Few more photographs from my visit back home, I have realized now, it will always be home, as the many people I know call England home, home shall always be Spain to me, specifically Andalucía.

Two above taken while I awaited my friend who came to drop me off at the airport...

Beautiful sunsets... The best sunsets.. 

And soon the cigar clouds will come... Roaming above like random space craft..

Isa's where we've been having coffee, since forever.. wonderful cakes, good food and service.. Happy days..

Just a short post today, well, was, I was a bit off color Thursday, eaten too many wrong things I think, my fault, sugary or fatty maybe.. or both... Just so extremely tired, and stomachache.. still sore but went to bed at 19:30 watched a bit of TV but slept on and off until 07:30 yesterday morning... Which meant yesterday had a headache from too much sleeping!! Can't win eh!! 

Woke at 4:30 this morning and not slept again, worrying about this and that, and then stupidly checking on my phone for things I was worrying about! 

The Goose fair started last night...

Was going to grab some old photographs I have taken, but on a train and the WiFi and data are not playing today!

Found this in one of my grandchildren's books.

We should all have a DEAR day, or many of them if possible! Drop Everything And Read! 

M.

Hello my love

Hello my life

Breezy (movie quote)

(Because I watched Breezy yesterday)

Forgot to hit post yesterday on the Blog! Not that I've never done that before!! Right!! 

These two photographs from just now... Well, 07:50 the one immediately above, and about 8:20 above.. 

I miss this view, not exactly, but very similar to mine... I was over a bit, further along the town, and Sierra Gorda was more directly in front of me... But it is the same... Es la misma vista.

 

My route above, that I took on the Alsa coach from T.'s down south to here.. it's broken, the route, because it was over two days of course!! 

I have my things ready to leave at a friend's for safe keeping while I am away, the same things, plus three things more! But I don't want to leave any more than this. For two reasons! For my friends sake! And it's bad enough I have the majority of my life still in boxes in a lock up, without spreading my belongings further afield.

Talking about our visit to the botanical gardens just now, I've driven past it all my life here, so easy to have gone to, at any time, we could have taken the Pipster, then we said... Life's like that, it's so true... We pass places, things, people, we think we have forever... It's a big mistake.

Still all the rest of my day ahead... Let me fetch a piece from Facebook I saw this morning... Bare with! 

It's not meant to be depressing by the way..

M.

You're going to die.

One day, you won't be here. Neither will the doubts, the worries, or the people you tried to impress.

That's not depressing. It's liberating.

So take the risk.

Say what you really feel.

Do the thing you keep putting off.

Because the real fear isn't failure.

It's lying on your deathbed... surrounded by the ghosts of chances you never took.

 

Two days to go here in my home town, trying not to have sad last days, but I am leaving again, and leaving hurts every single time

Yesterday met up with my old vecina P., coffee at Bar Cruz then, a few stores around town for her shopping list.. 

We then went to see another friend together, way down past my house, had a cool drink there with L. made a loving fuss of her beautiful dog... and helped her with something we started last week! I'm only observing, and somehow they moved marble slab seat tops and heavy supports around a huge marble top table.. 

While I shouted words of encouragement and gave directions!! Anyways, between us, three benches down and one to go! Sweating hot work, and way too heavy really for any of us to do! 

P. dropped me back in town and I went to Isas for lunch, a fajita chicken with 

M.

Let yourself go. Pull out from the depths those thoughts that you do not understand, and spread them out in the sunlight and know the meaning of them.

E.M. Forster, A Room with a View

 

I forgot!! I wrote on the flight! Not long after take off!! 

I took a couple of screenshots before my phone stopped tracking me.. 

And I took a few photographs on the plane.. landing somewhere I don't usually land.. So two views of Spain, possibly different from the normal route? I don't know...

So seems very random now and maybe irrelevant, but here are my notes from the flight:

Flight is totally full, and at the moment someone is standing in the front area of the plane waiting for his seat? Not sure what's happened there! We haven't taken off by the way, Ryanair hasn't actually got strap-hanging customers, just yet! 

