A NOW DRY & SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY.

TUESDAY 3^rd/ APRIL 2018.

We managed a little lie in this morning, we then freshened ourselves up and had a treat for breakfast of ‘ Toasted Crispy Smoked Bacon Butties’ – open on Brown for Brenda, smothered in ‘ HP ‘ Brown sauce, with mugs of steaming tea!

I then went out down to Sabinillas to the main ‘ Medical Centre’ for my appointment with our Doctor, Natalia, for my six month review/check up, my blood tests/ blood pressure are fine, but my ‘B12’ Vitamin readings are not responding to the tablets, due to my time of life, which means that I have to start a course of injections, two tomorrow afternoon and  then one a month, every month, for the next six months, and so on!

I also have to go back on Friday morning for more blood/urine tests, as my sample was broken, before the tests, for the appointment with the ‘Prostate Consultant’ at the end of the month, over at the Hospital in Marbella.

I also have another problem, that has not responded to the initial treatment, I’m suffering from ‘Arthritis’ in my left-hand, so I’m going for an ‘X-Ray’ next Wednesday, at the Hospital over in Estepona, then at the end of May I have an appointment with a ‘Trauma’ Consultant, also at Estepona Hospital, to check the results etc! Watch this space.

NB; ‘ Fingers Crossed ‘ that Brenda comes away with a clean bill of health on Thursday morning after her review/check up!

In ‘ Doggy World Heaven ‘ little princess ‘ Reina’ is back with on Wednesday morning for the day, now ‘ Scruffy’ is also joining us for the day and maybe longer, as Rose has to go back to Hospital for a check up, watch this space.

Overnight we had some , not forecasted, ‘ April Showers’ – by the time I was out on my travels they has passed over, the sky is still grey, cloudy and overcast, but the sun is still trying to break through, by this afternoon the temperature is due to reach 19degs+ - the rest of the week is staying the same, dry & cloudy at times, with the sunshine still around, hovering on the 21degs+ mark, then on Saturday the wet stuff returns, on Sunday and into the start of next week it’s now looking dry, cloudy & sunny, before the rain returns again, watch this space.

See below a couple of pictures taken last night, in Estepona, of the “ Orchidarium  - Orchid House & Botanical Gardens “ 

Also a picture of the ‘ Wall Plant Pots ‘ in the old streets of the Town, they gave us the inspiration for our display!

For our supper this evening we are having ‘Pan- Seared Lambs Liver’ – dusted in seasoned flour and finished in foaming Lime Butter, with grilled ‘ English Pork Sausages & Crispy Smoked Back Bacon ‘ accompanied with a sauceboat of a rich ‘Red Wine, Onion & Shallot and Mushroom ‘ Salsa, with Whole Baby French Green Beans and my now famous ‘ Breton ‘ style Potatoes – Diced, boiled potatoes tossed with chopped Onions and Red, Green & Yellow Peppers, in foaming Parsley Butter!

Last night after supper we watched the next gripping episode of ‘ Marcella’ with Anna Friel, in the title role, as the Detectives closed in on the killer, possibly a lady?! A Detective was blasted with a shot gun and died, the shooter then turned the gun on himself, a Senior Detective was suspended, the nurse is still missing, the suspect husband & wife are still in the frame, then at the very end a lady friend of Anna Friel’s character, has drugged her son, is she the one, watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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A ' CRISP' & SUNNY MANILVA ON MONDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEK.

MONDAY 2^nd/ APRIL 2018.   “ EASTER MONDAY “ 

Brenda was up first this morning, after a little lie in, after a quick freshen up she shot off down the local sub-post office to post some birthday cards, when she returned we had our normal light breakfast of ‘ Weetabix’ toast & tea before getting another week on the go, down here on the ‘ Costa Del Sol’!

We have a quiet week in ‘ Doggy World Heaven ‘ as ‘ Reina’ is only with us on Wednesday, this week, due to the ‘Bank Holiday’ in Gibraltar and the folks taking lieu days, ‘Chispa’ has already been in this morning to see us and no doubt will be calling in during the week.

Tomorrow morning I have my appointment with our Doctor, Natalia’ down at the main ‘Medical Centre’ in Sabinillas, for my six month review/check up, Brenda is going down on Thursday morning for hers, that she missed last week, when Natalia was called out on an emergency.

On Friday morning we will be out on our travels down to Sabinillas for the weekly shopping, we will then carry on to ‘ Iceland’ down the coast, for the ‘ English’ essentials and goodies, on the way back calling into the local market, at the far end of the promenade in Sabinillas for some fresh flowers & wall plants.

I have just posted below a few pictures, taken by a neighbour, from yesterday’s final ‘ Semana Santa’ processions, as the two ‘ Tronos’ come together, normally in Calle Mar, in front of ‘Bar Castillo’ – but this year in ‘ Calle Cruces ‘ as the ‘ Manilva Brass Band’ plays and the whole village sings a ‘ Salutation Song’ – the two ‘ Tronos’ are held ‘shoulder high’ and White Doves are set free, with ‘ Confetti Bombs’ blowing in the air, then the ‘ Tronos’ are returned down to the Church.

This morning the clouds have cleared and the sky is blue, there is just a very slight breeze, the sun is out and by lunchtime it’s due to reach 19 degs+ overnight down to 13 degs, the rest of the week up to Friday is looking the same, the overall temperatures hovering on the 21 degs + mark, but then sadly on Saturday/Sunday we are in for the return of the wet stuff, going a little cooler at the same time, next week is mixed, with rain one day, sun the next and so on, watch this space.

