happyretiredblog

Posted on January 28, 2022January 28, 2022 by happyretiredblog

Hello again Hola

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 !

Posted on November 11, 2021November 12, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Hello London

Old London Town. I ran away to London ( sort of) on 1st February 1982 with the intention of maybe staying a year or two. I hated it. I’d taken a promotion and moved to the big smoke knowing very few people. At first I stayed in Brixton with an actor friend who I’d met in Cardiff who was in the London stage production of The Sound of Music. Now you know why I can sing ‘High on a hill’ ‘climb every mountain’ ‘I am sixteen going on seventeen.’ Though the latter now has to be ‘ I am sixty going on seventy.’

London was expensive. Money was tight so I ended up walking a lot. By walking everywhere in central London I found my bearings. I knew how to get from A to B and trust me the underground isn’t always the fastest. The number of people who get on the tube at Covent Garden to go to Leicester Square is bonkers. By the time you walk down the stairs at Covent Garden you are in Leicester Square. But I walked. And walked and over time I grew to love it. London. Not walking.

Over the years I grew lazy and walked less but one of the things to come out of the pandemic is that we are walking more. Yes. I get the train into town. It’s either 12 mins to Victoria or 16 to London Bridge. From either of these two stations you can get almost anywhere by foot. Maybe a short bus ride too. These last few days I’ve walked over 20 miles. That’s not my usual but it’s more frequent than say in 2019.

So back in London for dental appointments this week meant I could wander from Victoria to Oxford Street and back to Charing Cross via Soho taking in some familiar and favourite places on the way. Some I have left out. Why? Because. There’s always another day.

We are fortunate to live near to two stations. Peckham Rye and Denmark Hill. Both are within easy walking distance. You just have to make the decision as you get to the top of the road whether you turn left. Or turn tight. This week it was a left turn and I was happy to see that they had the flags out at Victoria for my arrival. Whilst it should I have been the Welsh Dragon I’ll accept what I get. After all I have now lived in London longer than in my birth place.

I love central London as the evening light changes especially when it’s not busy and especially after the rain with wet roads and pavements as it gives you better photo opportunities. Some of the buildings are lit. The lights of the cars and traffic lights sparkle. And I look better at dusk. Some say even better in the dark.

I’m not a huge fan of Christmas. But I love the run up and the decorations. These days house decorations are few. We have spent two out of four in Spain where I do add a bit of glitter and decoration but as we are only there for a short while it’s minimal. Gone are the days of real trees and dropping pine needles.

The stores do a great job of their windows especially at Christmas. The window dressers ~ that’s a phrase I haven’t used in decades not since a friend of mine was a window dresser for Jaeger. Too old for me then ~ the clothes not The window dresser ~ too expensive now. Though I note that Marks & Spencer are now stocking Jaeger. I think it’s the lights and the sparkle that attract me. To the shops not the clothes. Selfridges who do not sell fridges by the way do a great job. John Lewis do too.

I love the run up to Christmas But it slightly scares me at the beginning of November ~ I suspect Santa’s grotto has been opened for weeks. This is Selfridges but I didn’t go inside at this stage. I didn’t have my list for Santa. I once dressed up as Santa for our team xmas lunch to hand out the secret Santa presents. Maybe a job for the season. Let me think about it. No. Never. Have I told you I’m retired. I suspect a lot.

I’m not a huge fan of Christmas. These days house decorations are few. We have spent two out of four in Spain where I do add a bit of glitter and decoration but as we are only there for a short while it’s minimal. I still like Christmas cards and I’d say I’m like my mother which terrifies me. Each Christmas as she got older I’d help her with the cards. I use to say just give me the cards. I’ll write them. No no she’d reply. I need to see which card goes to who. You can’t send that one to X. It doesn’t have a nice verse in it. Mum. All it needs is Happy Christmas. No no. That’s the wrong card for your uncle and Aunt. Ok. Whose this one for. Oh. That’s for Andrew and Ian whilst then laughing as she realised what she’d said. To be fair. I’m the same. I spend ages looking for the right cards. Or having some printed.

After the dentist it was John Lewis. Actually the 4th floor and their Christmas shop. Christmas trees. Lights of all shape colour and size. Talk about tinsel. Enough for everyone. Except me. I hated tinsel in the 1970’s and I still do though it’s not the thin old stuff we used to have. The choice of trees was mesmerising. The wall of lights dazzling. Remember getting the lights out of the loft and having to check every bulb because if one didn’t work the whole lot didn’t. Days when you could replace a bulb instead of having to replace a whole string. Growing up there were only 3 modes. On. Off and flashing. The battery ones we use on the standard bays in London have numerous. We use two. On and off.

I thought the Regent Street lights would have been on by now but no. It looks like the same lights as in 2019 & 2020 but hey. We have been in a rather strange place. The pavements have been widened. Lockdown surely hasn’t meant we have all been eating more. No. It’s for social distancing which I suspect many of us will continue to do for the foreseeable future. The Council in their wisdom has made it harder for vehicles in central London. To make the air cleaner. I’m not sure it works as Park Lane and often Regent Street is chocka bloc with stationary traffic and queues. With engines running.

Liberty London. Such a beauty both outside and in. It took me decades to have the confidence to venture in but once done you realise even if you aren’t buying it’s a joy to see inside. The Christmas shop is always amazing with an incredible selection of baubles glitter and glitz. Things you never know you needed. Least of all wanted. Most you can’t afford.

Hello Carnaby Street ~ a street made famous in the 1960,s for its fashion and which still has a fair number of individual ‘boutiques’ dotted along. Always well decorated. Always busy with shoppers and sight seekers. Always a cut through for me heading from Oxford street via Regent street down to the Strand. The little streets off it are interesting too. I often take a little detour through to Berwick Street. Just because I can. We used to go to Berwick Street market on a Saturday to buy our fruit and veg but the market is now much reduced. We also used to meet our friend Katherine who shared a flat with Ian, when she was shopping for material in Berwick street for her sewing adventures.

One of the shops that caught my eye ~ yes I admit it was Dorothy’s red slippers. We all know friends of Dorothy don’t we? But look at them all. This was a fashion shop and these were the tame ones. I once went to a 70’s fancy dress and needed platform shoes to go with the flares. A colleague and I went to a shop in Poplar market and I picked up a pair of platforms and asked for them in my size. Um. ‘Excuse me you do know they are ladies shoes ‘ ‘Oh yes’ I replied. ‘I need them for Friday’. ‘How are you going to walk in those’ my colleague asked. It’s easy I said. I had worse in the 70’s. Just ask my Dad. He was less than impressed. I never fell off them then either. I think I may be wearing platforms here. Thankfully you can’t see. I still love a polo neck though. These days they are a boon in hiding multiple chins. The fashion today is to wear your mask under your chin. It has the same effect.

Onwards through one of my favourite areas. SOHO. Back in the 80’s when I first moved to London it was a very different place. But it’s always been fabulous. Full of amazing places. Some now gone others stood the test of time. Places like Stockpot ~ the great cheap and cheerful go to cafe. There was another at Leicester Square and one on the Kings Road. My favourite dessert was jelly and cream. Melati restaurant where I first went with Ian after a works leaving party and called a friend from the phone box close by to ask if I was doing the right thing. Both have gone now ~ the restaurant and the phone box. Not Ian and the friend. That was 30 years ago. That’s scary. You could sit in the restaurant and watch a series of visitors to the apartments opposite. It was like traffic lights. Tho the lights were stuck on red with a lot of models living in the area. Things changed through the late 80’s and 90’s with the pink pound becoming more and more evident in the area.

Walking through Soho it’s always great to see old favourites. Lina Stores a great deli. My other favourite deli is on Old Compton Street. Il Camissia where we would buy fresh pasta on a Saturday. Still there but the shutters were down ~ not as good a photo opportunity as Lina Stores. But it’s a fabulous place. Small but full of delights.

The Algerian Coffee stores a wonderful shop full of a huge variety of coffee beans and all paraphernalia for coffee making along with an amazing array of loose teas. I remember buying Jamaica Blue mountain coffee there for the first time. I love how these independents have continued in spite of the high rents and rates they have to endure and where shop fronts haven’t changed in decades.

I have been going to Maison Bertaux since 1982. Nor regularly but whenever we are in town and passing by. Thankfully it has survived lockdown. Opened in 1871 (no. I wasn’t at the opening) it is the oldest patisserie in London. It’s cakes are amazing and I love sitting on the pavement tables eating a big fat cream eclair drinking tea whilst watching the world and the Soho characters go by. Next to Maison Bertaux is the Coach and Houses a grade 2 listed pub which had an interesting history. I admit I’ve walked past for 40 years. https://www.coachandhorsessoho.pub/history

When I first moved to London it was much cheaper to go to the theatre. Especially if you were friends with a couple of box office managers who would phone you to say that a particular theatre was ‘papering” the house and did I want some tickets. Papering the house meant that the show hadn’t sold out so there were seats to fill. Or I regularly used the half price ticket booth in Leicester Square. I was a regular theatre goer and there is a box full of old programmes in the attic along with theatre flyers. The Palace Theatre where I first saw Les Miserables in about 1987 which now houses the long running Harry Potter play. Just one of the many theatres on the walk to Charing Cross.

