A VERY ' FRESH' AND NOW SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 22^nd/ FEBRUARY 2019.

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, I was first in ‘ Mercadona’ for our main shop, I then popped along to the ‘ English Bookshop ‘ for the local English newspapers, we don’t need any flowers or plants this week, so I shot back up the hill, at the moment, all the vine fields are being cleared of the dead branches etc, so there is the smell of the burning wood, as you go around the four ‘ S ‘ bends!

Back at the house I unloaded and then put the car away in the underground car park, I then had a treat, ‘ Toasted Crispy Smoked Bacon Butties’ – smothered in ‘ HP ‘ Brown sauce – open on brown for Brenda , with mugs of strong/hot tea.

As I set off this morning it was still grey & overcast with a stiff, cold breeze blowing, up from the Mediterranean, very ‘cold & crisp’ to say the least, by this afternoon it’s only going to reach 16/17degs, it's now clearing and the sun is out, over the weekend it’s going a little warmer as the breeze drops, up to 20 degs+ - next week is now looking dry with patchy clouds, the sunshine will break through at times, hovering in the mid ‘teens’ - down to 8/9 degs at night time, by next weekend it’s due to go warmer again, back up 20 degs+ - watch this space.

See below some pictures of our favourite mountain in Snowdonia – “ Tryfan “ – in summer & winter, it was behind the ‘ Pen Y Gwryd Hotel’  at Nant Gwynant, at the foot of Mount Snowdon, the first Hotel that we worked at after getting married back at the end of November 1971!

We have now sorted the Menu’s out for the weekend; all chosen by Brenda, the ‘ Second/Vegetables Chef ‘ - this evening we are having ‘ Pan-Seared Fillets of Tail-End of Salmon ‘ – with Broccoli Florets, Garden Peas & Baby New Potatoes in their skins. On Saturday she has requested a ‘ Confit of Duck Leg ‘ – I’m having a special ‘ Grilled ‘ Angus’ Rib-Eye Steak ‘ – with all the trimmings.

Then on Sunday, for a change, no ‘Roast ‘ – it’s going to be a old ‘Classic’ – of my version of “ Poulet En Cocotte Bonne Femme “  - using just the ‘ Chicken Breasts ‘ –  ‘ Pot Roasted ‘ in a rich White Wine Salsa, made with Shallots, Baby Mushrooms & Smoked Bacon Lardons , in a  strong ‘ Chicken & Vegetable Meat Stock’ - served with another old classic, ‘ Pommes Parisienne ‘ – using a ‘ Melon Baller’ to cut out the balls of potato, they are drained-off and then tossed in clarified Butter & ‘Goose Fat’ – until cooked and tender all the way through & golden, seasoned to taste & sprinkled with Chopped Parsley!  

This afternoon we will watch all the programmes & ‘Quiz Shows’ that we follow, later after supper we will catch the regular Friday choices, over the weekend it’s a ‘ Sports’ extravaganza , with Football ( a Cup-Final! ) Rugby ( Wales v England!)  & Racing. ( Chepstow & Kempton Park )

PS; Our friend Andy has just called in to tell us all his news about his trip to Thailand, sadly we can’t pass it on! He’s going back for more ‘Fun’ in November!!

Thoughts for the Day, See above.

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