Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Sunday 27 July 2014

There and back again

Well, we're back. Back from a lovely week in England with family and friends.
I'd booked the flights in February and it wasn't until just before we were due to leave and I printed out our boarding passes that I realised we had eight days, not just a week, of holiday.  It felt fantastic!

The last time I took the children to England it was Christmas;  the weather was cold and wet; the days were short and it was dark by 4pm. This year, we were treated to eight long, glorious and sunny days; the sun didn't set until 10pm and rose again by 5am. We revelled in the rich greenery of the Cheshire and West Yorkshire countrysides. We had one short sharp thunderstorm soon after we arrived in Huddersfield which was noisy and quite spectacular and very welcome.

My sister has moved house and is now in a  beautiful old farmhouse with acres of land.. I have, in the distant past, posted about the many tractors around here, including very beautiful Lamborghini ones...and since visiting my sister, I have tractor envy. She has her own little tractor to cut the grass and of course, we had to have a go!

Here's Romy receiving instruction....

We were treated to wonderful home-cooked meals and the children and I slept in the old, almost but not quite, converted barn, all together in the same space. I fell asleep every night to the sound of laughter and silly stories and games of  'I went to market' (a memory game where each player adds something else to the list of purchases...) and just general messing around. 

We visited my parents and found them not too badly organised. Dad has just got a hoist and a new bed which helps Mum and the carer to get him in and out of bed and in and out of his chair. He looks well under the circumstances but is always anxious to speed up the time between his daily routines - often, by 3pm, he's anxious for supper and bed. 

After a couple of days relaxing, enjoying the sunshine and my sister's garden, we hired a car to visit friends in Yorkshire - sadly missing Janice by a week or so as she had returned to France, more or less with Le Tour. Check out her blog for more lovely information about this! I had arranged to meet my dear friend Karen (of Southwold Famous Five fame) in Salt's Mill in Saltaire, one of my all time favourite haunts. I'd dropped Mateo off in Huddersfield to meet some of his friends so it was just Romy, Ruy and I who went. We arrived early and I positioned myself near the entrance so that I'd see Karen when she arrived. However, there were two entrances and she managed to sneak up on me - very sneakily she did it - and caught me by surprise. We'd sort of expected a slightly tearful and emotional meeting as it's more than four years since we've seen each other, but our outburst of hysteria was unexpected! We both burst into a mixture of laughing and crying and hugging which became a mascara- and nose-dripping spectacle with my children and Karen's husband, Philip, looking on in slightly embarrassed amusement. It was perfect!

We had a lovely lunch together and lots of catching up. It's twenty five years since Salt's Mill opened and the chap in the Diner is still there, welcoming the hoards and he remembered and chatted to us as if we'd only been there last week. 

And then Karen handed me a very precious little parcel. It was Mavis - our prize pig from the Treasure Hunt we did in Southwold (see earlier link!) - who, as we were there in 1984 as I remember, is now 35 years old! 

Photo: Lovely to hand over this little pig to Annie Taylor - let's hope it's not too long before we collect her again from Spain. Bon Voyage xxxxx

After this lovely afternoon, we went to stay with my friend Marion, over in Huddersfield. Like everyone else we stayed with, Marion had prepared us some wonderful food. I did wonder whether it was because we had unconsciously been missing 'English' food but I suspect it was more the special care that people made on our behalf and we are most grateful - certainly one very direct way to our hearts. We stayed overnight and so the next morning, I was able to drop Ruy off at a friend's house and call in to see another before going to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park with Marion, her son, Ali and another friend, Clare. This is the place we visited most often from our home in Huddersfield and at the time, is where FR did his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees so we got to know it very well indeed. Sadly, the University of Leeds has closed the campus based here now and all the buildings that were home to FR showed great signs of decay and neglect...we couldn't get to see some of the older and more beautiful buildings as the grounds were roped off for visitors. I didn't honestly pay too much attention to the surroundings as I was busy enjoying my time talking to my friends but I think the children were glad to be back. Mateo took some photos on his phone and they're not brilliant but do capture some of the amazing trees there and some of the unexpected features!. 


 With Marion, Clare, Ali and Romy







When we returned to my sister's, she took us on a stunning walk around Marbury Country Park with Twigg, Cocoa and Fizz. And we had a pub lunch at the side of the Trent and Mersey Canal, where the Anderton Boat Lift is now operational again. It all seemed very civilised and organised and pretty. And that's not to say Spain isn't these things but my three words are not the first that come to mind when living in Andalucia...(Photos to follow - they're on my sister's phone and she's now in Belgium.)

The rest of the week was made up of more visits to Mum and Dad, a quick trip to the chiropractor, a shopping day at Cheshire Oaks - more because one of the cars was in for a service there - but we did get a few items and overdosed on the outrageous amount of choice of things for sale. A once in a lifetime visit, I suspect! And Ruy got some great archery practice and he and Romy were invited to hit a few balls on the Golf Course Driving Range just next door - which they enjoyed very much!

And suddenly it was Thursday and time to come home again. It was wonderful to spend time with my sister and to see my parents and so special to spend time with precious friends too. But we were ready to come home again. I always tend to say 'home' for England, but my children don't. They had a great time - and Ruy in particular, had a brilliant day with his friends, including catching his first fish - but Alcala is their home and they were ready to return. And that was a good feeling too.

After a goodbye and utterly indulgent meat-and-potato pie meal at my parents'.....
Photo: Mum's meat and potato pie....mmmm

...we pootled back to the airport and climbed aboard our plane home with some satisfaction. 

