Sunday, 30 September 2012
Today's surprises
Well, one good one and one bad one.
Let's start with the good.
After the deluges of the last couple of days, it was with much delight that I saw on opening the front door this morning SNOW on top of the two high peaks opposite (Mulhacen & Veleta). Just to provide it...
The bad news regards my ongoing power problems. A very nice chap called Matthias (ex-journalist, ex-Berlin) arrived today as promised and after much wielding of his hydrometer declared that the batteries are, depsite the declaration of the previous owner, past their sell-by date and require a complete replacement (mucho €€€€s). Ho hum.
So he's now gone away to price me up their replacement and also look at getting a wind generator as extra backup. We actually spent more time talking about the organic co-operative that he's part of and managing land naturally! He will be a very useful contact going forward I'm sure.
I did commence the clean out the bodega this morning with much assistance from my neighbour Jose so preparations for the wine harvest are in full swing. Now off to make my generator sing more sweetly...
Let's start with the good.
After the deluges of the last couple of days, it was with much delight that I saw on opening the front door this morning SNOW on top of the two high peaks opposite (Mulhacen & Veleta). Just to provide it...
The bad news regards my ongoing power problems. A very nice chap called Matthias (ex-journalist, ex-Berlin) arrived today as promised and after much wielding of his hydrometer declared that the batteries are, depsite the declaration of the previous owner, past their sell-by date and require a complete replacement (mucho €€€€s). Ho hum.
So he's now gone away to price me up their replacement and also look at getting a wind generator as extra backup. We actually spent more time talking about the organic co-operative that he's part of and managing land naturally! He will be a very useful contact going forward I'm sure.
I did commence the clean out the bodega this morning with much assistance from my neighbour Jose so preparations for the wine harvest are in full swing. Now off to make my generator sing more sweetly...
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Backup
Fired up the backup generator and, lo, I now have power. Although the genny is in the workshop which sits right on top of the kitchen, the noise generated is (very fortunately) less than anticipated. Feel really 'backwoods' today though slightly 'un-green' as I'm burning up Gasoleo 95.
The rain is still coming down and has set a different feel to the landscape. The bright sandy colours have gone and now become 'wet earth' giving a more sombre, though still beautiful, cast to the hillsides.
With some judicious re-positioning of the plastic sheeting on the roof, the internal leaks have minimised. The fire is still lit and keeping downstairs at a nice temperature. The canary (still as yet un-named) has been moved in to the warmth though, with no sunshine, his singing capabilities have not been exercised today.
The solar engineer is coming tomorrow when, we believe, the rain may be subsiding and we start to get some more sunshine. Probably will only be a short respite as the autumn rains generally coincide with the Cadiar fiesta which is one for four days next weekend. Free wine flows from the fountain in the centre of town and I don't think the locals get much sleep. I have a plan forming to spend Saturday night sleeping in the van in town!
PS. Internal leaks stopped being 'minimised' and I'm now back inside after a soaking having re-adjusted plastic sheeting on roof. Time for a coffee and a drying-off in front of the fire!! I hear there are flash floods in other parts of Andalucia; at least on the hill here we're spared those.
The rain is still coming down and has set a different feel to the landscape. The bright sandy colours have gone and now become 'wet earth' giving a more sombre, though still beautiful, cast to the hillsides.
With some judicious re-positioning of the plastic sheeting on the roof, the internal leaks have minimised. The fire is still lit and keeping downstairs at a nice temperature. The canary (still as yet un-named) has been moved in to the warmth though, with no sunshine, his singing capabilities have not been exercised today.
The solar engineer is coming tomorrow when, we believe, the rain may be subsiding and we start to get some more sunshine. Probably will only be a short respite as the autumn rains generally coincide with the Cadiar fiesta which is one for four days next weekend. Free wine flows from the fountain in the centre of town and I don't think the locals get much sleep. I have a plan forming to spend Saturday night sleeping in the van in town!
PS. Internal leaks stopped being 'minimised' and I'm now back inside after a soaking having re-adjusted plastic sheeting on roof. Time for a coffee and a drying-off in front of the fire!! I hear there are flash floods in other parts of Andalucia; at least on the hill here we're spared those.
Friday, 28 September 2012
The rain in Spain...
