Now I know you’ve slept since my last blog ……but do you remember ? I ended it with- this photo ( or similar) …. but gave you no more information!

Well………YES you’ve got it ! I am on the top photo because we actually spent a week on that yacht…..and yes, I know what you’re thinking ….you? On a yacht like that ? That’s Russian Oligarch material ! Well so be it – but yes, the DB ( and for our new followers, the Dearly Beloved, my other half, Nick!!!) and I were spending a week on this beautiful ship cruising the Croatian Coast from Dubrovnik to Venice

A word to any burglars reading this – too late , we’re home ……and anyway we have the added protection ….

My nose has just stared to elongate ……I wonder why…😜😜😜

So let’s get back to what I need to tell you – though by now you’ve realised I do go “off piste” more often than not !!!! The trip started uneventfully. After I can’t remember how many years now, we know not to take liquids over 100 ml on board a plane, and all our electronic equipment must be visible in a tray….well, it would seem that the majority of the general population missed that memo…still! No, don’t bother to ask me because I don’t know the answer ….anyway back to us ( she who knows the rules, had packed everything to ensure all liquids and electrical equipment could be easily seen) A breeze (or so I thought 🙈) until Mr Very Serious Security Officer ( who’s sense of humour if he ever had one had suddenly dispersed ) watching intently over any forbidden items said to me “ Bag too big”……so the few items in my oversized Tesco ( supermarket chain in the UK, other supermarkets are available) zip freezer bag were moved ( easily) into one of the airport security regulation bags. Again, don’t ask me why , rules and regulations I’m guessing 🙄🙄🙄….

Anyway, we get through relatively unscathed ….our flight to Brussels is delayed…and delayed again …with an onward flight to Dubrovnik to catch you can imagine the tension rising! Eventually however, we finally get on the plane , only to discover we are seated a few seats away from an Everton and Belgium football player ……..he was a delightful young man and more than happy to chat to my neighbour ( clearly a massive football fan) for the entirety of the flight.

So we arrive at Brussels Airport Terminal 1 – but we have to go to Terminal 2 to pass through passport control( as we are entering the Schengen Zone ) before returning to Terminal 1 again to catch our onward flight …..running all the way. Fortunately, our next flight was delayed by 15 minutes so we didn’t miss it!

We eventually arrived at our home for the next week……the luxury yacht! We were to travel north along the coast of Croatia finally arriving in Venice after one week. Whilst the yacht looks pretty big, it was able to enter all but two ports. At these ports we anchored just outside, and a “ tender boat” would take passengers to and from the ship.

In order to give you an idea of our trip , as I’ve done previously, I’m going to do it in photos …..so here we go…..this blog will cover our journey from Korcula to Split……

You may wonder how I know this – well the Romans were very clever. They built Korcula’s street like a fish skeleton- with one central street and streets coming off either side to the east and west. The troublesome winds on Korcula come from the west, so those streets were built in a higgledy piggledy fashion to act as a defence against the winds. The side streets to the east go straight to the sea as you can see in each photo.

We left Korcula on Sunday evening ….the ship was in good hands…

The bridge was open to visitors most of the time, and it was fascinating to see how the Captain and his team manoeuvred the ship in and out of ports.

And so Day 1 of our trip ended and we set sail for Split , where we were due to arrive a 0800 on Monday morning. I was up and ready to watch us sail into port – there were several small boats around and one very large monstrosity which looked from a distance like an oil rig . Before I realised what it was , I heard from a tannoy “ Unidentified vessel approaching, unidentified vessel approaching….this is the US Navy…..stay clear……” Little did I realise at the time this was the USA’s largest nuclear powered aircraft carrier ,the USS Gerald R Ford! Clearly no one had told the officer in charge about us ( they demand a 500 metre exclusion zone) – anyway no shots were fired you’ll be pleased to hear!

Split is the second largest city of Croatia, but the largest city of the Croatian Coast. The Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian ( visible to the left of the red roofed building at the front of the picture) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – so we went to visit it!

When the Romans were in residence, this room was next to their dining room. We saw part of the dining table in one of the museums …..a very strange affair …it resembled a marble bird bath but built for a bird the size of a giant ostrich. This is because the Romans laid down on their sides to eat, so the table needed a lip around the edge to catch anything they spilt ….really! They also had 20 courses at a meal ….unmanageable of course , so the room next to the dining served as a vomitarium ….and no I am not joking 🥴🥴disgusting. Moving swiftly on….

So back to the ship for an afternoon of relaxation…….

We left Split that evening to sail further up the coast to the island of Hvar where we anchored off shore for the day……but you’ll have to wait to hear about our adventures there until next time …..I’ll leave you with the following as it is relevant to our next day!

Now I suspect you will think that I had fallen off the edge of the world …no such luck Dear Reader ! The reason for the radio silence is two fold .Firstly, (I think I told you when I last wrote) the DB had a significant birthday towards the end of our stay in Spain and secondly, following our journey home from Spain , my brain takes the “ long way home” arriving here at least a week after me!

Before I tell you about the birthday – let me explain why the journey home in effect prevents me from writing. Quite simply, I become a complete numpty – I find the change from living in one house in Spain to living in the other here in the UK, very hard to adjust to. Both of us were pretty useless on Day 1 back here – the DB had absolutely no idea where to find a frying pan and I was looking for a mixing bowl in the food cupboard ! Now don’t be too harsh – we just get so used to everything being in its place in the kitchen in Spain, we need time to readjust. The DB had forgotten how the television worked – of course ( if you remember I am completely useless technologically wise – you know the sort of thing, trying to turn the TV off with the phone …) I was no help at all. However, I am feeling slightly chuffed now because somehow ( and I have no idea how) I’ve worked out how to use the main control for all programmes – BBC IPlayer, Netflix, Talk TV ( my new favourite – they say it as it is 😉) – I even showed the DB how!!!