And at the other end, FR was waiting for us with a lovely picnic and the beach bag prepared for a late night dip in the Med! Don't ask me why I didn't take any photos of my two brave children swimming in the sea at 10.30 as I have no excuse, just as I have no excuse for not having a photo of Karen and I in our emotional meeting. But these things are firmly fixed in my mind's eye and you'll just have to believe me that they are wonderful!

So, we've been there and we've come back again. Not story of Hobbits or dragons but a journey, along the way of which we all made a few discoveries, found many things to make us feel grateful and felt the pleasure of returning home again. 

And that is no bad thing. 

20 comments:

  1. Wow a fun filled trip, you certainly packed a lot into your eight days, great to read all about your adventures. Something about being away, but then so good to come home. Also hopefully, your mind is a little more at rest having seen your parents xcx

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    1. Thank you Chrissie - we did lots but also felt quite rested when we came home as it wasn't a frantic holiday. My parents are coping but I know my mum won't be paying her usual September visit this year....Axxx

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  2. That's a lovely account of such a great time...being with your family and with friends again, the children meeting up with their friends too...and so much to see and do. Lots to look back on...and you don't need photographs for that, do you...

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    1. It is a very potted version, Helen and I'm so glad we had a good time. As the children get older, it becomes less likely that we'll do these things together but a lot of good memories were made.
      Axxx

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  3. What a lovely, lovely time it seems, for all. Not a bad thing at all, Annie. :)

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    1. Yes, Penny - we were lucky on so many fronts with our holiday. I would so like to take my children to visit other places in the UK too but it always seems more important to visit family and friends...oh for more time and a tad more to spend!
      Axxx

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  4. What a lovely trip Annie and my goodness didn't you manage a lot in 8 days? Glad to hear things aren't too bad with your parents...reassuring for you xxx

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    1. We managed a lot Ayak and it seemed fairly effortless thanks to the assistance of family and friends! I am resigned to feeling worried about my parents but they have managed through a very bad patch and are still able to smile!
      Axxx

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  5. Looks like you all had a great time. It does the heart good to catch up with family and old friends. The kind of friendships where you can meet again and pick up like it was only yesterday that you last met, rather than years. These friendships are rare and beautiful.

    Glad that you Dad's care seems to be managed and that your Mum has the support she needs to look after him.

    Finally, what a wonderful 'welcome home' from FR. Whether 'home' is the UK or Spain, your heart will be smiling at the wonderful memories. xx

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    1. You are quite right, Gaynor, and I count myself very lucky to have some lovely friends with whom we just carry right on as usual.
      Family - carrying on but not easily.Mum has help but I know she won't be visiting us again anytime soon as there's nowhere for my dad to go...
      It was lovely to come home and FR is always happy to see us back. And no matter how hot they say it is in England, it's MUCH hotter here! Axxx

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  6. Don't apologise for the lack of photos Annie, sometimes you have to live it not photograph it! And what you have photographed clearly says that a good time was had by all.

    Cheshire Oaks is a 20 minute drive from me ... you were so close! Maybe another time we could meet for a coffee :)

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    1. Oh my! Annie...I hadn't realised - it would have been wonderful to have met for a coffee. We were rather trapped there until the car had been serviced...and I've just heard from my sister that they've broken down just outside London, so I guess they didn't do such a good job. Promise next time! Axx

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  7. You chose a lovely weather week to visit England... and you must have taken the sun back to Spain!
    Sx

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    1. I may have brought some of the sun, Ms S. and certainly can't complain about what weather we had, but now I'm back, I can honestly say that there's no comparison at all. England was warm and a bit sticky and very green and pretty. Here it's hot. Very hot.
      Axxx

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  8. I never doubted that you would have a great time in you few days back in the UK...but I am so pleased the weather was good for you. Your sister's place looks fabulous...as of course does your mum's pastry....why does mine never ever look like that ? It sounds as if things are still hard for your parents, but maybe a little easier then recently.
    I'm sure the children had a wonderful time, but it is so good that home is now Spain for them. It shows what a perfect decision it was for you to make the move.....and now, as Casa Rosales develops it will become even more of the perfect base for you and your fabulous family.Love to you all.....I so much wish that I could have been at Saltaire to see you....next time ! Jxxx

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    1. Thanks Janice - you at Salt's Mill would definitely have been the icing on the cake. We will definitely co-ordinate ourselves better next time....Axxx

      PS. Mum's pastry is pretty wonderful - she (and I, though I don't often make it) put it down to having cold hands. Ax

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  9. Isn't it glorious to be in England in the sunshine. You don't need photos, I can imagine the scene.

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    1. It's difficult to find anything very much better, B2B, I have to admit. Axxx

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  10. It's great that the weather and your family and friends between them gave you such a wonderful 8 days in England, Annie. You seem to have packed a great deal in without sounding at all rushed and the memories you have are worth more than any photos. I'm glad to hear that your parents are just about coping, but sorry that your mother won't be able to have her much-enjoyed holidays with you. Getting old is hard work....

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    1. We were so lucky that the weather held, Perpetua and of course, for us, it felt wonderfully balmy. My sister was wilting a bit as she really doesn't like the heat. We did lots and enjoyed lots too - and as you say, without feeling we were trying too hard.
      My parents are coping but I shall so miss my mum's visit this September-time. Getting old is hard work....:-) Axxx

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