Garden Up-date

At last, the great wall of Bramley has been painted. Not quite a bad as the forth bridge! This means that the main hard landscape work has been completed.

Now - we need to finish the pool area. We already have prices for the bits we need, and Jamie plans to come out in September and lay the slabs.

I can't believe how much we have done, in less than 2 years. Sometimes it seemed as though we had ground to a halt, but, really, I think we just had to learn that we had moved here for a slower pace of life - and that is what we are finally achieving.

Flight of Freedom

Not a very good video - sorry... but, this morning, we had a falcon lazily swirling on the thermals over the house. Wonderful to watch (although the swallows were not so keen).

Toys For The Boys

While Ed was in the UK, he took Jamie out for a treat. And what a treat!

Ed took Jamie to Prestwold Hall, in Leicestershire for a ride in a fancy car! everymanracing.co.uk have a selection of very fancy cars for people to drive around a track in. Ferrari's, Aston Martin's, Lamborghini's, Hummer's and a host of other cars. It really is 'toys for the boys'.

They lucky souls were taken around the track first in a Focus (!) and then they were let loose in the car of their choice. Obviously, there was a co-pilot supervising, but there were no dual-controls, so it was a true driving experience.

Jamie drove the Lamborghini Murcielago - now he just needs to save up for a decade or two...

Family Re-union

I know it has been a long time, and it may be a long time before it happens again... here is a picture of Ed with his 3 children.

(Jamie, please forgive me for not taking the photo earlier, when you had a nice white shirt on!)

Chatting with the Neighbours

When next doors dogs are let out, ours are happy to see them, and chase up and down the garden 'playing' with them, even though they are in the next garden!

On many an occassion, the smaller ones have wiggled through and joined Paddy and Max, leaving poor Dick (alsation) on the other side of the fence. Last week, I had 4 dogs playing in the garden. With Paddy and Max being so much younger and bigger, it wasn't long before the smaller ones were worn out, and had to lay down.

This is the type of thing they get up to...

Girls on Tour

For a long time, Tracey, Alison and I have met up for an annual feast! Usually there was someone else in tow too, such as Tina, Janet, or anybody available!

This year, due to a mixture of circumstances, there was only the two of us here (I gather the usual get together happenend in Stafford - without me!). Tracey and I had a lovely day out with her 2 girls, in La Zenia, south of Torrevieja.

(Next time, I will watch the clock more closely, and not spend a fortune on the tolls!)

Sad News

I know it is a little while since I added something to the blog, but we (specifically Eddie) had some sad news recently.

On Thursday 9th July, we received a phone call, that Ed's mum had taken ill, and was being taken into hospital. We finally discovered tht she had gone into Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham, but we didn't know exactly what was wrong, until the results of tests had been received.

A night of worry ensued, and then a series of phone calls led us to the Doctor declaring that she may well rally, but Ed ought to visit as soon as possible. I quickly booked a flight for him for Saturday, but within minutes of booking the flight, we heard that she had passed away. Thankfully, David had been to see her, and at the time of passing, Val, who has looked after her, was with her.

Ed then spent the next two weeks running around, clearing the house, sorting out paperwork etc. I was able to join him in time for the funeral and we both returned to Spain on Sunday 26th July. A very sad time, although not totally unexpected.

Rosetta Bramley R.I.P. 8th September 1926 - 10th July 2009 Aged 82

Overview

In these lazy hot days, I thought it would be a good idea, to see just how far we have come, since first looking at the house. We did so much, so quickly, after moving in, that I had forgotten just what we had actually moved into!

Here, you can see the comparison between the back garden when we viewed the house and how it looks now. What a difference!

Whitewash

We have each had a go at some of the major painting tasks to be undertaken! I have painted the long wall, and Ed has painted most of the poolhouse (but he then got chased off by the swallows, as they were still nesting). Now, we have also painted the pumphouse and Ed has started to render the long wall. At last, it is all coming together beautifully.

However, is is currently too hot to work outside. Ed just put the outdoor thermometer in the garden, and has hit 43.9 degrees, it was 37 in the shade.

(We have resorted to going shopping, just so the we can use their air-con, rather than buying anything!!!)

Tennis Ball Tree

We have aquired a tomato plant, from someone who has returned to the UK. Paddy's eyes lit up when he saw it, as it seemed to him, to be covered in tennis balls. Thank goodness we could place it on the 'wrong side' of the terrace railings, otherwise he and Max would have eaten the tomatoes! (I think I might have a go at making my own chutney.)