A GLORIOUS WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY.

TUESDAY 29^th/ OCTOBER 2019.

We had another nice lie in this morning as the village is very quiet, as the schools have re-opened after half-term, after freshening up Brenda took ‘Sunny ‘ out for her first walk of the day, last night on our last walk of the day, with her, we bumped into ‘ Big Brian & Andy’ having a late ‘ Tapas’ supper in ‘Bar Castillo’ – Brian has found a house in sunny Manilva, at the top of the village, with Andy’s help, the only problem being the parking, as usual, meanwhile in two weeks time, Andy is off back to Thailand for his months holiday, he has to change planes in Moscow!

As I was on the breakfast rota I had a ‘Toasted Smoked Bacon Butty’ – smothered in ‘ HP’ Brown sauce, open on brown for Brenda, with sliced Baby Mushrooms, sautéed in the bacon juices with a knob of butter, some of which ended up in my butty!  Mugs of strong/hot tea helped to wash them down!!

The ‘ Council’ had just announced the details about the closing of the underground car park ( 3 floors) below the Police station,  for the annual cleaning/maintenance, from tomorrow until the 15^th November! Watch this space!!

PS; I’m parked on the road-side, in front of the Police station at the moment, I will have to spot a place, again, after my travels on Friday morning!

We have yet another glorious day down here on the ‘ Costa Del Sol ‘ starting this morning, the sun was out early after a beautiful sunrise over the Mediterranean.

See below;

The sky is clearing, with a few patchy clouds hanging around, as there is a light breeze coming up ( Levante) so by lunchtime the sky will be bright blue, like yesterday, it’s due to reach 25 degs+! Over the next few days it’s staying the same, even going a little warmer, over night only going down to 16/17degs+ - unseasonally warm for the time of the year, then on Sunday, as the cold ‘Atlantic ‘front come in, it’s going to drop down to 17/18 degs with the threat of the ‘ Wet-Stuff’ back in the air, next week is staying the same, even going a little colder at times, overnight as low as 12/13 degs!! Watch this space.

This evening for our supper we are having ‘ Grilled Gammon Steaks ‘ – topped with seared Pineapple Rings and a ‘ Campo’ Fried Egg, served with Broccoli Florets & Garden Peas, not forgetting the triple-cooked ‘ Chips’

Tomorrow I’m going to make my now famous “ Chicken & Mushroom ‘Tarragon’ Pie “ with a crusty Puff-Pastry!

Yesterday afternoon/evening we caught up with the ‘Quiz Shows’ that we follow; ‘ Tenable, Tipping Point, The Chase, Only Connect & University Challenge’ – after supper we caught the next gripping episode of “ Dublin Murders “ as the lady Detective went deep-under cover, it’s on again this evening! Watch this space.

PS; We just missed the 'Music Quiz' this morning, it's 'The Beatles'  but will catch it again tomorrow morning to get the six second opening 'Riff' - watch this space. 

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

....

A NOW WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY.

TUESDAY 2^nd/ OCTOBER 2018.

We were up early this morning and after freshening up we had a quick toast & tea before going out with ‘ Chico’ for his first walk of the day, he sleeps all night on the marble floor under the bed and then waits while we get ourselves ready, Brenda was catching the local bus ( Pensioner rate!) down to Sabinillas, as she had her appointment with Annie, at the Hairdressers, for the full works, I carried on with ‘ Chico’ around the bottom of the village past his regular spots.

See below ‘Chico’ coming into the office/studio this morning. It was quick picture taken before the camera was properly set! 

