Sunday May 31st
2am can’t sleep so did my blog posting and then went back to bed a 4am,
dozed until 8! (last weeks blog).
Sung to the tune of the Lincolnshire Poacher, This just came into my
mind “the birdies loud te deum sing, tis
Mary’s month of May ……..” a favourite of
the Rev. Robert ("call me Bob") Jennings, Anglo catholic and then Roman catholic, layman(?). Bit late, as it's the 31st but then I am not up on religious rigmarole these days!
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| Tunnel on Via Verde to Caravaca |
It's ten oclock here, the swallows fill the sky, the sun is out, not a
car to be seen or heard, fantastic view, and the jumble of light brown
terracotta roofs to fascinate the eye; and a good read to stimulate the brain.
Just discoverying the novels of Ruth Rendell ,two of which I bought for 10p each at local car boot sale! [except it was called an antiques fair])
Quiet and
tranquil, and so I am told, like this all year except for August (vacationing
visitors) and the first half of September (1-8 Novena to the Virgen, 9-16 The
Town Fiesta.)
Feel so at
one with things, life. So happy a big wave of contentment washed
over me. And such positive prospects for settling down here.
It feels good. Of for a
walk before it gets too hot, then back for those pastries I bought yesterday! Thanks to the internet I found the full quote
of verse one of about nine.....
The happy birds Te Deum sing,
'Tis Mary's month of May;
Her smile turns winter into spring,
And darkness into day;
And there's a fragrance in the air,
The bells their music make,
And O the world is bright and fair,
And all for Mary's sake……… ( tosh! or maybe they sing because they are birds and we enjoy for our own sake of being human! ........ )
Went up the Calsparra road, and decided to try and find a track I can
see from the terrace that goes up over some small hills, so walked along and
then branched off down a track I thought would be the right one, asked some
Apricot pickers and was told I was on the right path, then met a couple out
with their dog. She said “you’re
English” “Hello, how did you guess” “Oh,
you are wearing shorts and only the Brits do that here” (mental note ditch the shorts when walking!) ….. anyway we got
talking they (names instantly forgotten) have taken a farmhouse for a year since March and they were
enjoying life here. He and I got talking
and it turns out he is retired civil servant and a keen walker. He told me all
the good local walks he had so far discovered, including paths studded with
Amonite Fossils and heaps of old broken Roman pottery, caves and the like. Nice
enough guy. He invited me to drop by and maybe we would go out for a walk
together. I will call on them again.
They were impressed that I actually spoke Spanish. Though I don’t want to cultivate too many
Brits! Bah humbug!
Passed another Apricot farmer and decided to be friendly and we got
talking about his crop, how the weather had been so hot and that the apricot
crop was huge this year, but he thought he would only get 15 - 25 cents per
kilo, which made him angry as in the shops in Murcia Apricots were selling at
€3 per kilo (top quality). But if he drove his crop to Murcia he might be
offered 40 cents and it was hardly worth the effort, if he had a good crop so
did everybody else.
Very chuffed with myself, as of course all this was in Spanish. I
realised that when I was more or less certain of the subject manner my
confidence improved greatly in conversation, so will do more. I want to talk to
locals not Brits!
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| Reward! |
Anyway I continued on my walk, stepping over, under or round, chained
farm tracks and wound my way up several hills over the top and dropped down to
another road that took me back to Cehegín all in all around 6 kms I would say.
Came back for my pastries …… I must only buy 1 in future they are
stuffed with honey chocolate nuts and billions of calories! But a nice weekly Sunday
treat as 2nd breakfast or is it tiffin?
Read till lunchtime and them had some nibbles with a glass of Fino. Prepared chicken for an early supper added
rice and the colorant to make it all go yellow (not sure I should be using Tartrazine,
or was that solely about ADHD and kids?) And there was me thinking that the Spanish only used saffron (expensive here as well ... and with austerity colorant it is!)
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| Writing the Blog |
Mahler Symphony no.6 on radio, read until supper, and did some
e-mailing, and of course the inevitable planning the house ……. Had supper at 6
it keeps trying to rain and there is thunder rumbling around. It now 7.30 and I am off for a stroll (no
prizes for guessing where I shall end up!)
Raining ……. No stroll, maybe later.
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| The Hill of the Hermita - the new house is behind the trees |
Went for my stroll around
8:30 just up to the top of this hill – Parish Church St Mary Magdelena, with
the town square in front except that the square is more triangular with the
road coming up from below entering at the apex of a right angle, the long side
being formed by a hotel, with the Church at the end and then the hypotenuse
being the railing and view over the valley 9and the famous boxes on pedestals [see foto.] to the top of the other
hill –) Hermita of the Conception - no idea whether Immaculate or not - this being surrounded by a park and terraces
going down the hill into the valley. The
cottage is on one of these terraces the “Paseo Cirugeda” which I had another
look at, just in case it have vanished in the last 24 hours.
