First day in new job!

Jamie is also working there.  I spoke to the owner on Sunday, while we were out for lunch and said if she needed any help to let me know and sure enough she phoned me on Tuesday offering me a position at the restaurant!

​I had my first day on Wednesday, preparing food for the next day.  It has one of the largest kitchens in the area and I am sure I will be happy there! 

16 March 2016

Sadly I have had to give up working for the charity shop.  This is a disappointment for me, as I have had such a lovely time with some wonderful people, who have taught me much since coming here.

​In reality, I need to work more and have been offered an opportunity in a local restaurant as a chef. 

The last time I was cooking on a professional level, was when I worked at Brickworth, in Whiteparish.  We used to have our own café, shop and garage and lived on the premises 24/7.  It was hard work.  Cooking in a kitchen is hard work, especially cooking to order!

The temperatures here in Spain will also add to that hard work.  I will be cooking in some of the hottest temperatures in the World, so I am under no illusions as to the nature of the work.  Obviously, until summer is fully underway, I have no idea what to expect.  It will make things easier to break in, starting at this time of year, just in time for the Easter rush.  The extremes in temperature, will not be as noticeable!

​My first day in the new job went well, working with another chef in the kitchen.  It was opening night, St Patricks Day, so not as busy as it could have been, though better than expected. The owner seemed pleased, that was all that mattered to me. 

There we have it, all working, not a lot at the moment, as the season has not yet started.  Easter is expected to be extremely busy here, with all the trouble else where in the World so watch this space as it were.  I´m expecting to work 60 hours a week in  summer.  I am not adverse to working long hours and am more than happy to do it.  I am a battler and grafter when I have to be, as is Darrell, and indeed Jamie.  Positivity is the key, looking forwards not backwards and just keep moving on.

​Eventually we aim to end up back in Australia, however long it takes.  We will probably stay here in Spain for at least five and maybe more years.  The longer the better for me.  I have truly fallen in love with this place.

​Let me give you an example of why, I love it here so much.  I have just got back from the bank.  I broke the chip on my other card and had one reordered.  I walked in and handed over my passport as ID, to collect my new card.  The cashier, didn´t take, saying, ´No no, Luke, I know who you are!´
​This just does not happen in The UK, it really doesn´t.  She remembered my name, and like everyone else here, has welcomed us all into the community.  Spanish people are much more friendly.  They take time to pass the time of day and whether in shops or banks offer a service, that is second to none.

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Dicks & Zest

Jamie and I popped into Dicks on the way home.  It was a very hot afternoon, ideal for a pint in the sun!  We also went into Zest, to have a few drinks and finally home, where a drunken Jamie jumped in the pool.  The be fair the bloody water was freezing, but it didn´t seem to phase him!

Teaching Jamie

With Jamie working behind the bar in his new job, he had to learn to iron this week.  Normally we are teaching him to cook, but it was important for Jamie to get to grips with the other, more mundane aspects of life and independence!

He actually did quite well.  He´s still learning, but he´s nearly there!

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