The end of Suzy’s time with us, lots of cooking, a goodbye family dinner, more Airbnb hosting, a rushed PR job, the pantomime declaration of independence followed by the stripping of regional power in Catalonia, the clocks go back and other stories of the week.

Sunday 29^th October 2017

The 4 of us, a family portrait . Dinner at Oli's the night before Suzy left for London

Good  morning everyone.

How is your body clock behaving this morning after the clocks went back last night? Mine didn't react to the end of summer time. For most people it meant an hour more in bed but not for me. We changed the clock in our bedroom last night and when it showed 5.15 (6.15 today) early this morning, both Pippa and I were wide awake. Well, at least it probably means an hour more awake and a more productive day. I have lots to do today; first write this blog post, go for our walk and come back to make a family lunch when we will be joined by Oli and Miguel. We won't be joined by Suzy though who left for London after a month's break at home, on Monday morning. We miss her already and the house has felt very empty this week, apart from my Airbnb guests  of whom there have been plenty this week.

Let me start from where I left off, last Sunday, Suzy's last Sunday at home. On this day last week, my morning was pretty similar to this morning. I wrote my blog, went for our walk and then made lunch. Lunch that day was home made pizza, including the base. For that I made dough out of strong flour and left it to rise for an hour. I rolled it out and covered it with tomato sauce, chopped onion and red pepper and then mozzarella  (the only cheese I can tolerate). The base turned out to be just how I like it, slightly thick and spongy. 

Last Sunday's delicious home made pizza

Neither of the girls were with us for lunch, Suzy was still sleeping after a night out on the tiles and Olivia and Miguel were at his brother's house.  Thus I would have to make pizza for them another time, today in fact. I would spend the afternoon cooking too - there has been lots of cooking this week - and was joined by Suzy, briefly, who came home to pack as she was leaving the next day. She would spend the night at Oli's house which is nearer the airport. Before she embarked on deciding what to pack in her, or should I say my large Samsonite suitcase, she enjoyed a coffee under what would probably be the last rays of sunshine for quite some time. The dogs joined her as she sat soaking in a bit of Spanish sunlight in our garden.

Suzy soaking in the last rays of Spanish sunshine last Sunday afternoon

While she packed I cooked. We were going to Oli's for dinner that night, our last night family dinner and I wanted the make a dessert. I also wanted to make bread to take along as both girls love it. I have so much of it sliced and frozen in the deep freeze that I haven't made any more this week. Besides, Eladio finally confessed he prefers Mercadona (local supermarket) bread to mine:-(

The dessert would depend on what ingredients I had in the house. There were lots of "reineta" (bramley type) apples so I decided on apple pie. I'm not good at making pies as I'm not good with pastry but as I have been making so much bread, I thought it wouldn't be too difficult. Of course I had to find a recipe online and this is the one I used. It is called "the perfect apple pie". I hoped it would be.

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The "perfect apple pie"  recipe I found online and used. 

It worked out ok but would have been easier if the butter I used hadn't been frozen hahaha. The worst part is transferring the rolled out pastry into the tin. Here Suzy helped. I then realised there was not enough filling which by the way I had par cooked in case the apples turned out to be a bit hard.  It would take 45 minutes to bake. I wondered if the pastry would cave in but it didn't. This is the finished product:

My apple pie

So how did it taste you may be wondering? Well, not quite perfect but good. There was probably not enough filling and I think the pastry was too thick. In any case we ate half of it that night, saving some for my Father and the rest for Oli to take to work to share with her colleagues. 

I then embarked on making whole meal bread but didn't have much time for proving. So instead of proving it twice for an hour, I did so for half an hour each time. Actually it didn't turn out too bad. At least the girls loved it. 

About 15 minutes before we were leaving for Oli's house, I got a sudden Airbnb booking. Christian, the student who had stayed with us the week before, was bringing his mother to stay 2 nights. While with us he had bought a flat and his mother had come to see it  and help him move in but had nowhere to sleep as they had no furniture yet. I had to react quickly, mainly get Suzy and her luggage out of her room and tidy it up before they arrived. They came as we left and we greeted them, gave them the keys and told them to feel at home which I think they did, according to the lovely review Cristian posted on Airbnb afterwards. He gave me 5 stars and apart from all the other positive things he wrote, what I liked best was his writing that we make our guests feel as if they were in their own home. Thanks Cristian! Of course we do, that's how we are.  I would be very busy with my Airbnb hosting this week which I am really enjoying most of the time. 

We left our guests to settle in, after all Cristian knew the place, and off we went to Oli's flat further north from where we live. 

