Archive for the 'Living in rustic Catalonia' Category

Do I write or do I weed?

EbroRose April 26th, 2010

“I´ll make your tea and toast in a minute, Mom,” I say, without looking up from the keyboard. That was an hour ago. Mom had quite happily dosed off in her chair with the warm sun rays lighting up her very good mop of hair for 84 years of age. Oh well, I was never cut out for all this  nursey-carey larkey stuff. Anyway, she is fed and watered now, so back to the question of the day.

Do I write or do I weed?

The voice of practicality commands, “Weed girl. Get them weeds up before the earth is sun baked and rock hard!”

The voice of emotion whispers, “Sod the weeds! Write away to your hearts content. The weeds will still be there tomorrow. Write while the ideas are tumbling about – that fountain of ideas may not be flowing tomorrow. Never waste an idea. Write it down. Write it now!”

Okay, okay, I hear you both. Write first and weed later – maybe or maybe not.

I had oodles of email from my www.LinkedIn.com writers’  and Expats groups to catch up on. This is not a complaint, mind you, I do enjoy them. I do learn an awful lot from them. I relish hearing the debates between  professional writers of all different calibres. I feel like I am on a steep learning curve on some of the discussions. I am not feint-hearted. I hear what they are saying. I mull it over (while weeding, when I do eventually get outdoors) and often think  “Hey, that idea / style  might just work in another series in my Chimona Chronicles.Mmmmh…”

www.Chimona.com

Chimona Chronicles: How kelvyn got his name

Chimona Chronicles: How kelvyn got his name

When I first moved to the Ebro River Valley I felt starved of intellect momentus. I craved discussion and debate outside the normal Expat lament of dodgey builders and not quite British building materials. I soon tired of eavesdropping and hearing the character assasinations of fellow expats, “If you are a fisherman first by definition,  then of course you are a bona fide brickey, plumber, sparkey or lumberjack!”

My sons then home on leave, hooked me up to Facebook and I can track them wherever the MOD send them. Aha! I also became a Scrabble-maniac, but my sons beat me into a word pulp, but I am not a quitter. I have made very good friends of  like minded lingusitics stature around the world and just good friends, old and new, who love to play for fun. You needn´t feel lonely out here. It is also a great place to share your photo albums and reunite with long lost classmates ( I know I have found mine from South Africa – be then scattered around the world) and even mislaid cousins – one is settled in New Zealand. Now I never did get to new Zealand. I wonder what she would say I turned up one day like Dick Whittington.

Another great source of inspiration, both mentally and inspirational for writing and contacts have been joining www.LinkedIn.com. It is so easy to do. All you need is an email address and a password and slowly you develop your profile, or edit it as you see fit to do. I have found a huge cluster of other Expat writers and writers of children books on there. Illustrators and publishers abound to. You can choose which groups you wish to belong to under the Category you have assigned yourself to. Often my friends on LinkedIn are my friends on Facebook too. These casual social networks can interlink with the more professional ones. If you are wearing the entrepeneur cap or would aspire to be one,this is just the place to share your views and ask questions or start discussions. You will be amazed how the right and brighter people home in to help you.

Not quite sure if I did ever answer my rhetorical question: Should I write or should I weed?

Oh well better show willing…Weeds Attack! Attack!

Strastopheric sky-high fees for flyers or how to avoid them.

EbroRose April 13th, 2010

Read and subscribe to Martin´s free email weekly tips via   http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips

Martin Lewis is the man with his fingers on the money pulse in the UK and this also benefits Expats in the EU.

In his latest newsletters he highlights travel issues exorbitant flight fees and add-ons. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/travel/2010/04/ryanair-hikes-baggage-charges-and-plans-toilet-fee. I was rather bemused to read that should Ryanair decide to charge to to pay to use the loo thay must reduce 3 loos to 1 loo = 6  additional seats.  Well  lets hope no one gets the “trots” or do we all fly in diapers?

In every issue he shares valuable links http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/beat-budget-airline-charges.He  then goes on to offer solutions in how to avoid them.

His journalistic research is fast paced reading and informative, but he does not claim to be a financial adviser, so you must seek that professionally.

