Days flying by... Walks to Cabopino, listening to live music.. Elvis was there ! Who knew!! Lol 

Bus to Benalmadina, walking along through favorite stores, the port doesn't change, most of bars and stores all exactly the same..

The tree above is one I have been seeing doe decades, I took this whole crossing over the carreterra the old N340 always the N340 to me... 

Taken from the boardwalk...

Above and below Benalmadina..

Oh, and I think I have fracture a toe.. lols.. my fault, we were walked back from the pool... Slumming it eh! Anyways!! I wasn't looking where I should have been.. and my left foot slipped off the paving, into a gully and then hit the side of lawn.. Luckily I didn't actually fall myself.. trust me!! 

Anyways, I got some tape and buddied it up with neighboring toes.. it turned black and purple within twenty minutes, and felt burning hot to touch.. 

Note to self, look where I am going in future!

M.

Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

Kahlil Gibran, 1923

View from the garden room.. The bee hanging there buzzing about on the flowers... 

Been a wonderful week.. Friday I went to Alhaurin, got an Uber.. I was going to get two buses, but... well easier like this! 

Caught up with my friends, a light lunch and D. drove me home.. thank you 🙏🏻 not sure emojis come through! 

Saturday M. and I went to watch a friend gig at a comedy club in Benalmadina, it was held in CJs Karaoke bar on calle Bonanza.. 

What a fantastic evening! Absolutely fantastic! Three other comedians also... laughing so hard my face ached and my arms the following morning from clapping so much!! 

We hadn't eaten and ended up at the nearby to the apartment, McDonald's just before midnight.. ate too much, that's the trouble with eating too little and leaving it too late... 

Sunday evening we took a late stroll to Cabopino port.. watched the sun set.. 

I'll share the AI version of my photograph here, but the original is on my 500px site and can't share it anywhere else.. 

There was a strange sea mist, if you're from here, or know here, you know the mist I mean.. this above captured a young couple standing in the sea.. 

I have to say, I do like what AI has done with my photograph..

M.

If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.

Unknown

Need a photograph here! No scenic views yet.. I am just home.. 

Fraser 

Sorry, talking to L. this morning and I sent her this video and now it is in my mind to share again here .. How many times have I done so though, written is usual, so forgive me repeatedly repeating myself with this poem by Tennyson.. "Ulysses."

Yesterday M. and I had a steady quiet day.. I was up and 7:30 like today, chilled out, lazy start, breakfast out by my old store.. Then Mercadona and 'home'.. Coffee ready lunch.. Then we took a nice long walk along the boardwalk towards Cabopino, stopping at Luna Calahonda beach restaurant.. Had cocktails.. I had a very nice Negroni.. I think it could become my preferred drink of choice, but at 13 euros here! Probably not!

Just added the top photograph! My own stock photography! This is the bar we went to, but unlike this shot, yesterday it was packed! I'll take better up-to-date, today!

Today, we got the bus to La Cala de Mijas, a coffee on the beach..

M. and I pretended to be movie stars, and disinterested in the camera! 

Lols

We then walked along the boardwalk, and decided to just keep on walking along the boardwalk and did so... All the way home here!

Hot and dehydrated! We had a cold drink somewhere along.. and sat and melted like everyone else there! So ladylike we are! 

Then just a bit further and home, lunch and and into the pool, spend about an hour just standing in there, before laying down on a sunbed and having a very quick nap!

We've eaten now, watched Moonstruck.. one of my forever favorites..

Now it's time for my sleep tea, and a read.. maybe.. 

M.

The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.

Meister Eckhart - 1260-1328 - Theologian

Stressful or what!!

Unsure about pre booking an Uber, that worked out great, thankfully.. then the awful line for checked luggage!?! What in hell is that all about, I haven't checked a bag since.. oh! June lol But that was scan the passport, tick the boxes, wrap the label drop the bag handle and go, two minutes.. well maybe five, but very easy.

There were no conveyor belts working in the Ryanair section, so only three desks open and three people moving cases manually...

But not mine!?! Apparently mine was extra size bag? Not!! Had to line up further along and drop there, where the poor customer service man was in a right pickle! He ran the bags through the x-ray machine.. and two came back and he had to get them opened and test them for drugs!