Miguel and Oli had gone all out and made a wonderful spread for our dinner. It consisted of many little platters of delicious vegetables, rice and also fillet steak, all to be washed down with sparkling cider which Eladio and I love, or wine. This is what the table looked like groaning with lovely food at Miguel and Oli's cozy and comfortable apartment. We hope to be going back again soon as we love having dinner there.

The dinner table at Oli and Miguel's last Sunday night.

It was to be our last dinner together and the last time we would be together until Christmas so we made the most of it. We took lots of photos and laughed a lot taking animated gifs using the camera on my Samsung S7. The evening ended all too soon and at 10.30, very late for us, Eladio and I reluctantly said our goodbyes as we hugged both girls. It was a great end to a month with Suzy home in Spain. We wished her all the luck in the world in her new job and new accommodation. News from her since her return to London has been positive I am glad to tell you. 

On Monday, while Suzy was beginning her journey back to London, our Catalan Airbnb guests from Tarragona were also preparing to leave. They are against independence and I wonder what they have made of the events this week. We helped them finish packing their very full van and then said our goodbyes. They also would write me a fantastic review. That morning our next guest, Paulo, from Brazil was supposed to be arriving but his flight was delayed and he didn't get here until Tuesday poor guy. He had come to do a course for Triathlon national coaches at the UEM University and wow was he sporty hahaha. He eats a lot of hard boiled eggs too, at least 10 over 2 or 3 days, mixed with cheese, curry and mustard - what an awful concoction hahaha. 

As Suzy arrived to cloudy skies in London, I got my first Home Away reservation. Home Away is similar to Airbnb and I recently posted an ad there for accommodation at our house which as you know is my main job and source of income at the moment. This is the ad. 

The main photo in my Home Away ad

3 adult couples will be staying here around New Year's Eve. After they made the reservation they rang me - guests cannot know the hosts' contact details until they make a booking, and I was surprised to learn that they were from Madrid centre, just 20km from here. All they wanted was a place to be together to celebrate NYE and they thought our house was perfect for the occasion. They will have it to themselves apart from Lucy and my Father as we will no doubt be in Montrondo for NYE. I was chuffed to get my first Home Away reservation. I hope it's the first of many.  

It was good news for Cristiano Ronaldo, the RM and Portuguese striker, or forward, however you want to call it, when that night in London he was named Fifa's best male player of the year. It's the 4th time he has won the award in 5 years. The awards are called "Best FIFA Awards" so yes, Cristiano is simply the best! 

Ronaldo, best player of the year in the FIFA awards in London this week

He beat rival Lionel Messi who was also up for the award. In a way it was a win from Real Madrid against their eternal rival, "El Barça". Real Madrid and Barcelona are forever rivals in football as they are in politics. I'm sure that was on many people's minds as the awards were handed out. And by the way, Zinedine Zidane, the French Algerian RM coach, was voted best coach of the year too. 

Tuesday was another beautiful day. It may be the end of summer time today but this week has been just like summer with temperatures unusually high for the period. Mercury rose to 30ºc at times in Madrid this week and even higher in the south. Today we will be down to 24ºc but I'm not complaining. 

That morning, Cristian's Mother, Norma, left after having a coffee with us. And while we were on our walk, our Brazilian Airbnb guest, Paulo, finally arrived. He was received and greeted by Lucy who is from Paraguay and from very near the Brazilian border. She is from Ciudad del Este and he is from a wonderful looking place called Florianopolis, an island in the south of the country. Both Lucy and I know some Portuguese but Paulo, who is here for the triathlon course, is also here to practice his Spanish. It's funny trying to understand each other but we do. I came home to have a coffee with him and was amazed at how Pippa didn't bark as she always does with anyone she is not familiar with. He loves dogs and seems a bit like a dog enchanter or so I thought when I saw Pippa licking his hand and all 3 dogs surrounding him and wagging their tails. 

He caught me making lunch and we would chat later. It was a sunny afternoon and I spent some of it reading by the pool which is a lovely thing to do when the weather is so good. I was starting on a book called Rasputin by the US historian and expert on Russia, Douglas Smith. His biography of Rasputin is supposed to be the definitive one. I downloaded a sample of it from Amazon after having read "our cousin" Felix Yusupov's biography, "Lost Splendour", recently.  It's interesting reading but a bit heavy going so I'm not sure if I will buy it on my kindle although I may well buy a printed version for my Father. 

