WLM Member Monday – Lorna Penfold
Alan Parks: Good Morning!! Well it is a rainy Monday morning here in Andalucia, and for your delight we have the wonderful (no, I haven’t been told to say that) Lorna Penfold as your Member Monday interrogee(?). Now you lot, I expect you to be on your best behaviour….
PS our solar is going to be very low, so we may be off and on today!!
Alan Parks: Ok, Lorna is having a laptop crisis Be with you as soon as possible.
Joy Hughes: 10.25pm Monday evening in New Zealand so thought that I might get a quick question (or two) in before heading to bed . . . who is Len Goodman, and when is your second book going to be published please? Thanks.
Cherry Gregory: Hi Lorna. I haven’t read “From Sequins to Sunshine” yet, though I’ve heard Alan’s side of things from his first book! The alpacas sound wonderful. What do you like most about them?
Mark Bean: Hi Lorna, how much off grid?
Lorna Penfold: Good morning everyone, to answer your question Mark totally off grid lol. I haven’t been able to get online until about 10 minutes ago as the solar kept going off. Fingers crossed I’m here for a while now.
–Yes sorry everyone, of all the days, it was pouring hard in the night and still raining so we shall see how the morning goes. I’ll back track to answer your questions. Thanks for taking the time to ask me.
–Evening Joy Hughes. Len Goodman is head judge on the UK’s TV program ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and the USA’s version called ‘Dancing with the Stars.’
Sorry I forgot to add I’m hoping to start working on Year 2 this week. I had a bit of a backlog with my blog posts to catch up on too.
Lorna Penfold: Hi Cherry Gregory, morning. Have you ever cuddled an alpaca? lol. Oooh if not you haven’t lived lol. Like all animals they each have their own personalities. Especially the naughty Santa. I love how inquisitive they are and they strangely enough have a gorgeous smell lol.
–Just to return to you Mark Bean, we do not have any mains electricity at all, we have a back up genny, which we will put on later. Alan was planning to collect some wood from a friend today and get some petrol for it, but as the rain was so hard he said it wasn’t worth him getting soaked filling the car with wood, so petrol will have to wait. Good job I’ve pinched the laptop this morning as I would have been reading in a corner otherwise. Our water comes from a spring in the hill too, no mains water for us either!
Cherry Gregory: No, I haven’t cuddled an alpaca…though I think they look gorgeous! My dad used to have a flock of sheep when I was a child and they all had personalities too (including the naughty one who used to find small holes in the hedges and quite literally lead the others astray.) So I can imagine what they are like!
Lorna Penfold: If you get chance Cherry cuddle one lol. I could never farm any animal that went to slaughter as I believe they all have personalities. Funny how there’s always a naughty one in any herd.
Micki Stokoe: Hello, Lorna! I haven’t read your book yet, but am looking forward to doing so! I love the softness of alpaca wool. Are you a crafty person & have you ever made anything from it?
Mark Bean: Tell me about your generator that is my field of specialty- diesel, gas or petrol
Lorna Penfold: Plenty of time Micki Stokoe Their fleece please is fabulous, as good if not better than cashmere. Oh I wish I was crafty…. to be honest I’m rubbish with most crafty things haha. I’ll tell you a secret…. about a year ago some good friends of mine who are great knitters gave me the inspiration to try. I thought I would start simply with a scarf each for the granddaughters. I was very proud of my efforts although I was aware the first wasn’t perfect. After 10 rows I said smugly to Alan ‘What do you think?’ he replied in a gentle way it wasn’t quite perfect ;-( I started with 20 stiches but after knitting 10 rows I now seemed to have 30 stitches that was the end of my knitting haha! I should have carried on and made ponchos lol.
