A ' CRISP' & SUNNY MANILVA ON MONDAY - ' NEW YEARS EVE 2018 '

MONDAY 31st/ DECEMBER 2018.    “ NEW YEARS EVE “

We had a little lie in this morning before both ‘Chico & Charlie’ let us know that it was time to go out, ‘Reina’ is joining us later for the evening, after we all freshened up Brenda & Thea took them for their first walk of the day around the village, meanwhile I was on breakfast duty and prepared the folks a light breakfast of toast & tea, we then started on the this evenings preparation’s for supper, Tim & Thea then decided to go for a walk around the village with the dogs.

Luckily this morning it’s dry & crisp’ with a stiff breeze out in the open, the clouds are clearing and the sun is breaking though, by lunchtime its’ due to reach 16/17 degs+ - tomorrow it’s more of the same, then for the rest of the week and over the weekend wear are in for a slightly cooler spell, down to 14 degs at times, with still the threat of the ‘ wet-stuff’ in the air, the following week is also the same, even a cooler at times, at night down to single figs, 9 degs! Watch this space.

At lunchtime on our walk we ended up sat outside ‘ Bar Rojas’ in the hot sunshine for a nice cool drink, we then moved on to ‘Bar Castillo’ which was bouncing with locals, for a very nice ‘Tapas’ lunch and more drinks!

For our supper this evening we have decided to have the ‘ Roast Entrecote of Beef - on the Bone’ – cooked ‘Pink – no Blood’ and served with Crushed Carrots & Turnips, Broccoli & Cauliflower Florets in a three Cheese sauce, Baby Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Bacon Sippets and Garden Peas, not forgetting the Yorkshire Puddings and finger-licking Pan Gravy, along with the Roast Potatoes in Beef Dripping! A  selection of pre- party drinks and a selection of fine Wines to follow, before we see in the ‘ New Year 2019’ three times!!!

First here in Spain, with the ‘12’ grapes at midnight, then with a call to Sandra & Bill over in Canada, lastly watching ‘ Jool’s  Holland’s Annual Hootenanny’ from London!  Later we will no doubt end up in ‘ Bar Rojas ‘ for their ‘ Karakoke’ night!!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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A VERY HOT & SUNNY MANILVA ON SUNDAY.

SUNDAY 6^th/ AUGUST 2017.

We needed a nice lie in this morning as we didn’t get to bed until 2-30 am! We were out partying at the ‘ Noche Del Embrujo’ Festival, after a quick freshen up we had a light breakfast of fresh, local, Orange Juice, toast & tea, we are then taking things very easy, re-charging the batteries for the rest of the day.

The sun is just breaking through and the sky is clearing, it’s a little cooler today after the hottest night so far, which means that we didn’t get much sleep, by lunchtime it will reach 30 degs+ Next week is staying the same except for Tuesday when it’s now expected to reach 38 degs+ - then over next weekend we are back in the high 20s, watch this space.

For our supper this evening we are having ‘ Grilled Fillet Steaks’ cooked on a very hot griddle plate ‘ Med-Rare’ and left to rest, served with seared Asparagus Spears & Button Mushrooms, garnished with deep-fried Onions rings ( coated in milk & flour ) – whole Green Beans and twice-cooked ‘ Chips’ – ‘Bearnaise ‘ Sauce and Dijon Mustard on the side!

Yesterday afternoon Brenda came up and woke me from my siesta, she was rather excited, to say the least, she had a phone call from Norah & Jenny telling her that they are coming over for the first week in October, the same time as Sandra & Bill are here, they are staying at the “ H10 Estepona Palace “ – they have booked an all inclusive package including the flight to Malaga, transfers to the hotel and half-board! Brenda then rang Lyn over in Melbourne to tell her the news, only she forgot the time difference and got her out of bed at 2-00am in the morning! They have confirmed the booking this morning!!

Meanwhile over in Canada Sandra & Bill are also very excited to be now meeting the three sisters, we let them know via ‘Facebook’ messenger, sadly Jack & Lyn would have loved to have made it four but it’s just a little too much for them now as Jack is not in the best of health.


See below the four sisters, two years ago !!!!

