THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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A WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON SATURDAY.

SATURDAY 30^th/ NOVEMBER 2019.   “ ST. ANDREW’S DAY “

We had a nice long lie in this morning, in fact we nearly overslept, after freshening up we then had our usual Saturday morning breakfast of Brenda’s famous ‘ Campo’ Poached Eggs on Toast ( White) – Scrambled for her, on Brown, with mugs of hot/strong Tea, to set us up for the day ahead.

See below;

I then put the gas-bottle out to be exchanged by the delivery man, the price had gone up a little, again, it’s controlled by the ‘National Government’ I then went along to the local Bank in ‘Calle Mar’ for some cash from the machine, on the way back I stopped at the Chemists, for my prescription ‘Insulin’  blood testing strips.  

Yesterday evening Brian called in – just as we were having our supper – so we made him have a little ‘ Starter Taster ‘ of the ‘ Grilled Salmon with Sugar Snap Peas, Broccoli Florets & Baby New Potatoes, with a classic ‘Bearnaise’ sauce. Brian then helped me re-send the new document back to ‘OliveNet’ – this morning the contracts have arrived by E-Mail, they need to be signed digitally, so he’s calling back in to take me through the process! Watch this space.

To start we had had the small ‘ Pacific Scallops’ in their tiny shells, warmed in the oven, with a small knob of Butter, they were delicious and very tasty – with the ‘ Coral’ – see below!

Meanwhile over in Malaga yesterday evening the new-style ‘ Christmas Light & Sound/Music Extravaganza’ along ‘ Calle Larios’ was turned on by Antonio Banderas, we are going to see them on the 12^TH December, on the ‘Pensioner’s Coach Trip’! ( only 8 Euros!)

See below; before they were turned on! 

We have yet another beautiful, perfect, day down here on the ‘Costa Del Sol’ – the sun was out early and the sky is clear & blue, there is just a very slight breeze, so by lunchtime it’s due to reach 20 degs+ again! Tomorrow it’s now staying the same, when we are out celebrating, sadly next week as the new cold & wet ‘Atlantic’ front arrives late, we are in for a few colder, wet and windy days, to start, dropping down to 15 degs, overnight on 9 degs, with patchy to heavy ‘RAIN’ – by next Wednesday going dry & sunny, with patchy clouds at times, hovering on in the mid/high ‘ teens’ – watch this space.

On the sports front this weekend; over in the ‘Premiere League’ Manchester City travel across to Newcastle Utd, Liverpool are at home to Brighton & Hove Albion and on Sunday, Everton travel down the M6 to play Leicester City, over here in ‘La Liga’ Real Madrid are in Alaves and then tomorrow Barcelona are playing Atletico Madrid – in Madrid! The ‘ National Hunt Racing’ this afternoon is from Newbury.

This evening for our supper we are having my version of the old classic “  Tournedos Rossini “ – attributed to the French master chefs ‘ Careme, Duglere or Escoffier ( Savoy Hotel)?! -  using ‘ French’ trimmed ‘Fillet Steaks’ – mine wrapped in ‘Smoked Bacon Rashers’ ( not in the recipe)  – then seared on a very hot griddle-plate before baking in a hot over ‘ Med-Rare’ – Pink no blood! Served on a large toasted ‘Crute’ – topped with a quenelle of ‘Iberia Pate’  ( Foie Gras originally ) – garnished with slices of very expensive ‘Black Truffle’! ( I use slices of Mushrooms)  surrounded with a pool of a rich Red Wine glaze.( Madeira demi-glaze) Accompanied with whole Baby ‘ French’ Green Beans and another old classic, triple-cooked ‘  Pommes Pont Neuf ‘ – served at the old ‘ Chez Clovis’ in Paris, next to the ‘Pont Neuf ( New Bridge) – in fact the city’s oldest! They are thick-cut ‘French Fries’!

After supper this evening we will settle down to watch the new series on ‘ BBC Four’ – ‘The Sinner ‘ – last night we caught on the ‘ World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys’ – the spectacular “ Glacier Express’ ( the slowest express train in the World) in Switzerland, through & under the Alps, over 91 tunnels, including the 15.4 km-long ‘ Furka Tunnel’ and crossing over 291 bridges, including the spectacular  ‘ Landvasser Viaduct’ on it’s way from Zermatt to St. Moritz, see below.

Thought for the Day, See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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

FRIDAY 29^th/ NOVEMBER 2019.   “ 48th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY “

I was up very early this morning and after a quick freshen up I shot off on my travels down to Sabinillas for our weekly shopping, I called into ‘ItsZabar’ for my usual toast and tea before I went along the coast road, towards Estepona, as the bright full red sun was coming up above a sparking/still Mediterranean.

The newish ‘ Mercadona’ was already very busy as I did our main shop,  the staff are very helpful when you are looking for something, I then came back to Sabinillas and dropped down to the far-end of the promenade to the local market for our fresh flowers and wall plants.

I called into the local ‘Repsol’ garage to top up the petrol before stopping at the ‘English Bookshop’ for the local newspapers etc, after unloading back at the house we took ‘ Scruffy’ out for his first walk of the day, he slept all night in his new bed, a large furry doughnut! He’s no problem and is such a loving dog, he follows me everywhere and is at my feet, as I’m typing/posting today Blog, he’s due to be picked up later this afternoon.

