DRY AT THE MOMENT MANILVA ON SATURDAY

SATURDAY 28^th/ SEPTEMBER 2013.

Well the first rain came, in nearly five months, but not when expected – the rain storm hit us at midnight and only lasted 30minutes! At the moment it is dry and warm but no doubt it will hit us again later! Tomorrow we have the Classic/Vintage Car Rally coming through the village at lunchtime so fingers crossed!

Brenda is getting things on the go for the weekend menu’s and I’ am upstairs in the office typing the blog, as you an see and watching BBC Breakfast News before Saturday Morning Kitchen; tonight we are having ‘Steak Poivrade’ with finely sliced Green Beans and twice-cooked Chips.

Then on Sunday for supper, Mano and Anna are joining us as their electricity will be off for the weekend, its going to be Cold Herb Roasted Chicken with wait for it – Broad Beans cooked with Smoked Bacon, Onions and Garlic, Fresh Asparagus with a Hollandaise sauce, seared Bell Green Peppers, sautéed sliced Baked potatoes, Ensaladilla Rusa, Salad Nicoise, Beef Tomato and Beetroot salads in a Balsamic dressing, Campo Egg Mayonniase, crisp Lettuce salad and Tapas of local Chorizo and semi-Curado Cheese – a feast to look forward too!

We are having an at home weekend and next week we are picking Gillian up on Wednesday evening from the bus station over in Marbella but no over plans at the moment!

This afternoon I will watch on BBC TV1 which I’ve just spotted is on live this afternoon, the ‘Ladies Elite Road Race’ from the World Cycling Championship in Florence, Tuscany; later I will catch up with all the football results over here and in England and any other sports including Motor GP from Aragon in Northern Spain?! Marquez is on the pole for Sundays race.

I was watching the ladies race from Florence on BBCTV1 but it then went across to BBCTV2 and I 'can't get a contact so I ended up having to follow it on the BBC News Text - sadly all the English girls could not keep up with pace and three-times champion Marianne Vos from Holland won again!  Over in England meanwhile Manchester City lost at Aston Villa 3-2 and the big result of the day was Manchester Utd loosing at home to West Brom 0-1 and going down to 12th in the league!

Barcelon won 0-2 but Messi limped off injured but the big surprise of the day was Atl.Madrid won 0-1 at Real Madrid and played very well,Real were terrible!

Tonight after supper which I make the sauce ‘a la minute’ when I crush the whole Black Peppers corns and then pan-fry the flattened seasoned minute steak, take them out to rest, deglaze the pan with Brandy after tossing the smashed peppercorns in with the sautéed diced Onions, add a strong Beef stock then the cream and put the steaks back in to finish! It’s another yummy!! It will then be time to settle down and find something to watch.

Thought for the Day; See above.

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MANILVA AT THE START OF SEMANA SANTA

SATURDAY 23^rd/ MARCH 2013. 

After a lie in this morning we got up to more heavy rain as forecast for today; last evening it was a calm and cool evening as we walked down to the ‘Pabellon De Usos Multiples’ – the council congress centre, as we came along Calle Mar we saw that the ‘ Cafeteria Plaza’ – the Square Café was having its opening first night after a refurbishment, when we first arrived here in Manilva it was our local with Mano,Anna and Carlos as Bar Rojas was not open then, it is also the ‘PP Party’s’ Bar at election time! Sadly no ‘Free’ drinks but it had a good crowd in as it is being run by a local family – see the pictures below.

Above are some more pictures of last nights start to the festivities in the congress centre which has been transformed into the church for the Semana Santa week! The work at the moment it taking place inside the church and I have not been able. yet to get inside to take some pictures – watch this space. It was the church service first and then the village band performed some of the marching songs that they will be playing for the parades. The first parade of a Tableau is tomorrow lunchtime along Calle Mar.

Later this morning I was able to watch, for the first time here ‘Saturday Morning Kitchen’ live on the PC using the new channel connection that I have set up – very good! Not much football this weekend because of the international matches so I just caught the qualifying rounds of the Malaysian GP in a wet Kuala Lumpur. this afternoon it is the pen- ultimate round of ‘La Volta’ – yesterday Daniel Martin increased his lead with some cleaver riding before today’s stage over 179kms from Amacelles to Valls.

This evening we are having for supper ‘Steak a la Plancha’ with Mushrooms, finely sliced Green Beans and crisp Chips and ‘Yes’ the diet is starting to work as on my weekly check up at the chemists my weight was down and the blood pressure was OK !

The final picture above shows tomorrows dinner; “Tournedos of Stuffed Breast of Lamb” which we bought from the English butchers on the way back from the hospital; I’ am going to wrap then in Smoked Bacon and sear them on the griddle, then they are going into a savory White Wine Cream sauce with lots of diced vegetables, trust me!- to finish in the oven-served with ‘ Pommes Parisienne’ and of course Brenda’s selection of vegetables.

Thoughts for the Day;

And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared.( I Hope! )   All glory comes from daring to begin.

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