Back to a full house in the hills!

Climbing in Sierra de Toix. Mascarat Gorge and Bernia Ridge in  the distance

Our peace and tranquillity was shattered at the arrival of dad and Elizabeth back, the alcohol intake has gone back up and the DIY requirement has also increased. 

As I type Brian and Elizabeth are competing for space in the kitchen as he makes bread and butter pudding for a dinner party tonight and she is making a victoria sponge for a cup of tea once the prep for dinner is done! I am giggling at the chatter and keeping well out of the way until my vegetable peeling skills are required!

Morning view from the balcony, the suns shadow emphasising the contours of the distant mountains

Jackie getting ready to climb in Sierra de Toix

In the last week we have been climbing three times, have had paella on the balcony for Sunday lunch with Jane and Michael (Elizabeth’s sister), Brian has put three layers of varnish on the bedroom floor and tomorrow we swap rooms so we can do the other bedroom floor before we go. He’s done some plastering at Jane and Michaels which will need painting over, we are theirs for dinner on Friday and time is vanishing very fast as we are heading off on Monday to Barcelona for a couple of nights before retrieving our ski stuff in the Dordogne and setting off for the Alps where the ski season officially starts on the 13^th December! 

Although it is chilly here in the evenings we are out during the day in summer weight climbing clothes, the idea of skiing is all too much for my head to cope with!

The cat is even beginning to accept us and allow a little stroke, just in time to leave….

Jackies dad Richard, Jackie and Elizabeth

 

Richard cooking the paella on the BBQ

Elizabeth lines up her camera to take a photo of Richard

Now THAT is a paella!

Sunday lunch on the balcony with Jane (Elizabeths sister) and Michael

Pepa the cat gets the odd prawn head thrown to her

Its the final of the Davis Cup tennis tournament, Andy Murray scores a point, Jane and Elizabeth have to go and watch

Happy girls as Andy Murray lifts the trophy

Chestnuts (that we collected in France) cooking on an open fire

A nest of poisonous Processionary caterpillars that we cut out of a tree in the garden. Nasty things these! See: http://www.abacoadvisers.com/spain_explained/life-spain/news/processionary-caterpillars-spain

Elizabeth, Jackie and Richard wave from the balcony

And here's the four of us, just to show Brian was there too!

On a short walk today in Altea la Vella. That's the full Bernia Ridge in the background and I'm very pleased to be able to say we have been on top of every one of those notchy crests!

And its bye-bye from Elizabeth