The Andalucian - February 2013 by The Andalucían

Editor’s Slice

Hello

I have absolutely no idea where January has gone; it only seems like a week ago I was gorging on turkey and now, here I am wondering what to buy ’er indoors for Valentine’s − but with Claire’s recent signing up to the 5x50 Challenge I’m thinking perhaps a tracksuit! Anyone who knows my wife, though, knows that she’s anything BUT a health freak, however she is certainly an avid charity fundraiser − especially for Cudeca cancer charity. Read all about the charity challenge on page 10 and please join in if you can. Good luck to everyone who takes part; you never know − you just might see my name on the Team 5x50 Las Salinas! A few customers have asked us about the tax form 720, which is clearly worrying some of you. Help is at hand, though, as we’ve got a quick rundown of the dos and don’ts and Afimar accountants are on hand to help you through what we hope won’t be too taxing a time for you. To help out advertisers with their finances too this spring, check out page 18 for some great deals for the months ahead. Remember to get those Easter ads in to us by February 22 to meet the deadline. Until next time

Mike

The Andalucían X5092417D Calle Juanito Romero s/n Campillos 29320, Malaga

Next deadline: 22 February

Join us on Facebook www.facebook.com/theandalucian

Owner: Claire Marriott Editor: Mike Marriott

See our Spring Deals on page 18

Special thanks to our writers and contributors Alice Marriott Beckii Smith Ella Durham

John Sharrock Taylor Stuart Langley Tricia Johnson

Spotlight

Saint or Sinner this Valentine’s? As we declare our love to each other on February 14 with presents and a card, have you ever wondered what the history behind these bequeathed offerings holds? Not widely known as the country of amour, it was in fact the English who invented the Valentines card — the oldest known example is still in existence today. A heartfelt poem was written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife in France while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. This first written Valentine was formerly known as a poetical or amorous address, so despite all those chaps out there who dread the choosing of a bouquet or card to be delivered on this special day, they only have themselves to blame, for it was a romantic young Duke who allegedly started it all. These words of love were written in 1415 AD and form part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London. Valentine greetings have been popular since the Middle Ages, a time when prospective lovers said or sang their romantic verses to their intended. Written Valentines only began to appear after 1400. Valentine ‘cards’ originated one hundred years later, being exchanged in Europe and given in place of Valentine gifts and musical odes. They were particularly popular in England. During the early 1700s, it was another Charles – Charles II of Sweden − who brought the Persian poetical art known as the "language of flowers" to Europe, and throughout the 18th century, floral dictionaries were published, permitting the exchange of romantic secrets via a lily or lilac, for example, and culminating in entire conversations taking place within a bouquet of flowers. The more popular the flower, the more traditions and meanings were associated with it. The associated red rose, for instance, is believed to be the favoured flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Soon, it became universally accepted to represent romantic love. Thus, the custom of giving red roses on Valentine's Day quickly gained popularity. Some time after 1723, the popularity of Valentine cards in America began to grow when Valentine “writers” were imported from England. A "writer" was a booklet comprised of a vast array of verses and messages which could be copied onto gilt-edged paper or other type of decorative sheet. 4

One popular "writer" contained not only "be my Valentine" types of verses for the men to send to their sweethearts, but also acceptances or "answers" which the ladies could then return. Late 18th and early 19th century Valentines were often religious in nature and it is possible that the "Sacred Heart" often depicted on these cards eventually became the "Valentine Heart" with the customary accompanying angel eventually becoming "Cupid." It is believed that the earlier versions of these religious Valentines may have been made by nuns, who would cut out the paper lace with scissors. It is thought the process probably took many days, since the cards had every appearance of being machine-made. By the early 1800s, cards began to be assembled in factories. Such early manufactured Valentines were rather simplistic, composed of black and white pictures painted by the factory workers. By the mid1800s, more fancy cards − comprised of real lace and ribbons with paper lace − began to be introduced to the production line. It was in these latter versions that delicate and artistic messages with pictures of turtle doves, lovers' knots in gold or silver, bows and arrows, Cupids and bleeding hearts were first seen. With the printing advances of the Victorian era, cards became even more popular and the modern postal service of the age implemented the "penny post," which made it easier to send written Valentines to a lucky recipient. Prior to this, postage was so expensive that most love-notes were hand-delivered and usually left on doorsteps. Owing to the delivery of such a written token costing one penny for postage, the cards of this era soon became known as "penny postcards" and became very popular between 1890 and 1917. The craze reached its height during the first World War as many forces sweethearts would arrange for cards to be sent home whenever possible.

