The Andalucian - April 2014

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I’ve been squeezed into a smaller ‘Slice’ for this edition so I barely have the space to mention how fantastic the Spanish sun is at the moment or how busy all the villages are getting ready for their annual Semana Santa parades! Not much lineage left to say that our Alice turned 16, and announce that our Becky has finally finished her inbetweeners decade and celebrated her 20th. There’s not even enough room to tell you about the woes of the British cuppa – so read it for yourself on page 22 or how Andalucían Auctions has teamed up with worldwide recyclers of clothing – see page 14 for all the details. Or, for that matter, how the other team of people participating in the 5x50 Challenge are doing – catch up with Fran and her fundraisers on page 7.I guess I just have enough space left to say “c’mon Liverpool” – surely this year is our year!Till next month (when, hopefully, my ‘Slice’ will be back to normal size!)

Mike

Hello

Editor’s Slice

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The Andalucían X5092417DCalle Juanita Romero s/n,Campillos 29320, Malaga

Next deadline: 9 May

We won’t be beaten on advertising prices

Contact usTelephone: +34 952 723075

Mobile: +34 627 [email protected]

Owner: Claire MarriottEditor: Mike Marriott

Special thanks to our writersand contributors

Alice Marriott John Sharrock Taylor Paul Moxom Fran Rajewski

Sarah Jackson Tricia Johnson

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Editor’s Slice

Talking PoinT

4 www.theandalucian.com

This winter was a fairly long one, so celebrating Easter is a much-welcomed sign of spring. Do you ever think it’s strange that we fill baskets with chocolate bunnies and eggs, pretending to our children that a giant rabbit left it? Or that in the US they hide coins and candies in plastic eggs around the house and garden — risking that they will never be found? We have partaken in these traditions so many times that we don’t stop to think how bizarre they might seem to people of other cultures… especially because when you take a look at their traditions, they do seem pretty far-fetched.

Czech Republic: Whipping Women for their HealthYou read that correctly: in the Czech Republic, the men whip the women with sticks decorated with colourful ribbon, and sometimes douse them with water. They do this every year on Easter Monday. It stems from a Pagan tradition and is supposed to keep them young and healthy. It’s not meant to be painful, but I’d still rather have a chocolate egg!

Germany: Burning Christmas TreesThough the Germans have a strange Easter ritual, it’s kind of a nice one. They save the remnants of their Christmas trees so they can pile them into a heap and burn them around Eastertide. It signifies the end of winter and the beginning of spring, which is always a cause for celebration.

France: Flying BellsWe have the egg-delivering Easter Bunny (surely this must confuse children), but in France, they have an Easter… bell! On Good Friday, the bells in France’s churches are silenced in order to recognize Jesus’ death, but the French believe that the bells are quiet because they fly to Rome and return back on Easter Sunday. They have many bell-shaped candies — the way we have bunny-shaped sweets — to celebrate.

Poland: Men Stay out of the KitchenIt is said that men aren’t allowed to knead or bake the bread on Easter – and some believe that the men shouldn’t cook at all. If they do, it’s believed that their moustaches will turn grey. More likely, this tradition was started by a clever man who didn’t want to do chores on the holiday! Not sure how you get out of this one if you are already sporting a grey moustache!

Finland: Halloween on Easter?If you’re ever in Finland on Easter, you might be confused as to which holiday is being celebrated. It’s tradition for children to dress up as witches and go around the neighbourhood hunting for treats. The tradition started due to the belief that witches would fly from Finland to Germany and dance with Satan, and only bonfires can scare them away. Maybe the witches were flying to Germany to get a new broomstick before the Germans burned all their old Christmas trees?

UK: Egg Rolling CompetitionsEggs are a popular symbol for Easter in the UK and the US, but if we Brits aren’t eating them we’re using them as sporting equipment! There are many egg rolling competitions held over the Easter weekend, during which the competitors roll their eggs down a hill and see which gets the most distance, or which can survive the most competitions — waste of chocolate if you ask me! However you choose to celebrate – enjoy your Easter!

Six strange

Easter traditions

JusT for fun

1. A French Benedictine monk is frequently (although many say erroneously) credited with the invention of champagne; what was his name?2. Inspector Morse’s first name was famously ‘Endeavour’; but what is the first name of Inspector Lewis?3. From which Beatles song is the line “Father McKenzie, writing the words of a sermon that no-one will hear”?4. In terms of land mass, which is the smallest US state?5. In ‘The Jungle Book’, what type of creature is Bagheera?6. In which year did Margaret Thatcher become the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom?7. Which land mammal has the highest blood pressure?8. Which was the first internal human organ to be successfully transplanted?9. In which Charles Dickens book do the characters Esther Summerson and Richard Carstone appear?10. In which country was Jean-Claude Van Damme born?

11. In the original UK format of ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’, how much was the 10th question worth?12. In which sport is the Stanley Cup contested?13. Which colour moves first in a game of chess?14. Who wrote the 1990 autobiography ‘An American Life’?15. Which musical instrument is the smallest member of the flute family?16. In which year did Bucks Fizz win the Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Making Your Mind Up’?17. Who wrote the Bangles’ 1986 hit ‘Manic Monday’?18. What is laverbread made from?19. What term describes half of the diameter of a circle?20. How many keys are there on a standard full-sized piano?

Answers on page 20


Twenty teasers - mixed bag of

mind-blowing questions

around andalucia


The Bake-Off was held on a very cold, drizzly Saturday morning, but a large number of people came along and enjoyed browsing the different stalls taking pleasure viewing the goods on display, especially tasting samples from the homemade bread stall and enjoying tea and cakes served in Betty’s Tea Room which was very warm and inviting. The Bake-Off winners are listed below. A good sum was raised for funds and especially nice was the 114€ raised from the raffle that will go directly to the Málaga children’s charity, Ciudad de los Niños. Thank you all who contributed.

