New story

Time On Her Hands

“Will you please keep quiet!”

The words were no sooner out before Lisa regretted her outburst, the familiar feeling of guilt welling up inside her. Luke and Natalie looked at her in dismay, their hands poised in the air as they stood on the edge of the pool, ready to dive into its azure depths. They’d been having so much fun with the other children in their holiday complex, but the screaming and shouting had finally got to her. All she wanted was some peace.

She turned over on her sun-bed and closed her eyes against the glare of the sun. This holiday had been a mistake. She should have stayed at home and concentrated on her business while Michael went away with the children. How could she have agreed to spending two weeks doing nothing? It just wasn’t her.

Her career was everything. She’d built up her own small catering business over the years and although she’d left the day-to-day running to her sister, Nicola, she was terrified that something would go wrong and all her hard work would be for nothing. But her husband had insisted on this family holiday to Majorca, and she had sensed a vague, subtle threat in his declaration that they all needed time away together, as a proper family. She had no choice but to accompany them but it was turning out to be purgatory.

She could feel Michael’s eyes on her as she shifted position once again. The afternoon sun was hot now, its rays beating down on her body like knives. Her lunch lay uncomfortably in her stomach and all she wanted to do was retreat into the cool confines of the apartment and check her emails.

That was the only stipulation she had made – an apartment with a wireless internet connection so she could keep in touch with her customers and Nicola. Just before leaving to go on holiday, she’d managed to win a new client and she had to know what was going on while she was away.

Sitting up, she glanced over at her husband who seemed to be asleep, his eyes closed as he soaked up the sun. She felt a sudden stab of envy. How she wished she could just lie there and forget about everything! How wonderful it would be to indulge in a spot of daydreaming!

Rising quietly, she kept her eyes on Michael, holding her breath in case he opened his eyes and saw what she was doing. Just as she was tiptoeing away in the direction of their ground floor apartment, Luke shouted out happily, “Mum! Come in and see what we’re doing!”

She paused and looked back to see her husband smiling at her. “Going for a dip, love?”

Lisa felt her irritation rise again and shook her head. “Just going to the loo. Won’t be long.”

She could see the disappointment in her son’s eyes as he turned away and executed a perfect dive into the pool. She knew he’d been doing well at school lately with his swimming but she’d never had the time to go and see him perform. Another pang of guilt hit her as she opened the door of the deliciously cool apartment, the peace and quiet a balm to her frazzled nerves. All the shutters were closed tightly against the heat of the sun but she could make out the laptop blinking away at her in the corner of the room.

Feeling as if she was committing a terrible crime she sat down and opened her mailbox, the long list of emails making her groan with frustration. Several were marked “Urgent” and her stomach clenched with nerves. How quickly could she get a flight home, she wondered, if there was something she couldn’t solve out here? Thank goodness she had internet access so that she could look up flights.

“What are you doing?”

Her husband’s voice, quiet and controlled but with an edge of anger, made her jump. She turned around but he was silhouetted against the bright sun outside, so she couldn’t see his face or how angry he was.

“This is supposed to be our holiday,” he said to her, his tone still even. “Can’t you leave that for just two weeks?”

“You know I can’t,” she retorted. “This new client is so important, Michael! If it goes wrong I’ll never forgive myself!”

“More important than us? Than watching your children play in the pool?”

She shrugged. “There’ll be other holidays. The children are still young.”

He moved towards her and she could see now how angry he was, how he fought hard to keep his voice calm. “This is time you’ll never get back, Lisa! Every minute with them is precious!”

She heard what he was saying and hated herself for being like this. When the children were babies she’d vowed she’d always put them first, but the boredom she felt at being cooped up all day made her feel as if she were going mad. It was acceptable for Michael to pursue his high-powered career but she was condemned as a bad mother for her ambition. Ever since she was a child she’d felt the need to live up to her parents’ expectations and she couldn’t put her life on hold now. It would be impossible.

“Please understand, Michael. I just need to sort out these emails and I’ll come outside, I promise.” She watched as he gave her one last hard stare before turning and striding through the door, his shoulders rigid with anger. Sighing, she sat back down at the screen, but the sound of running steps and a shout from Michael made her jump up again in alarm and run towards the door.