Spotlight

During this time, it was also considered "proper" to collect and display collections of postcards, greeting cards and advertising trade cards in the Victorian and Edwardian parlour. Friends and guests would be invited to sit for hours, leafing through albums while they visited − not unlike getting the embarrassing family photo album out when the new partner one of your children visits for the first time! This custom gained so much popularity that photographers, studios, printers and businessed continually strived for new and exciting subjects to satisfy a public who were anxious for innovative items in order to impress their acquaintances. To make their cards stand out, people often sought real photographic postcards. In contrast to mass-produced lithographs, these were actual photographs made with a postcard-printed back. The studios frequently employed women to hand-tint and colour the black and white images, and some of the best of these cards were produced in Germany... famous for its detailed and colourful lithography. Popular subjects included women, children, flowers and couples, posed and arranged in an effort to portray the idealised virtues of the era.

somewhat resembling a tongue depressor but approximately five times longer. They don’t sound much like a romantic item, but the sailor would carve hearts and other loving designs on them, and although they were not comfortable either, the "Busk Valentine" would be worn by the sailor's sweetheart inside her corset. So we’ve covered the history behind the Valentines and I’m sure it has got all you chaps out there feeling romantic – just be grateful that these days, you can purchase your loved one a card and a box of chocolates for a few euros; long gone are days when it was not unusual for a Victorian card to cost a month's earnings. It would have been even more if you wanted to purchase one of the very popular "proposal Valentines" depicting a church or a ring! And remember, ladies, in Victorian etiquette, it was considered improper for a lady to send a Valentine greeting to a man... but in this day and age of equality, you can buy a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates and a bunch of Venus’ best blooms if he forgets again this year – just remember to give him the receipt!

One of the first commercial English Valentine’s cards was produced on embossed paper, later perforated to make a lace-type design; the most popular of these often included a tiny mirror with the message "Look at my Beloved!” Others included the somewhat unromantically named “Cobweb Card,” where the centre could be lifted by a tassel to reveal a cobweb effect of paper. Underneath would be a picture of a couple or a romantic message. I think I’d still rather receive a nice box of chocolates than a cobweb of any kind! Some of the mass-produced examples from around 1850 are exquisite pieces of art − customarily made by hand using honeycombed tissue, watercolours, paper puffs, rich coloured inks, embossed paper hearts and expensive lace. Truly beautifully-created small works of talent were often adorned with silk or satin in addition to flowers or feathers, and even gold leaf. Such fragile honeycomb designs remained the vogue until around the early 1900s. Some of the most unusual Valentines were fashioned by lonely sailors during this time... unique cards sporting seashells of various sizes employed to create hearts, flowers and other designs, or to cover heart-shaped boxes. Sailors also sent what were known as "Busk Valentines" which were long, rounded sticks fashioned from ivory or wood, 5

Short Story

Something Old Something New

by Ella Durham

“Yes, all right Margaret, I’ll come but I fail to see what good it will do me. I’ve always hated the idea of reunions; it’s just a lot of people with nothing in common any more except old, fading memories, meeting up to see who’s gone bald, how many pounds someone’s piled on in forty years or how many chins one has, while trying desperately to find something interesting to say to each other which does not involve broken families or medical operations. At the same time, they are desperately trying not to let either their boredom or amusement show. It’s embarrassing! And fancy holding a function like that on Friday 13th. What a bad omen! It’s bound to end in disaster.” Betty took a breath, sipped her tea and impatiently wiped the teacake crumbs from the front of her chest. Ample bosoms were all very well but they always did create a bit of a ‘shelf’ where food fragments could land unnoticed. “I’ll tell you what good it will do, you silly thing,” answered Margaret, wiping her mouth on the linen napkin and beckoning the waitress with a highly