Into Covent Garden past Seven dials where back in the 80’s Neals yard was a favourite. Not today though as it’s become a bit more commercialised. The Tea House in Covent Garden was a favourite place for me to buy Ceylon orange pekoe loose leaf tea. I can’t remember how or why but it was probably a phase. I went through a few of those apparently. But the range of teas was amazing as were the array of teapots and associated bits and pieces for tea making. Today I make do with a teabag or two.

Here stands my brothers favourite pub in London. When he visited it was where we would meet him and his friends to make the way home.

Covent Garden market once the major fruit and veg market lit up for Christmas. Not as busy as usual but still pretty lovely. Lights. Christmas tree. Fire eating entertainer it has it all as well as the traders in the old apple market.

Final pic is The Punch & Judy. Amother Covent Garden pub in the 80’s to meet friends up in town for the day. Easy to find. Downstairs outside space and close enough to Sal to get the No 12 bus home.

Posted on November 1, 2021November 6, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 8 Comments

Didn’t we have a lovely time ~ Jerez & Cadiz

Well we are back in Spain again. For the second time in 6 weeks after an absence of 52. To be fair it seems like we haven’t been away. Except for the wearing of masks in shops and when entering restaurants and if you are unable to social distance.

I love this time of year in Spain. The temperature has dropped and is comfortable. The mosquitos are retreating and the coast is clear. Clear of hordes of beach goers which means quiet walks ( not romantic ) along the beach. But for the final time in 2021 Ian has booked a trip within a trip for 4 nights whilst we are here. He has said again that we are not spending the whole time here in the garden. The last trip and with some help we have got the garden back on track so this trip it will be easier. Little did he know that there are hundreds of bulbs to plant ~ but that will be for December.

First stop after a 3.5 hour drive in the dark. Was Jerez. The joy of being in Competa is that there are so many places of interest within decent driving distance. Malaga. Granada. Ronda. Córdoba. Seville. After four and a half years those have been done. Some more than once. Some more than that. In our first year I had visited Granada countless times primarily to go to the Alhambra. Ian has a list of places that we should see and some for next year will need more planning as they are further afield.

I digress. The early start was for a reason. We had booked our stay in Jerez and then tried to book tickets to see the Horses at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art but the only day there was a show was the day we arrived and the tickets had to be collected by 11am. So it was a 6am start. There were two benefits to the early start. One was that the roads were relatively quiet and two it meant we arrived to collect the tickets before the arrival of the coaches. Which in turn for an hour we virtually had the place to ourselves.

We arrived to the training of some horses and young riders outside in various parts of the grounds and to a cafe full of young riders taking their break. I’d like to say I understand what they were talking about but their excitement was like a runaway train. Not only was there individual training there were carriage driving training going on as well.

The main event takes place in the Picadero ( indoor arena) which when at full capacity seats 1,600 spectators with amazing views of the arena. We had excellent front row seats mid way along the arena with great views. I mainly took videos of the horses which can be found on my Instagram page @pitcombe123

There is so much more to the School. In the grounds there is also the Palace. The Palacio Recreo de las Cardenas built in the 19th century and designed by Charles Garner who also designed the Paris Opera House and the Monte Carlo Casino. We were the only visitors on the ground floor which is the only part open ~ benefit of being early birds.

Ian had booked a small Airbnb for four nights in a great location with easy access on foot to the sights and tapas bars. Whilst the apartment was compact it had an amazing terrace which was an added bonus together with some interesting pots.

Jerez is an interesting place. The architecture varied and with a lot of buildings in various stages of being reformed. It sounds a strange thing to say but the city is very Spanish. But it was. Very. There weren’t hoards of tourists. ( like us) or coach tours. It was very easy to wander around although easy to get lost in the small narrow Andalucian streets though great for shade. As well as being famous for its Horses Jerez is also known for its Sherry. I’ll admit now. I’m not a Sherry lover. I was listening to a radio programme recently where the Spanish were berating how bad the UK is at drinking Sherry. We can all relate to our parents or grandparents or even us opening a bottle of Sherry and be handed a glass from the same bottle a year or so later. This horrifies the Spanish who say it should be treated like a bottle of wine and not left to be drunk once a year at Christmas. I thought growing up that the only Sherry was the sweet Sherry dragged out of the cupboard at Christmas. Harvey’s Bristol Cream if my memory serves me well. We didn’t do a Sherry tour this time but have been told that it’s a must. Just to educate us as to what delights there are out there. Not just a sweet Sherry at Christmas.

Day two was a walk through the narrow streets to the Alcazar a former moorish Alcazar probably built in 11c. Not as big or grand as Seville Granada or Córdoba but interesting. Particuarly as once again when we arrived we were the only ones walking around. Gorgeous large olive trees planted in the Grounds but very little colour in the gardens.

The Mosque is the only one remaining of the eighteen once present in the city. I love the star shaped skylights in the ceiling of the bath house which lets in amazing light. You can see some of the original workings of the heating system too which probably worked better than ours at home.

Within the palace is there is the Municipal Pharmacy from the 19th century, beautifully carved shelves and potions and lotions on them all. Along with original glass bottles which I’d happily have taken home.

We spent the rest of the day wandering the narrow streets. Stopping for lunch. Afternoon tea and cakes. Getting lost.

As well as Jerez we had decided to spend a day in Cadiz. Instead of driving we had booked the train which was only a 45 min journey with a 20:min walk from the Airbnb. As usual we decided to get there early and spend the whole day wandering with no agenda. . Another day of leaving in the dark and arriving in the dark. But the streets were quiet and had been cleaned already as we walked to the station.

Travel but train is so easy isn’t it. As long as the train goes straight from A to B with no changes. Fast efficient and clean. 45 minutes later we had arrived in Cadiz. As we left the station we were presented with the sight of the cruise liner Queen Elizabeth. Appears Queens are like buses. Three arrive at once. Seeing these cruise liners close up cements my thinking that I don’t want to go on one. Friends love it. But I think for me it’s too big and I have a fear of not being able to get away. Getting away from people. The puerto de Cadiz had a few liners in dock. All huge ships.

First impressions of Cadiz were good. Final impressions at the end of the day was it was great. It is so good to walk and find your bearings before the crowds descend but to be fair it was never so busy that it was uncomfortable.

One other benefit was arriving to sunrise over the city and the port.

A walk first along the Campo del Sur to the Castle of San Sebastian at the end of La Caletta. A lovely early morning walk with sea air and the sun rising. What more could you want? To be honest a strong coffee. I had been up for hours.

The castle and watchtower is on a small island connected to the mainland by the walkway but the interior of the castle is currently closed. Both have an interesting and long history.

There’s always time for a coffee stop before you climb the tower. We had passed through the square in front of the cathedral when we arrived just as things were just opening up so having done a perusal of the area we were back to people watch before we ventured into the cathedral. People watch we did. Well I did as I’m more nosey than Ian. It was fascinating as there were at least three cruise ships in at the port and I was trying to guess the nationalities of the people. Some were easier than others. The Spanglish gave some away.

After breakfast and the enduring wait for the bill we managed to get into the cathedral but not before listening to the tour guide from one of the cruise ships giving his talk to his captive audience. The cathedral wasn’t the most interesting or beautiful for me. I guess I keep comparing the glitz with the last one we visited in Granada where everything that glittered was gold. This one had a remarkable piece of silver instead. Imagine having to polish that once a week.

I can usually guess how much I liked a place by the number of photographs I took. There weren’t many. The cathedral was beautiful. But nothing stood out for me. Except being told off by Ian for making spooky noises in the crypt and threatening to find a creaky door noise on my phone. Childish. Me. Yes.

I swiftly walked past the entrance to the church Tower but Ian was determined. “You’ll get great views from the top” ‘I know’ I replied “but you know me and stairs. I may get to the top then panic about coming down’ We have a difficult relationship. Not me and Him. Steps and me. As in Steps. Not 5.6.7.8 steps. After 30 years he just ignores me. He says it’s easier. For us both. But the idea of photo opportunities won me over. What won me over more was that there were no steps. No stairs. Just a very long. circular walk to the top. And obviously back down again.