When I returned a came up to the office/studio to go on the ‘WWW’ to catch up on with all the news, reading the main online newspapers, checking the ‘E-Mails’ – the new updated ‘Gmail’ is very clear, with more information, reading the ‘Facebook’ messages etc, this year on my birthday I had a tremendous response, from all our family, friends & locals, all the regular birthday cards arrived early ( all posted early!) as well as two postcards, one from Norah, out on her travels in Cheshire and one from our friends Kevin & Caroline, staying on Times Square, New York, on their way to see their eldest son, who lives & works in Chicago. I also had a surprise ‘Skype’ video call from Sandra over in Everett, Ontario, Canada, on Monday, as she was off work with her damaged toe!  It’s a small WORLD – thanks to all!!


PS; In today's lunchtime post we had a postcard from Sandra & Bill, from when they were away with the trailer up at the " 1000 Islands " Jack & Lyn's birthday card arrived from Australia ( posted on the 13th!) and also a rather ' different' birthday card from ' Big Brian ' over in Northwich! 


See below; Click on the pictures to enlarge! 

PPS, The new 'Debit Cards' where also in the same post, from our Bank!!

After yesterdays surprise rain storm, with loud thunder & lightening, it gave the new drainage system along ‘Calle Mar’ a good try-out( it worked!) – it then cleared later, this morning has started a little grey & overcast, like yesterday it’s due to clear up by lunchtime and will be back to blue skies with a few patchy clouds, not as hot as yesterday, down to 24/25 degs+ - overnight 18/19 degs, as there is a light to stiff breeze coming along, over the next few days and across the weekend we are in for more of the same, a little cooler at times, with the threat of the ‘ wet-stuff’ in the air, next week is looking more settled, for now, normal for the time of the year, the long range forecast for the following week, when Sandra & Bill are here in sunny Manilva is also looking the same, watch this space.

For our supper this evening we are having a ‘ Soft Mixed Grill ‘ with Crispy Spanish Smoked Bacon, Grilled local Tomatoes, Pan-Seared sliced Chorizo & Spanish Lambs Liver & Shallots, ‘ Campo’ Fried Eggs & ‘ Heinz Baked Beans’ - not forgetting the sautéed, sliced, thick-cut Baked Potatoes – accompanied with lots of ‘HP’ Brown sauce!

We are back into our routine of watching various ‘Quiz Shows’ in the late afternoon/early evening, ‘Countdown, Impossible, The Chase, Eggheads, Pointless & University Challenge’- swapping between them, later the current ‘Food Shows’  including ‘The Great British Menu’ etc,  then after our supper we settled down to watch Episode 3 of “ Black Earth Rising “ – we missed last week’s episode, as the genocide-survivor Kate ( Michaela Coel) narrowly escaped murder-by-swimming- pool cover, at the hands of a rogue French spook! Her boss, the American Human Rights Lawyer ( John Goodman ) has a terminal illness, the plot thickens with the Police, Judges, Spooks, the French Army and various Rwandan ex- soldiers/politicians, all conspiring to hide the secrets, the show is strikingly shot and cleverly written, with long scenes of riveting dialogues, all with an excellent list of actors, only one death this week, as an ageing General shot himself in the head! Watch this space.

This morning as were getting ready we were, as usual, listening to ' Castle Radio FM 89.2 & Online on the 'WWW' to the ' Breakfast show' with Andrew Charles, the mystery 5 second back-wards track came on for the first time this week, I got it straight away, it was 'The Vapors ' - " Turning Japanese " - 100% correct !! 

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

....

A STILL WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY;

TUESDAY 18^th/ APRIL 2017.

‘ Reina’ was dropped off first thing this morning and joined us in bed for a little lie in, she then shot into her duvet, as we were having our breakfast, ‘ Chispa’ came crashing in and joined us, she is in and out, at the moment, ‘ Reina’ is with us for four days this week.

We have no plans or appointments this week, so far, so we are taking things easy, catching up with the chores around the house, next week on Monday afternoon we are renegotiating the contract on the house, on Tuesday evening we have our regular appointment with the Council ‘Chiropodist’ down at the surgery in the evening, then on Wednesday morning it’s “P” Day at the hospital when I have an appointment with the ‘ Prostrate’ Consultant for the results, after the operation, ‘Scruffy ‘ is also joining us for a sleep over on the Wednesday evening, ‘ Reina’ will be back with us in ‘ Doggy World Heaven’ for four days.