manicured finger. “The reunion of the Class of ’65 will give you a chance to relive old times − to meet up with old friends and colleagues who you’ve not seen for years; people who you cared about; people who cared about you. And it will get you out of the house and stop your moping!” The waitress arrived. Margaret smiled. “Kindly bring us more tea, would you, dear? Oh, and some of those delicious little cup cakes, too.” “I do not mope!” cried Betty indignantly. “I merely keep myself to myself these days. After all, at my age you can’t go rushing around acting like you’re eighteen again. It’s not…seemly.” She pushed her plate and teacup aside. “Besides, I’ll not remember anyone or their names. My memory is not what is was and I’ll be ashamed if they ask me about things I don’t recall.” “Nonsense!” exclaimed Margaret. She looked at her dear friend and gently patted her hand. “Betty, darling, Ron’s been gone over three years. He wouldn’t wish you to be a recluse for the rest of your life. Why not throw caution to the wind and enjoy yourself? I’ll be there to cover any embarrassing gaffes you make…” “Well, thanks a bunch!” Margaret giggled. “Besides, I bet you remember Annie Blenkinsopp and Rebecca Horncastle − they’re going to be there, and Robert Wilson and John Green, you know, the freckle-faced, ginger-haired lad with the buck teeth and trousers which were always too big for him?” “See? You’re doing it already − making jokes about these folks!” protested Betty. Margaret ignored her. “Well, they’ve confirmed they’re going too,” she continued, undaunted. “Oh, and Miles Clark − he’s definitely going to be there. He sent me the most charming letter of reply. He asked if you would be there.” “Me?” asked Betty, blushing slightly. “I’ve no idea why he’d ask about me.” She brushed away imaginary crumbs now. “Don’t you?” teased her friend, pouring the fresh pot of tea and nibbling on a cup cake. “He adored you. You adored him. He was your first love and you know what they say, ‘You never get over your first love’. What else is there to say?”

Short Story “Oh, Margaret, that was over forty years ago. We were just teenagers, naïve teenagers. We’ve lived a lot since those days,” answered Betty. Yet as she spoke, she felt an unexpected tingle run down her spine. “I’m sure he’s huge, toothless, bald on top with an old man’s grey pony tail, bearded and married to a Flower Power reject and with a gypsystyle size family – and grandchildren even. What on earth would he want with me?” Betty gazed round the place, letting her eyes adjust to the dim lights of the function suite. She wore her best grey two piece and the leather court shoes which didn’t pinch. She stood tall and elegant. She loved her new hairdo. It suited her − even if the colour did come out of a bottle nowadays − and she wore a fine gold necklace with a heart-shaped drop at her throat. She clutched her welcome glass of white wine as if it was a talisman and gingerly walked into the room. She had left Margaret in the cloakroom, titivating her hair and applying yet more lipstick. She looked across the dance floor. A buffet was laid out on trestle tables under sheets of cling film. A large group of people stood near one end, chatting, laughing, greeting and hugging each other. She didn’t recognise any of them but she approached them nevertheless. The next twenty minutes were agony. She couldn’t remember any of the supposedly hilarious events one of the men was recalling, the women were eyeing her up and down (counting her chins?) and calling her ‘Elizabeth’, and one bald-headed chap, already slightly worse for drink, was trying to wrap his arms round her head and shoulders as he described a particularly nasty rugby scrum he’d been in with the school bully! “I knew it was a mistake for me to come here. It’s a freezing cold night in mid-February. What was I thinking of? I mean, Friday 13th – who in their right mind goes to a ‘do’ on Friday 13th? I should be at home with my feet up watching Eastenders,” she muttered inwardly. She prized herself away from the rugby prop, straightened her hair and made her excuses as she stepped backwards. A familiar voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

“I hope you didn’t mind me calling you that. You never used to,” he chuckled. Betty caught her breath and bit her lower lip. She hadn’t expected this. “M…M…Miles! Miles Clark! Well, I never,” she stammered. “It’s good to see you, too. You haven’t changed a bit.” “’Course I have. We all have. But the years have been very kind to you, Beth,” he added gently. “You look as pretty as ever you did. I often thought about you over the years, you know. Well, I could never forget the girl who berated me terribly for always forgetting to buy her a St Valentine’s Day present, could I? In the four years we were going out, I never did remember. I always felt bad about that,” he laughed. His face lit up when he laughed. He had a wonderful smile and Betty found herself noticing that his teeth still appeared to be all his own. His eyes crinkled at the corners and his voice was as warm and gentle as she remembered. She felt her face flush. Was it with embarrassment at his compliment or the repeated symptoms of menopause? She couldn’t be sure. Miles reached out for her hand. “Here, why don’t we sit down? I’m so glad to have a chance to meet with you again. Great idea of Margaret Thompson’s, this reunion, don’t you think? Gives us a chance to get re-acquainted − I mean, to find out what everyone’s been up to in their lives.” He led her by the arm towards a quiet corner table. She didn’t object. They talked. “…..and then after my divorce, and my son moved to Australia, I found myself living alone in a house I didn’t want or need, so I sold up and moved back here to Westbridge But that’s enough about me, Beth. Tell me all about what life has dealt you.” Continued on page 8

