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Published: July 23rd 2015
Woolly says – with the temperatures in the middle 40’s and the bar ticking over I found myself with a daily routine again, this usually entailed a small snack upon waking, followed by a short doze on the balcony and some breakfast to keep my strength up before the short wander to the bar where I could sit and snigger at Jo as she sweated away in the kitchen preparing my lunch and a snack to keep me going until that was ready. On really hot days I found it rather pleasant to sit in the fridges or in the ice freezer allowing my tusks to cool down. It’s rather disconcerting to open a freezer and find a short furry icicled mammoth greeting you! He certainly seemed to have the life of riley….. Woolly says – Riley? Do I know Riley? Is it a new customer who has yet to admire my stunning cuteness? …… our days became long ones and it was with much delight we welcomed daughter Zoe back into the fold. Woolly says – the day of her arrival dawned brightly as it seems to every day in Spain, Jo was bubbling over with excitement and could barely contain her glee as the clock hands moved ever closer to the arrival time. As the evening quiz finished I barely had time to grab the tissues (of course we’re going to need tissues) before the bar was being locked and it appeared that I was expected to run up the road to be there on time… run!!!! I don’t think so….
I never expect him to run, but a slightly brisker walk would have been nice, having chivvied him past the souvenir and kebab shops we arrived at the meeting point. Woolly says - …. As Jo bounced up and down in anticipation I happily sat sampling the tapas and human watching, when I spotted what appeared to be daughter Zoe inside having a drink! She must have sensed my incredible presence as within moments there were exclamations of joy and a pile of tissues started to form. Having caught up on the delights of running a bar, Nerja and the many other random pieces of information women seem to need to talk about I reminded them that I hadn’t been fed for at least five minutes and that heading back to the apartment might be a good idea.
Daughter Zoe’s first morning began, having fed and watered our small companion we had decided to take her to the pretty town of Frigiliana. Woolly says – with the roof down on the car the quaint streets were quiet as we wandered round before refreshments became a necessity and we discussed the bar in more depth and the new rotas now that we had another set of hands on board. So a new routine evolved, to be fair it didn’t really alter much for me but it did appear that friend Graham and Jo both had some more time off and Zoe ran between our bar and The Genesis bar where she had secured further work. All seemed well in Mammoth land. As is the way of our lives just as it all appears to be running smoothly a hic up is bound to arrive. Woolly says – I haven’t had hic ups for years! Friend Graham was feeling unwell and as day followed day he didn’t seem to be improving, following a long winded discussion the decision was made that he would head back to the UK to get checked out and leave me with the two women!! How unfair is that! Resigning myself to having to look after everything I manfully (or should that be mammothly) took on the shackles of responsibility and made sure that the daily routine was followed and that extra snacks were on tap to keep my energy levels up in my role of director of operations.
We kept going and with the added incentive of knowing that we had a week off to return the UK for daughter Zoe’s graduation which gave us something to aim for. Woolly says – the cases came back out and as Jo packed, daughter Zoe and I sat on the bulging bags to get them shut, why does she need so many things? Having ensured that my belongings were safe and secure I debated how overweight the luggage was going to be this time! The morning of our departure arrived and as they hauled the baggage through the streets to transfer pick up I suggested a light snack to keep there strength up.
For once we agreed with the fur ball and having only staggered a mere five minutes with the luggage I was also debating on how overweight we were going to be! Woolly says – having wiped the cheese from my chin and added a couple of snacks into the hand luggage for the transfer I organised the ladies and set off for the last 100 metres. Malaga airport was heaving with passengers and having checked in (yes we were overweight …. By a lot!) I was dragged around the duty free areas and clothes shops, seeking a way to stop the torture I spied an ice cream stand and was delighted when my suggestion met with approval and I had a chance to rest my paws. A short flight later and I could only shake my tusks in despair as even more weighed down with duty free the mad women I have to live with dragged and staggered through Birmingham Airport and onto the train to Aberystwyth. We always enjoy this train as it passes through the rolling countryside and into the Welsh towns. Woolly says – having feasted on Jo’s subway I happily mussed over the impending ceremony that was to come tomorrow and the celebrations that would follow. Our arrival was heralded as many hands made light work of the luggage as friends Jade and Jess greeted us ( I suppose this means more women to contend with!) and I was finally able to rest my aching bones from heaving the suitcases around.
As Graduation day commenced I knew that it was going to be an emotionally charged time with us all missing those that should have been here to celebrate Zoe’s achievement. Woolly says – Sighing deeply I ensured that there was the usual supply of tissues to mop Jo up and as I adjusted my mortar board I felt proud to be the first mammoth of the family to graduate. With Jo attempting to walk in heels I recommended a taxi up the steep hill to the university and as we alighted I was delighted to see a sea of gowned figures posing for photos. Once daughter Zoe was robed we joined in the camera clicking as I gracefully posed for snap after snap. With the crowds growing I became slightly concerned that getting some food to keep me going was going to be problematic so having pointed out my dilemma Jo put her elbows into place and set about acquiring some sustenance for us.
For once I had to agree with my small friend and having finally secured some muffins, drinks and by a high level of luck a table to sit at we enjoyed watching the young people around us beaming with pride at their accomplishment. Woolly says – as we joined the queue to enter the Great Hall Jo was becoming more panicked as friend Jade had yet to materialise. I took to kicking people’s ankles as they milled around me and stood on me. Realising my risky situation Jo eventually picked me up and as I chastised her over the life and death situation I had faced I spied friend Jade through the masses running towards us. The scrum continued inside the hall as everyone tried to find seats and just as we were thinking that we might be standing for the duration I spotted some at the front row of the balcony. Without thought for my safety I jumped down the steps and bagged them before anyone else could.
Although not brilliant seats we could at least see daughter Zoe seated in the main auditorium and as the speeches got under way we started to applaud the graduates. Woolly says – on and on the speeches went, when daughter Zoe’s name was called the three of us cheered and I even attempted a whistle before more speeches and then more speeches, some in Welsh and some in English but on and on they went, I dozed off and nearly fell off the balcony when I was rudely woken by another round of applause followed by …. another speech! After several lifetimes and sore paws from so much clapping it finally came to an end, I collected up the pile of tissues that Jo had produced and shuffled her and friend Jade out into the campus grounds for another round of pictures. Having exhausted every possible photo opportunity, returned the relevant robes and collected daughter Zoe’s degree certificate we wandered back to the town. Woolly says – The excitement was taking its toll and as my mouth was parched and my stomach empty I suggested that we start the celebrations with a cocktail, my idea was rewarded with cries of delight as we settled in for an afternoon of quaffing and toasts to the achievements and considered the road that we had travelled to get here we also needed to contemplate our future’s now we don’t have a bar to run…. But that’s another tail to tell.
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Anxiously awaiting your next blog...
letting us know what you plan for the future now that you don't have the bar. I hope everything goes well with you, Woolly and Zoe.