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| The 17C viewing boxes in the main square |
Came back read. Listened to Spanish
Classical Music station – very good and varied – and they seem to have a
symphony concert every night at 8. These all seem to be networked via the
European Broadasting Union, each programme
heralded by a burst of Carpentier(?) (The EU anthem?).Bed around 10.
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| For drinks on the terrace! |
Monday June 1st.
Up like a lark and went out for a
jog at 06:40 went by an old route then instead of turning right at the halfway
point I turned left and went up a hill and past a huge stone-works looping back
in town via the old Murcia road (now less used as replaced by the EU funded
auto-via RM15.)
It is striking just how aware you
are of being part of the EU here, plaques and signs telling you to the last
€uro how much has been spent on each project.
Reminded me of my Chamber of Commerce days when every piece of paper
connected to an EU project had to have an EU flag on it – on pains of losing
the funding!
Back for breakfast, but no
message from the estate agent re final viewing (though in the back of mind I
think he was busy in another town close by today.) Did the washing and some house cleaning and
studied by Spanish AR verbs. But shocked that I had forgotten quite a few; I
have each written on a small card. Must have around 200 verbs ending in AR, 90%
of all verbs fall into this category. Tomorrow it is ER,(less common) and IR (least common).
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| Healthy Eating |
Daily trip to the supermarket,
wine (no!), muesli, low fat yogurt, chickpeas, mandarins and somehow a few
little cakes fell into my basket. Had a brief conversation with the old guy Don
Joaquin as he sat in his usual place enjoying a cigarette. He seems
content. Every time I go out I try to
vary my route, today I found the local barbers, just as well as the hair needs
cutting, an eco-plumbers, and a quasi religious, new-age shop, selling statues
of Christ in various states of bloodiness, Budhas, faeries, cats, my favourite
Hindu diety Ganesha and some very decorative lamps, alongside tarot cards and
herbal tea – you get the idea.
Lunch, more of my “Chicken
Paella” or my version of it. I think my
copy of 1080 Spanish Recipes (in
English) went to Martin, if this is so,
going to be cheeky and ask to borrow it back and am also going to buy the
Spanish version and then make translations of recipes from one language to the
other and use the two versions to check.
Looking at a really good website
promoting Murcia as a region (no doubt EU funded) the food section is superb
and I think that I am going to really enjoy getting to explore regional Spanish
cooking in the new kitchen.
Around six the sky’s darkened and
we had a real downpour accompanied by much thunder. This will be handy for when I look at the
house for the final time tomorrow (condition of roof), the water was streaming
down past this cottage and the Hill of the Blacksmiths was complete with its
own rivulet!
Had a quick walk, between showers
and returned for cheddar cheese, fresh bread and butter and slightly tart baby tomatoes. No wine – how abstemious!
Except for the shot of brandy in my coffee.
More Mahler on the radio, shall
finish this then read and will be tucked up in bed by 10.
Tuesday June 2nd
Final viewing and commitment day!
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| Caravaca in the distance |
Early morning run, then back for
scrambled eggs on toast. Decided to walk to Caravaca del la Cruz as my
appointment with the agent has been put back to 13:00. Bit too hot, so early as I set off at 8:45
was in Caravaca by 9:45, maintaining my 6 kms per hour. But walked into town
via the main road so that I could window shop, and eventually found the main shopping
area, very nice, a bit up-market and could see that whereas Cehegín is
authentic and a bit run down, Caravaca is definitely where the money is. Nosed around the shops for an hour or so,
then walked back and was home by mid-day. Hot tired and a little sore.
My old Nan .... "there's many a slip twixt cup and lip"
Saw the
agent along with the grand-daughter of
one of the women who lived in the house until 2009. The house was left to four siblings, 3
sisters and a brother, the three sisters have given final agreement to sell and
now it is down to the line the brother is having doubts but both the
grand-daughter and the agent were keen to stress that the brother would be
brought round, but could I be patient for a few days as they knew I was ready
to pay the deposit then and there!
The agent
spoke to me today for the first time in (bad) English (no doubt matching my
equally best-worst Spanish and so that the grand-daughter did not understand [I
assume]) to say that I was not to worry as he would make it happen as he needed
his commission!
Looked at
the place again, it is going to be fantastic eventually, but I must not kid
myself there is a lot of work to be done upstairs. The house is about 23 feet x
23feet, upstairs the headroom at the very back is about 8 feet sloping down to
about 3 feet at the front, so you can imagine the challenge: headroom. But as I
think I mentioned previously there is a central column that is load bearing but
apart from that I could technically clear the entire area. It is just going to
take some planning to come up with the most effective use of the space for 2
bedrooms and a bathroom without too much head banging on the roof.
