August 2013

Back to reality now, we had to renew are NIE as they expired on 3rd August, so organise a meet with our lovely translator lady Ana Ruiz, and decided to sort the transfer of the car registration to Spanish. Cars are double the price here, and makes such as Audi, Mercedes are triple! Hence we are sticking with the little Picasso for a wee while. Better the devil you know. Paul had several trips to Malaga on business booked. But most importantly are 11th wedding anniversary. So we decided to take a picnic to Cordoba, have icecreams in a cafe watching people float by. At the most inopportune moment Aston decided he needed the toilet, and NOW! But the nearest toilet was an automatic toilet in the park. So if I’m paying for a wee everyone is going! Thing is when I was busy making sure Corrine used the automatic handwash properly, I didn’t watch Aston who was currently opening the sliding door whilst my clothing was still round my ankles!!!!! Sc reached and trying to pull the door too, as it is automatic, whilst trying to maintain my dignity if nothing else. Aston was completely oblivious to what could be wrong, he was just leaving the toilet. Luckily enough nobody walked past. Phew! Kids Hey, don’t you just love em. Well you know that tooth that had broken, it was now decaying, because I was too chicken to get it sorted – well now it was starting to hurt so I have no choice. Get it sorted now or more pain and it would have to come out! So I dragged Corrine with me for moral support, and visited the dentists recommended by Charo. However, they were all closed for the holidays! But we visited the one Corrine had mentioned before next door to the Meson Carlos III where we normally have tapas, so off we went. Well it was great, a really pleasant experience. The dentist made a temporary filling, I came back two days later for consultation, x-rays and then the filling all for a sweet 40.00 Euros! Very impressed – and the kids, all three of them – played nicely in the Reception area for the full 25minutes – A World Record! A relief I can tell you. They even give you a chart showing which teeth need immediate attention, and which teeth may need attention in a years time – and how much it will cost per tooth! Excellent! One Monday I had some time out with a morning coffee in the town with my friend Beatriz, which was nice, talking about girl stuff – without interruptions from children. We had a short discussion about the Spanish economy – and she confirmed that it is difficult to get jobs, however, it doesn’t help when a lot of the younger generation won’t even travel 20km to look for work. It is far easier to stay at home in the only town they have every known with their mama and grandma looking after them and cooking their meals! Spanish families are very close but doing everything possible to keep your siblings close, instead of making an income – really? And yes the media do put their own spin on it, but it isn’t as bad as they say. A change of thinking is surely required, otherwise if it improves it can only be slowly. The economic decline has seen a lot of English people selling their holiday homes/main homes and returning to the UK – but the properties either don’t sell or are reduced significantly reduced and the Property Agents won’t even drop their commission rates. Which means they don’t sell much either – and properties are on the market for a long time. Properties being cheaper, Spain has seen an increase in Nordic population and now Russian – scooping up the investments – especially at the luxury end of the market around Marbella and Puerto Banus. Had some great news from Paul’s sister, his mum was in the UK! Last time we saw her was Corrine’s birth. She even missed our wedding in 2002 as they wouldn’t let her travel due to bureaucracy and corruption in Lagos. She was also going to try and get a visa to stay a month with us in Spain – that will be very exciting, great as the kids haven’t seen their Grandma Lagos since they were babies. And internet in Nigeria isn’t that good so skype hasn’t been possible. Paul had another meeting in Fuengirola, and as it was in the middle of the day we decided he could leave us at the beach, and see him after. I’m not keen on any beaches near Malaga, due to the vast number tourists and of course the cleanliness (well my standards anyway) are affected. However, we found an almost secluded spot outside Fuengirola (very close to Paul’s appointment) near the rocks, similar to Berling Gap, clean water, a handful of people and rock pools to investigate. We had a fantastic time and found some unusual gorgeous stones and some shells. Paul’s meeting ended quicker than expected and great news, as he had got some work from it. Time to celebrate, cracked open the picnic and then had fun jumping some of the bigger waves, just like they do on Vigilante de la Playa (Baywatch) the kids favourite programme over here! Also practiced diving under the roll of the wave and swimming out of our depth (the sea current and waves are very different than swimming pools. Celebration continued by eating at a cafe and then a spot of room hunting for Paul. As for a short while he would have to be away during the week and come home at weekends. 2 ½ hrs drive each way isn’t fun and also not cheap! Well success must be with us, as checked online in an internet cafe on milanuncios.com (similar to Friday-ad) Made 8 telephone calls and by the end of the evening we had seen 3 places, one which Paul was going to moving in temporarily for 2 ½ weeks and then move to another which was only available early September. A Spanish landlady, no English spoken whatsoever, who rents the rooms in her house to professionals. A really nice lady, very friendly and helpful. Just like most of the people we seem to attract. The first week dropping Paul at the train station was tough. But it helped that it was Ethan’s birthday during the week so we celebrated early, and a package was arriving from Grandma. The week went quite quickly and before you know it we were collecting Paul from the station on Friday night. And the end of August is going to be busy as Corrine’s friend Emily, and my friend Shona (Emily’s mum) are staying on the coast and have arranged to meet up and the girls a sleepover. Thursday 29th August was off to a bumpy start at 4.30am a terrible storm that lasted until almost midday. I have never experienced anything like it – constantly lightning and thunder. The thunder sometimes made the windows shake. And the grass was enjoying the rain. However it was so torrential that it started flooding and rising above the doorstep so I have to put towels infront of the door. Then as expected the electricity was affected and we had that going on and off like a yo yo. It felt like it was never going to end. The kids were overly excited/upset with it all too, which didn’t help. But we were going to brave the bad weather and go to Mercadona to get food that doesn’t need cooking (as no electric). My friend Charo said Mercadona has generators so will be open so off we popped. The storm had eased a little and by the time we had finished the shopping it was glorious blue sky again – like nothing had happened! It is forecast for Malaga area tomorrow, I hope not, as we are off to their to visit Emily. An early start, and the forecast had changed, we had a lovely day by the pool with Emily, Shona and Grandma Joan, and Corrine stayed for a sleepover. Shona will drop them back to us on Saturday and then go to Cordoba on Sunday. Aston was being extremely naughty as he was missing Corrine, but also the fact that she was dining at a restaurant and he wasn’t. Anyway as we were already on the coast we picked up Paul instead of him getting a train. We had a nice day showing some of the sites of beautiful cordoba to our friends, who enjoyed it immensely, however, Aston was extremely naughty and being horribly rude to everyone and a downright pain in the butt. I now realise that all the emotion of having friends from the UK over and Paul away working was releasing itself into naughtiness. But neverthe less, he wasn’t going to get away with it. We said goodbye to our dear friends and made for home. All hot I think a dip in the pool to cool off, well not for Aston though. Funnily enough as soon as we got home, he was his normal self. Sleepy but polite and helpful. WHY OH WHY did he ruin it for himself today – he missed out on icecreams too????

