THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM A VERY CRISP SUNNY MANILVA;

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A VERY CRISP & DRY SUNNY MANILVA ON WEDNESDAY:

WEDNESDAY 31^st/OCTOBER 2018.    “ HALLOWEEN “

We had another little lie in this morning, as we are still quiet in ‘ Doggy World Heaven’ – still no sign of little princess ‘Reina’ this week, ‘Chispa’ is in & out all the time, weather permitting, ‘Scruffy’ is due back with us later next month, of course ‘ Chico’ is booked in for his two-week extended ‘Xmas’ Holiday, last night we had an ‘Facebook’ message from Eileen, asking if we could look after little ‘ Paddy’ for five days at the beginning of December, it will be very nice to have the little lad back with us!

As we were freshening up this morning I was listening to ‘Castle Radio FM 89.2 & Online on the ‘WWW’ – for the first time this week, the music quiz came on, it was a three-second-backwards track, I got it straight away, it was from 1956, “ Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers “ – ‘ Why Do Fool Fall in Love ‘ – last week I won, again, for the third time, the music quiz winners draw! Watch this space.

For our breakfast this morning we just had a quick toast & tea as I then made this evenings supper, “ Chicken & Mushroom ‘Tarragon’ Casserole “ – using diced breast of Chicken, dusted in seasoned flour and browned-off, I then made the sauce, with sweated-off diced Onions, Shallots, Garlic, Smoked Bacon Sippets, Carrots, Leeks, Celery, Green Beans, Red, Green & Yellow Peppers & Baby Mushrooms, with a dash of ‘Lea & Perrins’ and ‘Tabasco’ – along with lots of ‘Tarragon’ and seasoning, then a good-strong ‘Chicken & Vegetable’ stock is added to the pan along with the Chicken, I add the Garden Peas & Chopped Parsley, as well as a little cream sauce, to taste, and leave it to cook-off under the supervision of the very able ‘ Second Chef’! It will be served with fresh, local Brussels Sprouts & Parsley New Potatoes this evening!

Since yesterday afternoon the wet-stuff has gone away, the light breeze moved it on further up the coast, for now, it’s still very cold, by our standards, hovering on the 18 degs mark! – overnight down to 12/13 degs+ The rain is still in the air and could return tomorrow as another front comes in, over the weekend it’s looking dry & sunny, with patchy clouds, next week is going to be mixed, but still in the low 20s, about normal for the time of the year, with sun one day, patchy clouds another and then the wet-stuff, with moderate to heavy rain, watch this space.


PS; Later this afternoon a severe thunder & lightening storm hit us, with heavy rain!



Sunrise over ' Puerto de la Duquesa Marina ' this morning.

Brenda popped along the Chemist in ‘Calle Mar’ for her prescription tablets etc, as it was still dry, the ‘Gas-Bottle’ delivery man exchanged our bottle, he’s still able to come down our street, as the lorry is under the weight restriction, for ‘Calle Mar’!  The wet weather & wind is affecting the new street Canopy, as from time to time, one of the triangles are coming down, when the cord breaks, it’s being maintained all the time, watch this space.

We also have bags of sweets ready for when the local children come calling this evening, for “ Halloween “ – later there is party for them down at the ‘Multi-Purpose Hall’ at the sports complex.

See below;

It’s an at home day, so will be watching all the ‘Quiz’ shows that we follow ‘ Countdown, Tipping Point, The Chase, Pointless, Eggheads, Only Connect & University Challenge’ – clicking from one to another, we also catch ‘ A Place in the Sun’ when it’s down here on the ‘ Costa Del Sol’ – yesterday in Belamadena! Watch this space for my appearance on the programme!!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM A VERY COLD & WET SUNNY MANILVA;

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A VERY WET & COLD SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY.

TUESDAY 30^th/ OCTOBER 2018.

We managed another lie in this morning, as the village is very quiet, no deliveries down our street, the children going to school are using ‘Calle Mar’- no locals out, as well as no traffic, all due to the heavy rain, at the moment!  It started during the night and it looks like it’s in for the rest of the day, the area is on ‘ Yellow Alert’ – with more to come tomorrow!

After freshening up we had our light breakfast of toast & tea, Brenda is in one of the ‘ ing’ modes, currently ‘ Ironing’  I have retired to the office/studio to go on the ‘ WWW’ and then type/post today’s Blog. This afternoon I will have to brave the elements as I have my appointment down at the main ‘Medical Centre’ for my monthly ‘ V12’ injection!

