A VERY HOT AND SUNNY MANILVA ON MONDAY AT THE START OF A HELLUVA WEEK;

MONDAY 1^st/ SEPTEMBR 2014.

A nice long lie in this morning as the village was quiet, we had no dog sitting duties, it was hot last night again and just because we could! So after breakfast we sorted ourselves out for the week ahead; our first job was to make our regular once a month call to our old bank in Colwyn Bay to arrange to transfer a regular small annuity that arrives each month, a good day to arranged the transfer as the ‘Euros’ is nearly at its highest against the pound this morning!

I then went along to the chemists to collect my monthly tablet prescriptions which as I’m a pensioner I only pay 8% of the cost! ‘Chispa’is running in and out this morning looking for any of her new found friends to play with but with no luck today ‘Reina’is here early tomorrow morning and Thursday with ‘Scruffy’ with us on Friday afternoon.

On the menu planning front for the week at this time of the year we tend to leave it the last moment to see what pops up; tonight we are having ‘Fillet of Pork Schnitzels’ with last nights leftover vegetables and potatoes with some of my famous Tomato salsa on the side and mine topped with a fried Campo Egg and Anchovy Fillets! Then tomorrow I’m calling into the English butchers in Duquesa, after dropping Josie off at the bus station over in Marbella, to see what I can find ( Gammon Steaks/Calf’s Liver?!)

Traditionally over the ‘Vendimia Festival’ weekend I make a large pan of ‘Chicken Curry’ to come back too! This year we have no friends here except Brian & Lilli,who arrives on Friday from Finland, Gillian is back in England and Den & Josie are home earlier than normal and our Swedish friend Lillymor is not due back just yet; Brian & Lilli usually ‘Get Lost’ over the weekend and we only see them in passing and Mano & Anna do not participate in the festival.

So by our usual standards it’s going to be rather quiet especially as I’m not ‘starring’ this year in the climax of the festival when they crush the grapes! I will return – hopefully next year for my final appearance at the start of the celebrations for my 70^th birthday!!

Yesterday on the sports front down at Silverstone ‘Marquez’ won the ‘British Motor GP’ and Liverpool beat Spurs 0-3; meanwhile over here Real Madrid( playing in Pink?!) lost at Real Sociedad 4-2 after leading 0-2 and Barcelona won 0-1 at Villareal to go top of the ‘La Liga’while Real Madrid are a lowly 10^th! It’s a ‘Rest Day today in the ‘Vuelta’

So this evening after supper we will watch the news, sport and weather updates before settling down to find a film to watch; last nights ‘State Banquet’ went off very well and the ‘Queen of Skelton’ left some very nice comments in the guest comment book on departure – thanks Josie, we look forward to when you both return and any more ‘Gastronomic Extravaganzas’ in the future!!

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

..