Random photographs from Porthcawl January 1st 2014, was looking at Pipster photographs and these came up and not so sad memories...

Now! What has been afoot! 

Wednesday I met up with a couple who I met whilst working in England, it was an end of life placement and I was there for about ten days only, I've always remembered that client, it was August 2017 and I used to check on her whenever I woke up, which for me is a lot! But I'd go in, I wanted her to know she wasn't alone..

Anyways! So I was already moved into my temporary location near La Cala, and cat sitting for friends, I drove down to the coast and met the couple in a holiday resort, I parked and walking to the bar a man coming towards me said 'Marian' surprizing me! He recognized me from nearly seven years ago! 

We went and sat down with his wife and we spent the next nearly three hours catching up! 

We had lunch and a couple of cold drinks, was lovely, I had forgotten my sunblock, and came away with a red nose and left arm! 

But I'd been so busy getting my stuff together and getting down to my new place! I'd forgotten to put any on! I'm really wary now of getting my face burnt, my pointy nose primarily! And I've noticed so many sun spots now..

A little too late maybe, but, better late than never I am thinking!

So distressed as usual!

Their cat is so beautiful, she's so loving, she never left me alone for a minute, cuddling up on the sofa, sleeping with me, following me about the house...

I'd forgotten how it is with a cat... But the Pipster was the same... She also never left my side...

Okay! 

Leaving that subject quickly, hastily running backwards from old memories! 

I worked two days while I was staying down on the coast, was nice only having a five minute commute that's for sure! 

And getting home so quickly, so early, I got dinner ready, showered and dinner eaten and relaxing about an hour ahead of normal time, which makes so much difference in feeling so tired after work.

I came back home yesterday, Sunday, and straight away missed the fur-baby.. 

While I was there one of my dreams had chopsticks heavily featured, strange really! I don't generally use them!

Doctor Google says:

'Chopsticks

To dream of chopsticks signifies that you are setting forth in pursuing your goals. You will resolve any current difficulties with satisfaction, through persistence and correct behavior.

If the chopsticks were damaged, you may expect to make a long journey, or to see old friends soon'

I don't remember them being damaged? But I have seen some old friends recently, three in a week! Which is very strange!

And a journey is planned!

Today nice and easy, town and coffee with good friends, bought a few bits and home!

The top part of my dresser went this afternoon, I noticed a sticker on the back, and a date! 

Made by Broyhill, an American furniture company, now no longer in business, and this piece was made January 1980... 

I never knew any of this, for the past nine years of owning it, we bought it for €70 from La Trocha car boot, and it is actually, was, actually worth some money!

Not now though, the people who took half and never even bothered to come back for the top half, keeping the glass shelves they'd taken! 

And the beautiful top section has gone to the dump!

My stepfather would be turning in his grave! If he was in one! 

M.

"Only put off until tomorrow that you are willing to die having left undone."

Pablo Picasso

Above the calima Sunday down in Los Boliches.. the skies turn apocalyptic when full of sand.. always strange always amazing!

I was meeting up with friends, a school friend who I've been friends with since we were eleven! I hadn't seen them for years, can't remember when, I'm sure before I moved out here?

Was so good to spend time with them, was emotional actually, more than I realized, I felt like they were home, a part of my old home come to visit, and felt good.

We talked about other school friends and what's been happening and when and where... I told them about a coincidence meeting someone here who had lived in Berkhamstead, and whose two children were at school with ours, that I'd met him in a tiny pueblo two and a half hours away from here in Alhaurín, and whose number count is five hundred, and the weird coincidence of it, that I'd only met him and his partner because I'd visited a friend's house there..

When I said his name, they knew him! Crazy!! 

This afternoon I was watching a channel 5 series about the Fox, that time, 1984, was such a scary time, he was based in the Leighton Buzzard and surrounding areas, but we were half an hour away and I felt he was too close for comfort.

Through family links, police in the family, we had some inside information about what the man was doing, that made it so much worse, information that hadn't reached the papers or general public... At that time.

'The Intruder, he's watching you from Within' is the name of the series, I have to admit, its got my heart rate up recalling this awful time!

Had a good day today, went into town early to have coffee with an early bird friend at 8am, then chatted with a friend in her shop until other friends arrived at ten... Stayed an hour or more, but got so tired! I came home and napped! Because I could! 