Outside she could see Michael jump into the pool, a sobbing Luke standing at the edge. Her legs felt like jelly as she ran towards the garden, her heart hammering a tattoo in her chest as she realised what had happened. Michael was under the water and she could see a jumble of colours at the bottom of the pool as he dived in.

“Oh no,” she sobbed as she watched her husband surface with their daughter in his arms. Natalie was limp and lifeless, her face like wax. Next to her Luke sobbed harder, great choking cries that evoked some primeval emotion in Lisa. Kneeling down beside her husband and daughter she willed Natalie to move.

“Please darling,” she sobbed as Michael gently blew air into her lungs. “Please live…”
I’ll never forgive myself if she dies, she thought as she watched her husband’s desperate movements to save his daughter. Memories of Natalie as a baby sprang into her mind, how she’d loved to dress her up like a pretty doll, her first day at school, the endless chatter that characterised her daughter’s personality…

“I couldn’t save her,” sobbed Luke, huddling close to his mother for comfort. “She said she had a pain in her leg…she just kept going under.” He cried harder. “What’s going to happen?”

Lisa held him close and felt his small body tremble. At ten years of age he couldn’t be expected to look after his younger sister. “It’ll be OK,” she soothed. “She’ll be fine…” Lisa watched as, with a choking cry, her daughter’s body suddenly sprang back into life. Michael turned her on her side and gently held her as she shivered and cried out.

“Mum,” she murmured and Lisa knelt next to her, stroking her arms, relief flooding through her as she realised how close they’d come to an unbearable disaster, the ultimate dread of every parent.

Later, as she sat and watched Natalie and Luke scamper around the town square, their movements carefree and happy, she took Michael’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”

He was still angry with her. At the hospital where they’d had Natalie checked out, he’d barely been able to look at her, his attention totally focused on their daughter as the doctors reassured them that she had come to no harm. Where did they go from here?

Michael took a sip of his beer. “We’ve got to do something, Lisa. We can’t carry on like this.”

Lisa’s stomach flipped with anxiety at his words, but she’d already made up her mind. I’ll never forgive myself, she had said. The first time she had been thinking about her new client but she realised now that her family were everything to her.

“I’m going to let Nicola have more of a say in the business,” she announced quietly. “She’s more than capable of taking care of things while I’m away.”

“What about checking your emails?” Michael asked, looking over at the children.

“They can wait,” she answered and held her breath, waiting for her husband’s reaction. He didn’t say anything, just sipped his drink and continued to watch Natalie and Luke race about the square, their crazy games involving the local children who were delighted with their new friends.

“It’s just, at times like this…” he trailed off, still watching his children. “We want you back, Lisa. The children miss you.”

Lisa relaxed slightly and took her husband’s hand again. “I never went away. I’m still here.”

There was a moment of silence between them and then, with a shout, Luke came running over to the table. “Look Mum!” His face was alight with excitement and he grabbed Lisa by the hand, pulling her to her feet. “Come and watch me do this!” As her son dragged her away, Lisa turned around to look at her husband who was smiling back at her, and the look of love and pride was evident in his eyes. Breathing a sigh of relief at last, she knew that everything was going to work out just fine.

Mr Anderson and the Yummy Mummies

“Off you go then.” Charlotte turned in her seat and gazed at her reluctant offspring sitting in the back of the car. “Have a good day.”

“Don’t leave us!” they pleaded and Charlotte laughed. The first day at a new school was never easy and she hadn’t the heart to refuse.

“Come on then.” She took Naomi and Matthew by the hand and they scurried across the road, joining the ranks of other mums beginning to congregate with their smartly dressed children.

Charlotte smiled politely at the other women who hurried past, but they were too busy to stop and chat. Immaculate school bags, sports kit and lunch bags hung about the children as if they were pack-horses and Charlotte followed slowly, her children dragging their heels.

“What’s up?” she asked as they reached the playground and the small village primary. “It’ll be fine. You know what the school’s like.”

“But we don’t know the other children,” whined Naomi tightening her grip on her mother’s hand. “What if we don’t make friends?”

“You will.” Charlotte replied briskly. “You’ll be fine.”

