A VERY CLOUDY & OVERCAST, CRISP SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND;

FRIDAY 9^th/ DECEMBER 2016.

I was up first this morning and shot out on my travels down to Sabinillas for the weekly shopping, Brenda saw ‘ Reina’ back with us for the day, I did the main shop in ‘ Mercadona’ before going along to the ‘ English Bookshop’ to post the ‘ Xmas’ cards, pick some more up and collect the local newspapers, watch out for your card in the post! I also dropped off all our books that we have acquired over the past few months, he checks them out and gives you credit against the next books that you choose.

PS, Don’t forget to keep the ‘postcards’ coming in, last week we had one from the ‘Orient Express’!

I then went along past the badly damaged promenade to the local market for the fresh flowers and wall plants, ours were all washed away in the weekend storms, finally on the way back up the hill I called into ‘ Super Sol’ for the English essentials and some of ‘ Scruffy’s favourite dog food, the main Sunday market on the ‘Feria’ Ground down in the valley, next to River Manilva, is closed until the New Year as it also was badly damaged when the river flooded.

We then took ‘ Scruffy’ out for his first walk of the day, he’s settling in, he goes up to bed when he is ready, his appetite is getting better. Brenda has just popped out to the local shop and along to the Chemists for her prescription tablets, this morning our Doctor, Natalia, called on the phone to see how Brenda was, she asked about her daily blood pressure/frequency reading and spoke to Brenda for a little while, she adjusted one of her tablets and confirmed next week’s appointment on Wednesday lunchtime, she is being very considerate and giving Brenda her full attention, it’s exceptional service from a local Doctor, we are very grateful.

This morning it’s rather grey & overcast with a stiff breeze, the sun is forecast to break through by this afternoon, the weekend should keep dry and next week is starting to look settled, watch this space.

For our supper this evening I’m making my famous ‘ Fish Pie ‘ – I sweat off in White Wine a ‘Mirepoix’ ( finely diced!) of Carrots, Leeks, Celery & Onions, the Cod, Hake & Salmon are lightly poached off, I make a rich fish Veloute, seasoned to taste and the consistency adjusted, the flaked fish along with Gambas & Mussels are mixed in and then the pie is topped with Brenda’s famous Mashed Potato, my classic recipe doesn’t contain hard-boiled egg and the mash is plain not with cheese! See below;

See below a ' Blast from the Past ' - the " Hotel Seventy Degrees " at it's prime in the late 70's!

After supper we will settle down and watch the Friday night regular programmes after channel hopping.

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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WARM AND DRY WITH NO WIND IN SUNNY MANILVA AT THE START OF THE WEKEND

FRIDAY 27^th/ DECEMBER 2013.

Another little lie in this morning for all of us, I then took Charlie for his first walk of the day and when we got back it was time for our tea & toast ( Brown with butter for Charlie!) It’s another beautiful day here in sunny Manilva but tomorrow we could have some of the wet stuff but back to normal on Sunday to the run up to the New Year!

Brenda has just caught the bus down to Sabinillas to do some light shopping, pick up the papers and send a condolence card to one of her old friends who has lost her husband just before Xmas; We walked her to the bus and will meet her later as she come back up to the village;I’am as you see catching up with the Blog and  then E-mails.

The menus over the weekend have changed as tonight we are having the rest of the Roast Beef which we really enjoyed last night, cold with a fry-up of the leftover vegetables and potatoes, then tomorrow its going to be Fish & Chip night and then on Sunday no roast so we are going to have Baked English cut Pork Chops!

I’ am going to meet Brenda off the bus later with both dogs as Chispa has just come knocking on the front door as I’ am upstairs in the office! They both get on and are sitting at my feet as normal as I’ am on the PC typing!! We will the go for a nice walk with them around the village.

No plans for the weekend ,we are jus taking things easy and relaxing at home; Brenda is trying to get some washing out today and will then no doubt find something to clean,wash,polish,hoover etc.

Last night on TVE1 on the news is showed all the high lights of the football over in England as all over Europe the rest on the footballers are on their Xmas holidays! We then channel hopped and watch nothing in particular. This evening we will find a good film to watch later.

Thought for the Day; See above.

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SUNNY MANILVA ON THURSDAY MORNING

MANILVA DURING THE WEEK.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY 30th/31st AUGUST 2012.


BRIAN AND LILLI HERE IN SUNNY MANILVA DAY 4/5.


On Thursday morning we went up to Bar Rojas for our Spanish breakfast again ; Andy joined us as it was his 50th birthday ! So a few beers went down – he was working later in the evening at the restaurant. Later I made my famous Braised Steak and Onions with Brenda’s equally famous Mashed Potato with Cabbage with Alselgas.Brian and Lilli had an at home day taking it easy up on the roof terrace. Just as I was putting the Braised Steak in the oven Mano phoned and asked us to join him and all the family including the six visitors from Manchester down at Bodega Agustin for a drink as it was their last night here; so the steak was left to finish cooking and we decamped down to the ‘ Office ’ – all 18 of us ! Late we had supper up at Bar Rojas as it had gone past time for the Braised steak ! We got in very late as it developed into a session as Lilli had her ‘ Drinking Boots On ’ !!

PS; I have now got ‘ Viber ’ and ‘ Whatsapp ’on my mobile phone, thanks to Brian so please join both ,it is very easy and of course you then can phone,text.sms and send pictures for free !! Watch out for the call !!!