“Ah, there you are. Margaret told me you may come tonight. I’m so glad you did. Hello, Beth, it’s so good to see you again.” Betty froze. There was only one person in the world who’d ever called her by that name. She felt the sharp tingle in her spine again and spun round. A tall, slim man with pepper and salt hair, waxed into a modern style, stood behind her. He was still handsome, clean shaven with a strong jaw and a kind expression. His clothes looked very expensive. He smiled broadly at Betty. 7

Short Story She told him about her teaching career, her voluntary work, her marriage to Ron, their caravan holidays in Wales and the baby they never had. What she didn’t tell Miles was that she’d been secretly excited and terrified at the prospect of seeing him again. She’d loved him deeply all those years ago and was just a little afraid of how she would react if they met again. He always could set her heart a-flutter and now here she was, feeling as foolish and wonderful as she had been aged eighteen. Suddenly, Miles looked at his watch and jumped up. “Oh, Lord, is that the time? There’s something I must do, I almost forgot!” Miles said and hurried off. Betty was dismayed but tried not to let it show too much. After all, he wasn’t all that important to her − was he? “Well! I can see that you have taken my words to heart, Betty. You’ve been deep in conversation with Miles Clark all evening. It’s almost midnight, you know. We’ll have to vacate this room then. Local Council rules, I’m afraid − all functions must end by midnight. There were others at this reunion who’d have liked to speak to him, you know,” declared Margaret as she approached their table and put both their coats on the chair. “Yet I daresay they would not have captivated his attention half as much as you! He clearly still thinks a good deal about you. I’ve been watching you both from over there for the past half hour,” Margaret pointed towards the buffet table, “and I must say, he seems quite smitten! Could it be that you could re-kindle an old flame?” she giggled. Betty was aghast. “What rubbish! We’re just catching up on things and now he’s dashed off to who-knows-where like a scared jack rabbit. And I can’t imagine what the time has anything to do with it all – unless he turns back into a pumpkin at midnight or something.” She tried to make light of it but Betty was sad that he’d left her so abruptly – without so much as a goodnight. She didn’t even get a chance to tell him how much she’d enjoyed their evening together. Pity!

“Come on, Betty, I’ll give you a lift home,” Margaret said, and made for the door. “Whoops!” she cried, as she bumped into Miles who spun her round like a spinning top as he came rushing back to the table where Betty sat. “Sorry, so sorry, Margaret. Are you all right?” he gasped. “I just had to fetch something from my car before we all said goodnight.” “I’ll live, Miles,” she replied with a grin. “I was just about to announce to everyone that it’s time to end our evening. I think it’s been a huge success, but I hope to see you again, dear.” She smiled and walked away. “Couldn’t have put it better myself,” agreed Miles “Well, Beth, it’s been marvellous seeing you again. I do hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have. Meanwhile, I’ll say ’goodnight’.” He bowed briefly and helped her on with her coat. Betty buttoned up the front and looked inside her bag for her gloves. When she turned round, Miles had already gone. She sighed. It had been a lovely evening. He’d not changed at all, not really − just grown up with the passing years. Who knows, perhaps she’d get to see him again one day. She felt inside her coat pocket for her handkerchief but felt something else there.Pulling out her hand, she held up a red-wrapped package with a silver bow attached. She sat down at the table and slowly opened the package. It was a jewellery box. With nervous fingers, she opened the lid and then gasped. Inside was a silver bracelet with a tiny arrow clasp. It was beautiful. Lifting it up, she noticed a small card beneath it. It read, “I didn’t forget this time! Happy Valentine’s Day. Miles.” Betty was stunned − and thrilled, and felt the tears well up in her eyes when she saw the card also had his phone number written on it.

