On Being Retired in the Serranía de Ronda
It’s a bit of a cliché when retired people say they’ve never been so busy, writes Pablo de Ronda, but it’s true! Nevertheless Pablo likes the relaxed start to his day even if it tends to get hectic later on.
I wake early every day as my enlarged prostate pressing against my bladder sends me off to the loo (if you’re male and over 60 you’ll understand where I’m coming from!). Then it’s two cups of tea while I potter around or write something for one of my several blogs, before it’s time to go for a walk with Berti, my dog, and an early morning coffee or two with the workers and other old men between 7 and 8 o’clock. At this time of year it’s still dark at this time, but it’s fascinating to chew the fat with the locals as dawn breaks and the village slowly comes to life.
More walking with Berti before breakfast either at home or at Pepi’s, the first café to open for breakfast at 9 o’clock.
After that it’s time to get on with the daily chores: watering the plants; cleaning the pool; a bit of DIY and/or gardening; and shopping (if I really have to!).
Thereafter the day develops according to needs. Once a week it’s off to Luz, my acupuncturist, to have pins stuck in me and for an invigorating but relaxing massage. Other days bring other things.
Lately we’ve been renovating our home in the village, so that’s taken a lot of time. It’s been fun, though, but now that’s finished, what will I do to occupy my time? Well, there’s another house to renovate.
In August 2020 I bought an old townhouse in Montejaque, a lovely pueblo blanco near Ronda. Apart from needing a re-wire I could have moved in straightaway. The house was fully furnished and spotless. Although unoccupied for 10 years, the daughter of the lady who had lived there until she died, Paca’s mum, used to go in once a week to clean.
However, I had other plans – I wanted to create a traditional casa rural to rent to tourists, if any ever come again! So I needed to change the somewhat old fashioned layout and décor. For example the typical separate lounge, downstairs bedroom and kitchen will become an open plan L-shaped living, room, dining room and kitchen.
Out went the old doors and windows to be replaced by recycled ones from another house we own in the village. My builder cut out rébolas, channels for the new wiring sockets and lights. And I gutted the existing downstairs bathroom.
Then disaster struck – we discovered that the original vigas - wooden beams - in one of the rooms, the kitchen with a room above which was to become an upstairs bathroom – were rotten at the ends and had to come out to be replaced with concrete ones. That delicate job needing the use of a lot of puntales (acro-props) and great care, but my two guys did it and we are now making progress on that area of the house.
A frustrating thing – although it was absolutely necessary – we’ve been locked down for two periods of 3 months because of the Covid-19 restrictions. My builders and I all live in Ronda and we were not permitted to travel to Montejaque during those two lockdowns.
Evenings are for relaxing with a few beers, some tapas and conversation with the locals, before heading off for another sleepless night. My head’s buzzing with ideas for the house and for articles to write, plus, of course, my damned prostate continues to press on my bladder!
I should have done all this when I was younger, of course, but I wouldn’t have had the time, as I had a demanding full-time job and a family to occupy my waking hours. Basically, life is busy, whether you’re working or retired!