The wanderer returns Rodney arrived back 12 December from an interesting 10 weeks in Qatar. Just in time to help stir the the Christmas cake and make a wish. Happy to be home. Still catching up on emails. Feet up at last, the crossword and the first beer for a while.

A short-lived retirement Rodney's birthday was quite momentous apart from the 4.30 am irrigation adventures. A call from the US summoned him from retirement to advise on maths education in Qatar. Ten days later he was on the plane headed to Qatar. He has the camera, so watch this space for photos of life in Doha! Meantime, back in Salobrena, reformas are progressing - slowly. Today was a red letter day. The new dining table and chairs arrived. Perfecto! The longed for granite worktop for the kitchen is still pending - longed for because its arrival will mean that we will have a kitchen sink and hob once again. It will be great to abandon the camping gaz stove on the terrace and doing the washing up in the downstairs bathroom. Also promised soon is the new solar electric system for the cortijo. The batteries have been delivered. We're now waiting for the rest of the system and the installation. On Sunday Sandra's Dad arrives for three weeks. If there's no kitchen worktop by then we'll be checking out all Menus del dia in Salobrena's restaurants!

Irrigation by torchlight Rodney's birthday, 19 September, we were up at 4.30 am! We could draw water from the azeicia between 5.00 and 6.00 am. It was dark. These days it doesn't get light until around 7.30 am. The stars were amazing but there was no moon. Miguel came up from Lanjaron the previous evening and was well prepared with a miner's lamp strapped to his head. Given that it's September, when the water came there was lots. Quite often at this time of year there's not much. First we filled our domestic water tank, then our irrigation tank. That didn't take long and they are now full to the brim. Then we set about irrigating the trees which was quite fun by our feeble torchlight - I held the torch and Rodney cleared out the ditches. As usual we got pretty wet and the water was COLD but we did manage to stay on the terraces and not fall off! By 6 am we were all done. after a shower and breakfast I fell asleep on the sofa. The water came just at the right time as we had just completed the summer pruning. Quite a different birthday. Neither of us had a lot of energy for celebrating but Rodney had a Happy Birthday nonetheless. More on that later.

The first chill of autumn The first hint of autumn in the air was an excuse to try out the fireplace. Dry chestnut wood burns well and we have plenty of that. We soon had a merry blaze going. Another month and we'll be roasting chestnuts. Next, we'll try out the 'horno', the outside oven. Meantime we're doing some late summer pruning. This morning we planted four year-old almond trees that Miguel grew from seed.

Anniversary in Antequera The andalucian pueblo blanco of Antequera is a town of dolmens, churches, convents, monasteries and tapas bars on the edge of a wide fertile plain. Opening hours for the sights on Sundays are from 11 am to 2 pm. Setting out early from the cortijo we made the Neolithic dolmens and, just, the municipal museum whose treasure is the first century Roman bronze Efigio. Then, after a leisurely lunch in the plaza across from our hotel, in the quiet siesta hours we followed a route through the town taking in various palaces, churches, convents, the arab castillo and the steep winding streets with glimpses of views over the plain. Wrought iron balcons and windows shuttered against the afternoon heat everywhere.

Lost of restoration too.

The wide open veja beyond the town.

View from the walls of the arab castle.

The wooden doors of the palaces enclose green courtyards.

View from the balcony of our hotel - a restored palace. In the evening the plazas come to life. Waiters set out the tables for tapas.

View from the hotel room in the morning.

Our breakfast in the courtyard of the hotel.

Their breakfast. Also staying at the hotel was a group of four Spanish couples. The men and women breakfasted at separate tables. The mens' breakfast - San Miguel beers and jamon rolls.