–Wish you were here Mark Bean lol, it can be a nightmare to start. It’s petrol Mark. We could do with a new one. Alan seems to have to clean the spark plugs for ages to get it going. Unless he’s wandering round getting 10 minutes peace from me of course
Micki Stokoe: I can relate to that, Lorna, as I have the same problem with knitting! Looking at the photos of alpacas, and their incredible hairstyles, do they grow like that, or do some people cut & style them?
Lorna Penfold: I’m so pleased it’s not just me then Micki. They get sheared and we can tell the shearer what we want… a bit like going to the hairdressers I guess haha. We leave a little on top of their heads but in some parts of the USA they can look like poodles personally I don’t like that. Also we spotted one of our girls, Lily, had an abscess on her face after shearing her cheeks which if we had kept it on wouldn’t have been spotted.
Cherry Gregory: Sorry for my ignorance, but I sometimes confuse llamas with alpacas! Are they related?
Lorna Penfold: Not at all Cherry, yes they are, they are part of the camelid family. Our big gorgeous Bermuda is like a pretty camel without a hump lol. The easiest way to tell the difference, is of course a llamas fleece isn’t as good as an alpacas, they are taller, and their ears are more banana shaped Oh and they spit a lot more.
Bambi Flanner: So Lorna, do you agree completely with Alan’s accounting in his books, or do you remember some things differently? Also, is he letting you answer, or is he there telling you what to say? lol
Lorna Penfold: He’s fiddling about somewhere Bambi Flanner, certainly nowhere near me lol I think we are very similar especially with our love for the animals, and frustrations when we have little solar like today. Although of course it’s the way we have chosen to live. Although being a man he doesn’t get so emotional about things as I do. When I read his books I cry again at the difficult times but laugh out load again at the crazy things that happen to us.
Micki Stokoe: I ‘ve just googled alpacas – fascinating animals! Have you ever tried the ‘spit test’ to find out if a female is pregnant?!
Bambi Flanner: I was kidding about him telling you how to answer, but I know when my husband (who is 7 years younger) and I are talking to friends sometimes and he recounts a story, I wonder how he could’ve misunderstood what really happened so badly. Lol. Two different perspectives.
Lorna Penfold: Yes Micki, sometimes accidentally too. Our boys are escape artists, and always seem to be looking for a bit of fence to push and scamble under lol. Just one day last week Alan found a boy in with the girls, and as we think or thought they were pregnant one was being mated and the other 2 girls were covered in mud and green spit. So that really told us who was and who wasn’t pregnant.
–Funny you should say that Bambi… probably his answers would be a lot shorter than mine. I know the sign of a good writer is to cut as much out as you can. I can’t manage that yet…. see I’m still going on So I tend to tell a longer story.
Micki Stokoe: Wow! It must be difficult trying to ensure the two are separated. How often do the females come into season? Are your alpacas huacayas?
Lorna Penfold: Yes they are huacays Micki. It really shouldn’t happen that they get together unless you plan it. Our boys were really good but then they must have overheard us talking about matings this year. About 3 days later there was awful barking from the dogs, in the middle of the night. The boys were in with the girls. Alan had gone to check out the situation is just his pants, I had to take him a t shirt and a torch (I’m telling you about a chapter in the next book now). Strangely enough they do not have a season, they do what is called ‘induced ovulating’ basically if they are mated with, the egg is then released from the ovary… clever eh! Although we were explaining that to a young Canadian man a couple of years ago whose reply was ‘wow what amazing animals, they lay eggs?’ We still laugh about that now.
Cherry Gregory: Induced ovulating…now that is clever. Very efficient.
Lorna Penfold: Some of the large herds mate their girls 2 weeks after giving birth, poor things. Although apparently they love being pregnant… I’m not really sure how they know haha, although they are great mums.
Fay Kearney: Hi Lorna, like you, my husband has sarcoidosis, Luckily he is in remission at the moment. He has to be monitored every twelve months. How do you manage your condition whilst living in Spain?
Micki Stokoe: Lol! Do your dogs get on well with them?
