We have commented on the large veg we have been buying, and indeed this week we remarked on the large radishes we bought. However, all is not as it seems. Which is why we ended up with with chewy spring onions which later transpired to be leeks in our salad.
The weather still is decidely warmer, and it is def warmer outside when we go out into the yard at night. I noticed last night when we put the dogs out for their final run before bed, the floor felt decidely warm outside. The water from the cold water tap also felt warm-ish today. It doesn't get dark now until 8ish, and as the sun is getting higher, it stays in the yard longer. Wonder how we will feel about this at the hight of summer.
Interestingly (and of course I use that work lightly) in an earlier Blog I commented on the fact that Ian had been to see our neighbours and didn't return till 11 when they started to get their tea - the point being how late everyone eats. Well, I am writing this at 10, as our tea is cooking - so it seems that we have got into the swing of things..!
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
More about rain
Well, we are not in Andalucia and a long way from the coast, however this is how the newspaper Sur in English (www.surinenglish.com) described the much needed rain on the south coast...
Downpours bring drought relief to the western coast
La Concepción reservoir in Marbella is now at 70 per cent of its capacity
Just when the first sunbathers of the year were getting out their bathing suits, the skies above the Costa del Sol opened and the rain returned. Last Saturday there were downpours all over the province of Malaga - and they continued on and off for several days - but the worst hit area was the western coast. In the city of Malaga, on the first day of rain, 70 litres a square metre were measured, while the heaviest rainfall along the coast was recorded in Marbella, with 66 litres, followed by Fuengirola with 41 and Estepona with 40. Inland, however, rainfall was lighter, with barely 24 litres in Ronda and 16 in Antequera. On the eastern Costa del Sol ran was less intense too; the figure for Torrox, for instance, was 12 litres.
The rain caused flooding on the coastal railway line, which was cut off between Benalmádena and El Pinillo Station from 1 p.m. on Saturday. Three trains were at a standstill for over an hour. The railway company, Renfe, tried to put on buses to carry passengers to their destinations but the roads were in a similar situation to the railway track and, by the time the buses arrived to pick up the passengers, about 2.15 p.m., the line was open again.
Power cuts
Power cuts were also the order of the day, although only at specific spots. However restoring the service took some time because of the difficulty of travelling from one place to another and the number of streets that were completely impassable due to flooding.
But there was good news too: the heavy rain relieved the drought of the last year. The chairman of the Mediterranean- Andalusian Water Board, Antonio Rodríguez Leal, described the volume of water entering Costa del Sol reservoirs as “magnificent”, especially for the Concepción reservoir in Marbella, which now stands at 70 per cent of its capacity. In contrast to the 200,000 litres that had fallen in La Concepción in recent weeks, the figure rose to 100,000 litres an hour last Saturday. Rodríguez stressed that this would go a long way towards alleviating drought from Manilva to Torremolinos. The situation in the city of Malaga, which depends on the Guadalhorce, Conde de Guadalhorce and Guadalteba reservoirs, is less encouraging. Despite the rain, the Guadalhorce holds contains 60 cubic hectometres less than it did a year ago.
Downpours bring drought relief to the western coast
La Concepción reservoir in Marbella is now at 70 per cent of its capacity
Just when the first sunbathers of the year were getting out their bathing suits, the skies above the Costa del Sol opened and the rain returned. Last Saturday there were downpours all over the province of Malaga - and they continued on and off for several days - but the worst hit area was the western coast. In the city of Malaga, on the first day of rain, 70 litres a square metre were measured, while the heaviest rainfall along the coast was recorded in Marbella, with 66 litres, followed by Fuengirola with 41 and Estepona with 40. Inland, however, rainfall was lighter, with barely 24 litres in Ronda and 16 in Antequera. On the eastern Costa del Sol ran was less intense too; the figure for Torrox, for instance, was 12 litres.
The rain caused flooding on the coastal railway line, which was cut off between Benalmádena and El Pinillo Station from 1 p.m. on Saturday. Three trains were at a standstill for over an hour. The railway company, Renfe, tried to put on buses to carry passengers to their destinations but the roads were in a similar situation to the railway track and, by the time the buses arrived to pick up the passengers, about 2.15 p.m., the line was open again.
Power cuts
Power cuts were also the order of the day, although only at specific spots. However restoring the service took some time because of the difficulty of travelling from one place to another and the number of streets that were completely impassable due to flooding.
