Glory of Grandparents
I’ve just found out today that my son along with five other students from the forty in his year group, has been chosen to study Latin next year and take his English language exam a year early. The Director said that he was looking at the students that a few years from now, should be applying for Oxford and Cambridge University.
My son recently took a maths challenge and out of the 200,000 children that took part, we was in the top 40% and of that the top 21%, and was given an award. He received that award today.
Lastly he won an IT star today, the only one in his year group.
If I tell anyone else this and yes this blog including I know it sounds like a braggy mum. I’ve come home bursting to tell someone as I’m so proud of him. He’s a quiet lad, he’s not competitive, he just gets on with things quietly and often without any recognition so hey, I want to shout out how proud I am today from the highest roof tops.
But I can’t because it sounds like an overbearing boastful mum. However there is someone I can tell who won’t think any less of me and will just enjoy the story of his success at its face value and not read anything else into it…..my mum and dad. Only grandparents can take the highs and lows of their granchildren and enjoy those highs just as much as the parents of those grandchildren. Only grandparents can hear the stories of how clever their grandchildren are without envy, without prejudice and with pure joy. And that is the glory of grandparents….
Ole Ole Espana
Well done Spain. I’ve only watched one world cup game, this game and even I got excited about the little round ball soaring up and down the green stuff….pitch? My daughter was more excited about Ronaldo, my husband that he had the best bit of the sofa and well I’m really REALLY proud of Spain. Only one yellow ticket/naughty chair card and they are into the quarter finals.
The whole of Marbella can be heard whilst I type screaming, shouting, children are calling and there are fireworks being sent off into the inky sky.
A very good night for Spain. Ole, ole Espana, can’t wait to see you again soon….
2nd July 7.30pm
Helpful Ideas for tourists
If you are a tourist about to drive in Spain or just walk about, here are some helpful ideas.
1. Do not cross a zebra crossing without looking. Zebra crossings in the Marbella area are there to make the road look pretty and to match the Mayor’s latest suit. They are not there for pedestrians – silly. Cross a zebra crossing without looking and you will die.
2. In Puerto Banus the road by V.I.Ps is a one way road. Meet me coming the other way and one of us will have to stop and it won’t be me because I usually go to Puerto Banus in the morning and I’ve not very cheerful or nice in the morning.
3. On the A7, otherwise known as the coastal road do not drive at 60km per hour. Do not drive 60km in the fast lane. My choice is to either tailgate you or overtake on the middle lane, neither of which I find particularly pleasant. Both of which could result in your death and possibly mine. Would prefer yours….
4. At roundabouts I’m jolly glad that you take a few hours to decide which way to go. But the decision to turn left at that roundabout was a mistake….
5. At petrol stations do not put leaded petrol into the car if it is diesel. On the other hand, if you drive like any of the above go right ahead as at least you will be off the road for a couple of days.
6. England lost the World Cup so you can take down your tatty English flag now from your car aerial, unless you want your car keyed at La Canada shopping centre.
7. When I let you in and you wave thank you, all of the above are forgiven as that doesn’t happen very often here in Spain!
Happy driving….and I don’t really mean any of the above!!
New look for Mercadona
I don’t know if it is just the Mercadona near the Elviria exit but the Mercadona there has a brand new look. There is now a large freezer that sells frozen meats. I bought some frozen chicken fillets that were over 2 euros per kilo cheaper than the fresh chicken fillets in El Corte Ingles. they also had lots of lamb chops for around 5 euros. Seriously going to try those!
There is also a small section where you can buy meat fresh. Not exactly a butcher but you can buy chicken fillets by the kilo etc.
Since I nearly always end up freezing my meat, if I can save a few euros by buying it already frozen then I’m happy….
Adding air conditioning meters to your apartment
I had an interesting email through today discussing the purchase of an air conditioning meter to cut down on electricity by making the tenant/client responsible for paying the air conditioning rather than the owner. Here is the info and contact information if you want to follow this up.
From: info@mobility-scooters-spain.com
Message:
Dear Sir/Madam
Do your customers leave the air conditioning units on all day leaving a high electricity bill? If the answer is yes to these questions then we are here to help.
Your tenant will be responsible for their own use of the air conditioning units or even the electricity as the unit has a 100amp capacity. The unit can be credited with either ?1 coins or ?2 coins. Credit is displayed on the unit so that the user can see at all times the remaining credit.
The cost of these meters are 175.00 euros or installed from 240.00 euros.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Kind Regards
Dawn Burton
Luxury item…visit to the cinema
We went to see Marmaduke at the Puerto Banus cinema last week. I couldn’t believe how much the cinema at Puerto Banus is now charging for entry. If it is just a single person then a 6.70 euro hit isn’t too bad. However if you are a family of five then a trip to the cinema is going to cost you at least 33.50 euros. If you have popcorn and drinks, part of the cinema experience then it is going to cost a lot more.
From Amazon.co.uk you can order dvd’s not long after they have come out at the cinema for £10-15. From the DVD shop in Nueva Andalucia you can rent one for 4 euros. If you have a big plasma screen at home as a lot of people do these days then you can still get a cinema experience and a lot of films, such as Marmaduke really aren’t that special on the big screen, it wasn’t James Bond…..