Lorna Penfold: That’s interesting Fay Kearney. I’m glad he’s having time off. To be honest when I was diagnosed 5 or 6 years ago, I was told like so many others it would just go on it’s on. Sadly of course for majority of people that’s just not true. I am very lucky that these days I don’t have too many physical symptoms although I have an eye problem due to sarc at the moment and the hospital here want me to see someone in the lung dept about it. My main problem is that it tends to go to my thyroid when all I feel I can do is sleep, and sadly be a bit miserable. There are some excellent groups on here Fay, I can send you the link to the one I like best if you think it maybe useful to him?
–They don’t mix with them Micki and the dogs all tend to give them a bit of a wide berth when walking past them. I think that’s because the alpacas stand and stare at them. Poor dogs are probably intimidated lol. Large alpaca farms in the USA have guardian dogs that live outside with them. They look like huge retrievers.
Micki Stokoe: Our Jack Russell ‘met’ 2 alpacas at a country show. They touched noses under the fence & were absolutely fascinated with each other. The alpacas were making sounds a little like a musical purring. Do they make quite a range of other sounds?
Lorna Penfold: Ahh bless him. Yes Micki our big Arthur when he’s in the mood will go nose to nose, then the alpacas always seem to breathe out and make him jump They hum, I’m sure that’s what you heard. That can mean all manner of things but if they are scared eg if a stray dog is about, they will give an alarm call which is like a high pitched scream.
Fay Kearney: Thank you Lorna, that would be helpful. I do hope that you sort out your present eye problem. I do know that the medical care in Spain is very good as my cousin in Alhaurin el Grande had a stroke and received excellent treatment! By the way, I’m halfway through your book at the moment and thoroughly enjoying getting the other side of the story from Alan’s. I’ve had to sideline it for a little while as I’m doing some reading for Beta Readers!!!! xx
Lorna Penfold: Add me as a friend Fay and I’ll send you the link. If anyone else wants to add me, feel free you may see some different photos to the ones Alan has, if you can fight you way through the baby photos. I must admit the medical care here I have received has been excellent so far. Who know if it would have been any better in the UK but the speed of seeing consultants etc, has been amazing. I think my eye problem could be a long job. I have uveitis and inflammation of the retina… not a quick fix unfortunately. I’m glad your friend’s care was good also.
Micki Stokoe: What’s your current animal count?
Lorna Penfold: Today… providing the chicks are ok 8 alpacas, 5 dogs, 4 kittens, and 2 chickens Micki.
–Just going to get a hot drink guys… chilling hands today!
Jo Stadelwieser: Hi Lorna, having read your book I can’t believe how nearly our lives have crossed. I taught in Newhaven and Peacehaven before coming to spain in 2008. We also live completely off grid, quite a challenge isn’t it?
Lorna Penfold: Hi Jo Stadelwieser how lovely to sort of meet you. When you say ‘taught’ did you teach in schools or teach dancing? When the sun is shining and you have no electricity bill to worry about, and just the odd cloudy day is ok, the tough part is when you have weeks of clouds and you have to start recycling your clothes. Fingers crossed that won’t happen this year. It’s funny I have another lovely lady I chat to on fb who also feels how similar our lives are too.
Jo Stadelwieser: I know all about recycling clothes sometimes I think it is good we have so few visitors, we do try and wash and brush up before going into town. I taught full time at meridian primary & Peacehaven infants.
Lorna Penfold: That sounds just like us Jo, haha. We went out to friends for a late Christmas dinner yesterday and I was told I scrubbed up quite well. Yep I took it as a compliment lol. Are they both in Peacehaven?
Jo Stadelwieser: Yes those 2 are Peacehaven, also taught in Newhaven & Hampden park
Lorna Penfold: Where did you teach in Newhaven Jo? A friend of mine is a fab TA in a reception class in one of the Newhaven primary’s but I can’t remember the name of it.