And the winners were…Cup Cakes Jane Busby Tray Bake Jane Busby Sponge Cake Rosie Brown Fruit Cake Rosie Brown Novelty Cake Amanda Goldie And our overall winner was: Rosie Brown

All the competitors donated their cakes which were then sold or auctioned. Thank you everyone who competed and took part. Well done, the cakes were delicious!

Wine and Cheese EveningKeep the 17th May free for a cheese and wine evening to be held at Edward and Jenny Binns’s home in AEG. This is a totally fun evening and the emphasis will be on enjoyment, not knowledge! There will be a quiz and blind tasting of not just wine, but also non alcoholic drinks. The cost will be 8€ for members & 10€ for non members (personal guests).

This includes supper, wine samples and of course cheese to nibble. The evening will be themed, Black, White and Silver. Although not obligatory, we thought it would be nice to dress accordingly just for fun. The TAPAS bar will also be available. This event is for TAPAS members and personal guests only.

TAPAS Membership People say, “Why become a member”? Well, becoming a member means that you and your personal guests can come to the various members-only events and organised outings that we hold throughout the year.

We of course hold other events that are “open” to all and everybody is welcome. Also there is a ticket price reduction for members for the majority of productions, murder mystery plays and musical shows that we present at our little theatre at Los Arcos.

It’s easy to become a TAPAS member; just call our Membership Secretary, Liz Haigh on 653 526 897. Why don’t you visit our website (www.tapassociety.com) to have a look at what you’re missing! Remember, “A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there."

Tons of Money Our April production is presented on 25th and 26th April at 8pm with a matinée at 4pm on Sunday 27th April. Directed by Lee Lingwood with a cast of 10 players, it is set in the early 1920s. After a relatively calm beginning, mayhem sets in when Aubrey Maitland, an unsuccessful inventor and deeply in debt, inherits a fortune from his dead brother. Aubrey and his devious wife Louise need to cook up a scheme to prevent their creditors from taking all the money. This is a funny play that involves unscrupulous servants with shady relatives; an amorous, dizzy wife who is unsure who her husband really is and some very strange characters from Mexico.

Tickets are on sale now from the box office, so call today on 635 293 714 or see advert on page 15 for more details.

Great turn-out for

T.A.P.A.S.

chariTy news


Ready, steady... go! 5x50 Challenge The 5x50 challenge 2014 is well underway now, with the second week recently completed. With 5,227 challengers and already 265,000 kms registered, this year promises to be the best to date. Team 5x50 Andalusia and beyond has expanded its borders, has grown in terms of challengers and is definitively pushing every limit. With 56 members and close to 1,800 kms recorded, Andalusia and the world are getting fitter by the day.

Our webpage (www.facebook.com/5x50LasSalinas) sees a lot of interactions this year with series of asanas posted by our yoga teacher Steffi Goddard, daily quotes and recipes by all other challengers and loads of encouragement from outsiders. So if you feel like cheering, don’t hesitate to come and join the page.

On the opening day of the challenge, 2013 and 2014 challenger Matty Bradley helped to organise the first sponsored walk by Lake Iznajar. Over 30 people decided to join, close to 90€ was raised for our two team charities Cudeca and Acompalia and a lot of fun was had.

To donate to Cudeca please go to www.cudeca.org and to help Acompalia please donate on https://www.acompalia.org/donate/?

If you feel like helping to raise funds by organising a one-time event, be it a tombola, a walk, an initiation to a sporting activity or even a BBQ, please get in touch and we will be delighted to hear from you.

sPoTlighT


Sydney, Jack, Jim and Albert all served in the Great War and they all lived to tell the tale, though as far as I know none of them did tell it. Very few soldiers of that war wanted to dwell on the experience. Charles, George, Francis and Henry had no opportunity to tell their story — even if they had wanted to. They volunteered in 1914 and were all dead by the middle of 1916. Sydney, Jack, Jim and Albert were my grandfather and my great-uncles. Charles, George, Francis and Henry were the sons of our vicar. The war these eight young men fought in started 100 years ago this June, and this is their story.

There are fashions in history as in most other things and for many years, it has been fashionable to decry Britain’s part in the First World War as a pointless error perpetrated by warmongering politicians and by the ‘donkeys’ who were only too eager to ‘lead’ millions of heroes to slaughter — always of course from command posts well to the rear. Well, there were heroes and there were donkeys but it wasn’t nearly as straightforward as that and I was pleased to read Jeremy Paxman’s debunking of what he calls the Blackadder view of events. Kaiser Bill may have looked like a harmless lunatic but many of his invading troops in France and Belgium behaved in a remarkably similar manner to the Nazis of 20 years later. The war poets also played their part in fudging the issue, from Rupert Brooke’s romantic outpourings to Sassoon’s iconoclasm. Wilfred Owen got it right when he spoke of the ‘pity of war’ and even more right when he wrote in Strange Meeting of the tragically vast expense of talent involved in the deaths of those millions of men and women.

Soldiers who are not killed by bombs or bullets often fail to make old bones. I never met my grandfather Sydney or his elder brother Jim, who both died in their mid 40s and I know them only from sepia photographs and family reminiscences. Albert was invalided out of the West Yorkshires in 1916 with a recurrent tumour thought to be malignant. He had the last laugh, surviving another 40 years and no doubt outliving the MO who had made the diagnosis.

Sydney, only 16 when hostilities began, was not demobbed until the war had been over for almost a year. His military record shows him as sober and diligent so I was surprised to find him on a charge for overstaying his leave in the summer of 1919. Then the penny dropped. His pretty young wife Beatrice Adelaide was expecting her first child. The baby, also Beatrice Adelaide and later to be my mother, was born on 22nd June and her own 21-year-old mother died the following day. The relevant page of my grandfather’s army pay book is stamped ‘Charge Dismissed’. Sydney had been a Royal Field Artillery driver, working with the horses that pulled the limbers. A brass-finisher by trade, after the war he didn’t return to the cacophony of Wigan’s Peppermill foundry, but took on a milk round. ‘Bob’ who pulled the float was also a veteran — one of the very few war horses to come home. He dearly loved a band and the sound of the Salvation Army or the local volunteers parading would make him prick up his ears. My mother, a little girl in the 1920s, helped to deliver the milk.

