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    Rain!

    It has finally started to rain in Gran Alacant, after months of sweltering heat and not a drop of water in sight. Waking up this morning was a joy; it felt so cool. It has been a long time since we last saw water falling from the sky; so unlike in Britain, it's time to get outside in ones underwear and have a dance; photographs I will not be including in this entry.

    I have lived in Spain for nineteen months now; experiencing the coldest winter this country has endured for fifty years plus, hailstones, flooding and damp like you wouldn't believe and now the hottest summer. Over this period, my body has finally adjusted to this new climate, so different to the weather back in the UK. Despite the intense sun, this summer has been far easier to withstand, than the last. If you were to ask me now, which country I  prefer to live in, based on weather alone, I would have to say Spain. Despite initially not being a fan of the hot sun, I have grown to love the long hot summer days; a smile on everyone's face and that feel good factor in the air. Rain is Okay, just in small doses, unlike the deluge we suffered in Britain. My ailments and arthritis have all but disappeared, as I now live a life more conducive to good health. Gran Alacant has its own micro climate, surrounded by mountains and salt lakes, making it one of the healthiest places to live in the World.

    Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, enjoy your day, rain or shine; I know I will!
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    Little John!

    I had a message from the past yesterday; a telephone call from 'Little John,' as I know him, a friend and gay daughter I met in 1993, when I first went on the gay scene in Southampton. The last time I saw John was in 2013.

    Another friend contacted me yesterday morning, after seeing John at Southampton Gay Pride. He explained that John had been trying to track me down for a while, to no avail. The circumstances in which Darrell and I left Southampton were sudden and very few people, apart from those close, knew where we were headed.

    John  phoned me yesterday afternoon and we had a chat for half an hour. Sadly Johns Mother had passed away, after a fatal accident; he was left alone to deal with the dreadful circumstances and had been trying to find me for some help, a shoulder to cry on and support; sadly I had left the country. 

    Dealing with the death of a loved one is hard and I feel terrible for not being there. It is difficult living on the other side of the continent, but I hope to be there as much as I can now and return to the UK later in the year to spend some time with him, no matter how short that time is.

    Like many of us celebrating our sexuality at such a devastating time, during the early 1990s, John  experienced more than his share of issues, to deal with, like us all, but despite the difficulties he is still with us, as so many others are gone. John was just seventeen when he entered life on a rather destructive gay scene and he survived in the only way he could. I have many fond memories, spending time with him and indeed his Mother.

    I remember one occasion; we had arranged an after club party, at 'The Mansion,' as we often did, returning from the Magnum Club in Southampton on a Saturday night. This was the house, a group of us lived and partied in, all gay, all looking out for each other. Little John was there was his friend Nikki and his Mother. To be honest it had been a long night and I lost my rag with the three of them, throwing them all out at stupid O'clock in the morning. As John stormed out of the room, I remember him shouting:
    'How dare you throw out my Mother, she's wearing a Harrods dress,' followed by '....and Nikki, the Lady Mayoresses daughter,' Nikki was indeed the Lady Mayoresses daughter. John has a way with words, spoken with grandiloquent flamboyance, pretentious as ever. It still makes my laugh today, even as I write this entry! Just one amusing memory from challenging times, growing up gay. John will always have a special place in my heart; there are very few of us left from that period, living on Southampton's bitchy gay scene!

    ​One hopes to at least have John back in my life, even though the distance between us, is vast. I will try and be there as much as I can and look forward to seeing him in the future. Glad to have you back John!
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    Recovery

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    Lily is still heavily medicated after suffering from another bout of Cat Flu. We are taking her back to the vet every few days for an injection of antibiotics and we are also having to give her Codeine orally. She seems to be getting better, but at her age it will be difficult for her to fight off the infection; after all, in human years, she is about 98 years old! So for now it is a waiting game, to see if she bounces back or not!

    Mollie and Wildling are still recovering from their ordeal, after being abandoned. Mollie has come completely out of her shell and is playful and full of life. Wildling  is still extremely reluctant to be around humans and we think he probably had the worst experience, showing all the signs of abuse, having arrived with us, covered in tar. We are at least able to smooth and pat him; in time he will become more trusting, but for now we just have to allow him to adapt to his new surroundings, in his own time.

    The next few weeks will be crucial for both Lily and the kittens, as all of them adjust to their new life together. We are hoping for a speedy recovery for Lily and continued recovery for Mollie and Wildling!
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    Carry On Girls!