July 2013

The end of June beginning of July were spent doing some gardening and chores around the house and of course making some more friends. Charo and her daughters Paola (9yrs) and Ana (7yrs) have become good friends and several times a week we go to the park at 9pm. Also it is a great practise session for our Spanish as they don’t speak any English so we help each other. Charo’s husband is away for most of the Summer weeks with the odd day at home – he is a bullfighter! One day when we went over for tea she showed us his outfits, they were extremely heavy and adorned in the most beautiful intricate embroidered sequins. The outfits take numerous months to make and are very expensive. One Saturday morning whilst the kids were on their weekly run with Paul, I was quite happily eating my breakfast in the quietness when CRUNCH – a large quarter of one of my molars broke off! Now I was going to have to sort the dentist out, this will be interesting. We had all the excitement of grandparents arriving which was great, because I had lots of helpers to keep the house clean and tidy “as grandma would like it!”. Paul had decided to take the week off so we could all spend holiday time together. All work and no play just isn’t the lifestyle we relish, so all looking forward to some fun, and the kids looking forward to not studying! A whole suitcase was full entirely of gifts and kitchen ingredients/toiletries that you just cannot get in Spain or the prices are ridiculous. We had time to spend by the pool as well as outings. There was a three day night market in La Carlota, which started at 8.30pm but only really started buzzing at 10pm. It was great lots of stalls of food and crafts as well as a circus act. We also spent a day in Cordoba, visited the Botanical Gardens in the morning – we were the only people there – all day! Then the afternoon ambling through the cobbled streets of historical Cordoba. Somehow got our bearings wrong and ended up going too far in the wrong direction for 2 hours in 39deg c heat. But saw a lot of unusual and beautiful courtyard gardens along the way and there are always lots of drinking fountains dotted about. During the week we had a lazy picnic on the beachside of Lake Iznajar the biggest lake in Europe. It was backed by gorgeous olive groves on rolling hills and mountains, the water being a crisp torqoise greeny blue. A wonderful time was had however the week goes by quickly and Corrine just didn’t want grandma to leave (neither did we) but she is very sensitive and cries her little heart out, bless her. But grandma had left some clothes, etc. in the wardrobes, for when she returns in October – and that helped Corrine quite a lot, just knowing that personal items of grandma were here.

