A GREY & OVERCAST SUNNY MANILVA ON MONDAY, NOW CLEARING, AT THE START OF THE WEEK.

MONDAY 7^th/ MAY 2018.

Just a little lie in this morning, ‘Chico’ slept in his bed, all night and ‘ Charlie’ was on the floor mat, by the side of Brenda, all night, this morning to let us know that it was time to go out, ‘ Charlie’ jumped on the bed, we then after a quick freshen-up set off down to the bottom of the village for their first walk of the day. We bumped into Rose with ‘ Scruffy’ as were walking past their apartment block, she looks and feels a lot better and Adrian is slowly improving, good news.

It’s a normal day here in Spain, not a Bank Holiday, so all the Offices/Town Hall are open and the ‘ Contactors’ workmen are here in force, laying the various flag-stones along ‘Calle Mar’ – by mid-week they should be outside the ‘Town Hall’ at the top of our street, as we were out this morning a large lorry dropped off a big load of more various flag-stones, for the second stage/phase of the development, down to the junction. Watch this space.

The lorry had also dropped off the new ' Lamp Standards ' and by lunchtime, as the sun broke through the workmen were starting to erect them, as you can see below! 

When we retuned we had our regular light breakfast of ‘Weetabix’ fresh fruit, toast & tea, we are taking things easy today, catching up with the chores around the house ( Brenda!) – meanwhile I’m up in the office/studio on the ‘ WWW’ – reading the newspaper, checking the ‘E-Mail’s etc before typing/posting today’s Blog! We have no other appointments this week, so far.

On Friday morning I will be out on my travels down to Sabinillas for the weekly shopping, then on Sunday we are meeting-up with our dear friend Joyce ‘ Baby’ – we are meeting her in Puerto Banus and then coming back along the coast to Estepona, for a nice chilled glass of ‘ Cava Rose’ at ‘Bar Tarantella’ before having our ‘Sunday Roast Lunch’ ( Vegi/Fish for Joyce!) at ‘La Taberna 2 ‘ in ‘ Castillo de la Duquesa’ !

As we were out this morning it was still grey & overcast with lots of clouds, there was also a light breeze blowing in from the ‘Mediterranean’ making it rather dull & chilly, the sun is trying to break through, at the moment, by lunchtime it’s due to reach 20 degs+ -the rest of the week and over the weekend it’s now looking dry, sunny, with light clouds at times, getting warmer by the weekend, hovering on the 24/25 degs mark by Sunday. Watch this space.

Yesterday evening we made contact with Sandra & Bill over in Everett, Ontario, Canada, on the ‘ Skype’ video for a nice catch-up with all their news, Sandra’s son was there, Neil, so he joined us at the same time, he lives /works in Toronto, so he was home for the weekend ( with his dirty washing bag!) The first news was that Sandra’s stepson ‘ Dylan’ – Bill’s son, has announced his engagement to his girlfriend ‘Kritika’ over the weekend! " Congratulations " 

They has a spectacular time on Friday, for Bill’s birthday celebrations, on their visit to the ‘Peller Estate Winery & Restaurant’ ( Chef Jason Parsons ) on the ‘Niagara Peninsula ‘ They has the Five- Course ‘Sampling Menu’ with Wines, to start ‘Poached Ontario Shrimp’ – with Pickled Morels,  ‘Oceznwise Halibut’ with Crispy Escargot, ‘Lobster Lingumi’ with Black Truffle, which they gave a miss on,  Sandra had the ‘ Icewine Sizzled Squab’ ( very young Pigeon)  with Scallion Gnocchi and Bill had the ‘ Smoked Linc Pork Belly’ with Wild Leeks & Rhubarb – and then the Desserts, as you can see in the pictures below!

                                                                PS; Don't forget to ' click-on' the pictures to enlarge! 

At lunchtime with our walk with the dogs, we ended up back at 'Bar Castillo ' for a nice cool drink and some Tapas, Brenda had the ' Conejo -Rabbit ' in a cream sauce, and I had the diced 'Chicken' in a savoury Tomato salsa. 

