Back to La Chanca

I went away for a week back to England, and it feels as if I have been away for a year!

It was an important trip to mark Dad’s birthday, one year after he died, so maybe the milestone aspect made it seem longer.

We did him proud, my mother, sisters and myself, celebrating his birthday all together in Poole. Only my brother in Hong Kong was missing due to work.

The main thing we had to do was collect Dad’s ashes. They had been there a year because the original plan had been to bury them there in the woodland burial ground but only when the whole family could be together.

However, it turned out that in the run up to the visit, Lexi, Mum and I had all had the same idea – wouldn’t Dad prefer his final resting place to be in Spain, on the hills where.he loved to walk the dogs?

He loved it so much here, first being involved in the building works to the house, then joining in our music projects, playing with the kids, and even in his latter years able to enjoy so many happy times here.

It was kind of weird that we had all had the same thoughts but separately – we like to think he was guiding us from above!

So we took him away from the woodland burial ground. I was elected to carry the box of ashes (having no idea how heavy they would be) and now Dad has taken up residence again with Mum, pending arrangements in Spain.

Anyway after all that, Mum deserved a holiday and so now she is having her first stay in La Chanca!

Here she is sorting out the garden – all three pots of it!

It was nice to be back. I can’t say it really feels like home yet, partly because I am still moving around so much, and also of course because I do still have my own home – in which I am looking forward to spending the Easter holidays with the children when they arrive in a couple of days.

As Mum said, the La Chanca house still has that kind of holiday home feel to it – but that’s good for now when she is enjoying the sun on the balcony and the great view over the castle.

I managed to get back on my bike to go to the office – a bit out of practice though – nearly fell off going down a kerb (taking a pavement shortcut down a one way street) but luckily steadied myself on a nearby parked car! And I hadn’t even had a beer!

Tonight we are doing the tapas trail and definitely walking!