Our new home in the Orba Valley, Alicante

So....it's still very hot here but Ian is pushing through and working on our en-suite bathroom, about which more later.  And we did actually get some rain over the weekend - proper rain, not the five minutes of dirty rain filled with sand and which make your terraces, car and pool completely filthy - so that was nice as we haven't seen proper rain here for about 10 weeks or more!

I can report that I have renewed my domestic goddess credentials BIG time this past week by making a seafood paella for the very first time ......and very tasty it was too if I say so myself 👌

It got the thumbs up from Ian and I will definitely be making it again subject to a couple of small tweaks.  I'd always thought there was quite an art to making paella and maybe there is and I just got lucky, but using bits of a couple of recipes and some of my own instinct from having eaten so many, it seemed to work.  But an appearance on Masterchef is still a way off I think 😜

In other domestic news, our little bunch of grapes ripened and, as it is grape picking time here, we picked ours and got these sweet juicy grapes:

Not exactly a bumper crop but we enjoyed them!  Whilst grapes are being harvested in the Jalon (neighbouring) Valley, the fruit crops here in Orba aren't ready yet but we see plenty of tractors and trailers about town all the same.

Last Wednesday we went to visit a friend from the UK who was staying in her villa in Calpe and went for lunch with this view:

Absolutely wonderful view and the food, once it came, was ok but the service was really not great and apparently we couldn't have paella unless we'd pre-ordered it.  Given that this was really all that was on the menu, it was more than a little problematic finding something to order 😳 and they were less than helpful......  But more than anything we just found it too busy, frenetic and crowded with Spanish tourists, and if we hadn't been with someone, we'd have got up and gone to be honest.  Nothing to do with Covid, we're just used to quieter living now, so once we were back in Orba we headed off for a quiet and peaceful drink at our favourite little Spanish bar.  Bliss 😍

Work on the en-suite bathroom continues apace following delivery of all the bits from the big Leroy Merlin in Gandia which arrived neatly packaged:

The only thing we're still awaiting delivery of is the heated towel rail to replace the radiator that was there before, but this isn't a problem and Ian has installed the new bath, shower and screen as well as tiled and grouted two and a half walls.  Here's a before and after:

Today he started on the remaining full length wall by removing the giant blue basin and, temporarily, the toilet in order to plaster, tile and grout the walls as well as chase wiring for our new 'touch light' mirror.  This time next week he should have it all finished including the new floor 🥳  And then we'll turn to the kitchen in the autumn.......

Covid-wise, things are still very good here.  Ian has now had his second jab and today they rang me - ahead of expected - to come in next week ie. at 8 weeks rather than the expected 10.  The health service app here states that anyone under 60 who is waiting for a second jab after a first Astra Zeneca one, will be getting a Pfizer one unless they state otherwise.  I don't mind on many levels but made it very clear that I want a second AZ one to keep open my options to visit the UK without having to quarantine.  The UK government website makes it clear that both jabs must be the same one if given outside of the UK (hmmm, why might that be I wonder 🤔) in order to not have to quarantine and a fact which seems to have escaped quite a few people I've mentioned it to.  In any event, I'm nearly over the finish line and am almost as excited to get my second jab as I was to get my first!  I'm aware there are no guarantees but it does make me feel much safer, especially given that I have asthma and am quite fearful that it would kick in were I to catch Covid and not have had help from the vaccination.  

In other news, I should be starting teaching again later in September in a lovely local school for two evenings a week which is wonderful - watch this space.  And now that I'm back on live radio, next week the show will be moving to 2 hours so why not tune in on Thursday 7-8pm (6-8pm from 9th Sept) on valleyfm.es for some great music 🎶💃

Stay safe and hasta luego!

Our new home in the Orba Valley, Alicante

To say it's been hot here lately is to understate things slightly!  Temperatures have been in the mid 30s plus and then on Sunday it surpassed itself by rising to around 42 degrees and so humid that just getting up and going into another room meant you had to mop yourself down.  In any event, around 6.30pm on Sunday, we had a sort of weather phenomenon I guess when a wind started to build up whilst we were in the pool.  The sky went very grey and weird and it somehow felt that something was imminent so we got out, battened down the hatches and went inside, shutting doors and windows.  And it's a good job we did because the wind built up into a sort of mini tornado bringing with it air that was as hot as if it was blown by a giant hairdryer and the temperature shot up by several degrees.  It was quite freakish!  It left our lovely clean pool filled with vast quantities of leaves and also dust.....oh so much dust 😱 

