hi everyone hope you are all keeping well and thanks for still bothering to read my nonsense.
i shall start with our trip to the garden centre yesterday, just a short ride in the car down a litle country lane to a beautiful garden centre, i was wandering around quite happy through the plants until Graham pointed out the frogs under the plants !!! me and frogs do not get along, so from a distance i choose a couple of plants, which graham had to retrive from the aisles for me...and according to John next dooe the plants we have purchased out "diplodinas " !!! they look very much like an Hibiscus to me.
We then drove round to A Sector on Camposol to the DIY store and got some paint to start decorating and also some white screening which we have put across the front gates so as when the dogs arrive they will not be sticking their noses through the gate and hopefully not seeing through will help them not to bark...planted the plants in pots..and then had a sleep in the afternoon...it was really hot yesterday and it was the first day that both Graham and I overdone the sun alittle even though we had factor 30 on.
And as for today when we got up I asked Graham which he would prefer to either start decorating or take a trip to Ikea in Murcia....he thought about it for maybe 2 seconds and opted for Ikea, I have to admit I was dreading the drive as it is about 50 minutes away via motorways...off we set in the little Matiz ( Dolores i have called her ) and it all went really well until the last 10 minutes when we took the wrong turning off the motoway and ended up in the city centre on a roundabout with what seemed like 20 lanes of traffic coming from all ways....tense is not the word....we managed to get out the city without hitting anyone or anything and got back on the motorway and turned off at the next junction...the correct one...
Ikea in Murcia is the same as any Ikea in England..Graham looked very content walking around with his yellow Ikea bag..until he realised this was not going to be big enough so he upgraded to a trolley...which was full to the top by the time we left...we did manage a coffee and pizza in Ikea although i would have preffered the meatballs.....
I am really proud of myself for making this journey as to me it was a really daunting experience driving in a new country in a new car without the faintest idea of which direction to go...we got there and we got home...what alot we have achieved in our first week...or at least to me i think we have..
Tomorrow it is time to get on with the painting...no more day trips till it is done....
Today is one of the first days where i got a bit wobbly about missing home...I think it was the stress of the driving etc...but I felt i coild really do with sitting in Mum and Dads conservatory having a coffee with them and having a natter, although we speak on the phone each day it is not the same, saying that I know we have made the right decision and that I would get times when it got a bit emotional...shake myself up and get a grip !!!!!
chat again soon
puerto de mazarron beach
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Monday, 27 June 2011
A New Addition
we have a car !!!!
well whats happened since i last wrote my on-line diary....on friday "Dave the Taxi" was due to pick us up at 9.40 to take us to the solicitors....9.55 he arrives..spanish time i guess..got to the solicitors rushed in appologising to Sally who said it's not a problem..spanish time. we got all the necessary papers needed and headed off with Dave to the town hall to get our Padron ( which basically means we are registered as "in the country" and have the right to vote etc ), we were expecting this to be a long drawn out complicated process...10 mins later it was all done and dusted and graham and i left clutching the inportant piece of paper which to us meant we could now but a car. the lady who dealt with us in the town hall was absolutely charming and managed to say to us in english that she wanted us to be speaking fluent spanish when she next saw us.....pigs might fly the rate we are going
The rest of friday was spent with me hunting the internet for a car..success a car rental company located on sector A of camposol had got a Matiz ... i know its an old mans car but it is perfect for me and graham to pooder around in, i gave them a call and arranged to view it saturday morning and bless them they arranged to come and collect us rather than us walking..
1045 they collected us from the house and by mid-day we were driving off in our new addition (red), it felt really weird changing gear with the wrong hand and driving on the other side of the road...but i am sure we will get used to it.
It was Camposol's fiesta weekend so we went and had a nosey round and watched the lovely firework display from our roof terrace last night
other bits of news include...our oven works even though it had a sticker on it saying "not connected do not use" that was after we had arranged for an electrician to come out tomorrow...we have moved the garden shed to round the back of the house...went to a DIY store...garden centre...oh and we bought a fan to try and help with the really hot nights...done quite a bit of gardening and managed to create a lovely arc out of two very tall pine trees and cleared the rockery and made a purchase of 5 very pretty plants...
