MANILVA AT THE END OF THE WEEK.

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY/FRIDAY 16th/17th/18th MAY 2012.

On Wednesday morning after our tea and toast Brenda went for a short walk with Cheta as it was a little cloudy and overcast; later in the day it picked up and we are back to sunshine for the rest of the week but a little cooler overall; I made the Chicken Curry in the morning and left it to cook out; Brenda when she got back got the Basmati Rice on the go, she puts it to soak first and then cooks it ready for the evening. We are both reading at the moment and I also caught up on the BBCIPlayer with the latest episode of “ New Tricks ” and then a new series for me “ Silk ”which I enjoyed – I think that it has been on for a while but I happened to hear about it on another programme and so watched it. After our Curry supper we watched a little TV and channel hopped – not Brenda’s favorite as I had to be up early on Thursday morning for my appointment at the surgery for all my tests. The picture blog below covers Wednesday and Thursday; David and Jane’s new venture in Northwich, where they happen to live,'Williamsons ' is an old established Bakery Shop so it is shame that we can’t smell the Bread in the oven!Jane's " Baps " are fabulous !! The award wining Lord Binning Pub and Kitchen continues to thrive and it is also a shame that we can’t taste the Cheshire produce!! Meanwhile over here in Sunny Manilva the work on the two new Plaza’s continues and the Mosaic Mural is well on as well as are some improvements to the area around the children’s playground as you can see – we put Cheta under the shower so you can see her at her best – her coat is changing color as it grows so it will be interesting to see it later in the year.

Thursday morning I was up bright and early and shot down to the surgery with my pots and vile and had various blood samples taken for the tests on my Liver.Kidney,etc. ready for my Prostrate appointment next month and also my two yearly checkup with our Doctor. Watch this space – positive thinking is called for. Brenda went up on the roof terrace to top up her tan and I went in the office to catch up with the WWW.
In the evening we watched a charming film from 1997 called “ Life is Beautiful ” It was in Italian with Spanish sub titles but we soon got the into the story; the main character is played by ‘ Roberto Benigni ’ he won the Oscar for Best Actor and the film also for Best Foreign Film as well as lots more awards - the story is harrowing as it is about WW2 and concentration camps but at the same time is very watch able – don’t miss it.

Today we went down to Sabinillas for our regular shopping and also picked up a joint of Topside of Beef from the English Butchers in Duquesa for our Sunday Roast. Tonight for dinner we are having Small Dab Soles pan fried in Lemon butter and garnished with some fresh Gambas together with Sauté Potatoes and Garden Peas. We had a long walk with Cheta and picked up some flowers from our local market and at the same time stopped at our butchers in the village for our ‘ Plancha ’steak for tomorrow night. As we were out they were erecting the T- Bone crane in Plaza Pozo Del Rey as you can see in the picture sequence above – the only problem being is that the ‘ Levante ’ wind from North Africa has got up so the are having to go rather slowly - more to follow.


Thought for the Day;


You will be more disappointed by what you didn’t do than by what you did in ten years time.


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MANILVA THIS WEEKEND.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY/SATURDAY/SUNDAY 24^th/ 27^TH NOVEMBER 2011.

On Thursday morning after breakfast we sent a message on Facebook to Lilli in Pori in Finland; it was her 30^TH Birthday and the reports that followed suggested that she had a “ Helluva “ birthday that lasted a few days ! ‘ Onnea ’Lilli !! The weather forecast is good and getting even better over the weekend and next week is also looking warm and sunny, especially for Tuesday, more later ! In the afternoon I watched on the BBC IPlayer Tuesday’s live Jools Holland show, it featured the ‘ Red Hot Chili Peppers ’ They were very good in fact Jools and Noel Gallagher, who was also on the programme,stood watching them with their mouths open ! They rocked !! The new young lead guitarist played out of his skin and really fitted in with the group, the maniacal bass player, who had three huge bass amplifiers, set down a “ Helluva ” beat and they thumped out three rock numbers that played loud on my speakers brought the house down ! In the evening after supper we watched the game from the San Siro stadium in Milan between AC.Milan and Barcelona, a great match ,Barcelona won 3-2 but at the weekend Barcelona lost to, surprisingly to Getafe 1 -0 and are now six points behind Real Madrid in La Liga .