We then rang Jack & Lyn on the Skype video last night at mid-night, 8-00 am over in Melbourne, they are also very excited about the news, they are both rather off colour, with very heavy colds, we had a long catch up with all their news, Jack is fine & clear after his little operation on a mole/spot on his shoulder, he has lots of appointments at the hospital during August for various reviews/check-ups so they are planning to get away for a short holiday in September when the weather picks up over in Australia.

Yesterday evening we went along to ‘ Bar Castillo ‘ to watch the start of the ‘Noche Del Embrujo’ Festival along Calle Mar, all the main street lights are turned off and the Council installed up-lights on all the Palm Trees and moving spot lights on all the buildings, they also light, along the streets and on the stages, ‘Bamboo Fire’ sticks, the four stages take it in turn.

It all kicked off on the top stage, with a lady Flamenco singer, then on the next stage in front of ‘ Bar Castillo’ it was the main act of the night, in front of a very large crowd,  ‘Rafa Gutierrez ‘ backed by a ‘ Cajon ‘ Box Drummer! On the stage in front of the Town Hall it was then the time for a four piece samba band, and the finally at 2 00 am in the morning on the large stage on the ‘Plaza de la Vendimia’ it was the time for a ‘Rock Band ‘

At one moment in the street in front of ‘Bar Castillo’ it was the  “ Brazilian Lady Fire Dancers “ with a ‘Brazilian Male Zuck’ dancer tumbling, twisting and head spinning!

See all the pictures above.

At midnight we came back to the house to call Jack & Lyn on the Skype video which Brenda had arranged earlier, we then went back out and found a table outside ‘ Bar Rojas ‘ – both Juan & Suzanna looked after us and served our drinks in glasses at the local price, thanks! We then staggered back down to the house and had ‘ Heinz Spaghetti ‘ on toast for a very late supper, see below!

NB; The Council workmen have started to clear the lights away, take way the rubbish and are washing down the street with the water wagon.

Sadly the ‘ Amazon Fire TV Stick ‘ is not working again on BBC TV, so it means that we will not be able to watch, later, ‘Songs of Praise ‘ from the church in Port Sunlight’ on the Wirral, where we were married over nearly 46 years ago this November! Then later, this evening, it’s the final exciting episode of ‘Poldark ‘- we will catch up with them on the ‘BBC I Player’ when the system comes back online, watch this space.

See the poster below of one of the first Rock Concerts that I went to back in 1960, when I was 15! It was at the ‘ Empire Theatre ‘ ( seats 2,350 ) on Lime Street opposite ‘St George’s Hall’ As you can see it starred Gene Vincent and my life long favourite Eddie Cochran, on the bill was Georgie Flame who I then followed, ‘ Yeah, Yeah, Get Away ‘ etc! My school friends that I grew up with in the same streets ,formed a group called ‘The Dennisons’  and were a support act at the Empire Theatre on the bill with “ Ben E. King and the Drifters “ Over the late 60s I went to many concerts at the theatre,  ‘ Happy Memories of the early 60s’

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

A VERY HOT & SUNNY MANILVA ON SATURDAY.

SATURDAY 17^th/ JUNE 2017.

We had a nice lie in this morning after a hot & sultry night, it’s getting hotter by the night, reaching 22 degs+  Brenda had a quick shower, I’m having one later, this morning for our breakfast I had ‘ Campo’ Fried Eggs & crispy Smoked Bacon and Brenda had ‘ Campo’ Scrambled Eggs with her Bacon, buttered toast & tea on the side.

Brenda is preparing the ingredients for my famous ‘ Ensaladilla Rusa – Russian Salad ‘ that I will make later, my recipe is classic, which gives the salad ‘ body’ -  Diced, Boiled Potatoes, Diced cooked Carrot & Garden Peas,  Crushed Hard Boiled Eggs, Diced Pimento & chopped Tuna, all mixed with Mayonnaise & seasoned to taste, served with crispy small savoury biscuits.


