Have I overstayed?!

Not long ago, I wrote was was to become one of my most popular posts on reasons for not fitting in, here in Las Alpujarras, Andalucía....really of course my Spanish idyll, just tongue in cheek.

But what about when you have been here too long?

There are the 'signs', you know.....read on...!

• You're at the market, and you think,

  ooh, that's a nice dress.

• You punctuate everything with ......Que Rollo, and Claro ......but you're talking to an English speaker...
• When you are happy to discuss all problems, openly, and the bank on Monday morning seems like a nice spot for it
• You start to avoid the sun
• Your 12 yr old decides she's going for a Paseo with her mates at midnight, and thats okay...
• The salt police are but a distant memory
• you stop wondering,

  how long has that sausage been cooked for?

  
  
• A walk in the Campo means bringing back an armful of food
• Pre dinner drinks at the neighbours house start at midnight
• You look at a pig and mentally joint it up, licking your lips
  
• Tapas are the new Hor d'oevres...but all you can think of is Russian salad and Tortilla....
• And the really scary bit....
• I've gone right off Baked Beans.

Shea is the new Black!

Well, it is! These are some of the delicious contents from my box of goodies from My Pure this week.
The shampoo came with an extra free gift of moisturizing oil and together made up a luxurious hair treatment fit for the salon!

Not the only free gifts from My Pure, enter their Facebook page and click for fantastic prizes every month! Click here and like!

The rays of the sun here in Andalucía combined with sea water and chlorine, plus the fact I am a walking bottle of bleach, ensure that mostly I look like I have the inside of a Crunchie bar on my head.

So, to counteract that attractive look, I regularly wash, condition and treat before I go...anywhere.

The shampoo smelled fantastic, was creamy and light at the same time, and rinsed well.

Followed by the oil, applied sparingly, just a little rubbed through the palms and then applied to the ends, before blow drying meant I had a shiny soft barnet to go out in. I left a little of the oil in without drying whilst at the beach last week and it was a great preventative measure against the usual damage of sun and sand.

Also, with the sun in mind, I ordered some 3o SPF lotion. From Lovea, totally chemical free.

High UVA protection is high on my agenda. A tan is fab, but safely does it, I live here and am fully aware of the damage, and aging effects of the sun.

Light, easy clog free spray, nice smell, and a kind balsamic effect on the skin..... all I need now is George Clooney to reach that bit....there, below the shoulder....thanks George...;)

Acting, Art and ....Aubergines? Almagro!

Acting, Art and ....Aubergines? Almagro!

A little theatre and fun in Almagro, near-ish to Madrid...fun and fiestas abound!

Cheers! Uncorking the best of Cambados

Cheers! Uncorking the best of Cambados
oh lordy, wine again....there's a pattern beginning to develop here!

Actually a really good wine fiesta ooop north starting next week - pack that corkscrew and the liver salts!

Two A - listers! Albuñol and Albondón

Two A - listers! Albuñol and Albondón
The 2 ext stops 'down the road' from my village. Or I should say down the mountain, yeah yeah, pink pyjamas and all that!

The grand old Duke of..Medina Sidonia

The grand old Duke of..Medina Sidonia

A beautiful part of Cadiz, well worth a visit if you're in this area of Spain.

A Spanish dilemma!...which Costa?

A Spanish dilemma!...which Costa?
So, how many Costas do you know? It's not all about the Costa del Sol!

Music and Mayhem in Mallorca

Music and Mayhem in Mallorca
sword fights, music, beaches and sunshine...and great food too!

pool fun

The outdoor life was a chief consideration when moving here, in Wales the kids had to be taken everywhere, here they stay up in the Summer until all hours, games like hide and seek after midnight are the norm, and the whole village looks after everyone's kids, the village of Murtas has 'eyes'! 

If you book a week or more at Casa Duende then not only will you get superb accommodation at a low price, but also a warm welcome from the locals, and be assured that your children will be safe and secure, and enjoy their freedom.

The outdoor pool is now open until the end of July, it's only €1 for the whole day for kids - and the cool water is a bonus after the hot sun.  Be prepared for total strangers to slap the suncream on whichever kids are there!

Our neighbours, Diego and Toni, have just opened their new bar right beside the pool - and the tapas is tasty and varied - and did I mention free? A free plate with every drink ordered, they are currently serving:

• Jamon with capers
• local cheese
• sardines on the grill
• home made herby hamburgers
• local sausages
• russian salad
• their own tomatoes with local olive oil and salt

all accompanied by the bread from the only wood fired oven in Las Alpujarras - delivered daily by Salú. (He'll even let you make it!)