Today the sun was out early and the clouds have gone away, there is a very light breeze making it rather pleasant, the rest of the week is not so good, it’s going to be cloudy & overcast and a lot cooler, down to 16/17 degs before picking up again over the weekend and into next week, watch this space.


One for the ' Moffatt's - Llanddulas Beach, Colwyn Bay, NorthWales,this morning!

For our supper this evening we are having ‘ Cold Roast Lamb ‘ with a fry-up of the leftover vegetables and the rest of the ‘ Boulangere’ potatoes, on Wednesday evening I’m going to make a  savoury ‘ Stir-Fry ‘ using the leftover ‘ Roast Chicken ‘ – on Thursday we will find something in the deep-freeze & Friday will be ‘ Fish Night’ before our usual ‘ Steak Night’ on Saturday.

Yesterday evening after supper we settled down to watch the final ever episode of ‘ Broadchurch ‘ on ITV, ‘ Whoa’! After eight weeks, a dozen suspects and 100s of theories, the ‘Beast of Broadchurch’ was finally unmasked!  It was the brash, handsome, young, rope salesman, with a porn habit, who attacked ‘ Trish’ with a child’s cricket bat, in a twist it was also revealed that he had coerced the 16-year old taxi drivers son into raping her- and filmed the assault for good measure. He was also arrested in connection with three further offences of rape, which he had recorded also on his mobile phone!!

The storekeeper has heard the attack, but did not realise what was happening, the brakethrough came when the taxi driver broke down under interview,he had picked up the two boys, later, one being his son. All the loose ends were tidied up, what will we do on Monday nights now?!

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

..

A VERY HOT & SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY.

TUESDAY 16^th / AUGUST 2016.

I was up first this morning to see ‘Reina’ back with us for the day, we then went back to bed for a little lie in until the gas bottle delivery man came down our street blowing his horn! After our normal breakfast I shot down to the butchers for something for this evenings supper, I bought ‘ Escalope’s of Chicken Breast ‘ and ‘ Chicken Wings ‘ for another day.

This morning the ‘Lavente’ breeze has dropped so its over 6 degs warmer straight away, the sun was out early and the sky is bright blue, the forecast is for more of the same over the next few days before it gets warmer again over the weekend.

So for our supper this evening we are having the ‘ Escalope’s of Chicken Breast ‘ pan-fried in foaming Lemon & Balsamic Butter, garnished with sautéed Button Mushrooms, finely sliced Green Beans and the rest of the Baby New Potatoes in their skins.

Last night we were able to watch the Track Cycling from the Velodrome in Rio on the Spanish sports channel ‘TDP’ as they broadcast the racing  because there was a Spanish rider in the race! The final event of the Omnium was the 160 lap points race, Mark Cavendish took the Silver medal after a controversial result as he collided with a rider causing a crash behind including the Italian leader of the race, the race was briefly neutralised, Italy’s Elia Vivani won the race anyway.

Meanwhile in the ‘Ladies Omnium’ the defending champion, Great Britain’s, Laura Trott leads at the halfway stage after a masterful display, she finished first in two of the events and second in the third, this evening its the final three events, also its the ‘Men’s Keirin’ finals with Jason Kenny going for Gold again!

During all the sports watching we are still managing to follow our favourite ‘ Quiz’ programmes, ‘ Countdown, Pointless, Eggheads & University Challenge ‘ as we partake in our ‘ Happy Hour ‘ cocktails!

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

..

A WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY:

TUESDAY 29^th/ MARCH 2016.

Back to normal this morning as ‘ Reina’ is back with us for everyday up to Friday, we then had our breakfast before sorting out last nights washing up! Brenda is on her feet but can only manage a short while so she’s staying downstairs for now and taking things one step at the time , day by day, its going to take longer than we thought to get her back to normal, watch this space.

