96. Christmas night under the stars

Lavinia, December 24, 2022

How strange I still find it after 4 years, celebrating Christmas in full sun, in temperatures of 25 degrees in the shade (= 50 degrees in the sun), really. You won’t hear me complaining, on the contrary. It is wonderful to enjoy those warm rays on our naked skin, which is again getting a beautiful brown color. You don’t have to lubricate, because the UV is now very low. How wonderful life can be. Maybe it’s not really sweet, but yesterday I couldn’t resist sending a picture of the thermometer to a few loved ones… Sorry about that…

We have decided to really take 24 hours off today, not to answer emails, to let go of the deadline for the new year. It’s just a little different when you know you don’t have to set the alarm before you start your siesta on the cabana. You don’t have to get up, nothing has to be done and nobody expects anything from you. It’s called vacation, isn’t it?
And yet we drove to the DIY store this morning because it would be quiet. But that was it.
We just finished our afternoon nap. I’m sitting in my ‘egg’ on our newly built private terrace – thank you Joey 😉 – swinging with a view of the sea.

I do enjoy that freedom, because the last three weeks we feel quite locked up in the house. Usually all doors are open, and I always need fresh air. Now we have to close everything properly and make sure that no door is ever left open, because… Billie, our ginger cat has broken his leg and is not allowed to climb and jump – especially not at great heights. And let him be just a huge hunter who loves his private playground, being our large garden. His leg was completely wrapped tightly with some kind of tape. That one lasted less than a week, and the second less than 36 hours.

He had had enough of it, and was licking the bandages all the time because it bothered him. The scraping sound of his rasping tongue on the tape didn’t bode well, we knew that. The vet has also given up because “he is healing quickly” and is running again – albeit limping – cheerfully after his brother Bollie, and also takes an extra risk by invariably planning an attack from above. Billie seemed a bit dejected at first, sleeping all the time, trying to get away. But in the meantime he has settled into his situation and has actually become a ‘windowsill cat’. That’s nice. Yesterday I suddenly noticed that he often goes from one room to another to jump on a different window sill. The reason seems to be that he can keep an eye on Bollie, because she can’t be outside soon enough. We suspect that ‘the red’ has defined his territory in the house, and no longer allows his brother to enter there. Except on his rules. So it is always a fight between the two, starting with wrestling, but always ending in a cat that whines to indicate that he doesn’t like it so much anymore. That promises. We already have the plan to reverse the roles after the mandatory house arrest, so that Bollie can find his place in the house again.

So I am very happy that I can go outside. Tonight we will take over the renovated roof terrace of the Penthouse and arrange to make it very cozy with just the two of us. A little time for each other is allowed, after the enormous crowds of the past few months. Yes, extremely busy. One deadline follows another, not even, they just overlap.
But tonight it’s we-time. The fire pit, the patio heater, a blanket for the evening cold, the gourmet set and a nice glass of wine. Enjoy the most beautiful view from Lavinia, on the Santa Barbara castle of Alicante and the many lights in the city. And we may also sleep outside under the starry sky, that’s the plan. I’m already eagerly looking forward to it, while Wim is already busy hoisting everything up.

I wish all readers and all guests, friends and family a Merry Christmas. Enjoy each other and life !

Vive la vida!

Annemie or Ana