But all day, Charlotte found her thoughts wandering to her children and wondering if they were enjoying the new experience of a different school. She’d hated taking them out of their first primary but with her husband’s new job, she felt she had no choice. The move was a new start for all of them and after the first few nervous weeks, she was sure Naomi and Matthew would adapt.

Now it was three o’clock and time for them to be picked up. Charlotte herself was nervous; she felt new to her surroundings as well and hoped that she would make friends with the mums who gathered at the school gates for those last few minutes of peace before the children erupted from the confines of their day. A friendly mum, she hoped, someone with whom she could exchange a few words and who was as relaxed and laid back about parenting as she was.

She sat for a while and watched the other mums arrive. Shiny cars were parked randomly along the road, some of them so big they took up almost the whole of the narrow village street. A group of women were slowly walking along the path and Charlotte noticed how well-turned out they were, their clothes and make-up immaculate. She looked down at her own jeans and top and felt suddenly underdressed. Running her hands through her long brunette locks, she wished she’d taken a few moments to apply some lipstick, but it was too late now.

Crossing the road she met the eye of a friendly looking blonde who smiled warmly. “Hello…are you new here?”

Charlotte nodded. “My two started today. Years 3 and 6.”

“I’m Amy. I’ve only the one – Louisa in Year 4.”

There was a small silence as they jostled for position outside the playground, but as the teachers appeared and the children came running out, Amy turned to Charlotte and whispered, “Have you met the new Head yet? Mr Anderson?”

Charlotte nodded. “He seems a good teacher.”

“Oh, such an improvement on old Mr Bainsby. I have to say this…he’s gorgeous! And such a good reputation!”

Charlotte laughed. “Yes, I heard.”

Amy continued. “I’m definitely going to be joining the PTA. Up until now I haven’t bothered, but…”

Charlotte looked at her in surprise and noticed how the other woman had blushed. Her eyes were alight and she appeared nervous, her eyes darting around the playground as if she was desperately looking for something…or someone. The crowd around the two women jostled for space and some of the mums pushed their way to the front of the crowd, ostensibly to meet their offspring, but Charlotte noticed how they were unconsciously smoothing their skirts, running their fingers through their hair, licking their lips…

I can’t believe it, she thought, trying hard not to laugh. She’d heard rumours of so-called “Yummy Mummies” but had never experienced this before. At the old school, the other mums were dressed as casually as she was now. The mums’ uniform tended to be jeans and tee-shirts in summer and jeans and fleeces in winter. A lot of the mums there had been farmers’ wives who worked hard with their husbands and certainly didn’t have time to apply make-up or do their hair for the mundane chore of collecting children from school.

Keeping to the back of the crowd, Charlotte saw Naomi and Matthew appear out of a side door, the tall dark-haired man at their side smiling as he listened to their chatter. He was dressed smartly, his suit and tie giving him an air of authority and power.

“Oooh! There he is!” Amy breathed her satisfaction as Mr Anerson approached and smoothed her hair for the umpteenth time. “Brings a whole new excitement to my day.”

“Isn’t he married?” asked Charlotte, looking over to him as he smiled at the eager parents in front of him. “I thought he was.”

“Mmm…yes I think so, but…” Amy pushed forward, and Charlotte noticed a folder in her hands.

“Excuse me a moment, I just want to talk to him about something.”

Charlotte watched as the blonde woman pushed her way through the throng of women who seemed to be clamouring for his attention. But it was her that he was looking at as he brought their children to her side, his arms encircling her waist as he cleared his throat.

“I’d like to introduce you all to my wife,” he exclaimed, receiving the silence that he had expected. “My first day at the school has been great and I’d like to thank you all for the support I’ve received so far. I sincerely hope that you can all extend that support to my family…my wonderful wife, Charlotte and my two children, Matthew and Naomi.”

Charlotte smiled as Mr Anderson kissed her soundly on the lips and together, as the crowd melted away, went into the school to help him finish his first day.

It's been a while!

Well, I started the blog in March and it's now June! The story I sent to Woman's Weekly was rejected and I received the manuscript back today...so a bit sad. However, I'm going to start posting stories on here for free!

All comments are welcome - good or bad. I'm a big girl and I can take it!