Apologies for the lack of posts...the rains have hit (some yesterday & 4" or so today), my builders have gone home (after making unannounced design changes to my new roof), my kitchen ceiling is leaking and my reserves of power (solar not me) are very deleted (oh, and the fire is lit!)
Apart from that, everything's wonderful!
More updates and catch-up posts when I can spare the electricity (repairman coming tomorrow though that could be a Spanish tomorrow).
Apart from that, everything's wonderful!
More updates and catch-up posts when I can spare the electricity (repairman coming tomorrow though that could be a Spanish tomorrow).
Thursday, 27 September 2012
The bread man cometh
Despite being a mile or so off the road, every Thursday morning at 8.15 a van winds its way up the track tooting his horn when in sight of the cortijo. While his prices are, as you would expect, higher than in the local towns, it's a useful service and takes me back to my days of living in a village with no shops.
The bread man goeth...
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Wet
It's raining...first rain I've seen since 25th August. Might settle the dust! Glad to say the builders are waterproof so work continues.
Still in a t-shirt...just
Woke to a very red sunrise and a temperature described here as 'frescita'. Rain looks like it's coming in from the west but having seen the English news I'm not going to complain while I can still see the other side of the valley!
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
... and it went back in again!
Mere hours after my bathroom roof had been trashed, my hopes of a hot shower inside a planetarium were dashed as 9 roof beams were laid and the polystyrene in-fill laid!
Plastering aside, it's full steam ahead with the various roof layers that are going on. Luckily I got the telephone number of a very good cleaner today, post-building clear-ups being a speciality of hers I gather.
Plastering aside, it's full steam ahead with the various roof layers that are going on. Luckily I got the telephone number of a very good cleaner today, post-building clear-ups being a speciality of hers I gather.
..and the roof came tumbling in
"What a lovely shade of blue you have on your bathroom ceiling" I can hear you say. Said ceiling is, of course, the sky. My "Baño con sol" is looking very sorry for itself. However, the excavations to get to this stage have revealed that, due to some seriously dodgy roofing work in the past, another winter would have probably brought the whole lot down in an uncontrolled manner.
I may have mentioned before that the night sky here is absolutely amazing with no light pollution and so my pre-bedtime ablutions should be quite atmospheric tonight! With the protective boarding now gone from the bath, I may even get a shower (...yes, I will move the electricity cable dangling down the wall first!)
Monday, 24 September 2012
Avispas
In common with alot of places, Los Ruices is pestered by wasps (avispas) as summer draws to a close. I was always told to fill a jar with water and jam and that would attract and drown the blighters.
Things are done slightly different here. My builder, Pepe, has constructed 2 marvellously effective devices which over the course of the last week have depleted the local wasp population of at least 100 individuals.
For reference, instructions are as follows:
i) Take 1 plastic water bottle with top.
ii) Undo top and make a small hole in it.
iii) Thread a piece of string through the hole and attach a small piece of sausage to the end (big debate going on as to the best sort but must be meaty)
iv) Put 2" of water in the bottle
v) Insert sausage in to bottle
vi) Trap string between top and bottle and screw down, adjusting top of sausage to mid-way up the bottle
vii) Take cigar (and make a number of holes in the bottle at the same height as the top of the sausage
viii) Hang bottle from suitable point (the sunnier the better)
ix) Watch the wasps throw themselves at the bottle never to return.
You'll never use jam again.
Things are done slightly different here. My builder, Pepe, has constructed 2 marvellously effective devices which over the course of the last week have depleted the local wasp population of at least 100 individuals.
For reference, instructions are as follows:
i) Take 1 plastic water bottle with top.
ii) Undo top and make a small hole in it.
iii) Thread a piece of string through the hole and attach a small piece of sausage to the end (big debate going on as to the best sort but must be meaty)
iv) Put 2" of water in the bottle
v) Insert sausage in to bottle
vi) Trap string between top and bottle and screw down, adjusting top of sausage to mid-way up the bottle
vii) Take cigar (and make a number of holes in the bottle at the same height as the top of the sausage
viii) Hang bottle from suitable point (the sunnier the better)
ix) Watch the wasps throw themselves at the bottle never to return.
You'll never use jam again.
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