My Home At Last

It took 4 days to get me and my 5 cats into my new home. On the second day all my stuff which had been in storage in Arboleas, Spain, for 6 months also arrived. Fortunately, this is a big house so the large room on the ground floor was perfect for all the boxes to be stored. I had no intention of trying to do or find more than was necessary at this stage.

The cats settled in quickly, loving all the rooms, nooks and crannies to explore. The garden is quirky: the house sits at the base of a rocky escarpment with a small, shady area outside on the first level; then up some steep, solid stone steps are 3 further levels. It is an exhausting climb but the view from the top overlooks my house and further tops and turrets beyond. Cats are natural climbers so, for them, it is a paradise.

I had splashed out, purchasing online a 3 seater sofa, armchair, pouffe and the largest bed I could find from IKEA, Clermand Ferrand: these arrived on day 2 so, again with the help of trusty Bob, all was assembled. Despite my temporary disability, things were starting to come together.

The weather was still chilly but I have oil central heating. What luxury after all the years of clearing, cleaning, stoking, stacking logs and coal for stoves! The giant, cast-iron radiators get incredibly hot with the added bonus of being perfect as clothes' driers.

Bob was worried how I would manage alone but I found I could do almost everything with just a left arm, and I was enjoying the challenge. It was wonderful to have a home of my own at last!