First entry

So, this is my new blog! I'm going to be posting short stories on here and general musings about life. I love writing (when I get the time) and reading. My life is full - I'm married with two children and work in the family business. Living in the country I get a great deal of satisfaction from the landscapes and am a keen photographer. I'll be posting my photos on here as well.

More later...

Mallorcan Diary - 18th August - 1st September 2007

Saturday, August 18^th

After a very easy check-in and passage through Security, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast in Wetherspoons, which is now becoming a tradition in our family before we fly.

The flight was unexceptional, but it just made me glad we’d booked with Air Berlin again – they really are a great airline to fly with and we arrived just before 2.30pm. The difference between Palma and Stansted was huge – grey overcast skies in the UK and hot sunny weather in Mallorca!

Although we expected it, the queue for the car hire passed quickly and by 4pm, we were negotiating the road out of Palma, the stunning view of the mountains to our left a welcome diversion from the road ahead.

Trouble finding the villa – very frustrating but when we did find it, absolutely brilliant and everything we could wish for. Narrow road and a very tight bend to get to it, though, which will test our driving skills over the next few weeks!

Before the meal – Café Espanyol – where else? Lovely atmosphere in the square, lots of old women gossiping. Michael made friends and Sophie took him to see some of the shops.

L’Aup was very busy (we hadn’t booked), Keith was not happy with his suckling pig, but I enjoyed my lamb stuffed with dates. Clientele mainly Brits and some big parties. “Kenny Rogers” singing. Desserts of black and white choc mousse and fruit/ice cream. No wine, just drinks. Children had chicken fillet and spaghetti Bolognese. Bread, butter and pate were enough to miss starters. Bill: 87 euros.

 Late night dip and then a good sleep in the air-conditioned rooms.

 

Sunday, August 19^th

An early wake-up and the kids in the pool first thing. Then a trip into PP to get diesel and breakfast at Restaurant Llenaire, which was lovely. Fantastic views over the bay in the sunshine.

An essential stop-off at the brand new SYP and then back to the villa for swimming and sunbathing. Ahhh!

After an afternoon of swimming and sunbathing (although the dark clouds prevented it slightly), we went off to Cala San Vicente to buy rubber rings and lilos. The kids trekked off to the shop while Keith and I sat in the Bar Mallorca relaxing. They came back with most of the contents of the shop and we then had to fit them into the car!

Back at the villa, the children had a brilliant time jumping in with their new toys while I photographed lots of beautiful plants in the garden, in particular gorgeous cacti and vines.

We met the owners of the villa – Pedro and his wife Maria – maybe I was wrong about those characters in the books!!! They were lovely and have a large area of land at the back of the villa where they grow vegetables and keep a pig and some hens. Whilst hanging some washing out I met some more neighbours – a herd of goats who are tethered (hobbled?) in the most barbaric way. One even had a wooden board fitted over his horns. The poor things gobbled up some biscuits and cake and I longed to rescue them.

The clouds were growing darker as we drove towards Pollensa in the evening and I wondered whether we would have a thunderstorm. In the square, locals dominated… lots of groups of old women sitting chattering. We found a table at the top of the square and admired the view while Michael went off to play with some friends he’d made the previous evening. Another English couple sat down next to us and we laughed over their little boy who kept running off. A lovely atmosphere as always. Keith found a new bar specialising in beers – he tried one of 11%!

Storm clouds gathered as we sat, and Sophie and I went to reserve a table at Bar Nou, somewhere I’ve always wanted to try. We booked a table for 8.30 in the narrow street running along the outside of the restaurant. It was busy with people eating under huge cream umbrellas.

Our meal was lovely – starters of mixed salad, chicken wings and garlic bread followed by chicken breast (succulent and moist) and a huge rabbit for Keith. Michael had spaghetti from the specials board.

Main meals were served with broccoli, boiled potatoes and delicious grilled asparagus. My chicken breast was simply grilled and tasted delicious. A nice glass of white wine.

Bill for food and drinks (no wine) came to 80 euros. Nice setting despite the neon lights of the bank opposite, but I had a view of the church walls. Friendly attentive service. Bread, pickles and olives as an appetiser.

Monday,  August 20^th

It was a  cloudy morning so Keith decided to teach me how to play pool. I have to confess, I wasn’t very good!