Peggy Penn: Hello Lorna, please tell me about the man in your life, is he a Spaniard? 20 years younger than you – how long have you been together and married?
Lorna Penfold: Jo Stadelwieser I will let you get back to your questions & chat to you in pms another time.
–The man in my life …. There are 5 boy alpacas, 3 male dogs, and one of the kittens? Oooh you mean THAT man in my life… sorry teasing you. Well he’s actually Alan Parks the co founder of this group. No he’s not a hunky Spaniard, just a pastey Eastboune guy hehehe! We have been togethe 11 years, but no we are not married, I have been there and worn the dress once already.
Lorna Penfold: Sounds good Jo.
Alan Parks: Oi pastey….
Lorna Penfold: We are both pastey this time of the year
Micki Stokoe: Do you have anything to do with dancing now? Choreography, for instance?
Lorna Penfold: I teach zumba in town Micki, although it’s a bit of a struggle. They are so set in their ways here, it’s difficult to get anyone to try anything different. The ladies all like to walk around town for their morning and evening excercise in their track suits and trainers. Apart from that time they will all be in their high heels. I keep plodding on though as I enjoy it, and it’s good for me too
Micki Stokoe: I can imagine that! When I lived in Fayal as a child, I wore fairly practical clothes, while the Portuguese children away seemed to go out in frilly frocks & shiny shoes! Hope the classes take off. You must still be pretty fit if you teach zumba – I tried it once & was reduced to a quivering boiled lobster! What other forms of dance did you teach?
Lorna Penfold: Hahaha, I look like that after a class too. Yes the ladies here are always very smart and a wedding is like a royal wedding! Yes the children are always beautifully dressed too. Often matching clothes for multiple children. I always used to teach Ballroom and Latin American, freestyle disco, and line dancing with my slightly mature ladies.
Micki Stokoe: Need to know (!) – why were you dancing a highland fling outside Westminster Abbey?
Lorna Penfold: My dear old nan married a member of parliament. I was actually shown around parts of the parliament where I shouldn’t have been Because he was a MP for Aberdeen someone asked me if I could do a Highland Fling, at that age you do anything and don’t really care… so I did.
Alan Parks: On 35 seconds, behind the lady in the black and white dress, looking stern….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIjLSoDCpb8 “Good Golly Miss Molly”, by John Goodman (King Ralph) [HD, high quality] www.youtube.com
–I love this movie! “King Ralph” (1991)
Lorna Penfold: Haha yes that’s me in the pale pink (we were told to look disgusted with him) That was great fun.
Micki Stokoe: Did you meet him?
Lorna Penfold: I did but only sufficiently to walk past him, be totally star struck and say something like ‘That was amazing’ haha, but he replied ‘Was it really?’ like he really appreciated it. Huge guy, he had to have oxygen on 1 or 2 occasions after finishing that. That scene took about 4 days!
Micki Stokoe: That doesn’t surprise me! How did you become an extra? Did you do any other films?
Lorna Penfold: I did, but I can’t remember the names of the others. It was usually if there was a dance scene involved. I remember doing one which involved a huge Vienese waltz scene. I got partnered with someone that could only waltz turn one way. I felt so dizzy I went home after the mornings rehearsals lol… shame!
Victoria Twead: Going back to the Zumba, Lorna, please give us that link again to that HILARIOUS Youtube of your Zumba class and the Spanish lady in blue. I love it!
Lorna Penfold: Of course…. give me a mo. Here you are to give you a smile…. the wonderful Nieves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q72bH-bU4p8
ZUMBA – Simple Warm Up – Calentamiento Fácil. Jennifer Lopez ft Pitbull – Dance Again
I do not own the copyrights to this music or dance. No soy la dueña de los derec.
Micki Stokoe: Love that! She reminds me of Jones in Dad’s Army – always behind everyone else! What is your favourite dance form?