But there was good news too: the heavy rain relieved the drought of the last year. The chairman of the Mediterranean- Andalusian Water Board, Antonio Rodríguez Leal, described the volume of water entering Costa del Sol reservoirs as “magnificent”, especially for the Concepción reservoir in Marbella, which now stands at 70 per cent of its capacity. In contrast to the 200,000 litres that had fallen in La Concepción in recent weeks, the figure rose to 100,000 litres an hour last Saturday. Rodríguez stressed that this would go a long way towards alleviating drought from Manilva to Torremolinos. The situation in the city of Malaga, which depends on the Guadalhorce, Conde de Guadalhorce and Guadalteba reservoirs, is less encouraging. Despite the rain, the Guadalhorce holds contains 60 cubic hectometres less than it did a year ago.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Sunny Spain
The rain has stopped over the last couple of days and it has got warmer. I think it is noticeably warmer in the house too, although my feet are still suffering from loss of slippers (wish Henry would own up to where he has hidden them). However 'we needed it' and the water deposits and reservoirs throughout the south of Spain will have benefit from the down pours.
We forgot that the clocks changed at the weekend so our early start on Sunday to get on with things was not as early as we would have liked.
Poor Tinks is in season. This means that Henry follows her round trying to knock her over with a head-butt and then sits on her growling at any one who walks past. Needless to say that Tinks gets a bit fed up with this and she has been hiding away with me in the workshop. We should have got her and Petal neutered before we moved but the timing wasn't right. The vets will only do it on mature dogs half way between seasons. Perhaps when our Spanish is better we'll be able to get it done here.
We also need to get them trimmed as they are looking a bit wooly. We've noticed that there are a lot of small woolly dogs around here, so I am keeping an eye open for if they get trimmed. There may be someone in the village that we could use which would be great.
We've started going out for walks again, we definitely notice that Basil is better behaved if he is given a long-ish walk every other day or so. We have found a picnic spot complete with barbecues just outside of the village which we didn't know about before. Some things are just so different here. In the middle of this picnic area there is an open well. Really open, you could climb in! Two things struck us, firstly the fact it was open and without warning signs etc, and secondly the fact that it was clean inside and not filled with rubbish or shopping trolleys. We will treat ourselves at some point to some super-magnifying binoculars, there are a lot of birds and things around and it would be good to be able to identify them. Ian pointed out a rare hawk yesterday, which later transpired to be a pidgeon. Hmmm, he assures me he was a young ornithologist. We've also been watching the storks, I don't know when we'd expect to see their young, but I imagine it would be soon.
This promanading in the afternoon is very Spanish. There are lots of people who we meet whilst they take a turn round the field. We were wondering today if the afternoon walks would get later as the weather gets hotter.
Today was market day in the village and we went down to stock up on vegetables. We were greated with a 'hello' from the lady on the stall, who also wished us 'good bye', she either remembered we were english or else we must have looked foreign. We came back with four carrier bags full of veg including some huge radishes. Unfortately the man on the spice stall isn't so good with faces and yet again he started into his sales spiel about the different herbs and spices whilst we stand there looking dim.
Work-wise things are coming along. Ian has nearly finished inextremadura.com which is a message board for english speakers in the area. Although why we can't just talk to each other like normal couples I don't know! There are a few english speakers in Extremadura so this is a way we can all communicate. The book is coming along. I have most of the step by steps done, and just need to do some finishing off of different things. I'm starting to think about what to do next, I have an idea for a wedding jewellery book and have been drawing up some designs, as it might be useful to get this done now as it will fit in well with getting the first book finished before I start on something different.
We forgot that the clocks changed at the weekend so our early start on Sunday to get on with things was not as early as we would have liked.
Poor Tinks is in season. This means that Henry follows her round trying to knock her over with a head-butt and then sits on her growling at any one who walks past. Needless to say that Tinks gets a bit fed up with this and she has been hiding away with me in the workshop. We should have got her and Petal neutered before we moved but the timing wasn't right. The vets will only do it on mature dogs half way between seasons. Perhaps when our Spanish is better we'll be able to get it done here.
We also need to get them trimmed as they are looking a bit wooly. We've noticed that there are a lot of small woolly dogs around here, so I am keeping an eye open for if they get trimmed. There may be someone in the village that we could use which would be great.
We've started going out for walks again, we definitely notice that Basil is better behaved if he is given a long-ish walk every other day or so. We have found a picnic spot complete with barbecues just outside of the village which we didn't know about before. Some things are just so different here. In the middle of this picnic area there is an open well. Really open, you could climb in! Two things struck us, firstly the fact it was open and without warning signs etc, and secondly the fact that it was clean inside and not filled with rubbish or shopping trolleys. We will treat ourselves at some point to some super-magnifying binoculars, there are a lot of birds and things around and it would be good to be able to identify them. Ian pointed out a rare hawk yesterday, which later transpired to be a pidgeon. Hmmm, he assures me he was a young ornithologist. We've also been watching the storks, I don't know when we'd expect to see their young, but I imagine it would be soon.
