A red letter day for Suzy, a surprise sequel to “To Kill a Mockingbird”, more extreme brutality from the jihadists, recovering from the accident and operation, the list of things I want to do when I can walk again, a parcel from Jackie, the biggest snowfall in Montrondo in more than 50 years and Javi the local heroe, mittens from Finland, Oli trapped reporting on the snow, watching Last Tango in Halifax, Ana came to visit, Pippa is growing, out to dinner, red roses from Juana and Oscar, thank you for a wonderful birthday and other things.

Sunday 8^th February

Happy with my birthday presents this morning

Hi everyone

It’s Sunday 8^th February and it’s my birthday.  I am 58 today, just 2 years away from the dreaded 60 milestone.  Who would believe it?  Certainly not me!  So far it has been wonderful and it is only the beginning.  But let me tell you about it later and start off from where I left off last Sunday.

Last Sunday Oli went sales shopping and bought me a lovely grey cardigan from Oysho.  How I would have loved to go with her, but as you know I am still immobile due to the accident and operation on my ankle.  Suzy meanwhile was continuing her visit to Nottingham.  I was very pleased to hear that she visited the “Ye Olde trip to Jerusalem” which is supposedly the oldest pub in England and an old haunt of ours when I was at Nottingham University.

The oldest pub in England which Suzy visited last Sunday in Nottingham

That afternoon I binge watched the now semi new Forsyte Saga TV series.  When we watched the 1967 series at home in England we had to content ourselves with watching one episode a week for months and months. These days you can watch various seasons of nearly any series you want all in one go.  How things have changed. 

Monday was spent like nearly every day since my accident: breakfast in bed (the biggest advantage of being immobile), a very careful shower, working from my pc in my new bed come office and later watching TV series.  For my lovely daughter Suzy, however Monday turned out to be a red letter day.  She didn’t know the expression and I explained that it meant a day of “special significance”. What was significant for her that day was that she landed the interim job she had applied for whilst waiting for her registry number as a UK qualified dietitian to come through with the HCPC (health and care professions council).  She will be working for Decathlon, the French sports retailer – the biggest of its kind in the world – at the only store in London which is very near where she lives in Surrey Quays. That will keep her busy, earning money and get her out of the house.  I wish her lots of luck and hope she enjoys the job.

A selfie from Suzy working at Decathlon

On Tuesday I was feeling down about being immobile and trapped.  The prospects were not good either as I had been told I would be in a cast for 2 or 3 months and probably not walking properly until another 6.  That day I surfed the web a lot about the recovery length and got rather depressed in the process.  Then my friend Jackie told me to be more positive and to look up how to speed the process up.  I did just what she said and one of the things I found out was the importance of my diet. I knew I had to be on a high fiber diet but apparently the body needs a higher intake of calories than normal for the bones to mend.  That doesn’t mean eating more, but eating more carefully.  It’s amazing how my body has craved for fruit and veg ever since the accident as if it knew what I should be eating to recover.  Of course I need a lot of calcium too which I am having via milk and lots of veg but at the same time I am steering clear of carbohydrates and sugary stuff as I don’t want to put on weight whilst I cannot do my normal exercise. 

Life continued of course on Tuesday and from my small but connected world in my bedroom I was amazed to read that Harper Lee, the reclusive American octogenarian author of the literary gem “To Killl a Mockingbird” (Pulitzer Prize) of which 30 million books have been printed since it was published in 1960 – made even more famous by the film with Gregory Peck – was to publish its sequel. 

Scout with Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird

Since writing To Kill a Mockingbird (a novel of racism in Alabama in the 30’s as seen through the eyes of a 10 year old tomboy called Scout and of how her lawyer Father Atticus defends a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman) she never published another novel.  However it turns out that the manuscript for her first novel was found by a friend recently.  This first novel is about Scout as an adult and some of her memories as a child about her Father’s law case.  At the time her publisher wrote back to advise her to write another novel this time about Scout as a child and the law case.  And this is exactly what she did.  When her friend found the manuscript recently and showed it to her, Harper Lee was very surprised it had survived and sent it to close friends to get their opinion.  They advised her to publish it and the rest is history now or will be when 1 million copies will be printed in the US shortly.  I always loved her book, as did my Mother.  I think it was one of her favourites.  So, I for one am avidly forward to reading the sequel which, as I say, funnily enough was written before To Kill a Mockingbird.  The new novel is called Go Set a Watchman.  Isn’t that an extraordinary story?

