Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

A prophetic wedding present from my Mother!

A fact of falling in love with someone new and remaining that way inclined is that you soon realise that it pays to develop more than a passing interest in their chosen pastime.  For me that meant developing a love of the game of football. It was either that or accept the vacuum of space and time we'd have to spend apart during the seemingly endless season.  I used to believe that football was just about the worst waste of broadcasting airspace and sponsorship negotiation known to any intelligent thought: a sport for the overpaid and underdeveloped (intellectually speaking!); 90 minutes of running about and falling over quite a bit, gripping some part of a lower limb, then occasionally scoring a goal whereat the "dubious" injury to said lower limb is subsequently all forgotten about.  Based on this, my apparent turnabout can only mean one thing: I am stupidly in love and will go along with ANYTHING as a result! Ah well, I suppose it's quite fun when you get into it and, we do have fun (remembering that ridiculous earlier shot of us all in blue and white wigs.)




First game of the season, in our new seats … a whole 10 rows nearer the goal!

Malaga CF might fare better in La Liga 2

And that's all I shall say on the matter of football … for now. 

It's been a busy time at the Finca and being good to my word (mainly between myself and me) I am filling my days honing my housewifery skills (is 'housewifery' even a word?).  I'm not ashamed to say that I'm loving it!  Sorry girls, I realise that I may be letting the side down. "Where is your independence, your gritty resolve, your 'If you want it doing, do it yourself oh dear husband of mine'" I hear you cry out in exasperation!  I won't blame you for wanting to grasp me firmly by the shoulders and giving me a good shake.  Or perhaps you're like me: satisfied with your career achievements, you've folded your wings in quiet repose to concentrate on what matters most?  These days, my 'proper job' is multi faceted but essentially means taking care of my home, my animals and my husband. That's more than enough.

So with no more wedding planning to occupy my every waking hour and with the oppressive heat of summer slowly beginning to wane, I can begin plans to breathe new life into our home.  First on the project hit list is the freshening up of our two guest rooms. The principal one is in pretty good shape already and in any event will receive its next occupant in a week, so the second will have its makeover first.  The lid has come off the home improvement budget tin and I have begun my shopping trips for furnishing fabrics and 'accent' colour schemes. I persuaded Scott that the removal of the giant monolithic wardrobe to its new home in the study would answer the storage needs there and make the vacated guest room more spacious and comfortable. He's resigned now to my persuasive skills and actually doesn't care that I'm riding roughshod all over the place. Someone should have probably warned him of the dangers of giving me so much free rein!

When I'm not eagerly flicking through fabric swatches and paint colours, or filling holes and rubbing down paintwork, I'm pulling my recipe books down from the shelves.  The tomato plants have been burgeoning under the weight of a good crop. Now, Scott does love to give some of his homegrown produce away to friends and favourite customers but that still leaves plenty for us to roast or chop for a salad.  For something a little extra, one of the first products to come out of the kitchen under our Finca Tres Hermanos label was Spicy Tomato Chutney.  Following closely behind the chutney was our first batches of Peach and Paraguaya, and Spiced Peach Marmalades.  I'll share the recipes for these separately.

Our peach tree, planted in memory of my Father, produced 24 peaches in its first
season; the basis of our tasty pots of marmalade.

Some of our produce. When I created the labels, I used my design for our wedding
 stationery. Even the fabric is left over lining for our wedding favour baskets. A nice reminder of a happy day!



Our tomatoes eagerly waiting to be turned into something delicious!

The vegetable patch is beginning to look a little empty of its summer crops and we'll soon need to prepare the soil for planting out the winter growing vegetables.  Other than tomatoes, we've had a good crop of garlic, onions, beetroot, melons and peppers.  Sadly, our runner beans weren't a success this year but perhaps we'll give them another go next Spring.



Piles of manure ready to rotovate into the beds to make ready for our winter crop.

The second veggie patch, looking out towards the pool bar. The row
of tomatoes is virtually at an end, but we may still get a late autumn yield.

Most of our weekends are spent in the garden and there's a great deal to do aside from tend the vegetable patch.  It's not mowing season yet, so time is occupied by trimming trees and pulling up weeds. We also have a container lock up and large wooden shed that are both in dire need of a good sort out, especially since I've been adding clutter from my workshop at Finca del Olivar.  Moving the wardrobe from the guest room to the study began a domino effect of additional jobs with poor Mr Forbes at the receiving end of yet more of my organisational ideas. With Scott being a plumber, parts of our garden can be likened to Steptoe's yard: lumps of old boiler, pumps, bits of toilets, bathroom fittings, pipe joints and random piles of copper are scattered here and there.  I've done my best to convince him to file the lot behind the giant pampas hedge and he does try to be fair; however, the odd bit of scrap can be spotted lurking beside the oleander hedge or any convenient place he feels prone to drop it after years of habit. 

Anyhow, in true organisational Forbes fashion (meaning me and my OCD!), Scott and I are getting to grips with our outside storage. After my gentle questioning techniques (honest!) a huge pile of boiler parts have been reduced to what Scott will most likely use.

The Shed : Half way to tidy.  Well, for a start, we can now see the floor!

A random pile of plumber's bits, but at least this one was destined for the scrappy.

Despite the flurry of activity, we're not forgetting to allow ourselves time out to relax and enjoy what is left of the summer.  Dark evenings cosying up in front of the fire are just around the corner so the end of summer has to be enjoyed to the fullest.  The occasional escape to the beach is not overlooked.  More recently, we went further afield to enjoy lunch at a friend's newly opened Beach Bar in the Europe's surf capital: Tarifa.  Life's a beach as they say!

A day off and Mr Forbes can't get on that beach quick enough!

Not just a veggie patch, we have melons too!



'Coinish' Pasties: fresh out of the oven.  If you have to ask? It's because we live in Coín of course!