Full board and lodging

All in all, the boys didn't do too badly in Spain. Natalia and Veronika were happy to spend time with them and were wonderfully patient and sweet and generous all the time. The boys, recognising that they were getting the 6 star, de-luxe treatment, took full advantage.

A favourite was rally riding through the eucalptus grove in the wheelbarrow. The girls took turns and the boys were ferried and bumped about to their hearts' content.

Gregor soon saw the potential of the shopping basket.

Alastair made sure he got his quiet time too and just loved being gently swung to watch the world go by.....

....Mostly, this would have been anything from an over-ripe orange falling from the tree or Rosie the dog getting up to inspect the garden's perimeter. It was that laid-back.

They were read to.

And fed.

And bathed.

And given a glimpse of Veronika's ingenious character, as she helped Gregor make a bird feeder to hang on the tree.

It's a hard life...

The girls go to school 10 minutes away every day from 9 till 2. On Tuesdays they ride horses in the mountains and do the odd other things, but usually it's back home to eat, do homework

and chill.

There was something quite marvellous about having a quiet sunbathe to cool off in the pool while the snow-capped mountains smirked down on you.

Karolina and the girls have made some vegetable patches for themselves and are growing carrots and herbs and flowers. They also have artichokes, chard and citrus trees that entice you into not ever wanting to leave.

To ease the stress of that siege mentality (with no imminent attack), they even get their bread delivered.

Karolina was overjoyed when the van beeped outside and baguettes fresh from Granada appeared.

Apparently, that's a sign you've settled in. When the bread arrives.

Tapas and lunch

The first day Rob took us on a brisk tour of Orgiva to buy a few provisions, a map, and learn a little bit about how it all works. It varies from place to place but in this place in central Orgiva you get some tapas - olives, goat meatballs, anchovies - with beer and cola, but not coffee.

We ate mostly at home but did try out a nearby restaurant on one of the days. To get there we had to go over their olive groves out the front, though an orchard with delicious oranges until we came to the rio guadalfeo, running right past their house almost.

Alastair was always given a helping hand in the many changes in terrain - we wanted him to conserve his energy for eating.

Gregor fended for himself and soon became one of the girls.

Gregor boldly opted to sit next to Rob at lunch. I think he thought he'd be able to get away with more if he wasn't near his parents. Ha! It came as a bit of a shock for Gregor to learn that Rob does not negotiate. Period. Here we were post goat and steak and chicken and lamb.

And then Giancarlo and Rodrigo turned up. They'd heard some new people had moved in and maybe Rob was looking for good strong husbands for his daughters.

Giancarlo offered his friend.

But was offended when the offer was declined.

Visit to the Faulds in Spain

Last month we went to visit our friends, Rob and Karolina and their girls Natalia and Veronika, in their new place just outside Orgiva, in southern Spain. This is the same Rob who excelled at oyster cracking at James' bash a few months back. Another Prague veteran.

They moved here from California 6 months ago and have settled in pretty well. Orgiva is a small town in the foothills of the Alpujarra, in the Sierra Nevada range. I hope some of the pictures will do justice to the beauty of the setting they wake up to every morning.

Here are the girls, Veronika in front and Natalia on her bike, guiding us through the eucaluptus grove, part of their extended garden. This is a front view of their house, nestled snugly between mountains at the back and an enormous "front garden", just about enough space for the girls (who know no fear) to go as mad as they dare on their bikes.

Every few days the goats come by. This is an abandoned old finca you see at the edge of the eucaplytus forest, but would have been used originally for the shepherds to rest before moving his herd on.

The boys loved hearing the bell and rushed out to watch them go by. At first Gregor tried to get amongst the herd but soon learnt he'd be better off watching from the sidelines.