Things to Do

Are You a Bathroom Carreras?

by John Sharrock Taylor

Can you sing? Are you a Carreras or a Montserrat Caballé in the shower? More to the point, can you carry a tune in a bucket? If you can manage that, you can probably learn to sing quite well, whatever your age. I have been training choirs and teaching people to sing for more years than I care to remember and you might be surprised by the number of folk who have taken it up successfully quite late in life. Many of them begin by saying ‘Who, me? Sing? Everybody says I’m tone deaf!’ In fact, tone-deafness is very rare. I can only remember three or four cases in my choir-bashing career and ironically, one of those was my sternest critic in the days when I was a church choirmaster! I started our vocal group La Vid y La Vida (The Vine and the Life) five years ago, and we are currently looking for more new members. Some of us began with professional experience, ranging from a cathedral soloist to a vocalist with Acker Bilk. Some started from scratch. Some of us read music and

some don't, so while experience is most welcome, don’t be put off if you are a beginner − I teach the notes carefully! We rehearse on Thursday evenings at La Parrilla, which is between Villanueva de Algaidas and Iznájar. It’s a social as well as a musical occasion and we take it in turns to bring the wine. Though the majority of us rehearse together each week, we can accommodate experienced singers who are only able to join us for the final rehearsal before an event. The repertoire is a mile wide, ranging through classical, church music, Victoriana, Latin American, 1930s schmaltz, 1950s doo-wop, the Beatles, ABBA and Queen. We sing in English and Spanish with very occasional excursions into other languages. We perform in hotels, theatres, bars and churches. Aiming for high standards, we restrict our public appearances to around four per year. Proceeds are donated to charity and in 2012, we supported La Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer and El Comedor de Santo Domingo. You’ll find much more about us on the La Vid y La Vida page at http:// www.johnsharrocktaylor.webs.com/ Interested? Please contact me at heddlenash@gmail.com

Health & Beauty

50 Shades of Fit... Now don’t get me wrong − I am by no means a gym-bunny or fitness fanatic, and neither is my likeminded friend, Fran Rajewski, owner of andataraxia; nor will she mind me putting that in print! To be fair, both Fran and I are more apt at opening a bottle of wine than a sports bag but we do both believe in two things: raising money for worthwhile charities and the need to improve our health. I forget how many emails we have sent each other over time saying “This is the year I get healthy and fit,” so when I received an email from her out of the blue asking if I’d join her 5x50 group, I wasn’t sure whether she was insulting me about my age, giving me information about a new 50 Shades book or if it was a test of my mathematical skills. What I would never have put money on was that my Rioja connoisseur chum was inviting me to partake in a health and fitness charity challenge which not only aims to change your lifetime’s exercise habits, but can also help you change the lifestyles of others. I set about exercising my fingers by checking the 5x50 Challenge out on the web. I read that this charity challenge was launched last year to encourage people to run, walk, jog or cycle 5k (or its 30-minute exercise equivalent) every day for 50 days – hence the ‘5x50.’ I thought Fran must be mad − had she any idea how much exercise that sounded like to me, couch potato winner of the year? I read on…the inaugural Challenge attracted more than 5,000 participants from 43 countries and raised more than £63,000 for various charities in 2012. Moving forward, the team behind the Challenge has aspirations to make the event bigger and better year on year.

The 2013 Challenge will kick off on Sunday March 31 and last until May 19. Registration is now open online, so all was sounding good so far – except the 5k bit! The charity’s website is full of information, support and endorsements from the fit and famous and I was also glad to see that they are by no means expecting me or anyone else to run an actual marathon at the end of this. However, they do say that anyone can complete the 5x50 challenge and experience the physical and psychological benefits which come from taking part – really? Anyone? OK then… let’s stop right there! Now don’t get me wrong − I’ve read all the articles on how to improve your lifestyle, eating regimes, fitness levels etc, etc… but all this “benefit this” and “benefit that” just makes me class myself as a “benefits cheat” − I’m normally worn out just from reading about how many crunches I have to do to make any impact on my notso-trim-tummy area, and I’m usually reading it with a glass of wine in my hand! This wasn’t sounding like something I could imagine completing − surely Fran must have mixed my name up with someone else in her email contacts? However, I did know I could certainly do with a bit more fitness in my life.

