I travelled back to Spain yesterday, catching a morning flight from Glasgow and arriving in Malaga in the early afternoon. Friends met me at the airport and drove me home to AlhaurÃn. When we reached the house, it looked strangely unfamiliar to me and, after a few moments, I realised it was because our jasmine was gone. We usually have a jasmine plant growing across our doorway and it has such a beautiful perfume that we joke about our home "sweet" home. Well, despite our own somewhat delayed pruning efforts this year, (see here) it seems that the plant was beginning to grow out in all directions and threatening to take over the doorway. Ada asked a gardener friend for advice and he showed her that the plant had been growing in spirals because of years of not being pruned correctly. He said that if we pruned it right back, we could give it a fresh start and it could grow more healthy again. So our house is "naked" at the moment, but hopefully we'll have sweet smelling jasmine blossoms again by next summer.
Meanwhile, back in Scotland, Dad's doing not too badly. They're still waiting for the results of tests that will show whether he needs an antibiotic to combat an infection. Nutrition and mobility (see post for 7th January) continue to be his two main challenges. Thanks for your prayers.