But of
course my mind is racing ahead. I am
looking at how to paint floor tiles and how to paint or to remove tiling in the
bathroom and kitchen.
The agent
wasn’t sure but he said the cottage were amongst the oldest on this hill in
Cehegín and date from soon after the construction of the Hermitage which is
16th Century. So the cottage is probably
more than 300 years old!
Made an
arrangement of elasticated strings to stop the sun-umbrella turning itself
inside out in the wind, it was Andy’s idea and it appears to be working. I have to have the umbrella not only for
protection from the sun but also from getting “dive bombed” by the huge flock
of Swallows.
Joined
amazon.es they do prime here for €20 per
annum, and there is a very large books in english section. Also IKEA do a delivery service, for €60 I
can have up €1500 worth of goods delivered to the door. IKEA will be useful when kitting out the
kitchen and for bedding etc, but furniture wise I want to scour the second hand
shops and get stuff that is in keeping with the house.
Bed a bit
later 11:00.
Wednesday,
June 3rd
Rest day,
no run or walk. Market day so went and
bought provisions from small farmers, salad stuff and fruit. Legs aching from yesterday so just took it
easy all day, reading and BBC radio 4.
Ordered “1080
spanish recipes” from amazon for delivery tomorrow this I the classic Spanish
cookbook, (equivalent to the silver spoon cookbook for Italy), this is the
Spanish version. Martin didn’t have the English version so have acquired a
second hand copy that will go to Andy and he will send it on.
Close encounter for Nick.
Meanwhile
talking to Nick, I got the fotos from his weekend away in Canta, 2 hours south
of Lima, the house party he attended nearly turned into a tragic event. Constructors were doing work further up the
hill from the house party, fortunately everybody was outside, as they, the
constructors, caused a huge landslide/avalanche and the house was partially
destroyed, nobody was hurt.
But not the
relaxing weekend Nick had hoped for, and needed.
La Traviata
on the Radio tonight, will listen to the end and then bed. Hope I sleep better
tonight, the quilt is a bit too heavy, but in the middle of the night it is
also necessary.
I have no
trouble in filling my days. Taking time
to prepare nice yet simple food, tonight a salad with boiled potates, hard
boiled eggs and chorizo. Made a simple dressing. Followed by a Peach and a Mandarine - the flavour of both being intense – and so
juicy. There is a variety of Peach here that is flatter and fatter and it would
appear juicier …… Ok. Opera
over, off to bed 22:10.
Week 4. Thursday
June 4th
Another
lazy day, awaiting Amazon and my recipe book. Only 22 hours after being ordered
this red cloth bound “holy book” of Spanish cooking is in my possession. And happily I can make a pretty good
translation of most of it, will soon get used to its terminology.
Loaded up
i-tunes and transferred the 8532 pieces of music so I am not totally reliant on
the radio – as good as it is. I love the
regularity of an 20:00 hrs concert each night.
Those 8532 pieces make up some 33 days of listening, if played
continuously.
No walk or
run today. Same food as yesterday
eating up remains. Bed by 22:00.
Friday June
5th
Early
morning jig 4kms, decided not to overdo it.
Had hoped
to make the deposit and sign the sale agreement for the house, but I got an
email early in the morning from the agent apologizing for that fact that he had
a rather busy couple of days ahead and we would have to postpone our meeting,
as he was getting married! But he wrote assuring me that the four siblings had
now all signed the document enabling the sale to proceed and it just needed my
signature, but the house was mine [or will be after the legal formularies are
complete].
Got my hair
cut, €8 including tip. Buzzed 4 on top, 2 to the sides an d1 for my neard. Shopped.
Things and things!
Visited “cosas y cosas”
British run furniture shop (reconditioned and antique) run by Andrea, who has
been out here for 10 years. She said
that she put me in the rare category of Brits who speak Spanish and who want to
integrate (spot on!), not the Brits who speak no Spanish but live in the area
and worse the Brits who speak no Spanish and live in a “gated” all British
community. However, she does well out
then “non integrators” as alongside the furniture, sell runs an extensive book exchange scheme and a mini all British-food
supermercado. Complete with frozen “Aunt
Bessies” Yorkshire Puddings, Steak and Kidney puddings, British Bacon, Marmite,
Robinsons Marmalade and a large selection fo Indian curry Sauces, popadums and
bottles of Thai and Chinese stir fry sauces, (along with a very useful
selection of spices), Mr Kipling’s cakes and British bread and sausages! 