My paternal grandfather Fred Taylor had worked in a coal mine and died in the Spanish flu pandemic that killed millions after the Great War, so it was Great Uncle Jack who became my substitute granddad.

Saving Corporal Jack by John Sharrock Taylor

sPoTlighT

Margaret and Jack Cockrell


Five-feet-two-and-one-tenth inches tall (he insisted on the tenth) Jack Cockrell was an Essex lad who had married Sydney’s sister Margaret in 1929. He had started working life as a butcher’s apprentice in Colchester but by the time I knew him, he was Superintendent of the Wigan Public Baths. To his staff he was a human fireball who insisted on involving himself in every aspect of their work, and at the drop of any spanner he would exchange his daily uniform of black jacket and pinstriped trousers for a set of dungarees and dive joyfully into the mucky coarse sand of the huge steel filters that maintained the water quality of the two swimming pools. Jenny Green, who worked in the laundry where she taught me to sing Irish protest songs, prophesied ‘One of these days Himself will meet himself coming back.’

In spite of this frenetic existence, Jack always had time for me, taking me on long weekend walks with the dogs or rambles over the Welsh mountains, teaching me to look with respect at Nature and sitting me on his knee while we read Tarka the Otter. A few years later I discovered Bruce Bairnsfather’s Bullets and Billets and his cartoon protagonist Old Bill, with his laconic ‘If you knows of a better ‘ole you go to it.’ I eagerly questioned Jack about his time in the King’s Royal Rifles:

‘Uncle, I know you were wounded in the Great War. How did it happen?‘I was a Quartermaster Sergeant. I dropped a shell on my foot.’

This was typical of a quirky sense of humour that I often found puzzling.

Continued on page 10.

sPoTlighT


Unlike my grandfather and his brothers — all working class lads — Charles, George, Francis and Henry were public schoolboys from a privileged background. Their father, the Reverend CH James, had private means and the £3000 he had personally contributed to the church extension fund was more than 40 times a skilled workman’s annual wage. The boys’ mother Emily was the daughter of a

wealthy solicitor and sister of Sir Edward Donner, the Manchester banker, shipping magnate and philanthropist who had managed Winston Churchill’s first election campaign. Francis and George had been members of the Officer Training Corps at their schools. When war broke out Francis, an MA in Mathematics from St John’s College, Cambridge, was on leave from his post as Vice Principal of a school in India. He and George immediately joined up and shipped out to Egypt with the 5th (Wigan) Territorial Battalion of the Manchester Regiment to train for the Gallipoli landings.

The Dardanelles campaign is notorious as Winston’s biggest mistake and it haunted him for the rest of his long life. The soldiers of the crumbling Ottoman Empire were so confidently expected to crumple at the first British assault that the Manchesters’ training in Egypt had included how to accept the surrender of troops who might not be able to wave the white ‘flag’ because they would be unlikely to possess shirts. Landing at Gallipoli the Allies found themselves facing a well-armed, well-officered, determined Johnny Turk who was fighting to defend his own land. The Wigan Battalion went into action on 4th June and Second Lieutenant George James was killed the very same day. Lieutenant Francis James, promoted Captain on 1st August, died six weeks later. Conscious of their lack of schoolboy or territorial military training, the remaining two James brothers had turned down the possibility of commissions. Charles, a brilliant linguist who spoke French, German, Italian and Portuguese, was working for the Donner shipping interest in Brazil when war was declared. He immediately returned home and he and Henry, a Dover solicitor, joined the Middlesex Regiment as rankers, though they were quickly promoted. Corporal Charles James was killed at Loos on 28th September 1915, less than a month after landing in France. His brother Henry, ‘a splendid Sergeant’ according to his commanding officer, was officially reported as missing believed killed on 18th August 1916.

Corporal Jack Harold Cockrell, KRR, was not, of course, injured by a shell falling on his foot. I’m glad to know that he came home and lived another 50 years to found a family and terrorise the Baths staff with his ferocious energy. And I often think that my own life would have been very different and a great deal poorer if the Mauser round that went in at one side of his thigh and out at the other during the heavy fighting near Rouen had found a major artery.


JusT for fun


20 useless things you just

don’t need to know about...90 million chocolate bunnies are made for Easter each year.

When taking a bite into a chocolate bunny, 76 per cent of us prefer to bite off the ears first. 5 per cent eat the feet first and 4 per cent eat the tail first.

If you piled all the crème eggs made in one year on top of each other, it would be five times higher than Mount Everest.

Adults prefer milk chocolate (65 per cent) over dark chocolate (27 per cent).

Each day throughout the year, 5 million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter.

16 billion jelly beans are made specifically for Easter ─ enough to fill a plastic egg the size of a nine-storey building.

The first chocolate eggs were made in Germany in the 19th century.

Solid chocolate bunnies are most favoured, followed closely by hollow chocolate bunnies with marshmallow filled bunnies the least popular Easter treat.

The 600,000 crème eggs made in a 12-hour shift at the Cadbury’s factory are three times heavier than an elephant.

The exchange of eggs for Easter dates back to a springtime custom older than Easter itself, in which eggs were given as a symbol of rebirth in many cultures.

The Easter egg roll on the White House lawn has been a tradition since 1878.

The English chocolate company Cadbury made the first chocolate bar in the world in 1842.

Cacao trees can live to be 200 years old, but they produce marketable cocoa beans for only 25 years.

People who feel depressed eat about 55 per cent more chocolate than their non-depressed peers.

