THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM A VERY SUNNY MANILVA;

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM A VERY HOT & SUNNY MANILVA;

MANILVA SUNDAY AFTERNOON VENDIMIA 2011.

MANILVA THIS WEEK.

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY/FRIDAY 22^nd/23^rd/24^th JUNE 2011.

WEDNESDAY 22^ND JUNE BRENDA’S BIRTHDAY.

The weather forecast for this week is hot and sunny and next week it is getting even hotter, 40degs plus and rising! For this time of the year it is now the hottest time all over Spain in living memory; the weather is coming across from Africa and even the Northern parts of the country are in the high 30s! We came home from the villa in Guadalmina on Wednesday morning as they did not get back from Italy until 1-00am after I had picked them up from the bus station in Marbella.On the way we stopped and did some shopping to stock us up for the week; we could be back at the villa next week as the folks are going to England, we are waiting for the call ! After our morning tea and toast we got ourselves ready and walked down to Bodega Augustin for a Tapas lunch, Brenda had Fried Calamari with a Garlic dip and I had a Crab and Pepper Vinaigrette and Carne de Tomates.Now that there is no smoking in all the bars they all have outside covered area’s so you can sit and enjoy the sun with a little breeze as they have to be open on two sides! On the way back up we stopped at Bar Rojas for another one and ordered Brenda’s fish supper, Mano stopped as he was passing in the executive Lexus on his way back to the villa after getting two new tyres fitted to wish Brenda Happy Birthday.It was then siesta time, Brenda on the roof terrace and me reading a book in the chill out room as it gets into the high 30s in the afternoon, we then had our usual evening cocktails to start off the night in the right way; we walked up to Bar Rojas and sat outside in the cooler air of the evening, Brenda had the John Dory in a light batter with a salad and I had a rich meat stew with Patatas Fritas and a Huevos Fritas on the top ! More drinks followed as we sat and reminisced about all the past birthdays! Thanks once again for all the cards,e-mails and Facebook messages.

Thursday morning we had a little lie in ! We then took it easy and had a day at home pottering about,Cheta comes in and out all the time as she is playing out in the street, and it is too hot to walk her during the day.We made contact on the Skype video with Jack and Lyn in Melbourne after speaking to the two sisters in England, Lyn has not been too well since we last spoke to them but is now well on the road to recovery. In the evening we had Flattened breast of Chicken pan fried in foaming butter with crisp local Green beans and a savory rice made with green Peppers and Red Smoked Peppers, I also made a Creamy Mushroom sauce which finishes off the meal as the rice ends up like a Risotto ! We had decided not to go down to the ‘ San Juan ’ Fire Festival on the beach in Sabinillas as you can watch it on the local TV and see the fireworks from the edge of the village, that is if there is no see mist – there was ! The picture above were taken from Facebook. We then watched on the TV “ The Tudors ”It has been on for a few weeks and they show two episodes back to back, we are really in to it so we have had to brush up on our history, the new voice activated Google is very impressive, you just say what you want and it appears ! No typing!

On Friday morning we went down to Sabinillas on the bus, it was a local bank holiday and most of the shops and the supermarkets were shut but we needed to get some cash from the machine ( No commission ) and the English paper shop is open so Brenda was able to post a birthday card with the Royal Mail express post and pick up the papers, we also needed a new wall clock for the kitchen and luckily the Chinese Hypermarket was open ! We then had breakfast in the square with mugs of tea and Bacon and Sausage butties ! Before we caught the bus back up to the village. As we got back into the house I noticed that we had lost a small white plastic bag which had the card in it but also some important medical documents and bills which we were going to pay -  Panic and lots of shouting followed ! Brenda then got on the phone to the book shop and café but with no luck, we did not have the Chinese number and we don’t speak any Mandarin !! The lady in the bookshop was very helpful and got one of her customers to pop along to the Hypermarket, he found the bag and she rung us back !! We then caught the next bus back down and collected the package with grateful thanks, we then ran across the road and caught the return bus back up to the village – we had earned our drink in Bar Rojas by then !! The classic film was “ Pearl Harbour ” it was not very good as we ended another “ Helluva ” Day in sunny Manilva.

Thought for the Day;

A tough lesson in life that one has to learn is that not everybody wishes you well.

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CASA OLIMPIA - CHRISTMAS DAY 2009.

25th December 2009 CHRISTMAS DAY.

