Sunday morning saw us with bags packed and a couple of hours journey to London, but first we stopped off to see another of my brothers, I have three in total– 2 older and one younger. Most people think I only have one as normally they only hear me speak about my oldest brother, Andy.
We had a good hour with Dawn & Stewart, and just as we were thinking of leaving, Mark came in so we stayed and chatted a little longer. This led to a lively discussion on whether Barcelona is in the north or south of Spain. I won’t go into details other than to say, just because something is on the Mediterranean coast, it doesn’t make it southern Spain!
By lunchtime we were back on our way and we thought we were doing very well for time when we ran into the road works around Nottingham and East Midlands airport. They went on for miles with a 50mph limit.
As we neared London we take the M25 towards Slough and I reminded Neil to be careful of the speed cameras. Here in Spain, in the rural areas where we live, it seems speed cameras haven’t really taken off. We only have 2 in the whole area that I know of and none of them are within the local area. In the UK it is hard to drive down any major road without coming across one, and the M25 is no exception.
After getting our exits mixed up and coming off at the wrong one, we finally made it to our friend’s house. Liz and I met at college in Nottingham (quite) a few years ago, Liz will not permit me to say how many but I think Slade & Sweet were topping the charts. We had both signed on for an intensive 1 year Accountancy course after which I continued in Accountancy and Liz moved into computer studies.
We have remained friends despite living at opposite ends of the Country and no matter how long it is between us seeing each other, we chat away as of we had only seen each other yesterday. It is a very special and valued friendship to me and I love to spend time with her. We look forward to her coming to visit us in Spain someday so we can show her around our new home and town.
My brother lives a couple of hours away from Liz, so we had arranged to meet at a restaurant in Staines, sort of mid-way(ish). We met there when I was over last summer and the food was really good, although parking can be difficult.
We had travelled from Spain with our 2 big, hard suitcases. A bit excessive for 4 days but we needed the hard cases as we had a birthday present for Cadey, who was 3 a couple of weeks ago, but unfortunately timing meant we hadn’t seen her as she was at Butlins for the weekend, and Christmas presents for Andy & Suzie – no, I’m not mega-organised for this coming Christmas, these are from last Christmas when Andrew was supposed to have come to visit us and hadn’t. It was important these were safe in the cases as they were fragile.
It was brilliant to see both Andy & Suzie again and we all had a great evening which was over all too soon. As we left the restaurant we went to get a large box that Andy has been looking after for me since our Dad died.
Dad and I shared a love of Terry Pratchett books. He had a few on his bookshelf and I had a few on mine, although we had read everyone he has written. A few years ago, for Dad’s Christmas present I bought all the missing books to make up the first 20 in a set for him. In this large, heavy box were the 20 Pratchett books which I was looking forward to re-reading, sitting on my veranda on hot, sunny days over looking the mountains or on warm, balmy evenings under a canopy of stars, and sharing the jokes with my Dad once again.
Monday morning saw Neil and I at the Post Office to arrange to send the box of books to Spain. 19.6kg of books cost us £56 to send over – but as I sit typing this I know that in a couple of days they’ll be here. It’ll be like a late Christmas for me.
We had a long day of travelling and once we had said goodbye to Liz, I just wanted to be home with the dogs. I dislike the actual travelling, motorways, airports, planes. It’s just so much hassle.
Being back in England for a few days had re-enforced why we live I Spain. I love to see my family and friends, I don’t love the traffic, the grime and the hassle. I don’t love being away from Brandy & Brinkley and I don’t love being away from my home. I have told Neil if I talk about another visit to the UK this year he is to remind me of all of the above.
So, we’re back to the quieter pace of life and the continuing work that is our house. We have just laid a patio outside the utility, which has now tiled and grouted and just needs cleaning off when the grout is set and, again as I type this, I have 2 guys putting up the fly screens around the front area to the house where the hot tub is so that we can spend the summer hours outside without the company of the flies, bees and mosquitoes. I thought it would look a bit ugly, like a cage but it’s actually looking really nice and so much better than I expected. I thought it was a necessary evil to permit us to enjoy our living space but it’s turning the front area into a garden room.
I’m really quite excited about seeing it finished.
Our next task?
250 metres of wire fencing, 66 fence posts and a lot of cement.
Now that’s going to take some doing!
1 comment:
I loved hearing about you looking forward to re-reading the books you had from your dad & sharing jokes with him, Jacqui, that was special.
And, as you say, when you manage to meet up again with close old friends it IS just like you've never been apart.
I, too, have friends like that. Actually we are staying overnight with my childhood friend, Linda, May 19th. She & her husband live in Brixham now, they lived in London previously.Linda worked in 10Downing Street & Chris & I have been to see her inside there too! HONESTLY!
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