Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Sunday 31 August 2014

Rounding up

Some parts of this summer have been the best ever! And I do remember some good summers, so that is definitely saying something. It's been a daily combination of busy and hectic and long and lazy. I've worked most days in the morning (if you can call chatting with two very nice men in English, about anything and everything, 'work') and we've splashed in our pool, taken long dusty walks with Pip, eaten warm tomatoes from the vine and had some perfect days at the beach. We've enjoyed celebrations and time with family and friends, visiting Valladolid and England, and had a great week when Sam and Dave came back to Alcala just as the town was at its most festive and fun.

Steps taking shape...
We've spent long, lazy hours on the sofa in front of the tv or doing some 'Yoga Andaluz' (taking a siesta!) as the heat of the afternoon has rendered us semi-comatose after lunch. And FR has become semi-nocturnal as he works in the garden once the sun has gone down and the temperatures have dropped a little. There's still a long way to go but things are definitely taking shape and it has been a real labour of love as he's worked sometimes until the early hours of the morning.



Romy has spent two weeks at summer 'school' at the sports centre here and had a whale of a time there with trips to the swimming pool, craft mornings, football, film-watching and just hanging out with friends. It was a good thing for her to have done and I think she will want to do it again.

Mateo and Ruy have put in many hours of study - we'll find out very soon if it has been enough to have made up for the distinct lack of application during the past academic year. Mateo did, however, pass all his end of term exams with the exception of Maths, which he's always struggled with. Fingers crossed for him tomorrow as he does the resit. Ruy, in his first year at secondary school, has discovered that he can't wing it anymore. All his teachers say he's capable but has simply not put in the work this year. He has two resits on Tuesday morning. And I shall cross my fingers again though I know there will be no problems for him at all.

Zentangle over coffee...
I have done Zentangles with an increased level of concentration and understanding and I'm rather pleased with some of my output. I've been invited to an arts and crafts day at a nearby cortijo which I am sure will be great fun, so I'm trying to put together some of my pieces in a presentable way - mostly they're in books or on bits of paper floating around. Seeing them all together makes me feel quite proud of what I've done in a year. There will be photos, I promise!!

On Thursday, I went into Granada and whilst I was there, I went into an archery shop to get a thing for Ruy. I asked if there were any clubs that took and taught youngsters nearby, as nothing much has been forthcoming from the group in Priego. As I was being given details and contact numbers some interesting options, the secretary of one of them walked into the shop...what luck! And I was invited to go along to their club on Saturday, bringing Ruy with me of course, as they have a small group of regular archers, amongst which there are two 'monitors' who are licenced to teach! Agreed, it's a bit of a trek to get there but I really do have a feeling that Ruy has talent in this sport, so I am happy to take him.

On target
And on Saturday, he and I set off around 9am to go to the club 'Arco Alfacar' just north of Granada. There we were met by an old man called Vigilio, who had no front teeth. I wasn't immediately impressed but as soon as Ruy set up his bow and was told to fire his arrows, Vigilio came into his own - a wonderful, natural teacher with whom Ruy felt absolutely comfortable. I left him with the archers and wandered off for a couple of hours on my own.




When I returned, after several hours firing arrows, Ruy was tired but very happy. They not only want him to join the club but say he is good enough to take part in the next 'Campeonata de Andalucia' - the championships! And these are being held at the club itself - at the end of September, so no time to lose!
Ruy is now feeling so motivated and enthusiastic and already planning to do really well in his first competition. I was so very proud of him as he stepped up to take his first shots in front of half a dozen seasoned archers - and hit the bull's eye, not once but with 4 out of his 5 arrows.

We're preparing for another week in Valladolid too as we haven't seen anywhere enough of FR's parents this year. They haven't been very well this year and haven't felt up to the journey down to see us, so we'll go to them. I shall be glad to see them again as my last trip was very short and there were such a lot of other people there...it will be nice to just be with them.

And that just about rounds it up....and nicely too. Hope you've all had good summers - my blog reading has been very reduced in the past months so apologies if you haven't seen much of me on your blogs. I do intend to return to my beloved blogland again once the children are back at school and the days don't seem quite so....well, long!








12 comments:

  1. You've packed an enormous amount into your summer.....makes me feel quite lazy just reading about it!
    Family and friends visiting and visited....the garden coming on apace...work...the children's activities....and, of course, your Zentangle. Looking forward to photographs of the arts and crafts day.
    Fingers crossed for the resit gentlemen....

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    1. It may sound packed Helen. but there have been bouts of incredibly laziness in between the hectic bits - don't worry, I do laziness with complete and utter abandon whenever I can!
      It has been lovely - and yes, there will be photos...possibly a plethora!
      Mateo's resit did not sound too positive but the fact that it's over has boosted his mood no end....we'll see.
      Axxx

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  2. A summer to be proud of. Good luck to the re-sitters.