As we got up on Friday morning we cold smell the burning and the house, terrace and the streets were covered in ash – the very large fire over above Marbella had been raging during the night and the ‘ Lavente ’ wind had brought it this way along with the smoke clouds ! The pictures above show how bad it was ! We then went down to Sabiillas to do or weekend shopping and stock up; Brian and Lilli joined us as we walked down to the market and called into the butchers, we then had a late breakfast at Bar Rojas and then ended up down at Bodega Augustin for a lunchtime session and some Tapas.The pictures below show how quick the work on the underground car park is progressing and that the wine press in now ready. Meanwhile over in Cheshire the work at ‘ The Old Sessions House Pub and Kitchen ’is well on the way for the opening on the 10th September ?! as you can see. I rang in the afternoon and arranged for a hire car from my regular contact in Marbella for three days next week on our special winter rate; they are dropping it off up here in the village on Monday afternoon so we are having a half day free as well ! Brian and Lilli have just booked their flights back to Finland very early on the morning of the 12th September !

In the evening we finally had our Braised Steak and Onions for dinner as you can also see in the pictures below; just before we sat down ‘ Cheta ’came crashing in through the shutters, she has had the full works in the morning, Pedicure with painted toe nails, trimmed and styled and smelling like a little ‘ Tart ’ She is looking like her old self when we first saw her a couple of years ago ! More pictures to follow. We then went up to Bar Rojas for a nightcap or three to end another “ Helluva “ day.



Thought for the Day;



Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time.




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MANILVA TODAY.

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY/FRIDAY 30^th/1^st/2^nd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011.

We had a lie in after the celebrations of our ‘Ruby Wedding Anniversary ’yesterday; the weather forecast is fine but a little cloudy on Friday then getting better over the weekend and warmer into the start of next week.

It was a at home day as we caught up with the chores around the house and later I went on the WWW. and checked out our e-mails, Facebook and Twitter messages then posted the blog of our night out. In the evening we had Pork Cutlets and Lyonnaise Potatoes for dinner before we settled down to watch the TV; the high lights of the Carling Cup from England where on the sports channel, Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-0 and Manchester City beat Arsenal 1-0 but after the draw for the semi-finals they are going to meet again, the big surprise was that Manchester Utd.lost to Crystal Palace in extra time 1-2 so the other semi-final is between Crystal Palace and Cardiff.

On Thursday we went down on the bus to do the weekend shopping as the forecast for Friday was not as good; we caught the bus back up on the round trip, as we got back to the house Mano and Anna called in for a chat and catch up with the village gossip. One bit of news that was not on our local or national TV stations was that the new airport at Gibraltar opened last Saturday, they are still arguing about the land and access and it’s still a very emotive subject here in Spain ! I then made a Chicken Curry for supper which we had with Brenda’s famous Basmati Rice ! After dinner we watched the Spanish Soap that we follow, which was very moving and also funny at the same time.

PS; I have just got hold of some pictures of the new airport at Gibraltar taken in the last few days and some other pictures for information. See above !!

Today. Friday, it is a cloudy as forecast and a little cooler as you can see in the pictures below of the new Tourist Information signs that have gone up in the last few days; they are in Spanish and English and also have Braille-very impressive. Brenda has just come back from a quick trip down to Sabinillas,yesterday we bought the dog a sleeping bed/ cushion for Xmas but it was a little small when we tried her in it yesterday ! She got a lift down in a large Silver Mercedes sat in the back like the Queen of Manilva and then caught the bus back up with new larger version.Cheta at the moment sleeps in a card-board box at home ! The picture above is Cheta trying out her new bed – she fits ! Tonight we are having for supper Steaks of Hake in Spanish Batter ( Floured ) and cooked in deep oil with Patatas Bravas, I’ am just going to make the Tomato Salsa.

Thought for the Day;

I’ am not a genius; but I am a terrific package of experience.

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LA CASA DEL ABUELO THIS WEEK.

MONDAY/FRIDAY 22ND/26TH NOVEMBER 2010.

This week down here in Guadalmina the weather has stayed fine; cool at night but warm and sunny during the day. At the villa everything is fine and we have had no problems, all the animals are well and Joan is eating everything; on Tuesday we went across to the house again to check the mail and pay the bills as well as some shopping including popping in to our local butcher for some Pork Cutlets for supper on Tuesday evening- he had missed us ! On the way back we called into the card shop to start buying and sending the Christmas cards (Australia ) as when we get back it will only leave us three weeks to Christmas ! We have no definite plans at the moment but will sort out what we are going do once we are back in Manilva. On Wednesday I made a Beef Curry as there are lots of ingredients in the cupboards; last night we had Pan Fried flattened Chicken Breast and tonight we are having fish fillets again from the large Black and White fish from last weekend. This weekend we are taking off from the cooking as it is our wedding anniversary on Monday; Tomorrow we are treating ourselves to dinner at Restaurant Victor down in Guadalmina,then we are out on Sunday at Tricky Ricky’s for our regular Sunday Roast and on Monday we are going out to the Marriott Resort restaurant for dinner; this will cost nothing as we can pay with the vouchers that we earned when we did the sales training earlier in the year ! So its three days of celebration on our 39th wedding anniversary – all I can say is that watch out next year on our 40th !! I’ve just come off the Bridge Cam on the Dawn Princess as it makes it way towards Bali after stopping at Brisbane,Port Duglas,Darwin and Broome on its way around Australia with Jack and Lyn on board – what a life !

Thought for the Day ;

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.


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