Two too many, it caused a helluva hold up! Thankfully mine cleared immediately, I'm glad, I didn't want him pawing through my clothes! And unmentionables! Lol

Going through security, scanned my boarding code, then faced with two arrows, everyone ahead of me taking the left line, I took the right, only to have to stop while a guy was making people use both lanes further down.. I said he'd scuppered my plans by doing so, he said he didn't know why people were only using one lane! Ha! 

Then I was into departures, got a coffee, looked for a book, couldn't see one I wanted.. bought some random pjs, quick toilet break, back to books.. then I sat down and nearly freaked out.. my gate was boarding already!! And the furthest away! Practically knocked people out of my way!! Heck! I never do that!!

Then, in the line just before passport check woman behind said to her child about this TUI flight!! I had a mild case of panic at that point! Lol 

Now about to take off!

Bring me my coffee now please! And preferably a valium! Coffee and my cake almost an hour before everyone else's as I had pre ordered... What a brilliant idea I always take advantage of, not sure why others don't.. 

So, just coffee and a strange waffle thing! I only ate one.. was a lot more filling than I anticipated!

Flight has gone quickly and gently... Mid twenties rising to low thirties expected today... I am already in shorts on the plane..

M.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

Joseph Campbell

We have had rain! Today, Sunday August 30th, and yesterday's Saturday..

Above taken in Nottingham castle, a raining day calls for indoor exploration, The two Roberts artists exhibition ending soon, and spent good time walking around everywhere, I got lost twice!?! Which is strange for me there, but I think having looked around more thoroughly than usual meant more staircases than I realized, also we had wonderful cream teas in the restaurant I had never been in before!

Below Forest Fields last week.. autumn come early.. 

I have had three grief therapy sessions now.. I won't be able to while I am away, I have absolutely no idea of where or if I would be able to spend an hour each week to have the therapy ongoing while I am away..

I am packed, for a month, tomorrow I will check everything I have is in the right place and be ready to leave at 3am on Tuesday morning!! Ughh!

Fingers crossed eh!

To be honest, passport, medication and me, that's all I really need..

M.

To travel is to live

Hans Christian Andersen

Calke Abbey

Interesting! New things on my new phone.. although I have no idea what this will look like online! 

Should add of course the photograph above is our family village back near Naples .. 

I need to buck up my ideas for Blogging, I know.. there's bad and this, almost non existent sometimes!

So! New phone ✓

Last weekend, still beautiful weather was a visit to Calke Abbey.. Link has much better photographs and information...

As I seem to have not taken a photographic at all of the Mansion itself! 

The entrance room, reception room, of the mansion has a burner, I was looked for the flue, but couldn't see one, it was underground! Crazy eh! 

I did take way too many photographs of plants, flowers and trees! 

We went to the ice room, two massive partially undergoing rooms for ice, before freezers etc..

And fallow deer, beauty creatures, this stage was so near the fence I could have reached out and touched him! People were feeding him leaves through the fence..

And even with my new phone, zoom is not great.. and here were to young deer, one of them white, stunningly beautiful white fawn.. apparently that's a 1 in 20,000 chance of a white deer.. So considered purse very lucky..

The beautiful family chapel.. The Harpur-Crewe family until the National Trust took it over.. 

The house and surrounding outbuilding had been used extensively in Peaky Blinders... There were signs everywhere explained what scene and where!

Good cup of coffee before looking around, and another National Trust with second hand books! Excellent idea for sure!

They had a children's summer holiday area, so many things for the kids to do there, permanent ice-cream van! That would have been quite some pitch for whoever got the contract for that! Seven days a week for at least six weeks!! WoW!

Lots of pathways, the church, the ice house, the children's area, the beautiful gardens.. we walked from the house through tunnels to the brewery, yes, they had a brewery! Quite a long walk too!

Definitely worth a visit!

M.

About the only thing that comes without effort is old age.

Anon

(I am adding here)

If we're lucky..

Belton House

 

Saturday a visit to Belton House... Shame about the dry grass, but beautiful nonetheless.. 

Lots of people, and I joined the National Trust! My mom would be proud!

Five visits to National Trust properties and I'm even on cost..

It has stunning gardens, their own church, and the house is still lived in which makes if feel good ...

The bench below, one of many that surrounded the main garden area and pond.. take a closer look... Dogs heads on the arm rests... And lower down..the figure eight on it's side? No, it's a snake! 

M.

A wise monk was once asked, "What is worry?"

He smiled and replied, "It's the thief that steals today's peace, while pretending to prepare you for tomorrow."

Buddha's Teaching