So you can imagine trying to write a blog in that state would be impossible ……that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it! Fortunately I am now back to “ normal”, so off I go……

So when I last wrote, I couldn’t tell you what was about to happen …as it was all a great big surprise! Firstly, the DB had a phone call from his son on the Monday of half term . “ Hi Dad Are you ok?” Reply “ Yes” …Ross “Weather good?”…DB “Yes, we’ve had a bit of rain, but it’s been lovely” Ross “Are you doing anything this evening?” DB “No” Ross “Could you do me a favour then- and pick us up from the airport later?”

Well the DB’s face was a picture – he was completely shocked ( in the best way). I heaved an enormous sigh of relief …surprise number 1 out in the open! So I could then go legitimately to the supermarket …….no more secretive additions to the trolley or secret trips to the supermarket when he was out!!! Ross and his family duly arrived and were collected by the DB, getting to “ chez nous” at about 22.30. Just time for a snack and a drink before bed!

We had a chilled day on Tuesday , going out to dinner in the evening to celebrate our granddaughter, Eleanor’s, 12 th birthday ( which was on the following day) and then Surprise 2 happened on her actual birthday! We had decided to go to the beach for the day – it was the easiest way of enacting the second surprise. However, things never go smoothly do they – the best made plans of mice and men and all ……All of us ( with the expectation of course of the DB) were awaiting the arrival of his daughter, Emma, and her two children. I knew where she was flying to, and that she was catching a train from the airport to a nearby town. However, she had a problem with her mobile phone and lines of communication were down 🙈🙈🙈- can you believe it!!! I could check her flight had landed and hazard a guess at the time of train she may get, but we were trying to keep this a secret so….. As it happened it all came to a point,but worked out perfectly. The DB disappeared with Ross to order a pizza for lunch – so I shot off the beach and drove to collect Emma and Co.. I was sure the DB would guess what I was doing …but no…..he knew I was up to something but had no idea what ! So after eating the pizza ( and I think drinking a beer..) he was snoozing on the shoreline when suddenly Emma and her children jumped in front of him shouting “ SURPRISE”. He was taken completely by surprise…….but I could then completely relax ! There were further surprises to come but nothing on that scale.

So we had a lovely, if very busy, family celebration over several days and the DB’s 70 th birthday has well and truly been commemorated , and in great style!

All good things must come to an end though…..and so they did, firstly with the departure of all the family, and then with our own departure. We were leaving on the Santander Plymouth ferry – I have had to become very brave Dear Reader, and accept travelling this way because it makes the most sense. Now in my previous life, I travelled this way regularly – and I should say I am , and always have been, a good traveller- but I was on this ferry in October 1987 when a hurricane heading across the Bay of Biscay towards the UK and causing Sevenoaks to became “Threeoaks” . Suffice to say this tested the hardiest of sailors and completely floored me ( I will spare you further detail…) and despite the crew offering a free bottle of wine with every meal, very few people made it to the dining room! It has taken me thirty three years to even contemplate stepping back on the ferry again ….the storm I experienced is known as the “ hundred year” storm, so I have to believe that another such storm is highly unlikely to happen in my lifetime 😉 However, one of us is very happy on the ferry…..

So now we are settled back in our UK abode , brains in place……and wait for it …….we’re about to go off again, so I’ll keep you in suspense for the next blog which will describe our holiday in detail . However, to wet your appetite, I will leave you with the following…..

Yes, Dear Reader, we have had a week of intermittent heavy showers interspersed with intense thunderstorms and lightning strikes then beautiful blue skies and sun ! Crazy weather but are we down- hearted? Not at all , we have had very lovely weather up until now – but they desperately need the rain here. Normally heavy rain would have fallen in March ( last year it rained more or less continually for three weeks …) but not so this year . Different areas of Spain have differing water reserves at the moment – Catalonia for example , I believe has levels 75% below those expected at this time of year and we are not in Summer yet . However in the Valencia/ Alicante region I believe water reserves are 50% below those required to get through the Summer. Normally they would expect the aquifers to be 80/90% full at this time of year ! So there is a dire need for rain! Why the detail, I hear you saying ? Well , fifty minutes south of here by road lies this tourist resort ….

Can you imagine how many toilets are in this metropolis? Every flush uses ( I understand…) between approximately 5 and 7 litres of water . Now never mind washing machines, dishwashers, showers , baths …toilets alone require an immense amount of water and there is genuine concern here that they may run out of water 💧. ( This has got me thinking – I wonder if there is a water geek who has worked out how much water the toilets of Benidorm use over the Summer season …investigation required , don’t worry, I’m on it 😉🧐)

Now you understand why we are delighted it’s raining …..the lack of rain throughout Spain is also evident in the available fruit ( or lack of ..) and the prices of both fruit and vegetables . However hopefully the nice weather will return next week though….🌞🌞

Now when I left you last week I was rather nervously awaiting a visit to the vets …do you remember? Well I can reassure you that there were no traumas this time – utter chaos, but no trauma! We arrived ( Millie and I) just before our allotted time – I had understood this was the first appointment of the evening surgery . Either I had misunderstood or the morning surgery must have been a nightmare ! We arrived to find a spaniel and Alsatian each with their owners ( mental note to self – you’ve got a wait ahead…). Then a black dog of no particular race appears from the surgery with his German owner – his wife ( not the dog’s wife …she would be the dog’s Mum..) was left to pay and digest the multiple instructions from the vet . In fact she was so engrossed with the vet she left without paying and had to hurry back in with multiple apologies. As this was going on, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier appears from the bowels of the consulting area with owner in tow. Yet more complex instructions ….and the three of us sit patiently waiting ….