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    I have been watching my favourite Carry On film this Sunday, 'Carry On Girls,' I am a big fan of all these films; they take me back to better times. This film is so typical of all those made in the 1970s; politically incorrect and extremely funny. What we see as wrong today, was perfectly acceptable then; a period of time, I look back on with fondness!
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    Final piece in the jigsaw!

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    On May 9th 2016 I finally received my Spanish Residencia; the first piece in a jigsaw; a precursor to Darrell also becoming a Spanish resident. The process for Darrell is a little different to the one I followed; he wanted to complete the formalities last year, but like the story of our life together, nothing turned out the way it was supposed to. Darrell's Mother was diagnosed with cancer and he returned home to Australia to help care for her as she underwent treatment  for seven months. During this time, all our plans together were put on hold as we adapted to our new situation. Our new life was indeed cemented in Spain, but we were unable to move forwards until Darrell returned from Australia.

    His return from Australia was just a first step in repairing the damage and getting back lost time. A further break was demanded, when Darrell had to return to the UK, to complete the paperwork needed to finalise legalities, allowing him to stay here with me in Spain. As a non EU citizen married to an EU national, Darrell has always had to suffer the indignity of proving who he is and the genuineness of our relationship. Spain was just doing what Britain did in the late 1990's, when Darrell applied to remain with me in the UK.

    Yesterday after nearly nineteen months of living away from the UK, both Darrell and I finally placed that last piece in the jigsaw of life, allowing us both to remain together in Spain. With the help of the 'Foreigners Advisory Bureau,' who have been fantastic at coordinating timings and producing the necessary documentation, including translation services and most importantly filling in the application forms for 'Residencia,' Darrell was finally grated residencia!
    In the end, the application process, which cost us 260€, mainly for consultation fees, was straight forward. there were a number of stages we had to go through in order to obtain his right to remain in Spain; these included showing I had a job and enough income to support myself and my husband, that we were both registered on the 'Padron' or electoral roll in Spain and Darrell wasn't going to be a drain on the state. As I am making contributions into the Spanish Social Security System and have a health care card, I had met the required criteria to cover Darrell, allowing him to stay with me as my partner.
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    This is a copy of the card Darrell will receive. It is totally different to that received by an EU national. Darrell's card will include a photograph and copy of his finger prints and he will have to wait a further two months before he obtains it, as well as having a further two appointments with officials, on top of the one we had yesterday at the Foreign Office in Alicante.
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    My 'Residencia' or 'Green Card.' doesn't have a photograph or finger prints on it and is a basic piece of paper. The gives me the same rights as a Spanish citizen, more or less and will do the same for Darrell when he receives his. As a permanent resident, life will of course be much easier; from buying a property, to the payment of taxes and use of municipal services; most of all Darrell can remain living in Spain, without having to leave every three months, as the visa on his passport states.

    ​Obtaining legal status in Spain has been a much easier process than I thought. Darrell has be afforded the same rights as me in a relatively short space of time. unlike when we began our relationship in 1995. We have been treated fairly and with respect. Our relationship status today, is very much improved from the dark days of the mid 1990s, where the UK didn't even recognise we existed, as a couple in law. Spain has accorded us equal rights extremely quickly and has been more than generous in accepting our marriage, in total contrast to the UK.

    With Brexit looming ever closer, we have both done as much as we can now, to protect us and our home, should the worst happen; highly unlikely, but something we felt necessary, just in case. The agreement that exits between EU countries needs to be upheld when the UK withdraws. There are a lot of us living and working in Europe; lets hope we remain protected after 2019 and life carries on in much the same way as it does today!
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    Reviews!

    Familiar Faces lounged No Wives Club Reviews
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    Today I have included a few reviews from our customers at LoungeD. If you would like to leave any comments or suggestions, you can do so, using our new business, facebook page, or directly to  this blog, (spanishviews.weebly.com;) please use the the contact box at the end of this entry and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

    It was farewell to Paul Stokes (Pauls Hire and Michels Gift Shop) family, as they returned to the UK, after their eventful two week stay in Gran Alacant. It has been a pleasure meeting all of them, as it is, all our customers.

    Finally some good news for me, since working at LoungeD, I have managed to lose some weight, about a stone now, not surprising working seven days a week, another personal goal achieved. Next time you see me, make sure you keep me running about; for the right reasons. of course.

    Muchas Gracias!


    ​Familiar Faces

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