i think you are all up to speed now
barry xxx
well whats happened since i last wrote my on-line diary....on friday "Dave the Taxi" was due to pick us up at 9.40 to take us to the solicitors....9.55 he arrives..spanish time i guess..got to the solicitors rushed in appologising to Sally who said it's not a problem..spanish time. we got all the necessary papers needed and headed off with Dave to the town hall to get our Padron ( which basically means we are registered as "in the country" and have the right to vote etc ), we were expecting this to be a long drawn out complicated process...10 mins later it was all done and dusted and graham and i left clutching the inportant piece of paper which to us meant we could now but a car. the lady who dealt with us in the town hall was absolutely charming and managed to say to us in english that she wanted us to be speaking fluent spanish when she next saw us.....pigs might fly the rate we are going
The rest of friday was spent with me hunting the internet for a car..success a car rental company located on sector A of camposol had got a Matiz ... i know its an old mans car but it is perfect for me and graham to pooder around in, i gave them a call and arranged to view it saturday morning and bless them they arranged to come and collect us rather than us walking..
1045 they collected us from the house and by mid-day we were driving off in our new addition (red), it felt really weird changing gear with the wrong hand and driving on the other side of the road...but i am sure we will get used to it.
It was Camposol's fiesta weekend so we went and had a nosey round and watched the lovely firework display from our roof terrace last night
other bits of news include...our oven works even though it had a sticker on it saying "not connected do not use" that was after we had arranged for an electrician to come out tomorrow...we have moved the garden shed to round the back of the house...went to a DIY store...garden centre...oh and we bought a fan to try and help with the really hot nights...done quite a bit of gardening and managed to create a lovely arc out of two very tall pine trees and cleared the rockery and made a purchase of 5 very pretty plants...
i think you are all up to speed now
barry xxx
Thursday, 23 June 2011
We have arrived
Here we are.....
I shall start by taking you back to Monday the day before we left, we had a beautiful "tapas" meal with mum and dad as a way of getting in the mood..I have to admit my tummy had been churning for a few days with nerves so I did not expect to sleep at all well on Monday night, but surprise surprise I sleep better than Graham who was awake from 3 in the morning...we got up around 730 and had a last cup of English tea and then dad took us to the station, I wanted a quick "see you later" rather than a good-bye..we were all very controlled and not a tear was shed by anyone..were,nt we brave
We checked in at the airport no problems, I was a bit concerned about the weight of the cases but all was fine
Flight was on time and when we arrived at Murcia airpo Dave was there holding our names up on a board ready to drive us down to camposol which tok around an hour as he went the wrong way on a new road. House keys collected from Mercers estate agents we then drove the 5 mins from there to our new home..
I don't think you could say the previous owner was house proud as it was all a bit dusty, kitchen utensils a bit greasy, and she had obviously just walked out the door as she has left just about everything you can think of..from bed linen, towels, stereo system, knifes & forks, tins of baked beans and even some "Tampons" in the bedside drawer...handy if we get a nosebleed I guess....bles her though she did leave us a bottle of carver in the fridge...
The first night here was very strange neither of us could settle we just kept wandering around looking in cupboards, drawers etc
After a nights sleep (well a couple of hours) we got up and walked to the local commercial centre which is about 30 mins but in this heat feels like an hour..very successful time here though as we managed to get our po box sorted and also arrange for the Internet and telephone to be connected ( hence I am able to write this today )
We then went down to the harbour and had a wander along seafront and stopped at La Penna for a cold glass of coke, and then onto Mercadona for our first try at a weekly shop....we think it was a success at least we have some healthy food in our cupboards..no truffles, chocolate bars etc....with this heat and food the weight should drop off us
When we got back home it was on with a major clean...we are nearly there just the last couple of rooms to do..lots of washing done and drying it on the roof terrace on my continental clothes airer..exciting
Today has been much of the same except the excitement of having e Internet and telephone connected.....I did try a bit of gardening but after 1/2 hour in the heat that was enough ...
Oh I forgot to mention last night the water went off...thought we had been disconnected but found out this is not unusual..but bless the neighbours 2 lots came round with bottles of water for us..they all seem very kind...
