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Published: June 12th 2019
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Hi,
This is less of a blog and more of a quick update. The journey back from Johannesburg was not too bad. We arrived in Madrid about 6.30 am and got the shuttle bus to the station and then the train to Murcia. Our friend Tony picked us up and we were back in the house mid afternoon.
The whole village was in the local restaurant , Colombino's, for a first communion party and the bar and shop were closed. We went and had some wine at the party and caught up with most of our friends in the village. We spent a couple of days sorting things out . We collected the motorhome from storage, the little Opel combo passed its annual test. The only thing not sorted was the paperwork for our house but hey ho. We have arranged to have a roof put on the rear terrace to make it usable as it is too hot. That will happen June or July, our builder Juan Antonio will do an excellent job.
I left on 15
th May and the plan was Chris would get the ferry from Spain to the UK with the motorhome, NOT! The
ferry was cancelled and it is too long a drive on your own to get to the French ports. Luckily our friend Tony had space at his to keep Henry and Chris flew back on 18
th May.
Meanwhile it was operation Whickham Road, Hebburn, our new UK bolthole. The flat originally belonged to Imogen who couldn't sell it and she bought her house and was letting the flat. We wanted to be close to amenities and it helped her out too. Its a traditional upstairs Tyneside flat, three bedrooms, lounge, kitchen, bathroom etc, with a rear yard. My first job Thursday was the carpet cleaner and a good clean of the place. Friday I'd hired two men and a van to move Chris's stuff from his storage unit (we had put some things aside from his aunt's house to start us off). Amy came to help out, although the guys did all of the work. That went really well and they had collected and unloaded in two hours. While we were doing this I got a call from the solicitor to say we had completed the sale and I could collect the keys, didn't like to tell him I
was already in the flat!
We set up a joint account for the flat while we were on our trip and have got sorted with all of the utilities, council tax, insurance etc. The internet was connected last week. So far we have had amazing service. Every workman has turned up on time, done the job, cleared up and charged what they quoted. A problem with the boiler was sorted in 24 hours, window hinge replaced next day, painting started the next day. Much as I love our life in Spain, and the people, all of this would have taken an eternity to sort out. We have done lots online and of course people work all day, turn up on time, or early, and there is no 2pm till 5pm gap when you need something for DIY.
We have spent since then sorting things out. Idg's partner had arranged some plastering for us on both the front and back staircase and a Ukrainian guy called Yuri painted them both in a day and a half. Chris has done the living room and we did the kitchen between us. The big bedroom just needed a bit of TLC and touching up. My latest job is replacing the silicone around the windows. Chris has been busy with the drill and sorting out some mortar out the back.
We knew we needed the roof looking at and there is a problem with the rear guttering, the first guy suggested a £12,000 replacement. A second opinion is a repair to the roof and replace the guttering, deal done and sorted.
We had a new piece of carpet fitted in the front hall and carpet laid on the rear stairs, what a difference. The new bed arrived and it is starting to feel like our home. The longest wait is for a sofa and it can't come soon enough as we have a hotchpotch of uncomfortable chairs at the minute.
We are in urban, cosmopolitan Tyne and Wear. The metro into town i.e. the city of Newcastle, is a 5 minute walk and a 15 minute journey. Within 5 minutes we have 2 supermarkets, GP surgery, three pharmacies, library, leisure centre with gym and pool and a selection of other shops. A complete contrast to our peaceful life in Casas Nuevas but will give us access to Newcastle and music and theatre and culture. The downside is the local pubs are pretty dire but its only a 10 minute bus journey to the Jarrow ale house. We had a night out in Gateshead drinking good beer and craft lager. We caught up with Amy and her new boyfriend Richard in Tynemouth, visiting the very trendy market in the metro station.
Chris has met our neighbours , we needed to ask downstairs about access to her yard for the roofer. I already knew the people next door from when Idg lived here. The people opposite and upstairs put a note through the door to say had we realised that without a blind in the bathroom they could see straight in!! We had just realised and ordered one, it is now in place! Chris went round and apologised, I am sure we are a sight for sore eyes! We got a card and some flowers from them too.
Chris has also been across to Barrow and bought a house with his son Barry and that should complete pretty soon. While he was away I had the joy of looking after Finn from lunchtime Tuesday till lunchtime Thursday. Idg and Keith had two nights away before Idg went back to work. He is such a happy little boy and is settled in nursery. On the second night I put him to bed and the mobile that plays “white noise “ died and I thought he would be unsettled but he slept the usual 12 hours. No more white noise.
We really have no real plans for the next few weeks, very unusual for us, but who knows what we will conjure up! No sooner typed than done. On Friday we fly back home to Casas Nuevas to get the motorhome then a 9 day trip up through France for ferry from Dieppe.
Till next time
Norma x
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