Two months of heaven

Well, we went and did it. Bought a house, moved North, enjoying ‘multi-generational living’, as they call it these days!

This is why we left our mountain home in Spain, to live together as a group, sharing the ups and downs of life. We are really enjoying seeing the girls every day as they pop through to help us with work, mess around with the dogs, and so on. And, of course, it’s great to get to know our daughter again, as an adult rather than ‘just’ our child! 

We’re living on the Black Isle in a very rural area, yet only 15 minutes from Inverness. It’s sooooo gorgeous here, trees, wildlife, a big garden — all the things Kenton and I hold dear.

There is a lot to do to make our end of the house a real home. We’ve put in separating door, and soon will be turning one of the rooms into a kitchen. We love doing that type of work! That will be followed by outdoor work come spring, adding a greenhouse, BBQ, bread oven, raised beds, and so on.

We can’t wait, and I’m sure our little helpers will make the workload lighter!

 

What’s everlasting life?

What a question, eh? Great minds have wrestled with this through the ages — but great mind or not, Here I go.

This post has come about because my dear friend Duncan Paton has died. Born with brittle bone disease, he was never expected to reach his 20’s, but he fooled them all! Not only did he live into his 50’s, he lived life fast and hard. He traveled everywhere. Commuted to London. Married, and divorced. Most importantly, he made friends wherever he went. 

He wasn’t a sweet-natured man, and had quite a temper — often challenging guys to fights (with brittle bones? really?), with the result that his great friend Chris often had to wheel him to safety, at speed.

We started our very first jobs in IT together, killing ourselves at how clueless we were. We teased each other relentlessly. We went on cricket trips together, and tales of his sunburnt nostrils live on. No one could make me laugh as hard as he dI’d, or cry as quickly. 

He called me when he found out I had breast cancer, and once again made me laugh despite myself. He called me in tears to tell me he couldn’t take the job I got him — the powers that be would take away all his aid if he earned too much money.

I’ve seen comments on Facebook about him enjoying himself next to the Big Guy. Somehow I don’t think Dunc would think much of that, but he would enjoy the joke if he’d been wrong.

My own opinion is that I think that ‘life after death’ means living on in the hearts of those who love us. Memories, taken out and enjoyed from time to time. Laughter and tears in equal measure. That’ll do me. Love ya’ Dunc.

 

 

As one era ends, another begins…

It is with much sadness, some surprise, and great expectation that I tell you that we are leaving Spain.

We made this momentous decision about a year ago. The impetus? Breast cancer. It makes you think long and hard about your life, where it is going, and what you want out of it. Kenton and I discussed this long into many nights, and decided that we really did want to be closer to family. Our granddaughters are very small, and this is the time to really get to know them. Wait till later? We will be considered a couple of friendly faces they see on FaceTime occasionally. And that’s not what we wanted.

So upping sticks we are. It’s hard. So hard. We have made such wonderful friends here, both English friends and Spanish. They all understand (Spanish truly understand that family comes first), but (knowing how much we love it here) they are shocked that we are leaving. We have one weekend left here, and there have already been so, so many tears. 

We can always change our minds, of course, as we aren’t selling the farm. We are renting out our beautiful home, farm and business to a really lovely young couple, who I expect will carry on and expand operations beyond recognition. They have the same enthusiasm as we’ve had, but … are much younger! 🙂

But truly, honestly, that is not the way we live our lives, so it’s unlikely to happen. We are looking forward to a new life, with new challenges…but oh my, if only we didn’t have to leave these wonderful people…