MANILVA THIS WEEK.

Monday/Sunday 17th/23rd May 2010.

The weather this week is getting better every day; by the Sunday it is going to be 30degs. and in other parts of Andalucia it will reach 35degs! It is still the best time of the year as down here on the coast we still have a little breeze which makes it very pleasant.

On Monday morning we went off to our local post office and with Mano’s help posted the screen package back to Vancouver; there was all sorts of stipulations about how it was to be sent and boxed and the paper work had to be enclosed, we ended up down at the main post office in Sabinillas and it went off at lunchtime. I then e-mailed all the details including the tracking information as instructed and much to our surprise we received an e-mail later in the evening to say that the correct screen had been posted to us by UPS! Anna arrived home on the correct flight from Liverpool late on Monday evening but Carlos and Ann Mari had to wait till Wednesday.

We had a day catching up with all the chores and in the afternoon on Tuesday I made a Beef Stew for a change which we really enjoyed as we ate it for dinner with Cabbage and fresh Beetroot. Anna had a lazy day at her house and unpacked as Mano was painting and repairing all the walls after the rains so she came around on Wednesday morning and joined us for a Crab and Avocado salad as we listened to all her news about the wedding in Llandudno and what she and Anna Mari got up to. They went to Chester on the Friday and had lunch in the Grosvenor Brasserie, a fine bottle of Chablis and Caesar salad and in the evening they went to see The Sound of Music at the Llandudno Theatre, the wedding was at the Lodge in Tal y Bont in the Conway valley and a great time was had by all.

After our daily walk around the village on Thursday we then went out on the roof terrace and read as the sun moves around, the breeze keeps it just nice and we have our cocktail hour before we come down to the chill out room on the first floor, I play loud Blues music off the PC as we relax, on the terrace we have a small radio and listen to Spanish pop stations, downstairs in the lounge we have the Hi Fi on which we play the CDs as well as a I Pod in a docking station which has a large collection of all sorts of music and in the kitchen we have a small Hi Fi on which we play our Spanish learning CDs!! We like our music!!!

First thing on Friday we shot across to Estepona and on the way back did the weekend shopping; at lunchtime UPS delivered the screen from Vancouver, they had phoned on Thursday lunchtime to say that they would drop the parcel of between twelve and two. We also received into our bank AC the refund for the cost of returning the screen at the same time ! Andy then came round later and fitted the new correct one on which I am typing this now ! Mano and Anna called in as he had finished working on the house with a present, it is small statue of “ San Pancracio ” it is for good luck and fortune and has to be given to you a by a friend, so we had a little session along with Andy. I was given the night off cooking duties so we went up to Bar Rojas for supper and sat outside in the late evening and had an excellent Frito Pescardo,Huevos Frito and Patatas Fritas to finish of a great day.

As we went for our morning walk on Saturday morning the gang was sat outside Bar Rojas,Mano,Anna,Carlos,
Andy and Brian and as we were there the local in the picture below came past with his “ Harris Eagle ” It is a magnificent bird and he was taking it for its lunch hunting in the hills behind the village ! We then all ended up down in Sabinillas in an English bar for the full English breakfast so we then walked it off along the front, which is very pleasant at this time of the year, in the pictures below you can also see Tim and Brenda’s favourite beach bar “ Rilex ” which they will no doubt be hitting later in the year when Tim is coming over for a holiday again ! In the evening after supper of Steak and Frits we watched the European Cup Final,Inter Milan won their third trophy this year; their manager Jose Mourinho is going to be the next manager of Real Madrid !

Today we are getting ready our Sunday Roast, Leg Of Lamb,Mano dropped off a large Spanish one and they are joining us later for dinner; Cabbage with Acelgas, Cauliflower in Cheese sauce, Baby Carrots and Peas,Ratatuile with
Boulangere potatoes and a savory dish of Baked Saffron New Potatoes cooked with assorted peppers.Proper Herb gravy and a fine Rioja will help it all go down !


PS; Just as I was ladling the gravy into the sauce boat ( My Mum's favourite ) it all ended up on the floor,the walls,my trousers and best shirt, sandles and I burnt my big toe ! But there was more in the pan so another great meal was saved !!

Thought for the Day;

We’ll be friends until we are old and senile,then we’ll be new friends !!

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