Because of El Hombre being ill I decided to take the pushchair and the two dogs out. Not an easy task I tell you.

It wouldn’t be so bad if only the streets were flat and I felt certain the dogs would be all right being off lead, but no, I am not so lucky.

In order to get to the flatter streets of town, you have to navigate a hill going downwards. So off I went with a dog on either side, and it went ok apart from the odd eagerness to get going which resulted in the dogs pulling a bit.
But then they spotted some food on the street and being the greedy fuckers they are, almost pulled me down the hill. I swear, some days they do my head in.

Furter down in the village I ran into an old Spanish man who, after seeing my getup with two dogs and a pushchair, asked me if I was not scared that the dogs might jump up and bite the baby? Ahemmm, no?  I decided there was no point in telling him that the dogs sleep inside on their shared doggy bed next to the fireplace. He was an old man and there is no point risking him having a heat attack. I just once again show the differences in attitude to animals in Southern Spain and Northern Europe.

Illness seems to have a good hold of us this winter. We have just been struck down again. This time at least, El Rubio was not in the firing line, and neither was I.

El Hombre got sinusitis, i think its called, and it got really bad in the weekend. He could hardly move around for the pain in his head and behind his eyes. Having not had this before, it took a bit before we figured that it was the sinuses which were the culprits.

I decided to get out of the house with El Rubio as much as I could, as I am sure that the high-pitched shrieking, screaming and yelling of a child just over a year old is not what you need when your head is about to explode.

We went to see some of our other foreign friends in the village, and it endd up being a rather productive trip. As I moaned about El Hombre being ill again, it seemed that these sinus problems are rather common and everybody had a bit of a boots pharmacy going on at home. So I came back with the loot which included: Those drops you put in boiling water to inhale (cannot for the life of me remember what they are called right now), vapour rub, decongestion and painkiller tablets, and some other tablets. And they really did the trick! He is feeling much better, as the headache is more of a normal headache and not this crippling pain.

I think we need to stock up in Boots next time we are home in the UK. Sounds silly as you can get a lot of good products here in Spain, but there is something about using products you know well and have always used. Old habits die hard I guess.

I’ve not been that efficient at blogging this month, but El Rubio has been ill again(!) so he has been home from nursery creating havoc in the house instead.

The Junta de Andalucia (kinda andalucian government) have made some efforts recently to make things a bit more userfriendly. A much needed step! Part of this has been to introduce a Service called Salud Responde, a telephone service open 24/7 for you to book appointments with the doctor or ask questions.

This is brilliant, as they previous way was an utter waste of time. To see the doctor in our small local health centre you had to get up early in the morning, queue with all the other ill people or just people having their prescriptions renewed (80% elderly people who would start the line at 7, the doctor arrived at 8 ) get a number when the doctor arrived and then estimate when it might be your turn. So if say, your number was 26, you then had to try to suss out how long it would take for the 25 patients before you to be seen which meant you always ended up waiting at least at hour because you didn’t want to get there too late and miss your turn.

Going to a health centre in a nearby larger town meant trying to call around 10 times to make an appointment and being on hold for 10 minutes. So I am so chuffed with this new system.

The telephone number for Salud Responde is 902 505 060. I don’t think they speak other languages than Spanish, but I have not tried. Obviously this could be dependant on the operator you get through to.

We’ve had a tragedy in my village. At the start of last week, three young people aged 19, 20 and 25 were killed in a car accident.

My village is only small so when something like that happens is involves everybody. The town hall declared 2 days of mourning and you could feel the funny mood everywhere you went.

The guy of 25 and his girlfriend of 20 years old was one of my neighbours and they lived just a bit further down the street.

The kid of 19 was always hanging out with the two you girls next door as they were cousins.

When I was first told about the accident it somehow didn’t affect me that much. I think I didn’t really understand it. Death is a very abstract thing. But as the day went on I got more and more upset.

Wednesday there was a funeral for all three of them. It took place at the cemetery and the little chapel up there. We went up to pay our respects but couldn’t walk into the room where they were laid out in coffins with glass tops. It was devastating listening to the cries from family and friends.

The car accident took place on the road between Cartama and Coin. I think it was raining and they tried to overtake a car and ended up hitting a 4×4 head on. Unfortunately none of them were wearing seat belts which really upsets me. I don’t know enough details to comment on whether or not it might have saved their lives, but I can’t help but think it might have. The thing is, you never plan for an accident. That’s why they are accidents. So please use a seat belt.