Meanwhile, Eladio was giving his weekly lesson in philosophy to his Brazilian pupil Luciano. It would have been interesting if he and Paulo had met but it was not to be.  When it was over he joined me by the pool. Pippa loves to find us together  there and we love having her. Here she is sitting on Elado's lap. What she only ever wants, apart from food hahaha, is to be with us and we are always happy to oblige. As I told Paulo, I don't have grandchildren and she is my substitute for the moment:-)

Pippa with Eladio, Eladio with Pippa - by the pool on Tuesday

On Wednesday Suzy started her new job as a locum dietitian with the NELT (North East London Trust) where she will be working three times a day. The other days she will be working at the health clinic in Harley Street. I spoke to her at the end of the day and was happy to hear all had gone well. It was very familiar to her as her first job with the NHS had been with the same trust. Also she will be working directly under her ex mentor, Adam, with whom she gets on very well. She is also happy in her new accommodation. She will be sharing a flat with an Angolan nurse, Sandra, who is a friend and also colleague of her Spanish nurse flat mate, Chati. However she will be alone in November and December while Chati and Sandra travel the world, starting with India.  Suzy told me the flat did not have a shower and that she had to wash the "African way". I wondered what that meant. It means using the bath and a jug for rinsing or that's what my daughter probably thinks because she is living with a lady from Africa.  Actually that's what I did as a child and teenager at our house in Bradford which I never thought was strange as we only had a bath and no shower. I just thought it was cleaner to use fresh tap water to rinse my body and hair rather than the soapy bath water. But I suppose it is strange today. I wonder whether the majority of the British population still prefer the bath tub to the shower?

I'm sure they don't bathe the "African way" in Seville, in the south of Spain which this week was voted the number one city to visit in the world according to Lonely Planet (Best Travel 2018)  I'm not sure if it's the best city in the world but it is certainly one of my favourite Spanish cities. It is pure magic, beauty and history with a niff of the past of what Spain used to be like, especially in Andalusia. Chile, by the way, was voted top country. Don't ask me why. I have been there once and yes it was nice, but the top country? Well no. My top countries would be (in no particular order and excluding Spain and the UK): India, Vietnam, Morocco, South Africa, Finland, Iceland, the US, Greece, Cuba and all of Scandinavia.  But I'm proud for Spain that Seville got top place.

The stunning Plaza de España in Seville. 

I had a quiet day. I gave up on Rasputin for the moment - I may go back to him hahahah, and chose a new book after looking up the WH Smith's top fiction list for 2017. There I found a book called Behind her eyes. By the British writer, Sarah Pinborough, it's a suspense story told by different characters, jumping backwards and forwards which seems to be the norm these days. It's similar in style to Gone Girl or the Girl on the Train and is famous for its very surprising ending. I now know the ending so won't tell you anything more. I actually prefer books written in chronological order and hate flash backs. It's the same with films. Perhaps I am simplistic but I find jumping backwawrds and forwards is often confusing. 

My fictional book of the week

On Thursday the temperature rose to 30ºc. It also rose in the political climate where the crisis in Catalonia deepened. Article 155 for direct rule was to be approved by the Senate the next day and meanwhile there were a lot of negotiations going on between Madrid and Barcelona as well as Bilbao. Puigdemont and his unruly group were obviously not united as to which way to go: call elections or declare independence and on Thursday he ruled the latter out. It was expected that the next day in the Catalan parliament there would be a vote for independence. He didn't dare proclaim it himself because of the criminal charges it would mean so handed over the decision to all his cronies. He would have us on tenterhooks once again, until Friday. 

Life continued for me and I got a call from Catalonia that day too. But it had to do with work. My Swedish but Barcelona based customer wanted me to do their nationwide communication for news to be announced the next day about the powering up of the first phase of their network in the Cantabrian region. They didn't give me much time to react nor much information. I had to draw up a press release which would have sufficient meat on it for the Madrid and Barcelona media to buy; no easy feat. I started work there and then and within a few hours had a draft which I had to put on google docs. I also had to go to the dentist that afternoon, at 5pm, just as Puigdemont went on TV to announce there would be no elections. But my mind was on my client, Adamo. It was to be a really rushed PR job and I only wish I had been given more time.  But still, you know me, I love a challenge. 

That night I slept really badly and was awake at 5 in the morning, my mind on the Adamo press release. I was still introducing minor changes to the press release until mid morning. I then had to draft an email text introducing the news and prepare the mails to be sent to my media list. I decided to send each one individually with a personalised text and I had until 12.30 to do so which was one big rush. It finally went out and this was it. It was very local news and I didn't have much hope of coverage on a national level but I did my best. I had to sort of grovel in my emails which is not my style but on Friday I had to use all the tools I had. I kept googling to see if anything had been published and it wasn't until Saturday morning that I would see the fruits of my labour.

Meanwhile, our new Airbnb guest arrived, Borja, a sports master student from Navarra near the Rioja region attending a weekend course at the UEM University. It was bad luck but the hot water had stopped working the night before which is not good for my Airbnb hosting. Thankfully it was warm weather and the plumber came later that evening and things were sorted. I never used to worry about breakdowns in the house but now do because of my guests. Poor Eladio is the one in charge of maintenance so I'm afraid he gets a bit more badgering than before. 