Finally, bills paid, instructions ingested, the reception area is cleared and spaniel with lampshade on is called through . I dread to think what surgery they had had …all I’ll say it was to do with their bottom 🙈

One down, two to go, when in comes a beagle ( possibly a pregnant beagle ) with her two owners . She was very interested in Millie – don’t know why – but then is called through. Hang on ….Alsatian is due next …..who am I to understand the system….so be it ! Then the door opens and in walks a character. A lady dressed to go out partying with her “ baby” ….a 16 year old and slightly overweight miniature pincher. The dog wasn’t on a lead ..just followed her at its own pace……however she was told in no uncertain terms by the receptionist to pick it up which she did without complaint, and held it like a babe in arms. She really was a character – clearly an animal lover – talking to all three ( Alsatian, Millie and hers) incessantly! Anyway then Alsatian is called through…my turn next ….when suddenly “ Harding” ….whoa, that’s us , where are we going ? Straight into the same room as Alsatian who at this point is up on the steel table …..honestly it could only happen here🥴🥴🙄🙄

Anyway , Millie had her injection and we paid and left ….not traumatised but certainly slightly frazzled …..whatever next? Watch this space!!! ( which may be a little longer than expected…….the DB has a big birthday coming up …I won’t give his age away but it is half way between sixty and eighty ….and I have one or two excursions planned , no more detail at the moment I’m afraid 😉😉😉)

So I will leave you with the following …

Now Dear Reader you’ll be wondering what on earth I’m on about – well, you may be aware that for some this is part of the wedding vow. Let me explain, should I be considering the DB and I renewing our wedding vows ( which I’m not – we’ve kept the vows we made twenty years ago, they’ll do for another twenty) but if I was considering it I would have to change the wording.!

The vow referred to in the title of this blog would be altered to read “ all I have I share with you – that is other than any nasty virus you happen to contract!!” Yes Dear Reader, the DB picked up a nasty respiratory virus two weeks ago and was very poorly … in fact we tested out the use of our renewed EHIC card when we visited the emergency doctor on account of his illness. Treatment proved a success I’m pleased to say – however, it didn’t stop yours truly going down with the same virus a week ago 🙈🙈🙈🙈 . I’m pleased to report that we are both now on the mend – even so would have preferred he’d kept it to himself !!!

Last week I was devastated to discover that I would be classed as vintage …….vintage, yes me, and I’ve still not got my bus pass….Why do you think that, I hear you question? Well because I saw an advert on our local Face Book page for these…

I mean these were the standard telephones when I was growing up …

I even remember this style telephone – so what does that make me ? An antique ? I think this téléphone was answered with “ Woburn Sands 3229” but then we progressed to “583229” with the “modern ok vintage “ phone! So I did some investigating and to be an antique you have to be at least 100 years old ( phew, not me then) but to be vintage you must be no less than 20 years and no more than 100 years ….so I am fairly and squarely vintage then ! Still not got the bus pass though so there is some compensation……for the next two months , at least!!!

This afternoon I’m off to the vet with Millie – she’s fine, just due her monthly injection. The vets surgery here is different to the UK ….they are equally lovely but I have walked in when major surgery on a cat, visible from the waiting room, is taking place in the consulting room which has no door. Between the consulting room and the waiting room is reception, with people paying for treatments on their way out amid poorly animals either side. One wouldn’t think that such a trip could be traumatic but past experiences both here and in the UK have proved so to be!

Take last October for example . Millie had a wart on her eye which was scratching her cornea … the vet suggested removing it ( the wart not her eye..) and she was booked in….I took her in the morning , surgery went according to plan and I was given an appointment to pick her up in the evening . All good so far ….then I arrive in the waiting room and sit to wait and this is when the trauma begins….

A mother and two small but school aged children entered with a basket covered in a towel….a rabbit apparently ..dead …Mum clearly wanted the receptionist to take said rabbit and then let vet explain to the little girls that he ( or she, I wasn’t privy to that detail) had died. The receptionist duly took the cage and Mum and daughters sat down behind me, Mum taking the opportunity to prepare them for the consultation. They we’re duly called through and just when I was digesting their impending heart ache a man ( Mr Davis as it happened) rushed in with something small wrapped in a towel and placed on the reception desk, which the receptionist quickly grabbed and disappeared. She reappeared not five minutes later to announce the vet was administering oxygen and would he( Mr Davis) like a drink ? ( He may not, but at this rate I may well need one!!)

Mum and girls then reappeared , all three heartbroken, though Mum holding it together… the bill is paid and then they leave without their beloved pet. By this time surgery has filled with people who’ve finished work ….no sign of Mr Davis’ bundle … then “ Millie’s Mum please” Phew off I go …all has gone well but I am warned that eyelids have an excellent blood supply so there may be a bit of leakage but not to worry – they wanted to see her again in three days time ! The nurse is dispatched to retrieve my precious pet ….”oh, do you want a collar” …. “Yes please- I don’t want a blood bath with her scratching her eye..” and with that we’re out of the door….to the car collar in place.

Now Millie is not a fan of the car at the best of times but hey we’ve got the steps for her to climb into the boot , However I’m on my own and it’s raining ….so I have an unwilling dog in a “ lamp shade” in one hand and the foldable steps in the other that for some reason refused to unfold. Somehow I set them up and got the unwilling dog up them into the boot only to realise I was looking at a scene one would expect to find after a murder. There was blood everywhere….the collar ( or lampshade ) was dripping, Millie’s face was red and her eyelid was steadily pumping out more and more blood . There was only one thing for it ….I had to return inside and add to the trauma of the evening surgery. I opened the door and just stood looking at the receptionist without going in…blood everywhere. Needless to say, they got me inside, Millie was whisked away to be attended to and I was sat down. However all ended well and we finally got home a little ,if not significantly, traumatised!

So it was again …another traumatic experience but this time in Spain…when I took Millie for her Rabies vaccination . We walked into the waiting room and who should be there but another Golden Retriever. Now I’ve always found there is a camaraderie between us Golden Retriever parents .. but this “Dad” was very tight lipped . I asked his dog’s age …14 – he was a lovely dog and you could see him watching the receptionist , a rustle of paper …ha, food potential. Millie was panting so I got out her water and gave her some …..” would your dog like some I ask” ( all in Spanish of course) “ no” came the reply. So we sat ….and then a terrible thought crossed my mind ….suddenly replaced when a woman entered with a large “ Labrador” type dog who was clearly very very ill.Before I had time to register any more, the old Golden Retriever is called through, and I was left with this extremely sick dog and owner ( grandma it turned out to be) …and Millie of course! The young owner turned up and this dog lay on her with a look of complete despair in her eyes…Time went on , and I was sure this dog was going to die in front of me ….I realised the Golden Retriever was a long time in consultation- if I’d been able to change Millie’s vaccination date I would have and we would have left ……and then to my horror but not surprise, the Golden Retrievers “Dad” appeared with the lead and collar and I knew what I’d been dreading all along.

