Too hot for gardening…
At long last I see red....
It is just too hot for gardening. I have now run out of enthusiasm for even watering pots and my tomatoes which I’ve looked after for months. I think they have had more attention than the children. However the twice even three times daily watering that they need has now become a chore and as my friend Jenny said…it would be easier just to buy them from the supermarket. She’s right of course. However like childbirth, by next year I’m sure I’ll be buying the seedling again, full of enthusiasm and I will have forgotten that after more than 10 weeks, I have only picked one tomatoe to date…..It didn’t taste great either!
However, after more than 10 weeks of mostly sunshine I took this photo today to remind me how lucky we are living in Southern Spain. You really do never get bored of waking up to blue skies…..
Nobody, absolutely nobody parties like the Spanish
At gone 11pm I decided to take the girls out, just get in the car and drive. I didn’t know where I was going but I just wanted to be part of any worldcup party that was going on. It took about 1 minute before we found the party…on the road.
We had our flag hanging out of the window and the horn blaring….and so did nearly every other driver that we passed. There were cars with yellow wheels, people in boots, everyone who had a sun roof had a person sticking out waving a flag. It was absolutely BRILLIANT..the best night I think I’ve had since I’ve lived in Spain. We tried walking but decided it was more fun in the car. So for a good part of 45 minutes we just drove in and out around Marbella with the horn going in unison with all the other people on the road. No drink drivers in sight, nobody throwing up, just happy, happy, noisy people. It took about 30 seconds for me to forget my English reserve and to get in the swing of just being FREE.
Husband just got back from the centre of Marbella and said that it was the same, no drunken behaviour just lots of football chants, hugs, handshakes and happy Spaniards. No foreigners in sight at the bar they were in and at the end the owner got a chant going singing ” you are Spanish, you are Spanish.” Brilliant!
Can’t wait for the next worldcup….VIVA ESPANA…….
WELL DONE SPAIN
I am sooooo happy….dancing around, screaming around, high kicking around…WELL DONE SPAIN….and especially for playing such a good game against those dirty Duch football players.
HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH.
Worldcup, where were you?
I feel quite honoured to be living in Spain whilst they play in the worldcup football final. I haven’t been into Marbella town recently where I’m sure balconies and shops are decked out with flags and banners, but within our community it is pretty low key.
So I went to the Chinese shop to buy a huge Spanish flag on a pole, a Spanish banner and at least my balcony looks like a true patriot. In our community there are only three English people, I’m one of them, the rest are mainly Spanish so it seems ironic that it is a Brit that is “flying the flag.”
My better half has gone into Marbella town with his dad and we’ve opted to watch it on the big screen at home. My youngest is now complaining bitterly that we should be in town too but since she’s not been interested in watching one worldcup football match when “Our World” on the PC was vying for her attention, I’m not feeling too guilty. This way my other daughter and I can compare David Villa’s looks with the Dutch team, my son can fall asleep if he wants to as he did during the semi final and we can blow our footie whistles and parade around the house with the flag in our bikinis without bothering too many people.
If Spain wins I may march down to the Puente Romano beach with my flag and three children in a line, dressed in red and yellow, as at least on this community, it is only the Brits that seem to know how to celebrate in style….
Gooooo Espana……..
Looks like the German octopus was correct
In Germany there is an octopus that in each worldcup football match Germany has played has correctly predicted which team will win that Germany plays against. In its tank the octopus has a choice of two boxes flying the flags of the two countries. Whichever box it opens is the team that will win. In tonight’s match the octopus opened the Spanish box thus soothsaying that Spain will win the semi final of the world cup.
At the time of writing Spain is one nil up…..I vote the German octopus to run the European Union. Anyone with me?
40% off BMI baby summer flights
I’ve just had an email from BMI saying there is a 40% flight sale on their summer flights.
Up to 40% off selected flights to the sun
in July, August and September!
If you haven’t booked your summer flights then worth a look…..
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
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…..