My problems, stress, work, etc paled into insignificance when that morning the vote for independence took place in the Catalan parliament. It was just a pantomime as 1 day later the parliament would be dissolved. But the separatists had to have the last word and the picture of victory which would be sweet but very short. The whole thing was a farce not to mention void of any legality. The constitutional parties (PP, PSOE and Ciudadanos) left their seats in disgust covering them with the Spanish and Catalan normal "senyera" flag - not the "estellada" the independence flag - and the separatists continued their farce. 

The Senyera Catalan flag and on the right the Estelada the pro independence Catalan flag

In order not to be discovered, they voted in secret. Yes in secret (very undemocratic) and of course the bill went through. Less than 70 people were to decide the future of the unity of Spain!!!!  

Puigdemont voting in secret for independence and ilegaly

Outside, pro independence supporters popped their bottles of cava in celebration while the rest of Spain and of course the Catalans not in favour of independence and who are a majority, looked on aghast. Meanwhile Rajoy told the nation on his Twitter account that order would be restored. Well it would but they still got their picture which was published the world around.  I couldn't believe what was happening. I mean can you imagine Angela Merkel or Emanuel Macron letting independence be proclaimed in a German Land or French region? No, of course not.  I would have sent the Army in I was furious. It was a sad day for Spain and a very ugly picture that was painted on Friday and a fractured society in Catalonia. 

Eladio and I went out to dinner to commiserate. We went to Ginos where I mostly enjoyed a few glasses of rosé lambrusco wine which weren't very good for the headache I had before and after dinner. But it was nice to get out and try and not think about the Catalan crisis although of course we did talk about it. That's all there is on in the TV these days anyway. 

Saturday morning was very much the day after the night before. I had breakfast reading the international headlines about Catalonia. I have been surprised by the BBC's coverage so far which seems to sympathise with the separatists and so many international publications that compare this crisis to times under Franco. That is just so "old hat" I'm afraid and far far from the truth as Catalonia as a region has probably the most autonomy in Europe after the Basque country and is far from repressed. What pleased me though was to see quite a bit of media coverage resulting from my efforts the day before. I was happy to see Adamo's news in La Vanguardia, El Periodico de Cataluña, El Economista, Expansión and quite a few others. That was one huge sigh of relief as I had expected far less. It was quite a feather in my cap on Saturday morning. 

It was on Saturday morning that the Government announced the application of Article 155. Meanwhile, Puigdemont, refusing to accept being sacked, released a previously recorded speech announcing he would continue the fight. Elections will take place on 21st December and my fear is that the result will be very similar to the power share today and that the separatists may get even more support. I wonder where that would leave us then. Hopefully, by then he and his cronies will be in prison.  I am astonished at events this week and sad for the Spain I love. I only want peace and unity. One good thing to come out of all this is more unity in the rest of Spain and also that the Spanish red and yellow flag has finally become a symbol of unity rather than of fascism. People are flying it everywhere after this week's and the previous week's political commotion and crisis, the worst since the Spanish Civil War and I don't write that lightly. 

Just before lunch, a book I had ordered from Amazon for my Father, Eladio and I, arrived although my Father will be the first to read it.  I also bought it after reading Felix Yusupov's memoirs. Called "Thirteen Years at the Russian Court" - The last years of the Romanov Tsar and his family by an eyewitness" it is a biography by Pierre Gilliard a Swiss who was the Tsar's childrens tutor of French. He was with the family when they were imprisoned by the Bolsheviks and was one of the few who was with them and whose life was spared. 

As far as I know, he is the only eyewitness of the end of the life of the Tsar and his family to have survived and written a book. I look forward to reading it. Looking at the cover at the picture of Tsar Nicholas II it is uncanny how similar in appearance he was to his cousin George V.  One thing I learned though from Yusupov's autobiography was that the King of England did indeed invite the Tsar and his family to take exile at Buckingham Palace but it was the Russian Emperor who declined saying he would never leave Mother Russia. I had always thought that it had been the other way round. But wouldn't things have been different if the Russian Royal family had taken exile in England? You must be a bit tired of my writing fleetingly but often about this time in Russia but of course it's in my blood and genes and I was brought up on the stories of those times. 

I said the book came before lunch but I didn't tell you what I made for lunch. Well, more cooking of course took place yesterday and we had the most delicious roast meal - lamb and all the trimmings including some baxters mint jelly bought a while back at the English shop in Madrid. You're right if you think it is odd to have a Sunday roast on a Saturday. Well I just felt like doing it ok.

Yesterday's roast lamb which we all adored.