Week of 24th June 2013

Monday morning Science!  Had some good physics experiments and the kids had to take part and guess what would happen and then take notes.  They really enjoyed it and I think I did too.

I had done tons of printing last week so was able to get a good structure to their studying timetable.

Tuesday Ethan and I popped into town I needed to get some light riding gloves for my lesson tonight.  I had previously noticed a big shop at the end of the High Street near a light industrial area.  It was called El Truco in there I met Ana and her sister, very friendly, very helpful and she gave me some information of another Equestrian Centre in the next town, but said Jairo at Hotel El Pilar was better – Phew at least the made me feel a little better.

I arrived to se Jairo lunging a 3year old colt with a young lad on his back.  The colt was well trained even at three, Jairo just made a gentle thrill whistle and the colt did a perfect square halt.  Again no whips used and hardly any sound came from Jairo – he seemed a very patient and relaxed teacher.  I did make sure and checked that I wasn’t going to ride this one – and he confirmed he needed to see my level of riding first.  A relieved Sue...... You just don’t know how different countries do things...

Well lesson was fab , we even had a laugh. I rode two different horses the first was 22 year old Spanish Arab the grandmother of the 2^nd horse a gorgeous 5 year old.  Who felt just like a comfy armchair.  Anyway Jairo showed me where to shower the horses and went over parts of the horse in Spanish.  I then got out my 45.00 Euros to pay and he said it’s 10.00 and I don’t have change.  So I tried to give him 20.00 as I thought he was well worth the 45.00 and 10.00 was too less, but he wouldn’t accept.  Wow 10.00 Euro for an hour of this guys time, I’m coming back for more and bringing the kids if they want to!!  How lucky I was to find such a great guy and the gentle way he trains the horses and the great horses they were too.

I then met Carmen and Javier who’s two sons (5yrs and 9yrs) who were having a lesson with Jairo, Carmen is an English teacher at the secondary school in La Carlota, so I asked her to translate for me regarding the misunderstanding on the money and that Jairo would be worth every cent of 45.00 Euros – to which he was very humble.  What a nice guy.

So I went home flying over clouds – floated round Mercadona with a big cheesy grin – and back to tell my wonderful husband – “you were right again”.

Ethan was happy as Uncle Nigel had sent him some software on a CD in the post. Many hours of glued to the computer expected then – I’ll have to have a word with my brother just to check what Ethan asks for – Ethan can be a little flexible with the truth when he doesn’t want you to know the whole story, just in case you spoil his fun.  He’s very intelligent – however, I don’t want very intelligent to also mean fat and happy on a couch for hours on end being unsocial.  I have to actually tell him to go out to play!

Ran out of bread so grabbed a loaf or two from the El Panaderia van that toots in our road every morning – really excited the kids - why??????

Got some clay and extra crafty bits for the kids to use on Fridays – Fridays are Fun Days.  Small spelling test for the older two in the morning but then Arts and Crafts until 12 ish – Lunch then Pool time all afternoon to celebrate working hard.

Although Aston has about ten marbles he has to try and win back for good behaviour.  I know he misses his friends and Grandma/pa and is a bit bored of playing with his brother and sister but this is not on.  Hoping that this is a growth spurt as he always seems to be tired – and sometimes has a sleep in the afternoon.  Unfortunately that also means he wakes up during the night and helps himself to breakfast!! And leaves the disaster area for everyone and goes back to bed, then doesn’t wake up til 9.30!   AAArrrrggh.

Well saying that by the end of the week , Aston had started to be better behaved and won back him marbles by Saturday – so pool time for him.  Although kids weren’t happy as I forgot to check the water and the chlorine had depleated, so swimming was delayed a day.....Oooops sorry kids.

Aston spoke to his friend Hugo on Skype which was lovely, so now he’s sorting toys for Hugo to play with if he comes for a visit.

