MANILVA THIS WEEK.

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY/FRIDAY 14TH/15TH/16TH/17TH DECEMBER 2010.

Tuesday morning started well with the sun out as we went for a long walk around the village with Cheta; we ended up sat outside at Bar Rojas at lunchtime,Mano Anna and Carlos joined us in the warm sunshine as we took in the tranquility of the village and put the world to rights.Lumy’s famous Patatas Fritas helped the drinks flow as we planned the rest of the week. For dinner we were having Barnsley Chops which we had picked up from the English butchers with Boulangere Potatoes,Mano and Anna had two small Fillet steaks for their supper so we decided to pool our resource at our house; I cut the Fillet steak in to Medallions and quickly pan fried them with button mushrooms, chopped one of the chops in to two and finished them on top of the Boulangere Potatoes, meanwhile Brenda put a large platter of vegetables together and we had a most enjoyable evening on a veritable feast !

On Wednesday morning we went with Mano and Anna across to Marbella to the La Canada shopping mall as Mano had arranged for some work to be done on his car at the garage next to the entrance; Anna shot off around all the shops as Brenda,Mano and I strolled around and sat and had a coffee, we then went in the Hypermarket which is the largest and best on the coast and picked up some essentials including some more Poinsettias, we now have six but we give them out to our neighbours as presents as the mood takes us ! The pictures below are self explanatory. On the way back we stopped for a Menu Del Dia lunch ( 9-99euros) at a restaurant on the coast road just before Sabinillas which has just been refurbished, we had a lovely surprise as the place and the food was excellent; the menu was three courses with a drink and coffee, Brenda and Anna had the Bean soup and Deep Fried Hake, I had an excellent Minestrone soup and Mano had a warm vegetable platter with diced Serrano Ham and sprinkled with Virgin Olive Oil; to follow we were intrigued by the sound of the Roast Beef on a Spanish Del Dia menu, it came with a proper gravy and Frits and was superb ! We shall return as the A la Carte prices are very reasonable and they have on the Menu Chateaubriand with Béarnaise Sauce !!

We had a at home day on Thursday to catch up; after our walk with Cheta Brenda caught up with the washing and ironing and I checked out our e-mails and messages on Facebook;the Xmas cards have started to arrive and we are always pleasantly surprised by the number of our friends who follow the blog – thanks you know who you are ! In the evening we watched a film on TV.

Friday is shopping day down in Sabinillas;we are stocking up with all sorts of stuff to see us over the Christmas celebrations and even found some excellent Deluxe Christmas Crackers in the card shop. I am picking up the Turkey and Rib of Beef on Xmas eve morning. When we got back Mano and Anna called in with a Large Leg of Lamb ( Halal ) for this Sunday’s lunch which they had bought from the Moroccan butchers; Brian ( if he is not working ) and Lilli are joining us. The weather forecast over the weekend is rain and more rain. We can’t complain as this is the warmest and mildest December down here on the Costa del Sol on record while the rest of Spain is in the grip of the Ice age for the first time in living memory ! This morning it has just started to rain here, I’ve just come off the phone to Tim in Colwyn Bay and they have had thick snow overnight on the North Wales coast.


Thought for the Day;

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.



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