Friday morning we went down to Sabinillas to do the weekend shopping and got a lift down straight away, we came back in a taxi as we ended up loaded up with shopping including some more Xmas goods. We had a fish and chip supper with Mushy Peas and then as the TV system had gone off we read and listened to some music for a change.

After our Saturday morning Poached Eggs on Toast I rung Jack and Lyn over in Melbourne and set up a Skype Video call; they were both fine and we caught up with all their news,she told us that Jeff was calling in on Sunday to see them on his way from Shanghi to Kuala Lumpur so they had arranged for the two sisters, Annette Rose and Debs to be there, the pictures below show Lyn with her three children all looking very well, Annette has just posted her New Zealand pictures on Facebook also and I will do a separate blog of them,when I get a chance later in the week, watch out for them as they are spectacular ! Later we went for a long walk with Cheta and ended up sat outside Bar Rojas in the warm sunshine just as Anna came along with Derrick, she joined us for a Tapas lunch, diced Liver in a rich sauce served with the local bread and a side of Patatas Fritas ! In the evening we had Steak a la Plancha with all the trimmings and chips for dinner before we settled down to watch the TV which had been fixed by our local friendly engineer,Miguel,as promised first thing on Saturday morning.

After a lie in on Sunday we got the roast on the way, Chicken with all the trimmings including Chestnut stuffing as the local Chestnuts are now in season; The final Grand Prix of the season from Brazil was on Spanish TV, Webber won for a change and I set up on the large PC upstairs in the office the Liverpool v Manchester City game, it was a draw,1-1 but City where kept in the game by their goalkeeper Joe Hart in the last ten minutes as Liverpool went for the win ! We had no guests for dinner so it means that it will be cold Chicken for supper on Monday ! We then watched a terrific film on the TV that we had watched the other night in Spanish, this time we caught it on the English Channel and were able to confirm how much we had understood about it ! It starred Bruce Willis and was called ‘ 16 Blocks ’ It is on the list of the Ten Best Crime Thrillers, he plays a New York cop who’s at the end of his rope and drinking, he is assigned to transport a prisoner, played by Mos Def, sixteen blocks to from his jail cell to a court hearing about his case; However, a group of corrupt cops, including his partner of twenty years, want him dead and will stop at nothing to get it done before reaching the courthouse ! Watch it !!

Thought for the Day;

True friendship is a rare harmony.

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MANILVA START OF THE WEEKEND.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY 21^st/22^nd JULY 2011.

Yesterday as I woke up I had a very bad pain in my right hand, it had started the evening before, I can’t use the hand and it is very tender along the side from the small finger; this has happened once before when we were over in Guadalmina, that time we went to the local chemists and they gave me some tablets and a surgical glove! So I shot around to the surgery and made an appointment for lunchtime; the relief lady Doctor was very good and gave my hand a very good going over, it is inflammation of the ligaments which can happen as you get older- I am now on a course of three tablets and an ointment and the results have been spectacular, I was even shaking hands last night!

In the afternoon I watched the Tour de France as Brenda was up on the roof terrace topping up her tan; the stage was over 200km.long and the riders were in the saddle for over six hours. It went back into France as they climbed over the three mountains on the way to the finish, Andy Schelk closed to within 15 seconds of the yellow jersey with an audacious 60km.breakaway,the rest of the leaders did not follow him as they thought that he had no chance, they were wrong ! When they realized that they were not going to catch him on the last climb of the day,Cadel Evans and Thomas Voeckler set off in pursuit on the way even dropping Alberto Contador as they went to the top of the Gailbier,the highest spot the Tour has ever been ! His solo assault on the Alps will stay long in the memory. Our evening out in the village is in the report below.

This morning we went down to Sabinillas for the weekend shopping, we are having a fishy day, for lunch we had Portuguese Sardines which I filleted and cooked in Meuniere butter and this evening we are having Baby Soles pan fried with New Potatoes before we go out again to the second concert. This afternoon I am just about to watch the last stage in the Alps when they go from Modane Valfrejus to the infamous Alpe-d’Huez. over 109kms.

Thought for the Day;

He who believes in freedom of the will has never loved and never hated.

