Our House in the Alpujarras

16 days in the heat and very hot it was too. Even my wife who lived in the middle east half her life could not stand to be in the sun. 37 in the shade they said.

We went out this time with a view to buying a car. Always a difficult decission waying up buying and using about 4 times a year against paying hire car fees which are becoming extortionate. The main company we use did a special deal for payment in sterling. Not anymore. The pound is not the bargaining tool it once was.

I'm still fighting the carpenter bees in the beams on my terrace. Despite what i throw at them they seem to come back and back.

We did go part of the way round Yegens famous Gerald Brennan walk. We got to the seat of the Moors and what an awesome view accross to Gador and the contraviessa they had surveying their kingdom.

I was called to the post office in Yegen by a card in the mail addressed to the previous occupants. But the Post Office in Yegen is only open for 15 minutes twice a week and even then I arrived pronto at 1.30 as the english do and the post lady was late. So in we went and in my best Spanish (written down in preparation) into my speil I went explaining that I now owned the house and the previous occupants had gone back to England and handed her the Diputation card that I had. She seemed to understand fully what In had said to her and that we didnt want anymore mail for the previous occupants. She then asked for my NIE which I had with me. Itseems in Spain if you have an NIE you could even get invited for dinner with the king and queen of Spain. Anyway this was followed by my signature. She then handed me the diputation for the previous occupant. Open mouthed I left as I had not prepared translation wise for this eventuality. With the help of a friend she now understands that we don't want anymore mail for the previous owner but she is only covering for the real postman who is sick so im not counting my chickens that the mail will stop.

The house next to us is owned by Spanish friends who bought iy many years ago. Last October I became concerned that it was falling down and with the help of a local man and the local justice of the peace the owners were summoned to the village. A long meeting and much talking later a tape cordon now surrounds the building to stop people walking by and being hit by falling debris. Unfortunately this also stops people from driving down the street and parking at the bottom as I used to do. If all goes well we want to buy the house and revamp it as it has the precious commodity of a garden which would mean I could grow some items.

I cant believe it is almost impossible to get chillies in Spain, so that will be one of the growing projects. The local stores /markets also seem to get second rate peppers/pimientos, the best hive off by the british supermarket giants I have no doubt. We also needed ground corriander. Why would you not use fresh we were asked we onlhy have fresh here. With that and the search for Garam Massala which I had to buy inan english shop much against my principles, curry lovers beware it is not easy to achieve.

Another thing I fing impossible to get here locally is a decent bog standard t-bag. You can have tea for stress, aches and pains, lack of sleep and many more but not a simple tea bag. We did eventually sorce them from Mercadonna. Its not the best cup of tea but you do get used to it.