A VERY ' WINDY,COLD' & OVERCAST SUNNY MANILVA ON THURSDAY.

THURSDAY 21^st/ FEBRUARY 2019.

We were up early this morning and after a quick freshen up we grabbed an even quicker toast & tea, before setting off on our travels, I dropped Brenda off down in Sabinillas, she was doing a little shopping before her appointment at the Hairdressers, for the ‘ full-works’

I carried on to the Hospital in Estepona for my 2^nd appointment in the ‘ Physiotherapy’ Department for more treatment on my left hand, they have started to increase the tension in the finger grips, after the ‘ Hot-Wax’ treatment, I’m back next week for four days, as Thursday is a ‘ Bank Holiday ‘ here for “ Andalusia Day “ as well as being “ Global Scouse Day “!

This morning has started grey, cold & overcast as there is a still breeze blowing, there are also patchy clouds, with the slight threat of the ‘ wet-stuff’ in the air. It’s due to reach only 15/16degs+ by this afternoon, the rest of week and over the weekend is looking a little better, with the sunshine breaking through at times, hovering in the high ‘ teens’ – reaching 21 degs+ -  next week is also going to be settled & dry, if a little cooler, at the start, as the breeze gets up, then it’s going warmer again, back up to 20 degs, watch this space.

For our supper this evening we are having ‘Pan-Seared Chicken Wings’ – they are well seasoned with Sea Salt & White Pepper, then cooked in their own juices, turning all the time, until fully cooked, crisp and golden all over, served with some finely sliced ‘ French ‘ Green Beans and Baked Potatoes, on a Friday it will be a ‘ Fish Supper’ depending on the market selection, then for our supper on Sunday Brenda has requested, for a change, a ‘ Confit of Duck Leg ‘ – I’m having a ‘ Grilled ‘Angus’ Rib Steak ‘ ! The ‘ Sunday Roast’ is still under discussion, watch this space.

It’s a stay at home day this afternoon, we will settle down later and watch the afternoon ‘TV’ programmes, as well as all the ‘ Quiz Shows’ that we follow, this evening after supper we will catch up with all the news & sport, before channel hopping later.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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A COLD, GREY & OVERCAST SUNNY MANILVA ON WEDNESDAY.

WEDNESDAY 13^th/ FEBRUARY 2019.

We had another nice lie in this morning, which we needed, as yesterday was not a good day, I was still not very well, with the aches & pains as well as many visits to the toilet, I spent the whole day on the settee, wrapped in a thick blanket, being ‘ Nursed’ – ‘Chicken Soup’ for lunch and lots of bottled water, no alcohol and taking the tablets!

There was no news on the car, which I was not bothered about as I didn’t feel like going out, so this morning I have now cancelled the appointments at the main Medical Centre, for my monthly ‘ V12’ injection and to re-new the Spanish Driving Licence, I will start again next week! The car is now ready so they are dropping it off later.

After freshening up we had a light breakfast of toast & tea, at lunchtime it’s going to be a Ham Sandwich and this evening a Baked Potato.

The weather has also changed for the worse, it’s cold, grey & overcast, down to just 16 degs, during the night hovering on the 12 degs mark, over the next couple of days we are in for more of the same, with patchy clouds, by the weekend the ‘ wet-stuff’ is due to hit us, next week is now looking similar, with the breeze getting up, hovering in the mid ‘teens’ with moderate to heavy rain possible, watch this space.

Tomorrow morning little ‘ Winnie’ – the Pug, is being dropped off for her first stay with us in ‘ Doggy World Heaven’ – she staying for a sleep-over and will be collected later on Friday afternoon.

Last night we watched the first episode of the new series of ‘ Shetland’ – a six-part murder investigation, with just body parts to work on!

‘Thanks’ for all the kind thoughts & comments !

Thought for the Day; See above.

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A GREY, OVERCAST & COLD SUNNY MANILVA ON SATURDAY.

