No water on Sunday, our virus continued, EU recommends 72h emergency kit, the sun came out, Olivia and Miguel in Brussels celebrating their 40th and 50th birthdays, José Antonio and Dolores came for lunch and cheered us up, the clocks went forward and other stories of the week.

 Sunday 30th March, 2025

The photo of the week. José Antonio and Dolores came for lunch on Friday and we were joined by darling Suzy

Good morning my friends.

The clocks went forward last night and I am happily adjusting to the change as it means the days will have more sunlight. Today it will get dark at 21.05. I love the fact that summer is coming, don't you?

If you have been reading my blog lately, you will be happy to know that this week has been better. Lots of things improved but not last Sunday.

Last Sunday we were without water all day owing to a big leak up the road. A neighbour posted a photo of men working on the burst pipe and honestly it looks like we live in a third world country. Spain right now leads the EU economy, but you wouldn't think so looking at this photo would you?

The burst pipe zone

From what I can gather, our water pipes all need changing and last Sunday wasn't the first time we have been without water for a whole day. It came just after we got the central heating and hot water back and was the last thing we needed that day, especially as Oli and the kids were coming for lunch. It didn't help either that both Eladio and I were still suffering from a very strange virus that just won't go away. It is better now but all I wanted to do each morning after breakfast was climb back into bed. We both had cold like symptoms but also nausea, headaches and worst of all, fatigue. We had lost our mojo or energy or whatever you call it. We weren't much fun as grandparents to Elliot and Juliet that day and they left soon after lunch. We spent the rest of the day in bed. 

Monday came and we didn't feel better. Even so  Eladio had to go out for an MOT appointment for the Mini and he wanted to pick up his new and very expensive prescription glasses. They have varifocal lenses and he is still getting used to them. Although he was recently operated on for cataracts, my dear husband suffers from "dry" AMD (age related macular degeneration) so he needs as much help as possible to improve his vision. He came back looking rather dapper I have to say. Later in the week I took this  photo of him. I'm sure you agree.

My gorgeous husband with his new glasses looking very dapper

Normally I would have joined him and we would have had a coffee out together as we always do but I just didn't have the energy. In fact I didn't go out of the house at all until Thursday.

He must have been feeling better than me because he later mowed the front lawn. I didn't spend all my time in bed though.  A lot of it was spent on Airbnb admin that day which is always a good thing. What doesn't seem good is the combination of our virus and Monjauro. Being a heavier dose, it unsettled my stomach and I felt even more sick. I could hardly face food which is the whole idea of it being an appetite suppressant drug, but to take away all the joy of eating isn't quite what I expected. As I normally love eating I am finding this situation a bit hard to live with.

But it has its results and on Tuesday morning I had lost another 1.6kg, making a total of 4.4k which had me smiling. I am happy to report now that although still a bit overweight, my BMI is within the normal range. Again I spent practically all the day in bed but hardly slept because sleep always evades me, even though I stuff myself with pills. 

I read in bed, watched endless series and of course followed the news. I was shocked at what is happening in Turkey, a country we have spent a lot of time in during our recent road trips. Erdogan went and arrested a man called Ekran Imamoglu, the Mayor of Istanbul, his main political opponent over some trumped up corruption charges. There have been huge protests all over the country but I don't see a good ending to this move from Erdogan, a semi dictator.  He has clamped down heavily on protesters and has arrested more than 2000 people. To top that he has more or less imposed a ban on freedom of speech by fining TV stations reporting on the protests and detaining journalists  He even went as far as to deport the BBC Correspondent, Mark Lowen, for "being a threat to public order". As the British journalist left, his parting words were "To be detained and deported from the country where I previously lived for five years and which I have such affection for has been extremely distressing. Press freedom and impartial reporting are fundamental to any democracy". Turkey may appear democratic compared to other Muslim countries, but Erdogan has shown the world it is not. 

I was stunned too, as most of the world probably was, over a huge security blunder made by Trump's top men this week.  Mistakenly, Michael Waltz added Goldberg, a journalist from a paper called The Atlantic, to a Signal group. It wasn't a normal messaging group, it was a  war plan group chat set up to discuss and inform on a military operation in Yemen; so very high security. While they discussed they didn't notice the journalist had been added! Seriously! Goldberg just sat back and watched the information flow. Of course he reported on it and then got called a "scumbag" for lying. All he had to do was publish the contents of the chat to prove the blunder and that he wasn't lying. Would you believe Trump said nothing sensitive was shared and that he fired no one?  I ask myself, however did they think of using Signal, a slightly more secure site than Whatsapp, for such sensitive material? In any other democratic country, this wouldn't be happening and if it were, heads would roll. Meanwhile, Trump continues to rule the US and the world. This week he imposed 25% tariffs on any cars and components sold to the US that are not made in the US. He is only punishing his own citizens this way but he doesn't see it. He continued to rule the world by trying to force a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and came up with the Black Sea agreement which has yet to see the light of day as Putin is calling for many sanctions to be lifted in exchange. What has the world come to?

The heads of the EU must have been thinking the same thing when they came up with a new directive. They want people to have ready a 72h emergency kit in the event we are cut off from essential supplies due to disasters of any type including war, pandemics, cyber security emergencies, industrial accidents or climate related disasters like the Dana in Valencia. It's not a bad idea as we look at the state of the world today. Many Nordic countries already have such plans in place so we must follow. I found the video made by European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, rather intriguing. If you haven't seen it, this is it. In her small bag Hadja Lahbib  shows us essential items such as spectacles, matches, ID documents in a plastic bag, bottled water, energy bars, medicines, warm clothes, cash, power banks, a Swiss army knife, a torch and even playing cards. 

Hadja Lahbib presenting her emergency bag

Her video may seem like a joke but it is no joke. Europe is preparing for WW3 while  scrambling to increase spending on military material as they can no longer depend on aid from Trump's new US. At home of course we should have  an emergency kit for if the water goes off which we didn't or the central heating which we didn't either. Lessons to learn.

By Wednesday the rain in Spain had gone away and finally the sun came out after more than 3 weeks of the heaviest rainfall I have ever seen in this country. We had so much rain in March that reservoirs are now  filled with enough water for the whole population for a year and a half.  Of course Spain needed this amount of water but not in such a short space of time. It has been depressing too for all of us and even Elliot complained. Finally after all our troubles in March, the sun came out and looks like it will be staying for a while. Hallelujah. 

I was cheered up that morning by a Whatsapp message from an old friend from my school days. Bill O - who used to be the head boy at Bradford Grammar School where my father taught and was part of my crowd in the 70's.  I have only seen him once since and that was at my father's funeral. So it was lovely to receive from him photos of a BGS reunion at the school this week. I showed them to Suzy in amazement and of course I sent them to my great friend Amanda who was part of that group. To think these now 70 year old men were once teenagers we may have drooled over or spent time with at our usual watering hole, The Mucky Duck. They made me feel old of course but also put a smile on my face. I well remember being with Bill, Chris Fallows (RIP)  and Amanda in Bill's very useful car driving back from pubs  to our house late at night. We would often play Monopoly until the early hours of the morning when my mother would find us and offer us breakfast. That was such a long, long time ago.

Bill sent me this and other photos from the BGS reunion lunch this week. In the photo he is  with the current headmaster, Simon; such a great chap.

Wednesday was another day spent in bed nursing my virus. Thursday was perhaps Day 1 of our recovery. I only felt a little better but had to make the effort. 

Again the sun shone and we spent some time outdoors. Suzy went for a jog for the first time in weeks, complaining 10 year old Pippa couldn't keep up with her. Eladio went to have his annual blood test and came back to have breakfast outside. He and Tana got out the kitchen patio furniture, a sure sign of good weather. Hurray. I took a photo of the moment.

