ARBOLEAS LIFE issue number 6 April 2020 ARBOLEAS LIFE Newsletter sharing your news issue number 6 My name is Emma, I am 24 years of age and work in the Emergency Department. ! ! As I put on my gloves I am preparing to care for those who are battling this horrible virus. I’m putting myself at risk to make sure your loved ones get the care they need and deserve. ! ! Please stay at home to protect not only yourself but your family and friends and the rest of the population. ! ! It’s not too much to ask. The moment you step outside your door you are responsible for yourself and for others. ! ! Don’t be selfish! ! STAY AT HOME ARBOLEAS LIFE Page !1 of !29 ARBOLEAS LIFE issue number 6 April 2020 EDITORIAL Well we have survived 5 weeks now and still fairly sane. The weather hasn't been so kind to us !has it ? ! I hope very much you enjoy this bumper edition of our Magazine. What have we got for you this time. Well the lovely Jos Biggs has penned a story for us again and Belinda has sent me another item for your amusement. We have a super article about Bees with incredible close up photographs and Skye’s story continues. What have some people been doing to pass the time? Well you can find out in this edition. We also have the first part of of Jean Bye's trip to Africa. You will realise how ! remarkable a feat this was for Jean when you read it.! Plenty of other articles for you to read as well. Normally we report on the events happening to help all our local charities, sadly none of these can happen. We must remember that charities need income to do all the good work they do. Please keep back some spare cash if you can for when we get back to normal. This will help keep our local charities going. Have you decluttered yet - pack all those filled !bin bags away until you can take them to your favourite charity shop.! Enjoy the read and thank you for all the support and positive comments !on our Facebook page. I hope you find it helpful to you. ! !Thank you. Alan Pearce! PS !What did I do during lockdown - ! !it took me three weeks to read the April issue of Arboleas Life! !and in-between I made a cake for Sue’s 70th birthday Third party advertisements and links to other sites where goods or services are advertised and are not endorsements or recommendations by Arboleas Life. Your access to or use of them is at your own risk. ARBOLEAS LIFE Page !2 of !29 ARBOLEAS LIFE issue number 6 April 2020 MY NAME IS SKYE This is my story Well pack, neighbours and all my friends here kingsize was essential for a dogs good sleep. we are again. The first few months were Eventually my staff and I went down to the frantic .! "The Sleep Centre", lovely helpful people I might add. I leapt upon the first bed but was I was multitasking, one minute supervising speedily removed by female staff, as a administration the next my civil engineering warning eyebrow was raised behind the and building hats on as a counter, ooops ! Male staff was new office was created to insistent that we had a particular keep staff in during the day kingsize bed and he duly paid for when they were not doing the new mattress, wincing as he my bidding. Then my does at actually parting with landscaping skills were money. Off home we went and called for as work was staff agreed in anticipation of the carried out by staff under new mattress due to arrive in two my direction in the garden. days that they would take the old To be frank I am totally bed out of my bedroom and put exhausted most days and the new bed-frame together with so enjoy my bed after I push the old mattress, even though it one of the other of my staff was too narrow being a 4ft 6inch. I out, serves them right for not getting the supervised but I am certain that all was not bigger bed from the garage. I even have to well, when the 4ft 6 inch mattress exactly have a Siesta myself in summer.! fitted the new bed frame. Male staff huffed The garage was full of furniture, off and went straight for the cooking sherry, unsurprisingly as staff had whilst female staff was in also brought the contents of paroxysms of silent laughter. my new kennel in a blood Eventually male staff rush to their respective heads shamefacedly rang "The Sleep I fear. There was much of Centre", and requested a new 4ft male staffs very important 6inch mattress. I raised my eyes items (Ummm that description to the sky in despair, I can see I is open to interpretation) but am going to have my work cut did include a nearly new bed out keeping these two under my which male staff had said I paw of iron. I guess he will have could have a new mattress on to sleep in my dog bed then? If once we arrived in Spain. you think that was the end of the Eventually a path way had bed saga, just wait ! A dog been cleared to the aforementioned bed needs a BIG bed if they are to frame. I must admit that I had cheated as you share it with the two paws.! are aware by pushing both out of bed as they continued … slept to remind them that a king size or super ARBOLEAS LIFE Page !3 of !29 ARBOLEAS LIFE issue number 56 April 2020 SKYE’S STORY I insisted that staff toe the line and knowing beginners class, organised by our wonderful male staffs habit of letting standards slip or Town Hall. It was apparent that staffs indeed slipping into the nearest bar. I was mumblings were not conducive to a new life in formally registered and received my resident Spain, whilst I could now bark in three dogs card, my passport had Spain added to languages, having practiced my Spanish bark it, thats me international dog of mystery, since I knew I would be moving to Arboleas. I Romania, United Kingdom (South Ferring would accompany them to the classroom and actually) and now Spain. Male and female stay outside in the car to ensure they did not staff applied for their health cards slink down to Maloans bar as was and residencia and male staff even their wont when unsupervised. registered to pay tax, which was Back in my new kennel male staff probably a first for him. They both often cooks and on these obtained Spanish driving licences, occasions, there is much coughing which surprised me, having with smoke emitting from the travelled with them both. First time kitchen window, prior to him I have experienced driving by carrying out some unrecognisable touch was when I met up with my charred item which he proudly new staff members and was offers to the table, inevitably the chauffeured around in the dog Bombero's would arrive and staffs mobile (Renault Scenic), although I new found language skills went was particularly observant if I allowed them to some way to placating them, along with drive my Mercedes Benz and it was kept bottles of beer. Actually we did receive a note virtually unscathed. ! prior to the first Christmas lunch, requesting that male staff kept away from the kitchen, as After several the Bomberos would like to enjoy their wonderful social Christmas dinner too. Fortunately the evenings with the wonderful Sue and Alan invited me to marvellous Sue and Christmas dinner and staff were allowed to Alan next door, I accompany as long as I kept the cooking realised that during sherry under lock and key for the whole day.! these early months they were keeping me Just prior to our first Christmas in Spain, male sane, also raising the staff was sent back to the UK in the english tone of conversation registered "Dogmobile", with instructions to that I was normally return with my Mercedes Benz. I had left it to subjected to. They also keep Serrano Ham be sold, however or fortunately this coincided for me to sample, so much consideration and with the UK's anti diesel engine paranoia and kindness to me, I can now get from my kennel the Mercedes was still there. Sometime later to theirs in 5.2 seconds when the gates are staff returned with my car and now I could be open. They are wonderful cooks, which transported in the style I deserved.! brings me on to another area. I managed to continued … get my staff enrolled on the Spanish ARBOLEAS LIFE Page !4 of !29 ARBOLEAS LIFE issue number 56 April 2020 SKYE’S STORY It was pleasing to see how much all our view surrounded by 3 metre high fencing. household were enjoying our new life in We were told to stop and wait, whilst the dogs Arboleas with trips out and gentle lunches in were put away, then we drove in to the our area. ! compound which enclosed a cave house. By now temperature outside was 40 degrees and Well up comes the bed issue, again, as leaving the car, they were brought into the summer approaches once more. In the cave house which was cool. The bed is in winter, I noticed, there were no complaints in one of the rooms we haven't decorated so having a "Hot Dog", sleeping on the duvet for stay here, we will bring it through.