Saturday 22nd August in l’Ametlla de mar – for tastings of ‘arrossejat’ followed by a Dixi night in the fishing harbour

EbroRose August 22nd, 2009

Fancy doing something different this evening? Good! So why not pop down to the seaside town of l’Ametlla de mar just off the AP7 & N340 or the train line of Barcelona- Valencia?

August 22  #  17:00h Fish Market XXV Arrossejat Cookery Competition. Taste the arrossejat.
August 22  #  23:00h Fishing Harbour Dixie night “La Vella Disieland”

http://www.ametllademar.org/en/p_benvinguts.htm

I have found a delightful recipe for “arrossejat” and am awaiting a translation.

This is the renowned LaVella Dixieland from Barcelona. However this link will give you an insight into the musical ensemble you will enjoy around quiet harbour lights. A town that welcomes everyone -locals, visitors and tourists and multi-cultural Expats. New friends will be made.

http://www.lavelladixieland.com/Sitio_web/a_information.html

Also the bands website gives the starting time as an hour earlier to be 22:00hours tonight.Perhaps if someone else has more local information they will kindly comment in the language of their choice.

(Aside: The comment will not be viewed immediately as it will await my approval to avoid the dread spam.Thank you.)

Who knows not where the wasp does wear its sting? In its tail. (Taming of the Shrew)

EbroRose August 19th, 2009

This saying sprang out of the blue yesterday while I was pegging out the washing in the Lower Ebro Valley . The pesky little enemy stung me on the side of my big toe, between the sandal straps, and I was hopping about wailing trying not to drop a wet double sheet in God’s fairest earthy sand.

Oh William Shakespeare we do indeed know all about these waspish stings, this glorious hot summer. We seem more inundated with wasps, bees and hornets of varying camouflage of tiger stripes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Wasp, pitch-tar black and the dreaded red soldiers, than flies of annoying shapes and colours (mind you they are not entirely discreet in their appearances), who only seem only intent on homing in on Casa De Miramonte!

While we admire the design and flight of the magnificent hornet, we endeavour a hasty retreat from his flight path. I say ‘his’, because surely a woman would not be that devious in attack?

Hmm!  So what do we do about them? Spray them, trap them or let the cats and dogs chase them- all can have harmful outcomes.Be careful out there, they will get angry and turn on you if cornered or under attack. I know. I have lived in Africa!

I see Southern England too have been plagued with them this summer and the Sun paper reports in their article so aptly coined as “S.W.A.T TEAM” (caption of the year!) firm hold hairspray as being an effective way in glueing their wings and stopping them in full flight to be disposed of later under a heavy workmen’s boot, no doubt. I hear Greenpeace protest that damaging their wings will only cause a long and painful death. Do we care as we pullout another long sting out of my already peppered potted toe?

Living closeby to Tortosa, Catalonia, we have various large chain of Asia stores and , don’t laugh, we have found two of their products work very well and each are under an Euro. One does in fact stick wings together but they seem to die as rapidly as the flies do. The lilac “lavanda” container called “Instant Yuki matòn insecticide”. Oh this works on mozzies and flies too.

The other option has nothing to do with insecticides.Wasps don’t fly at night. So with, ” Alin Salfumant” you coat the honey comb with it, while you have a running hosepipe in your hand just in case any soldier wasps are still hovering about. Within 10 minutes you can remove the wasp and sling it over the fence ( make sure the neighbours aren’t at home first!) or burn it on the BBQ.

I know this latter product declares “potencia superior; acid clorhìdrico 20%; agua fuerte; regulador del Ph en piscinas; limpiar de inodors & desincrustador de cement y cal”. Hey if it takes the paint off the bottom of my newly painted pool, when dilution is incorrect, imagine how powerful it is when squirted neat into the waspish homes. Boom! Wasps die! A result!!!

EbroVoice – game – set – and match!

Postscript: Article worth reading:

Uns 800.000 espanyols són al·lèrgics al verí d’abelles i vespes

http://www.lamalla.cat/societat/salut/article?id=275774


Miss Sunday shopping? English goodies available this Sunday.