The first people to harvest chocolate were the Mokaya and other pre-Olmec peoples who lived in southeast Mexico around 1000 BC. The word "chocolate" is derived from the Mayan word xocolatl, or "bitter water."

Dark chocolate has been shown to be beneficial to human health, but milk chocolate, white chocolate and other varieties are not. For dark chocolate to be beneficial, cacao or chocolate liquor should be the first ingredient listed, not sugar.

Although crème eggs are only available for around three months a year, the annual UK sales are over 200 million. That works out at a staggering three a year per citizen.

James Jiggs of Lancashire holds the world record for the fastest time eating a crème egg ─ just 8.65 seconds!

A Thorntons’ egg is the most popular Easter gift.

During WWII, the Germans designed an exploding, chocolate-covered, thin steel bomb designed to blow up seven seconds after a piece was broken off.

chariTy news


325,000€

around andalucia


Money for

old ropa by Andalucían Auctions

Having been loosely involved in the recycling genre via re-selling second-hand furniture and other items through auctions for almost a decade, Andalucían Auctions have now teamed up with two of world’s largest material recyclers, allowing you not only to turn your material items into money but also support worthy charities here in Andalucía and several others based throughout Africa and Asia.

Most of the reusable clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories are distributed to highly worthy causes whilst any garments or items not reaching the charitable industry-graded standard are exported for recycling and often turned into new clothing, industrial wipes or used for rags such as mops, etc.

Get paid to prevent landfill and increasing sustainability. With our trade-in scheme you get paid instant cash for clothes and accessories, so whilst helping to prevent hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothing going to landfill sites, you support worthy charities too.

We pay you cash for clothes instantly — walk away today with cash for clothes you no longer need! We will pay you 5€ for one full standard-sized bin bag (based on 10 kilo weight) or 50 cents per kilo (based on current market trends). You can bring any weight of items to us.

We buy end of line, excess stock and insolvency stock too. We can collect shops’ returns ─ both new and slightly imperfect or damaged.

Ideally, clothing should be good quality, clean and dry, no tears, stains or rips, missing buttons or broken zips. Other items include belts, handbags, accessories, jewellery, shoes etc. However, if items do not meet the above criteria we can still accept them and we will still pay you for them at 10c per kilo (based on current market trends). These types of items are sorted into bales for recycling into industrial rags and wipers. So if it has a rip, stain or just plain worn out it is still worth money to you and can still be recycled in a way that keeps the landfills emptier!

Work with usWith our current store (Andalucían Auctions) based in Campillos, we are looking for other outlets around Andalucía to join us in this scheme so we can offer more drop-off points for customers. If you feel you have a suitable outlet and would like to discuss this further, please contact us at [email protected] — we can offer a small commission to suitable drop-off points.

Trade or large collectionsWe do offer a FREE collection service for either trade or private donors. If you have more than 100kg we will arrange a suitable date with you for collecting your goods. This can be market stall surplus, end of stock items, charity shop overflow or just the clearance of clothing from a private individual’s wardrobe! We don’t charge for this service ─ we will weigh your items at your home, work or organisation at no added cost and pay you on the spot.

Textile recycling for cash is a fantastic method of re-using or reprocessing used clothing and other materials. These can include fibrous material, shoes and clothing scraps from the manufacturing process. Textiles in municipal solid waste are found mainly in discarded clothing and other textiles such as sheets and towels.

For most of us the common way of recycling unwanted textiles is through reselling or popping the items into a local charity shop or bin. We are not asking you to stop supporting your local outlets, but we are offering a different way to help charities through organisations such as ours who will pay you for your goods — remember, your payment can be donated to one of the charities we work with if you prefer.

andalucian aucTions


Fundraising for a charity or organisationWe can work with you to raise much-needed funds — as an organisation or charity, why not ask supporters for clothing donations and we will come and collect the items from you on a monthly basis? Or after an event, we will give you the money for your charity or organisation there and then.

The only thing we ask is that all items are laundered clean.

How does it work?After collection of the textiles, the items are sorted and separated into good-quality clothing and shoes which can be re-used or worn. Damaged textiles are sorted to make industrial wiping cloths. Clothing fabric generally consists of composites of cotton (biodegradable material) and synthetic plastics. The textile's composition will affect its durability and method of recycling. Reclamation mills grade incoming material into type and colour. The colour sorting means no re-dying has to take place, saving energy and pollutants. The textiles are shredded into "shoddy" fibres and blended with other selected fibres, depending on the intended end use of the recycled yarn. The blended mixture is carded to clean and mix the fibres and spin ready for weaving or knitting.

What happens to the goods I sell?All the goods that are sold to us are exported, recycled or re-used.

Can I donate my payment to charity?Yes. We have a number of charitable partners, so simply choose who you would like to support and tell our staff.

When do I receive payment?You receive your payment instantly, with cash given directly to you.

Why is there a minimum of 100kg to qualify for free collection?We offer a FREE collection service to our customers, but there are costs associated with this service and therefore we need to ensure we are able to cover these costs.

How long does it take?One of our friendly staff will go through your items right away, on a first come, first served basis. We take your goods right there and then, giving you an instant payment.

Is there a limit to the amount I can bring along for sale?No, we do not limit the number of items that you can bring in; bring 1kg to a ton! All we ask is that the items are laundered clean.

Does selling my items incur a fee?NO, we make no charge for taking your items - quite the opposite in fact, we pay you.

Some of my items show signs of wear and tear, will you accept them?Yes — we are happy to accept these items. We still pay you for them at 10 cents per kilo (based on current market trends). Please ensure that the items are laundered. Don’t worry if a button is missing or the garment is stained – we recycle 100 per cent of textiles.

