I've been back from my holiday for about a week, and have not felt inspired to write any new blog posts. But now it's Sunday, and I always start to feel edgy if I have not blogged for a week. So, there's three things I could write about:
1) What I did on my holidays.
2) My recipe for making fantastic bread.
3) A review of the movie 'Mamma Mia'.
Let me know which one you want.
I got back to my flat at 5pm today. Eeh, but it's warm!
I was a bit startled at the airport - there were at least 100 identically-dressed people waiting at a carousel for their bags. Closer inspection revealed that the flight was from Beijing, and this was the Spanish Olympic team.
So the hordes of TV cameras outside weren't there for me after all.
I am at a friend's house that has a wi-fi connection, so I can finally do a post without the pressure you get in internet cafes. The main reason for this trip was to throw a surprise birthday party for the Daddy-in-Law's 80th birthday. That went off surprisingly well, with his numerous kids and their other halves and kiddiewinkles all gathered together from various outposts in Europe. Most of the auld guy's siblings were there too.
After the weekend in Scunthorpe, MamaDuck returned to Madrid, Offspring returned to London, and I went to visit my dad and sister in Doncaster for four days. Then I tootled down to London for a week, which included a wine-tasting and raucous party thrown by the wine shop/bar that Offspring works for (and getting to bed at 6am).
Now I'm in Warwick, visiting some mates who escaped from Dubai 7 years ago (it only seems like 2 or 3), and tomorrow I'm travelling up to Liverpool. On Saturday I'm attending a wedding at a castle in North Wales, and on Monday I'm flying back to Madrid.
I'll be ready for a rest, I reckon. But I'm enjoying the beer and the terrible weather, so no complaining.
Spain traditionally closes down for the month of August. This makes a lot of sense because it's too bloody hot to do anything like work. I had forgotten today was the start of August, so I was a bit surprised to see a different watchman sitting in the box (the regular one now being on holiday), and even more surprised to see the biggest bar on the square closed. Walking around the barrio, it seems about half the bars and shops are closed.
I would not wish to be trying to drive out of any major Spanish city today.
Oh, and tomorrow is the first anniversary of our arrival in Madrid. A cake might be in order.