The forecast for the next couple of days is looking cold & wet, then on Thursday the sun is due to return and stay with us over the weekend, at the same time getting a little warmer, with a clear blue sky with just patchy clouds, hovering in the low 20s, overnight 13/14 degs, no need at the moment for the oil heaters in the lounge & bedroom, but all the fans will be packed away! Our jumpers will do for the moment!!  Next week it’s going to be more of the same, with just the threat of the wet-stuff returning, watch this space.

See below the ‘ River Mersey ‘ over in Liverpool yesterday.

The Menu has changed this evening, we are now having ‘Omelettes of Choice’ – as we have some Eggs, from Sandra, who left us all their unused bits & pieces, ‘Cheese’ for Brenda( grated Cheddar/Parmesan) & ‘Paysanne ‘ for me ( diced Shallots, cooked Potatoes, Green Beans & Mushrooms ) - all fried up!

My Omelettes are made the classic way, using three beaten Eggs, seasoned with salt & pepper, my pre-heated Omelette pan is smeared with Vegetable Oil and then a knob of Butter, the mixture is then added and left to rest for a second, before shaking and steering with a large fork, taken to the side and the fillings placed on, before ‘shaping’ the Omelette and turning over onto a warm plate!    

Served with finely sliced Green Beans and hand-cut, twice-cooked ‘ Stringfellows’ 

Tomorrow morning I’m still making my now famous “ Chicken & Mushroom ‘ Tarragon’ Casserole “

For the next couple of day we are taking things very easy, staying in and relaxing, doing nothing, because we can! We will follow all the ‘Quiz Shows’ – check out the news, watch the serials, that are all due to finish, more new ones from this coming weekend, staying indoors, while the weather is not good, only venturing out to the local Bars, weather permitting, for a drink & Tapas, to catch up with the local gossip! On Friday morning I will be out, as usual, on my travels, down to Sabinillas for the weekly shopping, watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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A VERY ' CRISP' & SUNNY MANILVA ON MONDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEK.

MONDAY 29^th/ OCTOBER 2018.

We had a nice well deserved lie in this morning, as we settle back into our normal routine, after all the excitement of the last two weeks, with the folks, they arrived home, safely, at 9-00 pm, their time, last night, to a nice warm house, and went straight to bed, as their friends had set the air-heating, the outside temperature in Everett, Ontario, Canada, was just 4c!!

After freshening up we had ‘ Toasted Smokey Bacon Butties’ – smothered  in ‘ HP’ Brown sauce, open on brown, as usual for Brenda, with mugs of strong, hot tea, to help get is back into the old routine on a very cold start to the week, here in sunny Manilva.

We then sorted our week ahead out, tomorrow afternoon I’m going down to the main Medical Centre in Sabinillas, for my monthly ‘V12’ injection, next week we are having our ‘ Anti-Flu Injections’(Gripe) and I have an appointment with our Doctor, Natalia, for a check up/review.

We are waiting to hear from the ‘ Costa Del Sol Hospital for an appointment with Brenda’s ‘Heart Consultant’ in December and I have my appointment with the ‘Prostate Consultant’ at the start of December,( Blood tests before) – finally I’m also waiting to hear about a ‘ Rehabiliation’  appointment for hand/finger problem!  I have just called and chased up the Hospital! All this, as well as we keep taking the tablets, as our Doctor says!! While I was out at our local Bank in ‘Calle Mar’ I called into the Chemists for Brenda’s prescription tablets.

This morning here in sunny Manilva it’s ‘ Brisk’ as there is cold front hitting us from up North, the sun is out and the sky is clear, for the first time I had a jumper & fleece on, by lunchtime it will be down to only 15/16 degs, overnight possibly down to single figures, over the next two days we could have some of the ‘wet-stuff’ – before the sun returns towards the weekend, reaching nearly 20 degs, next week is at the moment looking dry & sunny, hovering in the low 20s, watch this space.



Sunrise over the beach front down in Sabinillas this morning! 

We are still waiting to hear, later today, when little princes ‘Reina’ is back with us in ‘ Doggy World Heaven’- ‘Chispa’ is coming in & out all the time to see us, as well as her friends when they return, watch this space.