Items we will accept:Clothing, footwear, jewellery, handbags, belts, towels, curtains, bed and table linens

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and we shall be happy to help you at [email protected] or see advert on page 27 for more details.

healTh & BeauTy

Every summer, mosquitoes drive me inside more than anything else. Even if I’ve been having a great time outside all day long, as soon as the mosquitoes start to bite, I know it’s time to head indoors. I could easily spray on a chemical-based repellent, but I can’t stand wearing something so fumey. Besides, I’d rather not expose myself or my loved ones to DEET, especially since it is toxic and easily absorbed by the skin.

The great news is there are many natural repellents for mosquitoes. Since all of these are natural – and actually pretty healthy remedies – pick one to try before you head outside and enjoy the warmer evenings.

BasilYou might want to consider planting up some pots with this herb by the doors of your house because many herbs ward off mosquitoes. Basil is one of the best, acting as a natural mosquito repellent.

citronella oil on exposed area (do a 24-hour patch test on your skin first to make sure you’re not allergic to the oil) or grow your own citronella plants.

GarlicOne effective natural repellent that deserves to be tried is garlic. Depending on how much you enjoy garlic, you can take a garlic supplement (no-odour varieties are available), or eat lots of foods with garlic. You can even rub a cut clove of garlic over your exposed skin – you should be able to ward off both mosquitoes and Dracula, but maybe not one for a night out with friends! Chives can be a good substitute for garlic in warding off the buzzing beasts.

Lemongrass If you’re looking for another anti-mosquito plant to try, you should invest in lemongrass. Simply break off a stalk, peel off the outer leaves and rub the juicy pulp over your exposed skin; a lot more pleasant-smelling than raw garlic. You’ll also be able to use the lemongrass when you cook.

Marigolds and ChrysanthemumsYou don’t have to stick to planting herbs when you’re avoiding mosquitoes. Try planting marigolds — they have a scent that repels most bugs, including pesky skeeters.

While not all insects are repelled by the scent of chrysanthemums, mosquitoes are. Plant a bunch and enjoy mosquito-free living.

RosemaryGrow rosemary in your garden this summer (like all these plants, it’s perfect for container gardening and grows very well in our hot climate) to keep the mosquitoes away. You can cook with rosemary, and if you’re looking for a way to repel mosquitoes while you’re grilling, throw a few sprigs on your charcoal. It should do the trick.

CatnipCatnip is an especially handy mosquito deterrent – it’s about ten times more effective than DEET. Mosquitoes can’t stand nepetalactone, the essential oil found in catnip. By planting catnip around your patio or having a pot or two on your table, you’ll keep mosquitoes away – you can always dry the catnip out after the summer and entertain your favourite cat!

CitronellaThere’s a reason why citronella candles are popular mosquito repellents – mosquitoes hate citronella. Instead of the candles, though, you can try rubbing


Natural ways to repel mosquitoes

healTh & BeauTy

Tea tree oilIf you don’t mind the scent, apply tea tree oil to your skin. Mosquitoes will mind the smell and stay away.

Vitamin B-1Take one vitamin B-1 tablet a day to repel mosquitoes, as well as flies and gnats.

Make-your-own spraysIf you’d rather repel the bugs by wearing a spray, here are several recipes to choose from:

• Crush parsley and mix with apple cider vinegar. Rub the mixture on your skin.• If you’re feeling confident and experimental, try creating your own combinations out of these naturally repelling oils: castor oil, cedar oil, cinnamon oil, citronella oil, clove oil, geranium oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil and rosemary oil.

Last summer we tried a homemade mosquito repellent made from basil, water and vodka… and it kept the mosquitoes away! I had my doubts, but I tried it deep in the woods for four days whilst camping. As long as my family was wearing this non-sticky, very lightly scented spray, the mosquitoes stayed away. When we didn’t have it on, we were eaten alive.

Here’s the concoction:Place a handful of fresh basil leaves into a glass measuring cup. Pour one half cup of boiling water over the basil. Let the leaves steep for two to four hours. Squeeze the basil leaves to get out as much of the liquid as possible. Pour the infused liquid into a spray bottle. Add one-half cup of vodka to the squirt bottle. Shake gently to mix the contents.

Continued on page 20

• Cut the leaves and stems of catmint and rosemary, then place in a container and cover with a cup of boiling water. Steep for an hour, cool and use the herbal tea as a repellent spray.• Mix ten drops of eucalyptus oil, ten drops of cedarwood oil, five drops of tea tree oil, five drops of geranium oil and one ounce of jojoba oil. Apply to your skin (be sure to test a small area first). Avoid your eyes, and keep the mixture out of the reach of children.


healTh & BeauTy

Apply this all-natural insect repellent by spraying it on your skin. Be sure to spray it where you’d like to repel mosquitoes… they may end up biting on skin that’s not coated with the basil mixture.

While this mixture is safe, especially compared to DEET brands, be sure to keep it out of the reach of children.

Prevention techniquesIt also helps to prevent mosquitoes. Make sure you:• Eliminate standing water. Check your empty plant pots and saucers, bird baths, buckets, gutters, kids’ toys, old tyres, pet bowls, recycling bins, swimming pool covers, tarps and wheelbarrows.• Whack your weeds and keep your grass trimmed.• Avoid incandescent lights and candlelight – both attract mosquitoes.• Try to stay in a breeze or close to a fan, if possible.• Try to be as artificially unscented as possible – mosquitoes are attracted to the scent of perfume, sunscreens and fabric softener.

Turns out mosquitoes are also attracted to those who drink beer. So, we thought that placing cups filled with cheapo lager around our patio would make great bait for the pests. A glance at the buggy victims proved this to be true. There's a catch though: mosquitoes will still seek you out if you're drinking the stuff.

Washing up liquid is a great repellent too. Just a few squirts of it, left in a saucer, does a nice job of keeping mosquitoes occupied... and away from us. The results were comparable to citronella candle. The ultimate child-safe mozzy-buster is great fun too – a bubble machine. Silly, but it does prove effective. I’m thinking it’s the soap which might be the factor here. Bottom line: it works! Remember how much fun those 50p tubes with the blow ring used to be – well now you have an excuse to sit in the sun with your favourite tipple doing nothing but blowing bubbles and re-live those childhood summers!