Enjoying the sun on Thursday

While we were enjoying the sun, Oli and Miguel were on their way to Brussels for a romantic long weekend to celebrate their upcoming 40th and 50th birthdays. This is the first time they have left the kids overnight in 5 years and they deserve a break. Oli chose Brussels because she wanted to go to a French speaking country as she is so keen on the lingo. Good for her. Here are a couple of photos of them in the Grand Place, a memorable landmark in the Belgian capital. I'm so happy for them. 

Oli and Miguel in Brussels this weekend from Thursday to Sunday - here enjoying waffles, so Belgian. 

While they were flying away from Spain, we went out to have a coffee in the sun at Manacor and then to do the shopping which we hadn't done for more than 10 days. It was good to be out at last and I didn't feel too fatigued. 

Friday was the highlight of the week. Eladio's brother and his wife, José Antonio and Dolores, were coming for lunch and I intended to enjoy the day. They brought energy with them as well as good company and cheered us up immensely. We have been living in a bubble with our problems here this last month and having them for the day was a joy. I made my staple winter dish; "cocido madrileño) which we all enjoyed and blessings of blessings, Suzy joined us and she was happy to do so. She hadn't seen her aunt and uncle since Oli's wedding in June 2023, thus the reunion was sweet. The photo of them at lunch just has to be this week's feature photo. 

After lunch the men slept a short siesta while Dolores and I chatted by the pool. We then all went for a walk, something I haven't done for at least 2 weeks. And it did me so much good. Here are my fellow walkers on Friday afternoon.

My fellow walkers and Pippa on Saturday afternoon

It was a glorious afternoon with sunshine and green pastures and hardly any else out walking. Just as we were coming back I got a sudden booking on Airbnb for my father's old room; a chap called Miguel who had been here in February but I hadn't met because we were away. I had to do Tana's job and put out the towels, water, a bottle of juice and some Spanish almonds. That's how I always treat my guests. He arrived late at night and surprised me as he told me he was brought up in Kent, UK, to Spanish parents. His English is as good as a native's. He was my third guest this weekend.

Meanwhile we continued to get photos from Olivia of their visit to Brussels. I could see they had been to the beautiful Galerie de la Reine and were enjoying local Belgian beer. 

Miguel and Oli enjoying a beer in Brussels on Friday

Here is a photo of them both well wrapped up and enjoying precious time together. Oli told me she needed it. Of course they both needed it. Toddlers take their toll on parents and parents need time off every now and then. 

Oli and Miguel near the Palace (I think) in Brussels on Saturday

I was extremely happy to hear that they would be meeting my bosom friend Sandra who lives in Brussels this morning for brunch after which she will be driving them to the airport. Thank you Sandie darling.  I can't to see pictures. 

At around 6.30, Toño and Dolores left and I felt so much better. Their visit had really done me the world of good. An hour or so later it was time to take my weekly dose of Monjauro and I wondered how it would affect me this time. I hoped my body was used to it. I would only know on Saturday morning. I was lucky, this time there have been no significant side effects so far.

We had a simple dinner with Suzy and later watched the news - a terrible earthquake in Burma and the stupid visit of the US VP, Vance to Greenland which Trump wants to annex. I have to trust this will never happen.

I slept better that night although I had to double my does of sleeping pills. I was up late watching The Two Popes (again). What a great film. 

Saturday dawned and it was another sunny day. Eladio mowed the rest of the lawn and rather exhausted himself. I exhausted myself by going on our long walk with Pippa in the sunshine. But it must have done me a lot of good. I have to watch out for my knee but so far, so good.

Oli and Miguel were visiting beautiful Bruges yesterday and went on the train. I remember our visit there with Sandra and Adele in 2016 when it bucketed it down but it was still beautiful. I dug this photo out of me in the main square by the pretty houses to remember our visit. 

Me in Bruges in 2016

It was freezing that day too and I just hoped Oli and Miguel had better weather which they did.

Today is Sunday and last night the clocks went forward to daylight saving time. I only wish we could be on summer time always which would give us more light at night. I was awake at 6 am, 5 am previously, but I actually slept well last night.

Today will be a very long and busy day. Miguel's brother, Alberto, will be bringing the children over to be in our care until their parents get back. They are arriving at Madrid airport at around 4. Only when they get here will we able to leave for Santa Pola where we shall be spending the week with my great friends, Amanda and Andy who will be arriving this afternoon to an empty apartment. I look forward to a great time with them and lots of sunshine, good fun and companionship. We need a break too. On that note, I shall leave you now until next Sunday.

Wishing you all a great day and happy Mother's day to all Mothers in the UK. Cheers until next time, all the best,

Masha

Another week of foul weather in Spain, no deal for Ukraine ceasefire, we both got colds, babysitting our grandchildren, the boiler is working again, hurray I finally got the Land Registry number for our house and other stories of the week.

 Madrid, Sunday 23rd March, 2025

Happy to finally have the Land Registry numbers for the rooms we rent in our house.

Good morning folks.

As I set about thinking what I have to relate this week, there is not much. There has been such foul weather, we both have colds and until Thursday we had no central heating or hot water that frankly I would have preferred this week to be wiped out. 

Yes it was a miserable week but we muddled through as one does. Last Sunday was once again cold and wet as it has been for more than 3 weeks. That is so unusual for Spain. We usually complain the reservoirs are empty but now they are overfilling. Thankfully by Tuesday the sun will return and I much look forward to normal Spanish weather. Even Elliot was tired of it and told me his favourite seasons are spring and summer, bless him. 

He came with Oli and co for lunch and I made the kids meatballs. I was amazed to see Suzy eating them too as she is mostly vegetarian. Good for her. I think they reminded her of her childhood.

I spent the afternoon binge watching the new Netflix sensation, Adolescence which is a masterpiece on how young kids behave today and what trouble they get into because of social media and trends on internet, in this case that horrible man Andrew Tate who needs no introduction. 

On the world scene, nasty Trump deported hundreds of Venezuelans to jails in El Salvador where they will be treated as animals. Is there no end to the cruelty of this man? Meanwhile, in North Macedonia where not much usually happens, a night club went up in flames killing 59 people.  That day we also saw the first photo of Pope Francis since he was admitted to  hospital on 14th February with double pneumonia.

Photo released by the Vatican of the Pope celebrating mass at the Gemelli Hospital chapel in Rome this week

He is on the road to recovery but all the bronchial treatment has left him nearly mute. He might be an infallible Pope but he is a man and he suffers. There is no talk of abdication though. The good news though is that today he will be discharged. I wish him well.

Monday came and brought with it Storm Laurence which the Spanish TV anchors did not pronounce right (hahahaha). Laurence even brought snow. Later we had Storm Martinho which caused extensive flooding. 

I was up at 6 am which seems to be my usual this week and was the first one up in the house. As usual too, before and during breakfast I did Wordle in both English and Spanish, then the Sun Word Wheel and later the NYT Spelling Bee. Only after that did I read the news. This week the main news is no news really. It's about a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. One of many of Putin's conditions is that Ukraine never joins Nato. Trump spoke on the phone to him this week and Putin only agreed to stop targeting energy plants. 

Both Suzy and I watched Oli live on TV reporting live on yet another court case - she seems to be good at them. The trial is of Nacho Cano, a Spanish musician and composer who is accused of hiring illegal Mexican immigrants. Here is a still and then a video of her report which might interest her children if they read this when they are older.

Olivia reporting on the Nacho Cano court case on Monday

Eladio and I braced the cold and wet weather to go and do the shopping. The highlight of Monday was not the shopping but my weekly video call with Amanda. We always cheer each other up. 

On Tuesday I woke to see on my smart watch that I had only slept 3.5h which is appalling. What made me slightly happy though were the scales. I had lost another half a kilo, now a total of 2.8 kg in one month which is not a lot but it made me happy. 