On the Menu front, we had our planning meeting, I will back out on my travels, down to Sabinillas on Friday morning for the weekly shopping, this evening we are keeping things simple, ‘ Escalope’s of Chicken Breast’ – pan-seared in foaming ‘Lime & Balsamic Vinegar Butter’- with finely sliced Green Beans and ‘Rissolees Potatoes’ – cubed/boiled potatoes sautéed  in foaming butter, until golden brown all over!

On Tuesday we will find something in the fridge, then on Wednesday I’m going to make my now famous “ Chicken & Mushroom ‘Tarragon’ Casserole “ – Thursday will be ‘ Omelettes of Choice’ and on Friday it will be a ‘ Fish’n Chip’ supper, as usual Saturday evening will be ‘ Steak Night ‘ and on Sunday we will be roasting, watch this space.

We are catching up with all the news, as well as the ‘Quiz Shows’ and serial that we follow, last night we caught the first episode of “ The Little Drummer Girl “ – I read the ‘John le Carre’ spy novel back in the 80s, starring Michael Shannon as the ‘Mossad’ agent, Alexander Skarsgard is a spy with a past and Florence Pugh is ‘Charlie’ – the title role! One not to miss !!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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A VERY COLD, BUT DRY AND SUNNY MANILVA ON SUNDAY.

SUNDAY 28^th/ OCTOBER 2018.

We had a nice long lie in this morning after two weeks of being out & about, down on the ‘ Costa Del Sol ‘ with Sandra & Bill, having a ‘ Helluva’ time, we can’t thank them enough, Bill has driven us everywhere, in the ‘ Black Skoda Octavia’ – it’s like having you own personal chauffeur, with the help of the ‘ Navigator ‘ (Me!)

We wish them a safe and comfy journey home later today, yesterdays journey/flight from Malaga to Barcelona (Ryanair) was not without it’s problems, as it was delayed, over 2 hrs,their suitcase handle was broken, they unloaded on the tarmac, in the rain onto the buses taking them to the terminal, and then they had a rude taxi driver, after settling into their Hotel, they then braved the heavy rain, with their new umbrella, bought at the local market outside ‘San Roque Station’ on Thursday ( we bought one also!)

We can’t wait to see them again, in the not too distant future, I’m planning the agenda/routes all ready, as well as trying new ‘Restaurant’ destinations, researching new wines etc, it’s a hard life but somebody has to do it!

PS, The folks have just checked in at the Airport, waiting for the gate to be announced, while drinking mini-bottles of ‘ Freixenet Benjamins’ – which we introduced to them last year in Malaga, they had a good night sleep, in an enormous comfy bed at their Hotel, we are missing them both, as well, already, Lots of Love, Brenda & Malcolm xxxx

“ BON VOYAGE “

We are now settling back into our routine life down here in sunny Manilva, after freshening up, Brenda grabbed a quick shower, I’m having mine later, she is then washing her hair, while I’m up in the office/studio on the ‘WWW’ catching up with all the news, updating the Blogs, remember I add things as the day/week goes on!

For breakfast we had ‘ Campo’ Poached Eggs on Toast, with mugs of steaming tea, we also had the company of little ‘ Chispa’ – who came calling yesterday, she’s back from a short holiday down at the family ‘Campo’ as well as being on ‘ lock-down’ - after we had seen the folks off, waving the ‘Flags’ as usual ‘ Union Jack & Welsh Standard ‘!

In ‘ Doggy World Heaven’ we are waiting to hear, from Daniela, who has returned from her holiday in Florida, for when little princess ‘ Reina’ is back with us next week, we have bookings over the next two months for ‘ Scruffy’ and ‘ Chico’  Watch this space.

Overnight the weather has changed, a cold ‘Northern’ front has blown down, all over Spain in fact, so it’s gone a lot cooler, for the time of the year, its’  now very ‘ cold’ for the time of the year, down to 13/14 degs during the day and into single figures at night ( 7/8 degs)?!  Today the sun is out and the sky is blue, you need a jumper on when you are out & about. We had to put our first duvet on last night!! Next week we are in for more of the same, with also the threat of rain at times, as well as patchy clouds and more wind, we have been so lucky, over the two past weeks, with the folks, as the weather was at times was in the high 20s! Watch this space.

So for now that’s it, for now, the Blog will be back to normal from tomorrow, with all our news, sports reports, ‘Menu’s’ – most important – as well as all our family news updates etc, WATCH THIS SPACE.

                                                                                             UNTIL THE NEXT TIME !!

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