See below;

This morning the sun was, as usual, out early and the sky is bright blue, there is no breeze so we are in for another very hot day, by lunchtime it will reach 29/30 degs+ - inland over the weekend the forecast, which is on ‘ Red Alert’ is going up to 43/44 degs+ in parts - all over Spain this weekend there are similar temperatures around the country. Thankfully along the ‘ Costa Del Sol’ the off-shore sea breeze keeps things a little lower, next week we are in for another very hot & sunny week, watch this space.


PS; In Sevilla at lunchtime it's showing 49 degs in the shade!

At lunchtime we went along to 'Bar Castillo' for a cool drink sat on the shady side of the street and bumped into Mano, Anna & Carlos who were having drinks & Tapas, we had a good catch up with all their news and gossip.

On the sports front this weekend; The ‘ British and Irish Lions have just beaten the ‘ Maori All Blacks’ 10-32 in Rotorua, in the rain, next it’s the New Zealand All Blacks’ in the first Test Match, Jonny Sexton was superb, meanwhile Scotland beat Australia( sorry folks!) 19-24 in Sydney and Ireland thrashed Japan 22-50. This evening we will be watching the second test match as England play Argentina in Santa Fe, it will be a ‘ Helluva’ game after last week’s classic, watch this space.

For our supper tonight we are having ‘ Grilled Fillet Steaks ‘ cooked on a very hot griddle plate ‘ Med-Rare’ and then left to rest, garnished with pan-seared Shallots, Baby Button Mushrooms & Asparagus Spears with whole Green Beans and of course twice-cooked ‘ Chips’ –‘ Bearnaise’ sauce & Dijon Mustard on the side.

Tomorrow evening we are having a Roast Chicken from the ‘ Rotisserie’ in Calle Mar with a Mixed Salad, Tomato Salad & Beetroot Salad along with the ‘ Russian’ Salad.

Last night after supper we channel hopped between BBC TV 1/2 After the Quiz shows we caught the 50^th Anniversary of the Gardeners’ World, Have I Got News for You and after the news the Graham Norton Show.



See below some pictures of Llandudno taken last night including the terrible stone beach installed by the Council! 

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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A VERY WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON SATURDAY - " NOCHE EMBRUJO "

SATURDAY 30^th/ JULY 2016.

We had a nice lie in this morning as the village is very quiet at this time of the year, no children playing, no deliveries, no Church Bells etc, we are having an at home day taking things easy as we are out this evening for the ‘ Noche Embrujo ‘ – they are working in  ‘Calle Mar’ at the moment putting up the lighting & sound systems, finishing the various stages, the traditional coloured shawls are on all the balconies, later they will ‘ dress’ the street with scented ferns and lots of Candle Lights.

We have another very hot day ahead here in sunny Manilva, there is no breeze, at the moment, last year it got rather windy and all the candles were blown out!  Last night was very hot and ‘sticky’ with not a breath of fresh air, it get rather uncomfortable to say the least and makes sleeping a little difficult. We are in for a very hot weekend and next week is going to be even warmer for the start of August, only 13 Fridays to Xmas!!

See the picture below of Liverpool taken last night with a floodlit St.George’s Hall, Lime Street, the old Great Western Hotel, the Royal Court Theatre and the city centre all on show.

After our regular breakfast of toast & tea we sorted ourselves out, we are having a ‘ Brunch’ later of ‘ Campo Fried Eggs, Seared Smoked Bacon, Grilled Button Mushrooms & Tomato and Sauteed Potatoes, it will keep us going as this evening we are going up to ‘ Bar Castillo ‘ for a late ‘Tapas’ supper. Tomorrow evening its now going to be our ‘ Steak Night’ with ‘ Grilled Fillet Steak’ with all the trimmings before we settle down to watch the latest James Bond movie ‘ Skyfall ‘ over in ITV.

This afternoon we are going all ‘sporty’ and watching the Horse Racing from ‘ Glorious Goodwood’ – the Ladies ‘Open Golf’ from Woburn, the Men’s ‘US PGA’ - the Qualifying from the ‘German Grand Prix’ at Hockenheim and some Cycling from London.

We are having our  ‘ Happy Hour ‘ a little early this evening before we go up to ‘Calle Mar’ for a night of singing, dancing, music, various acts & excitement, watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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