Grandparents arriving for a week in mid July, so organising the other bedroom and bits round the house.  Counting the days for our first guests!

Week of 17th June 2013

Took a trip into town as Ethan needed trainers but nothing available in his size, so as we had time we went to find Hotel El Pilar on the edge of town as I found a link on their website and they had an equestrian centre as part of the hotel.  Whilst finding a parking space, I noticed a sign for Centro Jardineria (garden centre) so we had a browse,  loads of gorgeous pots and large urns both sculptured, glazed and terracotta, garden statues/fountains, plants, palm trees, etc I was in my element. A place I shall no doubt frequent!

I found out from the gentlemen on Reception that the equestrian side of the business was run by a chap called Jairo but he would not be available until after 5pm.

Later Ethan came back to visit Jairo, they were situated next door to the bullfighting arena, with numerous horses in their stables (no bigger than 10ft x 6ft) but they all looked healthy enough.  And nobody needed spurs or whips.  Jairo was training in the arena together with two other gentleman, making some very fancy dressage movements look breathtakingly easy - anyway to cut a long story short through his very little English and my Spanish I booked a 1 hour lesson next Tuesday evening for 45.00 Euros – I don’t know if I’ll last 1hr ......

Well when I got home Ethan had started coming up in hives, he had stroked a couple of horses which was fine, until sand blew in his eye from the arena and he wiped his eye with the same hand!  Poor things, I had to strip him down, shower him and cover him in Aloe Vera and then he had the pleasures of a style of baby massage to aromatherapy music to help him reeeelax..... – pampered or what!  You guessed it though, he slept like a baby afterwards.

I told Paul I had arranged a lesson for next Tuesday and then the nerves set in, the horses and Jairo were fantastic would I be out of my comfort zone.  What if we just can’t understand each other?  What if, what if.  Paul reminded me to chill and just go – If I cancel I’ll never know, so just go and enjoy yourself!

Printed some more study sheets from the excellent www.offbyheart.co.uk and also investigated some experiments that would be good to do together.

Aston is being extremely naughty so we are trying to vary what he studies, how he studies and give him  more breaks than the other two.

Thursday took Corrine into town and decided to pop back to the garden centre for a nice pot and flowers to go on the patio.  Also need to repot some Aloe pups as I don’t want to use all the leaves off the big Aloe plants – I blend the gel inside with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it had done wonders for is Eczema.  Also if I blend the gel with Orange Juice he drinks it to boost his immune system – hence I need to grow more plants!

Some great time in the pool, the kids swimming is really coming along.

Have been trying to encourage the kids to do the old fashioned things and WRITE to their friends.  Techy boy Ethan wants to email, email whilst Corrine has to fight her way to get anywhere near a computer and then says – “What shall I say?”

I’ve been keeping up my regular Spanish studies and really coming on, half way to GCSE level.  So as an extra boost I’ve ordered the next one (great I could still use www.easyfundraising.org.uk to help preschool!) together with a couple of horsey books for mum to bring over in July.

I tried to cop out of Karate thinking I needed to conserve my energy for Tuesday, but Paul encouraged me on.  I’m glad I did too as it was a good session.

Week of 10th June 2013

Still no sign of Telefonica.

Weather is hot, hot, hot this week.  However, as the end of last week was cool the pool water won’t be warm enough yet and of course I wasn’t in the mood to clean it.  Big mistake!  So the hoovering of the bottom of the pool took longer and a dosage of chlorine was needed.  Lesson learned: Pools are great fun but little cleaning everyday and regularly maintenance goes a long way to your enjoyment. 

Just some of my observations:  unlike in the UK you can buy almost any fruit or vegetable whether they are in season or not.  Not so here.  Maybe it’s because it is a hot country and you can grow anything, why pay the cost of importing just wait til it’s in season.  And they love their meat here, so maybe the demand isn’t that great for fruit and vegetables (frutas y verduras).

Some things that cost more are medicines, branded toiletries and electronic products like hair dryers, microwave, small appliances – No Argos here! I think that maybe why there are separate customs rules for electronics so you don’t import and sell them for a healthy profit!!  Health products like vitamins aren’t popular it’s like the UK was 20 years ago, very difficult to source and expensive.