I usually panic on the way down but I got another telling off. I started signing ‘hi how hi ho hi ho it’s off to woke we go” Especially as we turned the corner and met a couple coming up. They, unlike me , we’re not amused.

It’s amazing the places you can find. Hidden in a narrow side street is the Oratoria de La Santa Cueva. Leading figures of 18th century Cadiz used the building to withdraw and to undertake spiritual penance. They belonged to the mysterious Spiritual Withdrawal Congregation. It’s a building of two halves, down into the basement you find the gloomy and austere chapel. Dark. Minimalistic. A bit creepy to be honest. Dedicated to the Passion.

In total contrast the upper floor of the High Sacramemt Chapel is opulent and was deliberately designed in contrast to the penitential chapel in the basement. In addition to its opulence it holds a secret stash of Goya paintings in the arches above the alcoves. With beautiful light coming in from the roof Another interesting piece of information ~ Joseph Haydn wrote his work “The Seven Words Last of Our Saviour on the Cross” for this chapel,

Sightseeing is exhausting and one needs to feed one’s soul. And stomach. Sadly the tapas bar recommended by a friend was full but the area was full of fabulous little tapas bars. A great late lunch we were ready for more walking.

Would I recommend Cadiz. Definetly. We only scratched the surface. We didn’t go to the parks. We didn’t go up the tower. But. We will be back.

Maybe if I win the lottery by private yacht like this one moored in the port. It looked a bit space age to me but definitely stood out.

I suspect my mode of travel will be more subdued.

There will be no more trips within a trip for the rest of the year. There will be a Malaga trip. Both to the Christmas lights which are fabulous and this year to a new event at the Botanical gardens. That reminds me to check out the arrangements!

Posted on October 23, 2021November 11, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

Hola ~ Back again.

We didn’t manage to get back to Casa Verano Eterno for a year. Now we are on trip number two. The flight was busier. Epic fail on our part booking around half term ~ why would we book in school holidays when we don’t have to. Checks diary for future trips.

Temperature taken on arrival and Spanish entry form QR code checked and we were on our way up the mountain. Not before we made a mental note to make sure our passport was stamped when we leave. Those who know know we don’t go into the pueblo Blanco when we arrive but take a right at the donkey and into the campo. But who could get bored with this view. Not us. Have I said before how much I love this place. Well I’ll say it again. I bloody love this place.

I never lose that feeling opening the gate and walking up the path to the house. It’s the same feeling I had when we walked up the garden path in March 2017. There is always a little trepidation as to how the garden will look. What may have died. What has have opened up. We – as in Spain ~ are pretty desperate for a bit of rain. Its been a long old summer in many ways but in terms of the heat and no rain it’s been endless. I’ve said it before but spending time here has made me think even more about the water we waste. Because we aren’t here full time I’m changing some of the planting to more drought tolerant plants. But to be honest. There are drought tolerant. And there drought tolerant. I’ve lost echiums in this heat. This summer has been exceptionally hot and October has been one of the hottest in years.

Talking of water. I drowned this lime tree two years ago. A real schoolboy error and not one I’ve repeated. Well not so far but I planted it in a pot. Watered it. Left it for a while during the rainy season. It drowned. I hadn’t checked that the pot had drainage. Repotted. Water drainage it was do or die. It didn’t die and is now full of limes. with more to come. There was a benefit of me not being here for 12 months. No seriously over watering of a pot with no drainage. I admit to being a serious overwaterer and I promise to change. As well as planting everything I get as soon as I get them and in labelling better and having a planting plan.

There is blossom on the buddhas hand citron. A really weird citron shaped like ~ well the name gives it away. A buddhas hand. Very little juice. No pith. No. I’m not taking the pith. There isn’t any. Nor pulp. Or seeds. A gorgeous smelling citron whose peel is used in drinks and in candied peel. Not in this house though. After the first flush I’ve struggled to get the fruit to form. Maybe this is the year. Masses of blossom. A few citron forming. So fingers crossed.

I’ve been planting. I call it planting but is it really planting when you use a pick axe. I’m not joking. The photo on the left is a new strelitzia Nicolai that I had bought three weeks ago and now planted in the bed outside the kitchen area window. To add to the largest one In the garden. Which is too tall to photograph. The one on the right is the smaller of the two originals. I bought one last year before we left for our 12 month sabbatical in the Uk ( no corona travel). So then there were three. Roll forward 12 months and there are now 5.

Add a new Strelitzia Reginae ( left pic) and two new clivia ( pic 2) and my planting done. Wrong. There are 4 gaura. 4 creeping Rosemary. 2 lavender. And another clivia. I first had clivia as a house plant 25 years ago. My neighbour and friend in Somerset had a fabulous garden shop called The Potting Shed. It was Clare who introduced me to clivia as house plants. To beautiful orchids and to unusual Cornish bulbs for the Spring garden. Clare moved away but the gardening connection continues ~ as well as her animal sanctuary she produces the fabulous Donkey Gloves. Now in the spring as I walk up the garden path I’m reminded of Clare when the clivia are in full bloom. Oh. And when wearing the orange donkey gloves.

These Strelitzia Nicolai are on the coast at Torrie del Mar. I’m not expecting ours to get this big anytime soon. Ian suitably seated for scale. The biggest problem is that the banana like leaves shred like mad in the wind. Remember we are 620m above sea level. Up a mountain. Which gets pretty windy at times.

At this time of year there are spectacular sunsets. I bore the pants off myself to be fair. The gorgeous colour of the fallen pine needles on the bank take on a gorgeous red at sunset. But make the most of them. Ian and I spent three days clearing the bank and filling a skip of pine needles. Now I know that rhey can be a mulch. But they were so thick nothing was getting through. When it rained the water just ran off. Plus being Senor Paranoid I was worried about fire. There’s always something. Next the worry will be processionary caterpillars. Nasty little blighters they are.

We drove down the wiggly road to Torrie del Mar for a walk along the beach. It’s so different in late October to the main summer months. But Spain marked up its beaches so that people could and did socially distance on the beach. Now the beaches are quiet and people social distance of their own accord.. Can I tell you a secret? In four and a half years we haven’t spent a day on the beach. We have walked along the prom. Paddled in the sea. But have never sat in a deck chair eating sandwiches getting pink bits and looking like a lobster.

We have had a wander around the pueblo Blanco. It’s hard to forget it’s hilly with narrow streets. No it’s not. It is. I get embarrassed when people older than me = yes. There are a few ~ who run past you carrying a weeks shopping whilst I gasp for breath. Looking for an oxygen mask.

A few days later just as halloween was approaching the mists came down and made everything look a bit creepy.

When the mist and clouds come down it really comes down. We get it occasionally and whilst it may look great it’s a nervous drive into town, the first time it happened I was driving the boys and their parents from the pueblo Blanco to home. Boy. You could smell the fear.

We had made huge progress back in September in clearing a lot of the overgrown bits in the garden. We had had some help before we arrived and 4 large dumpy bags were waiting to be taken away. We then filled skip no 1. So we were returning to a better position. I’d had a move around of pots and tables on the terrace and we could now see plants in the borders.

Ignore the tiles. They are looking better now. For now anyway and until they are covered in olives.

When we moved in four and a half years ago ( yes time flies) we had a great lavender path. two years ago I replanted it. Which was a disaster. I lost some in the first year and then Corona hit. Not being there fir 12 months took its toll and in a fit of pique I ripped it all out. To be replaced with creeping rosemary. I planted it in September in haste ( story of my life) but it looks good. Rosemary does so well in this garden and my experience with creeping Rosemary has been good.

One thing that makes me smile are the things growing in the garden that my parents had growing indoors. I think they would find it hilarious. The Swiss cheese plant was a staple growing up along with a rubber plant. I never liked either but the cheese plant in the garden is growing on me. Especially after seeing them in the botanical gardens in Malaga where they were monster monsteras. They were huge. The tradescantia planted by the door ~ my mother had one that was always breaking off . The aspidistra in a bucket by the jacaranda tree. The money plant. I will admit to hoping the monstera would die. But not anymore. It has had a reprieve.

There are a few aeonium dotted around along with plenty of agave. We have lost about 4 of the massive agave ~ which is in keeping with friends and neighbours. I’m not sure what’s affecting them but they just rot from the base. I need to look it up and see why.

There is still some colour and shape in the beds. Not a lot. But some. As soon as we get some rain more comes out. I have freesia over a foot tall. A couple of Allium summer drummer starting their way into their tall growth. All early here but the weather has been mild. All it needs now is some more rain. I have had a good old chop back of a number of things whilst we had the skip. The pomegranate trees are now shedding their leaves. They have grown really tall but in the pruning exercise I found a couple of pomegranates. In four years we have had just the one. The year we aren’t here it looks like there have been 5.

