DRY AND WARM IN SUNNY MANILVA ON NEW YEARS EVE 2013;

TUESDAY 31^st/ DECEMBER 2013!

Another nice lie in this morning as we all overslept as its very quiet in the village today; after our tea and toast we had our showers and freshened ourselves up for the day ahead. We then went for a walk around the village with the dogs, we called into the small photographic shop inside one of the bars to have the camera checked out – no luck! Brenda stocked up with some more essentials form our local ‘Mini-supermarket’ in our street and I called into the bank.

The weather forecast is dry and sunny with no wind, not like the rest of Spain and is carrying on into the New Year and longer at the moment. Temperatures are hovering around the 17/18 degs mark!

Tonight’s supper is ready ‘Steak a la Plancha’ – the steaks are trimmed and seasoned, the chips have been blanched, the Mushrooms are ready and the finely sliced Green Beans have been cooked! We are having tomorrow at lunchtime Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs instead of the Brunch with a nice bottle of chilled Cava Reserva; then in the evening we are looking forward to the marinated Lamb!

I’ve been catching up with the E-mails this morning; we had our second musical card from England, thanks Gillian and Celia! We are sadly missing some more cards this year as time takes its toll!

Later this afternoon our dear friend Rafael from Madrid called to wish us all the best for 2014,I've know Rafael since 1965 back in Liverpool when I went to work at the 'Stork Hotel' in Queens Square  as a Trainee Assistant Manager - he had just married his beloved wife Jill who sadly passed away at this time last year;so we had a good catch up as he has three sons,since our last chat he has become a grandfather for the fourth time! - We wish him and all his family a 'Healthy and Wealthy New Year'

I’ve got my 2014 Wall Chart Planner ready – we are taking bookings – book early to avoid disappointment!

After supper this evening we will watch the ‘New Year’ arrive on TVE 1 which come live from the ‘Plaza Puerto De Sol’ in Madrid; we have our small tins ready of the traditional 12 grapes that you eat on each stroke of Midnight! We are then going to walk down to the Mirador at the entrance to the village to watch the fireworks along the coast below; depending on the weather we might carry on and call into to see Mano at the hotel – but it’s a bit of a walk back!

Thought for the Day; See above.

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