In the UK they have special offers on week-ends for families. If families go in the afternoon to the cinema they get big discounts and it makes you much more likely to go. Films such as Shrek 3 due to be released shortly appeal to families but we won’t be going to the cinema to watch it.
The cinema at Puerto Banus has just become a luxury item that we can do without….and do without we will until their prices come down for families.
Patio gardening
Thought I’d update my photos of my patio with its little pots of vegetables. The tomatoes are bigger than the ones I thought that I had purchased and are just ready now to ripen on the vine before I pick them and eat them that same day with a lovely salad with slices of chicken, beetroot dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The peppers are looking a bit spindly but are now producing green peppers. Not the plump bell peppers but ones that are excellent in stir fries, they aren’t a bit spicy but can be a little bitter so need to be cooked with a tomatoe based stock to balance this.
The lemon tree is as healthy as I have ever seen it but this year it has been watered twice a day and been given special citrus tree fertilizer. Only problem I’m going to have is trying to keep it watered whilst we go camping later in July to Tarifa. I’m going to stick some upside down water bottles inside it, cut off the nozzle and see if that works. The lemon tree drops its lemons if it feels that it is going short on water so I’ll be really upset if I come home and see the patio littered with blackened unripe lemons. Almost a reason NOT to go away.
Off now to read my new book that a friend gave me, it is called Rumour has it by Jill Mansell, a hardback which makes it feel extra special. I know there are fans of ebooks but a Sunday afternoon curled up on a deckchair in the garden with a cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake…well that’s just perfect for me. Happy Sunday…..
Journeys from hell
We’ve all had or know someone that has the most horrendous flight and travel experience. Well my son finally walked through the door at 4.15am from his school trip to Germany…..listen to this.
Last Monday he was taken to Malaga airport for 4.30am for a morning flight. The flight was cancelled due to an earlier flight being late which meant the pilot needed “rest” time. Lucky him, none of the school group got much rest that day. The flight was supposed to go from Malaga to Madrid to Munich. The flight eventually left at 3pm and went from Malaga to Zurich in Switzerland. From there they had to get a flight to Fussen in Germany. All was well. A whole day wasted, they had landed in a different country from originally planned but at least they had arrived.
Coming back yesterday in Germany an unattended bag meant all flights were delayed for an hour whilst sniffer dogs were sent in and plans to destroy the bag were put in place. That was until a frantic German lady probably high from eating too much cheese, leapt under the police tape screaming ” mein beutel. ” The police dog was snarling and I believe quite a few delayed passengers, but at least her bag wasn’t blown up. Then again I think that would have been a suitable punishment.
We were due to collect my son at around 12.15am from Malaga ( yawn) but this was now put forward. All but two parents received the message, the other two went to the airport and had to stay and get intimate with three airport chairs.
The flight from Germany following the delay, then took off to land at Madrid. In Madrid there was a raging storm. The flight was delayed by four hours. Some storm…More phone calls from my son, by which time I had dropped off to sleep fully clothed and each the time the landline rang I levitated four inches, had a mini stroke and began to hallucinate that there was a man hovering above my bed somewhere close to the ceiling.
Eventually the Madrid flight took off and all the parents went to Malaga airport. Only there were more delays. First a few minutes, then an hour. Silently all the parents began to think that with the storm in Madrid there had most likely been a plane crash and at 3am these types of thoughts can really take a grip. There was no communication from the airport, the plane or any airport staff which didn’t help.
It turned out that upon landing the plane had burst a tyre so whilst it was in Malaga it was stranded on the airport awaiting assistance. They should have asked us parents, we would have pushed. I think our minds alone could have collectively willed the plane with its precious cargo to the right gate.
So now my brood is all back on one place, air Iberia is now a foul word in the house, my son has a slight slur in his speech from exhaustion, my husband has a mild eye twitch but I’m ok. I stayed home after all that and the hallucinations with the man by the ceiling soon stopped.
Shame….
Needy people
I’ve never considered myself a needy person but this week I’ve become that very same person.
My daughter has been away all week in Cuenca with her class mates and mostly has been unable to get a signal to call me. I have however been receiving texts throughout the day when she’s out and about and able to. When I have heard my mobile trill that there has been a text you should see me run. I’m faster than a mad march hare, gobbling up anything she says, re-reading it, trying to work out if there’s a hidden message behind ” I’m having so much fun, bit tired. Love ya.”
She’s home today at 6pm and I can honestly tell you that time does NOT go faster if you stare at a watch every 30 seconds.
3 hours and 45 minutes to go and a couple of nano seconds…..then I won’t be a needy person anymore. But a very happy mommy…..
Google street maps
Has anyone else found they are getting a little to carried away with Google street maps? I’ve been looking up all the old houses that I’ve ever lived in, having a trip down memory lane.
I’ve resisted looking up old boyfriends houses and school friends from long ago, but only because I can’t remember their addresses.