Our House in the Alpujarras

Well our penultimate visit before retirement. Time has flown by. We seem to be established in the system all bills set up and amounts being paid so far no horror stories. Actually there is one. I am still trying to resolve the situation where the previous occupant failed to tell the authorities that he was permanently exporting his car. Another Diputacion in the post box addressed to him wanting the car tax. I am told he has contacted the DVLA. Like they are going to communicate with the spanish traffico division. 

The house is looking a little tired but that will all be rectified in October when I plough some of my pension into some improvements and maintainance.

I don't know if Ive mentioned this before but the house next door is falling down and was slightly worse than the last time I visited. Endesa have had to realign the mains power supply to a bit of it that has not already caved in. The house comes with a small garden for some green fingered passtimes. My hope is that I can buy it from its current 3 spanish owners after October to knock it down and use the outside space. Whether they will be willing to let it go for the sort of money I want to pay is another matter. IF not I'll probably claim squatters rights on the garden and watch it fall down.

A friend of mine who owns 2 acres of sweet almond trees has asked me to help out with pruning and harvesting etc as he is part time resident only so another task to keep me busy. 2 other friends we have already have cortijo's and a third some land he looks after so I am hopefull that I will be usefully employed.

Whilst out this time I enjoyed the festivities of a friends 60th birthday. It seemed to meander over 5 days and I am aware as a result that when we come to live here I can no longer take that sort of punishment.

I caught up with friends on the coast who have been retired there now for nearly 3 years and are blissfully happy with their move. 

It was the first time without the old british gogglebox, the dish for said system standing lifeless on the wall. I was pleasantly surprised at this not being a big issue.

I certainly found on this trip the coldness of inside the house compared to outside. Maybe I had forgotten the trip out last January and how cold it was. The weather was less kind on this trip being cloudy, wet and or cold for the most part but it did not take the enjoyment of the peace and quiet away.

We have booked the ferry for October 12th arriving in Yegen on 15th to remain. Just one more trip as holiday makers in July awaits before we begin to live the dream.