The tables have turned, remembering my Mother and 2 years with my new company.

Hi again, midweek for a change. I don’t usually write midweek, but I sort of had the urge today for 3 big reasons:

In the first place today, 1st October, is the 9th anniversary of my dear Mother’s passing away and the day couldn’t go by without me remembering her. My Mother was unique; a fun loving intellectual Bohemian aristocrat of Russian origin and not at all like me. I imagine today must be difficult for my Father.

Secondly, the tables have turned as today Eladio and Oli are going on holiday to Istanbul. Usually in this house it is me who goes away and they are left behind. That’s why today is a bit memorable. Oli hasn’t really had a holiday this summer as she started working with Spanish Television (RTVE) as soon as she graduated and so she is taking a short break before she starts her new job. Eladio will be her guide and a good one too as he has been before of course.

Thirdly, tomorrow will mark my 2nd anniversary with Yoigo, Spain’s 4th mobile phone network operator and subsidiary of the Swedo Finnish incumbent operator TeliaSonera. In the telecoms sector I had always worked in the manufacturing side of mobile phones, with Motorola and then Nokia. So starting with Yoigo, a new entrant into the Spanish market 2 years ago was quite a challenge, not least because no one knew it and the market was highly penetrated. The 2 years have been hard work but fun. Let’s see what the next 2 years will bring.

To add a recap of what has happened since I wrote on Saturday I ought to mention that on Sunday we went to see Julián and Merche, the parents of Suzy’s friend, Carolina. The reason was to hear from them firsthand of their experiences of their trip to India this summer and where we are planning to go just after Christmas.

After some great recommendations, we met up with the girls to go and see the much awaited film, The boy in the striped pyjamas. The book, of course, I loved but I had mixed feelings at the end of the film. Yes, it was good and not that sentimental but perhaps what I didn’t really like too much was the cast.

After the film the 4 of us went for dinner to Ginos; something memorable too as I cannot remember the last time we went out to dinner on our own. We must repeat the experience. Communication of this sort in a family is so important.

What I must mention here too is Oli’s contribution to Informe Semanal (weekly documentary programme on TVE) this last Saturday again. The documentary she worked on this time was called Justicia para la Memoria – Minute 13.23 to 26.46 (or Justice for the Memory) and was about the killings in Spain during and after the Spanish Civil War and which is a huge conflict currently in Spain.

She also did a voice over in a report on the Financial Crisis (Minute 3.20).

And that’s all for the folks right now as I have to go and drive Oli and Eladio to the airport which is such a funny feeling for me.

Cheers till the weekend.
Masha