EbroRose August 8th, 2009

Dreading the queues and crowds of Saturday supermarket dash in the Lower Ebro Valley or Montsia? Well lets lighten your load today.

This Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of month, when the amicable Brian Parkins holds his gathering of the Expats and locals at Casa Madera, off Camino Terrapico for his International social club, on the outskirts of Roquetes and Raval de Christ. Just follow the luminated arrows when you turn off by the Cemetery.

Tim and Elisa (696 -894 – 134) will be displaying their wares up there of ‘your’ one-stop convenience British shop supplies. They also have a wide range of Curry paste now in stock. Come along and have a root. You will be surprised at their variety of English goodies. They are the best in town on prices on British stock. Obviously, they can’t carry all 2000 categories with them at one time, so if you don’t see what you want just ask them and they will deliver. On the other hand give them a call today and place your order and pick it up on Sunday morning from Casa Madera.

I don’t know if you are aware but you can place subscription orders with them for all your British magazines.

Perhaps, you yourself would like to try your hand at a carboot store. You are more than welcome just to turn up with what you have to sell. On the other hand, you made have a service or business that other people are interested in. Bring your flyers, bring your business cards, but above all else bring yourself and your friends or local neighbours. This is open to everyone and often you will here a range of languages burbling about.

A time to meet new and old friends. May be you chose just to sit in his fly free zone and listen to the banter. Feeling shy, lonely or need in of some company, you will receive a warm welcome and be surrounded by much laughter. Drinks and sandwiches are available.

Cats enjoy there luxurious holidays at Claudia’s cat-retreat

EbroRose July 23rd, 2009

It is always a big worry when we are travelling away from our homes in Spain as to where we can house our beloved cats. Maybe the neighbour is not that keen to look after them anymore. Dogs are easier to find kennels. But house sitters for cats are becoming impossible to find.

We have found a solution.

Claudia’s Cat hotel is “estupendo” in Baix Emporda, Costa Bravo. Many of us fly out of either Girona or El Prat airport at Barcelona, so reaching Claudia is not that big an ordeal. Besides if you are driving back up through Spain to France on the E15 /AP7 Autopisto del MEditerranèo you will bypass Claudia anyway ,as she is just off the C31.

So what does Claudia offer?

First and foremost : peace of mind.

Secondly: a wonderful accommodation

Thirdly: everything you could wish for for your darling Leo or Leonè

Accommodation:blessed with individual garden rooms with interior bedroom . Each cat run has a double safety door to prevent escape attempts. This is all year round accommodation as the cat bedrooms are heated. How luxurious is that! Your cat will receive the best quality food, care and personal attention.

For more information please contact Claudia at : <!– @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>

(34) 654 984 777

Claudia's Cat hotel

Little Britain 24-7.com

EbroRose July 21st, 2009

One no longer need groan at the exorbitant prices charged by so called “English” shops up and down Catalonia, there are some new guys on the blocks!

Well, we welcome Tim and Elisa.

We all become sun lounger lizards through these hot months and dread having to change just to go into town to shop. Why not cut back on those trips by giving them a ring on 696 894 134. Alternatively, you may shop on line literally 24 -7, quickly, stress free and not standing in long queues. Tim and Elisa deliver free to the Tortosa area and some other popular spots too.

This is like your old English corner shop – a one stop convenience store. They enable you to buy British food and household items at such competitive prices. I am a frugal shopper and have not seen such good prices displayed anywhere else.

www.littlebritain24-7.com

There is always something for everyone from a needs must to, “Ooh, I do miss my Bisto or what I wouldn’t give for a slice of Soreen malt loaf”. You are spoiled for choice with over 2000 different products available.

But  maybe, just maybe there is something you can’t find online, just ask. They will do their cordial best to obtain the products you need.

Don’t forget if you are not on the internet, just call them on : 696 894 134 .

You will not regret it. You will not be disappointed!

EbroAds.com is proud to present Ebro.TV.

EbroRose June 8th, 2009

An initiative to promote the diversity of the Ebro region and also to build stronger community links has arrived.The new website, Ebro.TV, has been launched as a place to share videos, audio, photo’s, news and stories about the Ebro River Valley and Delta.