Now a man had said he was in 23D, along side of me, but the man who is in this seat his ticket says 23D! 

The man had swapped 11D for another seat!! They walked off, the stewardess and him, confused and kerfuddled! 

I said to guys next to me... it's probably 23B, as it's empty, two women behind us joined in and said oh yes! Probably.. they came back, it was 23B!

And we're off!

There are two hen parties, and two stag parties on board! People drinking at the airport from 7:00am... And these groups downing as much alcohol now as they can before they land!! 

Prior to this, going through the boarding pass scan and passport check to enter the departure gate.. a man directly in front of me, his barcode beeped red! His name was wrong, completely wrong!?! No idea what happened to him!! He didn't board! 

We're leaving half an hour late, but will probably catch up...

Last time I flew into Alicante airport was back in 1999... To stay in Torrevieja, where I had first visited, back in August 1988... 

Time passes...  

Something came to my attention this morning, either Facebook or Insta, about the nine years cycle, and this being 2025, devisible by nine.. and coming late to the table for me, September already! I need to apparently catch up!

Quoting here:

The number 9 is the culmination of the numerological cycle, symbolizing wisdom, reflection, and release. This energy invites us to let go of what no longer serves us, integrate lessons from the past, and prepare for the new beginnings that will emerge in 2026.

I've always been big into numbers... Sadly not the monitory kind, but that's okay with me.. but numbers of best forever friendships, best memories, numbers of times I have been so very very lucky .. 

These are the numbers I have been, am being, blessed with.

End of notes!

The flight did catch up, off the flight quick and easily, the European passport controls working, they've been on hold in Málaga for a few years now, sat there, unused.. so maybe now they are? But still had to go from scanning our own passports to the security police to be stamped!? Which seemed daft!

Yesterday down at Calahonda, more home turf, spent three hours in the store, could have put on my old uniform, signed in and worked, was so good to be there... 

The evening before had a hour or so at a beach bar, gin&t, then dinner at a local restaurant.. familiar places and people..

Had a bit of a hiccup yesterday evening but will write tomorrow, time soon for siesta and eyes are heavy .. 

M.

Every story ever told really happened

Stories are where memories go when they're forgotten 

Doctor Who

 

Okay, down here in Andalusia.. mí corazón, my home for so long.. 

Today staying down in Calahonda, sat having coffee at Bar near work, old friends asked if I felt I had done the right thing... 

I answered I know I have, but it doesn't mean I don't miss here, my home, twenty three years is a lifetime, or can be, it's a change of life, a way of life, so different from my old, and now my new..

Three years short of the forty years that I have called españa home... 

It's a wonder that Spain didn't show up in my DNA, joking of course! I know that can't be a thing, although I am part Welsh and lived there for three years!?! 

These two photograph above, and one beneath, taken from a friend's home over the weekend, there below, the white line, of a white village, one of the white villages of Andalucía.. Alhaurín El Grande, my Alhaurín.. 

The hump of a small mountain in front of Alhaurín Sierra Gorda, and below looking back the opposite way...

Below two more photographs from Alicante province, did not have long enough a visit, next time... I flew in and out like a passing bird on the wing... 

Stunning.. what an amazing view to see each day.. makes the heart shine..

I imagine the angels from City of Angels, standing in awe, the sound of sunrise and sun sets pouring through their hearts and souls... 

Now! To completely change the subject!

Carlos Juan link to book and all information.

Please use code MARIAN to secure your copy as limited edition.

This is an exceptional book with foreword written by George Benson, who highlights Carlos's abilities as a true master.

Stating that "Carlos Juan would have to be among the greatest guitar technicians in the world.

You will also get valuable data about guitar action of the superstars, since Carlos worked on guitars for all of them, as well as tools, and installation tips. 