Despite the scorchio temperatures, Ian has decided to re-commence work on our en-suite bathroom.  He's a glutton for punishment!  We spent two hours in the large Leroy Merlin (like B&Q) in Gandia and by the time we'd finished my head was spinning because very little English was spoken and building vocabulary is not my strong point, but we managed!  Afterwards I was in medicinal need of coffee 😳 and, after spending so much money, so was Ian 😂  And despite the extreme heat, Ian has removed most of the tiles, replastered the walls (those who are in the UK and into DIY will find the Spanish approach of putting a large slug of concrete on the back of a tile and slapping it onto a wall with no spacing or grouting, unusual to say the least!) and taken out the cast iron bath:

The bath had been installed on a brick support on 2 sides which is a different approach to a wooden or metal frame I suppose.  But water had been going down the wall and getting under the bath so it is pretty damp underneath and even in the current hot weather is taking some time to dry out.  I guess we're just grateful that it's concrete drying out and not the wooden floor and joists you'd more likely find in the UK because we would have had a big job on our hands!  The 'lovely' giant turquoise basin is still in place until the bitter end but then again, it's pretty easy to deal with compared to a bath.  In truth the room would make a lovely walk-in shower room but I do like a bath in the winter and the other bathroom here isn't big enough for a bath so even when we reform it next year, it will have to remain with just a shower.  Anyhow, Ian is in his element and we hope the Leroy Merlin order arrives soon so that he can get the first major part of our house reform ticked off before we brace ourselves to tackle the kitchen which will be a whole new level of disruption 😝

Alongside the hot weather there is the ongoing battle against mosquitos - for Ian.  I have no problem with them at all!  It seems so unfair that I can go anywhere with no mozzie spray at all whilst Ian still gets bitten even with liberal use of it.  We've tried all sorts of things but they just seem to like the taste of him.  However the other night we saw this little fella in our living room:

We have a number of geckos outside but were delighted to see one inside as of course they love to eat mozzies.  Ian has invited him to bring friends and family so we will have to see if they accept the invite!

Covid-wise, things are still very quiet and settled here and long may that continue.  There have been no further changes to the regulations locally, and Spain has now started offering vaccines to those in their late teens which seems incongruous given how hard I had to fight not so long ago to get my first one at my age!  In any event, Ian had his second jab this past week so he is now a done deal for now.  I have to wait until late September as they are leaving 10 weeks between Astra Zeneca jabs here.  But patience is a virtue....apparently......

I am now back on live radio with Valley FM on Thursday evenings between 7-8pm (6-7pm UK time) so please like my Hits House Show FB page and tune in via https://valleyfm.es if you want to hear an hour of some great upbeat music.  Hopefully I'll move to two hours soon but while I find my feet in a new studio, one hour is just fine!  It's great to be back with a live broadcast - it's definitely my happy place 🎧  Another activity that makes me really happy is my painting which is coming on quite well, I've just started a portrait of a well known person and am starting another shortly but I'm hoping people recognise who they are without being told!  I was carrying the one I've started (at that point just at a really basic level) to the car the other day and a random passer-by recognised who it was so fingers crossed!

It's safe to say we're settling in really nicely here and bracing ourselves for the forthcoming building work which will keep us out of mischief both now and this autumn/early winter that's for sure 😛

Stay safe and hasta luego!

Our new home in the Orba Valley, Alicante

 A bit late this week as we have had relatives staying and it's been pretty hectic!  It's also been very hot - well up into the late 30's on quite a few days - so we definitely need a bit of time to re-gather ourselves.

Our family guests were wonderful and we had a fantastic time but my goodness, we'd forgotten how much teenagers can eat! 😂  They descended locust-like on industrial quantities of crisps, biscuits and other similarly 'healthy' snacks, it was quite awesome how much they could devour - and of course they were slender as reeds.  I remember being like that once but it was a looooong time ago 😂  Anyhow, I was surprised they hadn't all shrunk by the time they left earlier today because they spent hours in the pool and it was lovely to see it filled with young people and inflatables and to hear the happy shrieks and splashes.  It all seems suddenly very quiet.......  Yesterday we had a lovely time at the beach at Deveses jumping the waves and enjoying the great outdoors in glorious sunshine 

but most of the time we stayed local and everyone just relaxed.  Mind you, I now need to cut right back on food intake as we've eaten out quite a lot and a teenager's metabolism I do not have!