SATURDAY 21^st/ APRIL 2018.

I was up early this morning and after a quick freshen up I shot off on my travels down to Sabinillas for the weekly shopping, on my way down to collect the car from the underground car-park I bumped into Brian, out walking ‘ Charlie ‘- who rushed over to me to say hello, he’s fine after they increased his tablets and will be back with us in ‘ Doggy World Heaven’ later in the year.

Back at the house ‘ Nelly’ is starting to settle in, she slept all night on her sofa, as well as the other two! Brenda took her for her first walk of the day, when she returned she had her usual ‘ Weetabix’ breakfast ( Nelly not Brenda !) We will feed her a little later from her large selection of food that she has brought.

I called into ‘ Itzabar’ for my toast & tea before walking along to ‘ Mercadona’ for our main shop, I then picked up the local newspapers from the ‘English Bookshop’ – on the way back up the hill I stopped at ‘ Super Sol’ for the English essentials, before un-loading back at the house.

This morning it’s still grey & overcast with black clouds on the horizon, the wind is still blowing, there is rain in the air, no doubt later we will be in for more ‘ April Showers’ – yesterday evening we had rain storm with thunder & lightening, it looks like we are in for more of this weather over the weekend, next week is now looking the same, no two days the same, sunny one day, the wet stuff the next day, hovering on the 18/21 degs mark+! Next weekend at the moment, is looking warm & sunny, when we are out & about playing!!  Watch this space.

On the sports front this weekend there is no ‘Grand Prix’ – next week it’s ‘Azerbaijan’ Over in the ‘ Premier League’ Liverpool travel down the ‘M6’ to play West Brom, Manchester City welcome Swansea and Everton are at home to Newcastle Utd, over here in it’s the final of the ‘ Copa Del Rey’ as Sevilla play Barcelona in Madrid this evening, at the ‘Wanda Metropolitano’ – the new stadium of Atletico Madrid, as Barcelona are looking to win the ‘Spanish Cup’ for a fourth consecutive season!

This afternoon we will be watching the ‘ National Hunt Jump Racing from Ayr – it’s the ‘Scottish Grand National’ this week, the favourite is ‘ Vicente’ – who has won the race over the past two years! Watch this space.

This evening for our supper we are having a large ‘ Grilled Rib of Beef’ – on the bone, cooked on a very hot griddle-plate ‘ Med-Rare’ – then left to rest, before taking it off the bone and slicing it into fingers ‘ French’ style, garnished with seared Asparagus Spears, Button Mushrooms & Shallots’ – served with Whole Baby French green Beans and of course twice-cooked ‘ Pont Neuf' chips – accompanied with the classic ‘ Bearnaise’ sauce & Dijon Mustard.

On Sunday we are having a ‘Roast Local Chicken’ –with a Mixed Herb Stuffing and all the trimmings, along with a large section of fresh local vegetable and not forgetting the famous ‘ Goose-Fat’ Roast Potatoes!

Over in Melbourne, Australia, the week of birthday celebrations have already started for Jack’s 90^th birthday!

See below Jack, Lyn & Deb enjoying a special ‘ Spaghetti Marinara ‘

This evening after supper we will settle down to catch the next two back to back episodes of the Belgium crime thriller “ Salamander “ – with sub-titles, from the French & Flemish, as the plot thickens!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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A VERY COLD, ' CRISP' & OVERCAST SUNNY MANILVA ON THURSDAY.

THURSDAY 18^th/JANUARY 2018.

I was up early this morning to see little princess ‘Reina’ back with us for the day, she shot into her duvet, as ‘ Scruffy’ was in her place on the bed, he slept all night in his bed but then this morning joined us, ‘ Charlie’ stayed downstairs in his bed for the night, we then all had a nice lie in, before a quick freshen up, we then took ‘Charlie & Scruffy’ out for their first walks of the day, they have both settled in very well and are eating all their food, they are both into the routine and leave their ‘ Messages’ as we walk them 3/4 times a day! All the dogs are very well behaved and get on with one another - ‘Charlie’ has taken a liking to ‘ Scruffy’s’ bed!