I shall keep you posted
I shall start by taking you back to Monday the day before we left, we had a beautiful "tapas" meal with mum and dad as a way of getting in the mood..I have to admit my tummy had been churning for a few days with nerves so I did not expect to sleep at all well on Monday night, but surprise surprise I sleep better than Graham who was awake from 3 in the morning...we got up around 730 and had a last cup of English tea and then dad took us to the station, I wanted a quick "see you later" rather than a good-bye..we were all very controlled and not a tear was shed by anyone..were,nt we brave
We checked in at the airport no problems, I was a bit concerned about the weight of the cases but all was fine
Flight was on time and when we arrived at Murcia airpo Dave was there holding our names up on a board ready to drive us down to camposol which tok around an hour as he went the wrong way on a new road. House keys collected from Mercers estate agents we then drove the 5 mins from there to our new home..
I don't think you could say the previous owner was house proud as it was all a bit dusty, kitchen utensils a bit greasy, and she had obviously just walked out the door as she has left just about everything you can think of..from bed linen, towels, stereo system, knifes & forks, tins of baked beans and even some "Tampons" in the bedside drawer...handy if we get a nosebleed I guess....bles her though she did leave us a bottle of carver in the fridge...
The first night here was very strange neither of us could settle we just kept wandering around looking in cupboards, drawers etc
After a nights sleep (well a couple of hours) we got up and walked to the local commercial centre which is about 30 mins but in this heat feels like an hour..very successful time here though as we managed to get our po box sorted and also arrange for the Internet and telephone to be connected ( hence I am able to write this today )
We then went down to the harbour and had a wander along seafront and stopped at La Penna for a cold glass of coke, and then onto Mercadona for our first try at a weekly shop....we think it was a success at least we have some healthy food in our cupboards..no truffles, chocolate bars etc....with this heat and food the weight should drop off us
When we got back home it was on with a major clean...we are nearly there just the last couple of rooms to do..lots of washing done and drying it on the roof terrace on my continental clothes airer..exciting
Today has been much of the same except the excitement of having e Internet and telephone connected.....I did try a bit of gardening but after 1/2 hour in the heat that was enough ...
Oh I forgot to mention last night the water went off...thought we had been disconnected but found out this is not unusual..but bless the neighbours 2 lots came round with bottles of water for us..they all seem very kind...
I shall keep you posted
Monday, 20 June 2011
24 Hours To Go
Since I last posted the news is "The House Is Ours"
We had an email from the solicitors last Friday that the meeting all went well and the monies were paid over and keys exchanged at 10.15 on the 17/6/2011, it all hit home how real this is.
We decided that rather than prolong all the good-byes we would book a flight out as soon as possible, so flight time 12.45 21/6/2011.....
Spent the weekend saying good-bye to folks the toughest one being last night "Sunday" when we had a family meal out, Tina, Graham, Daniel and jack came down ( my sister, brother-in-law and nephews ) along with my parents went to Pablos Italian restaurant, it was lovely just I got a bit choked up saying goodbye at the end of the evening...after having spent a week living with Tina and the boys it made it even tougher..I think I have got the funniest nephews possible..only Jack would feel comfortable walking round a restaurant with a pair of pants over his trousers !!! Ask and I will explain...
Had our last trip into Eastbourne town centre today to say farewell to work colleagues etc ( yes I got choked up again ) and then walked back along the seafront taking in our last views as we went, this is all very weird..I have got such a mix of emotions..excitement,fear..my head is all over the place, the sooner we are on the plane the better.
We are due to land at Murcia at 16.15 and a chap called Dave is going to meet us and drive us to Camposol
I am trying to sort out the Internet connection for the house so it may be a few days before I write anything on here, so please don't give up on me....
Here Goes....A New Life....Adios
We had an email from the solicitors last Friday that the meeting all went well and the monies were paid over and keys exchanged at 10.15 on the 17/6/2011, it all hit home how real this is.
We decided that rather than prolong all the good-byes we would book a flight out as soon as possible, so flight time 12.45 21/6/2011.....
Spent the weekend saying good-bye to folks the toughest one being last night "Sunday" when we had a family meal out, Tina, Graham, Daniel and jack came down ( my sister, brother-in-law and nephews ) along with my parents went to Pablos Italian restaurant, it was lovely just I got a bit choked up saying goodbye at the end of the evening...after having spent a week living with Tina and the boys it made it even tougher..I think I have got the funniest nephews possible..only Jack would feel comfortable walking round a restaurant with a pair of pants over his trousers !!! Ask and I will explain...
Had our last trip into Eastbourne town centre today to say farewell to work colleagues etc ( yes I got choked up again ) and then walked back along the seafront taking in our last views as we went, this is all very weird..I have got such a mix of emotions..excitement,fear..my head is all over the place, the sooner we are on the plane the better.
