Sunday 30th March, 2025

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

Good morning my friends.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Again the sun shone and we spent some time outdoors. Suzy went for a jog for the first time in weeks, complaining 10 year old Pippa couldn't keep up with her. Eladio went to have his annual blood test and came back to have breakfast outside. He and Tana got out the kitchen patio furniture, a sure sign of good weather. Hurray. I took a photo of the moment.
Enjoying the sun on Thursday
While we were enjoying the sun, Oli and Miguel were on their way to Brussels for a romantic long weekend to celebrate their upcoming 40th and 50th birthdays. This is the first time they have left the kids overnight in 5 years and they deserve a break. Oli chose Brussels because she wanted to go to a French speaking country as she is so keen on the lingo. Good for her. Here are a couple of photos of them in the Grand Place, a memorable landmark in the Belgian capital. I'm so happy for them. 

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

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

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

After lunch the men slept a short siesta while Dolores and I chatted by the pool. We then all went for a walk, something I haven't done for at least 2 weeks. And it did me so much good. Here are my fellow walkers on Friday afternoon.
My fellow walkers and Pippa on Saturday afternoon
It was a glorious afternoon with sunshine and green pastures and hardly any else out walking. Just as we were coming back I got a sudden booking on Airbnb for my father's old room; a chap called Miguel who had been here in February but I hadn't met because we were away. I had to do Tana's job and put out the towels, water, a bottle of juice and some Spanish almonds. That's how I always treat my guests. He arrived late at night and surprised me as he told me he was brought up in Kent, UK, to Spanish parents. His English is as good as a native's. He was my third guest this weekend.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oli and Miguel were visiting beautiful Bruges yesterday and went on the train. I remember our visit there with Sandra and Adele in 2016 when it bucketed it down but it was still beautiful. I dug this photo out of me in the main square by the pretty houses to remember our visit. 
Me in Bruges in 2016
It was freezing that day too and I just hoped Oli and Miguel had better weather which they did.

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

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

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

Masha