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    1. Thanks B2B - I know you've had a busy time too and I need to catch up on all of your news - I look forward to that.
      Axxx

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  3. It must have been a very different summer for you Annie. I remember how you felt about last summer.....your first real one at Casa Rosales, and making the decision that the working pattern you had didn't quite fit what you wanted to do. So, another year on, and the Casa Rosales project is developing beautifully, work that you are clearly loving has opened up and you are being able to use your fabulous communication talents to the full, and despite the need for re sits, the children seem to have enjoyed another year of being Spanish. Mateo has certainly grown up.....and I'm so pleased that you have found somewhere for Ruy to develop his archery talents. As for gorgeous Romy..... she will clearly never be bored.... just like her mother I suspect.
    I rarely comment on your tangles. I love them, but feel so unschooled in the process involved that I like to just appreciate them in an ignorant sort of way. What I really love is the way that you have developed such a skill in just one short year... you had only just started when we came to visit last year.
    I bet you feel the summer has just dashed by, but I'm so glad you have enjoyed it. I've not been involved as much in blogging this summer as usual, and I'm looking forward to getting back into that a little as the weather changes. Looking forward to seeing more garden images as the estate develops ! Jxxxx

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    1. Yes, Janice, a lot of things have slotted into place this year in one way or another. The summer had its less than good moments too but they are hopefully over and mending now and the overwhelming feeling is that it's been a good one.
      It is almost a year since you visited, isn't it? Put that way, the year has flown by. This year, we won't see my mother at the end of September either which is a shame but she doesn't feel able to leave my dad again after the trauma in May.
      I'm afraid I am still a bit of a Zentangle bore but it continues to captivate and engage me - I am so excited about the craft day! There will be photos! Lots!!
      We will have to see about Mateo's resit - he said it was very difficult but it may be that it's not going to stop him moving on to Bachillerato (I wish I could say that properly, but I can't!) Ruy won't have a problem and is now very motivated to do well in all things - I think he has his sights set on the Olympics...even though he has yet to do his first competition! But it's good to see him firing on all cylinders...he's often quite laid back. And yes, Romy always finds something to do!
      Thanks for this lovely comment, Janice - it'll be good to get back into the blogging groove, won't it!
      Axxx

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  4. Hello Annie,

    This sounds to have been the most perfect of summers. A heady combination of activity and leisure, with something to suit everyone. Surely, it does not get better than this.

    And, it is good to note that you are relaxed about the progress of the work. It will all come together, but it is so good to enjoy the process and not be stressed about it. You seem to have got the balance just right.

    And, as the new school year begins, we trust that the resits will go well and that your classes will all be successful.

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    1. Hello Jane and Lance,
      Thank you for your continued interest and your lovely comments. I am smiling as I think about your own gardening projects and how truly appalling you would find things here just now!! I think it's the dust that sometimes gets me down - especially when Pip is charging around. He kicks up so much dust that he's hardly visible and then all the stuff finds its way into my house! But I am mostly relaxed and when I go in our little plastic pool and look across the valley or up at the sky, well, I am happy as Larry!
      I am looking forward to a return to blogland and the chance to catch up on all that's being going on in the different worlds of my blogging friends - you included. I hope you have also had a good summer.
      Axxx

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  5. Wow, a packed and very productive summer for all concerned, Annie. I hope the resits go well and the children will flourish both at school and in all their other activities during the coming year. The garden project looks very promising and your Zentangles are just amazing! Please wish Ruy the best of luck for his first competition. He's obviously got a natural talent for archery. :)

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    1. Hello, Perpetua and thank you for your words of encouragement. Although Mateo has just finished his resit and returned without much sense of achievement, I am hoping that he will be able to move into his Bachillerato year without the need to repeat his last year - which is what often happens here in Spain when students don't make the grade. He tells me that when there's only one subject not passed, the teachers use their discretion and let them move up if all their other subjects are OK. He might just be saying this but I hope it's true!
      I think it will do Ruy a world of good to take part in a competition - so he can see what sort of a standard he really has. It doesn't really help him to be told he's good - I know he wants to prove himself somehow and this will be a great chance for him.
      Axxx

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  6. Hi,
    I'm late to this and really had to search to find it.
    It seems like your busy summer has continued. I remember vaguely just how busy life was when my two children were in their teens. We rarely had a minute, and when we did were too exhausted to do much for ourselves. Your energy seems endless!
    It must be tiring for FR to be working such long hours on the building work, but it must be, as you say, a labour of love.
    Exams are always a difficult time for our children, but also for us parents. We have to strike that very fine balance between encouragement and downright nagging. I have often been guilty of the latter, which was generally unproductive! Good luck with the resits and fingers crossed for the results!
    I think your tangles are lovely, but like Janice have little understanding of their production. The results are great. Isn't there a business opportunity there somewhere?
    Anyway...hope the pace of life slows down for you, but not too much. Just enough for you to get maximum enjoyment out of it. Perhaps beware of taking on too many other things. You know the old saying, "if you want something to be done, and done well, ask the busiest person you can find. They'll be sure to do a good job"!!
    Great to hear about your summer xx


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  7. Hugest wel done to Ruy on all those bulls eyes. Years ago I was a pretty mean archer myself and so I know how tough that would be for most people.

    Here's wishing you a gentle transition into autumn Annie.

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