On the upside La Carlota has lots of lovely boutique style shops (no where near as many as the gorgeous historic city of Cordoba).  I could just spend spend spend!  For example, I saw a pair of stunning shoes I priced at E50.00 – 60.00 because that ‘s what they looked like, and Paul said “sweetie they are only 15 Euros!”

We also have numerous Chinese bizarre cheap in price and some are cheap in quality, but some are very good quality indeed and I am a regular customer!  Great for all the kids arts and crafts bit n bobs.  I suppose a little like a TKMax in some respects, you have to search to find the gems.

Lately Paul has been pushing Ethan and I in karate, so last week the session lasted 2 hours (Corrine has temporarily quit).  We have been learning some more technical kicks, like a spinning hook kick,  which looks really good – when Paul is doing them – not so classy or dignified when I try it!  Although the session was longer, it didn’t feel it.  As Paul is our only teacher and wants to customise our training, he has given us a question to ask ourselves “What do we want our of karate and where do we want to take it (if anywhere)?”

The pool water is fab so started swimming before breakfast, and the kids are allowed in the pool at 4pm if they have studied.  Aston is slowly getting there, he struggles with patience and needs constant variety.  Easily distracted (where does he get that from – Corrine).  If our quest to make things more enjoyable for him, we have bought him his own exercise book and pens, etc. and Paul has found a website that has been compiled from teachers around the world and you have work in all subjects and can set a schedule of tasks for the week.  So they can have more structure to their studying sessions.

Saturday usual 39 degsC / 98 degsF decided to have a leisurely walk into town – Paul hasn’t walked in with us before.  And have Tapas at a different place.  Ooh and what a chance surprise, MotoGP (motorbike racing)  in Catalunya was on widescreen outside.  Paul was in heaven, so we sat munching mixed fried seafood and fish topped of with triple chocolate tarte.  Yum. Yum – time to work some of that off on a wobble back home.

Sunday morning we were awoken but a droaning noise,  I thought it sounded like an airoplane doing a loop the loop.  So excited we all ran out, I picked up Aston so he could see,  because we heard it coming but just didn’t know from where.  Anyway this beautiful bright yellow little plane flew only 50foot from us over the rooftops and over the adjoining fields – he was crop spraying.  So we were all waving.  But guess what in the moment I had forgotten to get dress!  So had been prancing around the garden in my underwear trying to look at the plane!  Well the Kids thought it was funny!

Week 3rd June 2013

 

Corrine and Aston decided to put on a Magic Show!   OOoooooooh!  Poor little Aston was the  ‘beautiful assistant’ in a princess dress and enjoying every minute of it,  including calling himself Amelia!

The weather is getting back to normal now,  April and May they call El tiempo los loco – crazy weather, as one day you will need your coat the next it’s shorts.  Also it can vary that much during the day!

As I said the weather is better and so we were able to use the pool 4 consecutive days……….bliss.  Corrine and Ethan had got themselves accustomed in the toddlers pool and are now allowed in the big pool under supervision as the water level is upto their chin.

We decided to take our weekly stroll into town, to break up the kids study time. It had been very hot and some of the wildlife had decided to come out.  A reasonably sized snake (from the last half of the body I saw I’d estimate it was about 4-5 foot long!) big enough for me to hesitate in my stride whilst it crossed the path infront of us. To slither into the row of bushes that edge the corn field.  Well that just set Corrine off.  She was weeping and wanted to hold my hand all the way into town – bless her.

On the way back from town we always decide to take different roads around the area, and I wanted to pass by the patch of land where a grey horse is sometimes tethered to graze.  Well the horse wasn’t there today, but there was a lady in her garden and she heard us talking and she said hello in English, but she had an American accent.  Her English was so excellent that I thought she wasn’t Spanish!  Turns out that she spent several years in Texas and Missourri and that’s where she learned it.  Anyway, we were casually chatting with Beatriz when cheeking Aston said “can we come in your house?”  Of course, I didn’t know what to say, but Beatriz said why of course would you like a drink?   

My kids never turn down an invite like that, especially when there’s Coca Cola on offer!  She seemed very nice, also has three children.  A grown up boy that works in Woolwich, London and a teenager called Natalia and a 10year old called Marcos – both of which go to the local school which Ethan and Corrine will be going to in the Autumn.  Well she gave me her business card as she teaches English and said we should organise a get together for the kids.

Telefonica Technical Department called to say that they would install either Friday or Monday, I should have asked which week!