Advertisement
Published: January 17th 2016
Edit Blog Post
2016, another year of adventure. I’ve never really been much of a one for New Year’s resolutions I guess I just have an underlying desire to enjoy life to the full.
We had a very short break in the UK and had a great time catching up with family and friends. My family are very special to me and I had a lovely homecoming lunch on my first day home in Newcastle. I met Imogen for our mini facial at Clarins in Fenwick’s then Amy had a half day and we had a glass of champagne and had a very nice lunch together, in a Spanish-run bar!!
At Clarins our new consultant told us all about her life and how she had left her job with Emirates in Dubai to move to the North East, to South Shields, to be with her boyfriend. He had just rung to say that when he returned on Christmas Eve, having been away for six weeks, he was going out drinking with his mates!! Sadly that attitude is not untypical of lads from South Shields their pecking order of mates, their mothers and then the girlfriendwife!!
I managed as well to catch
up with a few friends, I value the fact that people allow me to dip and out of their lives to fit in with my itinerant ways. The most special of these people is Vicki who lets me stay with her when I am in the North East, I breeze in and out. For as long as I can remember we have spent Christmas Eve together with my girls and this year was no exception and we were joined by Imogen’s partner Keith. She used to come to my house now I just make a meal at hers.
My Christmas Day was different but no less lovely, I had kept my plans pretty flexible as I wasn’t sure what Amy was doing. In the end she did her own thing too. I walked to Imogen’s house for breakfast, just the three of us as Keith was off seeing his family. Champagne, smoked salmon and scrambled egg, bacon and bagels, Yummy. About 1pm I had another glass of fizz with Vicki before she went to her daughter’s house for lunch. I chilled and watched a bit of catch-up TV and then sorted the lobster I had bought and ate it
with salad. Vicki was back in time for Downton and a perfect end to a peaceful day.
For about the last 8 or 9 years I have had a second Christmas with the girls, partners and their dad and latterly Chris. Keith Harris has a new house so he agreed to be host and the format changed to a “tasting menu” of 15 small courses with accompanying drinks. We do a secret Santa between us, which adds to the fun. We started with fizz and canapés and then absolutely delicious food cauliflower soup, mini Caesar salad, Keith H takes on fish fingers, spicy pork lettuce cups, Spanish cured meats were the “starters”. Gin granite and champagne was a palate cleanser. Three main courses of home-made pumpkin ravioli, Iberian pork in cream and mustard and fillet steak with mini Yorkshires. Dessert was avocado ice-cream and two types of mini-tarts (chocolate panache and 2fat ladies tarts) this was followed by cheese and Spanish Christmas biscuits. Phew!! Everyone pulled out all of the stops Thank you!
It was soon time to head back to Spain and we left on New Year’s Eve and headed back to the village. We had a
few hours sleep as we had booked a table in the village “salon” and joined about 100 people celebrating la Noche Vieja (the old night). The food was delicious six different aperitivos, then pork for main course and turron flan for desert. At midnight it is traditional to try and eat 12 grapes, one for each chime of the bells at midnight. I managed seven and Chris five!! They were huge and full of pips!! It was then half an hour of wishing everyone in the room Happy New Year ( Feliz Ano Nuevo) before the dancing began; there was a singer who knew how to get the party started. The whole evening cost us 60 Euros, including drinks-that is about £45 for two people. We lasted will about 2.30 am but the locals partied till 5.30!!
January 1
st was a quiet day for us and the beginning of a month of no alcohol. Chris had said he fancied trying a dry January and I said I would join in too!! So after our early evening walk it is a trip to the bar and a diet coke or coffee as we read the paper. We are just about half way now and won’t give up but I do miss a glass of wine with food.
As the UK got back to work after the break Spain was ready to celebrate the arrival of the Three Kings who bring gifts for the children on Epiphany. Two more days of celebration, the Kings came to the village on the evening of 5
th with small gifts for the children and the 6
th is a big family day.
Our friend Lyndis came for a short stay, she was checking out a couple of houses. Her partner, John, had been out in October and these two were the shortlist. The weather was kind to us as we relaxed and enjoyed the Spanish lifestyle.
I am writing this blog in the camper van in a small seaside place called Calabardina we spent Wednesday and Thursday in Guardamar de Segura, on the Costa Blanca. Yesterday it absolutely poured with rain all day and we travelled south and are in the very last place in Murcia before the border with Almeria. The sunset last night was stunning. We wild camped and we are parked up right on the edge of the beach with fabulous views of the bay and a little local bar just round the corner. There are lots of other motor homes in a secluded bay but we are on our own. The Guardia Civil swung by last night but just turned round and drove on-it is winter, it’s not busy and this place is a summer holiday resort so we ain’t bothering anyone!! We are heading off down the coast of Almeria and will stop when we spot something we like!!
Despite the rain it has been a warm start to the year and our almond trees are blossoming a month earlier than last year. We are hoping to have our friend , Alan to visit early February and then Imogen, Amy and Keith are coming on 20th February. In the interim we have work to do at the house, the inside of the garage needs painting and the outside at the back too!!
We will leave the house early March to head home; we have a Dieppe to New haven ferry booked for 21
st March. Our next big trip to Sri Lanka is booked from 17
th April till 18
th May.
In 2017 we are house-sitting for two friends in Pliego while they go to Australia to visit friends so we are already thinking about how that fits in!!
Till next time and it is always good to hear your news, wherever you are.
Norma xx
Advertisement
Tot: 0.237s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 9; qc: 42; dbt: 0.0993s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb