Whilst most people here in Spain are digging out their warm clothes in preparation for the winter, I am doing the very reverse. The coats and scarves are being packed away and the swimming stuff, shorts and T-shirts are coming out. Why? Because soon, very soon, I shall be on a long-haul flight to Australia. … Read more
When we moved to our Spanish mountain village ten years ago, we soon became familiar with the families who lived here. All of them were friendly and charming and we enjoyed watching the kids grow as the years passed. Little Paco next door had a friend, Miguel, who once tapped on our door, eager to … Read more
After 10 years in our Spanish mountain village, we know what to expect in summer. The village fills up with people we haven’t seen for a year as families arrive to escape the heat of the cities. Children, a foot taller than last year, run wild in the streets and the jasmine-scented air is heavy … Read more
With all my thoughts and energies channelled into the launch of Two Old Fools in Spain Again, I haven’t taken much time off this summer. However the book is out now and, with the temperatures still soaring, Joe and I long for a swim. Our village of El Hoyo is too small to warrant its … Read more
Until the Spanish begin to neuter their cats, there will always be a huge feral population. When we moved to El Hoyo in 2004, we were surprised at how many cats roamed the village, but I guess we’re used to it now. Although not domesticated, they all seem healthy and manage to exist on a … Read more
When the long hot summer days arrive, so do our visitors, eager to share the Spanish sunshine and the peace and quiet of El Hoyo. My niece, Becky, comes every June, always alone. She’s not married, but has never been short of a boyfriend. “You know you can bring whoever you like,” Joe and I … Read more
Nobody enjoys queuing although most of us accept it as a necessary evil. Queuing and Joe are like cats and water; he hates it. He grumbles and heckles loudly which makes me shrivel with embarrassment as people turn to stare. It amazes me that no shops have banned him from entering their premises. “Why don’t … Read more
“I can’t concentrate! Why don’t the Spanish stop their dogs barking?” I was trying to write the next chapter for my latest Old Fools book, but the constant background noise was spoiling my concentration. There are plenty of dogs in our village, all shapes and sizes. There’s a Jack Russell that never stops yapping, a … Read more
It began with a polite knock on the door. Joe answered it and found two smiling men in uniform waiting on the doorstep. “Good morning,” said the one with the clipboard, “we are sorry for disturbing you, we’ve come to check your gas fittings.” “Really? I don’t think we’ve ever had them checked before,” said … Read more
One could almost hear the howls of anguish from expats across Europe this month, and Joe’s was probably the loudest. We’d been warned, although I don’t think anybody really believed it was going to happen. But it did. One day all the BBC channels simply vanished from our screens. “No BBC1 or BBC2?” asked Joe, … Read more