At lunchtime we went for a short walk and ended up at ' Bar Castillo' - the only one open, where Juan was very busy, as his wife is recuperating after an operation, we had nice cool drinks, bought by a neighbour, who has the house opposite ours, they live in Madrid, we also had some very nice, light, Tapas' - perfect, I also confirmed the booking with Fran, at 'Bar Ocana' when our old friends Jason & Donna are coming over in June, just for the day, as they are carrying on to a friends 50th birthday, further down the coast! 

Yesterday evening we had a nice long chat/catch up with Sandra & Bill, over in Everett, Ontario, Canada, our ‘ One Year Anniversary ‘ since we first made contact with the folks!  


One ‘ Helluva’ year followed!  " Cheers " !! 

Sandra is nearly back to full health, she is back in work, Bill was catching up with jobs around the house, they have a busy social life, they are looking forward to meeting up to with the ‘ Australian’ side of the family when Jeff & Annette, arrive in Toronto, later in the year. They have acquired a new ‘ Trailer- Caravan ‘ – their first, which they are due to collect later in the month, they are looking forward in the years to come, getting out & about in Canada and further afield!

See below, the inside looks very much like the set-up in our ‘ Winnebago’ all those years ago!

For our supper this evening we are having our favourite ‘Roast Loin of Pork ‘ – ‘ Cold Carved ‘ – the Crackling’ was delicious, with all the left-over vegetables and ‘ Goose Fat’ Roast Potatoes, on Tuesday it’s ‘ Seared Lambs Liver’ - then on Wednesday ‘ Grilled Gammon Steak’ & Chips, Thursday it’s ‘Chicken Wings’  Friday is ‘ Fish Night’ and Saturday will be ‘ Steak Night’ - Sunday is still TBC, watch this space.

Last night after supper we settled down to watch on the ‘ BBC I Player’ the two back to back episodes that we missed the night before , when the system crashed, of the exciting/gripping Danish crime drama “ Below the Surface “ – with excellent sub-titles, as the plot thickened and another hostage was killed! Watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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" SEMANA SANTA " PROCESSIONS IN SUNNY MANILVA ON ' EASTER SUNDAY'.

' PROCESSION DEL SANTISIMO CHRISTO RECUCITADO Y LA STMA.VIRGEN DEL ROSARIO A. M. D. G.

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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A ' CRISP' & NOW SUNNY MANILVA ON ' EASTER SUNDAY & ' APRIL FOOLS DAY'

SUNDAY 1st/ APRIL 2018.  “ EASTER SUNDAY “ &  “ APRIL FOOLS DAY “ 

We didn’t have a lie in this morning, after a quick freshen up we took ‘ Bo’ out for his first walk of the day, down to the open field, at the bottom of the village, it means going down three steep slopes/hills, the problem is coming back! He’s due to be collected at lunchtime, we are going to miss him, he’s a very ‘ gentle giant ‘ and very well behaved, he eats all his food, twice a day, and has got into our routine around the house, despite being so big, he backs-up a lot around the furniture!

When we returned we had a quick toast & tea before getting this evenings ‘ Roast’ on the go, we are taking things very easy today, we are not going to today’s two final ‘Semana Santa’ processions, as they meet in ' Calle Cruces ' - which will then end up down at the Church this year.

PS; I will try and post some pictures on tomorrow's Blog.

Brenda has just been on the ‘ Skype’ landline connection to speak to Jenny, later today, Norah is going across to join her, so we will call again tomorrow lunchtime to speak to them.

This evening, lunchtime over in Everett, Ontario, Canada, we have arranged to call Sandra & Bill on the ‘ Skype’ video for a good catch-up & chat, to wish them a ‘ Happy Easter’ from all the family, all over the World.

This morning has started a little grey & overcast, with light clouds, by lunchtime it’s due to pick up a little, with the sunshine breaking through, hopefully, there is a slight breeze and by this afternoon it will be 16/17degs+ Next week is now looking a lot more settled, with the sun back, but still a little cloudy, reaching 20 degs + at times, over next weekend we are in for the return of the wet stuff, sadly, watch this space.

So are ‘ Easter Roast ‘ is not the traditional ‘ Roast Lamb’ – for a change I have roasted an ‘ English Loin of Pork’ with  ‘ Crackling’ and a ‘Mixed Herb’ Stuffing and Glazed ‘ Fuji’ Apple slices, not forgetting my now famous ‘ Finger-Licking’ Pan Gravy.

See the ‘ Roast Loin of Pork’ below;

The ‘ Vegetable  Chef ’ has prepared Cauliflower Florets in a Three Cheese Sauce, Glazed Carrot Batons with Ginger, Crispy ‘Curly’ Kale & Garden Peas, she also par-boiled the local Potatoes,  which I will ‘ Roast’ this evening in ‘Goose Fat’!

See the ‘ Vegetable’ selection below;

Just a quick update on the football results; Liverpool won 1-2, Everton lost 1-3 and over here in ‘ La Liga’ Real Madrid won 0-3 and Barcelona drew 2-2.

Last night after supper we settled down to watch last week’s postponed, back to back episodes, of the Danish crime drama “ Below the Surface “ over on BBC Four, we saw the first part but then the ‘IT System’ crashed and we missed the second part, I’m going to try and catch up with it on the ‘ BBC I Player’ this afternoon, watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY FROM SUNNY MANILVA;

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