A VERY WET & WINDY AS WELL AS OVERCAST SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE PRE-XMAS WEEKEND!

FRIDAY 20^th/ DECEMBER 2019.

I was up very early this morning and after a quick freshen up I shot off on my travels down to Sabinillas, on the local bus, I first called into the English Bookshop’ for the local newspapers, before walking along to ‘ Mercadona’ for our main ‘ Xmas Shop ‘ – it was quiet to start but soon got very busy, it took me a little while to find everything, the staff are very helpful, they called a taxi for me and I shot back up the hill to unload back at the house.

Brenda was waiting for me with a mug of steaming tea and a ‘treat’ of a ‘ Toasted English Pork Sausage Butty ‘ – smothered in ‘ HP’ Brown sauce!

Overnight as the ‘ Storm Elsa’ built up, the gale-force wind was rattling all the shutters, along ‘ Calle Mar’ all the local Bar tables & chairs had been blown along the street, there was a very heavy rain storm just before I had to leave to catch the local bus, it then stopped just as set off, when I came out of ‘ Mercadona’ it was starting again and by the time I reached the house we had another severe downpour, it’s very grey & overcast with black storm clouds over the village and the mountains, we are for a long day and night of more of the same, Saturday is not looking much better, but as the wind drops a little it’s going a little warmer, hovering on the 17/18 degs+ mark.

From Sunday and into ‘Xmas Week’ as the next ‘ Atlantic’ front comes in, the breeze is dropping down, the sunshine is due to return, with a few patchy clouds, and the week is now looking a lot more settled, hovering in the mid/high ‘ teens’ overnight 10/11 degs+ - with only a small chance of the ‘ Wet-Stuff’ returning, watch this space.

Yesterday evening we decided to stay at home, the annual ‘Christmas Carol Concert’ down in the ‘Iglesia Santa Ana Church’ was not as full, as normal, as the local choirs and the ‘Manilva Brass Ban’ led by Fernando, the ‘Head of the School of Music’ performed, as you can see below;

For our supper this evening we are having ‘Goujons of Hake Fillet’ in a ‘ Cruzcampo Beer Batter’ – shallow-fried in Vegetable Oil, until crisp & golden, served with lots of Lemon Wedges and Homemade ‘Tartar’ sauce, with ‘Mushy Peas’ and triple-cooked ‘ Chips’





See below;

On Saturday it’s going to be ‘Grilled Entrecote Steaks’ with all the trimmings and then on Sunday we are having ‘ Baked Pork Steaks’ – topped with a savoury ‘Mixed Herb’ stuffing, on Monday we will be having ‘ Escalope’s of Chicken Breast’ – for our ‘Xmas Eve’ supper on Tuesday, Brenda is having her favourite ‘ Confit of Duck Leg’ and I’m picking up a nice ‘Steak’ from the English Butchers on Monday morning, when I will be collecting our ‘ Xmas Turkey’ – we are roasting the ‘Turkey’ on Tuesday and preparing all the Vegetables & Potatoes, so as we can keep ‘ Christmas Day ‘ as free as possible !

In ‘ Doggy World Heaven’ on Saturday ‘ Pucci’ is due to arrive for his two-week ‘ Xmas/New Year Holiday’ – then on Sunday ‘ Chico’ is back with us for his weeks ‘ Xmas Holiday’ – little ‘Miss Bella’ will be with us on ‘Xmas Day’ when Leah & Deemy, her son, are calling in to see us, watch this space.

It’s definitely a ‘stay at home day’ – we are taking things very easy, relaxing and keeping warm & dry! The Oil heater will be on later, we will settled down on the settee and as usual watch the TV and watch all the programmes that we follow, after supper this evening channel hopping to find something to watch.

All our main ‘Xmas cards’ have arrived, over the past few days, in the lunchtime post, from all our family & friends, the ‘UK’ post it taking just over week, in either direction, no cards from Australia this year, as Lyn’s busy looking after Jack, Sandra & Bills card arrived yesterday, from Canada!

Thought for the Day; See above.

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