Harper Lee the author of To Kill a Mockingbird

A much worse story hit the news that day too.  IS – those savage and brutal jihadists, issued a ghastly video showing how they burned alive the captive Jordanian pilot, Kasasbeh in a cage.  The release of the video came days after the beheading of a second Japanese hostage within a week. Isis had vowed to kill them unless the Jordanian government handed over Iraqui Jihadist and “would-be suicide bomber” Sajida al-Rishawi both on death row in Jordan.  The deal collapsed when IS did not show proof of the pilot being alive.  I have not seen the video and refuse to watch this barbaric act.  I am disgusted at this new form of terrorism as the whole world is too.  The two Iraqui prisoners were executed in Jordan in a wave of retaliation from this country which is a target of IS because of its involvement in fighting the IS in Syria. Later I read that the pilot’s mother died of sorrow.  I can wholeheartedly understand that.

The awful death of the Jordanian pilot at the hands of IS

On Wednesday Eladio took me to the hospital for my appointments for x-rays, a changing of the dressing on my leg and a visit to the orthopedic surgeon who had operated on me.  I was expecting a new cast to be put on.  But no, Wednesday turned out to be a red letter for me also.  I was amazed when the doctor told me my bones were healing super-fast and that the cast was to be taken off there and then.  His instructions were that I was to be immobile for another 2 weeks after which I was to visit him again.  I was also told to do ankle exercises to strengthen the muscles and I am doing them religiously. 

Doing my ankle exercises with a super elastic band which is perfect for the purpose

He said that in 2 weeks’ time I would be able to walk with crutches bearing weight on my leg.  I know I could not use crutches in a hopping style but I’m sure I will be able to manage them if I can put weight on both legs.  I was ecstatic at the news and any depression I had lifted there and then.  I came home in a much better mood delighted to have the heavy cast off my leg. It’s good to know that my recovery period will be much shorter than expected.  I can now begin to envisage myself at the beginning of March in Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress and even better, in Finland for the bi-annual European Comms meeting I was so looking forward to.  I still don’t know if I will be able to go but the doctor said maybe I could if very little walking is entailed.  So please keep your fingers crossed. On the way home in the car I began to digest the good news about my recovery and in my mind I started making a list of all the things I want to do when I can walk again. This is the list which is not in any particular order apart from the first item:

Go for my walks, make it to Barcelona for the MWC, join the European team I belong to in their next meeting in Finland at the beginning of March and spend the weekend before with Anne in Salo, go to Montrondo, go to the snow in the mountains outside Madrid, have my nails done, go shopping with Oli, go see Suzy in London, a trip to Yorkshire and tea at Betty’s, go for a drive in my new car which will be ready for picking up in Feb, Visit Gael, Juan and Cristina’s newly born baby boy, go and see Oli’s newsroom and meet her lovely colleagues who sent me a present and fantastic get well card, shop at Naranjas de la China where Ketchum ordered the super fruit and flower hamper they sent to me, shop at España en la Mesa where JP Media ordered the lovely gastro hamper they sent me, have dinner and shop at Platea, the new Gastro centre in Colon where my events agency QuintaEsencia bought the super vegetable hamper they sent to me, go the office and see my colleagues, personally pick up little Pippa, the puppy miniature dachshund coming from Granada, lunch out with my friends Julio and Fátima for a belated birthday celebration, dinner at DStage with Juana and Oscar, Visit Nottingham University with my friends and co students Adele, Sandie and Sue,  where I studied and where I haven’t been back since a year after I graduated in 1980 and many etceteras.

Once I was back in my bed come office with a new positive mind set, up came Eladio bearing a parcel. I couldn’t believe it. What another parcel?  I have received so many presents, visits, good wishes I feel overwhelmed.  The parcel was from one of my dearest readers, a person I have known since I was a child in Yorkshire and person I am coming to love more as the years pass.  Dearest Jackie had sent me a box of Yorkshire goodies: sweets, biscuits and tea for my birthday.  This is me delighted with Jackie’s parcel.

