SUNNY AND A STILL VERY HOT MANILVA ON DAY 2 OF VENDIMIA WEEK

TUESDAY 27^th/ AUGUST 2013.

Brenda has gone off down to Sabinillas on the early bus for her walk along the beach and dip in the Mediterranean; check list completed, Sun glasses on, water bottle in beach bag, her bus fare and some change in a small purse and old mobile phone for the time and emergency call if required! Finger s crossed!!

I went down to meet Brenda off the bus,she's back with no problems this time! As we walking back up we stopped to talk to Marcus the Financial councilor on-site and he told us some good news,they are not opening the park over the weekend and are only going to use the Wine press !! Why is this good news you may ask after all the trails and tribulation's of getting it finished on time?! Brenda and I were only saying the other day that it would be trashed by the crowds over the weekend and it would be miss-used in all sorts of ways!! So the council have made the correct decision for once - well done !!! 

The work on ‘Plaza de la Vendimia’ is on-going, this morning I spoke to Mario, our local Councilor and the man responsible – on site and he confirmed that tonight they are testing the lights, the fountain and waterfall but still won’t commit himself to it being finished on time – the wine press in nearly there and sounds like I could be pressing the Grapes on Sunday evening; now for the bad news, the ‘Junta D’Andalucia’have not come up with money, as promised to make a feature of the 2000 year old Roman Pottery Ovens so its back to ‘Plan B’ ?! See the picture blog above of today’s work and also the work on ‘La Pedreta’

Mano called in yesterday evening and we have sorted her new Smart LG mobile phone,I’am now going to input her contacts and we have another friend coming to help us with the setting up of a new Facebook account and a Skype video connection along with Googlemail and other ‘Apps’ for free calls on-line! 

NB; BRENDA'S MOBILE NO; 678025599 !

Anna is coming back from her short holiday over in the UK later this evening; Sally Ann is picking her up at midnight at Malaga airport, so Mano is joining us for supper before he goes into work at midnight!

The change in the weather over the next couple of days is due to the change in the overall temperatures over North West Spain and especially along the Mediterranean coast; thunder storms and heavy rain are predicted but hopefully it will clear in time for the’Vendimia’ weekend!

This afternoon I will be watching Stage 4 of the ‘Vuelta 2013’ which today starts in ‘Lalin, the town that is famous for its ‘Cocido’ – a Galician Chickpea based stew with meat and vegetables and finishes at the spectacular setting of ‘Finisterra-Etape De Fin del Mundo’ – “The End of the Earth” passing through ‘Santiago De Compostela’ the religious capital of Spain for the pilgrims and also the capital city of ‘Galicia’- on a route over 189kms. Watch out for the pictures later! See the first pictures of Finisterra today above.Today's stage was won by the Spanish rider Daniel Moreno and Nibali re-took the RED jersey.

On the sports front the ‘US Open’ Tennis Championship has started at Flushing Meadows in New York,Nadel won his first round match yesterday and tonight there is ‘UEFA Champions League – Qualifying-Play-Off Round’ football on TVE1.

This evening for supper we are having Pan-Fried on the griddle ‘ Escalopes of Calves Liver’ cooked ‘Pink’ with Crispy Smoked Bacon, sautéed Onions and English Pork Sausages along with Cabbage with Alselgas, Carrot batons and ‘Breton-style’ Potatoes.

Later I will try and catch tonight’s episode of “New Tricks” upstairs in the office on the small PC with my live BBC1 connection.

Thought for the Day See above.

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