We are still in Barcelona enjoying the sunshine, walking on the beach where everyone tells me the young ladies are almost wearing bikinis, I of course don’t notice, the ocean is warm and the sky is blue and we are struggling to keep cool. And I am of course dreaming it is very cool over here, maybe not as bad as back in the UK but jeans and jackets are required instead of shorts and t-shirts.


A bit of a problem for me as I for some reason expected it to be warm enough for summer clothes so that’s all I brought but naturally no problem for Christine who also brought summer clothes but has now made three trips to the Barcelona shops and now owns a new Autumn Collection. I can spot a issue coming up in that when we came to Barcelona Christine’s case overflowed into mine so I’ll wait for her solution as to how she will get all her new purchases home.


Although someway along the line I can see it’ll be my problem and I’ll finish up leaving enough of my stuff here to get her new stuff home.



The kids are very excited this trip they have been adopted by Dougie Kitten a little cat that has taken to living outside on their back terrace. When we arrived the kids were giving it a milk drink now and again but since Christine’s arrival we now have cat food in the cupboards and it waits outside to get fed morning and night and in between times it does cute tricks outside the patio doors to keep everyone’s attention.Its aim is obviously to get into the house and become the family pet.


It has two problems to overcome, Alex who doesn’t want a pet as she knows she will be the one left to look after it and clean up any mess it makes and Dave who simply won’t have in the house. Grumpy or what! Well not really he is allergic to cats although he can be found from time to time on the terrace playing with little Dougie Kitten.


The problem created by having a kitten on the terrace outside the patio doors that isn’t allowed in the house is that it holds everyone hostage. Open the door to go out and he is in quick as a flash and even if you get out you can’t get back in again without him getting his foot in the door. So here we sit in the middle in the day when it still gets quite warm with the air coniditioning on as we can’t leave the doors open.


It’s obvious that at some point either the kitten has to go or they must let it come in, it makes no sense being held hostage in your own home by a very small ball of fluff. Will the kids and Grandma have their way and let it in or will Alex and Dave find somewhere else for it to live? We wait to find out.



We all seem to be unhealthy with coughs and colds at the moment which in my case I put down to the weather and the Bodega. The weather is stopping my keep fit routine as there is no-one on the beach and The Bodega is open again leading to nightly sherbets before dinner. Of course there may be other ways to keep fit but not as much as fun and as for the sherbets, lack of will power I’m afraid.