Now young people in our pool is one thing, but spiders are quite another 😱 and it seems that this is the time of year that they decide to take a swim in our pool too.  I think I've mentioned tarantulas before and that possibly they are linked to the fruit trees which carpet most of the floor of the Orba Valley.  We don't have any fruit trees directly next to our property so I thought we were safe but.....they're smaller than I had feared if I'm honest, but very tarantula shaped and slightly furry.  Apparently they look dead but they're not!  As Ian discovered.  Three times.  

The Orba Fiesta is currently underway here but it's a fairly low-key affair due to Covid.  There are concerts in the main square with audiences sitting on well spaced seating, and on Saturday there was a wonderful fireworks display - the Spanish do love their fireworks!  We've been told the other villages in the valley all try to outdo each other with their displays so apparently for the Spanish size really does matter 😳  One thing I am actually pleased about it not happening is the bull running which is normally part of the festivities.  Basically people stand in protective cages to watch as a number of young bulls are encouraged to run through the narrow streets with people running alongside them.  They are not killed but I don't like to see animals used like this and quite simply don't want anything to do with it once things return to normal in the next year or two.  I've been told it should be seen once but nope, it's not for me.

What with guests and the heat, we haven't done very much to the house and garden although Ian installed our new water deposit just before our visitors arrived.  Basically it's a giant (the old one was 2000 litres, the new one is 1000 litres) stainless steel tub with a lid down the side of the garage which fills with water from the mains via a ballcock (similar to how a toilet cistern refills).  There's a pump in the garage which, when switched on, brings the water from the deposit which greatly increases the water pressure.  So of course it's perfect for use when there's a full house.  Ian advertised the old deposit on Facebook for offers - it was perfectly usable but just very old and we wanted to be safe regarding drinking water - and a lovely couple who live off grid in the mountains bought it for use in watering their produce.  Normally they have to do it all by buckets which sounds back-breaking, but now they can keep it filled by a bit of homespun engineering and it will make a huge difference to them so we're really happy it's gone to a good home.  And they're ecstatic as they don't have much money and were so excited to have it.  Mind you, seeing them drive off with a round 2000 litre fibre glass and steel tank strapped on the roof of their car was something to behold!  I really admire them for living totally off grid but whilst I would enjoy roughing it for a few days I must admit I like a few creature comforts in my home.

We've both been accepted on an online Spanish course run by Rosetta Stone on behalf of the Alicante region which provides 400 free places for non-Spanish speaking residents.  The placement test was a challenge in itself and Ian couldn't do any of it but is happy with the total beginner level they've unsurprisingly placed him in.  My placement test put me in a category which is higher than I know I am however (must've got lucky!) and after a bit of a struggle with it I asked them to bump me down a level as although I was getting there, the reality is it was a step too far.  So I'll give it another go later today but it's a great offer and one that would have cost us a lot of money otherwise so we feel very grateful to be doing it.

Recently I decided to resurrect my domestic goddess skills which I made strong efforts to hone during last year's lockdown; my greatest triumph last year was carrot cake, this time I tried Rocky Road with a twist - made with white chocolate:

It was fab and I'll definitely be making it again 👍  And my painting is going extremely well, I've nearly finished my first portrait and will be starting another one soon.  Ian is going to create a studio for me in the garage/workshop once the weather cools down a bit which is pretty exciting.  Watch this space.....

And so now we're into August and the summer is flying by.  Ian should have his second Covid jab very soon (there's a 10 week gap for Astra Zeneca here) and it seems that he will then be able to enter the UK without the 10 day quarantine.  I will have to wait until late September for mine but there is nothing to be done but be patient.

Stay safe and hasta luego!

Our new home in the Orba Valley, Alicante

Well as I write it's the second day of 'freedom' in the UK and it seems that caveats are already in the frame 🤔 things have taken a bit of a hiccup here too - some areas of the Valencia region, but not where we live, have had a curfew re-imposed (I believe from 1-6am) and the whole region is not allowed any gatherings of more than 10 people.  I understand the national government is now looking at other possible measures including a re-introduction of mask wearing outdoors.  This really would be a pain in the proverbial in the heat we currently have - it being summer in Spain and all 😂 more about that later.....  But anyway, we just have to wait and see what the government comes up with - much the same as in the UK.