What didn't make me happy was to see Netanyahu break the ceasefire and attack Gaza again in demand for the remaining hostages. At home I wasn't happy about the lack of hot water and central heating when the customer service people said it could take up to two weeks to get the spare they needed to mend the boiler. OMG. We had nothing for it but to go to Oli's for a shower and it was wonderful. 

I went to my hairdresser at midday. Her place was freezing and after sitting with the dye cream in my hair in the cold for 45 minutes I think I caught a cold which, of course, I later passed on to my dear husband. I should probably have gone to bed after lunch but I had another beauty appointment, this time at the nail bar. That meant I was late for babysitting our grandchildren, Elliot and Juliet, at their place in the afternoon while Olivia went to her French lessons. It was bliss to be in a warm flat and I have to say they behaved very well. 

Wednesday was a big day for Suzy and for us. She was to have her first appointment with her designated therapist at 9.30 and I think she was nervous.  This is a new start for our daughter and I hope to God this time we are on the path to recovery. She will only be seeing her once a month but already the medication is doing her good and there are no apparent side effects. 

Wednesday was Father's Day in Spain but we didn't pay much heed to it. It was another day without heating or hot water. Suzy had a shower again at Oli's place after which we dropped her off at home and drove to Boadilla to have coffee with our friends Roberto and Mari Carmen. Mari Carmen had brought me the latest dose of Monjauro, this time the one with 5 mg vs the 2.5g I was on for the first month. We headed home later for a makeshift lunch as Tana was away. The rest of the day was quiet (and cold brrr).

I was told by Elliot that Thursday 20th March was the first day of spring. And there you had me thinking the beginning of the new seasons are always on day 21. It certainly didn't seem like spring  with so much rain. Eladio had caught my cold by Thursday so it was a good job the boiler people came, earlier than expected, with the spare part to mend it. Hallelujah I thought. Soon we had hot water but it took a long time for the radiators to work. 

Thus Elliot and Juliet came to ours that afternoon while Oli went to her Thursday afternoon French lessons from 5.30  to 8. Neither Eladio nor I were in a good shape to babysit but we had to do our best. Here they are enjoying a cup of decaf tea with a mountains of biscuits.

With Elliot and Juliet at home on Thursday

Suzy who had been told by her therapist that she is no state to be looking after anyone but herself, came down to greet them as she loves them. She also joined us for bath time and dinner served by Tana. The poor mites left in the pouring rain and she helped them into her sister's car.  

Friday came and my cold was just a bit better; not so poor Eladio who spent the day in bed. The wonderful thing about that morning was that we were finally able to have a hot shower at home. Having been at home for most of the week, I needed to get out. I had some errands to do and one was important. It was to visit the local Land Registry Office to get the coveted registry codes for each room we rent in this house. Without it, we could face fines of up to 30.000 euros. By now I was a familiar face at the office and was told I was their guinea pig in this new bureaucratic stumbling block imposed by our semi communist government. This is on top of all the requirements needed by guests checking into Airbnbs or hotels. They have made it really difficult for people like me to host guests both in our home and in other properties. The whole process was completely kafkian so no wonder I was elated to finally be able to add these diabolical numbers to my listings. Would you believe that I was given hard copies rather than digital copies? Thus I was not able to copy and paste the numbers, some of which included 25 zeroes in a row. For lack of any feature photo this week, I asked Eladio to take a photo of me at my desk with the papers I got from the Land Registry office.

While out I also went to LM (Leroy Merlin) a DIY store to get two fan heaters for Santa Pola for when we go next week. I didn't find what I wanted either there or at Carrefour so had to resort to feeding the beast, and buying them on Amazon. Before going home I had a free cappuccino at Starbucks thanks to their Loyalty Card. Thus I saved 3.7 euros. I wonder how much the same sized coffee costs in other countries; a lot more I suspect.

While I was out, Suzy and Oli were cooking together at Oli's place. They made a huge batch of Russian pies we call "perushki" in our family. I was glad that Suzy was able to spend some time with her sister and away from home as she is always in her room with her own thoughts. 

In London that day, Heathrow closed down completely for most of the day owing to a fire at a nearby electric substation. Imagine Heathrow closed down? What chaos the fire must have caused.

My diary reminded me  to take the first dose of Monjauro 5mg at 7.45 that evening. It's a complicated process and each time I inject a dose I have to follow lengthy instructions. I was a bit worried I would get a headache for days which I got when I first started taking this new appetite suppressing drug, but, touch wood, I didn't. I also wondered whether I would feel the difference in appetite. With the 2.5mg dose my appetite hasn't really been reduced as such. It's more a question of being less interested in food. So let's see how this new dose goes. I will know on Tuesday if I have lost any more weight. I am also semi dieting and my dinners now exclusively consist of some fruit, a coconut yoghurt and a medjool date. 

Saturday came and we didn't do much. In fact, I got straight back into my pyjamas straight after my morning shower. The three of us were to be alone at home this weekend, except for one guest who had booked a while back. I would probably have had more, if I hadn't had to close the calendar due to the bl**** boiler. Our guest this weekend is called Lidia and she is a GP who lives in Ciudad Real.

Eladio went back to bed and I joined him for most of the day. Suzy looked after us making our meals and washing up. Yesterday was a total washout as far as days go.

Today is Sunday and as I write, believe it or not and to top it all,  we now have no running water. According to the neigbourhood whatsapp group, there is a burst pipe up the street which should be fixed by midday. I hope so. 

And so my friends, that's it for today. Hoping you haven't had too boring a read as there really wasn't much to tell. Cheers then till next Sunday,

All the best, Masha

A funeral, meeting "Sr. Cervera", ceasefire for Ukraine? The boiler broke down - no hot water or heating, 5 years since Covid lockdown, 4th dose of Mounjaro and other stories of the week.

Sunday, 16th March, 2025.

Meeting Sr. Cervera (with the hat) for the first time in more than 35 years. He was one of my bosses at Defex where I worked from 1982 to 1990

Good morning again. What a week it has been; so let me tell you all about it.

Last Sunday it continued to rain as it has now for probably 3 or so more weeks. Each week brings another storm and this week we were cursed by Storms Jana and Konrad which wreaked havoc mainly in the south. Places like Jérez or Seville were flooded. We had so much  rain in Madrid that our beloved greengage tree fell  and had to be chopped up. I'm very sad about that.

I was sad last Sunday of course because Suzy was in hospital still and we didn't know the outcome. I was also sad because we went to my friend Nacho Salcedo's funeral. It was in Pozuelo at the chapel next to the funeral parlour where we had been to the wake the afternoon before. There were many people and I was pleased and surprised to meet up with 3 bosses from my time at Defex, the weapons exporter, where I worked from 1982 to 1990 and whom I hadn't seen for 35 years.  I wasespecially pleased to meet Alvaro Cervera (Capitán de Corbeta) known to us as only "Sr. Cervera". He was a true gentleman and I have fond memories of him. We female secretaries and admin staff had to treat the men bosses using "usted" and they used "tu" to address us which was very humiliating. Sr. Cervera who is now 92  must have been 48 when I met him. I pointed out the way we used to address each other and his answer was; "well those were different times". Indeed they were. I introduced my husband to my ex boss who asked Eladio how he could manage me hahaha. With much laughter, my husband took a photo which I have chosen as this week's feature photo. And here is another one.

With my ex Defex colleagues from 36 years ago at Nacho's funeral. From left to right: Juan, Sr. Cervera, me, Sr. Iglesias and Mar, Juan's wife.

It was rather nice that Nacho had reunited us in his death. I told some of my ex Defex colleagues that we must now meet again. I hope we do. What fun.