This promanading in the afternoon is very Spanish. There are lots of people who we meet whilst they take a turn round the field. We were wondering today if the afternoon walks would get later as the weather gets hotter.
Today was market day in the village and we went down to stock up on vegetables. We were greated with a 'hello' from the lady on the stall, who also wished us 'good bye', she either remembered we were english or else we must have looked foreign. We came back with four carrier bags full of veg including some huge radishes. Unfortately the man on the spice stall isn't so good with faces and yet again he started into his sales spiel about the different herbs and spices whilst we stand there looking dim.
Work-wise things are coming along. Ian has nearly finished inextremadura.com which is a message board for english speakers in the area. Although why we can't just talk to each other like normal couples I don't know! There are a few english speakers in Extremadura so this is a way we can all communicate. The book is coming along. I have most of the step by steps done, and just need to do some finishing off of different things. I'm starting to think about what to do next, I have an idea for a wedding jewellery book and have been drawing up some designs, as it might be useful to get this done now as it will fit in well with getting the first book finished before I start on something different.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Rain in Spain
It does, and quite a lot. Sometimes it has been like someone just tipping a bucket over the house. Apparently it is good for the water levels and 'we need it'. Hmmm. At least it is showing where the leaks are in the house - well actually showing that there aren't any leaks in the house. Ian assures me there is a drip in my workshop, however I don't think he means of the rain/leak kind.
We didn't check the water level of our well before and after the rain, I guess it would be interesting to see what sort of effect it has had.
There is a big country fare in Zafra this weekend, I think. The rain will have got this ready to be nicely muddy! We know where our wellies are, but don't know if we will go.
Bob has managed to turn his dew claw around, so it was upside down. It has now thankfully fallen off. He obviously found it very painful. Poor Bob, for a little dog whose ideal day is lying quietly dreaming of sausages, he does seem to get in the wars. Ian found Bobs claw when it fell off and has kept it in case we needed to go the the vet. He was going to wave it at the vet to communicate what the problem was.
We're still getting regular electric cuts, well our electric shorts our what ever the term is. We thought we saw a pattern, insomuch as it seemed to co-incide with the street lights coming on, but over the last couple of days it has been more random.
Welcome to Oliver Robin Kennedy, born Tuesday 21st. No more details at present but hopefully Mum and baby doing well (and Paul too of course!)
We didn't check the water level of our well before and after the rain, I guess it would be interesting to see what sort of effect it has had.
There is a big country fare in Zafra this weekend, I think. The rain will have got this ready to be nicely muddy! We know where our wellies are, but don't know if we will go.
Bob has managed to turn his dew claw around, so it was upside down. It has now thankfully fallen off. He obviously found it very painful. Poor Bob, for a little dog whose ideal day is lying quietly dreaming of sausages, he does seem to get in the wars. Ian found Bobs claw when it fell off and has kept it in case we needed to go the the vet. He was going to wave it at the vet to communicate what the problem was.
We're still getting regular electric cuts, well our electric shorts our what ever the term is. We thought we saw a pattern, insomuch as it seemed to co-incide with the street lights coming on, but over the last couple of days it has been more random.
Welcome to Oliver Robin Kennedy, born Tuesday 21st. No more details at present but hopefully Mum and baby doing well (and Paul too of course!)
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Two In A Row
I don't like to brag, unlike some I might mention, but it would appear that no-one else has posted a blog since my last entry. Erm...might someone have been slacking?
Consider me the new blog king.
Actually in fairness, Kate has been rather tied up with getting her book finished, and all the text was sent forward to the publishers on the set date. She's now tying up the step by step images which show the projects being worked through at different stages. To make life easier, my Mac has moved to her workshop to allow her to scan the flat pieces, which is easier and gives better results than photographing.
Today is the start of a quiet period after 2 sets of guests in the last 3 or so weeks. Janet and John spent a fortnight with us and hopefully enjoyed themselves. They flew back to Bournemouth the Thursday before last.
We were driving them down to Malaga for their flight and had arranged to visit a British run animal rescue place just outside of Malaga at Mijas that afternoon to adopt a couple of kittens/cats. Because it was going to be a long day driving down to the coast and then back home again, we loaded all the dogs into the back of the van as well, rather than leaving them home alone.