I’m then called in ….Mrs Blubbering wreck in the corner …..vaccination administered and off we go…..needless to say I felt completely wrecked and traumatised by all this . So when I went the next time I spoke to the receptionist about it . I’m pleased to report the Labrador type dog had improved though was still on medication. As for the Go,den Retriever- 14 is a very good age – he had started to have fits though and apparently had had a really bad fit which made the owners mind up to have him put to sleep rather than go on suffering……that made things easier for me because I knew he’d been truly loved 💙

Apologies I gave no mascara warning – just as well I’m not wearing any as I’m writing this 😢😢…..

So perhaps you now understand why I feel some trepidation about visiting the vet this afternoon!!! Millie however takes it all in her stride!!!

Until next time …hasta luego Dear Reader !

In truth, the week started well …with yet another fiesta. I know we’d only had one two days previously but you can never have enough fiestas in Spain!!! This one was local to our town and more specifically to a church within it . There was a parade to celebrate all recent festivities…the Fallas …now there’s a festival not to be missed – it lasts five days in March and indicates the start of Spring. It is local to Valencia Provence and the principle elements of the festival are colour, artworks, gunpowder and fireworks . Every area in most towns in Valencia prepares a “ statue” …..

Basically they are giant statues made of wood, cork or papier- mache – each figure is called a “ ninot”. Many of the figures represent a satirical view in order to criticise politics, the current social situation or some odd customs . There are also many figures from fairy tales .Anyway don’t get too bogged down in all this ….on the final day each Fallas is awarded a position in their town and then burnt , last one first and top of the class last ( they can be burning statues at 4 am…oh and in case you’re wondering , no they’re not far away from buildings, bang in the middle of built up residential areas with only the “ Bomberos” for support!,,) It’s a great excuse annually to have a celebration ! In addition to the statues, the streets are alive with loud bangs – even the smallest child is allowed to set off bangers ….they remind me of Jumping Jacks( who remembers those on bonfire night – aweful things that would chase you when set off ..) but these don’t move from where they are lit which is a relief, they just make a very loud bang and scare the living daylights out of you!

At two o’clock each day they have the “ mascaletas” ……this is a 10 minute display of fireworks . Now as it is in broad daylight it is clearly not for the spectacular display of colour in the sky……no, it is for the noise Dear Reader . The whole display shakes your inner core….in my view, and it is my view, I prefer to see the sky light up rather than feel the personal impact of the explosion …..

Then you have the Falleras and Falleros ….the women and men who represent each zone and wear traditional old world costumes .

It is an immense source of pride to represent your area – however the expense of the dress, shoes and hair to say the least is no mean sum and is down to the individual!

Well that took me off track ….back to the procession on Wednesday 3 rd May….so the Falleras and Falleros were there, a marching band ( there’s always a band) , the ladies of the church dressed in black, with a black mantilla and veil to symbolise Easter , another band …..then the gold statue of Jesus carried by twenty men followed by local dignitaries all carrying candles. I should also mention the man with a hook on a pole ( non insulated) in front of the statue of Jesus to lift the electrical wires out of his way as he passes underneath the wires crossing the street . Say no more ….

That is how the week started Dear Reader……but it deteriorated due to the DB contracting a cough . Innocent enough at first, but as the weekend progressed I felt as if I was sleeping with the entire Philarmonic Orchestra warming up beside me . By Sunday they’d reached fever pitch ….literally . Needless to say the DB was not at all keen to see someone of medical persuasion, and it was only when our lovely pharmacist advised me she could not sell me any medication for a cough if there was noise in his chest!

So off to our local “ Urgencias” we went . EHIC card in hand, everyone was most helpful. The Doctor took one look at him, and then a listen to his chest…..” you will not be going to the beach for the next four or five days …you are very poorly” she said (I should say we haven’t really been to the beach at all but that’s irrelevant really). So we are sent home with four boxes of medicines …..

I am pleased to report that, whilst his cough would certainly still reach the top three in a worst cough competition, he is much improved . In fact so much so he cooked himself bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning . I can hear those of you that know the DB well , chuckling at this !!!

So forgive me for cutting this blog short ….it has been “ one of those weeks” ….let’s see what this next week brings ! I leave you with the following….

Now before I tell you about our trip ( no , not that sort of a trip Dear Reader – the sort you’d send a post card from) I felt I should reassure you about my state of health. My last blog detailed my attempts at a backward triple salchow- unintentional and failed miserably . BIL – you remember ( not his real name …short for ….. oh come on you know, the DB’s brother….what???? Who is the DB ? Unforgivable – mental note , memory training required…the Dearly Beloved of course! ) anyway back to the BIL who said the chicken bhuna (that I must have tried to save before backwards I went – thank goodness I did because the chicken bhuna, cast iron casserole and wooden board could well have made a nasty mess of me had they followed me down the stairs) OK so where was I? Oh yes BIL…he said the curry looked like a Jackson Pollock on the wall……so I had asked the DB to download me a “ Jackson Pollock “ painting ( I confess up until my fall I had never heard of him) so I could share it with you . Well I forgot …

Anyway never mind Jackson Pollock on the wall, I can match that on me….

Can you see one of those photos hanging in the National Gallery – Jackson Pollock eat your heart out I say!!!

Please don’t worry….they look aweful – testament to the injury I’m afraid…but I’ve been a good patient ( even though I haven’t seen a doctor ) and have moved and exercised every day and I am well on the mend now . Reassurance over let’s go South !