Health & Beauty

The website claims that there is help at hand – I was thinking ambulances but not quite − as challengers are supported via the official website to complete their runs, walks or activity individually or in groups. The online community allows you to register for events, link with others and receive training advice − plus you get online support by their network of Fivers. You can also motivate one another to keep going over the 50 days. So far, so good. It was starting to sound better but I knew I would need a lot of encouragement, so discovering that this was in place was great. Many of the events are in the UK, but Fran has teamed up with Steffi Goddard of Las Salinas to form a local group for people throughout Andalucia. I figured I had nothing to lose – other than a few (and then a few more) pounds! It really is easy to join; just go to the website www.5x50.co.uk, click to register and then fill in your details. Where it gives you the opportunity to Join a Team, scroll down and find 5x50 Las Salinas. There is a minimum £5 registration fee − you can donate more if you want – which is for charity. The money is being donated from the 5x50 Las Salinas group to Cudeca, the cancer hospice charity based in Benalmadena www.cudeca.org

If, like me, you’re more of a sofa-hogger than a jogger this may just be the thing which gets us up off the upholstery and out into the spring sunshine. I must admit the 5k for 50 days still seems daunting, but I’m up for the challenge. It’s a good charitable idea and Cudeca is such a worthy cause, so what are you waiting for? Register today at www.5x50.co.uk join 5x50 Las Salinas and I look forward to keeping in contact with you through the magazine or find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/5x50lassalinas. Help spread the word by ‘liking’ our page whilst tracking our traumas and triumphs as we face this challenge! Please join us in doing this – alternatively, if exercise really isn’t your thing, please just register to join 5x50 Las Salinas and donate the £5 to help us raise money for Cudeca. Fran, if I manage this, you owe me a bottle of wine! If you want more information, contact Fran at info@ andataraxia.eu

Alice’s Wonderland

Fitness Freak or Fat Cat?

by Alice Marriott, age 14 & 10 months

Hello again, Oh... I’ve not had a great month. Got back to school and to be honest, I think I was only there a week before I was tucked up on the sofa with a quilt and a box of tissues. I hate having a cold. A week later I actually WAS sick and really felt like I was dying. Mum got the bug too, so we spent another week on the sofa together sleeping, moaning – so said Dad − not eating much and watching a load of films. We’re both better now and we’ve decided we’re going to make this a year to get healthier and fitter! Should be funny as my Mum breaks out into a sweat when I get the Wii fitness board out, let alone if I get her to stand on it and do something! Mum’s not a health nut at all – with comments like ‘eating five fruit or veg during the day would mean a night on the loo’ I’m not sure she’s ever going to be! And no, Mum, I’m not convinced that there’s enough fruit in a glass of wine to count as one portion!

Mum went for her CAT scan this month to see if there’s no cancer. We get the results soon – so fingers are crossed. It’s a horrible time when there’s nothing you can do but wait. I hate cancer. I was very young when Mum was ill the first time. I was two so I don’t remember her being too ill but I know Becky does, and now it seems to be affecting so many people we know – to all of you going through this, I really do send my love; as Mum said to me – keep strong and positive, happy and hopeful and you can beat anything.

With health in mind, my Dad’s not bad on the Wii and he seems to be having a bit of a health kick at the minute too − he seems to prefer the ski jumping and snowboarding rather than the aerobic exercises! He has given up smoking and has been doing great; he’s coming up for six months in February. Mum has said if he carries on being as snappy as he is, though, what’s the point in her giving up just to live longer with him in that mood! He is getting better, but it’s probably about time to start thinking about hiding the mints and toffees which he’s now addicted to! I even managed to use the Wii to weigh our cat, Mia. He’s the one we named as a girl before we knew he wasn’t – I think I’ve told you about him before. Anyway, he’s put on one kilo since last year so I think the whole family needs to do a bit more; not Grandma, though − she’s the one who does exercise already. What with playing paddle (which is a cross between tennis and squash apparently) with her friends in Teba on a Monday and then doing yoga a couple of times a week too with Betty, I’m sure she’s fitter than all of us put together! Well, as long as we’re all fighting fit and not coughing and spluttering next month I’ll write again then. Love, Alice x 12

Health & Beauty

Are You a Versatile Valentine?