If you do fall prey to the mosquito, be aware that the itching will not completely die down until the blemish has healed properly. The itch itself is caused by the mosquito's saliva, which is an anticoagulant. It causes our bodies to produce a histamine response, creating a slight itchiness around the bite area from a mild allergic reaction. For people who are more sensitive to mosquito bites, the healing time can take longer than for those less susceptible, so it's merely a case of knowing your limits and treating yourself regularly and effectively. Do your best not to scratch the itch! Doing so will aggravate the irritation, making it itchier and more prone to infection. A great tip is to keep a small bar of soap on you, and rub it on the bite as soon as you feel the itching coming on. Vick VapoRub™ has the same effect for many people too. If you are out and about having a drink, you could try rubbing a slice of lemon or lime on the area for instant relief — and possibly smell a bit nicer too!

Finally, mosquitoes will be attracted to you if you’re hot and sweaty – kind of a natural occurrence during the summer, huh? They like you because:• They’re attracted to carbon dioxide and you produce more of this gas when you’re hot or when exercising.• They’re attracted to lactic acid and you release more of this when you exercise.• They’re attracted to the chemicals in your perspiration.

As a clarification, don’t let your child eat or drink any of the repellents. But they can be applied to a child’s skin.

1. Dom Pérignon2. Robert3. Eleanor Rigby4. Rhode Island5. Panther or Indian leopard6. 19797. Giraffe8. Kidney9. Bleak House

10. Belgium11. £32,00012. Hockey13. White14. Ronald Reagan15. Piccolo16. 198117. Prince18. Seaweed19. Radius20. 88


Twenty teasers from page 9

Mijas Costa | Coin | Nerja | Tenerife

T:+34 952 931 781

F:+34 952 933 547

E: [email protected]

www.decottalaw.com

Spanish and English Lawyers

Head Office Spain (Mijas): Centro Comercial Valdepinos 1 y 3ªUrb. Calypso, 29649 Mijas Costa (Málaga)

✓Property Sales & Purchases

✓Planning Issues & Legalisation

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& Builders

✓Multilingual – English, Español, Deutsch, Nederlands, Dansk, Français & Italiano


Trade Talk

Have you noticed it’s strange how things happen? In our case it was missing the taste of some of the unforgettable food from home. We could only get the best tea and Bisto — plus lots of other lovely goodies — if we made a 200+ kilometre round trip down to the coast, which many times left us feeling that we had been ripped off. So, after much deliberation, we decided to do something about it and that’s what led us to the dream… to open a business and import all those tasty memories ourselves.

But you know all about dreams; you have probably got many yourself. Frankly, having been in this beautiful country for many years, we really should have realised that the weight of officialdom would try its very best to crush our efforts. And honestly, having experienced it first-hand, as well as speaking to others trying to accomplish their dreams, it does not take much to work out why the economy here is in such a sorry state. Who knows how many trees were sacrificed to provide all the papers we had to sign to open a business here?

Officials or oaff-icials?The very helpful official at the bank took the considerable amount of deposited money that one must provide in order to set up a SL (Sociedad Limitada, similar to a British Limited) company — only then to inform us that the bank could not provide the required official documents we needed. We then had to take legal action to get our money released and change banks.

The water company who, as soon as they saw our painters working on our chosen unit, sent an official to remove the water meter. Would it be uncharitable to think that this was so they could charge an outrageous amount for the installation of a new one?

RegulationsRight from the off, we were thinking of the things we would like to stock in The British Grocer. Top of the list was that we wanted it to be a friendly, happy and helpful place. That was the easy bit, or so we thought.

Anyone for a cuppa?To make people feel at home, we wanted to offer a complimentary cup of tea but those dreaded officials killed that idea. They told us that we needed a full café licence to give away a cup of the lovely stuff but of course, the cost for the licence is enough to send a party of officials on holiday… but watch this space!

Just cross your legsThen, if a customer wants to use the toilet, we are supposed to ask if their ‘need is urgent,’ otherwise we are supposed to refuse. Needless to say we will not be asking as presumably if a customer requires the facilities, there is an ‘urgent need’ there!


A tale of woe and victory for the humble British cuppa By Paul Moxom, The British Grocer

Trade Talk

We won’t bore you with the complete list of official do’s and don’ts we have had to deal with during our five-month battle. While some are sensible, there are many that defy belief. The bottom line is that if you have a new enterprise and want to do everything the right way, including providing employment, you face crazy barriers. Anyway, despite all of that we are now pleased to say that The British Grocer is now open for business. However, the officials have not finished yet!

The big day came and we opened, but within a very short time and without any warning, the principal entry road started to get dug up for renewal and, according to our friendly officials, it could take a month or so to complete. But being the resourceful people we are, we asked to put up temporary re-direction signs. Would you believe that those officials expected us to pay the town hall for a licence to do this? And another thing, was it just a coincidence that after complaining we were visited within hours by three local policemen who wanted to check the legality of all our paperwork? Thankfully, we have stuck to the rules so they went away presumably disappointed.

Officials 0 — British cuppa 1Since opening on March 1st, we have had lots and lots of lovely English and Spanish customers — some of them coming considerable distances to see us. The British Grocer’s buzzing and friendly atmosphere makes it so much more than a mere shop. We’ve put up huge customer notice boards, organised a free book exchange and always do our best to help people in any way we can, as well as providing British groceries at the lowest prices.

We are still alive and kicking despite what seems to be the council’s best attempts at sabotage; the advert on page 3 shows the re-directed route to us — we hope to see you soon.