The rest of the day was quiet, we read, did the weekly shopping, had a light dinner, interacted with our Airbnb guests and went to bed early to watch the news about Catalonia - no films or series on Netflix at the moment I'm afraid.  This is far more dramatic I can tell you.

And today is Sunday, the end of the week and blog day to quote my Father. As I said at the beginning too the clocks went back last night and this morning we all woke up to find it was one hour earlier and the end of summer time and beginning of what is called "daylight saving time". 

The clocks went back last night

I'm not sure what it saves. There are cases both against and for the change in time. It was apparently introduced in many parts of Europe during the War to help the economy. I'm not sure the pros outweigh the cons as it can affect your health. Apparently we get longer daylight hours although I prefer more light in the evening rather than in the morning. It is said it decrease the number of car accidents but that it can also give you a heart attack. The debate is eternal. All I know is that each time the clocks go back I hate it. I far prefer it when in March they go forward and we gain more evening light.  

So today will be a very long one. The best part about today was having Oli and Miguel for lunch. As I said earlier, I decided to make my new home made pizza with home made dough. We ate nearly all of it - I actually made 2 - and I forgot to take a photo. 

Now everyone is sleeping a siesta and instead of sleeping, here I am finishing this week's post which, by the way, is a bit late today. Sorry about that everyone.

Who knows what next week will bring? You can find out about mine next Sunday of course. Hopefully things will have calmed down in Catalonia by then. 

Cheers everyone till then,

Masha

Back from Montrondo, Galicia on fire, Olivia returns from St. Petersburg, girly time, Spanish government to take control of Catalonia and other stories of the week.

Sunday 22nd October 2017

Girly time this week. Here with my lovely daughters Oli (in blue) and Suzy out shopping on Wednesday.

Hi again,

Tension has escalated in Spain over the Catalan crisis but last Sunday was quiet. It was our last day in Montrondo. There was lots to do to leave the house in order but I managed one last long walk to Senra and back with little Pippa.  

Happy on my walk to Senra and back last Sunday in Montrondo. See how dry the terrain is. 

I thought we had the old path to ourselves but no, just behind us came two men and two horses. It was our neighbours who were taking their lovely horses to another field where the grass would hopefully be greener. 

My neighbours with their horses on the old path on my walk last Sunday in Montrondo.

It was so dry everywhere, although, thankfully, since we left, rain came. The villagers, I hope, will be able to irrigate the fields and crops now which had been forbidden since the summer something pretty unheard of in Montrondo where the cost of water per household per annum is only 8 euros.  

Just as we left the path and joined the main road into Murias, I was startled by a noise coming from the field on my left. I was then delighted to see that it came from the pony and donkey that live in the fields outside Murias. Pippa, of course, barked at them. I was sorry I had no bread or sugar to offer them. They are such a lovely sight.

The pony and the donkey in the fields of Murias

After a coffee and a shared biscuit with Pippa in Senra, I walked back to Murias where I was joined by Eladio for a drink at the Palloza bar, the only one in the village. Unfortunately they don't let dogs in. Spain is not a very dog friendly country I am afraid.

Eladio at the Palloza bar in Murias last Sunday morning

I came home to make the last lunch of this stay in Montrondo. I went for an easy option; home made pizza which tasted just delicious. In fact we ate it all, apart from a little piece which would be Eladio's dinner that night.

Home made pizza for lunch on Sunday, our last day in Montrondo

We left at about 5.30. It would take us an hour longer than usual to get home as there was so much traffic on the roads it being the end of a bank holiday.  We were home by about 10.30 pm and after unpacking watched the news on Catalonia about Puigdemont's imminent response to Rajoy. But that turned out not to be the main news that night. The main news came from Galicia in the north west of Spain.  The region was literally on fire. There were more than 100  arsonist provoked fires and this time houses and people were in danger. The city of Vigo was under siege with people having to abandon their homes and smoke everywhere.  

The city of Vigo  in Galicia besieged by fire last Sunday

4 people would die and more than 30 lost their homes to flames thanks to what has been called "incendiary terrorism".  There were also fires in León, not so far from Montrondo, and also in the lovely province of Asturias.  Portugal fared even worse with many more deaths. I cannot begin to understand how anyone would want to start these fires. Are they pyromaniacs or there other motives behind their arson? I imagine it is very difficult to catch them but I do hope they are caught and soon. Thankfully 2 days after the fires started the rain came and Galicia, León, Asturias and Portugal are no longer on fire. 

Later that night, Suzy would be home too after a lovely weekend with her Whitechapel friends in Cáceres. It would be her last full week with us before she heads back to London tomorrow. 

