It’s pretty hard to get into the “spirit of Christmas” when the sun is out and shorts and t-shirts are order of the day! However, there are certain things that have to be done by Team Sebo before The Big Fella calls in two days – do our Christmas food and drink shop, ice the Christmas cake and touch-up Karen’s roots so that she looks less badger-like! For the first time in 26 years, I actually made a Christmas cake a few weeks ago! I know! Those of you who know me well won’t believe me but, I swear, I did AND managed to cook it in Sebo’s tiny and sometimes unpredictable oven. We also managed to find fondant icing in a supermarket so it should be easy enough to produce some kind of Bake-Off Showstopper!

However, since the sun was still beating down, it seemed a pity to waste it stuck in supermarkets and the like so we took ourselves off for a stroll along the seafront to Altea and then on up the hill to visit Altea Poble – the very pretty whitewashed walled “old town”. The new Altea  pretty much comprises rows of low-rise apartments overlooking the promenade and the sea, with row upon row of restaurants, expensive-looking clothing shops and a marina – all very pretty and, it has to be said, appeared to be bustling. However, if you walk up through it and up the hillside behind it, you discover the most beautiful ancient village with narrow, winding, cobbled streets, ancient houses with whitewashed walls and a lovely church built on the top of the hill with a spectacular view of the sea and the surrounding countryside. The Church Square ( Placa d’Iglesia) is very pretty, lined by a few bars and restaurants and we decided to slake our thirsts with a beer and a glass of rose wine before heading back to attend to our tasks.

Roy got into the team spirit and iced the Christmas cake – presumably since I’d done the baking – and I have to say he made a fab job!

Let’s hope it tastes as good as it looks!

Next up was the food shop – we have the bikes sorted now so a swift cycle up to Lidl for our Christmas Day steaks and all the trimmings was done in no time! The fridge and freezer are both now fully stocked with enough food and drink to feed The Five Thousand should they pitch up!

Final task for today – the root touch-up business! All I can say is the grey has gone for now but the trek to the shower block to wash it off was mildly embarrassing to say the least!

Two more sleeps and normality will be resumed! Hang on, what am I saying??? Normality? Team Sebo don’t DO Normality! Not anymore!