The cloudy weather continued for most of the day, with some heavy rain in the afternoon, but it was still warm enough for the children to enjoy the pool and we sat talking and watching them play during the morning. 

Lunch was a relaxed affair sitting under the vine terrace and then I had a brief chat with the goats afterwards. Their smell makes me yearn for warm goat's cheese on crusty bread with ripe tomatoes!

We drove into PP early for ice cream at café L’Algar and watched the square wake up. It seemed very quiet to me with only the odd holidaymaker arriving for an early drink. The waiter went out of his way to avoid us, but we eventually got what we wanted – large ice-creams for the kids and drinks for us

As it neared 7pm and our meeting with Tony and Margaret, the square became a lot busier with a lot of people heading for Dakota Tex Mex and Bony’s. I realised I don’t really like the square much at all and prefer Pollensa square – there are more locals and a lot fewer gimmicks.

We all arrived at the Bar Cultural together and sat and chatted for over an hour watching as a convoy of vans turned up to disgorge a load of tat for a sort of mini market which seems to take place every night now. Perhaps they’ve moved off the Pine Walk?

The unanimous decision was to eat at Maxim’s and Tony and I walked over to get a table. It was busy with people eating and drinking and we were lucky to get a large table. The meal was OK – I was only able to sample my main course of lamb shoulder as we didn’t have starters or dessert and I have to say I was still hungry when we left to go back to the villa. However, it was delicious and well cooked and the bread and olives went down very well. The meal was accompanied by a bottle of the house Rose, but it wasn’t the meal I had envisaged as Keith and I don’t tend to stint while we are on holiday. But eating with another couple is always tricky unless you know them really well. We had a good chat and watched everyone wander about in the square examining the various stalls of tat. Sophie went off and bought herself an ankle bracelet and a necklace while Michael spent the entire evening playing with some boys.

The evening ended with a very nice glass of Mont Ferrutx on the terrace!

 

Tuesday, August 21st

We awoke to a loud thunderstorm and torrential rain…we hoped it would clear the air so getting up we made a coffee and watched GMTV.

The thunder didn’t last long and by 8.30am the sky was clear and blue but still windy, so we drove into PP for breakfast at Mollie’s Café, calling into the British Food Shop on the way to pick up some British beer and baked beans.

Breakfast was plentiful and friendly and we staggered off to SYP in PP to stock up on the essentials before spending the afternoon back at the villa, sunbathing and enjoying the pool.

In the evening we decided to eat at Ca’n Costa but before our meal, we had a drink at the new bar in town – La Birreria which specialised in lots of different beers from Germany, Belgium and France. Keith ordered me an 11% beer which I sipped slowly!

 

Wednesday, August 22nd

Another loud thunderstorm woke me this morning, but this time the rain didn’t let up by breakfast and it was a steady downpour which showed no sign of stopping. We had breakfast and then decided to go out for a ride in the car along the coast in the hope of finding some sun.

By the time we’d reached Alcudia we could see the clouds lifting in the distance – they were still firmly over the mountain tops but there were a lot of blue skies. We drove back to the villa via PP and SYP and then had lunch on the terrace – pizza for the children and cheese and crusty bread for Keith and me.

The afternoon was sunny with an interesting sky and the BBQ went ahead as planned. We cooked chicken, burgers and sausages, but the BBQ wasn’t that hot so we finished the meat in the oven while I kept an eye on the potatoes.

After the meal, Keith and the kids settled down to watch the football (England v Germany) and I went to bed to read.

 

Thursday, August 23rd

A brilliantly sunny day so we spent most of it by and in the pool. It was especially nice to sit at one end and dangle our feet in the water while sipping a cold beer. The maid arrived mid-morning to change the beds and towels and give the villa a quick clean.

After she went we had lunch (pizza, chicken rolls) and then watched Neighbours! We can’t get enough of it and it’s become a daily ritual to sit down and have a break from the sun (if it’s out!).

It clouded over slightly in the afternoon but we still managed to get some swimming and sunbathing in before going into PP at 4.30pm. First stop was the British Food Store again, where Keith stocked up on beer and baked beans and then we went off to Café L’Algar for drinks and ice-creams. It was a warm late afternoon and we headed back to the villa to change and then go into Pollensa for a drink. I called into El Molino to book a table and we parked just over the road before meandering up to the square for a drink at the Café Espanyol.