After all
who wants to eat the horrible chorizo, salsas, or wonderful rabbit and lamb
when you can have frozen sausages and heinz baked beans. (There is a café
near-by that does fish and chips on Friday and Sausage and Mash on a Thursday
[place you order 1 day in advance – can’t waste such gourmet food].
She said
that there were quite a number of people who refused to eat the “foreign food”
and almost did their weekly shop in her shop!
I find it incomprehensible, “ghetto-isation” it what gives the Brits
abroad a bad name! Another good reason
not to mix too much!
But, I think she is
going to be a gold-mine for me in terms of knowing builders, painters, plumbers,
electricians (both Brits and Spanish).
We spoke of how difficult the accent was here all “esses” get dropped
and words get run into each other. She
said that in each of the 7 towns of the area the accent was quite different,
she was also impressed with my Spanish.
In terms of
furniture saw a lovely dresser for the kitchen along with a butchers block and
various other tables etc, all made from reclaimed wood, ancient doors, or
simple old and original. The cottage
will look good!
Decided to
try and make the local drink, long and cool for the summer. “Murcian Sangria” the Murcian twist is that it is a mixture here
of Red wine and “bitter lemon soda”, bit of an acquired taste, but very
refreshing and I suspect that tarted-up with fruit etc. very acceptable. Now this is a reason to buy plonk! But I bet the Brit supermarket doesn’t sell
Pimms No.1, but would have probably sold Watney’s red barrel!
Bought a
nice bacon hock, which is going to go down well with my Swiss chard for
tomorrow or Sunday. Read, planned, did
some financial planning.
Visit to UK ..... booked flights to the UK for October; Flying from
Alicante to London Gatwick return with payment for 23kg of luggage all for €134
(£98). I think that by October I will be needing loads of odds and ends for the
house, so took the luggage option which only cost and extra £22, otherwise I
was limited to carry-on baggage only.
I am
beginning to get into a rhythm here, slower and gentler. Have realised that there has been an
underlying level of stress for who knows how long…. And now, I feel different
relaxed, content and generally more in the moment and laid back.
This damned
notebook continues to drive me crazy, I just have to be patient and hope that
my friend Marco is able to lend me something more appropriate. When I have the house I will invest in a
desktop computer to go in the study (when I have created it!)
Spoke with
Andy and caught up with my diary. Read,
bed by 22:00.
Saturday
June 6th
Up early to
talk to Nick, then out for a short run. My hip was hurting a bit so took things
gently. Even nearly 9 years on from breaking my leg, if I sleep awkwardly on
the rather large screw that goes into my hip, it slightly displaces the hip for
a few hours, so the early morning run suffers.
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| Bit "Heath Robinson" - but still afternnon tea! 4pm |
Back for
breakfast, I have to confess that on my run, I pass a finca that is very run
down and up for sale (no I am not buying it)
there is an apricot tree that overhangs the road, and as the fruit looks
like it is going to rot in-situ I help myself to 4 Apricots as I pass. They go
very well with my muesli for breakfast.
Then to
Mercadona, yes, I do go every day, as I like to buy food on a daily basis as part
o fmy routine and it is a 3km round trip.
Bought essentials, my Sunday pastries and posh rolls, and then circumed
to the delights of the fresh fish stall.
One of the lovely things here and a sign of how sleepy it all is, at 2pm on Saturday all the shops shut until Monday. Only open are bars and Mercadona until 9 Saturday and just bakeries Sunday morning and bars Sunday afternoon.
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| Bacaladilla |
Bought half a kg of (Bacaladilla) Blue Whiting for €.150 they were
gutted and beheaded for me, I just had to remove the back-bone. I watched a you
tuibe video of a lovely old Spanish lady preparing the fish, she showed that
you just got hold of the end of the backbone and rip it out, with a firm
action. Had them fried in batter with some swiss chard, very tasty. These very cheap fish are popular here, I
seem to remember my Nan cooking them, but don’t recall seeing them these days,
too fiddly? Nice flavour. (Tomorrow I shall cook the remaining fish in
the oven (al horno))
Took a
siesta then settled down to a Patricia Cornwall – Scarpetta Novel (Cruel and
Unusual) realised around 5pm I had forgotten to buy Tea and Lettuce; so guess
what ……. Another round trip to Mercadona.
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| Scrummy Flat Peaches |
I am so
impressed with Spanish National Radio Clasica, interesting selection of
broadcasts, and I thought that Radio three was the only option. Bed by 22:00.
Finally ...... it is only when you start to slow down (in a good way) that you realise just what a level of underlying stress you can be suffering. My jaw now is less tight, I smile more, and my breathing is slower and deeper ....... interesting!
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