Opening Jackie's birthday present

The big international news on Wednesday was of course the horrific story of the Taiwan Trans Air plane that crashed into a river in Taipei.  Of the 58 passengers only 15 survived.  The footage of the accident was very shocking.  I’m sure you have seen how the plane comes over a road with lots of cars and just manages to avoid them swerving into the Keelung River.  There have been quite a few awful crashes recently in this part of the world and I, for one, would be very hesitant to buy a ticket to fly with Trans Air or Malaysian airlines.  I’m sure you would too.

The Trans Air crash in Taipei on Wednesday

But the news that made most impact on me on Wednesday and the following days was of the snow in our beloved Montrondo.  There have been tremendous snow falls in most of the north of Spain; some of them quite historic, but in Montrondo it snowed this week more than it has for some 40 or 50 years.  If you don’t believe me, just look at this photo of one of the 15 or so villagers, José Antonio, as he shovels away the snow to make some sort of path.  Literally he is up to his neck in snow. That is a lot more snow than you would even find in Lapland or northern Sweden right now. 

Villager José Antonio from Montrondo up to his neck in snow this week

Here is another photo, this time of Manolita, perhaps Montrondo’s most loved neighbour.  She is smiling whilst shoveling away as much snow as she can so as to reach her hens to get their eggs. Snow usually leaves Manolita quite nonplussed as she is used to it, but even she admits this snowfall is one of the biggest she has ever seen. 

Manolita clearing the snow in Montrondo this week

The villagers are snow trapped in Montrondo.  Salo, who lives there, told me the snow plough managed to clear the road from nearby Murias but that there was so much on either side of the road it was difficult to pass.  That meant the bread vans from Senra or Murias couldn’t make the delivery.  So the local hero, Javier, the youngest villager, put on his snow shoes and made it down to Murias where every day this week he has bought bread and taken it back in his ruck sack to be delivered to each and every neighbour in Montrondo.  He really is the local hero.  I love seeing his photos on the Montrondo group page in Facebook. If it wasn’t for my foot we would have gone there in a shot this weekend.  I am just hoping the snow stays until my foot gets better and I can witness with my own eyes this historical snow fall in “our” village.

Javi the local hero delivering bread to all the neighbours in snow trapped Montrondo

I must say I woke up feeling a lot more comfortable without the cast on Thursday morning.  Olivia was off at the crack of dawn to do a report on the snow in a village called La Hiruela about 90 odd km from Madrid.  On the way they were trapped in the snow and had to be helped.  Even the snow plough itself was trapped.  I’m not quite sure how they got out but they had quite an adventure. This is a photo of their car being pushed in the snow.

Oli and her TV crew trapped in the snow outside Madrid this week

Many cars were trapped on that road and many more in Spain this week.  Thankfully Oli and her TV crew made it to La Hiruela where Olivia interviewed a shepherd who showed her a baby lamb that had been born that night.  Olivia was surprised it had lived in such freezing conditions.  The shepherd explained that it was thanks to the  ewe’s milk, without which it would certainly have died.  Here is a photo of Olivia trying to report on the snow in freezing cold and very windy conditions.

Oli reporting on being trapped in the snow this week

Believe it or not on Thursday afternoon I got yet another parcel. This time it came all the way from Finland and was from my dearest friend Anne.  She had sent me a lovely birthday card and a pair of white mittens she had made herself for me, which of course made them even more special.  Thanks my sweetie, really hope to be able to wear them with you in Finland if I make it in March.  Here is a photo of me delighted with yet another present; mittens from Finland.

Delighted with the homemade mittens Anne sent me from Finland for my birthday

Friday was a busy day.  My boss had a live interview with the Spanish Cope radio at 9 am about the company’s performance and the mobile phone market in general. That’s morning radio prime time and the programme, La Mañana, has nearly a 1 million listeners so the interview was important. I felt very frustrated not to be by his side but had organized everything remotely which is the only way to do things when you can’t move.  I listened to the interview and was very pleased with the questions and answers.  He was pretty word perfect and there were no gritty questions thank goodness.  You can listen to the interview here on this link (in Spanish of course).

