The story continues..............

So after we decided to start looking for properties, we wrote a list of the things we wanted to be part of our new life in Spain, if we decided to go ahead. The main issue with a property was space, we wanted more of it. After living in a terraced house for the past thirty years, space is at a premium most of the time.

so we started looking at all the property websites and after many hours, days and weeks, we finally came up with a short list that we wanted to see when we finally made it over to Spain. In between all this searching, we had a holiday booked too for June 2014.

so we finally made up our minds that we were going to do this and we could make a few changes in our lives along the way, namely I could give up work years earlier than I had planned, so that was a very positive incentive for me.

We attended a cousins 60th birthday lunch and it cropped up in conversation that we were looking at properties and within a short space of time, the people we knew at the lunch knew what our plans were. Note to self, do not mention any life changing plans at a birthday celebration, it is after all, someones special day and an announcement like this can go either way!

so we went off on our holiday to Norway, Iceland, the Faroe's and the Orkneys and all the while continued to look at new properties that came onto the market. However, our list of four remained the same.

When we arrived home at Southampton, we barely had time to turn things around before we were flying to Spain, via Ryan Air from Luton, an experience all of its own, but it served the purpose of a cheap flight. Before we knew it, we had landed at Reus airport in the blazing sunshine and that wonderful feeling you get as you walk down the steps into the warmth.

Spain, the journey continues....

So our friends house purchase was finally completed and they came down to see us for lunch one day. I asked what had brought them down to us and one of them said they had come to say good bye to his sister. I asked where she was going, I thought perhaps a holiday and he had wanted to wis her Bon voyage.

The reality of their move to Spain then became obvious as it was they who were doing the goodbyes because they were leaving for Spain the following weekend! We were amazed, we knew it was going to happened. But we hadn't realised it was now!

We had always said that we were here for them and they would always be welcome to stay here when they came back if they wanted to etc.

Over a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel for lunch, we were shown the house they had purchased and were given the price they paid. It blow us away! One hectare and the most gorgeous house with the most spectacular views of the sea and the coastline. We continued discussing Spain over lunch and then before we knew it, we had to say goodbye.

After our friends had gone, we started to think, what could be afford in Spain? That was the first of many questions that we asked ourselves and each other. With the magic of the Internet, we were able to answer that question fairly quickly. We could afford a similar amount of land with a very large property.

Needless to say, we talked of nothing else for the rest of that weekend, our minds were continually thinking about the possibility of moving to Spain, something we hadn't dreamt of doing until our friends came to say goodbye.

This was going to be life changing if we did it.

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Spain and our journey to a new home!

Two of our oldest friends have been going to stay with friends of theirs in Spain for the last ten years or so. Usually spending a couple of weeks at a time in a non touristy area of the Costa Duarada. Then in 2013, they said that they were going to sell their house and move to Spain.

We thought they were crazy to be honest. They had a wonderful home here in the UK, beautifully furnished, new cars in the drive, good jobs and the security that comes with all this. The home had been built up over many years and was just the way they wanted it.

However, the strain for one of them doing the job they did was proving to be very stressful and the move to Spain would give him back his sanity. So I could understand why the move was so important.

The house was sold very quickly, no surprise there as it was immaculate and by December 2013, our friends moved out of their home of twenty years. Their whole life was now in storage until such time as they made the move to Spain.

How does this involve us? That will all become evident as I continue this blog.

 

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Blithe Spirit, Geilgud Theatre, London

Two weeks ago,, I was privileged to be in the audience of Blithering Spirit at the Geilgud Theatre. I was there with friends to see a Broadway and Hollywood Legend and Icon, Oscar and Tony award winner newly created, Dame Angela Lansbury.

To say it was a master class in acting would be an understatement, it was a master class in how an actress should be, star quality by the bucket load.

The moment the Dame appeared on the stage, the audience went wild with applause. The 88 year old, yes I have written that correctly, defied her age and was as agile as anyone half her age. She had the audience eating out of her hand for the whole performance and her trance scene once everyone was assembled around the table was nothing short of amazing.

If you can, beg, steal or simply try to get a return for this sell out show. Dame Angela Lansbury is back where she belongs, the London Stage!

 

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State visit to Windsor

This week saw the historic State Visit of Michael D Higgins, the President of the Irish Republic to Windsor as the guest of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. I was fortunate enough to be in the be crowd that saw all the pomp and ceremony associated with such a visit.

Everything was pulled out for this visit as it was the first time ever that the Head of State of our nearest neighbour had ever visited the UK, this followed the visit of HM The Queen to the Irish Republic in 2011. Both visits are the final stage of the peace process between both countries.

The Australian State Coach carrying HM The Queen and The President.

the Glass Coach carrying HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and Mrs Higgins.

TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in a state landau.

I took many other photos of the event, too many to post on my blog, but it may post some of the others later.

 

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HM The Queen in Windsor

As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations two years, Windsor decided that as it was the home of The Queen, it was only right that the town should have a lasting reminder of The Queens sixty year reign.

And so two weeks ago, The Queen, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and HRH The Duke of Cambridge, drove from the Castle to the roundabout adjacent to The Long Walk to unveil a statue of two Windsor Greys.

 

 

 

 

I was fortunate enough to be there at the unveiling as I only live five minutes away and managed to get these wonderful photographs of the royal trio. I was very happy we the images and also my new camera lens.

 

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2014

My first blog of 2014 and so far this year has been very busy. Saying that, I have managed to see one show, Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together at the new St James Theatre, just around the corner from Buckingham Palace.

The cast do the show was amazing, especially I know that some of them had come straight from pants at various shows across the country.

Sondheim's shows are becoming more popular now and having seen quite a few in the last few years, I have come to appreciate them and also enjoy them. I have always loved the Jerry Herman style of show and indeed still do, but I also can hum a Sondheim tune too now.

If you get chance, go see the show, it has one week left to run and it a wonderful evening out.

 

 

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