23www.theandalucian.com

legal advice


With offices serving foreign residents and residential tourists across the Costa del Sol and in the Canary Islands — some of Spain’s most important property markets — De Cotta Law has a good understanding of trends in the sector.

De Cotta Law offers independent conveyancing services in English, Spanish, Danish, Dutch and French to investors wishing to buy here, or property owners wanting to sell their properties. The firm has seen a number of trends emerge:

There is strong demand from Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries:De Cotta Law has seen the recovery in property investment from these markets. Of course UK and German buyers remain and growth is visible, but the number of Dutch, Belgian and Scandinavian buyers is notable.

Location, Quality and Presentation:Clients are more discerning than ever, and are looking to invest in a well-built and well-maintained property in a quality location. Vendors who maintain and present their properties well are having greater success in gaining a sale. Location, with relation to access to the airport, schools, beach, golf and countryside, is more important as many investors are buying for lifestyle now, rather than to make money.

Sellers are listing properties again:De Cotta Law has an independent sister company, De Cotta Property, based in Coín that offers real estate services to clients in southern Spain and beyond. With the influx of corporate investors in Spain, the emerging impact of the ‘Golden Visa’

and the strong recovery in the top end of the luxury property market, there are now growing signs of movement in the middle market. Owners who have been ‘sitting tight’ during the past few years are now listing their properties, as they recognise there is renewed movement and interest in southern Spain’s residential tourism and foreign resident property market.

De Cotta Law offers FREE private consultations to property buyers and sellers. There are offices in Mijas Costa/Calahonda, Coín, Nerja and Tenerife. Property services include conveyancing for buying and selling; transfers and leases, as well as mortgage and tax information. De Cotta Law can also help you comply with planning laws, legalise rural properties and litigate against developers for lost deposits, and bank guarantees.www.decottalaw.com Tel: +34 952 931 781

De Cotta Property is an independent real estate firm that provides property sales and marketing services, as well as specialised property probate and property inheritance service – feel free to visit their Coín office for a free consultation.www.decottaproperty.net Tel: +34 951 315 161

Property talk By De Cotta Law

sPoTlighT

alice’s wonderland


Hi, it’s me, Alice, again

It’s been quite an exciting month! I’ve been on my end-of-year school trip. We went on a cruise around Italy. First of all we had to get a bus to Valencia. It was an early start and a nine-hour drive. Then we went to Mallorca where the weather was really nice! After that we arrived in Sardinia where I tried my first Italian ice-cream. It was really nice. I even asked for it in Italian, so that was fun and luckily I got what I ordered — and no, I didn’t need to sing the Cornetto song!

On the third day we were in Rome. We saw the Colosseum, many beautiful squares and statues, the Trevi fountain and visited the Vatican too. I went the same day that the Queen of England went to visit the Pope; I was even there around the same time she arrived. It was a shame that I didn’t see her or the Pope, though.

stunning, even if the weather was a bit colder. After that, we were on the boat for the rest of the day, so we celebrated my birthday on there. We stayed on board for the following day until we arrived back in Valencia.

The good thing about the cruise is that it had lots to do ─ most of it would be eating but I preferred going to the jacuzzi or sunbathing. The parties were good too. We had a retro night, a fancy dress, a Latino night and for my birthday, we had to dress up in white. I loved it! I even got a birthday card from the captain, so that was nice of him. We all miss the cruise and even the teachers want to go back. Maybe we might go on another cruise when we’re older.

I did bring back lots of presents but I also brought back a bad cold so I had the rest of the week off school. Next we have a week off for Semana Santa, so basically I get three weeks off school — not bad!

Hope this month has been as exciting for you as mine has been.Love Alice x

The next day, we went to Florence/Pisa, but we got delayed in the morning and we couldn’t see all the things that we wanted to see. We did go to the tower of Pisa and I even took the famous picture of trying to keep the tower up!

On the Saturday, we were in Ajaccio in Corsica which is where Napoleon was born. We saw a few squares and the cathedral. The best part of it was the amazing views — it was

The Queen, the Pope and me... nearly! by Alice Marriott, aged 16 finally!


healTh & BeauTy

Pick up any women's — and increasingly, men's — magazine this spring and you will be bombarded by the latest hot tips on how to achieve the perfect complexion, tone your sagging muscles, choose clothes that transform you into a catwalk model and generally 'make it' as a human being.

This is nothing new. We have been subject to this barrage of seemingly helpful information for months, years, decades… continuously looking for the elusive magical face cream, diet plan or fashion advice that will transform us from who we are into who we must become, and yet, nothing seems to get any better. Quite the reverse: the contours of our face continue to rearrange themselves into ever-increasing furrows, our bodies continue on their journey south and out, and our wardrobes become ever more comfortable.

So why do we continue to digest this menu of false promises, vowing to moisturise diligently, exercise vigorously and eat only on days with a ‘z’ in them? Plus all the while gazing judgmentally upon our reflection, as the voice in our head chastises us for what we could have been — if only we'd done what we promised ourselves we'd do this time last spring.

You may have reached the point where you no longer subject yourself to the potential disappointment of failure. Turning steadfastly away from the fashion mags, you may choose to direct your attention to more wholesome journals. You may discover why your living space absolutely needs to be transformed into an inside/outside paradise, how to create the garden of your dreams or craft designer cards out of kitchen rubbish…

The message is the same. Who you are, what you look like, what you are doing and what you have is not good enough. In order to 'make it' you must try harder, change, exert more willpower, have more things, spend more money, be more creative. The popular magazines are there to make sure that those thoughts are never far away — quietly, persistently reminding you of the inadequacies that surround you and lie within you.

At what point do we decide that enough is enough, that there is a better message that we could receive? What's more, how do we make the change and 'do' our lives differently?

It takes a willingness to think different thoughts in order to change our lives. By changing the thoughts we have and the words we speak about ourselves we can bring about massive changes in our lives.