Lorna Penfold: That’s a real tough one Micki. I’m enjoying zumba as I can choreograph to the ages and abilities of people I work with (sort of lol) but I would so love to dance a beautiful waltz again. I also enjoyed choreographing slow lyrical pieces for my competitive dancers. But then again old type dancing is so pretty also….. Not sure I can really answer lol.
Cherry Gregory: Great that you were in King Ralph! And that Zumba video was fantastic. I admire anyone who can remember dance moves … I’m a bit like that lady in blue, somehow I end up facing a different direction than everybody else. Have you always been interested in and good at dance?
Micki Stokoe: Understandable! It’s not easy to choose. I’ve just seen the post you shared about the 10 best things about living in Spain. Would you agree with all these, & is there anything you would add?
Lorna Penfold: Aw people like that help to make the class fun Cherry Gregory. I started dancing at the age of two. In fact the ealiest memory I have is hearing the words ‘I can only hear Lorna singing’ The song was ‘Two lovely black eyes’. I had the voice of a fog horn haha. From a young child I would make my friends dance for me and I would judge them…. poor things lol.
Victoria Twead: Thanks! Makes me laugh every time I see it. So sympathies with the lady in blue.
Alison Teeshirts: Hi Lorna, going to have to catch up later as its my first day back at work; hope its going well!!!
Lorna Penfold: Err let’s think. I can’t comment on the coffee as I don’t drink it, sunflower seed shells are a nightmare, and I just don’t get the excitement of them, and it takes a while to realise everyone is always laid back and late. The only thing I would add to that, and of course I can only speak with regard to where we live, but you do not ever see drunken teenagers on the streets or adults even. We often go out late for fiestas and it’s a sight you just do not see here. I did a blog post a little while ago that maybe of some interest to you Micki….. http://lornaslifeinspain.blogspot.co.uk/…/some…
Lorna’s life in Spain: Some differences when living in Spain, to England. lornaslifeinspain.blogspot.com
–That tickles you Victoria doesn’t it. Aww Alison Teeshirts don’t work too hard.
Victoria Twead: I need to know… *whispers* What is Alan Parks most annoying habit? hehe! It’s ok, he’s not listening…
Lorna Penfold: Errr where do I start?
–Hahaha, ok he knows this….. but sometimes he goes into management mode. Especially if I’m on a go slow day. Before I know it he’s bossing me about, but believe me it doesn’t last long lol!
–Oh and another one ……
Victoria Twead: Hehe … all ears! Dish it!
Lorna Penfold: We will have just been finishing breakfast and he’s already talking about lunch. My dad used to do that. Maybe it’s a man thing?
Victoria Twead: Does he do the washing up?
Micki Stokoe: A different lifestyle indeed! I wouldn’t like to watch one of my pets being operated on either, & have a great mental picture of people trying on clothes! I’ve just seen the time & must shoot off for a bit to get things done before Andy gets back from work! Thank you for the chat – laters!
Cherry Gregory: Loved the blog on the differences between Spain and Britain, Lorna. Sounds great. Apart from the family, what do you miss most from Britain?
Lorna Penfold: Yes Victoria he does, although I prefer him to dry as I hate that job. I’m sure it’s the same with most people in our situation we do fall into roles. I can wheelbarrow poo, I can use the chainsaw, but he tends do do that sort of thing whilst I tidy the house I’m not very good at it though lol) He’s popped out to put on the genny but he’s also doing lunch. Good lad!
Lorna Penfold: Lovely to chat Micki Stokoe. Have a good day
–Cherry occasionally I’ll wish we had a chippy within driving distance. Well we have but a good two hours away. Apart from that, I’m lucky enough to see family and friends 2 or 3 times a year, but I do miss female company sometimes. We have friends of course, but it’s not like seeing a friendly neighbour for a cuppa. This has rather helped actually.