The area at the back of the house was cleared around the almonds. There are 5 almond trees which crop reasonably well. I’ve picked them. Dried them and have never used them. Have you tried cracking almonds.

Adjacent to the almonds we have two Nispero. The leaves are fabulous but I’m not a lover of the fruit. A bit messy and doesn’t travel well. But the blossom is nice until the rain gets on it. Then it’s like mush. Scent is good too. But the leaves are big. And beautiful.

The skip is the last for 2021 the next visit is purely pleasure. Famous last words.

But I’ve bulbs to plant. Please remind me never to buy those small alliums. They will be the death of me. I’d bought 100 Allium Sphaerocephalon (Drumstick Allium) and planted half. I hate small bulbs. It’s a patience thing. Not one of my finer points if I was appraising myself. I love them. But as long as someone else plants them.

I have tulips. Ballerina for pots on the terrace. Freesia for pots. Allies ~ big ones for the borders. But first there are the Somerset pots to plant. I’m losing the plot already.

Posted on September 22, 2021October 5, 2021 by happyretiredblog

A holiday within a holiday.

I love it. We have finally managed to get to Spain after 12 months away. To garden. To deal with house issues. But. . Ian has said. “ We aren’t working in the garden for three whole weeks. We are going away.”Before I knew it he had planned a three night adventure where we would have our breakfasts made. Suppers cooked. Ian is the holiday person in our household. He researches and organises. But we had to do some work before we were able to go.

The trip. A 1hr 45 min drive toward and beyond Granada. To Moclín. No. I had never heard of it until recently but to be honest I had never heard of Competa before March 2017. Now I bore the pants off everyone in my posts of Competa. My photos. Just generally wittering on. But Moclín it was. Booked. Suppers arranged. Bags packed.

So. Moclín. What about Moclín. Well. its 1,065 metres above sea level on the route of the Caliphs and has an impressive 14 th century Moorish Castle looking into the valley. There are breathtaking views towards the Sierra Nevada as well as toward Granada, and the Alhambra. Imagine. Me visiting the Granada Province and not going to the Alhambra. That’s a first. Actually. No a second.

Driving into Moclín you are struck straight away with the volume of olive trees. As you drive up along the main roads there are olive trees as far as the eye can see. So Ian told me as my eyes were on the road most of the time. But he was right. How many olives can people eat. There were literally millions of trees. All in straight rows. All looking beautiful. I’m having words with the one tree in our garden. Though it is full of olives this years. You can’t miss Moclin Castle though. . Talk about high on a hill. And yes. There was a lonely goat herd. Ibex actually.

The castle dates from the 12 th century when the Nasrid Kings built their stronghold. The Moors managed to stave off the Christians when the Catholic Kings, Ferdinand and Isabella ordered an assault on the village in 1485. Enough history. If you want more you can always google it. I don’t want to bore the pants off you. Again. There is more to come before you fall asleep.

Ian had booked Casa Higueras Moclin for three nights. It’s a beautifully restored house high on the hill with amazing views to Granada and the Sierra Nevada. Owned by Ian and Andrew ~ which may confuse some. But we are Andrew & Ian. They are Ian & Andrew and they have the skills and patience at making you feel welcome. I’m too miserable to run a B&B. I had followed them on Instagram. I had listened to Ian’s podcasts where he interviews people who have settled in Spain. Looked at their website. Followed their adventures. Have a look at their blog www.twosouthofgranada.com which details their adventures > a great read. I too had done some research.

We arrived to a great welcome. It’s even better than the pictures. Amazing views from the terrace . Tea and cake on arrival and a natter taking in the amazing views. Talking Spain. Previous lives in London. Future lives in Spain. More Spain.

They also run some fabulous courses from Moclin. Art. Flamenco. Cookery. Children’s book writing. The week after we left they had guests arriving for an art course. Check out their courses www.granadaconcierge.com

As well as great hosts the cooking is amazing. We decided that for two of the three nights we would eat in. Give them 48hrs s notice and they whizz up restaurant quality food. One night we had a lovely starter of roasted tomato tart, teriyaki salmon with a delicious salad. Why delicious? Isn’t a salad a salad. It’s all in the dressing. Dessert a chocolate olive oil cake with homemade plum lemon and ginger ice cream. The second supper was an amazing pork dish with a sherry reduction and sliced mango cheek in lime and ginger syrup. I know it’s called a cheek as I sourced the recipe as I forgot to ask Ian. I’m hoping that one of their projects is a book of their recipes.

I would have normally taken photos. Surprisingly we were too busy eating and talking. To each other. Breakfasts were great too ~ Homemade granola. Homemade jams & marmalade. Homemade fruit compote. Get the drift. Homemade. And delicious.

Did I mention the entertainment. No? Meet Alfie the resident entertainer. Now I’m more cat than dog but you couldn’t help but love Alfie. He entertained from the time we arrived. And if you ever need an almond cracker Alfie’s your dog. Found in the campo at 7 weeks old and initially fostered by Ian and Andrew it’s easy to see why he hasn’t left.

Ian & Andrew ( it feels weird saying that) ~ have a wealth of suggestions for trips from Moclin. But before we ventured too far there was Moclin to see. There are great walks around the area. Yes. You can guess we walked a short way up to the castle each day no further. But it’s a great base for longer walks.

One of the recommendations was to stop off at a Roman Villa on our way to Priego de Córdoba. That’s the joy of staying somewhere where the hosts are full of recommendations. We had asked for some places to stop at on our drive, over dinner and at breakfast there was a note of where to go ( politely of course) and leaflets and directions.

First stop was somewhere that wouldn’t have been on our radar. Almedinilla to see a 7thc Roman Villa. The Villa Romana El Ruedo. The site dates from the 1st to the 7th century A.D. and is one of the largest on the Iberian peninsular. It is notable for its enormous structures,mosaics, paintings and paving. It’s remarkable to find the place ~ you can easily drive past and not know it is there. We did as we turned off the main road and drove straight past. A really unassuming entrance and ticket sales with a really helpful person to go and open the gates for us. We were the only ones there at the time and had the place to ourselves. Shame we had left our Roman togas behind. Imagine the photos. No. Don’t. Ian would not be amused.

As well,as an original Roma ruin there is also a faux amphitheatre on the edge of the pueblo. very faux indeed.

Onward we go. I’ve probably said it before but the roads in Spain are excellent. Often just double lanes. Usually quiet where tourists like me pull over to let the locals go past as they know the road. unlike me they don’t stop breathing as they drive into the hillside towns and breathe in further as you drive through the narrow streets. Going into Priego de Córdoba was a bit like that. I’m not going to mention leaving. There was a diversion at which I chickened out and went the other way. Thankfully it was a short cut. But Ian wasn’t allowed to,speak until we were in the main road. It was a better route out of town actually and one I will remember for next time.

Priego de Córdoba was an Ian research find. It’s a very lovely place with an extremely helpful tourist office. Plied with information leaflets we headed for a walk around. It’s a place we will go back to for a long weekend.

We had walked and walked over the previous two days and decided to go into Granada for our last full day away byes. I know we have been to Granada a few times. In the first 12 months of buying Casa Verano we or I had been to Granada so many times. But not into Granada itself but skirted the outskirts on the drive up to the Alhambra Palace. Every visitor we had wanted to go to The Alhambra. I could have had a job as a tour guide I went so many times. But to be honest I love the place. Our next visit will be a night one.

This visit we were going into Granada just to go into Granada. Oh and Ian & Andrew had recommendations for Tapas for lunch. But first we had to get into Granada. I knew the approach to our favourite car park. Yes. I have favourite and least favourite car parks. I once nearly cried when I lost the car in the car park of EL Corte Ingles in Malaga. I didn’t realise there were two buildings on different streets and the car park spanned both. I learnt my lesson that day to make a note of where I exited the car park. Oh and the car park in Torre del Mar. Must have the darkest parking spaces in Andalucia. In Granada my favourite is next to the Monastery. We found it.

We had walked past the citadel San Juan de Dios twice before but had never ventured in. That was a mistake and I was glad I had my sunglasses with me. All that glitters and all that. Glitters wasn’t the right word. Bling bling bling. From the Lonely Planet guide “Built between 1737 and 1759, this spectacular basilica unveils a blinding display of opulent baroque decor. Barely an inch of its interior lacks embellishment, most of it in gleaming gold and silver. Frescos by Diego Sánchez Sarabia and Italian artists Corrado Giaquinto and Tomás Ferrer adorn the ceilings and side chapels, while up above the basilica’s dome soars to 50m. The highlight, however, is the extraordinary gold altarpiece in the Capilla Mayor (main chapel).

Have you been dazzled by the light? I was. An amazing example of opulent baroque. An excellent audio guide and at times the whole basilica to ourselves. What better to do after all that bling. A garden. Another treat close to my favourite car park. The Jardin Botanico de la Universidad de Granada ~ a small botanical garden attached to the university of Granada.