September, a perfect month The crowds are thinning on the beach in Salobrena, and the mornings and evenings are delightfully cool. The builders are in the Venus apartment and we are up at the cortijo. Building work is well under way. The debris from the planters on the terrace, living room, the old tiling from the terrace, the built-in breakfast bar and seating filled a skip! The new tiling on the terrace is now three-quarters complete. The living room is being replastered where the breakfast bar and built in seats have been taken out. And the kitchen is - coming along. Yesterday we went along with Bob the Builder to choose the granite worktop. Up at the cortijo there is almost a hint of autumn in the air, especially as the walnut and chestnut trees near the house lost most of their leaves in the gales a week or so ago. In the evenings the air is crisp. No longer do we take a 'Bali-style' outside bathe from our solar shower in the evenings. Our neighbour invited us to pick his tomatoes while he away in Galicia for a week on vacation. Sun-warmed cherry, plum and marmande tomatoes straight from the vine with our pot basil are wonderful! Lunch . . . . . . with a view Breakfast. And a little work! Last week we hired a 'man with a van' to bring up the larger boxes form the garage - chest, bookcases and the grandfather clock. Today I unpacked the clock from its crate. It seems at home here and is ticking away merrily. During the move it shed a couple of pieces of wood, we haven't discovered where yet, but it's working nonetheless.

Getting there - August 2007 Our bedroom at the cortijo. Note the mediaeval tent mosquito net, an Almunecar special. The living room.

Strimming the top terrace. Only another six to go!

The neblina rolls in from the sea but we are above it.

The firebomber practicising tanking up with seawater right in front of us in Salobrena.

And practising bombing - fortunately no-one underneath.

First dinner on the new table and chairs at the cortijo. We're using the good 'ol Coleman camping stove (hidden by me). Behind is the oven, reputed to be great for bread, that we haven't tried yet. (Weather too hot at the moment. We're sure it will be great in the winter.)

La primera agua Friday 13 July (no, we are not superstitious) was our first 'water day' at the cortijo, an hour between 1 pm and 2 pm when we could take water from the azeicia. In the winter, water days are once a week. But in the summer, they may only be once every one or two months. So, summer water days are big social occasions. Everyone makes sure they are up at their cortijos ready, at their apointed hour to first, fill their tanks and, then, if there is sufficient water irrigate their land. While they wait, they pick their produce (cherries for the man from Almeria) or check their irrigation channels. We made sure to be there in plenty of time after Miguel alerted us by email and telephone. We have several neighbours, Miguel and Encarni above us from whom we bought the cortijo. To, the west above and below, a gentleman from Almeria, immediately to the west, a family from Granada, and further to the west a professora and her husband, also from Granada. Most come just for 'al fin de semana' but often for longer in the summer and Christmas holidays but everyone was there on Friday. It was a fun day. We learned heaps. And all this was first put in place centuries ago by the arabs. Amazing! Miguel opens the top sluice gate at 1 pm. First priority is to fill the tank for domestic water. This one serves our cortijo. Drinking water we bring from a spring on our way up.

The water flowed abundantly. Once the domestic tank is full, next, the water flows down to fill . .

. . . the tank for our irrigation water. The water goes into a pipe, under the terrace and into the tank.

Miguel and Rodney examining one of the almond trees. The cold snap at blossom time means that there are very few nuts up here this year. To their right, a walnut tree with lots of walnuts.

Down on one of the terraces clearing out the channels so that water runs to the trees-apples, pears, cherries, almonds, walnuts, blackberries and (loads of) vines.

Miguel and behind him, one of the many chestnut trees, in flower.

Unblocking the pipe the takes the water beneath the track to the terraces below. The neighbour with the wellie boots has the right idea - it's can be a wet and muddy job.

Dinner on the terrace

29 June our first weekend at the cortijo Rodney testing out the IBERBANDA internet connection. Painting the 'balcon'.

Spot the internet receiver on the roof.

Javana Spa Indonesia is famous for its spas. So, yes we did, we took a four-day break at Javana Spa, an idyllic spot, about three hours south of Jakarta.

First morning, up at 5.30 am for a walk through the jungle to waterfall 1. Hot ginger tea to encourage us.

Healthy lunch! Crispy cheese sticks were standard fare.

A favourite - the onsen. Outdoor open air pool fed by sulphur springs from the volcano.

A rare moment of relaxation in between the nature walks, exercise and spa sessions.

Early morning stretch before the hike to waterfall 4.

Yes he did. The water falling on your back is said to be therapeutic.

Me too. Briefly. Definitely invigorating.

Hard to beat isn't it?

Great pool but we just didn't get round to fitting in a swim.