On Friday I was happy to have an email from my oldest best friend, Amanda.  We went to school together and have been friends since we were 10 years old.  It was great to get her news. I replied immediately and told her lots of things I would never dare put here as you can possibly imagine.  Whilst looking out for good TV series to watch whilst I’m immobile, a few people had recommended a series called “Last Tango in Halifax”.  I wasn’t sure it was my cup of tea until Amanda recommended it in her emails.  She knows my taste, so I went for it and downloaded the first 2 episodes.  I have devoured them but unfortunately the quality of the other episodes is not too good so I decided to order the box set of the 3 series from Amazon and can’t wait for it to arrive next week.  Last Tango in Halifax is a great British TV series supposedly set in Yorkshire – Skipton, Harrogate and Halifax (although disappointingly the Harrogate scenes are shot in Lancashire) about two families.  The main plot is how the two septuagenarian grandmother and grandfather of the respective families meet up after 60 years when they had once been sweethearts.  It’s a mixture of drama and comedy in the best British way, so I’m devouring it and loving the Yorkshire settings and accents and the portrayal of modern day life in Yorkshire.

Loving Last Tago in Halifax

On Friday afternoon I was blessed with another visit.  My dear ex Nokia friend Ana came to see me.  I appreciate that as she has such a busy professional and personal life with two small children.  Thanks Ana for making the time and the effort.  I loved our 2 hour gossipy chat catching up on our lives.  It meant so much to me.  We forgot to take a picture so I asked Ana to send me one to illustrate this part of this week’s post. This is dear Ana. 

Great to have a visit from my friend Ana on Friday afternoon

On Friday too I got some photos of Pippa – the miniature smooth haired chocolate coloured dachshund who will soon be part of our family – end of Feb.  They are not very good photos but the best I have.  The breeder Antonio, to whom I spoke on Friday, obviously knows lots about these dogs but is not a good photographer.  I was happy to hear that Pippa has a lovely disposition.  We can’t wait to see her and hold her in our arms. Waiting for you little Pippa with all the love in the world. 

Little Pippa is growing

Believe it or not, on Friday, Eladio had insisted on taking me out for dinner, to get me out of my pyjamas and out of bed.  He was right I suppose but it was a big effort.  My leg no longer hurts so it sort of made sense but it did feel strange dressing up and putting makeup on.  We borrowed my Father’s wheel chair for the occasion and I felt very funny being wheeled down the street and into the restaurant.  Oli and Miguel were waiting for us when we arrived.  I felt a bit self-conscious in a wheel chair but soon forgot I was in one and enjoyed the dinner enormously.  We went to Zurito in Pozuelo which serves lovely food.  That night, I broke my diet but who cares? Miguel took a lovely photo of Eladio which Oli posted on FB adding that we were still in love “35 years later” which some people interpreted as our anniversary.  It wasn’t though. For the record we have been together since the summer of 1980 but got married in 1983.  What is true is that we are still in love and will always be.

Out to dinner with Eladio on Friday night, my first outing since the accident

I took one of Oli and Miguel too.  You can judge for yourselves if they are in love from the expression on their faces.  Expressions say it all I think when they are sincere.

Oli and Miguel at dinner on Friday night

Yesterday Saturday was a quiet day for me at least, no outings of course and no visits.  And once again I received a present.  This time it was a beautiful bouquet of red roses from my friends Juana and Oscar.  It was another early birthday present. I can’t thank them enough.  Red and yellow roses are my favourites so I was delighted with my present. 

Red roses from Juana and Oscar for my birthday 

And finally I have got to Sunday, the most important day of this week as it is my birthday.  I have to thank Eladio and my family and friends for making it so special.  I am overwhelmed with all the messages, posts, whatsapps, phone calls etc and can’t thank you all enough.  The day started with a lovely birthday breakfast as all our family birthdays do.  The photo illustrating this post is of me with the presents, a wonderful fruit and flower hamper from Olivia and Miguel (Naranjas de la China) and the black Michael Kors bag I wanted from Eladio and my Father.  Miguel was using his new camera and took some great photos of my birthday. Perhaps my favourite is this one of me with Eladio. 

At breakfast this morning with Eladio

Lunch was to be special too. We made it all together, a simple but delicious meal of fillet steak, chips and salad.  Here I am frying the chips whilst talking to Suzy on the phone. That was the most important birthday phone call of the day for me as you can imagine

Cooking and talking to Suzy on the phone - the best birthday phone call of the day

Lunch of course was followed by the birthday cake moment.  Eladio had ordered my favourite, millefeuille with fresh cream and raspberries on the top.  Here are the four of us by the cake enjoying that moment.