We are due to land at Murcia at 16.15 and a chap called Dave is going to meet us and drive us to Camposol
I am trying to sort out the Internet connection for the house so it may be a few days before I write anything on here, so please don't give up on me....
Here Goes....A New Life....Adios
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Wednesday 15/6/11
Ok, so I know we are not in Spain yet but just thought I would write a little update.
We have now spoken to the solicitor who has informed us that the meeting of all parties is due to take place on Friday at 10-15 so if all goes to plan we should definitely have the keys.
I have Been looking at flights today and it is looking like Tuesday will be D-Day.
Still feeling all very positive and no real wobbles so far....wait till Monday night / Tuesday morning at the Airport.....
Spending lots of lovely quality time with the dogs they are having a great time running over the fields. We are really going to miss them when we go as they will not be joining us until 17th July, at least it will give us time to get the house ready for them to arrive and when they are there we can give them all the attention and help them settle in.
Graham has been busy on Amazon downloading tons of books onto his Kindle Book Reader, I guess he is thinking he is going to be spending his days laid on a sun lounger reading....Wrong, painting, decorating etc....
The plan is to go back down to Eastbourne on Friday and get all the last bits and pieces sorted out and to say goodbye to people...could be tears !!!
We have now spoken to the solicitor who has informed us that the meeting of all parties is due to take place on Friday at 10-15 so if all goes to plan we should definitely have the keys.
I have Been looking at flights today and it is looking like Tuesday will be D-Day.
Still feeling all very positive and no real wobbles so far....wait till Monday night / Tuesday morning at the Airport.....
Spending lots of lovely quality time with the dogs they are having a great time running over the fields. We are really going to miss them when we go as they will not be joining us until 17th July, at least it will give us time to get the house ready for them to arrive and when they are there we can give them all the attention and help them settle in.
Graham has been busy on Amazon downloading tons of books onto his Kindle Book Reader, I guess he is thinking he is going to be spending his days laid on a sun lounger reading....Wrong, painting, decorating etc....
The plan is to go back down to Eastbourne on Friday and get all the last bits and pieces sorted out and to say goodbye to people...could be tears !!!
Monday, 13 June 2011
Spanish Countdown 13/06/2011
Our house is due to complete on the 17th June and so Graham and I are in limbo at the moment, we came back from Spain last Thursday and are wandering around either staying at Mum and Dads or with Tina, Graham and the Boys.
Great excitement hit the French household last night when Tina received a telephone call to say"Watch channel 4", it was A Place In The Sun and can you believe it featured Puerto De Mazarron and also showed a villa for sale on Camposol..we keep thinking all this means "it's a sign" whether it it is or not who knows but whilst we were viewing the houses in Spain the second to last one that we viewed had an earthenware bottle in the garden and the design on it was of a lizard which is identical to the tattoo that I have on my leg, this is the house that we have purchased !!!
It is a very weird feeling knowing that a new life is just around the corner but not knowing quite when it is going to start, hopefully we should hear something tomorrow or Wednesday as to the house being ours and when the keys will be available....
I got the help from my nephew Jack to start this "blog" , just thinking it might be a nice idea for anyone who may wish to know how things are going, this is really just the introduction, the real thing should start next week provided we can get the Internet up and running in the house....
Practice over and first blog written, just gotta hope someone may read it now, if not I shall make Graham read it to the boys ( dogs )
Great excitement hit the French household last night when Tina received a telephone call to say"Watch channel 4", it was A Place In The Sun and can you believe it featured Puerto De Mazarron and also showed a villa for sale on Camposol..we keep thinking all this means "it's a sign" whether it it is or not who knows but whilst we were viewing the houses in Spain the second to last one that we viewed had an earthenware bottle in the garden and the design on it was of a lizard which is identical to the tattoo that I have on my leg, this is the house that we have purchased !!!
It is a very weird feeling knowing that a new life is just around the corner but not knowing quite when it is going to start, hopefully we should hear something tomorrow or Wednesday as to the house being ours and when the keys will be available....
I got the help from my nephew Jack to start this "blog" , just thinking it might be a nice idea for anyone who may wish to know how things are going, this is really just the introduction, the real thing should start next week provided we can get the Internet up and running in the house....
Practice over and first blog written, just gotta hope someone may read it now, if not I shall make Graham read it to the boys ( dogs )
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