A ' CRISP' & NOW SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 19^th/ JANUARY 2018.

We were both up early this morning, both the dogs slept well, during the night we had ‘ musical chairs’ as they swapped beds, ‘Charlie’ started on his own but ended up in ‘Scruffy’s’- ‘Scruffy’ started in his bed, then changed to ‘ Charlie’s’ before ending up across the bottom of our bed, for the rest of the night! After a quick freshen up we took them both out for their first walk of the day, around the bottom of the village as ‘ Charlie’ likes to ‘go’ on the grass!

I then shot off down to Sabinillas on my travels, for the weekly shopping, I was first through the main doors of ‘ Mercadona’ for our main shop, I then called into  our Bank for some cash from the machine, next I picked up a light bulb from the ‘ Ferreteria’s’ before going along to the ‘English Bookshop’ for the local English newspapers and a special birthday card, watch out it could be you?!

Next I went along the promenade to the local market, at the far end, for some fresh wall plants, before finally calling into ‘ Super Sol’ for the English essentials, it was then time to come back up through the vine fields, to un-load back at the house, after putting the car away in the ‘Council’ underground car park I walked back to the house were Brenda had our normal breakfast ready, toast & tea.

The ‘Contractors’ workmen are out in force this morning (6/8) working along ‘ Calle Mar’ – it looks like they have finished the main drains/ water pipes, etc as yesterday afternoon they started to break up the pavement stones along both side of the street, much to the displeasure of the local Bars & Shops!

This morning has started grey & overcast but the breeze has dropped and it’s not so cold, the sky is clearing and by this afternoon it’s due to reach 17/18 degs, over the weekend we are if for some warm sunshine raising to 20 degs+ - next week is also looking warm & sunny, keeping dry, hovering on the 19/20 degs mark before going a little cooler next weekend, watch this space.


See below a picture of the street down to the Church taken on a fine day in sunny Manilva.

At lunchtime we went up to ' Bar Rojas ' and sat outside in the very hot sunshine for a nice cool drink and a Tapas.


This evening for our supper we are having ‘ Goujons of Hake Fillet’ – using breadcrumbs from the local Bakery, with homemade ‘ Tartar’ sauce on the side, with lots of Lemon Wedges, served with ‘ Mushy Green Peas’ & twice-cooked ‘ Chips’

On Saturday it’s going to be ‘Grilled Fillet Steaks’ accompanied with a creamy ‘Green Peppercorn Salsa’ – then on Sunday we are not ‘roasting’ – we are having ‘Pan-Seared Medallions of Pork Fillet’ with the classic ‘ Charcutiere’ sauce – for a change!!

Before supper last night we watched the next episode of ‘ Great British Railway Journeys’ as Michael Portillo travelled from Liverpool to  Dolgarrog in North Wales, he started by visiting the ‘Liverpool Anglican Cathedral’-‘( where I was ‘confirmed with my Mum!)  then calling into the famous ‘ Philharmonic Dining Rooms ‘ pub ( an old haunt in my student days!)  including checking out the ‘ Grade 1 Listed ‘ men’s toilets, see below! 

He then visited, in Maghull, the ‘Hornby/Meccano Museum’ ( my first train set)  before stopping at Abergele/Pensarn to see ‘ Gwrych Castle’ –  just in front of where are house was in ‘Rhyd y Foel’ - finally calling into a local pub in Dolgarrog – ‘Y Bedol’ – our dear friend Jane, with her first husband Richard, was their first tenancy many years ago, it ended with him ‘ surfing’ at the ‘Surf Snowdonia ‘  -  the artificial wave pool on the site of the old Aluminium factory, the first and largest of it’s kind in the World, a friend’s daughter, Nicky, is the Sales & Promotion Manager! 

After supper more about Liverpool as we caught the next episode of “ A House Through Time “ –  ' 62 Falkner Street ' - this time from 1891 to 1945 – with the story of the ‘ Blitz’ in Liverpool in 1941, my Dad, was a fireman, which I have talked about in the past, they spoke to an old lady ( 87 years old) who was born and still lived in a house in ‘Falkner Street’ - she was sat in the room where she was born, she talked about the bombs hitting the street corner just 20 yards away!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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