2016 Spring Trip To Spain – The Final Day

We never sleep well the night before departure and last night was no exception. It wasn’t helped by the fact that my IBS went into overdrive. That stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome but on days like this I suffer from BFBS – Bloody Furious Bowel Syndrome. I took some ibuprofen to calm down the bowel inflammation and that got me through the morning but didn’t take any with me. In retrospect I didn’t check the ingredients on the packet so if the tablets’ binder was wheat starch, I could well have made myself worse. Needless to say the day has not been easy because of it.

Packing and closing up the house was progressing nicely when the gardeners came in The Company Limo to spray all the aphid infested plants. The Company Limo is an ancient, once-upon-a-time red Toyota 4 x 4 with no back window. They are lovely lads and one is a seriously fit piece of eye candy. The other one wasn’t half bad either, they both had muscles on their spit. Sorry ladies, my camera was all packed away so I didn’t get any photos of them. Next trip perhaps! We gave them a jar of Mermelada Volcanica each and they were delighted.

Sadly The Company Limo would not start and because our drive is on a slope I got serious view of how those muscles worked as they tried to push it up the slope and out on to the road. All was to no avail but made very nice viewing. So they went across the road to our new French neighbour who has a tow bar on his vehicle, fortunately, and he towed them out on to the road so that they could bump start it. Time to pay for some maintenance on The Company Limo Perran.

Once all the packing was done it was time to load the car, load the dehumidifiers, put dust covers over all the furniture then do the rounds of neighbours to say our goodbyes and deliver jam and unused groceries. We got a delightful goodbye e-mail from Ula and Jürgen to wish us well on our journey but in the event we were able to say goodbye personally and deliver the jams and chutneys. We also gave jams and chutneys to the new French neighbour who helped tow The Company Limo out, and he too was delighted. He seems like a lovely chap and that has opened the way to a positive relationship. See, if you want to spread a little happiness, spread a little jam.

Next it was delivering unused groceries to Audrey and having a brief cuppa and chat with her and Keith, after which we said goodbye to Robert and Marijke. Audrey, Keith, Robert and Marijke already had their jams and chutneys. After all the deliveries we are down to 18 jars and a few sample jars from this trip’s production and way down on the chutney made last September. Recipients were grateful that it is ready for eating now. When I give it to them freshly made they have to wait at least three months do for it to mature and I tell them that it is even better after six months.

Jam delivery and goodbyes all done, we set off fro Alicante at around 13.00 and got to the car park in Alicante at around 14.00. After a brief sojourn into El Corte Inglés and on finding that their restaurant was closed for refurbishment, we went to a familiar venue, El Prego for lunch. I was feeling nauseous and didn’t eat much but Garrath enjoyed his pizza. After that we took a stroll down the promenade and stopped for more tea, water and toilet stops. The weather was gorgeous. In fact we had to move into the shade.

A gentle amble back to the car park was followed by driving to the airport via a route determined by Apple Maps. I took the wrong turning and as luck would have it, it turned out to be be a better route that the Apple Maps one because it allowed us to drive directly to the Victoria Rent A Car depot without having to pass it on the wrong side of the dual carriageway then double back at a later junction. I shall remember that one for a future trip.

Checking in luggage was quick and easy as was security. Waiting at the airport for your flight to be called is always monumentally tedious, but hey, they get you to and from your destination so it has to be tolerated with as much good grace as you can muster. They claim to have free wifi but it is always flaky, so I simply concentrated on writing this blog.

Earwigging provided little in the way of entertainment, just serial, fatuous prattle, which brings me back to and often repeated question, what can’t people say nothing when they have nothing to say? It did stimulate another verse though –

I think I’ve lost the art of conversation,
I think that I’ve forgotten all the rules,
I don’t know how to join in empty prattle,
I simply can’t communicate with fools.

I’d rather not go on about the weather,
The weather’s what it is and that is that,
And going on about it will not change it,
So I shut my mouth and wear a coat and hat.

I hate it when I hear people complaining
Whilst knowing that they’ll never, ever care
To rectify the problem that they’re blethering about,
But moan, creating wearisome hot air.

I haven’t any time for so-called small talk,
Small talk says the person’s mind is small,
I’d rather not engage with such a person,
I really don’t have time for them at all.

I’m glad I’ve lost the art of conversation,
By deliberately flouting all the rules,
I’m glad I won’t join in with empty prattle,
It means that I stay clear of moaning fools.

30.05.2016

Ugh,throughout the flight and I felt absolutely dire! Somebody or something set my gut on fire and I don’t know how to put it out! Pleeeeeeeeeease, can this be over soon? In case you accuse me of pointless moaning, I called into WH Smith at the airport after getting through the baggage check and customs intending to buy some heavyweight Ibuprofen having first checked what kind of starch it contained, but it was shut. Thank goodness my glass half full attitude made me grateful that this didn’t happen while we were on holiday.

AA taxis were there in double quick time and after a small altercation with the exit gate, the charming driver got us home promptly. We now know exactly which speed cameras are live along Leeds road, always useful to kn2016 Spring Trip To Spain – The Final Day

We never sleep well the night before departure and last night was no exception. It wasn’t helped by the fact that my IBS went into overdrive. That stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome but on days like this I suffer from BFBS – Bloody Furious Bowel Syndrome. I took some ibuprofen to calm down the bowel inflammation and that got me through the morning but didn’t take any with me. In retrospect I didn’t check the ingredients on the packet so if the tablets’ binder was wheat starch, I could well have made myself worse. Needless to say the day has not been easy because of it.