Last year I went with two of my cousins on a road trip to Granada and Cordoba ….there’s a blog in itself …did I mention the underpants ? No, best not just yet ….although they might have been Ralph Lauren….no matter, get back to where you were……..🤔🤔….oh yes …our trip last year . Well, I fell in love with Cordoba and decided that I wanted to take the DB there as part of his birthday celebrations ….yes it is a special year starts with a 7 and ends with a 0 ….have you got it? Well so it’s special. My intrigue with Cordoba began long ago following a conversation with my lovely friend Marylin ( who tragically died after falling backwards off a very large step ….no more to say on that) who had been to Cordoba for the Patios Festival. I’ll say no more at the moment on this because I have photos to share with you . Back to last year’s road trip, and my cousin Diana had organised a local guide to show us the city ( as an aside, if you’re going anywhere do get a local guide, you’ll learn so much more – it doesn’t have to be a personal tour, groups are also very good) anyway, I digress . Our local guide was called Barry…….local ….doesn’t sound very Spanish 🧐🧐🧐never mind , he was brilliant, a lover of history and had lived in Spain for more than 20 years …..Anyway, the only reason I’m telling you about Barry is that when I suggested to him about wanting to bring the DB to Cordoba for the Patios Festival , he looked at me questionably and said “ Really?”

At the end of our tour ( which incidentally was the last week in April) he explained that there were patios open to visit then …and we visited 3 or 4 . He also pointed out that during the festival there could be up to 130,000 people in any one of the small streets ( mental note , the DB wouldn’t hang around) and you could wait for up to 3 hours to visit one patio ( waste of time then …no chance of the DB waiting …nor me for that matter ) Also hotels and restaurants bump up their prices ….of course they do! they have a target audience . All in all, a no brainer….return next year, same time get tickets for a few of the patios and everyone is happy ….I mean do you really want to see 50 patios and, more to the point , pay inflated prices? Remember where the DB’s from …Yorkshire…and I was asking BIL too….he’s also from Yorkshire…..

And so it came to pass that we set off on Wednesday 26 th April…….

The following photos come without explanation but are of the gardens of the Alcazar …

Not just any Roman column Dear Reader …this is an example of the history ( Romans, Visigoths, Muslims, Christians…) and consequent building layers of Cordoba … this column is 4 metres high yet we were at current ground level I’ll leave that to your imagination….

These horses are stallions ….they are not a walk over neither are they small…if they don’t want to do something, they won’t!. The relationship between rider and horse was obvious and powerful to see, they act as one and there is evident mutual respect . In one part of the show 4 grey horses come out with their rider/ handlers…each in turn performs this manoeuvre. However, one of them ( naughty school boy..) appeared not to be able to do it and kicked his back legs out as well as trying to rear up – he had two handlers with him so I assumed he was young – anyhow as we left I saw on one of the TV screens a mature horse performing the same manoeuvre so I guess the young one had the move nailed after all!

I promise I won’t go on about the horses…you may know they are one of my favourite animals…..but I need to point out one thing ….

So Friday dawns and we’re off to the other side of the river, crossing the Roman Bridge……

And so to the Mezquita for a guided tour ….a stunning building , full of history and guided by the wonderful Angel….Now my cousins and I visited this building last year, but the wonderful Barry was not qualified to be a guide there …apparently only the chosen few are. However, he gave us information and advice and in we toddled . One thing he did say was “ Don’t miss the cathedral, it is there in the middle.” Apparently he’d previously taken people there and told them about the cathedral and one came out to him and said “ Well I never saw a cathedral , are you sure there’s one there?”🙈🙈🙈🙈

Without boring, you the mosque was extended on four occasions. It was built using slave labour ….pillars of pink and black granite were removed from other buildings . All of different heights, so adjustments top and bottom were made …these fragile pillars were transported in rice to protect them. With each extension, money had to be saved , so the granite became of poorer quality and finally, rather than making the arches ( as seen below) with individual stones, they made them in one and painted them!!!…

I think all I want to say about this building is that it is proof that Muslims , Christians and Jews( there is a Star of David in the roof) got along in the past …..a lesson to us all.

So this afternoon we’re off to the patios…….

Seriously, I asked one of the owners how they look after their plants …the answer is watering every three days and an extendible ( very) ladder to remove dead flowers and leaves…this is not taken lightly, there are prizes up for grabs….

And so we leave Cordoba with views from our terrace ….

We had asked the taxi driver who brought us here to pick us up as he duly did….and we told him what a lovely time we’d had . At traffic lights, the guy in the car next to us asked our driver where he could park and our driver directed him appropriately. He then turned to us and said “ The Romans were very very clever but clearly they didn’t have cars!!!”

A lovely lovely time…memories made so I leave you with this …until next time 😘

No, I am still not old enough for my bus pass Dear Reader, but I’ll never be too old to learn . The planned topic today has been completely turned on it’s head …why, you ask ……well, because I was also turned on my head ( in a fashion and I should add, in a totally unplanned way) on Saturday evening . Let me explain ….

Not really … it’s the stairway to our roof terrace . My brother and sister in law ( before you correct me, yes I know I don’t have a brother and he is my brother in law – there’s just too many “in laws” if I say it correctly) ….now where was I ? Oh yes, they’re staying with us …so as is my want , I had planned a curry evening on Saturday. I had done the full works …or as full as you can without going to Iceland ( the shop not the country), the English shop or travelling afar to find an Indian supermarket. It was lovely weather so we were eating upstairs on the roof terrace ….starters finished , down I went to get the chicken bhuna which was in a cast iron casserole. I put said casserole on a large thick wooden bread board and set off on my way up to the roof. Don’t ask why I needed a bread board Dear Reader …..it’s obvious……the casserole would have melted the table of course! Oh you didn’t know, the table is plastic! Yes I know I should have taken them up separately- bread board first of course- but haven’t you got to know me yet? No ..Mrs Can do here did it all at once ..I got no further than step number 5 when my centre of gravity shifted backwards with the weight in front of me, and I set off in reverse, closely followed by a hot chicken bhuna ( in case you’re wondering not spicey hot ….though that is hardly relevant, is it?) Very quickly , though I felt as if the world had slowed to a snails pace, I was laid on the floor at the bottom of those steps 🙈🙈🙈 ( the curry had splashed all over the walls so BIL who described it as a Jackson Pollock…( that’s not his real name , it’s Andrew , but the initials make the word Brother in Law …. still with me ) started clearing it up .

