1 of May

May 3, 2009

Holidays from school are always welcomed, and we took this one to enjoy the fantastic spring weather together as a family.  A day trip to the meadows below the fairy tale castle in Segovia, to walk along the river and enjoy a picnic, and a family game of padel were among the highlights during this spring long weekend.

         

 

 

 

 Edgar heads off to Tarragona tomorrow with some other co-workers for a conference with bible teaching and a chance to receive some input instead of having to plan and prepare seminars etc to give to others.

 

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Feliz Año Nuevo. Happy New Year 2009

February 15, 2009

We do hope this is not the first blog entry for another 4+ months. Having caught up with the last little blog sermon dated Sept 2008, this entry is well overdue.

We are well and enjoying first signs of the beginning of Spring this weekend , longer days, warmer weather, I even cleaned the autumn leaves and dust off the terrace yesterday, hoping for a possible outdoor lunch soon.  However winter is not behind us yet, as the continual mix of windy, wet and snowy weather has proved these last months.

This week the boys are enjoying mid term break or semana blanca as it is traditionally called in Spain - white week - and as there is plenty of snow on the mountains 20 minutes from our door, we hope to enjoy some family snowy fun.

Talking of winter sports, our son Asier 3 year and 7 months has been taking up extreme sports himself, resulting in a cracked humerous (not funny).  who would have thought an innocent trip to a soft play ball park with a bunch of 3 year olds would have all ended in tears and a trip the hospital.

 

I have taken up extreme sports, age 3 yrs 7 months 

I have taken up extreme sports, age 3yrs 7month. Asier Álvarez. No more soft play parks for me, that’s for, well, softies, I’ll see you on the off piste slopes.  Over and out!!

 

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The Credit Crunch

September 4, 2008

What is life like in Spain we are often asked? In many ways very different to life in Britain, but at other times so similar.

How is the credit crunch affecting your lifestyle? Petrol and food prices rising sharply, value of property plumetting, usual holiday plans being curbed etc. In Spain these issues are affecting Spaniards and especially immigrants, where the building market is seeing it’s biggest slump. In the month of August 100,000 people laid off, taking the total in the last year to 1/2 million. Many in the building and constuction sector. The government is trying to devise relocation schemes to enable people to find new suitable employment. Not easy.

What is happening where you are? What are the pressures your friends and neighbours are feeling? Do you have words to encourage  them or like me do you often feel heavy hearted talking about these issues. No pat answers please, but we can and must sieve through the issues to find the biblical principles for hope and future, despite often depressing and grim realities infront of our eyes. Jesus did it beautifully, often with tears, prayer, but always with love and a heart that knew the real heart of the stuggle of mankind to find peace and happiness. The answer for which only lies in him.

 As challenging and difficult as this year is in many ways, lets use it as a time to go back to basics and dig deep to find water, living water.

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Tragedy in Madrid Airport once again

The state funeral for the 154 victims of the tragic Spanair accident in Barajas, Madrid’s busy airport, is to finally go ahead this coming Thursday 11th September. The plane was taking off from Madrid, heading for Gran Canaria.One believer from Madrid died in the accident. There was a memorial service for him in our mother baptist church in Madrid city. This is a busy route for islanders as well as tourists. Edgar takes this trip sometimes once or twice a year, just as we use the Atocha train route from time to time.

The official enquiry into the accident is still going on, with much rumour and speculation still abounding. The domino effect is being shown in other flights being delayed, planes with technical problems causing great anxiety and concern.

I think the effects of globalization make such issues felt worldwide and travellers understand that feeling of vunerability and uncertainty which suddenly rocks a pretty self absorbed and insular lifestyle. 

 

 

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Nappies and Stabilizers

August 12, 2008
What do these have in common in our family?They both came off the same day. No more nappies for Asier and no more stabilizers on Gabriel’s bike this month.
 