A small but lovely gardens with most plants labelled which is a joy to see. I’m not good at plant names but it’s a help to be able to identify them. Easily.

Lunch at Paccuri a great tapas bar and a general wander and a people watch through the streets of Granada and back up,to Moclin for one last night. That’s one last night for now.

Back to Competa for more gardening. Cleaning. Eating. And Spanglish for me. Spanish for Ian.

Posted on September 16, 2021September 18, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

1Year, 365 days, 52 Weeks, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes, 3153600 seconds.

Well that’s a mouthful. But that’s how long it’s been since we have been in Spain. I know. We are lucky. We have got this far without being ill. Have had a garden and open spaces to go to and have spent part of the summer in the garden in Somerset. But. There is always a but. We have missed our Spanish friends. The Spanish garden. Oh. And of course the food. Ok. The weather as well.

But yes. In the words of Peter Paul & Mary we were leaving on a jet plane. Don’t know when we”ll be back again. There was some truth in that. We do have return flights. Two. With the current Government travel rules we arrive into Spain between two travel updates. So we have booked an emergency return in case Spain goes red. As I sit writing this the update we expected yesterday has not materialised. Nor has it been announced today. So the emergency flight has been cancelled and we have even more vouchers to paper our walls with. Or maybe a refund. I have lost the plot.

To be fair we have some idea of when we will be back and forth for the next 10 months. Brexit and the departure from the EU means we now have to count our days ~ not just in Spain but in any Schengen country that we visit. We need to be aware of not overstaying our welcome of 90 days in any 180. For the first time our passports were stamped by border control as we entreated Spain. I have found an app ( isn’t there one for everything) to record them.

But ~ another but. . We are back. Travel is different now with airport checks are all done on line. Forms to fill in. COVID status to upload. Spanish entry forms to be completed. I even had to tell Ian the address to put on the form. Our Spanish address. We don’t get post delivered in the Campo so we rarely have to give our address. It goes to a mail box in town So t’s easy to forget your address. Isn’t it. Our original flights cancelled. Rebooked to London City which to be fair is our airport of choice. Everyone masked and I didn’t leave my seat for 2-5 hrs. And yes. I was wearing pretty attractive flight socks. But not with shorts and sandals.

I felt a tear as we circled Malaga and landed. I had desperately wanted to come but didn’t want to travel and get caught in Spain nor did I want to quarantine in a hotel prison if Spain became red. If I’m going to spend £3k plus on a hotel for 10 days it’s going to be one of my choice and not one where I only have room service; no pool and no company other than Ian. Sorry. Ian. But we would have killed each other.

Eternal Summer. It certainly was an eternal something. But the feeling of walking through the gates was one of joy. I loved the garden the first time I saw it. But I hadn’t seen it in a year other than a few videos and photographs sent by our friends who had watered the garden and checked the house. Trust me I’ll be forever thankful for good friends and neighbours. In times of a pandemic they are invaluable.

Behind the gates the lovely curved path was welcoming. The garden had been cleared. We knew that as when we pulled up into the drive there were 4 large dumpy bags ready to be taken away. We had lost things. The lavender path had struggled for the last two years. I had replanted it but still it struggled. So most of the lavender had gone. The gaura cut back or three feet tall. It was either one or the other. But to be honest. I was happy just to be home.

The house had been opened regularly. Aired. The bed linen taken to the laundry and was back on the bed. Clean. Ironed. There was milk and orange juice in the fridge. Bread. Cheese. Biscuits. A welcome pack from the neighbours. Have I said good neighbours are invaluable. Well I will say it again. And again. Because they are.

Slowly I started to put things out. The garden furniture. The cushions. The umbrellas. Just to make it feel like we were home fo a while. Pots moved around. Oh. And washing done. Endless washing but only during the cheap times. One other thing that has changed in the last 12 months. Electricity prices in Spain. Wholesale prices increased by something like 250%! Timers changed to the cheap periods. If you can work them out.

Many plants had fared better than others. There is very little colour at the moment. A bit of purple of the Durante repens. The scent of the white jasmine. A lilac of the ruella. But the heat has been hideous. Apparently ~ how would I know. We hadn’t been there in a year. I’m not sure if I’d mentioned it.

This is new in town and says it all and it is very true. Halfway up La Rampa where I’m still overtaken by people twice my age and who don’t need an asthma mask and a sit down when they get to the top. I’d like to say my fitness regime in the various lockdowns had given me the body of a Greek god. Sorry. It’s more like an Indian Buddha. There’s always next year.

This was one of the first views we saw on Plaza Almijara four and a half years ago. It was an omen. This was the welcome sight on our return as we sat at Casa Paco eating chuletas and chocolate mousse. Not together obviously. But an old favourite. Being told off in the restaurant to speak Spanish. The thing is being away has meant my Spanish has stalled. Well to be honest it’s gone into reverse whilst Ian’s progressed hugely. But it was right. I must get back to at least trying to put a sentence together. Even if I make mistakes.

Another thing I’ve missed. Sunsets. The view from the terrace as the sun goes down is a treat. At this time of the year they can be spectacular. But so can the mists. But I will never tire of the sunsets.

We have ventured out to eat. A lot to be honest. We have eaten out more in the first week than we have probably eaten in the last 6 months. Not surprising really when a lot of restaurants in the UK have been closed for months and are now struggling to get staff. Chefs are as rare as hens teeth at the moment. Maybe I’ll restrain. Maybe I won’t. Have I mentioned I retired. Early. One month short of 6 years ago. Not even lockdown made me want to return.

‘ Why are we stopping here’ says Ian. So I can take a photo. “How many more photos do you need from the same spot” He replied. .I haven’t taken one from here in over a year” So I can. The view of the pueblo Blanco taken from the viewing point on our way home from a night out. That sounds more exciting and later than it is. We’d been out to eat. But the food as ever was fab it may have been at El Pilon. At Cortijo Paco. At Casa Paco. We have been to them all.

The wearing of masks is still a thing here. Much more evident than back in the UK. In shops. In restaurants. People of all ages. To be honest I’m happy to continue to wear a mask indefinetly. ~ at least no one can see me sighing oh no. Not again. Or swearing. Or pulling faces. My worry is that I’ll forget when I’m not wearing one and get caught out. Like last week when

I was wittering on about some nonsense or other and Ian was thinking to himself ‘FFS shut up’ except he wasn’t. He actually said it out loud and was then horrified. It was hilarious. To be fair ~ I would have told me too.

It’s been great to see friends. Visit our favourite restaurants. Our favourite shops. To be welcomed back. Some things haven’t changed. The warm welcome. The great food. The wiggly and windy roads. The mozzies. . Gawd they are truly awful this year. You could draw pictures on the dot to dots on my legs after the first day.

We have been lucky having the house checked whilst we have been absent. A few things to do. Bulbs replaced around the pool. A few bulbs gone indoors. On the mention that I had to get new bulbs Ian’s reply was ‘ we have only been here 5 minutes and your on about ordering bulbs’ Wrong type Ian. Light bulbs~ but thanks for the reminder. That’s now on my list.

The hedge needs a cut. A job I gave decided to retire from as it’s a job I hate. It’s not an easy cut. Ok from one side but not great from the other. The cutting has been arranged as has the clearing of the roundabout that’s not a roundabout as well as the bank behind the house. There have been significant fires in Andalusia this last week which have spread far and wide and have lasted for days. . The summer has been dry and it is a worry when there is dry ground around the house which has two years growth.

But now we are on holiday. Yes. A holiday. I can hear you say but you’ve gone to Spain on holiday. For the last 10 days we have been sorting out a 12 month abcence. We have been washing clothes and linens. Sorting out the clothes cupboards. Dusting. Gardening. Rearranging pots. Ian had said that our trips should also include trips out of Competa ~ there is so much to see and explore. Spain has so many possibilities. This time It’s a three day trip to the Granada province. Just an hour and a half away to stay in Moclin a small town even higher in altitude than Competa. More windy and wiggly roads to conquer. Plenty more photo opportunities.

Next week is busy. Grabbing coffee with Niki & Paul from Competa Escapes They have two , soon to be three ( one in renovation) gorgeous rental properties in Competa. Have a look if you plan a visit to Andalucia. Supper with Sergio & Juanco from SF Properties who sold us la Casa. A well needed visit to see Ruth at Happy Feet Can you guess why.? These poor old trotters haven’t been sorted in a year. I need Ruth to work her magic. Lunch with friends who arrive on Monday. Add to that the work I still need to do in the garden it will be a busy old week. Oh. I forgot. I need to go and see Lorraine at https://www.viverosflorena.com You can never have too many plants.