The birthday cake moment at lunch today

So you see it’s been and it’s being a wonderful birthday, despite my limited mobility. But I know now that the progress will be faster and that I have so much to look forward to when I can walk again.

Wishing you all a good week ahead, cheers all till next time,

Masha

PS for those of you who aren’t direct friends and want to follow my blog on Facebook here is the link.  I welcome you to like the page and join the conversation. I would love to hear from you there, know who you are where you come from, why you read my blog and welcome your comments.

To the hospital to change my dressing, news about Greece, a visit from José Antonio and Dolores, another beautiful get well present, watching more films and series, Suzy left for London, Julio came, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, how Betty’s tea rooms featured in our romance, making bread with Gema, the Podemos “march for change”, Suzy visited Nottingham University where I studied and other stories.

Sunday 1^st February 2015

One of the highlights of this week, receiving a lovely gourmet hamper from JP Media

Hi everyone.

It is Sunday again and time to write this week’s post.  It is also 2 weeks since I had my accident in Montrondo.  I am bearing up as much as I can but I have to say I have my down moments as I feel so trapped and dependent on the people around me.  Thank goodness for my PC, mobile phone and iPad which keep me connected.  I have spent most of my time watching series and films; the best way to pass the time and to ignore the pain.  It is receding but comes and goes all the time.

I left off on Sunday.  When the girls came back from the hair and makeup session we had dinner in our room on trays.  Eladio and I then watched the last episode of The Fall which has had us riveted for weeks.

On Monday morning, Suzy took me to the hospital to have the dressing changed on the surgical wound on my ankle.  It was a palava to get there as you can imagine.  We used my Father’s wheel chair for me to get in the car and once at the hospital Suzy got me another wheel chair to be able to go inside.  A nurse removed the outer bandage on my leg.  Underneath, behind the leg and under my foot there is a cast which can be removed and put back on.  I was shocked to see I had had 17 stitches.  Actually they are staples.  She commented the wound was healing well thankfully. I shall be going back next week for the dressing to be changed again, for an x-ray and for an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon who operated on me.  This is what my leg looked like.  Sorry if the picture is unpleasant but it is reality.  I still don’t know when I will be able to walk again and that is probably what the doctor will tell me.  I think I won’t be able to put any weight on my leg for at least 2 months and will probably not be able to walk again properly as I did before the fall for at least 6 or 8 months! 

My poor leg

When we got home, just a while later, José Antonio and Dolores came to see me.  They brought with them some bags of “pilmeni” from the Russian shop which I had asked them to bring.  They stayed for lunch and part of the afternoon.  It was great to have company.

Dolores and José Antonio came to visit on Monday. They came again on Friday too

Whilst they were there another present arrived. This one was from my news clipping agency, JP Media.  I was delighted to receive a hamper of Spanish delicacies.  Everything in the hamper was wonderful and we ate most of it that night and the following.  The produce came from an exclusive shop called “España en la mesa” which I look forward to visiting when I up on my feet again.  You cannot imagine the things I want to do when I am up and about again; the list increases every day. The photo illustrating this week’s post is of me in my bed/office with the JP Media hamper.

On Monday the main news believe it or not came from Greece of all places.  The day before general elections were held and the radical left wing party Syriza won. Although to govern they had to make a pact with the centre-right party.  On Monday Alexis Tisipras was sworn in as prime minister and has promised to lead an anti-austerity coalition government.  Later in the week officials from Brussels went to meet the new government and meetings ended badly when Syriza refused to acknowledge the “troika”.  Greece was bailed out recently and has a huge debt which is what Syriza wants to negotiate.  I think they hope to be freed of it.  But if they are they will render money useless in my mind and the whole situation will be a farse. 

The new Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras head of te radical left wing party Syriza smiling after being sworn in.

Meanwhile in Spain at the Nato air base in Los Llanos in Albacete (south east Spain) an F16 Greek fighter jet failed to take off in military manoeuvres and somehow swerved off the tarmac and crashed into a group of F16 causing an almighty explosion.  12 Greek and French pilots and their military colleagues were killed and 12 badly injured.  It is yet to be revealed why the F16 failed to take off and crashed into the other fighter jets.