Cherry Gregory: So glad the group has helped…it helps me too and I live in Britain! (In quite a secluded part, it’s a journey to go and see friends so it’s not like I can just pop round for half an hour etc.) The members in WLM feel like close friends to me.
Victoria Twead: I feel the same, I miss a good gossip and laugh with female company, but WLM really helps there.
Cherry Gregory: Yes, it’s the laughter as much as anything else. Funny how some small problems can feel serious and daunting until you share it with a friend … and end up laughing about it.
Lorna Penfold: Totally agree ladies. I think us ladies need to chat more that men.
Cherry Gregory: Definitely. My husband will talk if it’s to communicate a fact or opinion, but he just can’t understand how I can talk with a friend for hours. “What did you talk about?” he says. “Oh, nothing much,” I reply, honestly.
Alan Parks: I can feel WLM husbands being born lol. Not much chatting though
Lorna Penfold: It wil be one liners only from the men When I meet up with my good friends in England we can cover so many subjects, with much laughter and sometimes the odd tear too, which then we laugh about. Hormones hahaha!
Cherry Gregory: That’s why it will be so interesting to read Lorna’s book after reading Alan’s…the male and then female perspective!
Judith Benson: It is very cloudy and cold but thankfully no rain here in Almeria!! Just wondering did you live in Newhaven then, I lived for a while in Rottingdean while training at Brighton General and Hove General hospitals!!!! So agree with you about missing girly chats though this group “WLM”does help an awful lot!!!! The book suggestions are amazing too!!!!!
Lorna Penfold: I hope so I wonder if they will read differently? It’s difficult for us to say. I hope the rain stays away Judith
–Ok time for a bit of lunch… be back soon
Victoria Twead: If you had your time again, Lorna, would you still have bought the Olive Mill?
Lorna Penfold: Wow Judith I’ve just seen this. I live in the centre of Brighton for most of my life then I lived in Peacehaven, on the cliff top, which I loved for a few years.
Judith Benson: Gosh, I remember Brighton very fondly. I was there from Jan 1972 to about Sept1974! I met my 1st husband there at the Dance Hall, can’t remember the name offhand!!! My parents actually lived in Horsham at the time, just inland not far from Crawley!!
Lorna Penfold: I think I would Victoria. As you know from Alan’s book a crazy Italian estate agent very nearly put me off it for life, with his nightmare driving whilst driving us to the mill. In some ways it’s not perfect now. We could do with better land for our alpacas, it’s too big for us, and I desperately miss the sea. Who knows where the future will take us but it has certainly been an education living in the Olive Mill
Judith Benson: You will miss the sea coming from Brighton!!!!!
Lorna Penfold: I love Brighton, I love visiting it, but I really don’t think I would like to move back there. It’s like a white knuckle ride when the family drive me around haha. Maybe it was the Court School of Dancing or Allen Dean’s opposite the King and Queen pub Judith? I lived on top of the cliff with 180% sea views…. I’ll show you a photo. Here you go… the view from what was my son’s bedroom.
Judith Benson: When I lived In Rottingdean we were right at the top and when I got off the bus if it was blowing a gale there was a rail up the road to hold on to so we weren’t blown away!!!!!! Not been there for a long time as family live in South Yorkshire now!
Lorna Penfold: The wind in Peacehaven would be a nightmare. I’m not sure why I ever bothered to do my hair I lost my car door once opening it in the wind.
Micki Stokoe: Hi! I’m back! Brighton is a place I’ve never visited, although I’d like to see the Pavilion. My grandfather used to live in Eastbourne, & we moved to Felixstowe when my parents came to live in England permanently. York is quite a long way from the sea & I miss it too. Where would you like to move to be near the sea in Spain?
Lorna Penfold: I love the fact that Brighton is so cosmopolitan, most things go! It’s the most amazing place to people watch. If at some point we were able to move nearer the sea we would have to think hard about the right place for us. I wouldn’t like to be in an expat area, although most of us tend to get drawn to the sea. As I would like to stay in Andalucia, I would like to look in the Costa Tropical area. I don’t think it’s quite as busy as the other side of Malaga.