The DB , who was completely shaken as you will imagine was with me…..watched over by SIL …no that doesn’t work , Jan, and a totally upset Millie . An ambulance is mentioned ….but despite the gravity of the fall, Mrs Can do did a self assessment and decided no need for one …neck ok, head ( surprisingly) also ok, I could move and feel both legs, and talk ( it takes a lot to shut me up as you know..!)

So I was taken to my bed where I stayed for a couple of hours… I was very shaken ( as was everyone else , but at least they got to try the curry , although appetites were reduced) . I did get up later …what do you do when you fall off a horse? You get straight back on it ( well only if you want to I suppose!) …so I knew I had to climb back up the stairway to heaven. I did of course manage it ….. bent forwards a bit like the Hunchback of Notre Dame…..had a coffee and then went back to bed….where surprisingly I managed to sleep!

I would be lying if I said I had no injuries …my left shoulder girdle took the brunt of my fall and it has been far from comfortable ( an understatement- you know I’m a hugger, wobetide anyone approaching with the intent of grabbing me in an embrace…..) though I’ve strapped it up with the help of the DB, You Tube, tape and long lost ( though fortunately not completely) physio knowledge. That has made a big difference …and I was back up and doing stuff the next morning. Why you may ask…….in truth because I know how lucky I was to walk away from that fall……I lost a special friend several years ago from falling backwards off a steep step. So..I wasn’t going to give in to any of that …life is to be lived and appreciated every minute you have.

“What have you learnt ?“ I hear you cry. For a start, I won’t be carrying large hot dishes on a heavy wooden board up to the roof terrace again….if I’m carrying anything up there I will always have a hand free to hold the hand rail. If you come to stay you may find your salad or meal is delivered to you on the roof in a supermarket carrier bag…….

The DB would tell you that I’d had a few glasses of grape juice ( fermented of course…) in the afternoon and a gin and tonic before dinner . That is true …but I have climbed up and down those stairs many times before having similarly imbibed…. but never fallen……

I wanted to share this with you because despite my light hearted take ( now) it has been a very scary experience for all of us .Hopefully next week won’t be as action packed and I can tell you about my veterinary experiences which was supposed to be today’s topic!

I’m going to leave you with a photo that pulls me up sharp every time I look at it…

So on Saturday I clearly wasn’t at the front of that queue …but we are all in the queue, we just don’t know whereabouts . So despite my injury, it’s time to get on with life and enjoy!

Hasta la proxima…..

Well we’re back in the land of sun and oranges …if you were looking forward to a blog about me sitting on a sun lounger by a pool with a cocktail in one hand, book in the other – switch off now. I apologise you’ll need to look up Sunseekers United for that – this blog details the ruminations of a rambling sixty something year old who doesn’t spend much time on a sun lounger at all!

Now the astute amongst you will notice a problem with one of those chimneys ( in truth, there’s a problem with almost all eight of them ) – but I walk past ( in fact, under) this wonky one every day. Can you imagine that happening in the UK? Not at all, they’d have called in the next Fred Dibner long ago! “Clear the area …evacuate everyone” would be the cry! Not over here though…..

Sometimes you have to strike a happy medium don’t you? I think we’ve gone too far with Health and Safety in the UK ( those of you who’ve kept up with my blog for a while will remember as a clinician I was expected to write a risk assessment for the use of Tippex ..) but I do think perhaps a little more care is needed over here in Spain!! I’ll be sure to let you know if this chimney tumbles at any time – perhaps I should start wearing a hard hat when I take Millie out first thing ……..

Now this doesn’t look particularly appealing, I’ll give you that……but sadly what I cannot convey is the smell in the air . Before we left the UK Gary Davis ( a Radio 2 DJ) was asking what his listeners would bottle if they could. At the time I was struggling to think what I would bottle ….it came to me on that morning…that smell! What could it be , you’re thinking…..

We are surrounded by beautiful orange groves and the smell of the blossom at the moment fills the air in the early morning and evening. I mean Valencia oranges after all are famous world wide aren’t they? They are cheap over here too…never mind 60 p per orange as we pay in the UK, more like 60 p a kilo or less. So low is the price that the growers are given for their oranges, that many trees are left unpicked . What a waste …then you hear that Spain imports South African oranges ! Is it me ? It is certainly a crazy world we’re living in!

On the third day we were here our Spanish tiler came to restore the pillar in our house .

This pillar has been tiled, then the tiles were removed because damp crept up beyond them , so then the pillar was painted (with what I cannot say, beyond it would appear to have been white paint) Well that wasn’t successful either ! So Rodrigo comes along…..

So much for a sun lounger ….now time to clean! ….and this is all before the Easter weekend!

Easter is a very special time here ..with representation of the crucifixion and death of Christ on Easter Friday followed by celebrations of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday and reunion of Jesus with his mother Mary . When I talk about processions through the streets of our town …I don’t just mean people walking through the streets ! No this is Spain! They carry immensely heavy “ pasos” or religious statues around the narrow streets…

Can you imagine this passing Health and Safety in the UK? As if the width and weight of the statue weren’t enough to give rise for concern, let me draw your attention to the pole at the front of the picture. There is a man at the end of it who’s role is to lift the electricity cables clear of Jesus as he passes underneath……need I say more, but try and stop this celebration if you dare ! It really is very moving ……

In contrast to the sombre mood of Friday there is joy on Easter Sunday. All the local bands and churches process to a centre point in the town…two of these bring Jesus and Mary respectively

Anyway I’m pleased to say Millie had an Easter Egg……

Easter Monday brings Millie to her special place here La Marjal … a beautiful natural park not far from here

So a week has gone by….we have achieved a lot …though it takes time to settle into things Spanish again. We’re almost there I think …so will see what this next week brings …a cocktail on a sun lounger perhaps ? No chance ! So until next week………

Before I start writing today’s blog ( and explaining the title – I know you’ll be thinking “ she’s got it the wrong way round hasn’t she?” Patience Dear Reader, patience!) I wanted to sincerely thank you all for supporting me through my March challenge to raise funds for the SANDS charity. Together we raised over £700 – exceeding my expectations completely. I also wanted to say how touched I’ve been with the feedback I’ve received from my blog – so I am going to aim to write a weekly blog with reflections, observations and some facts on life ( no, not with the facts of life don’t worry …) for you all. So as they say, strap yourselves in , hold tight …..and off we go!

