Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Thursday 30 October 2014

All good here....

I might not be writing much but all is well in our part of the world.

Last week was great as we had visitors and I do like having visitors! Sam and family were back in Alcala for half-term and we had a couple of catch-up coffees together and our conversation carried on as if there'd been no distance between us for the past few months...good!

And then on Friday, FR's youngest brother came to stay with his girlfriend - who just happens to be English too. They managed a great night out with FR as soon as they arrived, as it was Noche en Blanco in Granada, when the whole of the city was in fiesta and the streets were humming with street performers and dancing. Then the next couple of days we all enjoyed doing a variety of things together - talking/ walking/ cycling/ visiting town depending on who felt like doing what and when. Ruben helped to lay a temporary path to the door which has greatly improved access to the house - he also persuaded the children to clean the car, had an archery competition with Ruy (which he lost..) and gamely cycled into Alcala with Mateo on Sunday morning - a very tough ride - but one which they both enjoyed.

Ruy, Romy and I took them into Alcala to show them the main sights and to stop and have tapas and a drink in the park. It seemed strangely quiet at first as we'd forgotten there was a big football match on but it soon livened up to its usual 'buzz' of folk on the streets. It's not Palma de Mallorca but they were both impressed with our lovely town and its history and friendly folk. And Nadia, who had been suffering a horrid bronchitis for several weeks, suddenly began to feel much better in the wonderful healing air that we have here at 1000m above sea level. Good stuff!

Ruy, Romy, Me, Nadia and a friendly street vendor lining up to complement the local wall art....
And on Sunday evening, Sam, Dave, their girls and our neighbour, Sergio, joined us and we had a great evening in the garden, eating one of FR's famous barbecues.


We've had amazingly hot, sunny days this week but the nights are definitely chilly now, hence Jasmine's fur-lined face! I hope Ruben doesn't see this, but then, he shouldn't have pulled a silly face. Such a handsome chap, he is!

I drank too much - which doesn't mean I drank a lot, cos I don't, but being unused to alcohol....well, methinks I do protest too much....but it didn't spoil the party; just made me a bit giggly and made me want to dance with my husband, but that's OK, I think!


We also spent an afternoon playing cards with Ruy and Romy and they both had the same idea at the same time - to put on their 'poker faces'...it was really creepy, but rather brilliant!



So, you see, all is well here and now the clocks have gone back, it's light for the children to go to school in the mornings...but feels so very late right now and it's only half past seven in the evening.

And this weekend, I am expecting to see an old work friend. She is currently on a mammoth drive through Scotland, England, France and Spain - all the way from Orkney!!  I know she'd got to Bordeaux last night so don't expect her before Saturday - but you never know! Writing about Denise could fill a book on its own, so I won't start now but you can expect to hear something about our meeting very soon.....


18 comments:

  1. Hi Annie , great to hear all is well with you and your family , and visitors. Of course it is ok to be a bit giggly and want to dance with your hubby , I would just love to dance hubby or not.. I like a drop of vino :-) xoxo

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    1. Thank you Anne. Glad you approve - and if the mood takes you then you must dance! Axxx

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  2. Hi Annie,

    This is life, and it's your life. Isn't it wonderful to be able to share life with family and good friends?
    glad that all is well with you and the family and to see you enjoying yourselves. Long may it continue xx

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    1. You are absolutely right, Gaynor. Thank you.
      I wrote on your Loches post but it seems to have disappeared....just to say how much I loved visiting Loches too - I'll try and recomment.
      Axxx

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  3. It sounds like one long party. No wonder you don't have time to blog. I love the dancing photo.

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    1. Well, that would be an exaggeration, but it was certainly a fun weekend. Axxx

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  4. It's just the best way to spend time, having friends and family under the same roof....

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    1. I do so agree, Helen. It was very good fun and did us all good to laugh as much as we did. Axxx

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  5. Good to hear that all's well in Spain! I'm afraid it feels very late here by about 5 pm. You could say we feel SAD about it.

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    1. I have to say it feels very late here by 6.30 too as we're an hour ahead...but at least we have gorgeous sunny days to stop us feeling sad! It's been a really sunny week. Ax

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  6. You look like you are having a wonderful time. It's been unseasonably warm here... just beginning to turn chilly, but I haven't yet lit the wood burning stove.
    Carry on dancing!
    Sx

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    1. Definitely chilly here now - my car was frozen up completely on Thursday morning. Enjoying a proper fire and roasted chestnuts....it ain't all bad. Axxx

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  7. This is a lovely description of what has been going on with you recently. I'm so glad Sam was able to visit again, and I know you will be having a great time with Denise. I got very confused over BST/GMT this year... arriving back in the UK the same day the clocks went back meant putting things back 2 hours....all very confusing. Its wonderful to see you all having such a good time....the dancing looks fabulous. Lots and lots of love Jxxxxx

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    1. Anther week on - it's seemed much quieter and has gone really quickly. I am still trying to adjust to the very early dark nights....so I can understand your confusion completely! Yes, seeing family and friends has been a good thing and the memories and fun we had will tide us over until we see each other again. Not sure if you ever really knew Denise? Axxx

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  8. What a lovely post Annie, and your enjoyment of life really shines through in your words. The weather for October/November is unusual and very pleasant, both here and during the past two weeks when I was in the UK. Wearing a t-shirt on Halloween seemed very odd. I'm still wearing t-shirts during the day now I'm home, but have the electric blanket on at night!

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    1. We've really had a good late summer but my, when it turns cold, it REALLY turns cold, doesn't it, especially at night? I had to scrape my car windows on Thursday morning and it took an age to clear them - thick frost! But it's lovely when the days are bright and sunny as they were today, but right now, I'm so glad we have a wood burner! Take care. Axxx

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  9. What truly excellent reasons for not blogging very much, Annie. Family and friends have to take precedence, especially when you’re all having so much fun. What’s the saying about Carpe diem? It sounds like you’ve been doing exactly that and I've really enjoyed reading about it.

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    1. I'd be hard pressed to be as busy as you have been recently, Perpetua, but having fun does take precedence, without doubt! However, suddenly, the days don't feel long enough any more and it really does feel very late even by 7.30 at night....roll on summer! Axxx

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