Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Monday 27 May 2013

Summery summarish

Definitely not been in blogging mood recently. I don't know why because everything in our garden is really rather rosy - Casa Rosales is living up to its name quite literally.

The week after my mum left was a really long one. It seemed she'd gone too soon and although she'd only been with us for about 6 days, the place seemed really empty after she left.  And I caught the bug that had laid Mateo and Ruy low - a sort of flu-like cold that sapped all energy and left me with a cough on my chest. I have been rattling and wheezing like an old smoker for the past week or so. Coughs are horribly exhausting, aren't they?

Well, this is a summery summary - though knowing me, it'll go on forever, hence the title...I'll get on with it. (Though today is a little cool for really summery and we've been promised a thunderstorm ...however, I can see only blue sky and little white clouds from my little window here. I understand from Radio 4 news that the UK seems to have a sunny Bank Holiday for a change! Hurray!!)

Briefly:

  • Just before Mum came, I planted 24 sunflower seeds in 24 little yogurt pots and 23 of them have sprouted and are growing very nicely. 


  • I have also bought and planted some lavender, some variegated mint and am buying a geranium a month from the local market - so far I have two - I shall have lots more!


  • The potatoes we put in a few weeks ago are also sprouting nicely both in the container FR made and in a little furrow in our ploughed field. We're not entirely sure why we had the whole field ploughed but when someone arrives with a big tractor and a rotivating thingy, you can't ask them to do just a couple of stripes...


  • FR and I have been walking in the countryside around our lovely village and have officially deemed it 'perfect'. For both of us, in some nostalgic way, it reminds us the countryside of our childhoods - the smells of the hawthorn and wild garlic and the sound of little streams bubbling up - we both spent time close to nature, FR more than me, but it worked its way into our subconscious and has stayed there.


  • I've been busy at work, with the other teacher, preparing our students for their written exams. We do both Cambridge and Trinity Board syllabuses. This Saturday morning was the Trinity written exam and as this is the first year that we have done this syllabus, the other teacher and I were probably as nervous as the students as we were invigilating under the silent and mysterious eye of a Trinity College Inspector. He arrived and walked in without introducing himself and sat at a desk until the exam finished, then rose, said, 'have a nice weekend' and disappeared again. We are hoping all went well for all concerned.

  • We have bought some bamboo and some trees for our garden - not lots, but some lovely ones - and something that smells divine but whose name escapes me. We are waiting for them to be delivered and FR has dug long trenches down one side of the garden ready to accommodate them. The bamboo is a cunning plan to disguise the fence without completely blocking the view...hope it works as it was my idea and tall bamboo plants are not cheap! 
  • I impulsively wrote a little piece in a travel blog competition and whilst I have no illusions of winning anything, if you feel like reading it, voting for it or even writing something yourself, please visit the page here.
  • I've been researching some serious chocolate-making - more of which later - however, I shall probably stick to the fun sort.
  • I've decided to stop teaching at the Academy next year - obviously, more of this later too.


That's the summary. Even as I write, things are happening - the guttering man just called and he's on his way to put us some guttering up, so that next time it rains we won't get soaked as soon as we step out of the door by the rain that falls directly from the roof. FR has phoned to say he's hiring a hole-making machine for the tree planting exercise and that he's had to pay also for Ruy's end of term trip and commemorative t-shirt...Ruy's off to Cazorla for a three-day adventure, where he and his classmates will be doing all sorts of outdoor activities, including rafting and rock climbing.
Time is whizzing by and the children have only another few weeks before term ends...


Breathe deeply, hang on to every moment - is it just me or is time really flying by for everyone else too?


24 comments:

  1. I am SO sorry to have deleted my comment. Clearly my morning coffee has not worked its magic yet as I found a couple of mistakes which I have now rectified!

    Yes, time is flying and I think I compensate for this continuous surge forwards by harking back to the past (not mine necessarily) and living in the present. It makes me smile to read how vital your springtime walks are for you and your husband. I feel exactly the same way.

    Cambridge and Trinity exams? I loved teaching for those many, many, many moons ago in Greece. I felt like holding my students' hands and leading them into the examination room personally. My daughter is now sitting them here in France as she hopes to study in the UK in 2014.

    I hope you feel better soon :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for this lovely comment - don't worry about the deleted one! It happens to us all sometimes and makes everyone curious about what you REALLY said!
      I felt so very protective of my students and saw a mistake that one had made and spent the rest of the time trying to will him to change it! In the end, I don't know if he did or didn't - probably not, knowing him...
      I'm sure your daughter will fly through them though sometimes, I think people simply want the certificate and never want to speak English again - hopefully not our students!
      I'm feeling much better today thank you.
      Axxx

      Delete
  2. You sound as if you have been really busy..but busy , mainly doing things that are giving you amazing pleasure...I'm interested to hear more about your chocolate plans and plans not to continue with the academy.... I guess they maybe related.
    Summer still hasn't really arrived in Caunes...some sunshine, but lots of grey skies and a crazy amount of rain.....and its still quite cold.....no chance of germinating seeds here at the moment ! never mind, another week or two and I expect people will be moaning about the heat....not me though . I hope the bug vanishes soon. Love Janice x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janice - well I expect you are very busy right now too! We are very content and hardly a day goes by without us thanking our lucky stars to be living here in Andalucia in this lovely corner of the world.
      The chocolate and teaching plans are related in a bit of a 'negative' way but I will explain it all later - wish you were nearer so I could check it all out with you and be sure that I was doing the right thing. I think I am but I do so like to go over it until I have convinced myself absolutely.
      It's chilly here today - not sure my washing will dry and it looks like rain - but the second the sun shows its face, you can feel the incredible heat of it so I think we should be glad of the cloud for a little bit longer. Once the summer really takes over, we shall have to hide a bit though I do like the heat too. Feeling much better today, thanks. Have a lovely time with the family. Axxx