I missed a call while I napped, and saw it was from an English number, I checked the answer phone as they'd left a message! 

Someone else I haven't seen for years! Not so long though, seven years.. meeting them for coffee mañana, added to my neighbor from when I lived down near El Zoco, that came in the store last week and hadn't seen her since well before covid it's turning into a crazy old week for sure!

M.

A photograph taken at my secret spot.. I should go there again soon.. 

And today:

Well, that was a bit rough, taking and dropping some items off at the charity shop... Seeing other things of mine I'd taken before... Bit unexpectedly upsetting.. damn these emotions! 

I'm taking nothing I need or want or will really even miss, and it feels so good not having so much stuff! Oddly I can't see where it all went, I must have squirreled it away nicely!

Still, seeing them out of context, there, was rough!

Firstly though I had to wait in for a couple to come and take the dresser, well, they took half of it and now say their car has broken down!? 

I'm sure it has, but, you know, that little itch of doubt is there.. they have the best half! The base! 

So, until they come back.. I have the china cabinet bit! 

I've booked the car in for it's ITV at the end of month, dropped a load of broken bits at the bins and tidied up some other things! 

Had a coffee at Monikas while I waited for the mechanic to return to his workshop, sitting outside on this beautiful spring day.. but still in the shade of our Sierra de Mijas...

Now time to relax! 

And see if they come back for the other half!! My message half an hour ago has gone unread...

M.

2.4.24

Cool date today! 

2.4.24 or 4.2.24 depending on here or state side..

Having the front of my house painted as I write, and found a new owner for the wonderful dresser! I'll let you know though when it's actually gone ...

Everyone shouting "hola" to the painter as they pass, he's obviously well known, and liked.. which is good.

Early té this morning at Bar Cruz at 8am! Pretty chilly! Followed by a coffee at 9... 

Then off to Aldi and managed to do a partial shop! Have dinner for a few days, and heavy things, milk, water etc... now I don't have my tap filter I am buying water again ..

I was going to walk back into town, but managed to stay home! And sort out some more unwanted, unneeded items; it feels so good unloading all these things that I haven't used for years.

Why do we hold onto things like this? I think they've made me very heavy.. 

I have some things I'll never let go of, things people will question as to why that? Or this? Why!! 

Attachment. Issues.

Now to close I need a poem, I've given myself a two day break on Facebook from reposting poems and other such items in general!

Let me search!

Mmm nope can't find anything!

Journeys, beginnings

Paths and tracks

Moving forward, don't look back

Embrace the change

Feel the breeze

Listen to the trees..

©MB

Okay, made my own! Sorry about that!

M.

April 1st

 

Don't know why this track, I read down through my list of keeps and played a few lines of a few songs.. This I stopped at and this I am sharing..

Marcus Mumford Lay your head on me.. 

I have just lit the fire, maybe only logs left for this and one more fire...

This morning snow on the Sierra De Las Nieves! At last, first time this winter, I had been worrying about that hadn't I! It was 5° when I got up, as aforementioned, but 4° when I left for town!

Incredible, colder here than in the UK or New York when I checked!

When I was lighting the fire, I pulled out two things I'd left behind to collect the odd drop of rain that makes it's way down the flu when the rain is heavy...

The biggest had a drop of sooty water and the other, bone dry with a feather inside...

I am a believer in the meaning of finding feathers where least expected.. this was so lovely to find today...

Especially today, and the dream, with my mom it says in my search of dream meanings with your mom.. 

'She may appear in dreams to guide and support you through difficult periods.'

Thank you mom..

And I think two Blogs in one day is quite enough! More of today, tomorrow...

Tomorrow, begin again... I love this phrase, begin again.. makes the day feel new, fresh and full of promise..

M.

Whoa 5° on my terrace right now! Still looks like rain has passed.. thankfully now .

Bring on spring! And it's time for my winter duvet to clear off!! Although, so saying, I do love being cosy and wrapped up inside it..

A school friend is arriving later in the week, they're staying down on the coast, and I will see them at some point, it has been many many years .. decades in fact.. maybe 30 years? More? 

I woke up this morning from a weird dream, we were at my mom's, my boys and I, and we were in the sun lounge at the front of the house, and she closed the curtains, but didn't! (You know dreams!) Instead, in error, the whole sun lounge moved away from the house, it turned in the driveway, went down the hill and ended up by someone's house and had to stay there! 