I don’t know if it is because of all the property programmes on tv, but I am finding it increasingly difficult not to get excited about investing in property abroad. Well, not abroad for me ’cause I am already abroad in Spain, or hang on, yes abroad because there are now new and interesting destinations that I get light-headed about, it is not all about Spain for me.

There is something special about owning a place. I remember the excitement when we got the keys to our first house. It was ours and we could do what ever we wanted to it.

Now, more wants more. If I could just have that cheap apartment in Bulgaria up in the mountains, that I think I could actually almost afford. I can see myself skiing around on the snow-caped mountains having a laugh and drinking mulled wine in the early evening and enjoying a roaring fire.

Our should go for the more exotic Cape Verde and find myself a property on the island of Sal ?

There is certainly plenty of opportunity out there and it doesn’t surprise me that an increasing amount of people buy an investment property abroad as their first property as they cannot afford to buy anything in Britain. Desperate to get onto the property ladder, for many it seems the only way.

And who wouldn’t like an apartment in the sun?

I really really need to learn Spanish properly.

I can speak it quite and get by, but I would love to feel confident that my grammar was correct and not break into a cold sweat everytime I am asked to write something.

Furthermore, what if we move from Spain one day? I can then add to my CV that I can get by in Spanish? Not really good enough. Would be nice to have a diploma or degree of some sort to prove that I can speak it to so and so level.

Since moving abroad I have gained a much better understanding of why immigrants don’t always learn the language even after several years in their adopted country. The reason is that it is so easy not to. You hang out with other immigrants, you can get buy in the shops and on the street, you work with other immigrants. A bit sad though, but that is how reality is for a lot of people, myself partly included.

Living in a small village I haven’t met that many spanish people my age that I really feel like I am connecting with. Yes, I chat and am friendly with quite a few, but friendship cannot be forced and if you  have only a few things in common it doesn’t really evolve that much. For that reason I do wish I lived in Madrid or Barcelona sometimes.

Feeling a bit sick as I have absolutely stuffed my face with toffee this morning (morning in Spain lasts until 2, remember?). My mum is over and have brought supplies which I have been doing my best to demolish to  a level of great success. So I am now suffering.

I have decided to create a new category called Spain and…

My first little moan is about how pedestrians are always walking in the middle of the road, especially in the smaller towns and villages. It really drives me bonkers sometimes.

I am no boy racer, but would like to actually move forward. It is almost like people get slightly surprised when they realise there is a car right behind them even though they are actually walking on the middle of the road, as in where cars usually drive! They will then proceed to slowly and without any haste what-so-ever move to the side to let you by. If you DO decide to walk in the middle of the road, which in some cases is absolutely understandable taking into consideration the state of the pavement - big trees growing right there in the middle, tiles missing, far to narrow etc - cant you just at least be a bit more aware of the fact that there might be, and usually is, cars coming.

When you are aware of one being behind you, walk to the side to let it pass straight away, and make an effort to notice them before they are right up your (quite likely very wide) arse.

Thanks, and it will make my life so much easier if you heed my commands, so make an effort people!

This is a brilliant little video. I have never take part of El Rocio myself, but it gives you a good idea of the whole thing and the history behind it.

See it and see a bit of the real Andalucia!

Spanish Festival - El Rocio

We are ill again! Can’t believe it but I guess that is the price you pay when your child starts at the nursery.

E l Hombre has been ill for a week, I have been ill for a few days, Rubio has got a cold and now has diarrhoea (thank god for spell check!) for the third day in a row.

I was in tears changing him before because his little bottom was so red he was just crying when I changed him and trying to get away. Proper tears and all. I really didn’t like it. I’ve got some cream and all, but it is difficult to keep at bay when he is constantly shitting.

So the photo doesn’t have much to do with being ill, it is just one I took the other day when I was out with the dogs. It is, or was, a frog. Now it is a very flat and dead frog. I like the colours of the earth in the photo and the slight stain on the ground around his body. Maybe the earth got sodden with frog blood. What colour is frog blood anyway?

I am getting bored with being ill and my respect for single parents have really grown. I can’t imagine being alone with your sick child and feeling like shit yourself.