The waiter’s mother made an appearance and she was a lively character! She took out her guitar and started an impromptu jamming session, much to the embarrassment of her son! It was another lovely evening and again the atmosphere was wonderful. I don’t know why we go anywhere else!

At 7.45 we walked down to El Molino for our table on the very small terrace…

 

Friday, August 24th

I awoke late to another grey and drizzly day, so after breakfast, we drove into PP to change some money before the weekend. It started raining and as we’d parked at the far end of the marina, we were caught out by a thunderstorm and had to run for cover outside Stay.

We were there for a good half hour before it relented, and then we wandered along the front looking for a watch strap for Sophie. The children were in need of ice cream so we stopped at Gran Café 1919 and treated ourselves to one, whilst watching the rain fall again. Everyone looked fed up with the rain and I felt sorry for families with young children. At least we have the villa and lots of entertainment to keep us amused.

Before returning to the car, we studied the menu at La Llonja and then drove into CSV to see if Trotters Bar was advertising the football on Sunday. It started raining heavily and we got caught behind a bus for ages.

Back at the villa, I got soaked running to open the gate and it thundered all around us… hmm!

We spent the afternoon holed up in the villa – thankfully we had more than enough to keep us busy and in the evening drove into PP for a drink at the Daina Hotel. It was very breezy as we sat on the promenade watching people walk past.

Dinner at O Lume.

 

Saturday, August 25th

It was another cloudy day so we decided to go into Pollensa and have a walk around the town. I particularly wanted to find the Roman Bridge that had eluded me for so long. We walked up the flight of Calvari steps, and it was hard work in the humidity. At the top was a small bar so we had a welcome beer and ice cream before walking down on the road.

Following the signs, we came at last to the ancient Roman bridge and the tangled mass of an olive tree next to it, which looked as old as time itself. By now we were all sweating profusely in the heat so we stopped off for a drink at the Café Espanyol and then went back to the villa, calling in at Ensenat for bread on the way.

We enjoyed a lazy afternoon with a delicious lunch of goat’s cheese and tomatoes followed by a couple of bottles of Cava and a snooze in the sun. The pool was very welcome in the heat. 

Dinner in the evening was at Eu Centro in Pollensa - see notes.

After the disappointing meal, we called in at the Bar Juma for ice cream and a drink to round off the evening.

 

Sunday, August 26th

Today was very hot, humid and oppressive, but we had to visit the Pollensa Market as always. We managed to park on the outskirts of the town and walked in via the second market square which was full of stalls selling clothes and fabrics.

Keith and Michael went off to buy knights, while Soph and I meandered around the stalls looking at jewellery and crafts. We met up at the bottom of the steps and had a quick beer before deciding to have brunch at La Font del Gall.

Excerpt from PP forum review:

I'd normally make do with a pastry and a cup of coffee at the Cafe Espanyol on market day in Pollensa, but this year we decided to have a treat and eat brunch at La Font del Gall.

We'd missed breakfast completely, so after wandering around the stalls of the market on a very hot Sunday morning, it was a lovely relief to sink into one of the chairs at La Font del Gall and let them make us brunch.

We had a lovely meal - hubby and I went for the full works which included haggis, egg, potato scone, toast, bacon, tomato and Scottish sausage. The children had sausage and bacon baguettes. The food was beautifully cooked and served by a friendly waiter and it was a real delight to sit and watch people wandering by enjoying the market day in the old town.

I have a feeling we'll be doing it again next year!

It was very pleasant sitting in the street watching people go by, and Sophie bought a beautiful Indian cotton skirt.

After a quick dip in the pool at the villa, we drove into PP so Keith could watch the football at Mulligan’s Bar. I took the children to Café Caramba where we logged onto the internet and checked emails. I posted a message about the sign in Pollensa square.

After making sure I had no important emails (!) we went to Café L’Algar for ice cream and then wandered along the promenade in the heat. We managed to watch the last 20 minutes of the match amongst the shouting crowd in Mulligans. Not a place I’d like to return to!