With them in place and everyone else getting into the van, I took the opportunity to fill the windscreen washer reservoir. With water left over, I checked the radiator expansion tank. I wasn't too alarmed to discover it empty as I hadn't ever previously checked it. The van had ben running fine regardless. I did then think perhaps I should quickly check the oil and it was only as I was glancing around for the dipstick that I noticed the disconcerting lack of a fan belt. Oh dear.
I can't stop thinking how lucky it was that I opened the bonnet that morning before setting off. At best we'd have been left stranded by the roadside as we struggled to find a mechanic with a fan belt. At worst we'd have blown the engine up.
Dogs were unloaded, in case we hadn't to leave the van somewhere and make alternative plans, and we limped the vehicle slowly into Llerena. The first garage couldn't help but did tell us the best place to go, which was only a few hundred metres down the road, at the Citroen dealership.
I was able to communicate the problem without too much difficulty and too much relief, it became apparent that they'd look at it immediately. I had feared that the manana attitude might mean that it would have to be left with them for a fortnight.
At one point I became concerned that they couldn't find a correctly sized fan belt and were going to effect a repair with a piece of string. Unfortunately I managed to covey my concerns to my new Spanish friends and they, through hysterical laughter and a few actions, conveyed to me that the string was purely to measure what size belt was required. I retreated to the back of the van and decided to leave them to get on with it.
They didn't have a blt in stock, but one of the mechanics walked off down the street and we guessed he was going to try some of the other garages. In due course he did return with a selection of belts and after some time refitting the alternator, which they had demonstrated was hanging loosley off the block, and then fitting the belt, the job was complete. We'd lost about an hour and a half in the garage, but the bill was a refreshing surprise and they had kindly got it sorted as quickly as they could.
Stopping to get the dogs, we hit the road for Malaga just after noon, more than 2 hours later than I'd intended. The drive down wasn't as rapid as we'd have hoped, with quite heavy traffic slowing us down considerably through Seville, followed by thick fog and rain between Seville and the mountains outside of Malaga. Malaga was bathed in sunshine.
With the later start and slightly longer than expected journey, we had to revise our plans and head straight to the airport. I had been hoping to leave Malaga by 4.30pm to avoid to much driving in the dark, but as it was we now didn't arrive at the airport till 5pm.
The weather throught the mountains on the way back was worse, but once the other side, the weather had improved and there was only a few points of mist and rain on the drive back to Seville. By Seville it was dark enough for headlights to be turned on, though it was only when we got onto the A66 motorway the other side of Seville that we realised our lights hadn't turned on despite the switch being in the on position. After jiggling the switch a bit, the headlights came on.
Moments later, as I tried the full beam adjustment, the lights went off and the switch refused to lock on. Fortunately we were close to a junction and when we stopped in a small village, Kate suggested using some tape that was in the van to stick the light stalk to the dashboard and lock it in the on position. This fortunately worked and meant that we were able to continue the journey with working headlights and full beams.
We eventually made it back home at about 10pm that night.
We then had a couple of days before meeting Ed and Emma off the train at Llerena on Tuesday evening. They'd flown into Malaga the previous Sunday and travelled by train to Seville, where they stayed the Sunday and Monday nights. Their report of Seville was very good, which didn't surprise us, and they strongly recommended a stay there for any future visitors.
We had an enjoyable few days with them and most of the time the weather was on our side. We didn't do too much, but pigged out a lot and tried a few different local wines.
They had a flight back to Bristol from Malaga on Saturday night, so we were driving them to Cordoba so they could get a train back to the coast Saturday afternoon.
Unsurprisingly, on Saturday the weather for our drive to Cordoba was miserable. It usually is when we decide to head east. The rain was heavy when we left home and got heavier as we drove. It wasn't too bad in Cordoba and driving back out through the mountains after dropping them at the station in the centre of the city, the rain seemed to have lifted. The final hour of our drive home was in heavy rain again though.
So today Kate is knitting and crocheting her step by steps and then scanning them. I shall shortly be heading through to her workshop to take some photographs that she needs taking.
Later this afternoon, I've got to head into Zafra to meet up with an English estate agent to talk about building them a new website and possibly some discussion on marketing.
Consider me the new blog king.
Actually in fairness, Kate has been rather tied up with getting her book finished, and all the text was sent forward to the publishers on the set date. She's now tying up the step by step images which show the projects being worked through at different stages. To make life easier, my Mac has moved to her workshop to allow her to scan the flat pieces, which is easier and gives better results than photographing.
Today is the start of a quiet period after 2 sets of guests in the last 3 or so weeks. Janet and John spent a fortnight with us and hopefully enjoyed themselves. They flew back to Bournemouth the Thursday before last.
