A STILL VERY WARM BUT ' CLAMMY' SUNNY MANILVA ON WEDNESDAY.

WEDNESDAY 17^th/ JULY 2019.

We managed another nice lie in this morning, before freshening up, for our breakfast is was our usual fresh fruit(  chilled Nectarines) toast & tea, I was listening to the ‘ Andrew Charles Breakfast Show’ on “ Castle Radio FM 89.2 & Online on the WWW” as this week’s ‘Music Quiz’ came on, it was a 9 second  forwards track, I got it after he gave some clues, it was the American band “ Greyhound “ with ‘ Black & White’ – so I’m in the draw on Friday.

This afternoon ‘ Scruffy’ will be back with us in ‘ Doggy World Heaven ‘ for a few hours, ‘ Chispa’ in & out all the time, as usual to see all her friends and us!

After another very hot & clammy night, this morning has started a little grey & overcast and partly cloudy, but still very warm, there is a light breeze, so by lunchtime it will reach 29 degs+ as the sky clears, tomorrow it’s up to 31 degs+ then over the weekend hovering in the high 20s, overnight down to 20/21 degs, next week is still going to be a ‘ Hot-One’ staying in low 30s/high 20s, with a light breeze, partly cloudy at times, as there will be only a slight breeze, watch this space.

On the sports front today; it’s ‘ Stage 11 ‘ of the “ Tour de France “ – which goes from Albi into Toulouse, over a fairly flat 167 kms, later in the week it’s a ‘Time Trial’ around Pau, then on Saturday the dreaded/famous, over 19 kms long, climb up to the finish of the “ Tourmalet”!

For our supper this evening we are having the old classic ‘ Steak Sandwiches ‘ – the thin sliced ‘Entrecote of Beef’ seasoned and smeared with Dijon Mustard, then ‘ flash’ cooked on a very hot griddle-plate, then placed on the toasted bread, cut into triangles! Garnished with a little salad and served with Baskets of triple-cooked ‘ Stringfellows’!

Tonight we will be watching the excellent documentary on the “ Ritz Hotel “ in London, on the other side at the same time it’s the start of “ Remarkable Places to Eat “ – which will catch later on the ‘BBC I-Player’!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

...

A STILL RATHER GREY & OVERCAST SUNNY MANILVA ON WEDNESDAY.

WEDNESDAY 12^th/ JUNE 2019.

Another early rise this morning and a quick freshen up before shooting off across to the ‘Estepona Hospital’ for my treatment on my left hand at the ‘ Physiotherapy Department’ – I found spot to park at the top of the hill, above the Hospital and then popped back down to ‘Tikitapi’ for my usual tostado & tea, before crossing over the Hospital.

As I set off the there was a stiff  ‘ Levante’ breeze blowing up from the Mediterranean, the sky had dark clouds and it was grey & dismal, with the threat of the ‘ wet-stuff’ in the air, it’s forecast to only reach 23 degs by lunchtime, tomorrow is the same, then from Friday and over the weekend we are in for the start of a very hot spell, as the breeze drops, by Sunday back up to 31 degs+! Next week is looking very warm & sunny, even getting hotter at times, up to 32 degs+ by Wednesday, during the night only down to 18/19 degs, at all times hovering on the high 20s/low 30s, with a few patchy clouds – just in time for Brenda’s Birthday on Saturday 22^nd June!!



PS; As it happens, three birthday cards arrived in the lunchtime post today, one from Canada and two from the UK!

NB;  And now a very warm & sunny Manilva with a clear blue sky, on our early evening walk!

Speaking of Brenda, back at the house she had taken ‘ Lolo’ out for his first walk of the day, around the village and the ‘Plaza de la Vendimia’ – he had slept all night on his new beach towel, he’s into our routine, he has a good appetite and tends to follow me upstairs to the office/studio when I’m typing/posting the Blog.

The ‘ Second Chef’ – while I was out, has made her famous ‘Mashed Potato’ – ready to go on the oven this evening, she also has pre-cooked/grilled the ‘ English Pork Sausages’ – as well as the pre-cooked ‘ Yorkshire Puddings’- which will be filled with a rich ‘Onion & Shallot Red Wine Gravy’ – which I will make later, served with Garden Peas. A ‘ loose’ version/recipe of the old classic ‘Toad in the Hole’!!