Feet not authors own – from a Hobbit in New Zealand !

Then it’s a flight back to Blighty. To have our passport stamped on leaving. To enter the days in or Schengen calculator and count the days to our next visit. No Peter Paul & Mary here. I do know when I’ll be back again. I can tell you. It’s 21 days. If you are really interested I can tell you up to July 2022. Give or take a few weeks.

Posted on August 3, 2021August 4, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Didn’t we have a lovely time. The day(s) we went to *******

We have spent more time in Somerset since the lockdown rules were eased in May than we have spent there in the last few years added together. Who would have thought we had wanted to sell to make our lives less complicated and now have fallen in love with Somerset again. Especially as we have been unable to travel.

We arrived in May after a five month absence. Five months for the weeds to party. A sad looking garden at the rear. The joy of the tulips to come at the front. So from May until now we have spent our waking hours either in the garden when we are there. Or at a nursery restocking. I say we as it has been a joint effort. Ian has found a new interest in the garden and is suggesting plants when we go to the nursery. Another lockdown bonus for me instead of hearing do you really need more I now hear. What are these. They would look good.

It’s been hard work and still we turn our back and up pops up more bindweed or ground elder with a V sign. It’s a never ending battle. Which at the moment we are not winning so don’t look too closely. Or I might cry.

But. This last few weeks we had decided that we couldn’t jus get up. Garden. Afternoon nap. Garden. We also needed a few days out. It was school holidays after all ~ I’d forgotten my life since retirement has been a never ending holiday. Of sorts. Those words still echo in my head constantly ‘ Won”t you be bored? ‘ they asked. Bored. I haven’t had time to be bored. Tired. Exhausted maybe. But never bored.

So with the lyrics ‘ Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to ‘ —— ringing in my head off we went on a few little visits. Who recalls who sang it? It was decades ago and despite its popularity was new ever number 1 in the hit parade. No 3 yes. Ask you mother about the hit parade. Pre streaming. Pre downloads and sitting around the radio awaiting the BBC charts on a Sunday night. Maybe recording it on a cassette tape. Only for the thing to get tangled in the cassette player or your Walkman which was the size of a brick and then trying to unravel the tape using a pencil. I digress trust me. Some things weren’t easier then.

Do you fancy a coffee and a walk around the Piet tomorrow? Do I. let me think about it. Yes. I love the Garden at Hauser & Wirth. Particularly at this time of year. Or I should call it by it’s proper name. The Piet Oudolf Field.

Entry booked and arrangements made and a glorious sunny day ~ and a catch up with the Flower Farmer.

Now I don’t have many criticisms of this garden. But the one thing I would have loved is for the open space in the Radic Pavillion to have been positioned to look down the garden. You would have got a great aerial view of the planting. Looking at great swathes of glorious colour. Hats off to the gardener. It’s looking fabulous.

The joy of getting there early meant it felt we had the garden to ourselves. Which is just as well as we talked non stop wandering through the garden. Talking plant. And often talking pants. Nonsense talk but catching up of months of only virtual conversations. That’s me and Georgie. Ian and I have actually talked in lockdown.

A bonus of a walk through the gallery _ where we could be silly for 5 minutes when seeing the exhibition. We are mature adults aren’t we?

So. Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to the Piet Oudolf field at Hauser and Wirth Somerset. Doesn’t quite fit the music. But…..

When your coat matches the colours of the scenery

There’s a lot of green about. The wet weather has certainly greened everything up. Including Ian’s rain coat. We bought these ~ One green. One blue in a trendy little shop in Greenwich. Served by a trendy young man to whom I replied to one of his questions. “ No I’m buying it to go to Chelsea’ oh he replied. “You follow Chelsea Great team” No I replied “ Chelsea Flower Show “. His response was typical and made me feel old. “ oh. My mother loves the Chelsea flower show too”. The truth was I was old enough to be his grandfather. Just. I digress yet again.

Dunster Castle. A National Trust property. In. You’ve guessed it Dunster. We had been to Dunster before when we travelled from Taunton on a steam train. Before you ask or even suggest it was not when steam trains were in normal service. It’s a lovely route along the coast to Minehead.

Used as a private dwelling until 1976 it was bequeathed to the National Tryst and it is one of the nicest properties I have visited in a long time. I would love to see the areas not open to the public but that’s the nosey in me. It’s set high up on a hill with amazing views.

The rooms were lovely and light and had amazing views across the channel to Wales. I forget how close the Welsh coastline is. I haven’t forgotten the day trips with school from Penarth pier to Weston Super Mare. I used to hate walking the pier at Weston as I thought the gaps between the wooden boards was too big,

The gardeners had been busy. I loved that each room had a display of flowers from the gardens. All different and fresh. Oh to be able to pick as much for the house. My dahlias are just in bud.

I could have sat in the garden room for hours. Reading. Listening to music looking out at the magnificent views. Wondering why the handle on the door to go out into the garden was almost at knee level. Important things like that.

Down in the basements. The pool room. The gun room with the gun cabinets. The muniment room. No not a spelling mistake. The munimemt room. a room to store the family legal documents. I have a draw for mine.

But it was outside that was a delight. The gardens have a tropical feel. Large banana. Massive ferns on the riverside walk to the Mill. Wide sweeping perennial borders. Acanthus as far as the eye can see. Enourmous gunnera by the gorgeous bridge. Ian has always wanted a gunnera. Have a look at that one _ he’s changed his mind.

The riverside walk leads you to the mill which is still used to mill flour having been renovated and a new mill wheel installed. It also leads you to the tea rooms. You have to stop for tea and cake don’t you. It’s the rules of visiting either a National National Trust property or a National Garden Scheme garden.

So didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to Dunster. .

We need to get the benefits out of our National Trust memberships It’s a case of use it or lose it. The rule is if we don’t use a membership then it won’t get renewed. Last year was different. We didnt use any of them very much so as things have gradually reopened to various degrees we are determined to make the best use of them.

So. To be continued. This is quite long enough and if you have made it this far take a gold star.

If not there may be questions.

Posted on July 16, 2021July 17, 2021 by happyretiredblog

Nosey? Who me?

What do you love about Open Gardens I was once asked. What don’t I like. I’m nosey. I like to see other people’s gardens. Their planting schemes. Their plants. Gain some ideas. New plant ideas. Oh. And cake. There’s always great cake. Except in lockdowns when visits were limited. And no cake.

We missed one of my favourite gardens this summer. Philippa Burroughs garden has given me so much inspiration over the visits. New tulip varieties. Planting ideas. Plants from the plant stall. Oh. And tea and cake in one of the fabulous black barns.

I’d told Ian that I needed to make up for it when we were in Somerset and go to some new gardens. One good thing to come out of lockdowns has been Ian’s interest in the garden. Looking at plants and suggesting that they would be good in our garden. It’s been a win win situation. He has worked just as hard as me in combatting the dreaded weed collection that grew out of five months of neglect.

Having looked at the NGS app I found exactly what I was looking for. A garden I’d tried to see previously but we were never here when it opened. I’d first heard of Special Plants and Derry Watkins from two people. Georgie Newberry from Common Farm Flowers had mentioned her to me regarding seeds when I was looking for something. Then I’d admired some Honesty Corfu Blue which was planted en masse at a neighbours garden. Always generous with advice she said I will let you have 6 plants as I know you will look after them. I did look after them. I nurtured them. But the wet cold winter drowned them. All six. I hadn’t the courage to tell her as I didn’t want to be a disappointment. The truth is I have never told her. Those plants were grown from seed from Special plants and Derry and my neighbour are friends.

Special plants is roughly an hour from the cottage. Unless the bridge in Bath is closed and you go on a tortuous route around the city. Through the city. So it took longer. Then down a single track road which looked like we were going nowhere. I couldn’t hear Ian breathe. I suspect like me he was waiting to meet an oncoming tractor. We didn’t.

Have you ever stepped into a garden and thought you’d died and gone to heaven. Into a garden you could easily have as your own. Tulips at Ulting wick does that for me. As does the exotic planting after the tulips have been lifted. This garden adds to the list. Not showy. Just beautifully planted. Gorgeous sweeping borders. As you arrive you are given a map of the garden. A planting list of “ plants looking good on Open day July 2021.

A plan with numbered beds with the accompanying plant list detailing the contents of the beds. Allium Alley. Box ball bed. Lemon and LIme. Black and white beds. Twenty three beds in total.

Of course I still had to ask what something was in one of the beds.

The variety of plants and the colours were amazing. The views from various points in the garden were something else. There was so much to take in that I know I will have to go again before the summer is over to make sure I see things I missed this time.

