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

FRIDAY 14^th/ APRIL 2017   “ GOOD FRIDAY “

We managed a little lie in this morning before the church bells started, calling the faithful to prayers. No company in ‘ Doggy World Heaven ‘ this weekend, no doubt ‘ Chipsa ‘ will call in later to see us, after our regular breakfast of toast & tea I got ready this evenings supper ‘ Fish Pie ‘ – my version of the old classic! ( No Cheese and no Boiled Egg!!) 

I first sweat-off a ‘Mirepoix’ of  finally diced Onions, Carrots, Leeks, Celery & Mushrooms, in butter, before adding a good slug of White Wine and then a strong Fish Stock, I lightly poach the Cod, Hake & Salmon Fillets and then use the fish stock to make the ‘Bechamel’ Fish Sauce, I then add the diced Cod, Hake, Salmon, Prawns, Gambas, Prawns & Mussels, adjust the seasoning & consistency, then some Garden Peas & chopped Parsley and leave to cook-off, the ‘ Vegetable Chef’ will top-off the pie dish with her famous ‘Mashed’ Potato, ready to go in the oven later this evening. The aromas are wafting though the house and up the street!


See below;

The sun has broken through and the sky is clearing, there is a light breeze but by this afternoon it’s due to reach 27degs, 29 degs tomorrow, it’s staying fine & sunny over the weekend and next week  the  temperatures are hovering in the mid 20s. Watch this space.

See below the waterfront in Liverpool this morning;

We are taking things easy, at the moment, this evening we will go out to watch the main procession along Calle Mar of the ‘Santo Entierro’ and ‘ Ntra Sra de los Dolores’ as the whole village parades in its finest, all the pictures will appear, above, later, at Midnight there is a small procession of the ‘ De La Soledad’ which is undertaken in strict silence! Then on Easter Sunday it’s the time for the final two processions ‘ Santisimo Cristo Resucitado’ and ‘ Santisima Virgen del Rosario A.M.D.G’ Watch this space.




                                                                      For all our Welsh friends;

Thoughts for the Day ; See above.

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A GREY & OVERCAST, AT THE MOMENT, SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND;

FRIDAY 3rd/ FEBRUARY 2017.

I was up early this morning and set off on my travels down to Sabinillas for the weekly shopping; Brenda, back at the house, saw ‘ Reina’ back with us for the day, I was first in at ‘ Mercadona’ for our main shop, I then collected the local newspapers from the ‘ English Bookshop’ before going along to the far end of the promenade to the local market for the fresh flowers and wall plants, I stopped at the garage to wash the car before popping into ‘ Super Sol’ for the ‘English’ essentials, as I arrived back ‘ Chispa’ was in the street outside our house to welcome me back! After our breakfast of ‘Smoked Bacon Butties’ with mugs of steaming tea we got the rest of the day on the go.

This morning has started grey & overcast with black clouds on the horizon, overnight we were hit by a heavy rain storm, the forecast for today is dry & settled, hovering later on the 19degs mark, over the weekend it’s still looking unsettled with some rain forecast, at the start of next week it’s back to normal for the time of the year, warm & sunny, watch this space.

For our supper this evening we are keeping it simple ‘ Grilled Filets of Hake a la Meuniere ‘ ( Parsley Butter ) with Baby New Potatoes & finely sliced Green Beans; on Saturday evening it’s Grilled Entrecote Steak ‘ – French’ style with all the trimmings and then on Sunday I’m making my famous ‘ Smoked Chicken & Three Green Bean Risotto ‘

Just a quick update on the old Pier over in Colwyn Bay after last night’s ‘ Storm Doris’ hit it, no more damage but it’s still looking rather ‘ under the weather’! See below;

Today’s bit of Liverpool nostalgia comes from when I was growing up in Orrell Park, it shows below ‘ Orrell Park Station’ where I would go with my Dad into Liverpool’s Exchange Station’ on the electric railway, it ran to Ormskirk and Southport ( change at Sandhills) – we then went to see the wrestling on a Friday night at the Liverpool ‘Stadium’ next to the station. I used the railway all the time to go to my Uncles in Ormskirk and to the beach at Formby, the old small ‘Single Box ‘ in the picture was opposite my Grandfathers allotment on the right! Happy days and Happy memories. Next time ‘ Train Spotting & Plane Spotting!!

Last night after supper we settled down to watch the next exciting episode of the ‘ Unforgotten’ on ITV; the detectives tightened the screws on the four main suspects as their lies unravel further, will there be more bodies found! Brace yourselves! Three of them have alibi’s, one was in Ireland, one in Italy and one in Hospital when the murder took place?! Next week is the final episode, watch this space when all will be revealed!

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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A VERY CRISP & DAMP SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 16^th/ DECEMBER 2016.

I was up before dawn ( and Brenda !) this morning, I shot out down to Sabinillas to go to the main surgery to book an appointment for Brenda’s next more extensive blood tests etc, Natalia, our Doctor, had marked it for ‘ preference’ so she is fitted in next Tuesday morning, first thing! I then stopped at the garage to top up the car as we are out and about next week down on the ‘Costa Del Sol’

I was first into ‘ Mercadona’ for our main weekly shopping, I popped along to the ‘English Bookshop’ for the local newspapers and Xmas TV Times, I also picked up a picture frame from the Chinese Supermarket, the wall plants & flowers are OK this week so I shot back up the hill to the village, no ‘Reina’ today as she is going to the local vets for a small operation, her toe nails require cutting and the only way they can do them is to put her out! ‘Scruffy’ has been dropped off by Rose, for a few hours, ’Chispa’ came calling to see her friends.

Overnight the rain returned but luckily this morning it had stopped, it’s very sharp with a stiff breeze bit otherwise dry & clear, for now, more rain is forecast for later and tomorrow is also looking rather damp, on Sunday it’s clearing and next week could be a bit more settled, watch this space.

For our supper this evening I bought a very fresh whole ‘Rodaballo - Turbot’ from the Fish Market, they skin (Black side) & gut, cut the head off & trim, I’m baking it in the oven on the bone and will then fillet it before serving them garnished with peeled local Prawns, Garden Peas & Parsley new Potatoes; tomorrow night we are having ‘ Grilled Fillet Steak’ with all the trimmings, on Sunday it’s going to be ‘ Braised Minted Lamb Shanks’ in Gravy with local Carrots and Baby New Potatoes in their skins, cooked ‘Rissole’s’ style in nut brown butter!

Last night after supper I popped along to ‘Cafe Plaza’ in Calle Mar for a quick nightcap with Brian, he has just called and is calling in later to print-off his boarding pass for this evenings flight home from Gibraltar to Manchester.

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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