We decided at the start of the week to sort the problems out here at the villa after Christmas and so settled down to having a good as Christmas as we could have; it is only in the last few years since we retired that the Xmas period has meant anything to us as we have been working over the festive season all our lives and although it was always enjoyable it was not the same as normal people! So our Xmas day got off to a great start as we called the folks over in Australia from our bed! We knew that Jack and Lyn had planned to go out later to see all the family so it was the right time to catch them and at the same time surprise them; we caught up with all their news and sent out love to everybody over in Australia. We then called Tim over in Colwyn Bay as we got up. He was just starting the same breakfast as us, back here, of scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Bucks Fizz! Joan came down and joined us to start off the day in the proper fashion! We then got the Turkey into the oven; it was a Spanish one but prepared English style, not like last year! I then made the Chestnut stuffing and the Pigs in Blanket with the Chipolatas and Smoked Bacon from the English butchers. Brenda got going on the vegetables; Baby Sprouts with streaky Bacon, Parsnips in Spanish Honey,Galzed Carrotts,Cauliflower and Broccoli florets in a Cheddar Cheese sauce and garden peas; the roast potatoes were cooked in Goose fat, from home, I then made finger coating pan gravy and we also had the crispy bacon from off the Turkey. Joan came back down and we sat at the large table in the main lounge for our starter of Smoked Pink Trout and Crab. We are saving the fine wines for another day so we opened a very nice bottle of sparkling rose Cava and then a fine bottle of Rioja; during the day the phone never stopped as all Joan’s family called and we got through to Jenny and Norah over in Runcorn after their Xmas lunch, Jenny is staying with Norah over the Xmas period. After our late lunch and as we sat at the table we received two surprise calls on our Spanish mobile; one was from our Spanish neighbours in Manilva, who were having their Xmas party and called to wish us “ Feliz Navidad ” and the second one was from a sunny beach in Trinidad – Vidal !! Who is over at his mothers’ house for the first time in years with all his family! The pictures below give you a little taste of the decorations around the villa, the Xmas table and Joan in her cracker hat, Brenda put the bows on the two dogs who were not impressed! Later we settled down to watch TV, one programme that we usually don’t watch is Eastenders but this episode was very good and got terrific reviews in the papers this morning unlike the Queens speech which was terrible, I’m sorry to say.Then the Royal Family was very funny and Gavin and Stacy was excellent.During the early morning of Xmas day and all through Friday the weather has been terrible – thunderstorms with 80km tornadoes and power cuts all the time!! Finally we would like to wish all our family and friends a very “ Merry Christmas ” we hope that you all had a “ Helluva ” day just like us !!

PLAYA ANDALUZA AND CABOPINO.

Saturday 29th. November.

After a lie in,well it was our anniversary!For breakfast we had Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Pink Trout before we packed our overnight bags to move down for the night to the Marriot Vacation Club at Playa Andaluza,Carolyn had arranged for her friend,Sue,to move in for the night and look after the animals and the villa,we had met her on Friday when she called in to make the arrangements with us.The stay at the resort was free and the sales manager had booked a very large two bedroomed apartment overlooking the sea ,as you can see in the picture below;both bedrooms have very large beds and our master bedroom had a Jaccuzi Bath and separate power shower wet room! They are furnished to a very high standard and are fully equipped including large screen TVs. in the lounge and bedroom. We settled in and then after watching the Rugby,Wales beat Australia!! we then went down to the indoor pool for a swim and a dip in the large warm Whirlpool Spa's overlooking the beach at the front of the complex. In the evening before we went out we opened a bottle of well chilled Pink Champagne that we had brought with us;we then went to the Restaurante Da Bruno in Cabopino,again using one of our free vouchers for dinner,the owner,Bruno,greeted us and we settled down to order as the live music duo,who were very good,played in the background.Brenda had the Cappaccio of Beef which just melted in your mouth and I had Prawn cocktail made with ten large Gambas!
For her main course Brenda had the Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb “ Pink” which was two small racks put together and was just to die for,the Lamb was succulent and sweet and fell off the bone! I had the Escalope of Veal in a Lemon wine sauce,it was the best Veal that I’ve tasted in a very long while and once again it just melted in the mouth,both came with Wilted Greens,Dauphinoise Potatoes and Frits.With the meal we had a bottle of the excellent house Valpolicella to wash down the meal and end a memorable meal on our 37th.wedding anniversary!!