A WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF A ' HELLUVA' WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 11^th/ MAY 2018.

I was up early this morning and after a quick freshen-up I shot off on my travels down to Sabinillas for the weekly shopping, through the ever growing vine fields, lots of green bushes on the old black ground vines. Meanwhile back at the house, after a little lie in, Brenda took ‘ Chico’ for his first walk of the day, he slept all night, on his own, in his bed, he’s already missing his mate ‘ Charlie’ as we are! He’ being collected in the morning, we then have a ‘doggy-free’ weekend, next week little princess ‘ Reina’ is back with us on Monday/Wednesday.

After a toast & tea in ‘itZabar’ I did our main shop in ‘ Mercadona’ – I then walked along to the ‘ English Bookshop’ for the local newspapers and a birthday card, before going along to the local market, at the far end of the promenade for the fresh flowers & wall plants, on the way back I called into ‘ Super Sol’ for the English essentials, before shooting back up the hill to the house to un-load.

Yesterday morning over at the Pier Head in Liverpool, on a ' grey' day the ' Viking Sun' was berthed.

This morning has started a lot brighter, the sun was out early and the clouds have cleared, there is just a very light breeze so it’s rather pleasant, to be out & about, in the warm sunshine, by lunchtime it’s forecast to rise to 22 degs+ - tomorrow getting warmer, as well as on Sunday, when we are out & about on the ‘ Costa Del Sol’  - next week is now forecast to be hot & sunny, with none of the ‘ wet-stuff’ – hovering, at times on the 24/25 degs+ mark, overnight 15/16 degs! Watch this space.


Sabinillas beach this afternoon!

Yesterday, early evening, when we were out for a walk with ‘ Chico’ - we for a change walked along the ‘ El Paseo de la Pedreta’ – the old, lower circular/by-pass road, by the side of the village, overlooking the valley and the mountains including the ‘ Sierra Bermeja’ The Council have just improved the pavement and built four new concrete/green wood seats overlooking the view, they have been painted white and a local artist, Jose Tirado, has decorated the back of them with native motifs of grapes & vines etc, see below!

For our supper this evening we are having ‘Pan-Seared Fillets of Hake’ lightly dusted in seasoned flour, then cooked ‘ A La Meuniere’ style ( Brown Butter, chopped Parsley & Lemon Juice) with Garden Peas & Broccoli Florets and Parsley New Potatoes, on Saturday evening we are having ‘ Minute Steak’ using Entrecotes, trimmed & flattened, seasoned and smeared with ‘Dijon’ Mustard, cooked on a very hot griddle-plate ‘Rare’ – garnished with Seared Button Mushrooms & Asparagus Spears and of course twice-cooked ‘ Frits’

All before we hit the new ‘ Hot- Spot’- “ Bar Ebano – Bri’s Bar’ to catch ‘ Billy Boy Miskimmins’ on his ‘ Lee Osker’ Harmonica, with his five-piece band, as “ Manilva Rocks “ !

On Sunday its’ the ‘  Head Chef & Staff ‘ day off, we are meeting our dear friend Joyce ‘ Baby’ and going for our ‘ Roast Lunch’ in ‘ Castillo de la Duquesa’ to ‘La Taberna 2 ‘ – where Carlos will look after us.

At lunchtime as we went for a walk with the dog, the 'Mobile Fishmonger' was outside, so I bought some small ' Dab Soles & Baby Shrimps' ( for Tortallitas Camerones ) - both fresh & local from this morning's fishing, for another day, he also gave us ' on the house' a small bag of fresh local 'Caracoles' - we ended up at the small 'Dress Shop' at the top of ' Calle Iglesia' where Brenda had spotted something yesterday when she was out, she now has a new top & slacks (Red!) for Sunday!

We then made our way back along ' Calle Mar' as the 'Contractors' workmen were outside the Town Hall and at the top of our street in front of  'Pilars' -our neighbours house! 


See below; 

This afternoon we will be watching/channel hopping the ‘Spanish Grand Prix’ practise from Barcelona, the ‘Flat Horse Racing’ from Chester and the next stage of the ‘ Giro d’Italia’ as it reaches Italy!

After supper this evening we are going to settle down and watch, the new series of “ The Bridge “ – the ‘Scandinavian ‘ crime drama, we have not seen the previous series so we are going to read-up on it so as we are able to follow the story line/plot! Watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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