On Monday Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan President, replied to Rajoy just before the 10 am deadline. He was to reply whether he had declared independence or not or otherwise face direct rule from Madrid who would invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution. El País published the letter before the deadline. It was as ambiguous as his speech after the referendum.  So he got another letter from the Spanish Government with three more days to reply. We would all wait with bated breath for the next deadline on Thursday of this week. Meanwhile, more than 1000 companies have left the region, changing their HQ to other areas of Spain so as to remain within the EU if independence is proclaimed. 

Monday was a cool day with rain expected. We had a quiet day. I went on my walk with Eladio and the dogs and then did the food shopping with Suzy.  Olivia's day in St. Petersburg, her last day of work there, was much more exciting. She interviewed a Spanish Catholic priest from Madrid who lives there and who is an exorcist. In the  photo below you can see her with him on the rooftops of Peter the Great's "window to the west".

Oli with the exorcist in SP

She was keen to tell her father about it. After all, he was a priest too before we married. What she didn't know is that her father is also an exorcist although he has never practiced (hahahaha). When he was ordained a priest he was also ordained an exorcist. Later he would give Olivia his rather scathing opinion about the practice. After all, he is also a philosopher with his feet very much on the ground. 

If Eladio is a philosopher with his feet on the ground, I am quite the opposite. Again I made bread on Monday, making both Suzy and hopefully him happy. Once again I used spelt flour but this time I added both oat and strong flour too and seeds. It was ready for dinner, hot out of the oven. Eating it that way with butter reminds me of how my Mother used to make bread at home and the lovely smells emanating from the kitchen.

The spelt and oat bread I made on Monday

I was very pleased on Monday to get two new Airbnb reservations. A student from Toledo who is doing a masters degree at the local University was coming the next day for 4 nights. The other reservation was for 2 women from Tarragona (Catalonia) coming for 6 nights to attend a handicraft fair they were exhibiting at. With all the question of Catalonia, I wondered whether they would be for or against independence. Many houses around us and indeed all over Spain, have Spanish flags flying in their homes after an upsurge in patriotism. With these flags they are telling society they want a united Spain. The Spanish flag has a negative fascist connotation, unlike the Nordic countries for example. It is only really used here to support "La Roja" (Spanish national football team) and now it is being used to show support for a united Spain. Maybe that is a good thing and the flag will finally lose its negative connotation. Certainly flag sellers these days are making a fortune. Our local kiosk sells them at 3.5 euros each. There are quite a few where we live but many many more in the towns. I couldn't believe how many I saw when Suzy and I went into the city centre this week.

There is a fever for hanging Spanish flags on houses and buildings since the call for independence in Catalonia. 

I was glad though, that we don't have one in our garden, as it might have put off our Catalan guests hahaha. Eladio later remarked when he saw so many flags in the houses in our area that maybe we should put up the Spanish, EU, British and even Catalan flags. Maybe we should hahaha. 

But back to my Airbnb reservations. These days, hosting Airbnb guests and managing the reservations, calendar, etc, seems to be my main job and source of income.  So every time I get a new booking I get a high. On Monday I got two so there was motive for celebration.  

The rain that was threatened on Monday finally came on Tuesday, breaking a spell of 49 dry days in Madrid and many other areas of Spain. But the real rain wouldn't come until Wednesday when it poured it down all day.  Luckily it held off on our morning walk. I was back on time  to accompany Suzy to Madrid for her appointment to renew her Spanish passport and Spanish national identity document.  The documents are issued at a police station and Suzy's appointment was at the one in the Santa Engracia street. First we had to get some photos which we did at a very lucrative little photography shop opposite the police station. The appointment was on time and after just giving her name and one photo, within a few moments Suzy had her brand new DNI (identity document) in her hands. We couldn't believe how fast the process had been and had expected the document to be sent to her weeks later. That was great. Even greater was learning she would get her brand new passport just 10 minutes later. Both documents cost just 37 euros, a lot less than a passport in the UK. As we were there waiting I thought just how lucky Suzy is to have both a UK and Spanish passport while Brexit looms. I only have a British one and may have to apply for Spanish nationality one of these days. It all depends, of course, on the terms of bloody Brexit. And here is my lucky daughter with her new documents outside the police station a few moments later.

Suzy happily clutching her new Spanish passport and national identity document outside the police station on Tuesday morning in Madrid.

We went to celebrate by having a coffee together nearby. We went to an English tea room, the only one in Madrid. Called "Living in London", it is a place I love to go to. And here is Suzy with her coffee served in very  genteel china cups.

Coffee at English tea room in Madrid with Suzy on Tuesday morning

We were home on time for lunch. I was also on time for my 5 pm dental appointment. I was to be given root canal treatment on a back tooth that had been giving me trouble. It was a horrible 50 or so minutes on the dental chair where I had to be given two doses of anesthesia and even then there was the odd sharp pain as the dentist pushed and pulled inside my mouth. I now have 3 more appointments to go and I'm not looking forward to them. 

