Few photos taken last Sunday up at El Chorro and the lakes... above near the [now closed and up for sale] restaurant at the top of the mountain overlooking the El Chorro railway station!

Had to pop by our secret picnic area... no one there, that's good, I would have had to collect rental!!


And by the Kiosko restaurant... how deep the water, trees still well under the water... fish as big as... Well big fish! They look healthy enough too, not like the bilge fish down at the ports! Ugh!

........ And now....

Down town this morning, very early, in bank by 9:am, down to Mercadona by quarter past, had to sit and wait for the doors to open! Had tried to get my Euromillons lottery on way down too, but the ol gal that sits there doing her crochet in front of the tv wasn't in sight, so I waited, then I left...


After supermarket I had a cup of té at Bar Cruz, read my paper, then friends joined me, its getting a bad habit, all this *networking* every day, well almost! Although more embarrassing is actually gong from table to table as friends come and go!!! We all do it, we do! And why not? Better than sitting back at home on your lonesome. And talking to people? Well that's something I can do! Its just the getting up that can be a bit painful after a looooong sit down!

Brilliant this morning... the prickly pear man is back [not to be confused with the Mercadona man girls!] The prickly pear man, actually does look a bit like one of his pears... pitted skin, slightly rounded! But quite harmless! And those pears and great, I bought a euros worth, got them home and into the refrigerator, eaten one already and trying not to go eat the lot in one go! But then six for a euro... not bad is it!


Weather bit strange today... not as bad as above the other morning.... We awoke with our heads in the clouds, couldn't see las Delicias at all! Nor them us of course!

Today, cloud, but hot, its 100 up on the terrace now, in the shade, so a bit cooler than this time yesterday, but now even the locals are complaining how hot it is, and without reprise...

Last night I was up on the terrace, after the Virgin de la Gracia had passed by... Video last night, I think I should get a better camera for these videos I do, they're terrible quality... Sorry ;-)

So, afterwards... I opened up a beach chair and laid back! on and off from about 11pm to 1am... no sign of the meteor shower, but then the air was full of rocket smoke, still going off and hanging around in the heavy heat... loads of bats about catching my eye all the time, and the tiniest aircraft so far up, looking like slow moving stars! with red flashing lights!!!

So I gave up, came down and Franco and Pip were fast asleep... In this heat! All the fans going top speed I nearly got blown over trying to lay down!

Couldn't open the window, behind the closed persiana, we were having a street party for the honour of having La Senora de Gracia, She does not visit very often, must take years for her to get around the whole town! They were on chairs at tables that stretched between 3 or 4 houses, the whole [ten foot] width of the street, music and food and drink... should have joined them, but they didn't go to bed much before we were getting up!

Yesterday I decided I would try and find an Avon representative! I have emailed them and now am awaiting them! I give up trying to find things I need here, which I could beam myself into a Boots chemist! Its a nightmare, with cosmetics and stuff for the discerning female in this country! Well when your used to having the huge choice I am used to... So, I have made my choice from the Avon book on line and when she comes, the order is ready amiga!

Tomorrow morning I was meeting a friend at hers and coming into town with her, I was, well am taking a brick with me! She has lost the lid off her water tank once already so we have one to spare(!), I'll probably drop it into her place this evening, I would say when it cools down, but it wont, I shall just have to do it! The best thing to do is wire the lid on the water tanks, but if the holes aren't there already you don't want to be drilling into a possible 50 litre fibreglass tank and see it split open on your roof terrace! So a brick is the answer, and if they both blow off the roof onto the street below? Well buen suerte!

Reason I am not taking it tomorrow now is we need to have the front of our house fixed up, before the rain comes again, its so badly damaged by last winter, rejas are rusty and the house is crumbling in places, Franco saw a local man doing a house up the street about a month ago and brought him back to give us an estimate... He dropped by last evening along with the passing crowds and said he will be here tomorrow morning at 7:am! I said fine, he didn't seem to believe me when I said I am always up at that time, Pippa walked by then too!

Today I got home from town, and did what just about everyone I know does at this time of the year, and that's get into the least amount of clothing you can, allowing for people passing in the street and unsuspecting or should that be unsuspected? callers... Then I had two! First the gas man, thought we don't have a spare at the moment, so get one... Then a knock at the door and its a council man with a water bill? Would have been nice to have got the original water bill of 14.64€ and not the one with the fine which pushed it up to 19.10€, he had dozens, so i suspect its an all round bonus they were after this month!

These things happen more with the new street which came with the new number, we didn't move, just our numbers.... I still wonder when they take the reading whose in all honesty, water supply we are actually paying for?

I was more than a little sad last night laying up there watching for the shooting stars... tomorrow I will tell you more, today for now, no... I am hungry and all typed out!

Fingers crossed for a shooting star tonight... Like last year, lots of wishes to make!

quote from Jades book forever in my Heart "Call to me and I will answer you... I will tell you wonderful memories, things you know nothing about."

TTFN
Marian