This is not just for the English community. This is for everyone! You can write in Catalan or Spanish. Dutch, German and French is okay too. There are certain groups setup already so please join in. Start your own group and display your interests or wares.

Photo Album and unlimited media uploads! Here’s your chance to show off all those snaps you have been taking. Let the world know what a wonderful place we live in! Please invite as many of your friends as possible.

With features too numerous to mention, from RSS feeds to photo ratings and a personal messaging system.
You can even signup using your current AOL, Facebook, Google, Yahoo or OpenID details.

So, if you want to boast about that Catfish you caught OR upload your latest karaoke efforts OR even just put up a photo / video of a property you have for sale, see you at www.ebro.TV!!

And it is all free!

How Kelvyn got his name. Press release.

EbroRose June 7th, 2009

For Immediate Release

Book 1 of The Chimona Chronicles: How Kelvyn Got His Name by Rosie Reay

Includes FREE Supplement Poem: The Squirrel from Wirral

Jun 3rd, 2009. Silicon Valley, CA: Foden Press today announced the release of Rosie Reay’s first book in The Chimona Chronicles series that tells a tale of critters around a lake. Titled How Kelvyn Got His Name, it is an educational and fun read for bright young readers. It will introduce them to the animal and bird characters as they come alive through both words and the lovely illustrations done by Candice McMullan. Often it will stretch them to learn new meanings, word roots and names, as well as real places and locations. But that is what the story is about, creating a new name for their favorite gopher.

Set on the banks of Lake Okanagan, there are a variety of critters that play different roles. Mrs Porcupine runs a shop, Hodgekiss Drake is the professor, Okando Owl dispenses advice, and the chipmunk twins drive their brother nuts. Boys and girls, and probably their parents too, will all find something to enjoy in this imaginative tale once they start to settle into it. There is even a complete long bonus poem included called The Squirrel from Wirral.

“This story was inspired by a real road trip to Canada some years ago,” said Rosie Reay. “In fact, we actually stayed at the Okanagan Resort on the banks of the lake! I just knew there had to be a story in all those gophers that so confidently roamed the little golf course. Little did I know it would bring so many critters to life, let alone trigger a whole series of books to follow.”

Rosie Reay currently lives in the olive and mandarin countryside between  Barcelona and Valencia, Spain above the lovely Ebro River valley. Surrounded by her own crowd of pets, she actually does work as a professional U.S. naming consultant! (See www.BrighterNaming.com). In addition, Rosie helps Spanish students perfect their English and writes blogs (www.EbroVoice.com), articles and marketing materials for the English community in that part of the country.

Candice McMullan is an up and coming young illustrator based in Canada. Young children will surely identify with her drawings when their parents read this story to them and show them her pictures. Kyra Dawson, editor of the series, (www.BrighterScribe.com) who is actually based in B.C. Canada, helps keep the Canadian details straight.

How Kelvyn Got His Name is available for immediate download, as it is being released as an eBook first. So a perfect surprise for Dad to have on his laptop when junior gets restless during the summer travels.

Based in Silicon Valley, California, Foden Press is an independent publisher of both children and marketing books. Marketing titles include Brighter Naming: Naming for the Average Propeller Head, Brighter Branding: Branding for the Average Propeller Head and Spreadsheet Marketing: Planning for Success. They may be reached at www.FodenPress.com or 650-704-8181.

© Copyright 2009 Foden Press. All rights reserved worldwide.
Foden Press™ and all images are trademarks of Foden Press. Brighter Naming® is a registered tradema

Ghosts in the finca.

EbroRose April 13th, 2009

Ghosts in the finca and not of Christmas past dear Charles, but oh my Dickens what is going on here!

Living the rustic life in southern Catalonia it is not unusual to loose our electric power during electrical thunderstorms and high winds off Mont Caro. During the summer when all the neighbours and their families move out of cosy  apartments and head for their finca and cool mountain breezes, for three months at summer and there is a huge overload on the system.

But I am not one who believes in the para-normal, but strange happenings are occurring here. One is lights on and the other is power off…

Yet, we continually wake up to find the Utility room light being switched on.