Gabriel has begun to enjoy the freedom of cycling on 2 wheels instead of 4, practising on the long straight paths down in the garden with dad…meanwhile back at the ranch, Asier is modelling big boy pants, playing with mum, and hitting the potty or loo most of the time,  between the odd cry of " oh oh a puddle". I know, I know, before you jump to the conclusion that Jane got the short straw with the potty training, the state of sweaty Edgar yesterday, after an hour in the late afternoon sun, running alongside his enthusiastic speedy cycling son, made me realise I had done not too bad on toilet duty! 
 
I think things are progressing nicely in both camps! Gabriel is daydreaming of his first racing bike like his Uncle Norrie, while Asier, well Asier seems to be quite happy with the more immediate things of a new sticker, hugs, treats and running victory laps round the lounge, all as long as his audience are watching. Life is good.emoticon
 
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por fin las vacaciones!

August 10, 2008
The National Youth camp 20-27 July, officially marks the end of edgar’s working year, which began 1 Sept 2007, and therefore the beginning of family holidays.
 
As soon as the last camper left on Sunday 27th July, we set to pack and leave for valencia City where we were to enjoy our family holiday, only to be told, no need to rush away, just stay for a swim and lunch…well we snatched up that offer of beginning to relax together without having to go anywhere…swim rolled into lunch by which time we had a siesta, afternoon tea and finally left around 19.00hrs! We arrived in Valencia city in time to eat supper and settle in our flat, feed the cat etc etc.
 
La Ciudad de Artes y Las Ciencias, a Calatrava architectural gem, is quite a complex, by day or night. We spent time exploring, inside and out, day and night with the boys. Fantastic. In the oceanografic centre, we saw sharks swimming overhead as we walked through the observation tunnel -definitely one of the hi-lights for Gabriel and Asier.
 
 
 
 
 
and of course no costal holiday would be complete without a trip to the beach! What a fun holiday with the boys. We headed home at the beginning of August, to continue enjoying the school holidays till the boys go back to school on 11 September. That means being in Madrid enjoying swims, catching up with friends and neighbours and enjoying being together. Edgar will work mornings and join us for swims, trips etc in the afternoons, so as not to use up all his annual holiday leave in one fell swoop! Hope you are having a great summer. 
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Morning Campers

August 9, 2008
 
 
 
81 campers and 10 leaders came to the end of year youth camp in Valencia. No squabbles over sleeping arrangements this year, instead we had some difficulty getting the girls to keep the bathrooms in a " please leave it as you would like to find it" state. We were delighted to meet Anna from our home church in Scotland ( tanned beauty on the right) and Rebecca from Switzerland, who were spending 2 months at the campsite working.
 
The main morning sessions were led by probably one of the best Spanish youth speakers we have met in our 9 years since coming to Spain. A young 23 year old Valenciano, who is using his training in music to create spanish Christian music for young people, as well as challenging teenagers to meet Jesus, with his engaging bible teaching style. Very refreshing for all of us.
 
Jane and the boys had a wonderful time too, enjoying sports, swimming and meeting new people on camp, running around outside  till it was dark, cakes and biscuits for breakfast as well as huge slices of locally grown fresh fruit for lunch , falling into bed late and out for the count before 2 little heads touched their pillows. Ahhh. Childhood Bliss.

 
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Hormonally Challenged Teenagers

July 13, 2008
How many could you handle at one sitting? 
89?
 
This is the challenge for Edgar and the 9 strong  team leading the  GBE national end of year youth camp, 20-27 July in Valencia. A group of 13-17 year olds arriving by public transport from all across spain.
 
Jane and boys tagging along to offer moral support, hand over the destress ball, regularly check out the pool temperature,  and remind Edgar why he really loves working with teenagers, when he is still trying to sort out tantrums over dorm sleeping arrangements.
 
Apart from the amazing food, weather and pool, we have the lovely addition of seing Anna, a gap year student from our home church in Glasgow at the camp. Anna is working at the camp all summer  and we look forward to meeting her on Sunday and catching up.
 

wir   goaing   tu   valencia.   wer   going   tu camp and    play   football      .and    have           good    time     we’re   going   to     have      a     good      time.
Gabriel xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

                         My first footie boots

  Getting in some good practice in our 
                     Communal Garden Pitch.    
                

 
 
 
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