Open Writing

Would you believe it could be so difficult erecting a washing line!

By now you realize the garden - a loose term - is made up of two plots. When I first arrived over here, minus furniture etc, I had to make do with a length of string, stretched across the patio. An extremely loose term - for both the patio and the tautness of the string.

I refer to the area underneath the new terrace as being the patio. This really is an exaggeration. It was filled with the previous owner's rubbish. Here, nothing is thrown away. So there was every saved plastic bottle, cardboard box, piece of wire - collected over a lifetime. Alternative re-cycling!

I had to clear some of this before I could put up any sort of line, and in the course of clearing found the "black hole", or earth closet. But that's another story!

Line one only lasted until I moved in permanently. After much deliberation, I decided that I wanted a whirlygig line to be positioned by the water tank. Not a good idea! Lugging the washing basket up stone steps, then uphill to the line proved to be a laborious business, especially as I did not take into consideration the sun's position during the course of the day. If I put the washing out in the afternoon, it did not dry because it was in shadow.

Rethink! I then came up with a brilliant idea. Put the whirlygig in a cement bucket and put that on the terrace. After a few days I was able to try out line number two.

Wash day arrived. Dave helped me haul the cement bucket up the terrace steps and place it on the terrace. The whirlygig was inserted. The clothes were hung on it. The wind then got up. One gust of wind - and the line and its clothes merrily sailed over the terrace to land in the mud. Great!

Another rethink was needed. I now had a problem. I could not remove the spike from the bucket. How to solve it? Easy! Plant the cement bucket in the ground.

With no more ado, again with Dave's help, I took the cement bucket up to the original spot. Now I know, anyone else would have thought the problem through. I suppose I'm a glutton for punishment.

This plot had various trees growing on it which would probably cause shade problems. Think laterally now! Remove some of the trees!

Trees removed, the perfect situation became apparent. All that was needed was to wheel the cement bucket downhill to the perfect place. With a little effort - well a lot really - I achieved this.

Everything was going well, until I came to the conclusion that when the weather turned bad the area around the line was going to be muddy. Further action was needed. Paving slabs were required.

Nothing is easy here in Spain. You would think you would be able to buy slabs at any building material firm! This is not England. There are no B & Q's, Travis Perkins or Homebases. However there is Manuel's.

Manuel is typical of the majority of Spaniards. If you want something from his builder's yard it takes forever. It took at least three visits to even see him, let alone ask him if he had any slabs.

I persevered and eventually managed to have them delivered. He promised to deliver them that night. That's a Spanish promise! The following day his wife telephoned to say they would be delivered straight away.

Twenty minutes later a forklift came trundling along with my half filled pallet of slabs. Payment would have to wait. Not according to me, but to Manuel. He also has a laid back attitude to settling bills. Not having B & Q does have its compensations!

Let's get laying! Slabs that is! I thought it would be nice to have a square of slabs around the post, with a path leading off, winding down to stepping stones. This would be flanked by shrubs and flowers.

That was the theory. The result was more like a helicopter pad, surrounded by twigs.

Be patient! It really will look good in 10 years' time. With luck, come summer, the helipad will have begun to mellow, with dirt and moss.

If not, visitors may arrive in an unexpected fashion. At least they
will be able to admire my washing line!