      Delete
  3. Glad to hear you are feeling better today, sometimes it's hard to shake these things off. Your garden plans sound great, lovely to build it up and enjoy in just the way you want it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Chrissie,
      FR has been busy making big holes around the perimeter of our land so that when we buy a tree, we can plant it straightaway. Now is not the best time to plant the trees - we missed that by about a month but we couldn't be without so have bought just a few to be going on with! They're coming this afternoon - and the gutter men are here just now...all go!
      Axxx

      Delete
  4. Sorry to hear you've been under the weather Annie, sounds like you're having a busy time of it too with all your seed sowing and planting.............best of luck with your entry in the Travel Blog Competition, hope you win.
    Kim xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kim and thank you. I am feeling much better today - was more worried about coughing all through the exams but a supply of mints and water helped. As for the travel blog competition - I confess, I have no idea what the prize might be but just wanted to promote my lovely town....or at least I think I want to promote it! Axxx

      Delete
  5. Looking forward to seeing how beautifully your garden will grow.Hope you are feeling better.The UK Spring Bank Holiday weather has meant alot of sitting and reading in our garden.We did venture out to Bretton on Saturday as it was a blue sky day and perfect for photos.Good luck with your competition entry. xx Maria

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, Maria, we are hoping the sun won't kill off all our new plants - it's not quite as friendly an environment as it sometimes seems but we shall do our best. I'm so glad you've had time in your garden - I saw some of your Bretton photos and they are gorgeous. I do love Bretton! I have no high hopes for my competition entry but just wanted to put Alcala on a map for a moment.
      Axxx

      Delete
  6. A wonderful 'catch-up' Annie. Sorry to read that you caught the 'bug'. Tim also caught it and was below par for nearly 3 weeks.
    I'm intrigued as to why you've decided not to teach at the Academy next year. I have decided to carry on teaching until Easter and then to opt for the big R. I thik when I do that will be the absolute end for me. I don't want to do any bits and pieces - a clean break from something which has been my life for 35 years.

    So sound so contented... fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's quite a while since I felt less than very well and I did think I'd managed to avoid the boys' horrid cold, but no, It's just about gone now, thank goodness.
      I will definitely write about why I'm not going back to the Academy - it's not such a big decision as taking the big R, though, and I do understand that after such a long time, a clean break is probably the right thing to do.

      It's hard not to feel just a tad smug sometimes - hope it stops at contented! Axxx

      Delete
  7. Hope your feeling fully recovered now.looking forward to hearing about the chocolate creations....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, definitely over the hump thank you. I haven't had chance to write to you but send you my warmest wishes and virtual hugs at this moment.
      You will, I promise, hear of any chocolate creations!
      Axxx

      Delete
  8. I'm also intrigued by your planned changes. A teacher's life in Spain sounds so much better than in the UK - or is it just that you make life in general in Spain sound so great?
    (I voted!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nilly! I can't make a comparison between teaching here and in the UK as I wasn't a teacher until I came here. Serendipity again found me the teaching post and I have loved it but I need to reassess things now we've settled into our home. I shall try and explain very soon but we have some trees to plant this week!
      Axxx

      Delete
  9. I'm sorry you've been unwell...you're so right about how couths pull you down.
    I very much enjoyed your description of Alcala, giving a picture not only of the town but of your reaction to it which made it all come very much to life.
    It sounds as if you have a lot of watering ahead of you.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, lots of watering but we've tried to choose plants that are not too, too thirsty as we don't have a well. We're working on a few neighbours to try and 'share' but it's an alien concept around here...
      Feeling much better now thanks. Thanks for your kind words - can you tell I do love this place! Axxx

      Delete
  10. Hi Annie. I hope you are feeling better now. You do sound incredibly busy but in a good way. What do people say? "Time flies when you are enjoying yourself".

    Love your competition article..have commented and voted xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, thank you Ayak - like your own bug, it's taken a little while to shift but I'm feeling much better now. And still busy!

      Thank you very much for your comment and vote - not that I'm expecting anything but just wanted to share a little corner of Andalucia that I'm rather fond of.
      Axxx

      Delete
  11. I just don't know how I came to miss this, Annie, but thankfully caught up with it before we set off tomorrow. I love your summary of your new, busy and obviously happy life, though I'm sorry to hear you've had a bug with its resultant cough. Grandson#1 has a very chesty cough which has lingered from a cold weeks ago. There are a lot of them about, hardly surpising with this awful, weather we've been having. :-(

    Your plans sound tantalisingly promising and I await further elucidation with great interest. One thing - make sure you keep your bamboo under control. It can spread rather fast and be difficult to eradicate from the places you don't want it. This is the voice of experience speaking....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've been busy too, Perpetua! I'm now quite well again and hope Grandson...hmm can't find the hashkey...number one is feeling better too. Think the weather is improving from what I hear on the radio, so fingers crossed that it stays better.
      We've been warned about the bamboo - I do hope we don't regret our choice but we need it to spread in a controlled way. I've passed on the message to head gardener! Experience shared is so very valuable. Thank you!
      Have a good trip and hope to hear from you soon.
      Axxx

      Delete
  12. Let's have a sunflower race. I've planted 10 by my pool. They were about 4 inches tall last week when I left. Hope my other half is watering them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A race that you are winning by about 4 inches, Annie! Mine are only about 2-3" tall at the moment but are begging to be planted out - I am still a big worried for them, little things! Show me yours and I'll let you know if the race is on...or not! Are you really in Scotland?
      Axxx

      Delete

I welcome your comments - it makes blogging even more fun to know someone is reading!