The funeral service was sombre and without any frills; no photos, no special words. That is how things usually go in Spain. They are not good at ceremony. And then there was the burial where we all gathered only to see the cemetery masons lowering the coffin into the ground. Where was the priest and those final words "ashes to ashes"? It felt rather forlorn for our friend so I hope someone will organise a proper memorial service when we can pay him better homage. 

For want of a proper wake which they do before the funeral in Spain without food or drink and not afterwards, some of us ex Motorolans went for coffee at Mallorca in nearby Pozuelo. There I had a good chance to talk to some of my favourite colleagues such as Ruben and Ignacio.

It was home again after that in the cold and rain. Our guests had gone and Tana was away, thus it was just Eladio and me for a change. We deeply felt the absence of Suzy who was in our thoughts the whole time. I had a shoulder to lean on that afternoon when Kathy and I Skyped. Close women friends are the best therapy. Skype, as you probably know, is going soon but no worries as there are many more ways to video call such as Facetime, Whatsapp, Zoom etc. I wonder what methods my grandchildren will be using when I am  gone. Who knows?

My video call was interrupted by the arrival of Florin, a guest from Romania who lives in Spain. He came in a huge van. I hardly saw him after that but Eladio did and Florin told him he would like to come back with his family in the summer. 

Entertainment that night was the film based on Fredrick Forsythe's Odessa File, a thriller made in 1974. It helped me fall asleep. I was finding it hard to concentrate on anything this week because of our troubles. 

Monday came, the day I found the fallen tree in our front garden. Finally, that day we had our second call from the psychiatrist. Her name is Fanny Beatriz Cegla Schvartzman and there is hardly anything on the WWW about her but later Suzy told me she liked her which was the important thing. That day our daughter had accepted to see her father but not me. That hurt but it was huge progress. The three of us went and Eladio spent over an hour with her coming out smiling. He had found her calm which was such a good sign. I couldn't help crying though outside with Olivia. If you are a mother you will understand.

We left in more torrential rain and were home within an hour with Oli in the driving seat so we could grill Eladio with questions. 

On Tuesday I was happy to finally see some results from taking Mounjaro. I had shed 2.3kg (5lbs) which is ok as I don't need to lose too much and the dose I was on is low (2.5mg). That lifted my mood. We spent some of the morning in Villaviciosa at the Land Registry Office. They needed more paperwork from me to get the elusive Registry Code number to let the rooms at home. I thought I had given them everything but there was a complication. In the deeds of the house I figure with a Residency Card and since 2000 I have a Spanish ID card. They wanted a police certificate to prove I was the same person. Thankfully I still have it. What a bore. On the good side, they will give me the numbers which will take just another 3 weeks (!!!!). We then went to have coffee at Manacor where I got a phone call from the Land Registry Office in Llanes (Asturias). This time it was to confirm the number which now figures on the listing of the house on both Booking and Airbnb. Hurray.

Oli joined us for lunch as she did for most of the week as we were in this together. Thus she was there when the doctor rang again. Oli tried to interrupt her and the response was rather short and intimidating. Thankfully, later in person, she was much nicer. She rang to say Suzy would be discharged the next day and we asked for a meeting with her which we got, finally. Finally she was going to listen to us. 

While we were going through all this, Zelensky was in Saudi Arabia of all places, for peace talks with the US, but not with Russia, the aggressor. He agreed to a ceasefire for a month while a peace plan was drawn up. In exchange the US would restore military aid and share intelligence again. The painful part is that Trump already knows which parts of the Ukraine will have to be given up to Russia. Also he is after Ukraine's rare minerals and he will do anything to get them. Now the ball is in Putin's court. He will ask for lots I'm sure. So we don't yet have a ceasefire but it could come soon. 

All the above topics were part of my weekly Skype call - actually Facetime and then Whatsapp - with Amanda. My weekly calls with Amanda which began during Covid, by the way, are so restorative. I hope they are for her too. Later in the week my friend gave me good news as she and Andy will be coming out to see us for a week at the end of March. I can't wait for their visit. It will be a true tonic.

On Wednesday I was awake at 4 am and finally got up at 5.30. We left at 08.45 to be at the hospital for 10  for our meeting with the doctor. It was a good long talk which really helped. She had taken the case seriously and there will be follow up and control to see she continues her medication by a monthly injection and goes to therapy. Then we were allowed to see Suzy who would be discharged later in the day. And, oh what a beautiful reunion it was. She seemed gaunt and tired but happy if that is the right word and melted into our arms. The good thing, if I can believe it, is that she now knows she needs treatment. The medication has already made an enormous difference and she seems to be the Suzy from before and I keep pinching myself to see if it's true. Oh how happy we all were. The family was reunited.

The family reunited

We came home for lunch and at about 4 pm we left again to pick Suzy up. It was so good to have her back again and to see her symptoms slowly recede. I am not counting on victory yet but I do think this time things will be better. Finally, I have hope and I can smile again.

Thursday came and brought problems. The boiler stopped working after filling it with fuel. Unfortunately it is still not working and we are without central heating and hot water which is a huge bind but mostly it is bad for business. I had to reach out to all my current and upcoming guests and explain the situation. The boiler men came on Friday morning to fix it but it has broken down and needs an expensive new part which they have had to order and won't come until next week. Thankfully in the upstairs rooms, our study and the dining room we can get warm air from the AC units. I have had to block the guest calendar until next weekend and hope and pray it will be up and running by next Friday. 

We went out with Suzy to have coffee at the Flaca and then she and I did a tiny bit of shopping to get through the next few days. Tana made lentils for lunch which we love but oh dear they were inedible as the chorizos were spicy which she didn't know. The next day Eladio felt ill. I have told him never to buy spicy chorizo sausages again hahah. They were so hot I suspect they had chili in them. 

Eladio had a comfortable siesta as I had bought a memory foam mattress topper like the one I bought for our bed in Santa Pola. Our own memory foam mattress is old and rather saggy, so this new topper is the perfect solution.  Except that I didn't sleep. I spent the whole afternoon transferring all the data from Eladio's old phone to a hand me down Samsung S20 Fe which was Olivia's. It's quite a job and I still have to do some fine tuning. 

If lunch was awful in terms of food, our prawn salad for dinner was delicious. Later I had a good Mother to daughter chat with Suzy who  is so much more reasonable to talk to after the episode which I know was awful but did her so much good. She who has shunned society and all her friends, is now meeting one of them next week and she will be going to her great friend, Copi's wedding. Hurray!

Friday came and I went out with her again. We went to have coffee together and for her to have a haircut after she  died her hair a dark brunette colour on Thursday.  I took a photo of her later at home and even though she is wearing a thick dressing gown she looks lovely. 

Suzy's new hair colour and cut

She is outside the wooden cabin. I went in there to smoke because it was warm inside from some sunshine in the morning and she took  one of me inside, with my dressing gown on too.

Keeping warm in the wood cabin

Friday 14th March was the fifth anniversary of lockdown  because of Covid in Spain. I remember that day so well and all that came after it. Over 7 million people died of the dreaded virus , 120.000 of them in Spain. What a terrible period we went through. It was as if the world had stopped and it really felt like it with everything closed and  streets empty of cars and people. Thankfully in our family absolutely no one was affected but we were still terrified. One day we will be known as the Covid generation. When it started in China I thought it would be like bird flu or Asian flu, just a virus that affected China. How wrong I was. We never could have known what was coming  when we celebrated the New Year on December 31st 2019 when my dear father was still alive. Spain had perhaps the most severe lockdown after China. We were not even allowed out for exercise and only one person per family could do the shopping. That was me and I had to shop for 7 people as Oli,Miguel and Elliot were with us as was my father's carer Lucy. We were lucky we have a garden while most people in Spain live in small flats. Thus we took to walking around the garden in the afternoons to our dogs' dismay. They didn't know what was happening. The first lockdown lasted until 21st June 2020, more than a hundred days. But Covid wasn't over and governments and laboratories were working on a vaccine which came at a faster speed than could have been imagined. We survived Covid but it was perhaps the most significant event of my life, something that affected the whole world. Some people likened it to WW2. We were not fighting in battle but it was a battle in its own right. Today Covid is now part of history although some people have lasting physical effects;  known as long Covid. No government nor scientific body was prepared for Covid and its effects so they muddled along as best they could and we finally came out of it. This is something those of us who lived through it will always, always remember. So lets remember too those people who died and their loved ones, most of whom couldn't even bury them. To think it was 5 years ago. How time flies.