We have yet another beautiful day down here on the ‘ Costa Del Sol ‘- this morning, the sun was out early and the sky is clear and bright blue, there is just a slight breeze, so by lunchtime it’s due to reach 20 degs+ - tomorrow is staying the same, sadly on Sunday, when we are going out for our ‘Sunday Roast Lunch’ we might need our umbrellas! The next ‘ Atlantic’ front is bringing with it some of the ‘ Wet-Stuff’ – next week is starting a lot cooler and damp, before it settles down, by Wednesday, back to warm sunshine, with a few patchy clouds, hovering in the high ‘ teens’ –  back down to 9/10 degs at night time, watch this space.

“ MALCOLM & BRENDA’S 48th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY “ 

We were married at ‘ Christ Church’ in Port Sunlight, on the Wirral, on a beautiful ‘ crisp’ November Monday! The Church is next to the famous ‘ Bridge Inn ‘ where I was the resident live-in Assistant Manager, we had our reception at the hotel, the waiting staff formed a ‘ Guard of Honour ‘up the steps, with large wooden spoons!

We went off for a short honeymoon, in the evening, first stopping for dinner at the ‘ Owain Glyndwr Hotel’ –   in Corwen, which at the time  had a rather special restaurant, we arrived very late at the ‘ White Lion Royal Hotel’ in Bala, North Wales,  were the Manager & his wife greeted us, with a nice bottle of Champagne, and didn’t get to bed until 5-00 am in the morning! ‘ Happy Memories & Times' !!  

One week later we started at the world famous mountaineers ‘ Pen Y Gwryd Hotel’ in the heart of ‘ 

Snowdonia’ as the Resident Managers, the rest is history !

We would like to thank all our family & friends, ex-staff etc, as well as all the locals here in Sunny Manilva, for all the Cards, E-Mails, Text messages, ‘Facebook’ comments & ‘ Likes’ – we are going out for nice drink at lunchtime, sat in the warm sunshine outside ‘Bar Castillo’ – this evening we will be having a nice chilled bottle of ‘Cava’ – followed by, as a starter  ‘ Sushi & small Pacific Scallops – Vieras ‘ – followed by ‘ Grilled Tail-End of Salmon Fillets’ – on Sunday we are celebrating with a special ‘ Sunday Roast Lunch’ at the highly recommended “ La Finca Thai Fusion “  Watch out for the pictures.

NB; I bought Brenda a new ‘ Ironing Board’ this morning from the local 'Feraterias’ in Sabinillas, as her old one broke/collapsed the other day, when she was catching up with all the Ironing!!  I ‘think’ she appreciated the ‘ thought’ !! Watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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A ' FRESH' & WARM SUNNY MANILVA ON THURSDAY.

THURSDAY 28^th/ NOVEMBER 2019. “ THANKSGIVING DAY IN AMERICA “

I was up very early this morning and after a quick freshen up I shot down to Sabinillas, through the vine fields as the full and bright red/blinding sun came up above the Mediterranean, I called into the main ‘ Medical Centre’ and made an appointment for Brenda to see our new Doctor, this lunchtime.

I then went along to our Bank as I needed a new document with various bank details, as one of the online documents that I sent to ‘OliveNet’ was not the correct one, last night our friend Brian called in to check what was needed, he then stopped for his supper with us! He’s calling back in and hopefully we will finish the ‘E-Mail’ and send it back to them, watch this space.

When I returned, as I was on the breakfast rota, I had my favourite ‘ Toasted Crispy Smoked Bacon Butty’ – smothered in ‘ HP’ Brown sauce – open on brown for Brenda, with mugs of hot/strong Tea.

We were as usual listening to the ‘ Andrew Charles Breakfast Show’ on “ Castle Radio FM 89.2 & Online on the WWW” – the ‘ Music Quiz’ came on, it was a 12 second long intro, which I then got, it was ‘ Stevie Wonder’ with ‘ For Once in My Life ‘ – so I’m in the draw on Friday morning, again!

At the same time we called Lyn over in Melbourne on the ‘ Skype’ audio line, Jack is now home and they are arranging all the necessary ‘Palliative’ care over the next couple of days, he’s feeling a lot better and was able to get out of bed and with the help of a ‘ walker’ and settle down, Lyn sounds very tired and says that she is looking forward to the ‘help’ arriving tomorrow, so as they can get back into a quiet routine, Deb & Annette are with her, which she is very thankful for, watch this space.

As I said it’s another beautiful day down here on the ‘ Costa Del Sol’ – the sun was out early and the sky has cleared and is bright blue and cloudless, there is just a very slight breeze, coming up from the Mediterranean, so by lunchtime it’s due to reach 19/20 degs+ again. Tomorrow & Saturday are staying the same, but sadly on Sunday, when we are out for our ‘ Sunday Roast Lunch ’celebrating, a new cold & wet ‘Atlantic’ front is bringing in some of the ‘Wet-Stuff’ – carrying on to the start of next week, with moderate to heavy rain, at the same going a little cooler as the breeze stiffens, hovering in the mid ‘ teens’ – 15/16 degs+ - overnight down to 8/9 degs, with sunshine and a few clouds on the rest of the week, next weekend could also be ‘ wet’! Watch this space.

For our supper this evening we are having the rest of the ‘Beef & Vegetable Casserole’ with the leftover Savoy Cabbage & Mash, turned into ‘ Bubble & Squeak ‘! Tomorrow evening we are going to have ‘ Fish Supper’ – depending on the ‘Market Counter’ selection, when I’m out on my travels on Friday morning, as usual on Saturday night we are having ‘ Steak & Frits’  Watch this space.

This afternoon/evening we will be taking things easy and relaxing, basically doing nothing, because we can, later after supper we will catch the next episode of ‘ Giri/Haji’ on BBC TV 2- as the thriller, set in Tokyo & London comes to it’s conclusion, a dark, witty and daring examination of morality and redemption, as it ‘says’!

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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