There is an office in one part of the garden with an amazing green roof. Just adjacent to the vegetable garden. The views from the office made we want to be working looking at the view. For a nano second. Looking at the view yes. Working. No. Retirement suits me so much better than I ever thought it would.

The vegetable garden. With the green roof of the office.

I love a pathway where you brush against the plants on either side with some letting out a scent as you brush by. There were plenty of walkways around the borders. Through the borders and along the borders with colours and scents that drew your eye and captured the scent.

Great differences in texture and shape so close to each other but in different named beds. Much better named than mine. Top bed. Side bed right. Side bed left.

Of course there was tea and cakes. Delicious cakes too as is usual at an open garden. Served by Derry herself which gave me an opportunity to say hello.

Not that she knew who I was of course but Georgie had asked me to say hello,from her and I chatted about how I’d bought a salvia patens from her last year at a Rare plant fair. And we talked about my neighbour and the plants she had given me. As soon as I said honesty she replied Corfu blue and then went on to talk about Pitcombe and how when she visited she drove down into the dip ( the centre of the village) and there were fireman practicing their drill on the viaduct. This used to happen every year but it hasn’t happened for I guess over 10. But she remembered. So did I funny enough. Who wouldn’t. Firemen outside your front door climbing ladders,

I said to Ian. Go grab those two deckchairs. His reply “ Are you having a laugh , once you get in one of those you’ll never get out” so he found a more suitable seating arrangement! Nothing but honest. He was right I’d never have got out ~ well I would but not elegantly.

The viaduct. In Pitcombe ~ without Firemen

I digress which is t difficult. It’s like me in the garden. A butterfly going from one chore to another and back again.

The obligatory photo of Ian. Ten paces in front as we head out of the main garden into the wooded area.

Of course I bought plants. Not as many as I had bought the day before. But I did buy plants. It would be rude not to wouldn’t it. A salvia involucratahadsoen, Astrantia maxima and a few others. I could have spent all my pocket money on plants had I been on my own. But I did come away with the catalogue. If I was any good at sowing seeds !!!!

I moaned about the diversion via Bath on the way there and I moaned about the diversion through Bradford upon Avon on the way back. But I’d do it again. But later in the season. I must check the dates I don’t think we will be leaving the country for quite a while.

The nursery is open Tuesday ~ Saturday and the garden is open on Wednesdays. Now that is workable. A visit to the garden and a trip into Bath.

Posted on July 11, 2021July 11, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

Local parks revisited ~ Burgess Park

It’s been a long hard slog this lockdown business. Never knowing how long we’d be in lockdown. When we’d be released. What we could do and what we couldn’t. How far we could travel. Where we could travel. How much exercise and when. But there have been benefits.

It was the exercise rules that forced us to walk more this last year. By allowing us to get out at the start for an hours exercise meant that we just had to get out of the house. The car stayed outside the house for months except for the very occasional trip to the supermarket. Mostly we shopped local so as well as our daily walks we walked to the shops. Every day. Sometimes twice a day. Sometimes for no reason other than to get out. But we walked.

Walking gave us the opportunity of finding the local parks along with everyone else. I say the opportunity of finding the local parks like we are new to the area. Funny that. We have lived here together for nearly 30 years. Me a bit longer so we aren’t new to the area at all. Yes. We know the area but when we were both working it was out of the front door to the office at 6.30 and often home 12 hours later. At weekends we would head west to Somerset. Now we had time on our hands. 24 hours a day in fact. 24 hours a day together which was in itself unusual especially as that 24 hours also meant 7 days a week. For the last 16 months. To be fair we haven’t got to nearly 30 years together by being together all day. Every day.

Yesterday we revisited Burgess Park. A park we walked to a lot in lockdown. It’s a short walk from the house and to be honest up to lockdown I skirted the park a lot. We’d often cut along it in the car. On our way to the flower market. Sometimes as a cut through on my way home from work. Always driving. Often at the Walworth Road end on the no 12 or the 171 bus travelling into or from central London. The good old days ( there’s my mother speaking again ~ sometimes I open my mouth and her wisdom comes out) when you could hop on and off the route master. I loved sitting downstairs just by the open door ~ there wasn’t a door in fact ~ on one of the bank of seats. Never upstairs where smoking was allowed. There was one exception. On summer weekends you could often find the no 12 ~ which you could get at the bottom of our road and heading all the way to Shepherds Bush ~ Was an open top bus. An open top route master which wasn’t a tourist bus. I loved it. And definitely sat upstairs.

But lockdown forced us to explore. Burgess Park was an eye opener. Large. Diverse. A lake. A cafe. A skateboard park. Avenues of trees. It held a large annual Latin festival. So it became one of our favourite circular walks.

I can’t remember being there at this time of year in 2020 but looking back at my photo timeline it was the first time in 6 months that we were able to get to Somerset. So we missed July. I know I would have remembered it as the planting is amazing.

We walked to the park from the house past the award winning Peckham library and past the new Mountview theatre school and theatre space into the end of the park.

Further into the park the line of trees follows the route of the old Surrey Canal ~ from the Friends of Burgess Park ‘Burgess Park is one of London’s biggest parks. But its significance is due not so much to its size as to its history, and the unusual way it was created. Inspired by the Abercrombie plan and post-war optimism, the park was set up after hundreds of dwellings, factories and churches were demolished, thirty streets were covered over, the Grand Surrey Canal was filled in, and bomb-damaged areas were incorporated and grassed over. This unusual method of park development took place gradually, within living memory. The ever-increasing patches of green which stretched along the canal route were named Burgess Park in 1973. Over the following years various additions were made to the park such as the community sports facilites and the tennis centre.’

https://www.friendsofburgesspark.org.uk

The park also has listed buildings. The early 19c lime kiln which I’d walked past quite a lot before finding out anything about it. The almshouses of Chumleigh gardens. The former church of St George designed by Bedford, now converted into flats, is also listed and Its war memorial of Christ, head bowed, holding a crown of thorns, by the Danish artist Arild Rosenkrantz is also listed

Continuing our walk I know I would have remembered this planting from last year. It’s pretty spectacular and colourful and something I’d love to replicate at the bottom of the garden in Somerset. One can dream. It’s natural and not forced. It has a kind of flowing rhythm.

It was completely different to when we were last in a few months ago and is exceptional for a council maintained park. Hats off to Southwark Council who do a great job of maintaining their parks. Mt memories of many parks is the municipal style of planting. There is nothing of the sort here.

We didn’t walk around the lake which I’m disappointed about as I now remember that the last time we were there was a nesting swan in situ. I’d like to have seen if the cygnets had hatched. Maybe that’s tomorrow’s walk. But we headed past the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ built in the early 20th century and spanned the Surrey canal saving a long walk to a place to cross. More information from The Friends of Burgess Park

Our destination was Chumleigh gardens another area within the park itself. First to the cafe ~ and then into the gardens.

From the London Gardens Trust ~

‘In 1821 the Friendly Female Society, founded in 1802 ‘for the relief of poor infirm aged widows and single women of good character who have seen better days’ opened its almshouses for 20 occupants in Chumleigh Gardens, the north and south sides built in the early 19th century, the west side c.1840. They were occupied until World War II, when they were bombed.

After remaining derelict for many years, the almshouses were renovated and now house meeting rooms, offices for Park Rangers and the Art in the Park team of artists. There is an English Garden in front of the buildings and a World Garden with four different styles of garden – Oriental, Mediterranean, African and Caribbean and Islamic – at the back. There is a café round the corner on the north side of the buildings.’

The English garden at Chumleigh gardens changes with the seasons. When we were last here it was Spring and there were tulips and spring flowers in these beds. Which was really pretty. Also I’m sure at this time last year the gates were locked and we couldn’t walk around the garden.

Through the gate into the African and Caribbean Garden with its tree ferns and large plants. In the centre a now empty small pond with the remains of a little boat. All overgrown. Around the small area into the Islamic Garden, with a very large palm and a geometric pond in the centre. A lovely cool place to sit. Not in the pond but on some of the table and chairs or the bench.

Walk around the blue tiled pond and though the pergola and back out into the park. Don’t miss the glorious colour of the tree on your right as you leave.

The flowers change in the park as the seasons change and along the edge of the park in Spring is some surprising wild flower planting. This is from Spring this year.

We are so lucky to have so many well kept and maintained spaces in London and in lockdown they have provided an essential lifeline to people who needed to get out where many didn’t have any space of their own.

The friends of Burgess Park website gives a lot more information on the park. Details of walks. Some history. Fundraising. There is also a good book available from Amazon ~ which I have bought.

Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is another walk.

Posted on July 4, 2021July 11, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

Summer in the Country

When I retired (early before you ask) in 2015 the intention was to,spend more time in Somerset. To travel. We bought a house in Spain and spent time there. Our time in Somerset diminished. We were going to sell the cottage. Three places was excessive. Expensive and time consuming. One had to go and we decided on Somerset. Things were slow. The cottage didn’t move. So we kept it with a decision to review.