By Beckii Smith

San Valentine. It is the month to show your love — not just to that special someone, but to yourself. Our bodies have been battered and bruised over the past few months. They have survived the indulgence of great foods over Christmas, the drinking over New Year and come on, admit it, we’ve all broken our New Year resolution of no chocolate or sweet things!

February, though, is the month to start taking care of yourself and to work on a ‘New Year, New You’ look. Looking in the mirror, you’re probably seeing a barnet which is out of control, hard to maintain, dry and with dull colouring and splitting ends from all the excessive straightening and curling. You’re probably also hiding what could be perfect hair under a pony tail! Discovering your perfect style and colouring can often be tricky, and that’s why we all stick to the same old colour and style we’ve known since the 90s — but 2013 is the trend setting year for all ages!

So…. why not add a fruity and joyful touch to wornout hair and make a start to the ‘new you’ with a brand new style? Do not be afraid of dramatic changes as the buzzword of the new season is ‘versatility.’ Be sure that changes in image will soon bring changes in your life, the way you feel about yourself and of course, better moods.

Health & Beauty Statement colours are back: blondes with black for a sexy, mysterious look; chocolate browns with auburns and reds for glamour and shine; purple, red and mixed tones for a warm and fun look. So, once you’ve got the colour sorted, you can work on the styling. Short and sleek, with asymmetrical cuts are the new fashion key to hair, so when choosing your new colour and style this year, you’ll be sure to turn heads when you walk out of the door. As always, I’m sharing one of my secret home-made remedies. This month, it’s a brilliant hair mask, to repair and keep your hair in fabulous condition. All you need is: 5 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon of brown sugar 2 tablespoons of honey Mix together well, and then apply to the hair and scalp, massaging all the liquids through your hair. Cover with a shower cap or cling film, leave for a good 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Shampoo and condition as normal.

Look good — feel good

2012 was a good year for us at the salon, and 2013 is going to be an even better one. We welcome existing and new clients, and all ages and styles are catered for at this ‘salon with a difference.’ Not only do you feel part of the family when you spend your time with us, but we have a great range of hair, nail and beauty treatments for you to enjoy at an affordable price. (Your menfolk won´t even notice the money missing from their wallets, but they WILL notice the difference in you!) We are now offering a more gentle teeth-whitening procedure, as well as permanent make-up and Botox, plus a stunning range of beauty treatments which include snake venom creams and gold and diamond extract facials. So this February, love yourself or treat a loved one. Perfectas Salon offers everything from gift vouchers to personalised pamper packages to suit your needs and age, plus general hair and beauty treatments. So until next month, turn heads with your new look. For contact details see Beckii’s advert below.

Lifestyle

How Fast Does Your Drum Beat? I was one of those kids who constantly had music blaring whilst I was doing my homework at school, albeit to the constant parental nagging of “Turn that down,” or “How can you concentrate with that racket going on?” Well, I could – I found it really helped me and there are many people who like to listen to music while they work, study or even read; I am certainly one of them. I truly find it still helps me focus more on the task at hand.

As I sit here typing away, I appreciate that my singing along to my Classic 70s CD is more than likely offputting to everyone else in the house who is trying to concentrate on something else at the moment, and for this I do apologise! I can imagine that there are pop-pickers out there who listen to music because it helps them NOT to focus on their job or the task in hand too, and that’s with or without my not-so-dulcet tones in the background!

My dad used to tell me back in the day of my taping the Top 40 that the noise I listened to would put hens off laying, so whilst there may be many reasons for wishing to listen to music in the home or workplace, was he right or can it actually improve your productivity? We all know that music can alter your mood. Films have been using musical scores for years to create the right mood for a scene. At times, you hardly notice the music at all but you are very receptive to the mood being conveyed. So can we use music to put us in a ‘productive’ mood?

Lifestyle For the special benefit of my parents, who every time they visit me still do not understand the importance of listening to tracks at volumes which, in their words, ‘will wake the dead,’ I’m glad to report that research seems to support the theory that music can help. For example, a trial where half the 256 workers at a large retail company were issued with personal stereos to wear at work for a month showed a 10 per cent increase in productivity for these headphone wearers. Other similar research conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois found a 6.3 per cent increase when compared to a ‘no-music’ control group. Having pointed out these findings to my mum, I met with the age-old classic response: “That’ll depend on whatever tripe you’re listening to!” So if we, and my parents, accept that music does increase productivity, does my mum have a point? Does it matter what type of tune we listen to? Does all music have the same effect, or are certain types better in certain circumstances?