Last week I FINALLY got my first Covid jab and I couldn't have been more excited as we drove there, you'd have thought I was off to collect an award or to a party and not to have someone stick a needle in my arm 😂 I was so keen, we got there over half an hour early and apart from a couple of other early birds it was really quiet.  The venue was the sports centre on the other side of the valley and the view from outside wasn't too shabby:

On entry I was asked if I was there for my second jab....errr no!!!  Anyhow, the whole process was easy and I went straight to the nurse for the jab and from there to a chair to wait for 15 minutes.  It seems that locally at least, the Spanish hold no truck with private booths in which to be jabbed, no sirree.  It's lights, camera, action in front of everyone who is queuing and everyone waiting out the 15 minutes 😱 luckily I don't mind jabs but if you were needle-phobic or similar I'm not sure how you'd feel!  In any event I bounced out of there like I'd won the lottery and joined Ian at the sports centre cafe for a celebratory coffee.  Now just to wait for them to contact me in mid-September or so for the second one - Astra Zeneca if you're wondering.

A friend from Mallorca came out to stay for 2 nights recently and we had a wonderful time showing her the area, eating some great food and relaxing in the pool.  During a menu del dia one evening in the little square, the town hall band gave us a tune or two  - I think they were on their way to the oldest part of town called Orbeta which was celebrating a fiesta.  All towns and villages here seem to have wonderful facilities - music schools, sports centres, swimming pools.....you name it, they've got it!  Nice to see that learning to play a musical instrument is seen as an important skill here as this seems to have dropped by the wayside in the UK.

During her visit we stopped at the vaccination sports centre cafe for a coffee whilst driving around the valley, slightly concerned that we'd gatecrashed a youth club party as the place was packed with mainly young male adults - on closer inspection we realised that the clanking racket we could hear over and above the voices was the table football tables they were all playing highly competitively on 6 carefully numbered tables.  Then we saw the computer system and realised we'd inadvertently walked in on a hard-fought table football competition.  They were enjoying themselves but it was obviously serious stuff for most of them.  But what struck me after about 10 minutes of so was that this was good old-fashioned table football, albeit with digital goal scoring and connected to a series of computer tablets and ever changing league table computer screens, but..... not a computer game as such in sight.  Maybe I'm showing my age but it was fantastic to see lots of young people having such a great time with the same thing that those of us a lot older did too.

And on the subject of football....ah well.  It was nice while it lasted but it was great to see an England team do so well and do the country proud.  The less said about the vile trolling the better - sometimes I just don't know what the world is coming to (god, I sound so old! but really??!)

We've been working hard on various parts of the exterior of the property with the current issue being the replacement of a water deposit (tank) at the back of the garage which fills from the mains and then provides greater water pressure in the house when a pump in our garage is switched on.  We haven't used it yet but as we have family coming out soon and we might need that extra pressure we tried it out.  It works perfectly but we thought we'd clean the water deposit out before refilling it as it hasn't been used for so long.  But then Ian discovered it needs replacing so one is on order - there's always something!  Whilst Ian had fun with that, I painted a gate - much easier!

I'm continuing to go to my wonderful art support group in Benidoleig every Monday and enjoying it beyond all expectation.  However last Monday the temperature here took a sharp upwards turn and quite how we managed to paint with just a few fans and no air-conditioning I will never know.  The car temperature gauge said it was 42.5 degrees C!  And from today onwards temperatures are heading up again - still the pool is great when the heat is all just a bit much and some days we've been in the pool 3 times.  Mind you the chillis we've been growing are providing heat of a different kind:

And finally.....an update on Alfie the toad hunter.  He successfully went on a toad hunt right in the middle of the Euro 2020 final which Ian found highly amusing as you can imagine 😳 it was quite a big one too, maybe in celebration of such a big event, who knows!  It was transported to a nearby dry riverbed and I really hope that's now the last of them.  Mind you, when we went for dinner with our neighbours we commiserated about toads and wasps but then they mentioned tarantulas.  Yep, apparently they're a possibility too 😱😱😱 all I can hope is that this is because our neighbours have a long border with the fruit trees that are grown all over the valley floor because trust me, if I encounter a tarantula it won't end well for either of us!!

Stay safe and hasta luego!

