Ironic isn’t it? Our grapes will be ready in a couple of weeks, but we won’t be eating them. They’ve never looked better; plump, blushing purple, huge heavy bunches ripening in the Spanish sun. And we’ll never taste them.
They are building a new council building in the village which should be ready in time for the Fiesta. But we won’t attend the opening celebration. And we won’t be dancing at the Fiesta.
I’m busy writing the sequel to ‘Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools’. It will be called ‘Two Old Fools – Olé’ but I won’t finish it here in Spain, in our village.
Isn’t it astonishing how one click of the mouse can change your life forever?It was Joe’s fault, of course. We haven’t actually been employed since 2004 when we moved to Spain. We manage quite well, but the battering the Euro has taken in the Credit Crunch hasn’t helped our finances. So when Joe saw an advertisement for teaching posts in Bahrain, he applied.
To our amazement, the response was immediate. “Mr Joe, We are most interested in your application. Please forward copies of your qualifications.” So he did.
Then it snowballed. Not only did the Bahraini school want Joe as a Maths teacher, but they wanted me, too, to teach English in their Middle School. The salary isn’t huge, but it’s tax-free, and they will provide a two-bedroomed flat with all utilities paid, medical insurance, flights to and from Bahrain and transport to work. And the best part? It’s only for ONE YEAR.
We signed the contracts two days ago, and already have our flight e-tickets. We leave in less than a week and the house looks like a bombsite. There are boxes, suitcases, piles of books, heaps of papers and mounds of clothes. So much to do!
Paco next door has offered to feed the chickens, bless him. We’ve found good homes for the kittens and their mother. I’ve been doing my Widow Twanky impression, wash-load after wash-load of our smart clothes. We haven’t worn any of them since we last worked in the UK in 2004.
My head is spinning. I feel like a have a tight band round my chest when I look at the mountains that surround us, or hear the village mule, or the churchbells, or our crazy neighbours playing flamenco guitar in the street. How can we exchange all that for a year of work, deserts and city life?
But it’s only for a year, I tell myself. Our beloved El Hoyo, the house, the villagers, everything will be still be here when we return. I shall carry on writing a monthly column for Expat Focus, but from Bahrain. And what an opportunity to gather material for a third book! ‘Two Old Fools on a Camel’, perhaps?
My recipe of the month – Olive Oil Infusions
(Recipe courtesy of www.OrceSerranoHams.com)
Flavoured Olive Oils are a favourite here in Andalucia…
Add extra flavour and aroma to a bottle of olive oil by simply adding a few ingredients and let them infuse together. So easy to make and the longer you keep it the more intense the flavour.
To make:
Simply add any of the following ingredients to the olive oil. You can add the ingredients on their own or combine them how you like.
Choose from:
• whole peeled cloves of garlic
• sprigs of thyme
• sprigs of rosemary
• whole black peppercorns
• dried chilli peppers
Once the oil has been allowed to rest and infuse (at least a week) use it to drizzle over salads or pizzas, spice up pasta or simply serve with crusty bread for a true Spanish delight.
Victoria is the author of 'Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools' (available at Amazon UK or Amazon USA) and 'Two Old Fools – Olé' (also available at Amazon UK or Amazon USA)
“a charming and funny expat tale” The Telegraph (UK)
“Weeks later you will be doing the dishes and recall some fleeting scene with chickens or mules or two old fools and laugh out loud all over again.” The Catalunya Chronicle
Contact Victoria by email on TopHen@VictoriaTwead.com or via her website at www.victoriatwead.com