It was with heartfelt relief that we got back to the villa and plunged into the pool! How wonderful it felt to be cool!

In the evening we decided to go to Stay so after parking the car we booked a table and then made our way to Bony’s for a drink. It was busy as usual and I looked around for Bonyslad but there was no sign. It would have been nice to swap eating stories.

 

Monday, August 27th

We were at SYP early this morning to stock up on essentials and then we stayed at the villa all day, swimming and sunbathing. It was very, very hot so we decided to BBQ in the evening and not move from the villa at all.

The evening was very pleasant – watching the sun sink behind the mountains was beautiful and Keith and I sat on the terrace with a bottle of wine in the cool of the evening. Perfect!

 

Tuesday, August 28th

Another lazy day spent around the pool – it was really too hot to do anything else, and the experience of baking on the sunbed and then getting cool in the pool is hard to beat.

In the evening we tried to book a table at Siller but every time we went past it was closed. We had a quick drink at Suttons and Sophie bought a new watch strap. It was fearsomely hot – 31 degrees at 6pm.

Dinner tonight was at Tiberi.

 

Wednesday, August 29th

Yet another scorcher and we spent the morning by the pool, but at lunchtime decided to drive off to La Victoria, a restaurant situated on the headland overlooking the bay. The road leading to the restaurant was very winding and had few barriers! My heart was in my mouth as I was driving!

We had a lovely lunch and the children enjoyed playing with the various cats that wandered around. It was very quiet… almost as if everyone was subdued by the amazing view.

The drive back down wasn’t as bad as I feared despite meeting a couple of cars. Back at the villa we spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and sunbathing.

Dinner in the evening at L’Aup

 

Thursday,  August 30th

Today we took the boat over to Formentor. It was quite overcast, but still warm and we had a lovely ride over to the other side of the bay with great views of the coastline.

We spent an hour at Formentor in the café, watching people arrive for a day at the beach and just enjoying the views.

Back at PP, we drove to Cala San Vicente and had lunch at Trotters. Not my ideal choice but the food was good and the staff friendly. We got back just in time to see Neighbours and then relaxed all afternoon.

Dinner in the evening at Ca’l Lloro – an overcast evening with a few drops of rain.

 

Friday,  August 31st

Ventured into PP for shopping (Keith bought me a beautiful Lladro piece) and picked up some pizza slices and cakes at a bakery.

Back to the villa for our last day of sunbathing and relaxing. It was a beautiful warm sunny day.

Dinner in the evening at Ca’n Costa and our last night in the square. I bought some wine at Ensenat.

Saturday, September 1st 

Breakfast at Mollie’s:

Excerpt from PP review:

It's become a tradition for us to have breakfast out on our last day and for the second year running we went to Mollie's Bar.

They do a fabulous cooked breakfast of sausage, bacon, fried bread, egg, tomatoes and beans, accompanied by toast and fruit juice.

The staff are always friendly and the place is usually busy with tables set out on the street so you can watch the world go by.

We went twice during the holiday for a treat and it was well worth it.

They also have an extensive menu of British favourites for the time you want a taste of home!

After breakfast, we took a slow drive to Porto Petro via the Costa de Los Pinos. A couple of drinks at a café after blundering around a hotel grounds!

Lunch at Porto Petro and then the drive to the airport.

A lovely holiday, full of fun, laughter, good food and drinks!

 

 

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2007

Ca'n Costa - August 31, 2007

It was our last night…we wanted it to be special and where else could we go than Ca’n Costa? We’d booked a table the previous evening and upon arrival sat and relaxed on the comfortable sofas. I felt that little tingle of anticipation as I sipped my drink and hoped that the evening would live up to our expectations!

As it was our last evening on holiday, we pushed the boat out a little in terms of food. I chose the salt and pepper tiger prawns to start and hubby went for the smoked venison. The children, having learnt that tomato soup was on the menu, immediately chose that for their starter followed by the popular spaghetti Bolognese.

For our main courses, hubby went back to his ultimate favourite – the baked cod while I chose the duck breast with potato rosti and green beans. We decided to forgo a bottle of wine and have a glass with our main course instead. As we sat on the sofa I looked around and tried to capture the images in my head… the lovely relaxing sofas, the old camera equipment, the paintings on the wall and tried to imagine how it used to look as a cinema. Already I was feeling nostalgic and as I write this I can see the beautiful décor and wish I was back there now.