We were driving them down to Malaga for their flight and had arranged to visit a British run animal rescue place just outside of Malaga at Mijas that afternoon to adopt a couple of kittens/cats. Because it was going to be a long day driving down to the coast and then back home again, we loaded all the dogs into the back of the van as well, rather than leaving them home alone.
With them in place and everyone else getting into the van, I took the opportunity to fill the windscreen washer reservoir. With water left over, I checked the radiator expansion tank. I wasn't too alarmed to discover it empty as I hadn't ever previously checked it. The van had ben running fine regardless. I did then think perhaps I should quickly check the oil and it was only as I was glancing around for the dipstick that I noticed the disconcerting lack of a fan belt. Oh dear.
I can't stop thinking how lucky it was that I opened the bonnet that morning before setting off. At best we'd have been left stranded by the roadside as we struggled to find a mechanic with a fan belt. At worst we'd have blown the engine up.
Dogs were unloaded, in case we hadn't to leave the van somewhere and make alternative plans, and we limped the vehicle slowly into Llerena. The first garage couldn't help but did tell us the best place to go, which was only a few hundred metres down the road, at the Citroen dealership.
I was able to communicate the problem without too much difficulty and too much relief, it became apparent that they'd look at it immediately. I had feared that the manana attitude might mean that it would have to be left with them for a fortnight.
At one point I became concerned that they couldn't find a correctly sized fan belt and were going to effect a repair with a piece of string. Unfortunately I managed to covey my concerns to my new Spanish friends and they, through hysterical laughter and a few actions, conveyed to me that the string was purely to measure what size belt was required. I retreated to the back of the van and decided to leave them to get on with it.
They didn't have a blt in stock, but one of the mechanics walked off down the street and we guessed he was going to try some of the other garages. In due course he did return with a selection of belts and after some time refitting the alternator, which they had demonstrated was hanging loosley off the block, and then fitting the belt, the job was complete. We'd lost about an hour and a half in the garage, but the bill was a refreshing surprise and they had kindly got it sorted as quickly as they could.
Stopping to get the dogs, we hit the road for Malaga just after noon, more than 2 hours later than I'd intended. The drive down wasn't as rapid as we'd have hoped, with quite heavy traffic slowing us down considerably through Seville, followed by thick fog and rain between Seville and the mountains outside of Malaga. Malaga was bathed in sunshine.
With the later start and slightly longer than expected journey, we had to revise our plans and head straight to the airport. I had been hoping to leave Malaga by 4.30pm to avoid to much driving in the dark, but as it was we now didn't arrive at the airport till 5pm.
The weather throught the mountains on the way back was worse, but once the other side, the weather had improved and there was only a few points of mist and rain on the drive back to Seville. By Seville it was dark enough for headlights to be turned on, though it was only when we got onto the A66 motorway the other side of Seville that we realised our lights hadn't turned on despite the switch being in the on position. After jiggling the switch a bit, the headlights came on.
Moments later, as I tried the full beam adjustment, the lights went off and the switch refused to lock on. Fortunately we were close to a junction and when we stopped in a small village, Kate suggested using some tape that was in the van to stick the light stalk to the dashboard and lock it in the on position. This fortunately worked and meant that we were able to continue the journey with working headlights and full beams.
We eventually made it back home at about 10pm that night.
We then had a couple of days before meeting Ed and Emma off the train at Llerena on Tuesday evening. They'd flown into Malaga the previous Sunday and travelled by train to Seville, where they stayed the Sunday and Monday nights. Their report of Seville was very good, which didn't surprise us, and they strongly recommended a stay there for any future visitors.
We had an enjoyable few days with them and most of the time the weather was on our side. We didn't do too much, but pigged out a lot and tried a few different local wines.
They had a flight back to Bristol from Malaga on Saturday night, so we were driving them to Cordoba so they could get a train back to the coast Saturday afternoon.
Unsurprisingly, on Saturday the weather for our drive to Cordoba was miserable. It usually is when we decide to head east. The rain was heavy when we left home and got heavier as we drove. It wasn't too bad in Cordoba and driving back out through the mountains after dropping them at the station in the centre of the city, the rain seemed to have lifted. The final hour of our drive home was in heavy rain again though.
So today Kate is knitting and crocheting her step by steps and then scanning them. I shall shortly be heading through to her workshop to take some photographs that she needs taking.
Later this afternoon, I've got to head into Zafra to meet up with an English estate agent to talk about building them a new website and possibly some discussion on marketing.