Once home, my Airbnb guest, Cristian, a psychologist by the way, had arrived and settled into what is actually Suzy's room, one of the nicest in this house. As I walked in, Suzy was showing the house to the two Catalan ladies. One of the ladies was so enormous, Eladio was worried she would break the bed hahaha. Well, she hasn't so far thank goodness. 

Back in St Petersburg, Olivia had started her return journey to Spain. She had to fly first to Moscow and from there take an Aeroflot flight leaving at 6.30 pm which would get her to Barajas airport 5 hours later. She sent me a photo that day to show me the things she had bought for my Father that I had asked her to buy and knew he would appreciate. She got him a Russian newspaper called Pravda which I thought he would like but later he told us it was a tabloid. He preferred the higher brow newspaper she got  on the plane. She also bought his favourite Russian sweets called "karowka". Made of fudge, we used to call them "kruvki" when we lived in Yorkshire. The third item was Russian "halva" a sort of soft nougat which is really of Middle Eastern origin. We used to eat that at home too. My parents often sought these items from the various Polish shops in Bradford. 

Newspapers and sweets for my Father from Russia

Suzy would wait up for Oli who would be coming from the airport by taxi. The good thing was she would have the next day off and we would have quality girly time on Wednesday. It's not often we are all together and when we are we love it.  

And yes the rain came again on Wednesday and it poured so hard, Eladio and I had to skip our walk. Thus I was able to be with the girls while they had breakfast. It was great to be together again. The dogs were happy about it too. And here they are, all 3 of them, hoping for crumbs from their breakfast.

Our 3 dogs were happy to see Oli and Suzy and all of us together on Wednesday. They are so much part of our family.

But before the girls got up, the Catalan ladies came down before leaving for the exhibition. Maybe I was a bit daring but I asked them what their thoughts were on the bid for independence by the radical minority leading the process. They told me they were part of the silent majority against independence and that they feared for their business and hate what is happening. In no uncertain terms they told me the move for independence was a coup d'état. They also said they dare not express their opinions in public where they live for fear of being harassed and labeled "españolistas". They were very worried indeed. It was very interesting to hear their side of the story.  

So that morning, while the girls got ready to go out, I did what calms me down a lot during these difficult times and that is make bread. I made 4 loaves as the girls just devour my home made bread. These were the loaves I made on Wednesday.

The 4 loaves of bread I made on Wednesday. There's not much left now hahaha. 

Once my two daughters were ready, the three of us went on a shopping expedition to a big commercial centre not so far from here, Gran Plaza 2. They wanted to buy birthday presents for some of their "manada" friends who would be celebrating this weekend. The photo illustrating this week's post is of the 3 of us out shopping. I promise, I didn't buy anything. I don't need any clothes at all but it's always difficult to resist going into Zara. 

The family got fish and chips for lunch which made everyone happy. It was wet and cold so we couldn't go out in the afternoon either. Instead we all had a siesta and later watched a film on Netflix together, even Eladio. I don't know why, but we chose a 90s film called Awakenings with Robin Williams and Robert de Niro. I had seen it many years ago but it's a film well worth watching more than once. 

At dinner together, yes the 4 of us, talk was about Catalonia and also Olivia's experiences in St. Petersburg. Oli's exorcist priest had warned her never to play the Ouija board which according to him was playing with fire. I should know as I played it a lot in my last year at school and I will never forget one or two frightening moments.  Eladio was very disparaging about both exorcism and the Ouija game. 

Thursday was a quiet day. It rained again but only in the morning. The sun seems to have come back now but the temperatures are more typical  of the autumn. It wasn't quiet on the political front though. That morning Rajoy received Puigdemont's letter which was again ambiguous. There was no other option for him and the central government than to impose Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution withdrawing regional power. For that there would be a cabinet meeting on Saturday morning to decide on its application. 

I had breakfast with my girls and then Suzy drove Oli to work. I took the time to go to the hairdresser to cut my hair and dye my roots. I often think what a bore it is to have to do that, but, if I want to look less like a granny at 60, I don't have much option. I later accompanied Suzy to the local private doctor who is from the Dominican Republic and thankfully for me is happy to prescribe my sleeping pills which the national health service here won't do. They say I will get addicted. Well I might get addicted but at least I get a better night's sleep. While there I got locked in the loo hahahaha but not for long.  I was wondering whether I would have to climb over the door or if the fire brigade would have to be called, when eventually the door opened after a visiting salesman broke the lock. The last time I was locked in the loo was on holiday at the seaside with my Father and brother. I was 7 at the time and I think they had to put a ladder up the wall for me to get out via the window. 