I then went down to the local post office in the village to post a ‘ Retirement’ Card?! I then reported that we had not received two ‘Easter’ Cards from Norah & Jenny that were posted over two weeks ago?!  ' RESULT ' The cards along with other mail from our Bank and the ' International Pensions Service'  have just been delivered in our post box at lunchtime! We think that the local Post Office in the village has been closed for the ' Semana Santa' week!! On the way back I went along Calle Mar to the local Bank for some cash before calling into our local shop at the bottom of our street for some fresh fruit & vegetables as well as some essentials.

The sun is out and the sky is blue, there is no breeze and the views across to the mountains and down to a sparkling Mediterranean are magnificent, its staying like this for the next few days but there is some of the wet stuff on the horizon for Friday. See the picture below of the sunrise over Liverpool this morning.

This evening for our supper we are having, guess what? – ‘Roast Lamb’ with ‘Boulangere’ Potatoes and lots of Vegetables. The menu’s for the rest of the week are at the moment TBC, watch this space.

So its back to normal in sunny Manilva this week after all the excitement of the ‘ Semana Santa’ processions, the children have gone back to school and the village is quiet and peaceful again as we all settle back into the old routine. I will do the weekly shopping on Friday morning, weather permitting, meanwhile we are going to take things very easy and I will catch up with all the chores around the house, the washing is just going in and is now up on a very hot and sunny roof patio!!

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

..

A WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 29^th/ JANUARY 2016.

I was up early this morning to see ‘Reina’ back for the day, the workmen on the site at the moment are making a lot of noise, banging, drilling, scraping etc – yesterday they also took down the scaffolding on the front of the house with as much noise as possible. See the picture below.

We have another glorious day here in sunny Manilva, the threat of rain has not arrived and this morning the skies are blue, the sun was out early and there is no breeze, all the locals are commenting on the fine weather for the time of the year, over the weekend its going nicer and a little warmer.

I shot down to Sabinillas leaving Brenda in the house for a shower and to keep an eye on the dog, when I returned a nice Smoked Bacon Butty and a mug of steaming tea was ready for me! I called into the bank for some cash, then the English Bookshop to post a birthday card? and collect the local newspapers, no ’Mercadona’ this morning so it was just some English essentials from ‘Super Sol’- I also exchanged our new wall clock as the new one was not working, on the way back I also put some money into Lillemor’s mobile phone as she is due back over from Sweden in the next few weeks.

Back at the house and after breakfast ‘Chispa’ came calling and is playing around my feet as I’m typing the Blog; for our supper this evening we are having Poached ‘Cushions of Hake Fillet’ in a classic ‘Duglere sauce along with the baby ‘New Potatoes’ in their skins that we bought in the market in Malaga the other day, on Saturday its ‘Entrecote Steak’ with ‘ Frits’ and then on Sunday we are having a ‘Roast Leg of New Zealand Lamb’ on ‘ Boulangere’ Potatoes! Another ‘ Gourmet’ weekend in sunny Manilva!   See this 'Hake supper below;

We are taking things very easy over the weekend after all the excitement of the last few days, Brenda has just gone off with ‘Chispa’ for a walk down to the surgery to make an appointment for next week for a check up, ‘Reina is in her duvet. No plan’s so far for the week ahead, we are at the surgery on Monday evening to see the Chiropodist and ‘Reina’ is back with for us for five days from Monday to Friday. This evening we will Channel hop and find something to watch after supper.

I’m going to come back to my time at the ‘Stork Hotel’ in Liverpool in the next few days after I put down in writing some of the memories of the happening at the hotel over the years.

PS, Its or personal 'Black Monday' next week as we have two of our Pensions due in our Spanish account and the Euro is still down at its lowest!!  Watch this space.

Thought for the Day; See above.

..