Where to start...

This has been an incredibly hectic and busy week. We're all quite exhausted but beginning to get back into some sort of routine.

Here we are again! Looks like we've just arrived.

Last week saw FR and Mateo making the long trip north to Leon in order to bring back all - or nearly all - of the rest of our belongings. They left on Thursday morning, loaded up the van on Friday and drove all the way back on Saturday. Then we all helped unload as the van needed returning first thing on Sunday morning - as a thunderstorm threatened us and huge dollops of rain kept falling...then stopping...then falling...and so on, just to wind us up. (This photo taken on Sunday morning first thing.)




And I don't remember falling into bed or even sleeping that night. Mateo and FR were completely zonked.

But it didn't end there of course. On Sunday, we had to start sorting out the havoc that had descended on our house. Our lovely house, which suddenly felt woefully small, cramped and inadequate. And in a huge mess as though we'd just moved in.

The lounge wasn't big to start with...

We have to ask ourselves why some things have made it this far...

And I'd like you to look very carefully at the object at the back of the table. Yes, it's a baby's bottle steriliser. FR keeps rescuing it and refuses to let me get rid of it! I'm fighting a losing battle.
The giant 'lego' bucket is full of white stones from the beach at Bridlington...they're mine...

Actually, it doesn't look as bad in the photos as it felt in reality!

Inamongst all the books, kids paintings, photos and more books were one or two items that we were really pleased to see.

This bowl was made in Yorkshire, by Eric Stockl, whose son, Mark used to be a wonderful guitarist, but who packed music in to become a boat-builder based in Ullapool. I love my bowl. It was a gift from another very talented artist friend, Mel Davies.

For the artists in our family - we have an easel and paint trays.

This old telephone belonged to my Auntie Gladys. I have this and a beautiful turquoise teapot of hers. 

Mateo had this giant sized poster in his room when he first started high school - I don't think he ever looked at it or if he did, it didn't seem to register...he ALWAYS forgot something.

There are still many, many things to be put away but after several days hard work, we've definitely made progress and FR has done a sterling job in clearing the outhouses to store what won't fit inside the house.

In the meantime, it has been Ruy's birthday today. He's 12 and yesterday, he started secondary school. It's been all go. He showed great skill at archery when he, Romy and Mateo went to do an archery session last March and he asked for a bow for his birthday. Yesterday evening, having spent an age trying to track down a decent starter bow, I found a shop not too far away that had several that we could go and see. Just before we arrived, I had a sinking feeling. I'd spoken on the phone to confirm things with the shop owner, but had forgotten to mention one tiny little fact - Ruy's left-handed. And of course, they didn't have single bow for people of his bent...sigh. However, the journey wasn't wasted as he was able to try out the right size bow for his height and strength and we met some people from the Archery club, so got some very good advice. He has one on order and it looks very impressive. Photos to follow.

This morning was too early to celebrate too much - none of us are at our best at 7am - so it wasn't until later this afternoon that we sang and ate cake.



And we sang and ate quite a lot of cake - a themed one made by a friend who lives quite near and who is doing very well with her new cake business, Golosaria.

We're going to do a little joint venturing as the weather turns suitable for chocolate making...should be good fun!

OK...We're still in quite a lot of mess but at least we found a corner to put the cake down!

And a handmade, zentangle-inspired birthday card from me. I must learn how to make it look as though the name is making the splash...I'll work on it!

My lovely, careful, wise and practical boy. Twelve years old today.
Happy Birthday Ruy. We all love you very much.