This evening for our supper we are having ‘ Pan-Seared Escalope’s of Pork Fillet- Schnitzels’ style, using local Breadcrumbs from the Bakery, then topped ‘ Holstein’ style with ‘Campo Fried Egg, Capers & Anchovy Fillets’ - served with lots of Lemon Wedges and ‘ Spaghetti Milanese ‘ – tossed in a Tomato salsa with slices of Smoked Ham, with on the side finely sliced French Green Beans!

Just a quick update on the sports results from yesterday; Manchester City had an off-day and could only draw 0-0 & Liverpool were also off-colour and lost 1-0, the ‘ El Clasico’ ended a 2-2 draw , up in Barcelona and over in Israel, ‘Elia Viviani’ won the next stage, his second sprint finish win, of the ‘ Giro d’Italia’ before it transfers to Sicily today!

This afternoon/evening we will catch up with the ‘Quiz’ shows that we follow ‘ Countdown, Pointless & Eggheads’ before later channel hopping.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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A WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON SUNDAY.

SUNDAY 6^th/ MAY 2018.  “ DIA DE LA MADRE – MOTHERS DAY SPAIN “

Just a little lie in this morning as ‘ Charlie’ came up and let us know that it was time for his first walk of the day, he slept all night on the main settee and ‘ Chico’ was in his bed, we went for a good walk around the bottom of the village, when we returned I had ‘ Campo Fried Eggs’ on toast for breakfast, Brenda just had her usual brown toast, with mugs of strong tea.

The village is very quiet this morning, as at this time of the year all the local family’s have large celebration parties, after children’s ‘ First Communions’ –as we are out & about we bump into all our neighbours, all dressed up, setting off to the local church before going to the functions in restaurants, bars & chiringuito’s, we were asked to go to Monica’s daughter, Nerea, from ‘Bar Rojas’ – but coudn’t go because of the dogs. Also today, here in Spain, it’s ‘ Mother’s Day ‘!

This morning has started dry, clear & sunny, with a light breeze, making it very pleasant to be out & about, by lunchtime it’s due to reach 19/21 degs+  next week is now looking dry, warm & sunny, with some clouds at times, the threat of the ‘ wet stuff’ has gone away, for now, as the week goes on it’s getting hotter, hovering on the 24/25 degs mark by next weekend, watch this space.

This evening for our supper we are having ‘Pan-Seared Medallions of Pork Fillet’ accompanied with a sauceboat of my famous ‘ Charcuterie Sauce’ with Glazed Carrot Batons & Whole French Green Beans & my ‘ Breton’ style Potatoes. On Monday it’s Escalope’s of Pork Schnitzels’ with Spaghetti Milanese, Tuesday is still ‘TBC’ then on Wednesday we are going to have a ‘ Chicken Curry’ with Basmati Rice.

Just a quick update on the sports results from yesterday; Everton could only draw 1-1, all the other football is today, over in the ‘Giro d’Italia’ in Israel, Elia Viviani won the sprint and could also win today’s sprint on the next stage from ‘Be’er Sheva to Eilat over 229 kms before the ‘Tour’ flies to Sicily on Monday.

Last night after supper we watched the next two back to back episodes of the Flemish ( with sub-titles) political thriller “ Salamander: Blood Diamonds” – with a suspicious suicide, double- dealings in the ‘Belgium government, by the ‘Prime Minister’ - Various spies with guns, the local police under pressure, a daughter running away with a ‘ baddie’ – the Banker’s connive to overthrow the new dictator in Africa, as the main Detective fights all the corruption, watch this space.

PS; Our very dear friend Joyce ‘ Baby’ from Chester, has just rung, she is over at her house in ‘Alhaurin el Grande’ above Marbella, so we are going to meet up, next Sunday, for lunch, I’m going to book a table down here, for a change, at “ La Taberna 2 “ in ‘Castillo de la Duquesa’ – where ‘ Carlos’ will look after us!