To some extent, we have all been programmed to be dissatisfied, judgmental and critical of ourselves, often from a very early age. We are all very familiar with the self-critical voice of relentless self doubt that insists on commenting every time we look at our non-airbrushed, natural faces and bodies in the mirror. So, why not give ourselves the gift of better-feeling thoughts?

Thinking a better feeling though means saying something kind to yourself and making the decision to stop, today and every day, criticising both yourself and others. Criticising yourself does not create any positive change in your life; it only makes you feel bad about yourself. Criticising others only creates more judgement and negativity.

Begin today by saying to your reflection "I love and approve of myself". Repeat this mantra many times each day. Tell yourself this every time you catch yourself having a critical thought about your body, your living space, your relationship. Say it out loud every time you look in the mirror.

Look yourself straight in the eyes and find two things about yourself that you really do approve of; perhaps you like your eyes or your hair. Every single day, from this day forth, find at least two things to appreciate about yourself and tell yourself out loud what they are, and smile as you say them.


Make it about

loving yourself by Sarah Jackson

healTh & BeauTy

Making these statements can be difficult at first but do persevere. Soon, the resistance will lessen and you will begin to believe what you are saying. As you find the capacity to love yourself, life will mirror love back to you, in many ways.

By making these simple statements you are giving yourself a powerful, loving message — a message that it really is okay to be where you are, right now, in this moment. This moment that you are in right now is actually the only moment in which you have any power to make any change. Time spent regretting the past or worrying about the future is time spent fruitlessly. You are powerless to change what has been or what may be to come. You can, however, change what is happening at this very moment.

Forgive yourself your past. You did the very best you could at the time; back then your knowledge, understanding and awareness were different to that which you have now. The same goes for scaring yourself with frightening thoughts about the future. Many of the things you are worrying about will not happen; you are wasting your precious 'now' by dwelling on what is, after all, only a thought.

Be patient with yourself as you practise this new way of being. Treat yourself lovingly — as you would love to be loved, as you would treat someone you cared for very deeply. Start today, give yourself the gift of a better feeling thought and watch what happens.

If you have any comments or questions about this article please contact me by email: [email protected] or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ImesonJacksonHyp or http://www.facebook.com/ImesonJackson and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ImesonJackson

29www.theandalucian.com


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All advertisements are published in good faith and are for information purposes. We do not under any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy of such advertisements, nor is any kind of warranty or endorsement expressed or implied by such publication.

The editorials are not a substitute for legal advice, and not intended or offered as such. The Andalucían does not therefore accept any duty of care to anyone who makes use of, or seeks to rely on, material in this publication.

No part of this or any previous Local Connections or The Andalucían publications may be used or reproduced without the prior written consent of the owner.

Electrician all areas covered. Call Tom for a quote on 606 694 536

Window cleaning and general work. Phone Con on 674 895099

Gardening – all aspects undertaken. Free quotes. No job to small. Call 952 737643

General handyman and pool cleaner. Reliable and experienced call 680 323649

We are asking for people out there who took out a mortgage in 2004 with Cajasur in Antequera to get in contact with us. We believe we have a case relating to the amount you could be paying on your mortgage. This may be too much because of a fixed rate policy, meaning that the percentage rate would not go lower than 4.59 per cent. We would be interested in forming a group to consolidate on this issue. Your personal details will be treated as strictly confidential, please email your contact details only to [email protected] we will forward them on to private advertiser who wishes to remain anonymous.

services offered

classified adverTs

vehicles for sale

ProPerTy for saleevenTs

This year’s reunion of the Informal English Speaking Group of Loja will be held on Tuesday, July 1, 12noon to 2pm. Full details will be available nearer the day but put the date in your diary now, as we would hate you to miss meeting your old friends! If you know of other English speakers, new arrivals to the area or others, please spread the word. If there are others who would like to be included on the mailing list, please email your address to [email protected]. Keep checking in The Andalucian for more updates.

Situated at foot of Teba Gorge, 4 bed main house plus self-contained 2 bed apartment – ideal for letting/business. Large gardens and pool. Price 275,000€ phone 952749130 or email [email protected]


TEBA 3 bed, 2 bath 19th century townhouse. Original features, 360m2. Fantastic pool & terrace. Certified Energy Rating C. PRICE REDUCED €299,950Call 627 683380 for details

Advertise your vehicle - ONLY €5 a month. Call 952 723075 or email [email protected]

Are you struggling to sell or rent your home? Whatever your property type - advertise it for only €5 a month or €20 for six months (excludes IVA). Call 952 723075 or email us with a photo and details [email protected]

VW Passat, VGC 2001, 1.8 turbo 150CV petrol, 169000Km, ITV, air con, alloys & much more 3400€ Call 637 146561 (English) or 652 086480 (Spanish)

Matador Aerovan trailer, perfect condition, full Spanish registration. 1995€ ono transfer included. Cargo 2000 kg Tara 1210 kg. Altura 2.216 mts Longitud 4.100 mts. Call 670598600 or 955142996

THE T.O.P.S. CHARITY NIGHT OF COMEDYAre you up for a night out packed with laughs? If so, why not join us at Restaurante Carolina in Alhaurin el Grande on either Friday 16th or Saturday 17th May for a great Comedy Show. The evening starts at 7.30pm, with a three course meal at 8.00pm. The show follows the meal, and is packed with hilarious sketches and songs. However, be warned that there is a small amount of strong language in places.

Tickets are on sale at various outlets in Alhaurin el Grande and are priced at 15€ (including the meal). To ensure that you sit on a table with your friends and/or to reserve a vegetarian meal please contact Penny on 658 148 430 who will also be able to tell you where tickets can be purchased. A donation from the night’s proceeds will be given to local charities.

C1100s 500 galvanised GAPM trailer. All paperwork held. Used four times. Good condition. 1360mm x 1250mm Call 952 725231 or 600 937290. ONLY 250€ ONO

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The Andalucian - April 2014