CRISP AND WARM IN SUNNY MANILVA ON SUNDAY;

SUNDAY 23^rd/ FEBRUARY 2014.

Today it’s still bright and warm with just a little breeze as forecast with the temperature reaching 19 degs by lunchtime; after breakfast we got tonight’s roast on the go, ‘Roast Loin Of Pork’ with glazed ‘Fuji’ Apple slices, a savory Mixed herb stuffing and of course my famous finger-licking pan gravy, from the vegetable department we are having Broccoli and Cauliflower florets in a three-cheese sauce, glazed Carrot batons, Cabbage with Acelgas,Garden Peas, new potatoes and finally my traditional roast potatoes cooked in today’s Pork fat !

To start we have some of our local thinly sliced Chorizo, and two of my famous ‘Tapas’ starters – Diced cooked English Pork sausage ‘A la Savoy’ – marinated in Worcestershire sauce and my even more famous ‘ Ensaladilla Rusa’ – my version of the classic ‘Russian Salad’ which has diced Potato, baby Carrots,Peas,Tuna,chopped boiled Egg and cooked Red Pimento – all seasoned and tossed in Mayonnaise ! Josie had made some of her Chocolate Ice Cream  for dessert !

The Chocolate Ice Cream was to die for - thank's Josie; we also enjoyed talking to you especially about 'Art' - Josie full title is " Lecturer in Critical and Contextual Studies - Fine Art " ( Retired!) - I managed to keep my end up until I forgot the birth place of " Picasso " - Malaga ! - The 'Professor' soon reminded me !!

Yesterday evening we went around to Josie’s apartment in the street below us at 7-00pm for a glass of Cava before catching the ‘Carnival’ parade later at 8-00pm – luckily just as we were out on her back balcony Brenda heard the band ,they were one hour early not one hour late as usual! I rushed back up through the village and just about caught up with the parade in Calle Mar as you can see in the pictures above! One of the pictures is thanks to Josie on her mobile and the one of the two spectacular ‘Samba’ dancers is thanks to Gary of the ‘Resident’ newspaper – I was dancing with them and the my camera was shaking !! What a life !!

After getting the supper ready we went for a walk with the dog,Mano called on the mobile and asked us to go down to the hotel to see him. we have not seen him for over two weeks as he is working every day as Carlos, his son is in hospital with Pneumonia, Anna has been ‘Ill’ in bed since she came back from her ‘Jolly’ in England two weeks ago and his daughter Sally Ann is also not well ! He and our friend Andy are ‘Carrying’ the hotel!!

So we picked the car up and went up to the hotel as Mano wanted us to see the new set up with the bar and restaurant; Victor Hugo our dentist has moved his ‘Bodega La Espanola’ into the hotel and has taken over the franchise- see the pictures above – he has built his BBQ in the kitchen, set up the bar and bodega furniture in the restaurant and is open for business – good luck to him and his wife, as it happens I have made an appointment for Monday morning to get my teeth cleaned and checked as he is still the village dentist during the week!

Last night after our supper we watched the late film “ Street Kings” from 2008 – an action/crime drama based in Los Angeles about corruption in the police force, it stars Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie and Chris Evans – watch it to find out who are the baddies and who are the goodies!

PS; Liverpool have just beaten Swansea 4-3 in one ‘Helluva’ game!

Thought for Day; See above.

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