So, here we are. It´s 2023, another New Year and yet another Bank Holiday - it´s Epiphany according to my Spanish diary, Day of the Kings or Dia de los Reyes Magos to the rest of us.
What is Epiphany? I hadn´t a clue as I sure it doesn´t mean a sudden revelation. Google tells me it´s:
1. the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12).
2. a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.
I think on this 3 day week (Monday was also Bank Holiday) that the second meaning would be a good thing to experience - an epiphany on Epiphany. I´ll try my best.
Perhaps I´ll be hit by a great revelation or realization while dog strolling through the olive groves and pondering on the mass of mushrooms there are this year. Nothing more profound will smack me in the face I´m sure.
 |
| Wild Mushrooms in the Olive Groves, Jaén |
The weather continues to be glorious, but not really seasonal. Hubby and son are concreting, it´s around 15c and the cat and dogs are continually being yelled at. ¨Nooo¨ I hear, as one of them unintentionally tries to leave their traces via paw marks in the freshly-laid muck. I smirk from indoors as son or the hubby runs towards an ambling animal heading their way. Did I leave the door open again? Sorry.
A restorative bacon and egg sarnie (included the odd ´nooo´) and the mixer is churning again to produce a concrete pad rather than stone and dirt for parking and hopefully to be roofed over for a workshop hubby thinks, I see it for entertaining and an great area for more plant pots where the roots won´t head down into soil. No arguments had or battles won. We´re both just plodding along wanting our own way and not agreeing or disagreeing, just avoiding the subject.
It will make a great parking spot for the camper van if that ever happens. We´ve started, tentatively, going to see one or two, I´m not really convinced that a) I want one and b) we´d use it much. I mean hotels are our thing these days. Long gone are the under canvas days - horrible and damp in England and far too hot here - even if I could get up off a bedroll on the ground these days.
An escape is a break, supposedly enjoyable. Sleeping in a van doesn´t get me very excited. We had a VW camper when first married and lived in it, very briefly, then at 7 months pregnant I couldn´t get behind the table to sit down and life´s moved on, that son being 32 this year and the oldest of three! Scary, flying time.
Before we put our holiday rental home on the market buying a camper van or motorhome had been an absolute. An oh, so definite want. I do want to explore all of Spain (and the world) and it does seem a good way to be able to do so and to afford to do so, but..... Any advice or experience would be well appreciated.
 |
| Two Dogs and a Cat in the Olive Groves |
I keep suggesting we hire one for a weekend or two. He says why. Here we go again, doing nothing ´cos we don´t argue and can´t agree. And another year passes, actually it´s 1.5 years since the holiday home was sold. And this is a big year, jointly reaching 125, should we add middles son´s 30 and have a 155th birthday party. Get it over in one may be less painful, celebrate one of their´s and ignore mine!
We´ll see. The concrete pad may well be inaugurated with a Paella Party this month. Why Paella? Because that´s hubby´s speciality and I don´t get involved except doing the shopping. It rather depends on the weather so only a tentative plan right now. Stay tuned!