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MANILVA START OF THE WEEK.

MONDAY/TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/ 30^th/31^st / 1^st MAY/JUNE. 2011.

We had a quiet day at home on Monday and caught up with the chores around the house; the weather forecast is warm and sunny for the week, reaching 30degs.on some days. As I was on-line I noticed that Jeff and Annette who are living in Kuala Lumpur are on their travels once again; Jeff flew in from Chicago to Hong Kong as Annette arrived from Brisbane with their son Paul, at the same time their daughter, Kate and her boyfriend arrived from Canada – they are just now getting on the fast ferry to Macau from Hong Kong for a short holiday! How the other half live – we hope you have a “ Helluve ” time !! as you hit Macau and especially the “Portuguese” restaurant area. For supper we had the leftover Beef and Mushroom Pie  before we sat down to watch some films on the TV; a good old fashioned world war two film first “ Operation Crossbow ”with all sorts of famous British actors and George Peppard and Sophie Loren, then Russell Crow in “ Master and Commander ”a great excitement and adventure film !The Picture of Brian and the new Lilli all scrubbed up was taken at a wedding reception on Saturday over in Pori ,Finland.

After tea and toast on Tuesday morning we went for a long walk with Cheta around the village, the second picture is of a poster in the Wine Centre for a wine tasting this evening which we are going to give a try ! Brenda after our snack lunch went up on the roof terrace with a good book and I retired to the office to check out the WWW. At the moment the main sport is the tennis from the French Open in Paris, as I was on line a news flash came up that there had been an explosion and fire at the oil storage tanks in Gibraltar; it turned out that a  workman welding on top of a tank was the probable cause ?! The live pictures where rather spectacular as the worlds largest cruise liner the “ Independence of the Seas ” was berthed right along side the storage facility, it very quickly left the port and headed off to the French Riveira but not before about a dozen passengers were slightly injured ! The black smoke cloud was blown across towards Africa but the authorities announced that was best to close all window’s and stay inside if possible in a 20 km radius ! We as usual came into the chill out room for our early evening dance and music session, Mannish Boy, One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer, Boom Boom and Bang Bang Bang being the highlights !! Now here is an interesting fact ; this July has five Fridays, five Saturdays and five Sundays ! It only happens every 830 years or so !! Watch out you have been warned !!

On Wednesday we went for a early walk with dog as Brenda had an appointment later at the surgery to check her broken big toe, the nurse took the strapping off and she is going to see the doctor on Monday after we see how it is over the weekend. As we were out we saw the knife grinder so we asked him to call at the house as we had a couple of Carving Knives that needed sharpening; the pictures below show him and me at work in the side street by the house, the French Sabatier knives have never been so sharp ! After lunch we went up to bar Rojas for a early afternoon snifter as Mano and then Anna joined us the hot and sultry sunshine under the Sonbrajo ! For Dinner we had a Pork Cutlet in foaming Lemon Butter with Brenda’s vegetables and some very tasty New Potatoes.

Thought for the Day;

Life is a Risk.

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MANILVA MID WEEK.

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY 18^th/19^th MAY 2011.

The weather as we got up was grey and overcast, more later, so we decided to have an at home day; Brenda caught up with the ironing and I set about making an Chicken Curry for dinner,Mano and Anna were joining us as it was Mano’s day off. It started to rain a little and the forecast for later was not good in the whole region. In the evening we had been invited up to Calle Mar for Antonia’s party,IU, meeting which turned into a bit of a do; she took over the two main bars Rojas and Nacho’s and the local councilors gave out vouchers for drinks and tapas so it soon got loud and busy in between the showers,Mano and Anna stopped for one before we walked down to the house for our Curry supper; Later we went back up to Bar Rojas for more drinks and Carajillos on the vouchers, as we walked in Antonia also sent over a round of large drinks, its called electioneering in Spain !  During the night the very severe storm that was forecast for other parts of the region hit; luckily we did not see any of it but Cordoba,Jaen,Malaga,Marbella,Puerto Banus,San Pedro,Guadalmina and Estepona got it very bad, at one point it went to Hurricane level and uprooted trees and houses and walls came down as well as cars being washed away,Finca Cortesin golf course got away with just some heavy rain, over at the villa in Guadalmina Clive and Carolyn had to bale out on Thursday morning.