Our new home in the Orba Valley, Alicante

Well that came around quick didn't it?!  The weeks are definitely moving along with great speed which is more than can be said for us as temperatures have moved on up into the 30s, currently at 36 degrees C 😅  But this is positively balmy by comparison to the 38 degrees C expected on Sunday - scorchio!  Our pool is heating up all the time and is currently 31 degrees C which given it's 8x4m, very deep and therefore a not inconsiderable amount of water, goes some way to indicating just how hot it is getting out here.  So we've moved into 'pool twice a day' mode and it really is wonderful especially when, as today, there is absolutely no breeze whatsoever.  Living in a valley at right angles to the coast we often get a lovely afternoon breeze from the sea but lately that's happening less and less.  In any event, this is what our Tally thinks of the current heat:

I must admit, that's exactly how I feel 😂

One thing we have noticed about having a pool in the heat is that they are a magnet for wasps who like to sit on the water, have a drink and then fly off.  They don't seem aggressive in any way but if their wings become waterlogged and they can't fly off it certainly does become possible that you might get stung.  I believe that changing the pool to salt water does the trick but this is a very expensive option and so we're learning to live with them, and have also placed a dish of sugar water with some corks floating in it near their favourite part of the pool in an effort to encourage them elsewhere - mixed results but worth persevering.  Nevertheless, our pool filter has been completely clogged with drowned wasps:

And speaking of wildlife, we had our first BBQ using our new gas BBQ the other night.  It has a flat metal griddle and Ian was careful to clean it thoroughly afterwards.  Yesterday he noticed that something has walked across it and left telltale prints; we do have fruit rats here which are sandy coloured and really rather sweet, nothing like the dark and rather sinister sewer rats but the footprints are definitely not a rat.  We think a feral cat (there is a local cared for colony) as no neighbours have a cat:

What do you think?  All suggestions welcomed!

The sorchio weather means that it's ideal for the beach, and the other day we drove only 15 minutes to the coast and slightly north of Denia to a wonderful beach that is also dog-friendly - not, of course, that we would take our four-leggeds anywhere near a beach in this heat.  If Carlsberg did beaches.......

We excitedly took off our shoes to walk barefoot in the sand but after about a minute squeals of excitement turned to those of pain as I started to hop, then jog and then stop to desperately put my flip flops back on because it was way too hot to walk on, especially the really dry, soft sand by the dunes.  And yes, we did see a family with a couple of dogs - quite what they were thinking we have no idea but it really does beggar belief that anyone would be quite so stupid 😡  Mind you, I guess it's a lot better than leaving them in a car.  Ours were relaxing at home in the cool where they belong.  At night they each sleep on a large flat ice block wrapped in a tea towel and my goodness don't they love it!  They won't get into their beds until the block is in place so they have us well trained.

Despite the heat our garden is currently growing clementines, grapefruit, olives, various herbs, chillis and tiny tomatoes.  And our vine has this all hidden away under its leafy canopy:

Not sure we'll make much wine with them but hey, they're grapes and they're ours 💪  Although lemons are easily grown here we have none this year, maybe next year as the tree is very tiny.  And we had a huge crop of nisperos (loquats) in the spring.  Next year we hope to grow big tomatoes and maybe some sweet peppers but it wasn't possible to get it sorted in time this year.  We have however allocated the space where some veg can be grown so.....

And I'm back on air!  From this Thursday at 7pm (6pm UK time) I will be presenting a one hour show of upbeat music hits for the young at heart on Valley FM and you can tune in via valleyfm.es website.  Once a radio presenter, always a radio presenter I guess! 🎧

I've noticed that where we used to live in Puerto Pollensa, Mallorca there are now quite a few new Covid cases which is disappointing but I guess that as everyone can go online to book their jab there, the population are well protected insofar as it goes.  Here in Orba there are no cases and I believe this has been the case for some time.  Mind you this is useful for me because although they're now vaccinating those in their 30s here, I am....yes, you've guessed it....still waiting!  My health app (the health service here is very efficient in every possible way, except for my jab 😂) now tells me sternly that not only should anyone of my year of birth report to their health centre if they haven't had a jab (done that, got nowhere) but that anyone with a year of birth up to 10 years younger now should do so too.  You really couldn't make it up!  A friend who had her second jab yesterday raised the issue with the staff there and a phone call was made.  I've been told someone will message me 🤔 think I've heard that before though.  Vamos a ver!

