CASA OLIMPIA.

Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 31st/1st/2nd/3rd. August /September 2009.

Monday 31st August.

This week we are taking things as easy as possible at the villa as last week was hard as we settled back into the old routine, there was lots of cleaning, washing and ironing for Brenda which is not in our normal remit for the housitting work and after my little operation on Thursday I have not been feeling my real self for the last few days; at the same time we have been left with lots of problems and jobs which we have been asked to do by both Chris and Nina which we don’t mind looking after if we are going to be properly seen to financially and things are put on a more business like footing; we have to continually chase for payment of our outstanding bill as the transfers from bank account to bank account, which is not anybodies fault, take so long! What we need is a working float so as we can react to things as they happen, at the same time we have to arrange the payments for Mano and his team’s work which is also proving difficult as we constantly piggy in the middle looking after the needs of both parties and Chris is not the most easy person to get on the phone due to his very busy business commitments around the world! Our job definition has changed, especially now that it looks like Joan is not moving back to England, we are now doing the job of “ Factor’s ” acting as agents for Chris and the villa and with help of Mano,which we are very grateful for, we can sort out all the problems as they arise and at the same time carry on with the refurbishment work both inside and out which Mano is hoping to get the contract for! We are also going to try and get cover here at the villa, so as we can get home more often,Mano and Anna have offered to help in the first instance; we have got our other customers to think about, Clive and Carolyn are planning to be away in October for instance, only today I took a call from some new prospective customers in Sotogrande, which we are meeting up with next week, and it sounds very promising on the same lines as Clive and Carolyn’s needs! We also have the upcoming arrival of Brenda’s sisters to plan for at the end of September as well as getting to see Andrea ,Ben and Freya when they are here at the same time! So, all in all, it is a very interesting ,if not frustrating time ,all round! Watch this space !!

Tuesday 1st September 2009.

The weather at the moment on the Costa del Sol is still very hot and sunny whilst here we have a little breeze all the time which makes it very nice, the nights are still very warm at this time of the year and in the papers over the weekend it has been talking about the sea temperature which has been the highest this year on record!
This morning, as a way of relaxation, I’ve been jet washing the steps down to the pool, which have come up as new and in the next few days I will do the same to the marble patio floor in front of the pool. Joan is fine and the two dogs and three cats are content; we have a light snack lunch and we starting to have more substantial dinners as the evening’s start to draw in.

Wednesday 2nd September 2009.

First thing this morning I shot across to the bank in Estepona and then called into the hypermarket before heading up to Manilva,I called into the house to collect the mail and water the plants and also leave a prescription at the surgery; the preparations for the wine festival, at the weekend are well on the way, the wine vat at the top of our street has been built and the new blue and white awning has been put up over the main street, the two band stages have been built outside the two town halls and the bars are starting to construct the temporary palm covered fronts, we are very sorry to be missing the highlight of the festival season! On the way back I popped in to our local supermarket, stopped to pick up the weekly newspapers and then picked up a nice piece of Beef for the weekend. In the afternoon I made a Chicken curry, our first for a long time, which we all enjoyed especially Joan who could not remember when she last had one!

Thursday 3rd September 2009.

This morning I finished the patio floor with the jet wash, as promised and then caught up with the blog,as you can see! We were going to go to Gibraltar today but at the moment there are very long queues due to the Spanish authorities acting up at the busiest time of the year, so we will have to wait till it calms down! We hoping to set up a phone call with Chris at the weekend to resolve our future dealing with him here at Casa Olimpia as outlined above,watch this space !! This evening we are having Spanish Lamb cutlets on Boulangere potatoes for supper,which I am just about to go and make.
PS;
As I was walking into the kitchen I've just had a very nasty fall,I slipped and fell on my side and gave my shoulder,arm and ribs a bad knock,I was down on the floor for about twenty minute's as the wind was knocked out of me,nurse Brenda arrived and there are no broken bones !