I thought a lot about our lives during the lockdown and the whole pandemic on Friday as I'm sure many people did. But I had other things on my mind. That day I was to inject my 4th dose of Mounjaro at 18.45 as it always has to be at the same time. This time I needed no help. Thankfully the headaches went after 2 weeks and it seems to be working. Next week I move on to the 5mg dose and hope it will work faster but won't give me any side effects.  I'll let you know next week.

We spent the afternoon in our rooms and thankfully I managed a siesta and slept a whole two hours which I needed desperately.

I slept a bit better too that night but was up early on Saturday morning at 6.30 am. We only went out that morning to the bank and for a coffee. I needed to get a password for Eladio's new phone so he can use his banking app and I don't know how, but the hole in the wall swallowed it up. We will be back on Monday to retrieve it. Isn't life full of silly little obstacle?

So we were without heating and hot water. I am managing to wash myself using hot water from a kettle which I share with Suzy. Later that evening while making dinner the electricity went. Could anything else go wrong? Eventually it came back but I was so embarrassed for my guests.  Maria from Colombia is leaving tomorrow but says she will be back in June - despite the boiler incident, bless her. Alice from the USA who I haven't seen is leaving today and I hope I won't get a bad review because of the boiler. Then we will be guest free until Friday and I hope within that time frame all will be sorted. I am crossing my fingers.

Today is Sunday and it is cold and miserable again and here I am writing with my great big thick dressing gown which I have been living in this week because it is so cold in the house. Olivia and family will be coming for lunch and the family really will be reunited again. I hope we have a pleasant day despite the boiler issue, hahahahaha.

I must go now so cheers till next week,

All the best, Masha

Europe in trouble, raining all week, time with our grandchildren, Elliot and Juliet, routine medical appointments, RIP Nacho Salcedo and other stories of the week.

 Madrid, Sunday 9th March, 2025

Suzy and Pippa with Elliot and Juliet on Monday

Good morning everyone. 

This has not been a good week although it had its highlights. It was not good for Europe and it was not good for Canada or Mexico because of a new tariff war. On the news front, it is all thanks to Donald Trump who has now halted any more military aid or security information to Ukraine.  After the debacle at the White House where he and Vance bullied Zelensky, Europe has rushed to support the Ukrainian Premiere who Trump wants out. He would like to replace him with a puppet for Moscow. Meanwhile in London where Starmer held a meeting with many European leaders as well as Justin Trudeau, this grey British Premiere, somehow rose to the occasion as a proper statesman. He has created a "coalition of the willing" to come to the aid of Ukraine after Trump abandoned him, although the mineral peace deal is far from over. Apart from European countries, others could be Australia, New Zealand, Canada and even Turkey. I think he is taking the right role, together with Macron. Macron went as far as addressing the French nation on the danger to Europe given Trump's stance and even offered  French nuclear weapons as an "umbrella". Putin likened him to Napoleon and told the public we all know how that ended. Well the Coalition of the Willing won't have to face General Winter as snow does not stop missiles. If Zelensky had been bullied and kicked out of the Oval Office, he couldn't have had a warmer welcome than in London. He even met with the King. If only I could have been a fly on the wall during their meeting.

The King of England with Zelensky last Sunday at Highgrove, a very different scene than at the White House a few days earlier. He also met with Justin Trudeau and is worried about Canada v Trump and will call for unity.

The European Union rallied to the occasion too and are planning a defence plan to help Ukraine with a budget of 800 thousand million euros. However, that is paltry compared to the military power of Russia. Europe is in trouble and just has to make more of an effort. Can Europe beat Russia and the USA? I doubt it. But then no one ever thought Churchill could beat the Nazis. He did, but only with the help of the former. Is this history repeating itself? I think so.

On the home front it wasn't a good week either as you will read on. Last Sunday we woke up to cold and rain.  It doesn't look like we will get any spring weather until the middle of the month. A cold front has hit the Spanish peninsula with strong rain and winds. The areas most affected are the Canary Islands, Andalusia, Catalonia, Murcia and, once again, Valencia. Everyone feared another "dana" but this time local governments were more prepared.

With the weather being so horrible, we didn't leave the house. I had a shower and then put my pyjamas straight back on again; far more comfortable that way. The highlight of Sunday was a Skype call with my dearest and oldest friend, Amanda who lives in Devon. When I visited not so long ago, the weather there was foul but when we spoke this week it was sunny. Unfair!

I woke up on Monday to the news of the Oscars. The only film I am interested in seeing is Conclave but it only got a minor prize. The Catholic Church has always fascinated me, having gone to a Catholic school run by Irish nuns, as well as having married a Catholic priest, haha, whereby lies the interest. Thus I am following closely the health reports of Pope Francis who, aged 88, seems to be at the end of his life although he is still all there and this week recorded a few words of thanks to all the people praying for him in St. Peter's Square. He did it in Spanish, his native tongue and sounded very tired. I pray for him.

Monday was  a local holiday to celebrate Carnival. I should have remembered pancake day but I didn't. Maybe that's a blessing as I am on week 3 of Mounjaro - the supposed appetite suppressing drug which so far hasn't worked on me but  maybe it's early days. 

I spent the day in my pyjamas and  the morning working on my computer to submit a request for a Registry Number from the local Land Registry Office. I need one for each room I rent and for the group of rooms I rent. That took me all morning but when I had finished submitting all the documents I felt as if I had won a battle. I haven't as I still have to be given the stupid numbers but at least the process is working. 

I did leave the house in the afternoon, going in my pyjamas with a coat on to accompany Eladio to pick up our grandchildren, Elliot and Juliet from an English academy called La Casita. Oli had sent them there as there was no school that day. They love that place and came out with a bag full of the things they had created during the English speaking practical lessons. They came back to have tea and biscuits with Suzy and I. She was still out of sorts since the weekend but made a huge effort to be with them and me. That's why I have chosen the photo I took of her with them that afternoon as this week's feature photo. It's the photo of the week. Our task was slightly easier that day as Juliet (who has worms by the way, hahahaha) was exhausted from such a full day and fell asleep on the sofa next to Pippa. Here they are together.

Juliet sleeping with Pippa next to her

While she slept, we entertained Elliot. He wanted to have a running race, indoors of course, and I was to time him. He made me compete which was a huge laugh. Later we showed him clips from the famous film ET, because we thought he might like it but also because the protagonist has the same name as him. He was absolutely fascinated. Our grandparent duty was short that day as their father Miguel came quite early to pick them up. 

Tuesday came and it rained again, robbing us of yet another walk.  That day Trump enforced the 25% tariffs on imports into the US from Mexico and Canada and high tariffs on Chinese goods too. Canada had to retaliate against its will which made Trump furious, threatening to double any amount Canada imposed. Since then he has relaxed the measure but world trade is in a total mess because of this madman who wants to make America great again but isn't managing it. He will be imposing similar tariffs on EU countries and went as far as to say that the EU had been created to "screw the US". Far from it. You should know your allies and your foes and Russia is not your ally. Funnily enough, later in the week he seemed to change his tune, threatening Russia with sanctions if it didn't stop bombarding Ukraine. I'm  not sure what to believe from the mouth of that  awful orange faced man.