Later I had another adventure in the loo when my smartphone fell out of my back pocket and into water which was clean I should add!!  I quickly retrieved it, dried it with a towel and switched it off. When I switched it on again, not only was it working but I had a message on the Airbnb app with a new reservation. A Brazilian student will be staying 8 nights here from tomorrow. He is attending a course for national triathlon coaches at the local university. We will be lending him Oli's bike to get to the UNI, about 3 km from here. It is a very ordinary bike, not a triathlon one and I hope it turns out to be suitable hahaha. 

It seemed to be a day of adventures. Suzy's was the worst by far. That night she took my Mini to Madrid where she would be meeting a friend for dinner. At the restaurant her bag fell off her chair and she only realised the car keys had been left at the restaurant when she went to get her car at the end of the evening. By that time the restaurant had closed. She rang us for help at about 1 in the morning. What worried me most was that the other set of keys for the Mini were also missing and I envisaged a keyless car parked in the centre of Madrid for days while we got new keys which can't be an easy task. In the end she took a taxi home and the next day I found the missing keys in the garage. The restaurant also had kept the other keys and she went back to Madrid for the car the next day. All in all a bit of a nightmare but all's well that ends well thank goodness.  

Friday was a quiet day but it was also a red letter day. Suzy who had taken 2 months off from locum jobs in London, had spent some of her time here in Spain searching for a new job before she went back. It was on Friday that she got the green light for a band 5 post as a dietitian with the NHS at the same Trust she had worked for before, the North London Trust. She will combine this job with her Harley Street consultation work at the Britzke clinic. She has to start next Wednesday so on Friday booked her flight back. It means her time with us will be cut slightly short and she will now be leaving tomorrow. It has been great to have her and I wish her all the luck in the world in this new chapter of her life in London. Go girl go. You will always have our support. 

When the rain stopped on Friday, Eladio took the opportunity to mow the lawn and I went on our walk with little Pippa. Suzy spent the night at Oli's as Miguel was back from Valencia and Eladio and I decided that if the cat's away the mice will play and we went out to dinner. We chose Ginos as I had a craving for pasta.  

On Saturday I did not have the pleasure of the girls' company at breakfast. They were enjoying it together at Oli and Miguel's house. But I did get a photo of Suzy having a very healthy breakfast at their place. This is it.

Suzy having breakfast at Oli's place on Saturday morning

I realised when I saw the photo with all the fruit that we had run out of fruit at home, even though I had done the weekly shopping on Monday. Furthermore I had to make lunch for everyone so had no option but to do more food shopping on Saturday morning. I came back to see the kitchen invaded by the girls as Suzy was making cakes for her friends' birthday do that night.  Thank goodness it is a big kitchen. While Suzy made the cakes and we put the shopping away, Oli helped me make a huge dish of coq au vin for lunch. As it was baking in the oven, we turned on the TV on my iPad to watch Mariano Rajoy  announce the application of Article 155 which still has to be approved by the Senate. In a few words it means elections will be called in Catalonia within the next 6 months, the current President and counselors to be removed and the central government to take control. He has the full backing of both the socialist and new central party,  PSOE and Ciudadanos. Immediately afterwards there were huge protests in the streets of Barcelona protesting the direct rule but also the imprisonment of the 2 Jordis, the masterminds behind the referendum who have been sent to prison for locking police in a building for 24 hours who were removing electoral material in September and also setting a police car on fire. I wonder now whether Puigdemont will dare declare independence. If he does, he may well face prison too. At the moment the tensions could not be higher. I hate the whole situation. The pro independence followers call the imposition of the Article 155 a coup d'état but what they won't recognise is that the illegal referendum they organised is also a coup d'état and Article 155 would not have been imposed if they had not gone against the law. Now they will practice civil disobedience. It is not a pretty picture and I don't know what the final outcome will be as I can't really see new elections changing much. Time will tell. 

Deadlock with the Catalonian independence forces

The girls I guess are less worried about the situation.  They went out that night to celebrate their friends, Anita and Chati's birthdays. We stayed at home, mostly glued to the TV to watch events unfold until we could take no more. 

Judging by Suzy's message this morning at 8 am, telling me she was just going to bed at Oli's house, they must have had a good night out. This is a photo of some of them having fun yesterday evening.

Oli and Suzy having fun with their friends last night. 

Today, Sunday, is Suzy's last day in Spain before going back which is a bit sad. I will miss her. Thankfully we shall all have dinner together tonight at Oli's, our last time together until Christmas probably.

And so my friends, I have come to the end of the tales of this week. I hope you have enjoyed this post and look forward to writing again next Sunday. The clocks will go back next weekend; something I always find difficult to adjust to. I imagine you do too.

Cheers then until next time,

Masha