Today we grownups have had a quieter day, with Sarah and I doing some serious work on HolidayRentalCasaresSpain.com and StoupaProperty.com. We are having some kitchen sink drain issues and we had to wait in for Roger, who is acting as R&A’s “man on the ground” to pop round and try things with drain clearer and hoses.
Roger used to have his own financial services firm in Hong Kong and Gibraltar, but now, since marrying Claire, just has a nice gentle life in Casares in the spring and summer, and travelling the world in the winter. Sigh. We are having drinks on Monday with them both, while our gang hang out with the kids of a client of Claire’s (she is an ex- top chef and cooks for some of the posh villas round here sometimes).
On the drain front, we have been particularly careful with not putting stuff (like olive oil and coffee grinds) down the drain, but we are still having minor issues. In Greece it’s the loos, here it’s the sinks. Temperamental continental plumbing!
Both sites are starting to look great, with some fancy photo widgets particularly. And I have a free webinar booked, where I’m going to go into the Stoupa Property opportunity in a lot more detail, at 3pm on Wednesday, 26th August (or you can watch the recording afterwards). Book yourself onto this webinar at http://www.stoupaproperty.com/webinar/
We have had an enquiry for the house, from a LIP (Location Independent Professional) for a months rental, in low season, they were attracted by the short drive to Malaga Airport, the short flying time to the UK and the high speed broadband.
What is a LIP? You can find out more from my ex-client Lea Woodward’s site, http://www.LeaWoodward.com (and see pictures of her new baby – ahhhh!). Essentially it’s a Location Independent Professional, someone who can work or run a business from anywhere, given an internet connection. Hey! that’s us, right now!
I think, from reading their always entertaining and practially useful ezine, that Lea and Jonathan are off to China next as they are investigating proxy servers and internet censorship behind the wall.
Lea came to work with me in 2006, to get their business entirely mobile, just before they upped and went, first to South America, to live and work around the world, looking for their ideal spot to settle down. I think they have decided, like Judith and I, that there is no one ideal spot but perhaps three to four residences around the world, depending on the time of year, and what one is working on.
Back to Casares, the kids have met a bunch of local kids, including some “hot boys” and despite the fact none of them speak Spanish, and only one of the locals, Clara, speaks English, they are all getting on like a house on fire.
The kids all hang out at one of the top squares till the wee small hours, known here as Casares answer to BP (Buckingham Park in Shoreham). The doorbell rings persistently if they are not dolled up and out on time.
Even Nelson has taken to straightening his fringe – and Spud got his curled by the girls – which he was not sure about!
This evening I attempted deep fried squidlings (olive oil didnt’ get hot enough) and octopus on the grill, which ended up a bit rubbery but not bad. We’ve put the leftovers in vinegar and lemon juice, to steep in the fridge, hoping it’s going to get anywhere near Elias’ wife Stella’s “octopus in vinegar” as served at Pefko taverna.
You can see loads more photos of both our Greek holiday and Casares to date at our respective Flickr accounts.
http://www.Flickr.com/photos/casaresspain
http://www.Flickr.com/photos/stoupaproperty
And you can rent this beautiful house at
http://www.HolidayRentalCasaresSpain.com