In Spain, meanwhile, our weak socialist government propped up by so many left wing and nationalist parties, announced it would be handing over the responsibility and handling of immigration in Catalonia to the local Catalonian government. This was blackmail from the fugitive Carles Puigdemon whose 7 votes help prop up our fragile coalition government. I have no time for him or for Pedro Sánchez who wants power at any cost.  He now has to scramble to increase expenditure on defence material for Ukraine but he won't get any votes from his normal allies. This time he will have to depend on the right wing party, the PP which I'm sure he won't find funny or easy. But he always gets what he wants. 

We had problems with Suzy that day which had already started at the weekend and would develop over the week bringing trouble to the family. She wanted money to go out but we cannot finance her drug addiction.  When we said no we got a horrible threatening audio and then she went off in a huff, taking Eladio's old Volvo and didn't come back till late at night. We worried if she had left with no intention of coming back. Panicking,  I went into her room to find 2 suitcases packed as if she meant to leave. However, she came back at around 9.30 and we were very relieved. 

She missed more time with Elliot and Juliet while she was out  as we had to pick them up again on Tuesday, this time from school. They had gone dressed for Carnival and here is Elliot with his Harry Potter outfit on. He looked great.

Elliot dressed up as Harry Potter this week for Carnival

They behaved very well and we didn't have them for long as by about 6 pm Miguel came to get them. I had to go anyway as I had an appointment with my new GP, Elena C. She is lovely and reluctantly, but kindly prescribed me 2 more months of Mounjaro, this time with a higher dose - 5mg. Let's see if that works.

On Wednesday I had two more routine medical appointments, both at the private hospital, Quirón, in Pozuelo. The first was with the dermatologist to remove a "lipoma" from my back. This is the third I have had removed. They are benign lumps formed by fat but must be removed because if they burst they can be dangerous. That was easy peasy. Then at 10.30 I saw a gynaecologist for my annual check up. She was very efficient, did the horrible smear with great care and then gave me appointments for both a mammogram and eco mammogram. She also gave me an appointment for a bone density scan and told me that last year's had shown signs of weaker bones, a condition called osteopenia. Thankfully it is not osteoporosis and she recommended more calcium in my diet. I had left the house at 7.45 a.m. and wasn't home till 12. I felt shattered after the appointments but also  because I had had only had 5 hours sleep. 

After lunch Suzy had a meltdown which scared me stiff. She would't let me in the room where she was entrenched with the door locked with a key as it always is. But we had to go out to be with Juliet at a birthday party. Thankfully it was not for long and we were soon home. I knew something was brewing with Suzy since we got back from El Cuetu and we both felt powerless, knowing how little help we get from the state because she is an adult with rights and refuses medicine and therapy.  Damn our government. 

Thursday came and we took the difficult decision of ringing the emergency services. The medic who I spoke to told me they don't send psychiatrists and that if the patient is coherent and stable she would not be admitted to hospital. She sent a medic (and about 6 policemen)  and we didn't hope for much. To cut a very long story short, the medic was very professional and did not succumb to Suzy's "I'm ok story". An ambulance took her to A&E and we followed behind even though she didn't want us there. Once there, the psychiatrist assigned to her came out to talk to us. Honestly he is the first mental health professional who has listened to us. He told us she would be admitted but as they didn't have any beds, she would be sent to another hospital. I felt relieved but guilty and so sorry for my daughter. I knew we were doing the right thing but if felt horrible and still does. It must be much worse for her, poor soul. That was trouble at home my friends, a trouble that never goes away. On the bright side, she is now registered in the health system in Madrid and they have her records. This time I don't have any high hopes of her continuing her medication or therapy when she is discharged but we will continue to fight for her to get better; for all of us to get better. 

I had a house full of guests and life went on but my mind was focused only on my daughter. I watched the frightening documentary which won an Oscar, 20 days in Mariupol with Eladio that night. It should have been enough to take my mind off Suzy but it wasn't. 

On Friday our mission was to wait for a call from the new hospital,  from another psychiatrist. It came at around midday and I can tell you it wasn't pleasant as the doctor was nothing like the young man who listened to us at the first hospital. She wanted me to summarise Suzy's problems in minutes on the phone with both of us on speaker and a bad line. I did not feel listened to. We should be hearing from her again tomorrow. 

It was very sad to hear that day that my dear school friend, Maureen, who reads my blog, had lost her husband Philip this week aged only 76. She must be grief stricken. My heart goes out to her and all her family. She has lost her life partner, which I just cannot imagine happening. I wish I could have been in Yorkshire for his funeral. Damn.

In the afternoon I called Suzy during the allowed hours to call from 6 to 7 in the afternoons. I knew she wouldn't want to speak to me but I tried. Meanwhile all my reading is about her condition Chronic Delusional Disorder, which although severe, seems to be quite rare and there is  little information to be found. As I took my 3rd dose of Mounjaro, I thought of Suzy who had administered me the first one. The house feels so strange without her presence, especially at meal times. Pippa is distraught with her absence and I am sure Suzy misses her too. Poor darling Suzy. 

On Saturday, International Women's Day, I woke up to news of another death. Nacho Salcedo my colleague at Defex who I first met in 1981 and who went on to be my colleague when I recommended him to HR at Motorola, died at 03.50 that morning. He was well loved. He and his former wife, Peggy, an English woman like myself, were friends when we were younger. They were at our wedding and came to stay with us in England when my babies were born.  They gave us our first beagle, Daisy, when Snuffles their English born beagle had a litter. Years later when Snuffles died, we gave them a puppy from one of our litters. Thanks to Peggy and Nacho we had a spate of breeding beagles, still my favourite breed of dog today.

Nacho (left) and I with Jesús and Oscar, two other Motorola colleagues at the Mobile World Congress in 2010.

With my Defex colleagues. Nacho (far right) and Peggy (second from the left with her brother) at our wedding on 21st August 1983. I was 26 and Nacho was 27.He died far too young. RIP Nacho. PS the other two are Rosa (left of Eladio) and Beatriz (in between Nacho and me). 

We went out a lot and one of those nights sticks out in my mind and will never be forgotten. They lived in Alberto Alcócer and frequented a restaurant and bar nearby called Qüenco where we had dinner that night. Thanks to Nacho we later celebrated our wedding there.  I remember after leaving the restaurant very late and as Nacho had drunk more than Eladio  my husband had to drive his great big vintage Mercedes car around the main streets of Madrid,  a type of car my husband had never driven.  I think we got back to our flat at dawn, got refreshed and then went to work without having slept. We laughed and drank all night and that is how I want to remember you, a quiet fun loving person who everyone liked. I heard later that Peggy died in 2023 which is very young as she was only 10 years older than me. I also heard Nacho remarried last year but hasn't made his first anniversary. I hope he was happy although I am sure he was. Later in the day we went to the wake.

Oli and the kids came for lunch yesterday, taking my mind off Suzy (only a bit) and Nacho's death. I made "cocido madrileño". Later we resumed to the TV lounge where we joined Elliot watching one of his favourite films, Pete and the Dragon. At around 6 we had to leave and as Elliot is very interested in death he wanted to know all about Nacho.  We told him we were going to his "wake" that afternoon and I laughed when he asked if that meant we were going to "wake" him up. If only

In Spain when someone dies, the wake takes place immediately with friends and family gathering to see the body at a  funeral parlour. The body is then cremated or buried the very next day.  The funeral parlour was in Pozuelo, not far from home. There I was to meet up with some colleagues from Defex whom I hadn't seen for over 35 years, such as Juan and Mar or Paloma. I remarked how it had to be Nacho who united us in his death. Yesterday was very moving but also in a way it made us get out of our bubble of worry and it felt strange to socialise but good at the same time. I was especially pleased to see  my friends and colleagues from Motorola such as Gonzalo, his new girlfriend, Albisu, Carlos and Iñigo. 

