A normal weekend doing normal things.

This weekend feels likes we are beginning to live here rather than exist as builders.

Friday saw me at my 2^nd Spanish class, after which I spent some time with Janet & Graham around town. They took me to a fruit and veg shop which is quite literally in someone’s front room on a residential street with no other shops anywhere near it – but the choice and quality is far superior to anything you can buy at the market or at the local supermarkets. We had a wander around town and stopped for coffee in another bar. We sat on some small stools at a low part of the bar and judging by the look we got from an elderly man who came in10 minutes later, I think we were sat in his seat.

Friday night saw Neil and I back in town with Brian (my little Saxo). I had wanted to drive Brian earlier that day but he wouldn’t start. We knew we needed new heater plugs but after sitting over night in the cold he refused to start. By 3 in the afternoon, after sitting in the sun all day he started without a problem so we ran him down to the garage and asked them o fir new heater plugs, not that we knew how to say that in Spanish but we could point to them and they understood and even asked what they were called in English. Brian will be ready to collect tomorrow.

We had a lovely wander around the market in the sunshine on Saturday and then had a relaxing afternoon as both Neil and I are suffering with aching bones and a creaking back.

And now, we are just back from a wonderful Sunday dinner at a nearby restaurant. It’s off the road at km 12 (we live at km 8) although there’s a bit of a drive along the dirt track but it’s well worth the drive. Casa Joya is run by an English chef who had a Michelin star in the UK. We had been told it was worth visit, and we have to agree – the food is excellent. It’s a real delight to have such a good restaurant so close by for when we have visitors and the views from the restaurant are very similar to what we have from the house. Check it out at www.casa-joya.com

So, having enjoyed a good meal and a good bottle of wine we are now about to put up our Christmas tree. Neil has already unpacked a few things, one of which is my singing polar bear – which sings I’m dreaming of a white Christmas – to say the dogs are unimpressed would be an understatement, especially as it now occupies part of their settee.

Somehow, I think it unlikely that we will be leaving them alone with it for very long, I have a feeling they may try to show it who’s boss.