See below more details of the “ Manilva Pride 19 “ party/celebrations taking place this weekend, down in the ‘Puerto de la Duquesa Marina’ in the square opposite the famous ‘ Mirror Mirror Lounge Bar ‘ – who organise all the festivities taking place, including our friend ‘ Daniela’ performing this year as ‘ Madonna’ – last year she was ‘ Cher’!

This morning over in Liverpool, at the Pier Head the “ Queen Victoria “ has just berthed for the day, watch out for some pictures later!

This is the last time she visited Liverpool!

And today on a very grey & misty River Mersey and Liverpool!

Today we are taking things very easy, relaxing at home, basically doing nothing, because we can!  ‘What a Life’ – after Brenda has finished the Ironing!!  A glass of wine and my favourite ‘Cuba Libre’ – no doubt at some time, taking life in as it passes us by, after supper settling down to watch the TV!!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

....

A ' CRISP' & WARM SUNNY MANILVA ON SATURDAY.

SATURDAY 17th/ FEBRUARY 2018.

We had a nice lie in this morning after a busy week, the village is very quiet, we have of course no local traffic passing our front door, no school children, next week is half-term here in Spain, the church bells have not yet started and our neighbours are not out & about as it’s too cold!

Brenda took ‘ Chico’ for his first walk of the day, as I was waiting for the gas-bottle delivery man to exchange our bottle, he has to come along the bottom of the village and then drag them up to our house’s, when she returned I was treated to her famous ‘ Campo Poached Eggs on Toast’ – as you can see in the picture below!

While she was out ‘ Chispa’ came calling so we ended up with both the dogs with us for breakfast, because ‘ Chico’ has been groomed, they are looking similar, except ‘ Chispa’ needs grooming after her visit to the family ‘Campo’ – as you can see in the pictures below.

'Chico'

And ' Chispa'!

The forecast for today is warm & sunny, with no clouds, a clear blue sky and a little breeze, so by lunchtime it’s due to reach 20 degs+ - warm in the sunshine and still ‘ crisp’ in the shade, tomorrow the threat of the wet stuff has gone away, for now, next week is also starting to pick up a little, the sun is breaking through and the wet stuff is also not as bad, the overall temperatures are hovering on the 15/17 degs mark, watch this space.


See below the ' Puerto de la Duquesa ' Marina yesterday early evening.

Yesterday evening Lee called in, as promised, and he has fixed the coding problems with the multi-channel TV System, so we are back to normal in time for all the weekend sports etc, he’s doing more work on the satellite programmes, from home, so by next week we will back, up to date & fully running- thanks!

This evening for our supper we are having my version/recipe of the old classic “ Steak Diane “ – that I was shown how to cook on the ‘ Gueridon Trolly ‘  of the restaurant of the ‘ Stork Hotel’ in Liverpool, back in the mid 60s,  by the old ‘ Head Waiter’ – My Oliver - with a Silver ‘Meths’ Lamp to cook on, with a Silver/Coppered Flambe Dish!

I will trim the Entrecote Steaks- ‘ French’ style, before flattening them, seasoning with salt and crushed black pepper, then smearing them with French & English Mustard, they are the seared in butter and left to rest, the sauce is made in the same pan, adding Chopped Shallots  & Garlic along with the finely sliced Button Mushroom and a ‘glug’ of Red Wine, a small amount of a rich Beef Stock, with a dash of Lea & Perrins & Tabasco also, then a good spoon of French Mustard and finally the Double Cream, the taste & seasoning is adjusted and then the steaks are placed back in the sauce, to finish cooking ‘ Med-Rare’ – before ‘ Flaming’ the sauce with Brandy! On the side its’ going to be Whole Baby ‘French’ Green Beans and twice-cooked classic ‘ Frits’

On the sports front this weekend we will be watching the Winter Olympics, as its’ on all the main channels, this afternoon we will catch the ‘ National Hunt Racing’ – in full – from Ascot, as there is no ‘Six Nations Rugby Union’ this weekend- they have the weekend off! Over here in ‘ La Liga ‘ lowly Eiber welcome Barcelona and in Seville ‘ Real Betis’ – the second team of the city, welcome Real Madrid, meanwhile over in the UK it’s the fifth round of the ‘ FA Cup’ with Manchester City visit Wigan on Monday.

Liverpool have no matches this week so they are just up the coast in sunny Marbella for ‘Winter’ training in the sun, the players have been already spotted at the celebrity restaurant frequented by ‘ Footballers’  - La Sala ‘ – one of our haunts!

After supper we will now be able to channel hop and find something to watch later.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

...