The appalling  Greek jet fighter crash at Los Llanos in Albacete

So that was 2 pieces of news about Greece in one day.  But they weren’t to be the last as that night the Greek singer Demi Roussos died aged 68.  I remember him very much when he was popular in the 70’s and 80’s.  He was very large and wore colourful kaftans.  I think his most famous song was “forever and ever”.  RIP Demis Roussos.

Demis Rousson R.I.P

On Tuesday while Suzy was out to see her friend Pili on her last full day in Spain, when I had my work out of the way I watched the end of The Honourable Woman which is one of the best series I have seen in years.  It’s about a woman and her brother who have a telecoms company that seeks peace between Israel and Palestine; something quite impossible.  If you haven’t seen it, give it a try. 

Eladio had lunch out that day with his friends Roberto and Juanjo.  So we were only three for lunch, Suzy, my Father and I.  That day I taught Gema how to make “bitki” a staple part of our diet.  They are a sort of Russian hamburger but much nicer than any normal hamburger. Gema made more of her delicious brown bread that morning which I captured on my camera for my blog and for her daughter Saida.

Gema and her homemade bread

When Dolores saw the photo on Facebook she asked if she could come next time Gema made bread to learn how to make it.  Another sister-in-law, Yoli also rang to ask for the recipe which of course I didn’t have.  On Friday, however, both Dolores and I would find out as you will read later.

After lunch Suzy and I watched “Saving Mr. Banks”, the supposed story behind the making of the Mary Poppins film.  We were both a bit disappointed with the film but then Olivia had warned us we probably wouldn’t like it.  That’s probably because we are huge fans of the original Mary Poppins film which in fact is hardly mentioned in Saving Mr. Banks.

There was also time to watch Olivia on the TV that afternoon. Last week I posted a photo of her dressed up in medical surgical clothing as she was to do a report on the benefits and drawbacks of fathers being present in the delivery room.  It was on Tuesday that her report was broadcast.  You can see the full report here. The verdict by the way is positive for the father and the mother.  I wholeheartedly agree.

Oli's report on fathers in the delivery room

Tuesday was also the 70^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz the deadliest of the Nazi concentration camp where 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were killed.  Other victims were gypsies, disabled people, homosexuals, dissidents, non-Jewish Poles and Soviet prisoners.  The Russian army liberated the camp and of the many photos they took one stands out. It is of a group of children.  300 camp survivors returned for the ceremony when a few years ago over a thousand were there to bear witness.  I wonder how many there will be next time as their numbers are dwindling.  Of all the news that day, it was the photograph of those children with 4 of them, now old, standing by it and pointing out there picture at the time.  Isn’t it incredible? The four survivors were 81-year-old Paula Lebovics, 79-year-old Miriam Ziegler, 85-year-old Gabor Hirsch and 80-year-old Eva Kor and they remembered each other.  I read somewhere that a person in the US had investigated the names of all the people on that photo that day, some of the few surviving children of the holocaust.  As I write this a shiver goes down my spine.  I was brought up on stories of the Second World War as both my parents were in it and have been fascinated with the holocaust ever since. 

4 of the survivors from this picture reunited in Auschwitz this week

On Wednesday, the day Suzy was going, I had breakfast downstairs for the first time. But I won’t be doing that again for a while as I get very tired sitting down without my leg up.  It was on Wednesday that another piece of international news interested me.  The Obamas were visiting Saudi Arabia to pay their respects after the recent death of King Abdullah.  What most interested me, and people around the world, was what Michelle was wearing, or rather wasn’t, much more than in the main objective of their visit which was US and Saudi relations.  The thing is the First Lady did not wear a headscarf. According to political and international protocol she is not obliged to.  However the Saudis saw this as a sign of disrespect.  I on the other hand, think it was a lesson to the Muslim world.  I mean, if they don’t respect the way we live in the west why should a western woman visiting them be expected to cover her head?  I also noticed that in the hand shaking queue many of the Saudis (all men unsurprisingly) did not shake her hand.  That for me is a sign of disrespect on their part.  I wonder if you agree.

It caused a bit of a stir when Michelle Obama did not wear a head scarf when visiting Saudi Arabia this week

On Wednesday I watched the lovely English TV mini-series South Riding, set in Yorkshire in the 30’s which is about a feisty woman head mistress and her relations with the villagers. I loved it.

I loved this BBC TV mini series set in Yorkshire

Gema, our Moroccan living-in home help, made couscous with chicken which was just delicious.  Here is a photo of my plate.

