MANILVA AT THE START OF THE WEEK

MONDAY 28^th/ TUESDAY 29^th/ WEDNESDAY 30^th/ JANUARY 2013.

Well the sun and clear blue skies are well and truly back as you can see in the pictures below taken on Wednesday lunchtime; it is reaching 22deg and the forecast for over the weekend and into next week is more of the same; we went for a long walk with the dog and ended up down at Bodega Augustin for coffee. In the afternoon Brenda is able to go up on the roof terrace and read for a couple of hours, it is also good drying weather so the washing is all up to date! On Monday evening we had cold Lamb for supper with the leftovers, we always enjoy cold roast meats, they are so tasty and with some ‘ Clever ‘ carving we ended up with two full meals and enough for a sandwich.

On Tuesday it was more of the same as we took in the tranquility and atmosphere of the village; no appointments this week so we are taking things easy as we are coming up to some busy weeks ahead. In the evening for supper we had Pork Cutlets with Boulangere Potatoes and Cabbage with Alsegas,fresh from our next door neighbor’s campo

Today, Wednesday I made some Braised Steak and Onions for supper; I get it ready and pop it in the oven this evening to finish, we are having New Potatoes and Garden Peas and Carrots with it before we settle down to watch the TV. At lunchtime as you can see we went for a walk around the village, the football ground is looking good ( It’s Artificial !) as there is a busy sports weekend ahead. The work on ‘ Plaza Pozo Del Rey’ is coming along slowly as they do the finishening touches. The work on the church is due to start on February 1^st so I have taken some pictures of the outside before it starts, inside pictures to follow; yesterday there was a council meeting in the church with all the relevant people there as it is a large job and is going to take over nine months to complete. Watch this space. Tonight it is the ‘ Copa Del Rey’Semi-final first leg Real Madrid v Barcelona which we will catch on either TVE or on the PC Sports channel – Ronaldo is not playing as he has a twisted ankle.( It was a bluff - he was OK ) Real Madrid just managed a draw 1-1 and he missed a sitter - Barcelona were all over them and it could have been 5-1 for them!

PS; The folks have just rung to say that their trip is booked/on for June,they are very excited just as we are – come on Jack and Lyn we can’t wait!

Over the last couple of days we have had a ‘ Busy’ time watching all sorts of films; “ Ride with Devil ” from 1999 is a compelling tale based in Missouri at the start of the Civil War and stars Tobey Maguire and in the female role ‘ Jewel’? Later we caught a very gripping and very well acted story of a family in mid- America fighting to survive on their farm with their normal working life until it all goes wrong “ A Map of the World ”from 1991 stars two excellent actresses at their best,Sigurney Weaver and Julianne Moore along with David Stratham – get the hankies ready! Last night it was a good olden “ Three Days of the Condor ” from 1975! With Robert Redford, Faye Duaway,Cliff Robertson and Max von Sydow as the baddie or is he? I remember reading the novel on which the story is based ‘ Six Days of the Condor’ written by James Grady – what happened to the other three?

PPS; We also managed to catch Thea on the Skype video in the evening to wish her 'Happy Birthday' and at the same time we had a good chat and caught up with all their news over in a very cold Old Colwyn.

Thoughts for the Day;

If you wish to reach the highest, begin at the lowest.  Ambition is but the evil shadow of aspiration.

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