There are a one hundred pages, 1000+ artists, and 850 photos.

The Carlos brand, also known as Carlos Juan Pickups, is a world-renowned manufacturer of high-end acoustic guitar pickups and amplifiers, recognized for their superior performance, accuracy, quality, and reliability, often described as the "Rolls Royce of all acoustic guitar pickups."

The brand has received high ratings from top guitarists and trade press, and Carlos Juan has been nominated multiple times for the German Innovation Award. 

Carlos Juan and his work is highly trusted by many famous musicians, including George Benson, Eric Clapton, David Knopfler, Mark Knopfler, Al di Meola, Larry Coryell, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Tomatito, Vicente Amigo, Brian Adams, Gary Moore, Nathan East, Yamandu Costa and many more. Eric Clapton's guitar technician, Lee Dickson, commissioned two specific CP-1 High-End systems and two CTP tube preamps for Eric Clapton in 2004 and 2006.

The reason I am promoting this book, not just on my book Blog but here also, and not copy edited by me, but my input is there and help along the way, mainly reminding, pushing, promoting, and pushing more! As with other authors I have dealt with along my way.. So this book means a lot to me.

M.

Young people can run fast

But old people know the way

Anon

España aka home

 

Arrived in Alicante airport September 6th, last into Alicant airport around 1999..

First time August 3rd 1988.. So funny, can't remember why I walked into a room sometimes a d remember dates! Well, just normal and unfortunately know, through work, all the other reasons why parts of our brains remember, or sadly, forget..

Above photograph was the full moon last week, not exactly clear and without my good camera a very poor view of it!

Was so good to see my friend, been too long, and had been too long, and too late.. also.

We should remember every single morning we are lucky enough to wake up, that this day, today, is the day! It is the only day, love it, embrace it, cover those we care about and love with praise and beautiful words. 

If unfortunately tomorrow never comes, there will be no bad words, no unspoken thoughts.. 

I was lucky, we were lucky, nothing left unsaid, nothing bad spoken; but still I wish we could have had more.. of our life..

Sorry, this took a turn I didn't mean to take, it's being here... Sat now as I write at Bar Cruz, and my ghosts surround me.

Maybe as much as I miss here, wish I was here more, wonder what if...

I know beyond doubt I made the right choice, living with my ghosts here is not healthy.

Beautiful views from my friends home, we walked and talked and I met some lovely people, friends good for her, and that we need, for sure.

Again I am so very thankful for mine, wouldn't be here without them.

Obviously photograph beneath should be at the top! But hey! Bite me! As they say! Thinking of a pin I have now..  a gingerbread man, who has a chunk taken out of his leg! Because someone did!

Journey continues, as I am now down back home as aforementioned, and surrounded by my friends.. Sun's up, it's been very warm, as September can be.. but cooler at night thankfully..

I have already spent time staying with two friends, two very different locations, both beautiful.

Y ahora, café y charla y amistad. 

M.

DON QUIXOTE

MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA

"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!"

Some photographs from a few days away over the weekend.. 

Again the disused power station in the background in the photograph above, with the river in the foreground.. the old the new, which has now also become redundant.

Above the River Erewash and houseboats on an evening walk..

We went for walks along the river tow path, taking random tracks away and into 'who knew where' and came across the railway tracks, a huge overhead bridge.. 

Felt like walking along something from Jurassic park, expected to see pterodactyls flying down from above... Or at the least a bunch of zombies walking along here! 

None of course came about, because, well, quite honestly it's not the time or the place for them! 

Just passing through.. 

Just passing through, we all are aren't we, wherever we are, wherever we go each and every day, just passing through, in the grand scheme of things... 

I'm still waiting or this surgery to happen, left a few messages now.. So taken the decision, if I hear nothing in the next few days, I'm off to Spain! Off back home and then.. hopefully it will happen.

I get they're waiting for my heart rate to get higher.. but it's not happening.. 

M.

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content. "

Helen Keller