Today is Sunday and the funeral is at 10 am so I must rush to get this published. Wishing you all the very best, more news from me next week.

Cheers for now,

Masha

Week 2 of Mounjaro, Slava Ukraini, to Asturias in search of a cleaner, Starmer meets Trump, Juliet and Elliot get a haircut, angry meeting with Zelensky at the White House, home again and other stories of the week.

 Home again, Madrid, Sunday 2nd March 2025

Having a coffee in the sun in Llanes on Wednesday

Good morning everyone. This week found me in Asturias where we hadn't been since last July and went to search of a cleaner for our Airbnb and Booking guests as well as get the house ready for the spring. We needed a new cleaner as my neighbour can no longer do the job and without one we can't rent the house.  But before I tell you all about our stay here, let me rewind to last Sunday when we were still at home in Madrid. 

It was my third day since I started on Mounjaro (the drug dispensed in a pen for weight loss in my case as well as high cholesterol and high blood pressure and which contains both tirzepatide and semiglutide)  and I still hadn't felt any decrease in my appetite. As I write today I still don't feel it. What it has most obviously given me is a horrible headache which just won't go away and must be one of the side effects. I took my second dose on Friday and will be seeing my GP on Tuesday to discuss any next steps. I think it's not worth taking if I am going to have a constant headache. Hopefully, though, it may go away as my body gets used to the drugs. 

It was a sunny day and we went for our new short walk - just half an hour because of my knee. We had coffee at home for once and I wondered how the General Elections were going in Germany. In the end the Conservative party won and  although the Far Right (AfD) got an astonishing 20% of votes, the former will be able to govern in a coalition with the SDP party. The Conservative candidate, Friedrich Metz will be the new Chancellor. No, we don't want fascism in Germany again do we?

3 guests left that day and 1 new one came but I didn't see any of them. Isn't that amazing? My only social interaction apart from with my family that day, was in a Skype call with Adele and Sandra, my Uni friends who live in Brittany and Brussels. We have planned a get together in Santa Pola, just the three of us in June and I know we will have a blast.

Monday came and marked 3 years since Russia invaded Ukraine. This week Trump tried to force Zelensky to sign an agreement with Trump, giving him a huge amount of the rare minerals he so wants, such as lithium. However, any form of defence against Russia is not in the picture. The Ukraine President was in the White House on Friday and as we all now the agreement did not go ahead. What an awful angry meeting that was and how badly Trump and Vance treated him. So why would Zelensky sign such an  agreement I asked myself and I don't really have an answer. Maybe he just needs to be in Trump's good books which he isn't of course now.  Slava Ukraini is all I can say. I must mention too that on Monday, French Premiere, Emanuel Macron met with Trump too. Of course he went to defend Ukraine and I'm not sure he came away with anything but at least he seemed to have won over the American with his French charm. But French charm isn't going to solve anything. Despite his visit, Trump announced he will most likely be imposing 25% tariffs on EU countries. Damn the man.

Early that morning we did the shopping as the cupboards were bare upon my return from the UK on 20th February. We had to go early as at 11 am I had an appointment with Eladio's eye specialist. I went to see him as my vision has seemed a bit cloudy for a while  and I wondered why as I had my cataracts operated on in 2018. Dr. Moreno, quickly saw that a membrane had grown over my right lens. Not sure that is the right description so I looked it up and found I must have had Posterior Capsular Opacification. It's sometimes called a secondary cataract which it actually isn't but that's the best way to explain it. I thought I was in for surgery again but bless the man, he removed it with laser there and then in a procedure called laser capsulotomy. My vision seems to have improved since then but I am seeing black specks which look like tiny mosquitoes. I hope they go away soon. 

I was up at the crack of dawn on Tuesday morning and on plenty of time to watch Oli at 8 am live on TV. This week saw her reporting on yet another corruption case; this one about the purchase of face masks during the pandemic in Madrid. The dealers who sold them for about 12 million euros, took a cut of around 3 for themselves. Disgraceful.  Here is a photo of her on TV and  the video I took. I still get a kick when I see my daughter Olivia live on TV. I always do. 

Oli reporting live on Tuesday for RTVE

We left quite early for El Cuetu that morning but it's a long drive; over 5 hours without a stop but we always stop and did so for a coffee that day in Villacastín and for lunch in Alar del Rey. We arrived to good weather but oh how cold the house was. Thanks to my wonderful husband who is good with his hands we soon had hot water and the heating on. For more warmth we brought with us a gas heater and small radiator which we used to have in Santa Pola. So soon the house was cozy. We had a frugal dinner and went to bed early. My book time reading this week, American Dirt,  is a horrific story about a mother and son who are Mexican migrants trying to flee the cartels who killed 16 members of their family in Acapulco after her husband who was a journalist wrote an article on the deeds of the cartel; "los jardineros". They have to flee to the USA and the only way to do so is on that frightening train called "La Bestia" (The Beast). It may be a novel but it is not fiction. These things happen to so many of  the Latin American migrants who flee their countries. 

Amazingly I slept well that night, getting 7.5 shut eye. I really needed it. Wednesday  was a beautiful sunny day with a very blue sky and I took some photos to share with you here.

El Cueto with a beautiful blue sky on Wednesday morning and views of the snow capped Peaks of Europe (Los Picos de Europa). 

We had lots to do that morning, errands, a visit to the Land Registry Office, find a cleaner, etc. For this we went to the capital of the area, the lovely town of Llanes. After various errands we went to the Land Registry Office to ask about the process of obtaining what is called a "Registry Code", made up by our socialist government and their communist allies. Without it you cant rent property to tourists or face a fine of 30k euros. To cut a long story short, although I had a tourist licence from the province, I was told I should have another one from the Town Hall. Only then could I restart the process. So off we went to the Town Hall. Again to cut a long story short, we were given a list of documents we had to provide in order to transfer the current licence in the name of the previous owners to mine. OMG I thought, how on earth are we going to do that? We would need what is called a "gestoria" in Spain, an office that does the paperwork for you as my God if you do it yourself, it would be never ending. So now I not only needed a cleaner, I needed a new licence from the town hall and only then could I submit a request for this stupid new Registry Code. If we couldn't do that, we both believed we would just have to sell up. Our nasty expedition which felt like a scene from Kafka's The Trial, was offset by a lovely cup of coffee at our favourite bar, La Galerna in the town square, Plaza Parres Sobrino. That's where Eladio took this week's feature photo. 

It was lovely to be sitting in the sun in one of my favourite places in the area.   There is another favourite place in that very square called Aramburu which sells local delicacies, some we cannot resist. I was greeted by the shopkeeper who remembered my name and bless the man, he asked Eladio how he, from León, had found such a beautiful English woman like me. That made me happy for a moment. Before heading back to Posada to do some shopping we stopped at the ironmonger to get stuff for the house. We have spent so much money at Ferreteria La Plaza since we bought the house in September 2020. As you see we hadn't come on holiday but to do errands, some of them very challenging. It was to be another bus man's holiday, hahaha. Ah but I have one good piece of news. I rang the Land Registry Ofrice in Santa Pola later in the week and was happy to hear I have been conceded  the elusive Registry Code for our apartment there which we have to pick up when we go next. Hallelujah. 

Lunch was a piece of pie from Aramburu with some soup I had brought from Madrid. I spent my afternoon trying to find a "gestoria" willing to do the paperwork to get the local tourist licence and didn't find one. Ah but I did find 2 possible cleaners who were to be in touch with me later in the week. Hallelujah again. Once my work was over, I enjoyed the latest episode of Call the Midwife. Set in the late 60's I thought to myself, just how simpler life was then. 

