I suddenly realized that it’s been five months since I posted a blog. oops! Even so, I don’t think there’s much to write about as we haven’t been away anywhere in the motorhome since the autumn.
First thing of note in the New Year was a sad one….we had a flying visit to the UK for the funeral of a friend. It was a very moving occasion but we had a chance to catch up with some other friends and we also got to see our younger son, his lovely partner and our three grandchildren. We had a Chinese takeaway from our old favourite, Koon Yum, with them ….. it was good, just as we remembered.
in a shirt and tie!
It was a long, cold, wet winter. These two were often seen snuggling up together to keep warm!
Eventually the cold began to recede and the wet weather of February paid dividends as it rewarded us with glorious floral displays around the garden. I’m not going to attempt to name them all but here’s a flavour of a Spanish garden in March….
At last, in April it was time for a long awaited visit from our friend Philippa. Before she came there was the little matter of preparing the pool!
All too soon it was time to take her to Murcia airport for her return to the UK and just 6 days later we returned as I was also flying to Luton for a brief trip.
My main reason for going was to visit my sister who is now in a nursing home near Cambridge. She is very frail and has vascular dementia. It’s very sad to see her in this condition but at least I know she is being well cared for. She didn’t know me until I spoke to her and then her face lit up. I stayed for a couple of hours, wandered off to a local cafe for some lunch and then headed back, when she was surprised to see me again, and stayed for another hour or so.
Also while I was staying with my friends Jean and Peter in Barton Le Clay, Bedfordshire, we were able to surprise another friend who I had not seen since leaving Dunstable (where 4 of us from college completed our probationary year as newly qualified teachers). She had arranged a meal at a country pub with a few friends and was expecting Jean and Peter. Instead she got a big surprise when I walked in! Happily she recognised me almost immediately and there followed a very pleasant evening catching up. Not much to say after 50 years as you can imagine!
Whilst in Barton, we were able to get out and about as we had such good weather, we went to Wrest Park, an English Heritage property, the gardens were stunning.
Another day we had a trip out to the Ashridge Estate to the bluebell woods and had a picnic. On the way home we went down memory lane for me to see Tithe Farm Primary school where Jean and I did our probationary year and then on to have a look at the house we rented for a year. The rent was very cheap but our landlady was odd and very strict, she used to let herself in at random times to spy on us and we had to agree not to have any men in the house! One weekend when Nigel came down to see me, we cooked a meal and took it out to the car to eat! Then we spent the night on Dunstable Downs in the car as he was not allowed in the house. Good job my mother is no longer alive to read this!
My flight home was Sunday. It just so happened to be my 75th birthday and was also the day that Jean and her two sisters were traveling to Mallorca together for a holiday. By complete co-incidence our flights were just 10 minutes apart!
About midday we set off for the airport and met up with the other sister who was flying down from Scotland. The four of us got through security quickly and then they treated me to a birthday lunch and a cheeky Aperol Spritz!
The birthday surprises didn’t end there as when I got home my romantic husband was waiting for me clutching a single rose, albeit one from our garden, it was a very touching gesture. Certainly a birthday to remember.
has created for me. It just needs a frame.
And that’s it for this time….I seem to remember I didn’t have much to say!!!
Hasta Luego