Last night and today, one of the neighbour’s dogs was been barking almost incessantly but I think we got some sleep, eventually. I may have to go and kill it. What a way to end up in a Spanish prison. Maybe the owner has pegged out and it’s hungry?

Anyway, this morning dawned to brilliant sunshine and, after a lazy morning, we tried to get up the Bernia (a mountain behind the house). However, both roads that we knew led up there were blocked by lorries, so that didn’t work. Undaunted, we changed direction and went to Calpe to have a spot of calamari and chipitos (baby octopus, I think) for lunch. After a walk up part of Calpe rock, we found the new supermarket and got yet more seafood for tonight’s dinner – tellinas which are small bivalves rather like cockles but a slightly different shape. I’ll whip these up simply with some garlic and parsley on fine spaghetti.

Yesterday morning was an early(ish) start to take Chris and Yvonne to Alicante airport for their flight to the UK on the first leg of their journey to Barbados for their cruise. A slightly tentative journey of about 90 minutes while I tried to get used to a strange car, again with its owner sitting in the passenger seat. After messing with the rush hour around Alicante, we dropped them off in plenty of time and were cut loose to negotiate the return journey alone.

Tuesday is market day in Jalon, so, having managed to find our way back successfully, we wandered into the market to do some shopping. There were some good looking alcachofas (artichokes) which, along with some conejo (rabbit) and langostinos (prawns –  a tad disappointing), were screaming paella. Some of our shopping came from a new Masymas supermercat that has recently opened in Jalon. Naturally, we also needed a couple of litres of vino rosado from the local cooperativo to wash everything down.

After lunch in the sun, our afternoon was mainly house chores with a shortish walk to try to give el perrito some exercise and keep him happy. We managed to raid some pink peppercorns from a tree en route. Now we need to find some monkfish. 🙂

Yesterday was really an orientation day and a refresher course in how to look after the house complete with small dog (which is now sitting on my lap between me and the keyboard as I try to type). Apparently, our favourite supermercado in Benissa is currently shut for renovations so we’re going to have to get used to something else. It shouldn’t be too difficult as there is a new, bigger one in nearby Calpe.

Chris walked us into Jalon where we managed to get some money out of a hole in the wall. We had tried to get some from the Post Office at home before leaving but arrived at 4:00 PM precisely – just as the doors were being locked. T’riffic! We also managed to take el perrito for a walk in the afternoon without getting him killed either by traffic or other perritos. So far so good.

Later in the afternoon, since Chris and Yvonne were frantically packing for their West Indies trip, Carol and I managed to volunteer ourselves for galley duties which is a tad scarey in someone else’s kitchen with strange equipment under the watchful eyes of the owners. All seemed to go well, however, and food was eventually gratefully received.

A relatively early night was deemed appropriate as we were to be up and off early in the morning to get Chris and Yvonne to Alicante airport for their departing flight to the UK.

A 5:00 AM alarm awoke us rudely for our planned 8:00 AM easyJet departure from Luton airport to Alicante. Unfortunately, the previous crew had apparently left a switch on in the flight deck of the Boeing 737 which now had a flat battery so we all had to get out and push. Eventually after some frenetic recharging work, we managed to get under way about an hour late and arrived in Alicante at 12:10 PM under blue skies and glorious sunshine.

Chris met us at the airport and ferried us on to the Jalon valley where we were reunited with Yvonne and Scamp (el perrito). We were here in February for two weeks to look after Chris and Yvonne’s house and dog, and are now back for a repeat engagement while they cruise around a few West Indian islands. It’s a lousy job but someone has to do it.

The day finished with a traditional Spanish dinner of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding washed down with some vino. Doubtless, we will also be renewing our acquaintance with the local Jalon wine cooperative over the coming days. I may have to buy some gin, too, just to make sure that the lemons in the orchard are up to scratch.