Packing and closing up the house was progressing nicely when the gardeners came in The Company Limo to spray all the aphid infested plants. The Company Limo is an ancient, once-upon-a-time red Toyota 4 x 4 with no back window. They are lovely lads and one is a seriously fit piece of eye candy. The other one wasn’t half bad either, they both had muscles on their spit. Sorry ladies, my camera was all packed away so I didn’t get any photos of them. Next trip perhaps! We gave them a jar of Mermelada Volcanica each and they were delighted.

Sadly The Company Limo would not start and because our drive is on a slope I got serious view of how those muscles worked as they tried to push it up the slope and out on to the road. All was to no avail but made very nice viewing. So they went across the road to our new French neighbour who has a tow bar on his vehicle, fortunately, and he towed them out on to the road so that they could bump start it. Time to pay for some maintenance on The Company Limo Perran.

Once all the packing was done it was time to load the car, load the dehumidifiers, put dust covers over all the furniture then do the rounds of neighbours to say our goodbyes and deliver jam and unused groceries. We got a delightful goodbye e-mail from Ula and Jürgen to wish us well on our journey but in the event we were able to say goodbye personally and deliver the jams and chutneys. We also gave jams and chutneys to the new French neighbour who helped tow The Company Limo out, and he too was delighted. He seems like a lovely chap and that has opened the way to a positive relationship. See, if you want to spread a little happiness, spread a little jam.

Next it was delivering unused groceries to Audrey and having a brief cuppa and chat with her and Keith, after which we said goodbye to Robert and Marijke. Audrey, Keith, Robert and Marijke already had their jams and chutneys. After all the deliveries we are down to 18 jars and a few sample jars from this trip’s production and way down on the chutney made last September. Recipients were grateful that it is ready for eating now. When I give it to them freshly made they have to wait at least three months do for it to mature and I tell them that it is even better after six months.

Jam delivery and goodbyes all done, we set off fro Alicante at around 13.00 and got to the car park in Alicante at around 14.00. After a brief sojourn into El Corte Inglés and on finding that their restaurant was closed for refurbishment, we went to a familiar venue, El Prego for lunch. I was feeling nauseous and didn’t eat much but Garrath enjoyed his pizza. After that we took a stroll down the promenade and stopped for more tea, water and toilet stops. The weather was gorgeous. In fact we had to move into the shade.

A gentle amble back to the car park was followed by driving to the airport via a route determined by Apple Maps. I took the wrong turning and as luck would have it, it turned out to be be a better route that the Apple Maps one because it allowed us to drive directly to the Victoria Rent A Car depot without having to pass it on the wrong side of the dual carriageway then double back at a later junction. I shall remember that one for a future trip.

Checking in luggage was quick and easy as was security. Waiting at the airport for your flight to be called is always monumentally tedious, but hey, they get you to and from your destination so it has to be tolerated with as much good grace as you can muster. They claim to have free wifi but it is always flaky, so I simply concentrated on writing this blog.

Earwigging provided little in the way of entertainment, just serial, fatuous prattle, which brings me back to an often repeated question, what can’t people say nothing when they have nothing to say? It did stimulate another verse though –

I think I’ve lost the art of conversation,
I think that I’ve forgotten all the rules,
I don’t know how to join in empty prattle,
I simply can’t communicate with fools.

I’d rather not go on about the weather,
The weather’s what it is and that is that,
And going on about it will not change it,
So I shut my mouth and wear a coat and hat.

I hate it when I hear people complaining
Whilst knowing that they’ll never, ever care
To rectify the problem that they’re blethering about,
But moan, creating wearisome hot air.

I haven’t any time for so-called small talk,
Small talk says the person’s mind is small,
I’d rather not engage with such a person,
I really don’t have time for them at all.

I’m pleased I’ve lost the art of conversation,
By deliberately flouting all the rules,
I’m glad I won’t join in with empty prattle,
It means that I stay clear of moaning fools.

30.05.2016

Ugh,throughout the flight and I felt absolutely dire! Somebody or something set my gut on fire and I don’t know how to put it out! Pleeeeeeeeeease, can this be over soon? In case you accuse me of pointless moaning, I called into WH Smith at the airport after getting through the baggage check and customs intending to buy some heavyweight Ibuprofen having first checked what kind of starch it contained, but it was shut. Thank goodness my glass half full attitude made me grateful that this didn’t happen while we were on holiday.

AA taxis were there in double quick time and after a small altercation with the exit gate, the charming driver got us home promptly. We now know exactly which speed cameras are live along Leeds road, always useful to know, and I am sitting in bed, drinking very strong lemon & ginger tea in the hope that it helps to settle my gut which is still absolute agony. FIngers crossed. See how dedicated I am to my readers!ow, and I am sitting in bed, drinking very strong lemon & ginger tea in the hope that it helps to settle my gut which is still absolute agony. FIngers crossed. See how dedicated I am to my readers!