the dining room while Mohammad, my Iraqi guest was trying to order food online. He needed me to talk to the Indian restaurant to give them our location. He is Muslim and there is no place in the area to buy halal food apart from Indian restaurants or Kebab houses. Cole, our Canadian guest, had just returned from 3 nights away in San Sebastian so I introduced the two young guests, hoping Cole could help Mohammad who is trying to find his feet here, on his first trip to Europe. 

I woke up late on Tuesday morning and it wasn't raining for once. I woke up to more news from the Middle East. Hamas had released two more hostages - that is 4 so far, out of about 220. Meanwhile, Netanayau was dithering about bombing Gaza to smithereens. In a way, the Israeli government is caught between its promise to eliminate Hamas and its promise to bring back the hostages. Not an easy situation. Most of Gaza has kilometres of tunnels under its territory and any attack there means the killing of innocents as well as many Israeli soldiers deaths and casualties. Since then, Israel has geared up for its first proper territorial incursion. Netanyahu is calling it "the second phase of the war". The mian problem if they want to eliminate Hamas and bring back the hostages is that they will have to do so under the city in the 300 miles of tunnels built by the terrorists.  Meanwhile, humanitarian aid is only trickling through to Gaza. All the world's eyes are on this new war and it seems we have forgotten poor Ukraine.

We had a quiet day. Olivia was preparing for her role as MC at the Rural Mobility Congress on Wednesday. It is just one of the events taking place under Spain's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Mobility refers to transport in rural areas which is a big issue in the areas of "Empty Spain".  I was proud to read that the event  will be conducted by Olivia Freijo Lloyd as seen in articles this week. I played my part in helping her write her speeches so that saw me exchanging long whatsapps with my daughter that morning. I was also pleased that day to hear she had won a prize - a hamper of French gourmet goods, from her French classes at the Spanish school of languages. Good on you Oli. 

Our walk that day was again on the tarmac rather than through the woods. I came back to finish making my red lentil soup to find Mohammad in the kitchen. He asked if I would accompany him to see a room for rent nearby as he was worried he might be scammed. Of course I agreed; so off we went. The house is nearby where I vaguely recognised the owner, mostly because of her big dog. She lives on the ground floor and rents three rooms in the house above. The place is a bit hippy and there are lots of rules. She is vegan and insists her guests be vegan too. Mohammad was worried he wouldn't be able to eat cheese, eggs or milk! The rent is low, just under 500 euros a month but guests have to spend 3 hours a week cleaning! If they don't want to clean they must pay 100 more! I found the setup really strange. There are 2 or 3 dogs and  I saw about 5 cats all of whom roam everywhere, including on top of the kitchen sink. Mohammad noticed the litter trays desperately needed changing. He didn't really like the place, far preferring our house. 

After lunch and just as we had settled in our quarters to watch the news, the bell sent. It was another guest, a lady called Elena. She is from Slovenia but lives in the Dominican Republic. She is in her 50's I think and looks to have had a lot of botox applied, not to mention the layers of foundation she was wearing. Who wants to wear foundation coming off a long haul flight I asked myself. She was happy with her room and looking forward to seeing her son who is studying a the local University. I didn't see much of her but when we did coincide I found her to be a lovely person.  What an array of nations we had represented in our house this week; hailing from Peru, Canada, China, Slovenia and Iraq.  My mother who used to fill our house at 6 Heaton Grove, with lodgers, would be proud of me hahahahhha. I have to say it is very enriching to meet people from all around the globe. Mohammad is our first ever guest from Irak and conversation with him is very interesting. His parents are lecturers in sociology at the University of Baghdad. Imagine! As Irak borders with Turkey, I asked him how safe his country is. He assured me it is. I'm not so sure but would be very keen to visit.

I mentioned these anecdotes to my dear friend Amanda when we finally had our weekly Skype call that afternoon and she said I should write a book with all these gems. I don't think so but they certainly liven up my life. Without my rental business I would probably be bored stiff. It keeps me on my mark.

Storm Bernard did not really affect Madrid that day but it was so cold compared to not so long ago. We now have the central heating on for the first time since the beginning of May. 

Wednesday came and I was awake at 5.45. I think I had forgotten to take my sleeping tablets, damn. After feeding Pippa, I started boiling that day's lunch, a "cocido madrileño" - a typical winter stew from the Madrid area. It is made with chickpeas, potatoes, carrots, cabbage and then all sorts of different meats and bones and takes hours to cook. 

It was our shopping day and as I left I realised that Olivia would be in the middle of presenting the EU Rural Mobility event. I asked her for a photo and this is what I got.

Olivia emceeing" this week at an EU event in Madrid

She told me she found it rather boring and I'm sure it was but the organisers were happy with her. Good girl Oli, go girl. You are doing a great job.

Our day was quiet with really not much to report. The war continued in the Middle East but that day there was a diplomatic row between Israel and the UN with the former calling for Guterres to quit.  It's funny but it was precisely the UN that voted in 1948 for Israel to become a state. The UN President was in their line of fire when, if you analyse his words, there was some truth in them.. Let me reproduce Antonio Guterres' words here for you to make your own judgement.

I have condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel. Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.All hostages must be treated humanely and released immediately and without conditions.  I respectfully note the presence among us of members of their families.Excellencies,It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. 

Israel does not want to hear the words  that the attack from Hamas had not happened in a vacuum and that the Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. This is something I grapple with too and many other people. So how was modern day Israel formed? Many of the Jews who survived the Holocaust went to their "promised land", the land they had left after being persecuted back in Roman times. In 1948 the land was divided up so that Israel could have a state and thus many Palestinians were driven out. So does that land they occupy now really belong to them? And does the land they are occupying in settlements in what is semi officially Palestine belong to them too? Herein lies the question and the root of all the troubles  until we arrive at today's situation, the worst since the state was created. 