Along came the pandemic which changed plans even further. We arrived home from a trip to Mexico in March 2020 to lockdown. I escaped to Spain in late July for 3 weeks and ended up staying 9. More lockdowns. Quarantines. Plans were changed and we haven’t travelled anywhere in nearly a year. We’ve followed the lockdown rules and quarantined in London. Not venturing to Somerset until allowed.

Which has set us into a new pattern. Interestingly this last year has seen us receive a written note asking if we would sell the cottage. Contact through an acquaintance in the next village asking the same question and estate agents asking if we’d like to put it back on the market as they ‘ could sell it tomorrow’. The thing is. We’ve done a turnaround of sorts. The plan will be to spend more time here and Spain. Here and there. There and here.

The day after we were released from lockdown prison and could travel down. We did. Car packed with stuff as after 5 months absence we didn’t know what we had here. We had been lucky for the whole of the lockdown absences. The cottage was checked weekly. Cleaned. The grass cut, but the garden was untouched.

What was the most exciting thing about arriving here. Tulips.

In 2020 we didn’t get to see the tulips. At all. Planted in Nov 2019 we missed them through quarantine in London.. By the time we could come they had gone over. I’d hastily planted the tulips for 2021 on an in between lockdown visit and had to do it quickly. But to be honest. I wasn’t disappointed. All the planning I’d done on colours and numbers went out of the window and I threw them all together. No artistic thought at all. But it worked. We arrived to a glorious display. Even if I say so myself.

A bit of an eclectic mix. Glorious brown sugar. Dutch dancer. Ballerina. Queen of the night. Barcelona. Hocus Pocus. The white of Maureen. I have to try and beat the show for 2022. Quite how I will manage I don’t really know. I have some thoughts but I’d better get my act together before my choices become limited.

Well the tulips have gone. Some to a good home. It was an awesome season but I’m so over tulips. Till next time that is and I’m busy planning the tulip choices on another wet weekend.

For now replaced with geraniums and coleus. Not earth shattering inspiring but needs must and practicality has to ensue. Worries of more lockdown when we couldn’t get here and the summer weather. Two lovely salvia in pots along the front door. A gorgeous scent as you brush past. I haven’t grown coleus since the 80’s but I’m a fan once more.

The biggest problem with the geraniums has been the lashing rain. Once beautiful flower heads quickly rot and turn to mush. But there are more coming.

So it was onwards and upwards. Well not quite. More like downwards and weeding. The thing about being away for 5 months are the weeds. Here in Somerset we are plagued with ground elder and bindweed. Anything else I can cope with. Not these two. You turn your back and they are halfway up a rose tree. Leave it three days and it’s smothering the sweet peas. In Spain it’s just the heat. In London the snails. Wherever you garden there are challenges.

Project one was to revive one of the beds next to the terrace. It was full of yellow daisy and golden rod with a massive clump of day Lilly. Can I just say I loathe golden rod. I’d only kept it as it was something my parents grew in the garden as I grew up. But someone who helped in the garden used to divide it. Then plant it everywhere. We were overrun with it and not surprisingly I swore every time I passed what seemed to be a new bit.

The patch was tired. Overgrown. Some of the roses needed a good hatchet job on them. Which I did. We were late to the pruning party this year so after a shout out on Instagram for advice I did as I was told. Light prune and some later flowers. All in all it’s been a good rose season so far. Including the new roses I bought for the revived bed. The golden rod disposed of except for a small bit and the taller plants moved. But as usual I’ve over planted. I also overwater. Which bearing in mind the rain we have had that’s difficult.

I’d forgotten how many roses there are in the garden. With things cut back and tidied they have been given a new lease of life. So much so that I bought half a dozen more for the revived bed.

I have planted a lot of new perennials. I suspect all too close and too tight. But you need to hide the weeds. Don’t you? Existing plants have been feed ~ or as I like to say I’ve poo”d my plants. Using alpaca poo from Lou Archer. They’ve had a really good feed and it’s showing in the results. The Astrantia are fabulous this year too.

There are two new dark red Astrantia. Hadspen”s Blood was one of the first I ever bought. We bought it at Hadspen gardens nursery when we first moved here over 25 years ago from Sandra and Norrie Pope Over the years it’s disappeared and I managed to get two this year. They are just coming into flower and I expect there may be a pic or six.

Added to that is another whose name escapes me and I’m too,lazy to go and look it up. But I will for next time when I can also get a good photo.

I’ve discovered a new nursery not far from us. Blooming wild Nusery owned and run by Will and Lauren. They have a great selection of plants and are really helpful and knowledgable. Added to that the quality of their plants is awesome. I have developed a bit of a thing. It’s dangerous and expensive. I’ve got a bit of a thing for Persicaria. Which is a good thing as Will at Blooming Wild likes them too and they have a great selection.

We are getting into the swing of things here this summer. Up and down the A303 to london and back. But we are getting the benefit of the garden. We are also seeing things in the garden that we would normally miss. This year the Cornus is an example. It’s pretty glorious and we missed it totally last year. But I always struggle to get a good photo of it. This was taken from the bathroom window.

It wasn’t all weeding. We took some time to walk up the Lane to Rye Ash. Over the years I’ve got to know the names of the various fields. Rye Ash. Alders. Pump Ground. Big Ridge. My godson and Grandad were hay making and we went to sit on a hay bale and watch. Not the first time and Grandad ( not mine but I’ve called him that for years) reminded me that we sat in Rye ash over 15 years ago on hay bales and had a picnic lunch during a break. He remembers as I took a photo which he still has on his wall.

We were privileged to see a red kite hovering over the field. Such a magnificent bird. What a great place to sit and watch the farming traditions. Especially when you have the hay fever day from hell.

Things are moving. One of the things I like the least about the West Country is that when it’s wet. It’s wet. The the sun shines. Then it’s wet again. In June I grew webbed feet. Try wearing flip flops with webbed feet.

But the salvia have started to flower. Some I thought I’d lost through neglect have come through. Some that shouldn’t have minded the neglect have got the hump, and disappeared .

We also have fruit. And one type of veg~ runner beans. No. I didn’t dig a trench and I know that somewhere my father is appalled. But they are now at the top of the bean sticks and heavily flowering.

There are green & red gooseberries. The red so sweet you can eat straight off the bush. The raspberries don’t even get into the house.

I always check underneath before I pick the gooseberries . As a naive child I though that babies were found under a gooseberry bush. Imagine. What would I do if I found one? It was either a gooseberry bush or the stork. Thankfully we only have herons.

There are currants. Red and black. Some rhubarb. Apples. One plum ~ disaster and the pigeon will eat that I’m sure. A couple of pears.

We’ve had a walk or two. Through the village mainly as my foot continues to be an issue. Plantar fasciitis is a pain. A pain in the heel and the sole literally. That’s my days of wearing heels and flip flops over.

A walk along church path. Something we hadn’t done for a while. Well we couldn’t really. We had either been in lockdown london or if here weeding.

Ian said . ‘Remember when we first walked along this path”. ‘ i was 25’. Thanks. That was decades ago. Someone said ‘ Ah. That’s romantic’. Really. You don’t know us very well. Romantic we are not. It’s scary. We have been in the village for nearly 30, so maybe now we are the village people and accepted.

And so it’s back to old London town for a few days. a few appointments for me. Another trip past Stonehenge. Another time I say to Ian. “Will be nice when it’s finished” and another time he says “when will you stop saying that” . Me. Never.

Back to a very different garden. No ground elder. No bindweed. Just snails. Tree ferns and agapanthus and the two old boys. Not us. The 16 & 17 year old cats.

The tree ferns have gone bonkers. The feeding Friday regime is working as well as a handful of alpaca beans in the crown at the start of the growing season. With a weekly liquid feed. Another line to wind up Ian. I’m off to poo my plants.

The front gardens looking good. All but one of the agapanthus are flowering. The one that’s not just happens to be my favourite. A tall fat white flowering one. Except it’s not. Why? Who knows. Maybe like me it’s a sulker.

From September there will be garden number three to contend with after an absence of 12 months. Well. Maybe. Dependent on the Delta variant. Or as some radio presenters are calling it. The Johnson.

Who knows. At the moment it’s just one day at a time. We are healthy. Double jabbed and at least have the luxury of being able to get out into a garden. Or two. And to deal with the humongous number of airline vouchers we have for cancelled flights. Enough to paper the sitting room.

What will be will be.

Gardens. Travel. Life.

Author: happyretiredblog

Early retired. Spend time in London,Somerset and Andalusia. Garden. Holiday. Life.