Didn't see the boys but there were three miniature monkeys who decided to run back home! 

Now a cup of tea and my day begins.

M.

Car park mishap above, when I was walking through this morning, it doesn't take much, one car parked completely wrong the silver one on the right, and no one can come or go! 

Seen some weird parking up here over nineteen years but this was a whole new level-up!

When I had freed the end of the sofa bed, I found Pippa's toy here... The squeaker removed, of course, her top priority in all new squeaky chew toys! 

Can I throw it away? Who knows, one day eh..

Last night's procession started much earlier, and I didn't expect to see it at all with the rain that was forecast.

I can't upload the longer video, it's on my Facebook.. This shows a little of the view from my balcon last night ..

Before it got dark they were carrying Jesus Christ with the cross through our street this is normally at 2:00 a.m. and he was followed last night by Mary which is usually a different day altogether! 

My neighbor sent me a small video showing Jesus with the cross walking through town but he never came down our street first.. So definitely a shortened version of our Semana Santa procession.

And not long after it finished, the heavens opened!

So I'm thinking they had inside information!

Today was so busy at work, we had sold all our Easter eggs earlier on in the week and had a small second delivery of eggs yesterday, they had all gone within a couple of hours, I think if we had had another 30 or 40 we could have sold them all today, so many people complaining about us running out, and they were the very same people that complained when we got the eggs nearly two months ago!

Still, a very good day, we smiled and laughed all the way through despite it raining nearly all day, torrential at times and we had our own small river running through the back store room!

I think some of the customers thought we were drunk, we were certainly on a different planet most of the day!

I bought myself an Easter egg this year because..  well why not! I will surprise myself with it in the morning!

It is nearly 10pm now and there is definitely a storm brewing outside..

I love the sound of the wind and rain at night while I'm all tucked up safely in bed.

M.

We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.

Oscar Wilde's 'The Duchess of Padua

Benadalid last June above and so below..

The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.

Arthur Conan Doyle 

I think this is very true.. we walk mostly with eyes closed to the world around us..

I love catching sight of things others have missed, the tiny flower, the insect unseen, something strange and unusual in strange and unusual places... 

I've been lucky, I've taken some great photographs of things like that, from the He-Man figure partially exposed walking through a forest in Wales, to tiniest of flowers growing from bare rock on The Kings Walk... Remember that furry bug one morning walking into town? Me, not the bug!? Well, maybe he was!

It's definitely time for more like that..

I've stopped seeing, I've stopped looking.. time again now.

And now to other things..

Two days ago? Three? I had began dismantling the sofa bed in my living room, even from inside I couldn't undo that last bolt! So! Yesterday! I tried again from above wedging the right-hand bit open with my left knee, I had dismantled my allen Key Set and taken out the one I needed, it was turning too easily I think where it had been over turned when built, so I gently tapped it in and using the small screwdriver for leverage I bit by bit turned the key! And voilà! Out it came!

Yesterday it rained most of the day and after that I did mostly nothing at all! Gathered a few bits ans pieces, tidied and tried not to think too much.. at work I had got so upset.. and I can't keep doing that, bringing it in with me.. 

Anyways, so this morning started with rain and I thought would continue, so I decided to try and fix my kitchen drawer, the top one, the cutlery drawer, it's been living precariously above it's mate beneath, literally, stuck to it! Opening the lower drawer to access the top one! 

My ingenious idea about four years ago.. or longer, but not practical!

Today I separated them, I used hard as nails glue to hold the brackets on and went to town...

Met with friends and had coffee in Bar Rosa, just got in when the heavens opened and it poured down for some time, I left and got down to friends store and home and no more rain! 

Been cloudy but beautiful sunshine since..

The glue hasn't worked at all, so I cleaned it off, dried it and used an abrasive to roughen it up a bit, more glue and about six screws.

I hope I have fixed the two brackets which hold the drawers in place! Bit wonky, for some reason, but, job done! 

Why didn't I fix this years ago?

I don't know.. I have no idea, maybe thought I couldn't do it, but after yesterday and getting that bolt out, quite cleverly I thought! Maybe it gave me confidence.

Just about to hit post, and I see a fine line of sunshine on the wall here, it means summer is on its way.. it wasn't there Monday, I had seen the sun reaching my balcon, but here it is in the house..

And tomorrow we spring forward an hour!

M.