Thursday came after a dreadful night fighting yet another headache and I only got 5h sleep. Even my smart watch told me I hadn't slept enough; as if I didn't know it. My first coffee helped the headache and I was able to watch Olivia at around 8 am  continue to report on the face mask corruption case. Here she is doing the job she loves.

Olivia reporting again live on Wednesday morning

We went out again that morning to ask local businesses to stick an ad for a cleaner in their shop windows and they all willingly did so. And then, like the genie from Aladin's lamp, I found a local 
"gestoria" who quite willingly offered to do the paperwork to get the elusive local town hall tourist licence. I had everything they needed except the previous or current licence and had to reach out to Mari Paz who if she can't find it can easily get a copy. We walked out feeling triumphant. We really did.

My day was going quite well. I wondered how the UK PM, Starmer was getting on in Washington where he went to meet Trump mainly to talk about peace for Ukraine and Defence. He took along with him a formal invitation from King Charles for a state visit to the UK which of course the madman accepted. He must love British royalty.  There has been so much blurb about the meeting but I came away with this one in reference to Trump calling Zelensky a dictator. Asked by Chris Mason of the BBC if he still thought Ukraine's President Zelensky was a dictator.  His answer  "Did I really say that?  I can't believe I said that. Next question". Honest to God, the man is contradictory to say the least. It seems the "special relationship is not over" when Trump said of the UK and Starmer "It's a very special place  and he's a special man - and the UK is a wonderful country that I know very well, I'm there a lot". Starmer came home with some good news; a possible new tariff free trade agreement and an OK from Trump on the plan to give up the Chagos Islands, among others. However, like Macron, he did not come back with any sort of security guarantee for Ukraine and that is what worries the world. Here are the two of them together, 2 very different men who have to get along, come what may.

Trump and Starmer on Thursday in Washington

I'm not sure they mentioned the Israeli Gaza war, but of importance on Thursday too, Hamas returned 4 dead bodies with no ceremony while Israel finally released the 600 Palestinian prisoners they said they would only release if Hamas stopped the ceremonial return of hostages. This now marks the end of Phase 1 of the Gaza Ceasefire. Let's see what happens next. Meanwhile, on the same day Russian and US officials were meeting in Turkey to discuss their relations and I suppose the situation in Ukraine. What is Trump playing at making friends with Putin and voting with the Russians at the UN? 

Our lives continued quietly in El Cuetu while all this was happening. Lunch was stew I had made in the morning after which we had a siesta except that I didn't sleep. Instead I read quietly in bed. My dear husband had various tasks to complete in the house which he did that afternoon; put up a new large mirror in one of the bedrooms, put new wheels on the gas heater and mount a bracket on the wall for the TV we bought in July. If I am frank, I could not do one of these jobs so thank goodness I married a man who, apart from being handsome and cultured, is good with his hands. 

On Friday after a better night's sleep we thought we had done everything we could apart from meeting cleaning candidates, but we were wrong. The previous owner, Mari Paz who lives nearby, found a copy of the Town Hall licence in our name and we agreed to meet in Posada at the Gestoria. According to the latter that was all we needed. But we hadn't finished had we? We took it to the Land Registry Office who told us it was not the right document. So we went to the Town Hall again who told us it was. I was in limbo so made both organisations talk to each other. Finally the Land Registry Office admitted it was. My task to get the elusive Registry Code  hadn't finished though as the online platform won't accept the Tourist Licence number I have from the Capital of the Province (Oviedo). This is so Kafkian. I rang the College of Land Registry Offices in Madrid to see if they can sort it and then sent them a long email. If the government comes up with new laws they shouldn't make it so difficult to comply. As I told Enrique a the LRO in Llanes, I love Spain but I hate its bureaucracy. 

So we were in Llanes again and it was late and I was determined to enjoy it a bit. So, when we had finished we went to take photos by the town beach, Playa del Sablón. Here is one. 

The Playa de Sablón in Llanes on Friday morning

It was so late by then we decided to have lunch in town and went to a place we had been before to have a local menu of the day that would include Asturias' signature dish; fabada (bean stew). Here is Eladio about to tuck into his.

We had to have fabada while in Asturias

Meanwhile, back in Madrid our grandchildren were dressed up to celebrate Carnival at school Here they are; Elliot as Harry Potter and Juliet as a little pirate. They do love dressing up.

Our grandchildren dressed up for Carnival on Friday morning

Later in the afternoon Oli took them for a haircut and sent a great picture I just have to share with you.

Juliet and Elliot getting a haircut on Friday

It may seem very mundane grandparent news but you must know that until not so long ago, Elliot (5) used to have huge tantrums if anyone came near him with a razor or scissors. Now he likes the process. How funny kids can be.

Anyway, back to El Cuetu. I still had to find a new cleaner to replace my neighbours in the village, Loli and her daughter Lucia, who can no longer do the job. It seemed difficult but after asking around and posting ads both online and in shop windows I ended up with 4 candidates; Rosa, Andrea, Olga and Sandra. In the end we had a choice. I was so glad, I immediately put the property back on Booking and Airbnb.  That afternoon while waiting for them to come we spent time quietly in our little house there. I went out at one stage and saw a lovely goat. I didn't get a photo of it but did get one of my husband peering out of our stable door which I must share with you.

Eladio looking out of the stable door

While waiting for the cleaning candidates my phone told me it was time for my second dose of Mounjaro. It's complicated to use but with Eladio's help we managed. I was terrified of  more headaches but since I took it that day, they seem to have receded a bit. I shall persist for the moment. 

3 of the cleaning candidates  were supposed to be coming that evening. Only 2 came in the end and we went for Rosa who, although not cheap, has great references. So, we gave her the key. Now our jobs were done and we could go home. We would have stayed longer but the weather turned for the worse so we decided to come home on Saturday.

Just as Rosa left I was able to follow the news live at the White House of the meeting between Trump, Vance and Zelensky who was criticised for not wearing a suit in the Oval Office. If you haven't seen the exchange here it is for everyone's view as the meeting was held with the press and streamed live. Trump later said it made for good television. No it didn't . It was disgraceful. This is the link if you haven't seen it and I urge you to do so to realise in whose hands the world is in; a madman's. The discussion got so heated it became a shouting match and ended with Zelensky being forced out of the White House and the press conference cancelled.

Zelensky under fire from Trump on Friday in the Oval Office

The two Americans behaved like bullies in a class room. They were furious Zelensky wouldn't sign the deal. Of course he wouldn't because it did not contain any sort of security for Ukraine. They were horrible to him and their main issue was he wasn't grateful enough to the US. Later the man had to eat humble pie and issue a statement showing his gratitude. This outcome of this meeting shook the western world with nearly all European leaders aligning with Ukraine. In sharp contrast to the Oval Office meeting, yesterday Zelensky was greeted warmly  at Downing Street by Starmer which I'm sure Trump won't like. Who has won here? Putin of course. He must be so happy. I have no more words and am worried for Ukraine and for Europe. Without US military aid the end story of the invasion of Ukraine does not look good does it?

That was the news we went to bed with; not good news. I slept so so and was up at 7.15 on Saturday morning. We left El Cuetu at around 11 and drove home with just a few stops. We arrived in the rain to find Oli and family at home but Suzy entrenched in her bedroom not wanting to socialise with anyone; not even Pippa. I know she is in a bad way. She breaks my heart.

After settling in, we spent some quality time with Oli, Miguel and the kids until they left. It was wonderful, as always to be home.

Today is Sunday and foul weather is predicted for the next 10 days and spring is nowhere in the air even though we are now into March. Roll on spring is all I can say.

I will leave you now to get on with the day which I know will be quiet. Cheers my friends until next Sunday.

Mash