MANILVA START TO THE WEEK.

MONDAY/TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY 24TH/25TH/26TH JANUARY 2011

Yesterday afternoon the rain started and it has not stopped until early this morning; it certainly rains in Spain, very heavy and non stop but it is the first in the last three months so we can’t complain! The rest of Spain is getting a lot worse, floods in Lanzarote, snow in Mallorca and severe low temperatures during the day all over mainland Spain. On Monday we took it easy and stayed inside, Mano and Anna called in after returning from Algeciras as Anna had been to renew her driving license and on the way back they popped across to Gibraltar so they brought Brenda a litre bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin for looking after Derrick. In the evening we had cold Roast Pork with all the trimmings for supper before we settled down to watch TV.


Last Friday we picked up some lovely Barnsley Lamb Chops from the English butchers so we had them for dinner last night; I quickly pan fried them and then placed them on the top of the Boulangere Potatoes to finish in the oven, Brenda’s vegetables came along,Carrot and Baby Turnip mash, Leek and Mushroom bake, Cabbage and Green Beans. The wine was a very fine “ Navarra Reserva 2005 ” which is made with a selection of Tempranilio,Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes ; the pictures below shows our dinner as it came out of the oven !

Today, Wednesday it is dry and a little warmer so Cheta appeared and has been playing with Brenda as she sat with her ankle up as I made a Chicken Curry for dinner tonight; We have just come off the Skype Video after speaking to Jack and Lyn in a very warm and sunny Melbourne ( 34 degs ) on “ Australia Day ” They had just got back after going to a lively party with an BBQ and Jazz band playing with some of their family. We started talking about some places in Australia,Bendingo where Jack used to live outside Melbourne, the Murray river on the border of Victoria and Moolooaba on the Gold coast above Brisbane where Lyn’s daughter, Annette is on holiday at the moment – I just have to turn around and find them on the large wall map on the office wall behind the PC station ! Happy “ Australia Day ” to all the family. This morning we also had an e-mail from Jane to confirm the dates when she is coming over for a quick visit; she and David, her fiancé who we are looking forward to meeting for the first time,he is a master Chef so I will have to be on my toes ! They arrive on the 12th May for four days a week after Tim and Thea have left after there stay from the 29th April for a week ! Get your bookings in as soon as possible !! We have just had a phone call from Carlos asking us to Fabio’s fifth birthday party on Sunday evening around in the family’s large party garage which they rent out for other parties also.


Thought for the Day;


It’s the nature of greatness not to be exact.


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