Cherry Gregory: Have you managed to travel in Spain while you’ve been living there, or is it a matter of being tied to home because of the animals?
Linda Kovic-Skow: Hi Lorna Penfold. I really enjoyed this thread surrounding your life. So interesting to hear about the alpacas and living off the grid. I wondered about your children and grandchildren. What are their ages? Do any of them live with you and Alan?
Lorna Penfold: Sorry Cherry I’ve just seen this. No very little unfortunately. We love the city of Cordoba and it’s wonderful festivals which is only 45 minutes from us. We also visit friends in Ronda and on the coast but yes once you have animals t’s quite difficult to go too far.
–Hi Linda Kovic-Skow, yes I’ve enjoyed it too My son is 30 and my daughter is 25. When we first moved out here my daughter was only 19 and her and her bf came out with us. Sadly we were just too rural for them and they left 4 months later. It was very difficult at the time but I now realise that at 19 I couldn’t have lived the way we do. My son was already living with his gf and they were happy and content to come out for free holidays. So they are in Brighton, and Crawley. They each have a little girl, so I have 2 gorgeous granddaughters of 4 and nearly 4, and a new baby grandson that was born in December. That of course is the tough part of living so far away.
Linda Kovic-Skow: Thank you Lorna Penfold for taking the time to chat with us. My husband and I have friends in town so I have to rush off. Take care.
Lorna Penfold: You’re very welcome Linda. Have a lovely evening
Micki Stokoe: The battle of the flowers & the Patio Festival sound colourful! Which is your favourite festival?
Judith Benson: Some friends of ours have just moved to the Costa Tropical, they seem to really love it! We couldn’t move if we wanted to as no one would buy the house as it is!!!!!In hindsight we either wouldn’t have bought it or we would have knocked it down to start again!!!!! Oh well on with this reforming lark!!!!!! It just gets more difficult and much harder as we get older!!!
Lorna Penfold: The way we think is that you fell in love with your house Judith therefore someone else would too. When I think how our Olive Mill looked when we viewed it, it was a building site. It has to be the right person doesn’t it. I’m glad your friends are happy. Do you know in what part they are living?
–My favouite is the patios festival in Cordoba, and Semana Santa in Montoro Micki. We were standing beside someone that had come from Granada to Montoro, a couple of years ago, as they had heard about the fantastic processions.
Micki Stokoe: I love the different festivals I’ve seen on my travels! Although we have had a music festival in 2011 & there’s a literature festival this year in York, it’s not the same……
I noticed some pictures of deer on your page. Where were they taken? What kind of wildlife do you see around the Olive Mill?
Lorna Penfold: Especially if the sun is shining it helps doesn’t it The deer we saw at a parque natural about 1 1/2 hours from our house. There are many wild lynx seen there too.
Because around our house is quite busy with olive workers it is not very good for much in the way of wild life. However we have seen wild boars twice, (with their families) plus we have seen some other small animals that we are not sure what they are. Possibly pole cats or mongoose’s …. haha I’m not sure of the plural!
Micki Stokoe: Thank you for all your patience answering all my questions! Really enjoyed it, but just realised that Alan got the post started 9 hours ago, so you must be ready for a break! And my OH, currently dozing on the sofa, is ready for his tea, so I must go & cook!
Lorna Penfold: hehe don’t be daft, I’ve really enjoyed it Have a lovely evening.
Micki Stokoe: You too
Cherry Gregory: Yes, it’s been really enjoyable learning more about your life in Spain. Thank you so much for answering the questions and showing us your videos and photographs … just love the dance video! I’m smiling just thinking about it! And I’ve learnt a bit more about alpacas too.
Lorna Penfold: I’m glad I’ve made you smile with our lovely Nieves hehe. You are so welcome, it’s been fun for me too.
