Going back home .....

Hello again,

As we get ready to return to the UK I thought I would just do a short blog. Our plans to go down to the coast didn’t materialise. We decided to crack on and get most of the external work on the house finished while it was dry. The new windows and doors took 2 days to fit and they are lovely, no more rattling and draughts when it is windy. They come complete with a drop down mosquito net and new white shutters; the place looks really good and the finishing touches were the bars, which I volunteered to paint-what a horrible job!  The garden is finished and so is most of the painting at the front, Chris painstakingly painting the floor in front of the house.

We have a problem with the wood burner which is producing creosote and it is dripping down the external pipe causing a lovely mess on the front corner of the house! Chris has tried tape but not helped and the only way to avoid it is to burn the fire as high as possible but then it is too hot to sit in the room!!  For those of you that are thinking, wood burner thought you were in sunny Spain? Yes we are but it is winter here too and that means cold mornings till about 9.30 and chilly evenings from about 4pm and then cold once the sun goes down at about 6.30. Unlike in the UK the houses here are designed to keep cool, it is 35-40 C in the summer, so there is no insulation and at this time of year it is warmer outside than inside during the day. Chris is contemplating replacing the external tubing from the wood burner and sealing it again to see if it helps.

We have also finished the outside walls at the back of the house and that is most of the external maintenance done. Chris has ordered new windows for two of the rear bedrooms and they will get fitted when we get back in January. Then there is just the inside to decorate and the whole place will be finished. Whew!!

On Sunday we had a bit of a break, and drove to Cehegin as there was an artisan market in the main square at the top of the old town. Chris stuck his bike on the back and set off cycling I went up to the market on my own. It was my first visit to the old town and it is beautiful full of windy streets, lovely buildings and when you get to the top, stunning views. You never know what to expect but the market was pretty good, food stalls and some local crafts. It started at 10 and I got there about 11 and on the way down popped into the tourist office for some info and the guy asked was it busy and I said I’d never been before, he looked at his watch and said “Oh it is too early yet, there is free food and wine at 12 so the locals will be turning up about 12.30!!” If we are here in January then a later start is required. Chris had cycled the via verde to Bullas so I picked him up and we came back to the village for lunch.

I love to cook so I was busy at the weekend as I got 3kg plum tomatoes for 1 euro, about 85p. I made some Frito (the Spanish tomato sauce that is the basis of a lot of their cooking) which went into some minestrone soup and some in the freezer, and I also made roasted tomato soup too. A bargain and hours of endless fun in the kitchen!!

For lunch on Wednesday we invited Mel and Stan who, until recently ran a bar in Pliego, as a bit of a thank you for all of the help they had given Chris over the years. Unfortunately Stan had to work but we had a nice time, we had tapas at the bar and then we had goat curry and our neighbour made us her delicious “flan de cafe”.

We have spent about seven weeks at the house and have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know a few more of the locals, understand a bit more about village life and visit some of the local area. We tend to go into Pliego or Mula 3-4 times a week, especially when we need paint, stones, plaster etc but we could manage in the village-the local shops have good fresh fruit and vegetables, meat etc and on Wednesday and Saturday the fish man comes. If we were feeling really lazy we could wait till the van from the shop comes up past the house-saving a walk of about 400 yard!! It is still a very traditional way of life here and I’m sure there have been a few eyebrows raised as I was up a stepladder painting and when I mentioned that Chris was cooking!! Our neighbour’s son little Francisco next door has just started to walk and he looks like he will be a real handful. The children still spend most of their time outside, playing games and wandering round the village as it is a very safe environment.

We are flying from Alicante so have arranged parking for the van. It will be good to be home and catch up with people, especially Imogen who I’ve not seen since she headed off for Basle in August. Of course we have the excitement of the wedding on 7^th December and then Christmas. I’m hoping to get to see a live rugby game , (Spain is footie mad!!) and maybe some live theatre ............oh and the joy of a Saturday Guardian. Simple things........

Til  next time take care

Norma x