Thank you very much for the information. Very much appreciated. We get extreme temperatures where I live so perhaps it would not be the right plant to add to my garden.

I have never seen Buddleia on sale in a garden centre anywhere in Spain. Buddleia davidii (the Butterfly Bush) seems to survive in poor soil and dry and sunny situations in the UK. Does anyone have experience of growing it here in Spain? My garden. in the mountains south of Cordoba, is most certainl...

I am always intrigued by the lotions and potions and traditional cures that my neighbours tell me about. . . . . . but this is something completely different. Three quarters fill a jar with sultanas (apparently raisins won't do) and top it up with gin. Leave to infuse for a week or two and then eat ...

Alec: Cordoba Province is magic. The city itself will keep you busy as it has an amazing history and is full of wonderful things to see and do. The railway station and bus station are more or less next to each other at the north end of the main thoroughfare with good bus and train services. There is...

A good general purpose insecticide is to spray with water to which has been added a little washing up liquid and a very small amount of olive oil (used and strained through kitchen paper is fine) which has been heavily infused with garlic. Works well for most bugs including scale insects. I keep a j...

Of course there are irritations. We wouldn't be human if we didn't whinge now and again. The bureaucracy here defies belief sometimes. I am sure that most of us could tell a tale or two about that. It wasn't always straightforward in the UK either. Litter and the apparent blindness to the rubbish du...

. . . . . . . . and I know a couple who returned to the UK because they were "sick of being surrounded by Spanish people who couldn't speak any English".

I read that Prickly Pears were introduced into Spain to provide food for Cochineal Beetles which were then used to produce dye for the silk industry. I thought that was very interesting but it doesn't make the fruit taste any better. My neighbour picks them and them dumps them in a bucket of cold wa...

I am surprised that no-one has replied to this question. It is rather difficult to offer any worthwhile suggestions without knowing where in Cadiz you plan to live. Are you referring to Cadiz city or to the province? What you can grow in the mountains will be very different to the crops that will su...

Please let Mrs Nimrod know that I get any amount of 100% pure aloe vera gel for free. I grow it in large plant pots and just cut a leaf off whenever I want some. It grows enthusiastically here, has pretty flower spikes and looks exotic too.

Great to hear from you again Gordon. I've missed your cheerful and thought-provoking posts recently. Life is still good out here in the Sierra Subbetica . I came for an adventure before I was too old and am still finding that life is an adventure though I am getting a bit creakier now and can't ramb...

I appreciate the replies. I was concerned that I was being unnecessarily suspicious. I like to think that most people are nice and mean well - and they usually are. I don't know why they immediately speak in English -if they are working from the phone book I suppose British names are obvious. The ca...

This morning I had a telephone call from a lady with an oriental accent. She told me she was phoning from Microsoft and needed to talk to me about my computer. I said it was not a convenient time. This afternoon a different oriental lady has phoned saying she is from the telephone company and they h...

I don't think it is a case of apathy rules . . . more a case of endemic corruption rules. I read all the information I can and ultimately every political party promises that they will usher in a shining new age of care and affluence for all. The general message is that we can have more and pay less....

Well, Devil's Advocate, it just goes to show that miracles do still happen here in Spain, even if your faith is severely tested while you wait for them!

Disability Living Allowance is not taxable. The guidance notes that come with your tax form will tell you whether you need to declare it as exempt income. It is only payable to UK residents and will be phased out over the next couple of years. If you Google DLA you will find very clear information. ...

Gordon . . I love your posts. You make me laugh and you make me think. Please keep posting and keep coming up with interesting ideas and anecdotes. I hope you have both recovered from your quiet stroll. Thank you for sharing this; I wish there were more people like you and your wife in the world. Oh...

I am a-maze-d that a thread like this has become so poplar, that so many rose to the occasion. Wood never have believed it. Not a lemon amongst the puns.

Keep going. A good giggle is a great tonic.

Your description makes me wonder if your tree may be affected by Honey Fungus.

Look in the internet for a more precise description of the signs of this. There is a lot of this affecting the wild almonds in our area and it affects cherry and plum trees. Can you post a photograph of the affected bits?

Hello, Manchesteral.

Very glad you've joined us. Lots of nice, helpful and knowledgeable people here who are generous with help and advice,