Gema's couscous

Soon after lunch it was time for Suzy to leave.  Eladio was to take her to the airport.  She would have stayed longer but she had an interview with Decathlon the next day.  It was to be the second interview so cross your fingers she gets the job.  It is really an interim job until her registration with the HCPC (health care and professions council) comes through. 

Just as they had gone my dear friend Julio came to visit.  He and I go back a long time and first met as colleagues at Nokia in 2000.  It was lovely to chat and catch up.  I had promised afternoon tea which turned out to be a cup of tea and a biscuit.  For the record I just had the tea as I am steering clear of fattening food so as not to put on weight whilst I am recovering from my fall.  Here is a photo of us together.  Thnks Juli for coming.  Your visit was much appreciated.

A selfie with Julio when he came to visit this week

On Thursday I was quite busy work wise.  TeliaSonera, our mother company, was to announce the 4^th quarter and full year results for 2014.  Luckily Yoigo continues to be profitable, has kept its market share and has even increased its subscriber base.  There was a conference call after which we sent out a press release on the local results, followed by an internal release.

I spent part of the day watching episodes from season 4 of Homeland and continued to do so until yesterday.  It’s very good but I was not happy with the last episode as there was no closure.  Now I will have to wait more than a year for the next season.  Meanwhile I am already missing Carrie, Saul and Quinn.

I finished Season 4 of Homeland this week

It was on Thursday that I participated in a Betty’s Tea Room St. Valentine’s competition.  This week I had come across a photo of myself at a table in Betty’s in Harrogate. It was a photo Eladio took of me there in 1982.  We were so in love we spent the whole afternoon there in our own little world and Eladio kept taking photos of me.  This is the photo.          

At Berry's in Harrogate in 1982 before we married

I posted it on their Twitter page and got some lovely feedback. They also encouraged me to send in my story for the competition about how Betty’s featured in our romance.  So this was my entry.  I don’t know if I will win but I do think my story is compelling.  Don’t you?

How Bettys featured in our romance:

I have always loved Betty’s since living in Yorkshire when I was a child.  There used to be one in Bradford where we lived and my parents would always take me for tea and our favourite was the meringue cream cake.  When it closed I would often visit the Ilkley, York or Harrogate branch.  For me Bettys summed up a genteel classical romantic quintessential English tea room and I loved every bit of the place.  I always have.  So when I fell in love in the early 80s I took my boyfriend to Betty’s in Harrogate.  He was my boyfriend but no ordinary boyfriend.  Our relationship was illicit as he was a Spanish catholic priest, something unheard of in Spain in those days and our relationship was a secret. We sat one afternoon at a table in the front window of Betty’s in Harrogate overlooking the Stray and it was the most romantic afternoon we had ever had.  We were so much in love, he kept taking photographs of me over Betty’s glorious afternoon tea (he had your fish and chips his favourite always at Betty’s when we have been back).  It was a cold frosty Christmas afternoon day and I was smoking (unimaginable today) and looking at him lovingly.  I had long hair then and think I looked quite beautiful in a white jumper; or at least he thought so. We spent hours there and I was surprised the staff didn’t turn us out but they were so polite as they always are.  We were in our own little world.  It was there that our wedding was forged and the summer afterwards we got married.  This year we will have been married 32 years and it has been bliss.  We went to live in Spain which is where we have made our home ever since building a lovely family.  Even our girls know Bettys (the one in Ilkley) where we took them after my Mother died as my Father was and is an equal fan of Bettys.

29 years later in 2011 on a trip to Yorkshire, we made sure Harrogate was on our agenda.  We hadn’t been back since 1982. There are many places to have lunch in Harrogate but Bettys being a part of our romance was our one and only choice. It would be our first time back since that romantic afternoon.  We would have loved to have sat at the same table again but it was full and just how could we explain to staff why?  It was too long a story. Again my husband took a photograph of me and here it is together with the one of 1982.  I don’t look quite as beautiful as I did in 1982 but I know that I am still as in love with him as I was then.

The afternoon is one that I shall never forget and whenever I think of it I feel even more love than could be possible. Thank you Betty’s for being part of our romance. 

In the collage photo enclosed you can see the photo of me in 1982 and in 2011, as well as a photo of my husband queueing outside the Tea Room in 2011.  I just had to add a photo of the way you serve tea too! .

