ok amigos, been away a few days, not from home but from me i think! my birthday has come and gone of course, not as bad as i thought, once again, age isn't the problem, but the where was it, and now it doesn't matter, cant change what's gone before, just move on with it...

firstly Mom is back in hospital, we discussed how she is doing last evening, and one of the annoying symptoms, problems, is carrying on now for too long, i said to her to phone a doctor and ask more questions or if persists she has to do more, find out now what's going on really, 'they' seem to have just left my Mom in limbo, or at least that's how we feel.

so anyway, Mom called me back a bit later and said she felt it was getting worse and called the medics, and they were on her way to taking her to hospital, that was last night, Tony will be my link as to what's happening, and still at the moment we haven't heard anything, feel so isolated, i don't even know what hospital she is in!

so amigos i am calling in prayers for my Mom again please.... keep them coming, much appreciated, thank you.

ok and to catch up with stuff!

Best bit was my birthday cards! the boys cards came on my birthday! so often they arrive the day after... or later still! couldn't believe it! of course i didn't know they had come until the evening when we got home, but made me so happy!

above is the view i had first thing on July 17th! this is from the cafe with Franco in Ikea, Malaga, while we awaited friends arrival!

we spent a fair part of the morning walking around, had another coffee when they arrived, and lunch later, of course i had the Swedish meatballs... always do!

when friends left Franco and i went to the Toys 'Я' Us, so small! not like the one in Luton, but then, maybe they were not sure how a shop like this out in an industrial estate would take off?

we went from there to the Miramar complex in Fuengirola... phew, you can imagine how tired i was by now....

now you may wonder at the reason for all these visits to toy shops? or not of course! but it was Franco's gift to me!!!! he bought me another 'item' also celebrating her 50th birthday! and i now have a very pretty commemorative lots of gold embellishments (very Marbella!) Barbie doll!?!

i have neither opened the box, or checked out other items of clothing she is wearing... us girls will know what i mean, and probably men too!

we got at nearly 5pm! out all day, couldn't believe where the time went!

we had a bit of a rest, and lots of calls! spoke to Barry and Tony with Kate on Skype, my mate i stayed with in England, Janette called, and Mom at the same time!
then it was all changed and showered and off out again!


in the evening Franco and i went to the Higuera, the fig tree in English! last there with Kate and Tony when they were over, sat at the same table too! we were the only people in there for some time, then a table of six Brits came in, followed by another family of Brits, a 4, then two local couples... so by the time we left, nearly 11pm the restaurant was quite full, the tables nearer the bar were all packed, just couldn't see those!



now above looks a bit gloomy doesn't it? its also a river bed we were driving up!

we drove down to Calahonda yesterday morning by way of a track! which came out onto a.. at the moment... dried river bed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuNX1ZzXdHo

copy and paste this link above into the address bar to watch the video....! we left the almost road near the garden centre and came out as i say above!

what a bone crunching trip! it takes you along a ridge, sound quality not good due to the road surface, although i say road surface in the loosest sense of the word, but at one point on an especially bad bit i say "if we go over the edge with the camera going, it will be like a black box recorder"!!!

we came home a different way, the one Mom and i tried once before, but took us well over an hour due to the fact it had been raining and the road surface was worse back 6 years ago!

i went down with Franco yesterday morning to where he is working with a friend, getting a neighbours house in order for them to rent out, big house sleeps six!

anyway i was polishing the furniture in the lounge, a big dining table with six large high back chairs, a large coffee table and the tv cupboard thing! its all that African hard wood and he wanted it done proper! none of that spray stuff!?! it was bees wax on, electric buffer off, then lots and lots more of cloth rubbing! but came up good, and looked a job well done! i had a pinny on, actually thats not the right word is it? its an apron, just like my step dad wore when he was in his workshop, only his was completely covered in polish, paint, stainers and goodness knows what! mine began pristine white and ended up with brown bees wax hand prints all over!

we did stop for a nice lunch down at La Cala, and were home about 5pm again i think, late anyway, and i was so tired, could hardly keep my eyes open.

on the news today lots of talk about people travelling abroad from the UK and if they catch swine flu as in China, the school children being quarintines there! and that they may ban travel abroad! well with Mexico it was a no go country and they hadn't at the time had any deaths, and its much worse in the UK now.

swine flu - symptoms of which are a high temperature as well as two or more of a list including headache, sore throat, runny nose and aching muscles.

when i was in England and staying with friends her husband came home one day with above symptoms which i prompty caught, i hadn't had a cold for years really, not like this one, and now looking back i am wondering if thats what we had!

and on that note...

TTFN
Marian