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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A WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON SATURDAY.

SATURDAY 5^th/ MAY 2018.

We all had a little lie in this morning, ‘ Chico’ slept all night in his bed, at the foot of our bed and ‘Charlie’ spent the night down on his favourite selection of sofas in the lounge! They both get on with one-another very well, as with ‘ Chispa’ who joined us again yesterday evening for one of our walks, we then went for our first walk of the day around the bottom of the village, at lunchtime today we are going to take them for a longer walk around the sports complex/football field.

When we returned Brenda, for our breakfast cooked her famous, ‘ Campo Poached Eggs’ on Toast for me and a ‘Boiled Campo Egg’ with Toast ‘Soldiers’ for herself, with mugs of hot ‘ PG Tips Tea’ – to start the day in the right direction! Over here in Spain this weekend is not a ‘ Bank Holiday’ but on Sunday it’s ‘ Mother’s Day ‘

Its’ a beautiful morning here in sunny Manilva, the sun was out early and the sky has cleared and is bright blue, there is just a very slight breeze, making it a perfect day down here on the ‘ Costa Del Sol’ – by lunchtime it’s due to reach 20 degs+ - tomorrow is the same and then next week we are in for a settled, dry, warm & sunny time, getting hotter as the week goes on, hovering on the 24/25 degs+ mark, normal for the time of the year, but still with the very slight threat of some of the ‘ wet stuff’ in the air, at times, the severe rain storm yesterday passed over after a while, it sadly damaged some of our wall plants, watch this space.

Over in Canada yesterday Sandra & Bill went away for the day/night on  Bill’s  ‘ Birthday’ to the wine region to the west of ‘ Niagara Falls ‘ below Toronto, past Mississsauga,  which has a lot of various winery’s, on the ‘ Niagara Peninsula’ – a fertile swath that separates Lake Ontario from Lake Erie.

They were having a special dinner ( Chef Jason Parsons ) at the ‘ Peller Estates Winery & Restaurant’  - the first picture to arrive show’s Bill at the award winning ‘ Creekside Estate Winery ‘ in the quaint Jordan village. ( 27 degs+!)

See Below;

For our supper this evening we are having ‘ Grilled Fillet Steaks ‘ – wrapped in Smoked Bacon, seared in on a very hot griddle-plate and then baked in a hot oven ‘ Med-Rare’ and left to rest, served of a toasted Crute’- topped with a quenelle of ‘Iberica Pate’ and surrounded with a pool of a rich Red Wine Glaze – “ Tournedos Rossini “ style! Accompanied with Whole Baby French Beans and twice-cooked ‘ Frits’!

On Sunday it’s seared ‘Medallions of Pork Fillet’ – with my famous ‘ ‘Charcutiere’ sauce on the side, made with sliced Onions, Shallots & Gherkins ( Cornichons)  - Mustard, White Wine Vinegar and a Stock Demi-Glaze. A selection of fresh local Vegetables and ‘ Pommes de Terre Breton ‘ style!

Then on Monday using the rest of the ‘ Pork Fillet’ we are having our favourite ‘Escalope’s of Pork Schnitzels ‘ with ‘ Spaghetti Milanese’  

On the sports front this weekend; in the ‘ Premier League’ Everton welcome Southampton and then on Sunday Liverpool travel down or fly to play Chelsea and Manchester City are at home to Huddersfield Town, over here in ‘La Liga’ on Sunday also it’s ‘ El Clasico’ as Barcelona welcome Real Madrid to the ‘ Camp Nou’ Stadium.

Meanwhile over in Israel it’s the Second stage of the ‘ Giro d’Italia’  from Haifa to Tel Aviv over 167 kms, with a sprint finish.

This evening after supper we will settle down to watch the next two back to back episodes of the excellent “ Salamander: Blood Diamonds “ the Flemish political drama ( with sub-titles)

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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