Firstly, the title ! Indeed normally one would say “ A week in the life of..” . This week has been far from normal and it has felt like a lifetime so bear with me please. Look, for a start I’ve travelled over 1300 miles and during that journey I’ve been involved in a bus crash, fallen in love with an octopus, worried about Millie being attacked by a Bengal tiger, driven in rain so heavy that we’ve more or less come to a standstill on a motorway and then to cap it all, family plans went to pot ! Now do you understand my choice of title ? Personally I blame the hole in the sun that was discovered on March 23 rd – just my opinion!

As Julie Andrew’s sung ( I won’t even try to sing it) …Let’s start at the very beginning…..it is after all a very good place to start! When I left you last week, I was preparing to embark on this journey ( a real one not a metaphorical one) . So I got the house sitters settled in ….Grandma is in charge so order will be maintained whilst I’m not there….

Our first port of call was Hove , the home of the Bengal tiger ( well she is a domestic cat but if you read some things about the breed you’d think they were wild) As it happens, the aptly named Dotty is a real pussy cat – she’s gorgeous and was certainly no threat to Millie! In fact she was petrified of Millie …not surprising considering the size difference. So one less worry for me. We were visiting the DB’s eldest daughter,Emma – sorry I forgot to tell you I was taking the DB ( Dearly Beloved for those of you new to the blog…) with me on this journey.

We took the bus to Brighton…the DB delighted that he could use his bus pass. Sadly I’m not yet old enough for a bus pass 😉…….anyway he doesn’t get chance to use it at home. Buses are a rarity at home …however he did use it once in Sheffield. Now I’m going to go way off the point here, but when I think of the time he used his bus pass ,I automatically think of my funeral coat . Aren’t brains and memories funny? Let me elaborate ( not about brains and memories, about funeral coats and bus passes!) – the DB had to take his car into Sheffield for some work doing ( can’t remember what..) and I was ill so couldn’t take him. Hence he used the bus pass to take the tram to Meadowhell ( intentional error) Shopping Mall, to pass some time . That memory is associated with a funeral of a very dear friend that was the next day ( in case you’re wondering we’re getting to the funeral coat now…) I had decided to buy a winter coat that would serve as a funeral coat- and as luck would have it, I found a chocolate brown one ( I wouldn’t wear a black one any other time, so economy reigned ) in the Jaeger on line sale! Just so you know I don’t shop at that store on a regular basis ..not my style…My mother was an avid fan of Jaeger so I think I have an in built aversion to it 😉Anyway said coat arrived…..too big so had to be returned . The smaller size then arrived …a perfect fit, three days before the funeral … then I was still too unwell to go to said funeral. That coat remains to this day unworn…….so much for economy ! Now where was I ? Oh yes…

Back to that bus ……

So there we were, on our way to what turned out to be one of the most delicious lunches we have ever eaten ….you did hear me correctly! We went to a lovely restaurant called Burnt Orange which served small plates ( obviously with small amounts of food on …I mean ..you …..no I don’t need to explain do I?….) I mean who wouldn’t like crispy smoked lamb shoulder cigars with padron yoghurt, flamed sea bream with basil yoghurt and a mango dressing or smoked miso aubergine with crispy onions and sour cream ( to name but a few….) See what I mean – a whole different calibre of food……not to mention the Malfi orange spritz and Sauvignon Blanc it was washed down with or the wonderful friendly Jonny and Alex who looked after us . A complete success, but all good things must come to an end , so homeward bound we had to be. After a reasonable walk we agreed to catch the bus the remainder of the way ….DB can use his bus pass again but I must pay ( did I tell you I’m not yet old enough for a bus pass? Oh I did – apologies for repetition!) There we were sat sitting on this bus when it pulled into the bus stop and…..BANG ! The driver had clearly thought the bus already there was leaving or maybe she ( yes it was a she but that’s no reflection on her driving skills…) pressed the accelerator instead of the brake …who knows, but two buses were suddenly out of action ( one with a large hole in its rear window and the other with its windscreen shattered) and I suspect the bus company will be all the poorer for the whiplash claims of the passengers in the bus in front. I spotted them walking off the bus rubbing their necks……please don’t think I’m callous here ……I have experience of this but if I go off track again I’ll never finish this blog ( I’ve got another 1000 miles to go yet – so I’ve made a mental note …well I’ve written it in my notebook 😉- to tell you about it another time!)

Eventually we got back to Emma’s ( fortunately we didn’t have to pay again, not sure the DB could have coped with paying another £2 for my return ticket being from Yorkshire …how much?……..) It was there I fell in love with an octopus…….

I have never given much though to these creatures before …other than whilst I love grilled octopus, it absolutely does not love me and the couple of times I’ve eaten it , I’ve spent the following two days blown up like a big base drum and feeling rubbish to boot. I digress (what a surprise…) So Emma introduces me to a documentary film called My Octopus Teacher….who would believe I would be in tears in a film about octopuses ( or is it octopi?) It is a very moving film …one I’d urge you to watch . In reality a female octopus lives approximately one year if she’s lucky and isn’t eaten by something or someone before then. She mates once , gives birth to possibly thousands of babies , nurtures them and then dies. In fairness the males also dies soon after mating. So they have a limited existence , but the potency of this documentary is the relationship between the guy making the documentary and the octopus ….how little we really know of the natural world . Watch the film you’ll be amazed!

All this has happened and I’ve not even left our shores …anyway Friday arrives and we’re off…….

At border control I was all ready with my answers to the questions re guns, knives and ammunition which we have been asked about each previous time – no mention of the dog food you’re not now supposed to take, or the ham, cheese and any other picnic item that might incur the wrath of the EU! So if I was asked whether we had hidden about the car any of the above weapons, I was going to confess to having have a Viner’s stainless steel cutlery knife ..confiscate it if you dare……the customs officer clearly saw me coming and decided the better of any stop and search tactics …imagine the blog otherwise 🥴🥴🥴🥴

Driving through France is normally a joy – but the weather spoilt it. The motorways are pretty empty but that makes little difference when the rain is such that visibility is very poor.