So, if you want to make a splash this Summer...book now!

All bookings for the remainder of July come with guaranteed de-stress, battery recharging and removal of writer's block!

A hole in one - Almerimar

A hole in one - Almerimar
One of our days - out destinations, where we normally dribble over the yachts, just waiting for that lottery win!

Wow! All this for free??

Get in there all my Facebook friends and Tweethearts...
The wonderful Organic Beauty company My Pure are running the best competition over on their Facebook page.



In a nutshell:

• 12 competitions per year
• Great prizes
• Organic, no - nasty policy on their products
• 200GBP - YES, TWO HUNDRED POUNDS of Lovea products up for grabs this month
• Winner announced August 1st

So, where's the link, I hear you shout......................

click here to enter!!

Dog needs home in Andalucía

A familiar story. Sadly.

Yet another dog dumped in the village of Murtas Las Alpujarras this week.

Yesterday, Isobel found this lovely white Spanish Gun dog/Hunting dog in the plaza, it seems to have attached itself to her, very timid, loves kids, has neither bark nor bite....recently had pups.
We have 5 waifs and strays and cannot have another in our garden-less house....help please anyone?
She will otherwise be picked up in the week by the pound guys, taken to Granada and be routinely put down, what a pity, a lovely dog with a super nature ...Issey has named her Luna and she's happy to answer to that...

This is Spain

For all of you living in, or interested in, Spain have a look at this site www.thisisspain.info

Everything you need to know about Spain in this English-language portal. Spain, the Spanish and their language. Information about expat life - 

• travel, 
• flights, 
• hotels, 
• property,
• golf, 
• education, 
• health, 
• retirement and relocation

A little of the long walk - Cádiar and Narila

A little of the long walk - Cádiar and Narila
This is our nearest 'big smoke' 35 kms up the road from Murtas. Details of local fiestas and folklore, and some nice pics taken by Stan! Enjoy!

Beautiful Besalú in Catalonia

Beautiful Besalú in Catalonia
We used to love to holiday in this area of Catalonia, before moving down here to Andalucía - we always chose a little fishing village called Sa Riera....go if you get the chance, it's beautiful. In fact, No 1 daughter has a Made in Sa Riera sticker on her bum....
Anyway, Besalú was always one of our away days when we were on holiday there, it's a stunning old town...have a read and enjoy the photos....

Brightening up? Naturally... at My Pure

Don't the months just race round?  Another little brown box of treats for lil' old me arrived again in June for me to test, what a job, eh? 

Ages ago I had the A'kin rose hydrating spray, which went down so well that when I spotted the Lavender version I had to order it.... 

A'kin cellular brightening mist  in my favourite smellicious scent of all time -Lavender- is a light pump bottle of 125ml, which releases a fine mist for your face providing a squirt of Vitamin C, Anti- oxidant, B5 and Aloe....and all for just 14.99

You all know I live in Sunny Spain, and boy is it sunny at the moment - the temperature has been creeping up to 40º most days this week, so I have used it a  lot, and it's lovely, apart form all the good stuff it's giving my skin, it's totally instantaneously refreshing and more to the point, the FLIES, the bane of my life HATE it, yah hey.

A winner for My Pure and a crowd pleaser of a gift...5*****.

They have me spoiled for sure.  The second little goody in the parcel was a little glass vial of this little number:

Lovea Borage oil is a sealed pump dispenser, no nasty sprays here, a generous 50ml for just 9.99.


As I have got older, I tend to use a facial oil under moisturizer in the morning, and last thing at night.  It helps to distribute your moisturizer making it go further as well as treating your skin....a good tip.  I have been known to use olive oil in the past when nothing else was available!  (The once supermodel Marie Helvin was rumoured to have used a well known margarine!) 

Have a read of this from their site:

Applied daily to the face and neck by gentle massaging, it will reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles and bring life back to dull skin.  Recommended for dry, tired or lifeless skin.

And yes, again, as with so many of the products from My Pure it does do exactly what it says on the tin, bottle, box, tub.

What next?  With the rising temperatures set to stay for July I am considering something with a high SPF to review, so meet me back here towards the end of July....do we have a date then?!













A'kin cellular brightening mist