My meal was, in the words of Mr Michael Winner, “historic”. The tiger prawns were succulent and delicious, arranged on creamy risotto. Hubby’s smoked venison was great, he said, but I think I had picked the best choice. My main course of duck breast was tender and the sauce sublime. I wanted to lick the plate, it tasted so good! The potato rosti was crisp and matched the duck beautifully.

As always, the children enjoyed their spaghetti and when I read the comments book near the loo, I think other children would agree with them! Their soup had been thick and tasty and I have to admit to having a couple of spoonfuls!

While I was oohing and ahhing about my duck, I asked hubby about his cod and he said it was ever so slightly over-cooked. Not by much, he stressed, but that wonderful moistness was absent and as a connoisseur of the dish, I knew he would be able to tell. It didn’t stop him from enjoying his meal though and he did tell the waiter how he felt when he came to collect the (very) empty plates.

Amazingly, we found room for pudding and my son told the waiter what he wanted before he even saw the menu – the chocolate fondant. My daughter and husband shared a lemon and plum tart while I chose the interesting “green peppercorn and chocolate tart” with a champagne granita. Mmmmm…!

My dessert was delicious – the green peppercorns added a hint of spicy heat to the warmth of the chocolate and the champagne granita (a kind of alcoholic Slush Puppy) soothed my taste buds!

Our evening was wonderful and I have very happy memories of relaxing and enjoying the meal there before our journey home the next day. The restaurant was busy but not full and I would book in future to be sure of getting a table!

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2007

Ca'l Lloro, Pollenca - 30 August 2007

Ca’l Lloro is a new hotel and restaurant that has opened in Pollensa square, just to the left of the steps if you are facing the church. Last year I remember seeing all the scaffolding and wondered what it would turn out to be. The old building has been beautifully restored and has a large outside eating area; an old fountain stands amidst the tables and is a popular feature with young children.

We booked a table before going for a drink at the Café Espanyol, and as we went into the bar, drops of rain were falling from a cloudy, stormy sky. One of the staff told us that if it continued to rain we would be eating in the restaurant upstairs, within the hotel itself.

For an hour we eyed the unsettled sky and watched as the old ladies in the square huddled under the umbrellas with their cups of coffee, But thankfully, by the time we walked the short distance to Ca’l Lloro the rain had stopped.

There are four very good restaurants in this small area including Il Giardino and La Posada d’Ariant and this makes for a great atmosphere. As we approached the restaurant, Alex came running out of Ca N’Olesa and kissed me. It was great to see him and if I’d known he was working at one of our favourites, we’d have eaten there! He was a brilliant waiter at Ca’n Costa and we missed his expert service and friendly smile.

We took our seats right next to the fountain and had a great view of all the comings and goings. My son chose his meal and then rushed off to resume his football game in the square while the rest of us nibbled on bread and studied the menu. We both ordered salads to start – hubby chose the walnut, grape and cheese while I went for a plain mixed salad. These were followed by grilled hake for hubby and entrecote steak and pepper sauce for me. The children chose from their own menu and decided on chicken in batter.

The staff were efficient and friendly, and we congratulated ourselves on booking as the place was almost full with reserved signs on the empty tables.

The food was very good and beautifully prepared. Our salads were delicious and were just the right size for a starter. The children ate their main course while we enjoyed our first, and they said the chicken was delicious.

We chose a local wine, the red Mortitx to go with our main course and it was very enjoyable, a really fruity easy-drinking wine that even went well with hubby’s hake. My entrecote was tender and the sauce a nice accompaniment. The grilled vegetables and sautéed potatoes were delicious. Hubby enjoyed his hake immensely and after the meal we sat back, replete and satisfied while we did a spot of people watching!

Seeing the dessert menu, we couldn’t resist a pud so I opted for the mascarpone cup and the children went for the chocolate mousse. All three desserts were sublime!

All in all, we will definitely return to Ca’l Lloro. It is very similar to Ca N’Olesa and La Posada d’Ariant in terms of menu choice and the setting is fabulous.


Bill was 105 euros including wine.