It’s been a while. Three months I think. But we are back. We were due to travel for Christmas. But we cancelled. Too much of a fuss. Too uncertain. Would we get back. Add to that Fred the geriatric cat having a fit a week before we were due to leave. At 18 he rules. We stayed.

But we are here. A full flight. One couple a mother and daughter sat in front of us on the flight who seemed incapable of keeping a mask on. Or of wearing it properly despite the poor flight attendant asking numerous times. I don’t know what’s worse. The kids kicking the back of the seat whilst their parents watch films. To be fair mask bandits in enclosed spaces are the worst.

An easy journey. London City airport was quiet. Except for our full flight. Malaga was a doddle. Easy through passport control ~ passport stamped. Make sure that happens in and out. The Spanish entry form shown and bingo. Ready to pick up the car. The wiggly road hasn’t changed. It’s still wiggly. But what a sigh of relief as we were finally at home. Greeted by our neighbours locking the gates as they left. I assumed they had left us the milk and bread. I mentioned We had stopped to get firelighters.. They had said the day before the house was cold. Baltic was the word. They said nothing except see you for a cuppa later.

I needn’t have worried about the firelighters. ( other than to laugh as I had originally written we had stopped to pick up some firefighters!) They had been in to top up the fire which they had lit in the morning. The house was warm. The shutters all open. the bathroom radiators on. Good neighbours are great. Awesome neighbours even better.

I can’t tell you how good it is to be back. Well I can and probably have. The garden is looking ok to be fair. There is some work to do but I have had to adapt to the fact that for the last two years the visits have been infrequent and unpredictable. Some things have survived when I thought they wouldn’t. I planted a plumeria ~ frangipani ~ which I’ve admired for ages. I’m happy to say it’s still alive. Needs a bit more TLC but it’s alive and will flourish now the Warner weather is here.

One of the palms in the pot is dying. I have no idea why but I will plant it in the ground and if it flourishes then it stays. If not it goes. I can’t be too,precious when we aren’t here as often at the moment.

You’ve got to love a cactus that’s not a cactus. But a euphorbia candelabrum. Two in pots. Both doing well. This year better than ever.

The lovely bronze red of the dodonea ( dodonea viscosa) which is a great colour at this time of year. A good drought tolerant plant which is needed in this garden. Supposed to be a rapid grower but doesn’t seem to be for me. I need to try some on the really dry bank for some colour interest. It self seeds a bit too. Insignificant flowers but worth growing for the colour.

Ignore the bits that need clearing. I love these in the garden. This is the largest and is in a pot on the terrace ~ the gorgeous foxtail agave. Agave attentuata. Another drought tolerant plant that does well. There is one at the back of the house. Another in a pot placed in the garden. More small ones to be repotted and planted out. They have a fabulous flower but this hasn’t flowered yet. To be honest I will look at other peoples flowers. They flower in their last year. Then die. I want this one to last forever.

Ignore the wall. It needs a coat of paint. There is time for that in later months. For now ignore the view. Ignore the outdoor shower head. You won’t catch me using it. The waters cold. I know Ian hasn’t used it. It took him three years to realise it was there. It’s the new rose arch and the first time I’ve seen it. Last time I saw anything was a rough ~ and I mean dog rough ~ sketch on a piece of paper. Drawn by me. I’m delighted with it ~ I have the rose on order. Though I may change my mind. Or not.

Three weeks ago our neighbour video messaged and talked about pruning and cutting back the trees and oleander along our boundary. To be fair they are all on their side. A mix of oleander, Olive and some transparente. His gardener had suggested a hard cut. What did I think? I agreed as things grow back so quickly here. Especially Oleander. It has meant we get more light along the terrace. We get a better view toward the Moroccan coast. But there’s no doubt it was a bit of a shock. A little loss of privacy for us both ~ but that’s short term. Oleander grows like a weed here. It was pruned hard three years ago. It grew back. Another thing about good neighbours and these are different to the fire lighting neighbours. Is that there is always a proper discussion about boundary issues to determine what suits both of us.

We have about five pine trees on the bank. When we were here in October we filled a skip full of pine needles from the bank. Trust me. That’s the first and last time I’ll ever do it. That bank is steep. I slipped and slided like a dodgy contestant on dancing on ice. But this week I have to check for the nests of the processionary caterpillars. I haven’t seen any for two years. But to be fair we haven’t been here around nest time. But the last time we found some we had them removed. Nasty little buggers. Avoid them at all costs. They do what the name says. They march in line. In a procession. It’s a spectacle to see. But scary.

The Australian wisteria ~ Hardenbergia ~ is growing over the garden gates. To be fair it’s growing to the sides of the gates. It was pruned hard ~ and the bit over the gate cut back a bit too much. It’s started to flower and it’s going to get better. It needs to. The violet carpenter bees love it. Boy. They are big. Maybe this could be an alternative for the rose arch. Or a banksia rose. Or something smelly. Like a honeysuckle. Or. Or. Or.

Timing is everything. Something I don’t quite get right. There are at least three flower spikes on the Bird of Paradise. Strelitzia Reginae This is a short visit so I suspect we won’t see them. But hopefully they will still be around when we are back.

Tomorrow is another day and will be spent in the garden. Sweeping. Tidying. Oh and I’d thought I’d finished bulb planting. But there’s a box in the garage. I may be late ~ I had planned for mid December but better late than never and if they flower they flower. There are two chances. Either they do or they don’t but it’s worth the effort. I definetly want to plant the 10 Urginea Maritima I have from Peter Nyssen. I planted 10 three years ago on the dry bank. They are huge big bulbs and for the first year sis nothing. Then last year our neighbour mentioned that the big onions had leaves. Then later that they had died back. When we arrived in September there were glorious white flower spikes on all 10. So I ordered more. These have to be planted. Along with some pots of tulips and some alliums.

But at least I won’t have to wear a hat and scarf !