On Thursday morning we set off to the Costa Del Sol Hospital on the far side of Marbella as Brenda had an appointment with a consultant to check out her legs and ankles that have been giving her a little discomfort over the last couple of months; we left with plenty of time to spare as the parking at the hospital is a nightmare; the main road in was flooded and had over two feet of brown mud on the surface so the Smart Car looked like a tank as we found a very small spot between two cars which I edged into in true Smart cat style ! We did not have to wait long as they took us in over half an hour ahead of the appoitment; the consultant was very nice and soon had Brenda sorted out, she does not need an operation but has to go for Ultrascans and follow ups to check things out and as well as keep taking the tablets and applying the ointment she has to loose 10 kilos!!  Watch this space. On the way back we did the weekend shopping, when we got back to the house the weather was  then warm and sunny and the forecast for weekend is the same; In the afternoon Brenda ended up on the roof terrace as I watched the Giro D’Ialia in Spanish on the TV, Mark Cavendish won the sprint stage and at the same time I connected up the large PC to watch the golf from Finca Cortesin in the next valley ! The course looked spectacular and on the 16th hole you could see Manilva on the hillside !The Volvo Masters has all the top golfers playing,Westwood was six up with five to play !!He is playing Ian Poulter in the next round,Rory Mcliroy is also through and will play Graham McDowell. In the evening we had cold York Ham from our local shop,sliced thin with fried local Campo Eggs and Chips !! So much for the start of the diet regime !! 


PS; Alberto Contador is still leading the Giro D;Italia and now hold three of the leaders jersey's after the first of the mountain stages on Friday in the Alps ending up in Austria - Saturdays stage is a classic,starting in Lienz and finishing at Monte Zoncolan one of the highest and hardest climbs on any tour !


PPS; Poulter has just beaten Westwood  and McDowell has beaten Mcliroy !




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Thought for the Day;

Home is the comfiest place to be.

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MANILVA NEWSFLASH.

WEDNESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 2010.

We have just come back from Gibraltar after checking Jenny and Norah onto their flight – Brenda went across with them and made sure that everything was OK before saying to goodbye to them. We had checked twice yesterday with Monarch to make sure that the flight was not effected by the Spanish National strike today, we then did all the shopping on the way back in Sabinillas so as we have the rest of today and tomorrow to get ready for the arrival of out next guest, “ Lady “ Jane is arriving at Malaga airport on Friday morning. I’ am picking her up in the Smart Car; she is here until Monday morning and is coming over for three days down on the beach in the sun, the forecast is looking good 30degs+ so I hope that she is bringing plenty of sun lotion!

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MANILVA, DAY FOUR.

Monday 8th June 2009.

It was a bit cloudy this morning, as forecast, we changed our plans and went in the car to Estepona. Before we left,breakfast was Spanish Hams and Chorizo, cold with fresh fruits and toast. We parked in the main street and went for a walk along the pedestrian only shopping area where all the shoe shops are! We stopped for a coffee in the flower square and then went for a drive around the very narrow streets in the old part of town and called into the fish market to show the folks real Spain! We then called into the Hypermarket to stock up and then went to the marina next to the old fishing port at the far end of Estepona;the Tapas selection on show was excellent at one of our regular haunts as the sun broke through the clouds.The afternoon was a free period, for Jack and Lyn! after which we had an early supper of cold Roast Pork before we set off to see Vidal playing a gig at a beach bar at the far end of Estepona,the only problem being was he was not there when we arrived,they had cancelled him in the afternoon due to the cloudy weather and I had not rung him as we wanted it to be a surprise ! Plan B – We drove onto Puerto Banus to show Jack and Lyn another side of the life down here on the Costa del Sol; it was just going dusk as we arrived and the breeze had dropped also so it was a beautiful balmy evening as you can see in the pictures below,as usual I’ve gone mad on the boat pictures,as you can see,the restaurants were full,the bars with the posseur's drinking outside were doing a roaring trade and the boats were more spectacular than ever as well as the cars !

Recession,what Recession ?

PS; Watch out for the breaking news flash about an early return to Tarifa !!