Anyone for tennis?  It really is good to see Wimbledon back after its absence last year although slightly weird to see so many spectators - almost as many as you would have PC (pre-Covid).  And yesterday Boris announced most Covid rules are set to end in England on 19 July.  Nothing like that happening here as we're a way behind the UK in terms of vaccinations but already it feels like we're on the path to an end to restrictions just by not having to wear a mask outside any more.  And of course the football is the big news and I think we're all still in a state of shock at watching a big England football match without our nerves in tattered shreds - I mean, it was such a great and confident watch wasn't it?  Not used to that and long may it continue.  Mind you, we're also supporting Spain and if they both win the semis.....well that'd be awkward wouldn't it? 😳  Is football coming home?  We shall see! 😜

Stay safe and hasta pronto!

Our new home in the Orba Valley, Alicante

Another week gone and, little by little, we creep closer to 'normality' - whatever that may mean moving forward.  Certainly the seemingly endless football on TV at the moment at least has actual spectators present which surely must make a difference to the players.  It's the same with tennis and it's great to see......and yet we still can't dance and theatres and nightclubs still can't open (here or in the UK).  It's so frustrating but we are getting there.......

So the big news in Spain is that from this coming Friday we will no longer have to wear masks in outside public areas 🥳 of course this will probably mean we're more likely to forget to have a mask with us and get to a shop or bar and be unable to enter but hey, it's a start!  And as the weather hots up I think this is not a moment too soon - a sweaty mouth area in our 30+ degree heat is never a thing of joy and beauty 😂  But it raises an interesting issue: we always wear a mask in my Spanish class and recently one of the other students made some lovely cakes for us to try and so of course everyone removed their mask in order to eat.  I nearly fell off my perch when I realised that our teacher, Antonio, has a beard 😳  Apparently he used to have a fuller one but mask-wearing made him cut it closer for comfort but still, it's completely different to how I thought he looked underneath!  I would hardly have recognised the other students either (apart from one whom I've seen without a mask elsewhere), one of whom looks exactly like a young Queen Elizabeth II and it was all just....well....weird 😝  And if I was a bit discombobulated by seeing people's whole faces, it made me wonder how strange it must be for small children who may literally remember nothing but faces with masks and then ......I mean, can you imagine being happily sat in your pram and then a friendly neighbour who you've known all your life from the eyes and voice is suddenly a whole face with a nose, mouth and face-shape (and of course potentially facial hair like Antonio) - I think I'd be more than a little unsettled!

Of course all this relaxing of the rules is all very well but for those of us still waiting for even one vaccination, well I think it's fair to say I will be keeping my distance from most people.  Because yes folks, computer still say no.  The health authority's own app here tells me that with my year of birth if I have't had a vaccination I should contact my health centre and get a vaccination organised.  So I did.  And it made no b****y different whatsoever!  😡

We've continued working on our garden and it's all starting to look very nice BUT our Alfie (small dog for those unsure!) has decided that he is the self-appointed, all-round super action ..........toad hunter.  Yep, as we live in the countryside at the bottom of a valley there are, especially during the summer, quite a few toads about.  

There is apparently a really large one of around 8" here in Spain which is very poisonous to dogs so not only is that a concern for Alfie's sake (Tally is completely disinterested) but also for me as toads are not my favourite thing and if I saw something the size of a small frying-pan crawling/hopping around my garden I would need hospitalisation 😱  However so far Alfie has mercifully only found common toads and hasn't actually managed to pick one up yet.  His total is currently at 5 (2 in one evening!).  He is completely obsessed and in the evenings roots around the undergrowth and especially on the rockery and then barks hysterically when he finds one and tries to pick it up.  We've spoiled his fun a bit and created a barrier that we put up in the evening to prevent him accessing the rockery part of the garden so he's a bit sulky that we don't seem to appreciate his efforts.  He's the kind of dog who loves to squirm about in dirty washing (underpants are his absolute favourite 🤮), rush headlong into filthy puddles and lie down, or roll in things that I actually cannot bring myself to think about but suffice it to say that one memorable time on a walk in Mallorca he did just that and the smell was so bad we all (both of us and his always pristine 'sister' Tally) recoiled gagging, and on returning to the car he made the ride of shame home on several plastic bags for a cold shower with a hose before he was even allowed anywhere near the actual bathroom.  It's like living with Gnasher of Dennis the Menace.  And spookily he's much the same colouring.