We arrived to this lovely spot set by a lake …perfect for Millie. I got up early the next day and these photos describe our walk …

And it’s we’re off to San Sebastián….blue sky there’s a change !

Now we met these two on Saturday evening for a pizza ….yes you’re right, not much room for pizza after those drinks!!!….and had planned to spend the whole of Sunday with them before setting off in the evening for a hotel in Pamplona. However the weather forecast was appalling for Sunday, add to that the San Sebastián marathon was taking place that we knew nothing about so San Sebastián was a no go area, and Izan was rugby training about forty five minutes away from San Sebastián . So change of plan ….we’d all meet up at rugby training to watch Izan play – he was playing four times between 10 and 12 ( or so we thought) and then go for lunch nearby before we left for Pamplona late afternoon.

Sunday dawned and when I describe the rain as bucketing down , that is how it was …buckets of water hitting the ground continuously. I got drenched taking stuff to the car! We set off to watch Izan only to get there after he’d played once and wasn’t going to play again 🥴🥴

Ashley had an awful cough so couldn’t come – so our day was turned on it’s head. We had a coffee with Izan and his Dad and had to sit outside albeit under shelter, as we had Millie – but there was no denying it was too wet and cold to stay anywhere outside long. So we said our goodbye’s and set off for our hotel in Pamplona…

Now look what’s happened – my battery’s nearly run out ( mine as well as the ipad 😉😉) – anyway you’ll be pleased to know I’m nearly done . An uneventful journey south east across Spain saw us leave temperatures of 7 degrees and reach temperatures of 21 degrees….

So Dear Reader …I hope you now understand the title of this blog ! I’m leaving you now ….the battery is nearly flat and if I tell you any more , I won’t have anything to tell you next week apart from my life on a sun lounger , will I.?

Believe that, and you’ll believe anything! For now adios and hasta la proxima 🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸

Today is my last walk, my last daily blog ( don’t worry , I’m planning a weekly blog with observations and reflections on life going forward!) and the 39 th anniversary of my daughter Emma’s death. It is hard to believe I am old enough to be the mother of a near forty year old daughter, though in reality she would likely never have reached this age. She was born weighing 7 lbs 5 oz but died as a result of having the cord wrapped round her neck for a prolonged period, whilst my labour continued a pace (though it appears no one told my cervix!) and no one knew that’s what would happen. At her post mortem it was discovered that she would likely have developed a neuroblastoma which is a cancer typically seen in infants and young children – and back then treatment was rarely successful. Working in the cancer hospital latterly, I came across a couple of patients with this cancer and it was never a good outcome. What I’m going to say now may sound strange to you Dear Reader, although what happened to her was so devastating and tragic , I do believe it happened for a reason ….and that strangely gave me comfort as time passed.

Needless to say in future pregnancies, labour was to be avoided at all costs! So with my next pregnancy in 1985, having been watched like a hawk every step of the way, a date was set just after Spring Bank Holiday when my two real life angels ( Willy Porter obstetrician and Alan Caunt anaesthetist) could be with me for a happy occasion with delivery by Caesarian section under epidural. However baby Thomas had other ideas – he wasn’t prepared to wait, and before the weekend had begun I was heading into labour . All stops were pulled out and he was delivered by emergency Caesarian section under epidural – sadly neither Willy or Alan were present,but one of the registrars who had witnessed Emma’s birth, performed the surgery . The joy of holding him in my arms was indescribable as you may imagine!

As patients we understand our own lived experiences but I think we forget sometimes the effects of them, on the medical and health care team involved . I know everyone was left devastated first time round, and thankfully all was well this time. In reality, without medical intervention, I would never have given birth to a live baby and may well have died during the process ….a scary thought.

Baby number three came on the horizon – and again I was monitored and watched continuously…..this time he decided to try and make an appearance at 32 weeks! No way,said Willy Porter! and confined me to bed rest in hospital ( difficult with a toddler at home but my parents were summoned and in hospital I stayed!) However when things settled I was allowed home under strict instruction not to do anything . This was over Christmas – can you imagine?! Anyway this time the baby was to be delivered under general anaesthetic with Caesarian section on New Year’s Eve ..no chances were being taken…..and baby Joseph’s birth was a most wonderful experience I could have wished for. I still remember the taste of the celebratory hot chocolate I drank at night !!!

People used to ask me if I didn’t regret not having a “ normal” delivery …. well for a start I learnt the hardest of ways that I don’t have a choice , my body doesn’t do normal deliveries. At least I was able to sit comfortably after each of my deliveries though!. Let me tell you, back then , there was none of this C-section one day and home the next as there is now – a C-section meant a fourteen day stay in hospital regardless (even without a baby which was hard because I was on the post natal ward, allbeit in a side room.) A Caesarian with a live baby was a sheer joy! Finally dear reader on the advantages of surgical delivery , whilst I am well known for my multi tasking skills ..this does not apply to me 😉😉

So for my last walk I went along the TPT with my friend and neighbour Elaine ( we are so lucky, we have neighbours and then neighbours nextdoor who are very special friends.) Needless to say Millie came along and we had a coffee at one of the dog friendly cafes in Penistone ( sadly for Millie not the one that offers Puppaccinos!)

So what about those pots of gold I hear you say ……

Well I’m going to leave those for people who really need them . I can see you thinking “ she’s lost it now ..at least four pots of gold ..and she’s not bothered …” No, no amount of gold could ever give me what I have today ….my lovely family and my lovely friends …..and now look at the next generation in my life ….

A massive thank you to each and everyone who has supported me on this journey and donated to the charity. I have raised nearly £700 which far exceeded my expectations – whilst I walked each and every step in Emma’s name – I wanted to raise the awareness of this charity, without a doubt my experience would have been much improved had they been more prominent 39 years ago. I hope that is what I have achieved

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