Victoria Twead: They may be genets, Lorna?
Alan Parks: No not Genets, they are stripey!!
Lorna Penfold: No idea Victoria?
Victoria Twead: If they are genets, beware… Gorgeous creatures but they’ll eat your chickens.
Alan Parks: Have you seen the youtube vids of them V? They are amazing hunters…
Cant find the hunting one, but this place is close to us…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5rkr54G8cI Parque Natural Sierra de Andújar.
Lorna Penfold: Right ladies and gents, I’m going to sign off now and have a comfy seat. It’s been fun. Thank you so much to everyone that chatted, asked me questions and made me feel welcome, and especially to Victoria for inviting me to the ‘Hot Seat.’ If you want to keep up to date with me please feel free to add me as a friend, and you can catch my blog at the link below. Night night xx www.lornaslifeinspain.blogspot.com
A blog about life in Andalucia, and breeding Alpacas.
Lorna Penfold: Oh dear sorry about the automatic photo … eye eye.
Victoria Twead: Yes, fantastic creatures. I don’t know what yours can be. Kiersten Rowland probably knows. Tree rats? Do you get bee-eaters in your part of Spain by the way?
Lorna Penfold: Yes Victoria, we had some bird watchers come for a holiday and they wrote a list of all the birds they had seen, just from lounging by the pool and on their terrace.
Susan Jackson: How cute–they want to sit on you just like the cats and dogs!! How does it feel to be so loved?
Frank Kusy: Sorry late to party Lorna (family crisis), wow looks like you had a busy day, hope you enjoyed yourself!
Victoria Twead: You’ve been brilliant today, Lorna, thanks so much for being our Monday Member. You have a hard choice now deciding who to give the books to!
Woofie Wotsit : I’m late for this cuz I have had kbd probs again, but I finally found out the cause… is the bloody Dalby Destructo Dawg! She is always pressing the key for the calculator and had jammed it down. I do not know why she does this, but it causes the keyboard to stop certain letter keys to stop working! Anyways, I was trying to ask Lorna how she coped with Alan’s unusual food likes and dislikes. *grin*
Lorna Penfold: Morning…… Susan Jackson yes that photo is of Auntie Jess the chicken. She will jump onto your shoulder, or back if you bend over. On the photo she seemed to find a good rest right about my waist lol.
–Sorry to have missed you Frank Kusy but thank you for adding me as a friend I hope the family crisis wasn’t anything too major!
–Thanks Victoria Twead. I enjoyed it I shall let you know who the two free books are going to later going… need to pop out first. I’m afraid we only have a PDF version for free, I hope that will be ok.
–Woofie Wotsit I’m sorry I missed you too, sounds like you had a bit of a day I hope today is better.
Kiersten Rowland: Alan Parks, Victoria Twead, sorry very late to this. I think your small animals are probably genets, they are spotty stripey. Pole cats and Mongoose are just one colour. Have a look at the google images link
https://www.google.es/search?rlz=1C1KMZB_enES569ES569… If it is them do watch your chickens, they will take the heads off the chickens and drink the blood urgh.
Victoria Twead: Thanks, Kiersten Rowland, our Spanish Wildlife oracle. Lorna Penfold, I’m sure readers won’t mind having a free PDF of your book.
Kiersten Rowland: lol Victoria Twead I wish I was.
Micki Stokoe: What’s the raptor (?) on the video Alan posted, please?
Kiersten Rowland: Micki Stokoe the bird at around 50 seconds is a Black Vulture
Micki Stokoe: Thank you, Kiersten!
Kiersten Rowland: In fact I think all the raptor birds in the video are black vultures.
Alan Parks: Kiersten, our animals are not genets. They are small, low to the ground and one colour. We have always thought polecats!
Kiersten Rowland: Alan Parks. Sorry I thought you said they were stripey lol. Poss polecat or weasel then.