If your goal is to increase your concentration, then music which has a constant, easy beat and light melodies are recommended. That makes it one nil to my parents as the low, yet somewhat heavy, base tones of my favoured tracks are possibly not the best choice; easy listening tones are said to be good for those trying to study as they help you pace your reading to aid focus and memorising. Baroque music is reported as an excellent example − especially the works of Vivaldi, Bach and Handel. Rock music can have a similar effect, though, and I have to admit I was more rock than Baroque, more Doors than Handel − and he didn’t feature on my pick of the pops as a teenager studying for my exams!

According to a report in the Neuroscience of Behaviour and Physiology magazine, the Russian Academy of Sciences discovered that a person's ability to recognise visual images − including letters and numbers − is faster when either rock or classical music is playing in the background. I wonder if classic rock would count? Either way, it is one all between my parents and myself in the battle of the bands! However, if you are aiming to be more productive through being more relaxed through music, then you may be interested to learn that research has shown that tunes with an upbeat rhythm can reduce stress hormone levels by as much as 41 per cent − this most definitely was not the case for all living in my childhood home; you could literally hear my parents’ stress levels rising as the increasingly loud upbeat rhythm of Jumpin’ Jack Flash filtered downstairs. Some of the most publicised studies into whether listening to music does help people concentrate have centred on what has been termed the ‘Mozart effect.’ The term got its name after analysis showed that college students had seemingly performed better solving mathematical problems when listening to classical music. As a point for my dear old dad and his ‘putting hens off laying’ comments, it has also been reported that the effect of listening to Mozart does not appear to be limited to humans − apparently cows will produce more milk if Mozart is played! So whatever the music score, it is a resounding two-one to me – let the music play on!

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Spotlight

The Taxing Issue of Form 720 Last November, the Spanish Government passed a Royal Decree making it a legal requirement for resident taxpayers to inform them about assets and rights located abroad. This liability does not affect non-residents. This decree came into effect on December 31, 2012, and the required information must be submitted between January 1 and March 31 this year (2013). In plain terms, if you are a resident here in Spain, you MUST inform the Spanish tax office (hacienda) of your assets, bank accounts, savings etc. The form (720) has to be submitted electronically. It all sounds complicated but we cannot stress enough how important it is you do this – if you don’t, you could find yourself with a very hefty fine. If you are a resident, do not wait any longer. Prepare all the necessary information for submission to the Spanish Tax Authority in the coming days. If you have any doubt or enquiry regarding this issue, please do not hesitate to contact the staff at Afimar Accountants. Email info@afimar.biz or call 952 581606 – don’t get caught out!

Here are the main points: The deadline for the first declaration is March 31, 2013 and it will be an annual declaration thereafter. The declaration covers all assets held outside Spain. Hacienda already knows about all your assets here, so this form is meant to cover everything else you may own.

Each item must be fully identified and valued on the form. Bank accounts include current and deposit accounts, and accounts with building societies. Investments include things like shares, unit trusts, pension pots, life policies and annuities. Real estate includes properties, usufructs and timeshares. Value in this context is taken as similar to the rules for wealth tax. For example, bank accounts are shown at the higher of the year-end balance and the average balance for the last three months of the year. Shares are shown at the stock market value at the end of the year, and life policies are to be shown at their cash-in value as at 31.12.12. If the combined value of all (non-Spanish) bank accounts is over 50.000€, you must declare all accounts, whatever the balance. If they come to less than that, you do not declare any bank accounts, irrespective of whether or not you have to declare investments or real estate. Similar limits apply to investments and to properties. The declaration is annual, but assets do not need to be declared every year unless their value varies by more than 20.000€. The fines for non-compliance are 5.000€ per item, with a minimum of 10.000€. Hacienda also can apply top rate tax plus fines on the full value of any assets that you forget to declare and which become apparent later.

The declaration will be purely informative −no tax will be calculated or payable on the basis of information provided on the form. All resident persons, people and companies are obliged to declare their overseas assets, except for assets which are already included and identified in the books of businesses. There are three classes of assets defined in distinct groups: bank accounts, investments and real estate.