At first, I used to jump out of bed thinking my “ConfusedMother.com” (as we endearingly refer to the lady of 83 years young) as going on her walk-abouts in the middle of the night.

No, not her. She is snoring away tucked up in her bed.

Him indoors is still in bed too. The dogs are following me around and not growling. So I am calm that we have no intruders. So who has switched the light  on. I turn it off and head for bed as my bare feet are now freezing from the cold tiles.

Blow me down, if I don’t get up in the morning and the light is back on again!

This has bugged me for nigh on two months through the winter months and it is now wearing a bit thin.

I am busy with other writings at the moment and can’ t sleep. I keep a duvet on the couch at night and if the writing splurge takes over I just switch on the faithful friendly computer and churn away until the stream runs dry. If it is really a cold night the other half may go to bed earlier and I get under the duvet and prop myself up and scribble away in a notebook.

This is where I was beavouring away around 3:00am one morning and the utility room light went on. I fell over the dog, knocked over my sixth steaming mug of hot chocolate and dashed to catch the culprit. There sat on the top row of shelving was Harry. Our darling Mr. H and I looked at him in amazement. Not only had he turned the light on, he had turned around and his ginger paw was trying to switch it off.

“Harry! It is you then.” I then made the big mistake, with hindsight, of feeding him. So you can imagine he continues to do this as his “Hello Mum, I am home call – feed me!”

So we try to ignore this.

The other incident occurred half way through a wintry meal on a dark winter, moonless and starless night. The power just went off.

I went off in the dark to find the battery emergency lights. The first one the batteries had died.

“Typical, just typical . I told you they needed replacing.”

“Calm down, don’t yell at me I will find the other one”.

The dogs are excited as they know I have to go out of the gate and walk down the lane to our electric box at the far corner of our spare piece of olive grove. The main switch just won’t stay in an up position. The valley looks dark so it must be everyone is in the same boat. We trudge back through all the potholes filled with recent rainwater. I am not a happy bunny.

Our fuses are the wrong way around. So the house circuit breaker doesn’t trip first, the main one goes. I check it anyway. No everything appears to be in the same direction as normal. This doesn’t have a cover on so I can see it quite clearly with the candle light. Oh yes, the batteries went on the second emergency light when I was half way down the lane!

Well I decide best action is to put Mum to bed and we sit up chatting. In the morning we still have no power. I repeat the process. I check all my electric bills. Yes they are all paid. Nothing to do but to ring up the Endesa and they promise to send someone out straight away from Fecsa.

Meanwhile I find the notebook where the last electrician had drawn a diagram of which way the switches should be as not all are in use. I carefully check and double check this and don’t touch anything. They all match the diagram.

When I next venture out Fecsa are busy working on the main box. There are two of them and they are shaking their heads. One very tall Spaniard is now heading towards and he looks so serious. I am panicky. Gosh, this looks expensive. I always imagine doom and gloom.He asks for access to the house. First I have to isolate 3 big hounds.

He then strides forth to find the Circuit breaker and starts blindly fiddling about with the directional pattern of the fuse box. Bearing in mind we have not touched it. I dare not anyway as we are awaiting a replacement one anyway.

We have power on!

I show him the diagram and explain. He remarks , “He is an artist this man- not an electrician.” Off they go.

Job solved we thought.

Not So! A few days later we have the same repeat pattern, in the middle of “Coronation Street”. I rectify the switches and the evening passes pleasantly.

The circuit breaker is in a spare bedroom only used when lads are home on leave. So how did the switch go off again? No, Mr. H is out on the prowl, so it is not him.

One dull mornng I have the passage light on and am mopping the floor tiles when lights go off again. I pop my head into the bedroom.

Caught them! Not one but two of the other cats (Smokey and Penny)  are using the switches as a step up onto the top of the wardrobe.

These cats will be the death of me! To think we have suffered nights on end with no telly and no computer activities so the cats can get a step up onto the top cupboard.

But one mystery remains unsolved. For years thè culprit switch has been in the opposite direction for us to have power. So who switched it over? A time to pause for thoughts or is it paws for thought…