I can never un know or un remember things.. 

Remembering going into the hospital yesterday for the last ten days of Franco's life

We went in expecting one thing and it became another

Although things in life are, and can be expected always, even those become unexpected when it comes down to it..

I wonder if when we die, we awaken somewhere and get a huge shock or happy surprize.. 

I do believe there is something waiting, I can't believe we go through all this for nada..

And well, lets be honest if nothing is the answer then we won't know it!

The photograph above are my marbles! I found them all! Just joking, they're still lost, this was in the restaurant last Sunday? Was it only last Sunday?  En Restaurante El Comercio!

This photograph, San Pedro, along the boulevard.. also below

The stress we put ourselves in.. This morning a fine example of probably the reason for my Chronic Gastritis.. 

The kitchen tap become undone from its moorings under the sink! 

And me off to work... Flipping heck! I wanted to grab my passport and run for the hills! 

But more to the point couldn't eat my porridge, I just felt sick and what I was eating hurt my stomach.. which is doesn't normally..

I am guessing all the stress of the last seven years has reached it's limit in my body, so Gastritis has occurred, never to go away, a grim reminder, we are killing ourselves with our thoughts, our stresses and worries...

A slow suicide 

The rather obscure photograph above is the remains of my second skin when it was peeled off Tuesday! 

M.

I have learned that if you must leave a place that you have lived in and loved and where all your yesteryears are buried deep, leave it any way except a slow way, leave it the fastest way you can. Never turn back and never believe that an hour you remember is a better hour because it is dead. Passed years seem safe ones, vanquished ones, while the future lives in a cloud, formidable from a distance. The cloud clears as you enter it. I have learned this, but like everyone, I learned it late. ~Beryl Markham 

Today I had another tattoo, the itch for ink is strong ... Well, can't find a Darth Vader emoji! And may the forth was yesterday, so a tad too late for Star Wars humor me thinks!

Well, I randomly, as I am, picked up a book off the shelf... It was my mom's Grimm's Fairy Tales, and it opened at a bookmark, of mine! The piece of paper above.. which is directions of how to use the tattoo cream it came with! 

Very strange! Of course! 

Next also random, picked up this book below of my mom's.. 

Thought I'd post the writing my grandfather's godfather, Mr G Daniel.. 1894.. had written on the inner page .. almost 130 years ago.. crazy isn't it.. my family have always written in books, to whom and when, and why... And to see the history like this is a beautiful keepsake..

My mom loved the same authors as her father.. and she read them to me.. wonderful stories, I guess my favourite of his is 'Ayesha, the return of She'

And me leaving Art Monkey Tattoo today! All wrapped up! 

This above is a rubbish photograph, but I was sat reading on the terrace and one of black bees came a buzzing around, he started on the sweet peas then came down to these Heart leaf ice plant flowers! Aptenia cordifolia is the Latin name.. 

And no, until this very moment I had no idea of the name of this plant I have been keeping alive in most parts of the wall behind the house and here and there on the terrace, for eighteen years! 

Then the bee came buzzing over me, I just dipped my head down into my book, then he flew off and over to the geraniums etc on the other side and back around again, and again.. quite a busy little bee! Well no, not so little... And while I'm rambling it was the color I wanted to try to show you, but wasn't easy with his speed, I have always thought of them as black.. but he's really the most beautiful dark purple.. gorgeous!

I know I handle British bees, letting them walk on my fingers and hands, and even touch the soft velvet of their little yellow and black bodies.. but not sure about these.. maybe I could try?? Am I a true bee whisperer!  

M. 

Above, my newest tattoo... I added this beautiful piece of ink on my break, the day Pippa left this world of ours.. At Woody's in Exhall...

I stayed the night in the Novotel at Birmingham airport.. Was a strange slightly unreal experience.. Masks, distancing.. Everyone looking weary, very surreal.

I was absolutely exhausted, slept, ate, slept...

The hotel Ibis I normally stay in, it was shut, and looking at it in the morning remembering photographs I have taken in reverse..

But me now home and I am happy here again at last, I didn't think I ever would be, or could be.. But I am.

I made a marshmallow pie, very sweet! Bit too much!!!

Bit like dinner this evening, I was planning on making chicken supreme, when that was underway I checked the minced beef I bought yesterday and it looked a bit iffy, so opened it.. Color was weird, but then I thought, I hadn't seen minced beef since ... I think maybe over a year ago!?! But not wishing to risk it or waste it, I made a Bolognese at the same time.

I ate some chicken, wrapped up two more portions of that, and have made up two of the Bolognese.. Three meals in the freezer one in the refrigerator!

And a visit to the garden centre on Monday! Good to be home.. I bought a hardy looking little shrub, the name of which I don't remember, and a Vicks vapour plant!! Who'd have known that! Smells lovely! Both seem like they should manage drought.. We'll see I guess. I can't believe the plants I have, have survived so well, over four months!! Although there has been intermittent rain, and the overnight moisture we get.. It's been enough.

This week, AC ordered for my bedroom.. And a new bed, an ottoman bed, really need the storage this will facilitate. New Spanish SIM card, new special padron ordered.. Ant traps and mosquito pots all in place!

Okay, caught up? Been to the bar for coffee with friends in the mornings, I've been down to La Cala market, and the Coín car boot sale!

I've met with friends for coffee and seen so many people I haven't seen for far too long..

Now I'm caught up?

TTFM
Marian