Again that day I helped my Iraqi student, Mohammad, finding his feet here. The funny vegan, hippy lady refused to give him the room and he was devastated, thinking it was a question of racism. I sincerely hope it wasn't. 

Another guest of mine was having great trouble. Cole, our Canadian English language assistant at a nearby state school, was hating his job, unable to discipline the kids in class. So I was not surprised when his father wrote to me to say he is leaving on Friday. He may not have adapted to the school but if it had been me, I would not have given up. He was a good guest and we will miss him. 

I did not sleep that night, one of the reasons being another horrible letter from the tax people who now want to investigate my tax returns for 2021. It is a nightmare but I refuse to let it get me down. Honestly, I think this is the fault of my accountant who is not doing a good job in sorting all this out. But I'm in a catch 22 situation as she is the only one who has all my documents and knows my history. Eladio is sure she did the books wrong and I think he is right. 

I hoped Thursday would be better. It had to be. That night was the much awaited Yoigo reunion which I should have been really looking forward to but I just wasn't in the mood with all that is going on. I joined Yoigo in 2006, 17 years ago. I was 49 at the the time the young Swedish CEO; Johan, hired me as the Communications Director. He was only 33 and could have been my son and at times is felt like that.  It was my job to make Yoigo a household name. At the same time I made him famous in the sector.  Looking back, I know I did a great job.  Yoigo was a start up that aimed to become the 4th mobile operator in Spain, competing with the likes of Telefónica, Orange and Vodafone. We made a huge success of it and were only 100 people. . Johan and the other Swedes quit the company in 2012 leaving us in the hands of a very different management; not one I was ever happy with.  In 2017 we were bought up by MásMóvil, a far smaller operation and that is when the management team, including me, was fired. I was 59 at the time and had to pick up the pieces and sort of reinvent myself which I think I did quite successfully. I began my little hospitality business but I also worked as a freelance Communications Director for Adamo, a Swedish fiber network company, thanks I have to say to Johan, that young Swede who took me on at Yoigo. I have bitter sweet memories of Yoigo. There were great times and not such great times. It was to be a big reunion with over 90 people. I knew lots of people but was especially looking forward to seeing Belén, Gonzalo, Daniel, Antonio, Pedro,  Bricio, Dragutin, Robert,  Juan and  the two Johans, My other favourites, Tony, Maria and Javier couldn't make it and I missed them. It had been a long time since we met and  a long time since I went to a corporate event in Madrid. So off I went by car and metro as I do these days to get to the city centre. I arrived a little late and soon saw so many familiar faces. It was wonderful to see some very much loved faces but all night I  felt a little like a fish out of water. I ought to confess I have never liked crowded events  though for much of my career as a Communications Director I also doubled as the Events Manager. Unfortunately I  missed out on being in the group photo which I am reproducing here to record the event. I was there but I wasn't there. My head was in another place. I think, otherwise, I would have enjoyed myself much more.

The Yoigo group photo which I am not in. 

I made what is called a French exit only saying goodbye to a handful of people. It was late for me and I had a long journey home. At home, waiting for me were my dear husband Eladio and Pippa, our faithful and adorable miniature dachshund. I should add that I have her thanks to Yoigo but that is another story.

I slept better that night and was awake on Friday morning at 7.30, on time to see Cole before he left.  I had hoped this weekend to see our grandchildren but Oli and family had gone to their beloved Valencia - where they met and where Miguel worked for RTVE, to a wedding in a place called "Puig" on the coast.  Oli sent me this lovely photo of her and the children ready for the wedding. 

Oli and her children ready for the wedding on Friday

I think Elliot looks so smart in his blazer, don't you?

I was so busy that morning with guest related activity that it was too late for our walk. Of note, Mohammad will be staying with us now long term and I am happy for him. Finally he has found a home and will hopefully find his feet soon. 

The highlight of the afternoon was a long Facetime call with my dear friends Kathy and Phil who live in my beloved Yorkshire. We had lots to catch up on.

Just around dinner time, my newest guest arrived. Elena is another physiotherapist here to do a Master's degree in pelvic floor health, if that is what is called. She got the green room, my favourite. 

I slept so so again and was up at 7.30 on Saturday morning. It was wet and grey, not how I like the weather here. While Tana got the rooms ready for new guests and helped me prepare the lunch, we went for our walk, again on the tarmac. We gave her the whole weekend off and so I made the rest of the lunch which was a Saturday roast - lamb - as well as baked apples; all very wintry type food. I spent a lot of the afternoon in my bedroom with Pippa watching the rest of the very pro Beckham documentary. I am not into football and was never a fan of Becks and Posh but found it quite riveting. I then turned to "Cuéntame", perhaps Spain's most popular TV series which is into its 23rd and final season. We used to watch it on and off but Eladio is no fan so now that the whole series is on RTVE I am enjoying it a lot. It keeps my mind from any worries I may have; mostly about my daughter Suzy.

It took me a while to fall asleep last night. I managed about 5.5h and woke up at 7.20 this Sunday morning which was yesterday's 8.20. I woke up to light but this evening it will be dark at 17.41 rather than 18.41. Long gone are the days in May and June with light until 10 pm. I woke up too to read about the next turn events of the war between Israel and Gaza. Oh how I hate it. 

Anyway, on that negative note, let me leave you now in the hope that there will be better news next week,

All the best Masha