Betty's Harrogate 1982 and on our return visit 29 years later in 2011

I keep visiting the competition page to see how the other stories compare to mine and am keeping my fingers crossed I will win.  If I do I look forward to a lovely St. Valentines Hamper.

Meanwhile that evening Olivia stayed in Madrid after work rather than coming home for dinner with us as she usually does.  She went out with some of her journalist colleagues and here is a photo of them together.

Oli had an evening out with her fellow TV reporters on Thursday evening

On Friday morning I was busy work wise again. We were to send out another press release.  This time on a new promotional tariff for February that is very competitive. While I was working Eladio went out to do the weekly shopping on his own.  I had drawn up a very clear and long list to make his task easier.  It’s amazing how much food we get through in a week, especially fruit and veg. 

In the afternoon Dolores and José Antonio came to visit again.  Their main objective was for Dolores to learn how to make Gema’s bread.  They never come empty handed and they brought me the lovely Crabtree and Evelyn white chocolate and raspberry biscuits I had asked them to get from “Naranjas de la China”.  You may remember me receiving a super fruit basket from there last week which included these most delicious English biscuits. They also brought two huge fresh fillets of cod, my favourite fish.  Thank you so much Dolores and José Antonio.

Thank you José Antonio and Dolores for these amazing Crabtree and Evelyn biscuits

We watched Gema make her bread, or rather Dolores watched, took note and tried to learn how to knead the dough, the most difficult part.  Here is one of the photos we took of the bread learning process.

Dolores learning how to make Gema's bread

I’m not sure I could do it on my own, but am very privileged to have Gema make us fresh bread so often, so for the while I don’t need to.

Yesterday, on Saturday a huge demonstration took place in Madrid lead by Spain’s increasingly popular radical left wing party “Podemos” (we can) headed up by the pony tailed leader and University teacher, Pablo Iglesias.  The demonstration was dubbed “the march for change” (against austerity and corruption) and literally thousands marched from Cibeles to the Puerta del Sol where the movement started some years ago. Like Syriza in Greece, Podemos may well win the general elections at the end of this year.  I have mixed feelings about this new party which on television sounds great. But how would they deal with the “troika” in Brussels I wonder and could their promises really become reality?  Spain’s main problem is unemployment and I don’t think even Podemos could wave a magic wand to rid Spain of such a high number of unemployed people.  It all remains to be seen. What is true is that Podemos has certainly changed Spain’s political scene and it will never be the same again.

The Podemos march for change in Madrid yesterday

I spent most of Saturday watching a new series for me, the new BBC version of the Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy – the Nobel prize winning English author.  I am in the middle of it and I’m loving it. I well remember watching the first series in 1967 at home with my parents in Bradford.  Funnily enough the actor for Soames in the new series is the same actor who played Brodie in Homeland.  I far prefer Eric Porter in the 1967 series.

It was while I was watching the Forsyte Saga that I got a whatsapp message from Suzy that could have blown me over with a feather.  She posted this picture and asked me if I knew where she was.

Suzy visiting my University, Nottingham. The Trent Building in the background

I looked carefully thinking she was in London then realized that no, the photo was of Nottingham University where I finished my studies in 1980.  I haven’t been back since 1981 and would love to.  Another thing to add to the list of what I want I want to do when I get my mobility back!  I had no idea she was going to Nottingham.  She had gone with Gabor and other friends to stay with a friend of his who studied there and now works in Nottingham.  You cannot begin to imagine what this photo means to me.  It brought back so many memories, mostly of my cycling on the beautiful campus from my Hall of Residence, Nightingale Hall to the Trent Building where the Spanish department was for my lectures.  Suzy told me there were lots of people on bikes.  Of course there would be as the area is very flat.  Gosh I do wish I could have been with Suzy yesterday.   I would have taken her to all my old haunts. 

And today is Sunday and whilst Suzy is still in Nottingham, here I am in bed writing my blog as I can’t go anywhere. 

I don’t have much to look forward to next week just the hospital visit and more work on our preparations for our participation in the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the beginning of March which for the first time ever since I joined Yoigo I will not be able to go to.  I will of course continue to watch TV series and films and today look forward to more of the Forsyte Saga.

Wishing you all a great week ahead, all the best till next Sunday

Masha