The plant I mentioned last week that looked as if it was going to flower in gratitude for being rescued from the jungle undergrowth that was our garden has now produced this:

And this evening we ate a meal using several of the fresh herbs we're now growing and I've come to the conclusion that the only way to eat peas is with the addition of lovely fresh mint.

Finally, during the past week we tracked down various leads on folding beds for sale via Facebook prior to Ian's son and family coming out in a month's time.  Let's just say that in one instance we truly found that some people have rather different standards of hygiene to us 😱but we now have the requisite number of (nice clean) beds and are good to go!  It will certainly be great to see family again after so long....... 

Stay safe and hasta la próxima semana!

Our new home in the Orba Valley, Alicante

Summer is well and truly here now (30 degrees today) and our pool water is now 28 degrees which isn't too shabby!  We've taken to spending about an hour in the pool every day and my goodness, it's a thing of joy and beauty on a really hot day 😝

An important moment for us this week was finally putting up our house name using little Spanish tiles:

This means "Dream House" which for us it truly is 💕

We've done lots more work on the garden and are beginning to get control of the weeds and out of control invasive plant species which is very satisfying, and not a moment too soon now that the hot summer weather is upon us.   And we're reaping the rewards of our labours as many plants are flowering all over the place and providing us with plenty of gorgeous rich colours in the wonderful Mediterranean sunshine:

The garden jungle around a lovely tree that had been choked by lots of undergrowth now is a lovely clear area in which we have planted some of the plants that had struggled on in pots that had been put out there and then also been enveloped in the undergrowth.  They now look lovely and one of them is about to give us some beautiful flowers.  In any event, the change is pretty significant:

We also found a lovely metal tub which I've turned into a little herb garden so am looking forward to using them in cooking and salads.

Some of our lovely smaller cacti which we brought with us from Mallorca are now displayed alongside the herbs 😍 

This weekend we had our first house guest, a friend of Ian's from many years ago when they worked together, and who is now living in Benidorm.  On Saturday evening, in a 'coals to Newcastle' moment 😂, we went to see a comedian from Benidorm who was doing his first gig since Covid brought the world to a grinding halt last year.  He is the son of Stephen Lewis who played Inspector 'Blakey' in "On the Buses" (which ran from 1969-1973 on UK TV) and he really was very funny.  It was lovely to be entertained and have a great laugh, and we also ate some delicious tapas so all in all, it was almost like old times!  On Sunday we went to see a Cuban singer where we enjoyed lots of Spanish, South American and international music with a Latin twist, and had a BBQ including yummy chicken fajitas and nachos.  The weekend certainly reminded us that things are gradually returning to a (kind of) normal and I think we appreciate them all the more following the last 16 months or so......

We've also discovered the joys of the local pizzeria, based at the sports centre and outdoor swimming pool (the latter is currently still shut).  Great pizza and pasta and a bottle of wine will set you back all of 5-7€!  If you arrive about 8pm, the tables are for 2-4 British/Dutch/German people; if you are there around 10pm the tables have all become much bigger for 10+ people with Spanish families and groups of young adults and the noise level goes up at the same time 😝  Again, the fact that there is no limit here now on the number of people at a table gives us a taste of what we took for granted not so very long ago.

We have started to notice a few European (and one or two British) owners returning to their properties locally but any tourists have largely passed us by living just a little inland as we do.  We haven't ventured out to the coastal areas much as yet but intend to explore them more in due course.  Certainly it is stunningly beautiful here both inland and on the coast and we very much appreciate our gorgeous surroundings.

We have watched with interest as Boris has postponed lifting all restrictions in the UK for another month 🤔  The vaccination rollout here continues to be pretty slow and....nope....I've still heard nothing despite those in their 40's now being vaccinated 😡 computer apparently still say no....  Anyhow, life has returned to reasonably close to normal here apart from having to wear a face mask everywhere.  This is not so bad in the winter but when it is 30 degrees plus it's really quite unpleasant.  I never envisaged having a sweaty mouth/chin before all this happened, it not generally being that sort of an area 😳 but I certainly know all about it now!  I must say I will be pleased when we don't have to wear them any more but would prefer that it happens once I've actually managed to get my Covid vaccination.....so...... 2023 then 🙄

In the meantime, stay safe and hasta la próxima semana!