 

See below a picture of ‘ Charlie’ taken this morning after we came back from the first walk of the day.

When we returned I treated us to my now famous toasted ‘ Crispy Smoked Bacon Butties ‘ smother in ‘HP’ Brown’ sauce – open on brown for Brenda, with mugs of steaming ‘PG’ Tips – as you can see below it was rather ‘ Crisp’ while we were out!

Sadly this morning the weather has changed, not as forecasted, it’s grey & overcast, with black clouds and the wind has got up to a stiff, bracing breeze, making it rather cold, to say the least, only reaching 14/15 degs by this afternoon, tomorrow it’s picking up a little and over the weekend it’s going to be sunny and warmer, 19/20 degs+ - next week is also looking dry, warm & sunny, for now, watch this space.

See below the beach view down in Sabinillas this morning.

For our supper this evening we are having our favourite ‘ Grilled Chicken Wings ‘ ( a ‘Chefs ‘ favourite!)  with a Baked potato on the side, the Chicken Wings, off all the fresh/local Chickens, which our Butcher then trims & cuts in half, are well seasoned with sea salt & white pepper, then grilled in their own juices, turning them all the time, to cook through, Brenda picks them with her fingers, I prefer to cut mine up, off the bones!

Last night after supper we watched the second episode of “ KIRI “ starring Sarah Lancashire, it proved to be even more heartbreaking and difficult to watch, the drama took another turn as the facts about the kidnapping & murder came out, as well as all the family backgrounds, the actor Lucian Msamati was hard to watch, as he broke down, all the support cast are also very good, one not to miss!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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A VERY COLD, GREY & OVERCAST SUNNY MANILVA ON WEDNESDAY;

WEDNESDAY 18^th/ JANUARY 2017.

I was up early to see ‘ Reina’ back with us for the day, she shot into her Duvet and we all had a little lie in before breakfast, ‘ Smoked Bacon Butties’ with mugs of steaming tea.

I then made this evenings supper with the help of the ‘Second Chef’ – “ Beef & Vegetable Stew with Herb Dumplings “ – using our Butchers best diced Stewing Beef, I dust it in seasoned flour and then brown it off, at the same time I sweat off the diced Onions & Shallots, Garlic, Carrots, Celery, Leeks, Green Beans & Button Mushrooms, a good dash of Lea & Perrins/Tabasco and a slug of Red Wine are then added, the browned off Beef is then added and topped up with a good strong Beef & Vegetable Stock, I adjust the seasoning, consistency and colour before leaving it to simmer under the watchful eye of the ‘ Second Chef ‘! The ‘ Herb Dumplings ‘ will be put in the simmering pot this evening!! See below;

At the moment we are getting away with the worst of the bad weather, the ‘ Cold Snap’ has set in, the sky is grey & cloudy but there is now wind or rain/snow, it’s very cold & overcast, the forecast is for it to pick up day by day and over the weekend even get a little warmer, back to normal for the time of the year down here on the ‘ Costa Del Sol ‘- ' Fingers crossed '  Watch this space.

Meanwhile up in ‘Torre de la Horadada ‘ the ‘ Moffatt’s ‘ have been spotted out in the snow?! ( See below ) Tim & Thea are looking after a friends dog for a week!!

We are staying at home today, keeping warm and taking things very easy, there is a nasty coughing/chest bug going around, Mano & Anna have had to cancel their weeks holiday back in North Wales as they have not been very well with it for over a week, Mano could not go into work, for the first time that we can remember, Brenda is just about keeping on top of the bug with the help of the inhaler that out Doctor prescribed to her, sadly still no sign of her new ‘Green Health Card’ in the post, watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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