A neighbor just stopped to chat with me, his wife and him live around the corner, Franco always spoke with them, and helped with things... Lovely local couple.

It's so lovely when someone speaks to me about Franco, who knew him, who said what a good man he was, kind, generous, thoughtful.. after over six years still talks with sadness at his dying so young.

To be remembered as a good person truly shows their worth in this world .. 

Maybe it is all we should aim for, for not everyone will be remembered for being a good and decent person.

So now I sit a bit tearful... 

Back to work and mostly all good, bit of a cough still hanging on, sore throat is back this morning, and bit tired, but then aren't I always a bit tired!

A man last week painting the side of this apartment near the Cruz...  on the side this morning..

Doing a great job, and all on his own..

I put my Christmas tree up Tuesday afternoon.. bit early for me, as last few years have either not put one up at all, or left it till Christmas Eve! Got the new tree last December, late, and only lights, so Tuesday bought some beautiful baubles, they look just like bubbles, clear.. and the only other stuff is the old add ons I've been putting out for decades...

We don't feel old, or feel time passing, usually? But it's when you realize you have things for decades, just like mom did, you feel it more.

And this year, above all others so far seems to have passed in a blink of an eye ..

A friend I've known since I was... 13? Said he thinks of it like a rope on a pole, that the circles are slow and wide, but as time goes on the circles get smaller and faster..

Not sure I like that thought, it's good, and certainly feels the truth of it...

Wonder if there's any chance of letting go of the rope and spinning off to find a longer rope? 

Or, actually, now I've said that... I think I know what happens.. when we let go before the end;

M.

"The key to happiness is doing what you love, with those you love"

Planter on my terrace yesterday.. the daisy plant was pretty much dead but I planted her next to the rosemary and she seems to be taking it over now..

Absolutely wonderful hallucinogenic dreams last night I hope my phone has chosen a correct word, I'm talking into it ..  I mean dream where my mind isn't quite my own because of this virus not because I've taken something!

I asked Google are spiders a good or a bad omen there were several answers and of course we all know about the money spider I don't think I'd realize that it's supposed to be all spiders...

One said.. 

Did you know that all spiders are believed to be omens of good luck, well apart from tarantulas and black widows. Seeing a spider in your home could mean that good fortune is heading your way, and in particular money!

Some of the other options were dependent on the situation of the dream.. My spiders were in tiny little key cubbies which were in a car so none of that makes any sense at all, I was rummaging around in the little dark boxes looking for something and the spiders were all over my hands and running down my legs onto the ground small ones and large ones!

And I wasn't freaked out at all but then I don't mind spiders...

I guess after playing with a family of black widow spiders with my little mate back in California when I was a toddler didn't worry me then... Why afterwards ..

Actually there's a bit more hallucinating going on watching the TV yesterday I thought I saw something which made no sense cat or a dog under the TV and again just now while I'm reading into my phone I thought I saw something move in the corner of the bedroom must just be me.

I've just had 12 and 1/2 hours sleep some of which I was awake but due to my weird thoughts at the moment I went back to sleep just using those weird thoughts Google can't type in my laughter.. 

Time to get up and take some tablets and open up the house and get some more fresh air and see how I feel today.

I should just blog out loud no I should just read onto my blog more often and I would get back to blogging more often I'm making no sense I better post this now.

M.

Okay, so! 

Had swolen neck glands for a week or two.. 

Then 7pm Saturday evening I had to go to bed, totally exhausted literally couldn't keep my eyes open.. 

I was boiling hot but shivering

I'd felt unwell around my kidneys and thought it was a UTI, took myself to hospital Sunday morning, early, too early for the doctors who start at ten.

They found nothing, unsurprisingly now it seems,. although she gave me those awful blood red pain killers and some anti sickness meds.. after an intravenous of pain meds which helped..

I went home and went to bed and slept until Monday..

Monday did a Sars test which turned positive immediately.. no hanging about for fifteen minutes.. 

Tonight now my voice sounds weird! 

It's ever evolving it seems as my body fights the virus somewhere it attacks another bit! 

I have eaten a small bowl of homemade soup today, first real food since Saturday lunch time.. 

Was good to be doing something, but then ate and exhausted and stomach feels way too full and not happy now.. 

But at least I made it, and at least I ate it.

My symptoms so far the curious! Or those Googling 2023 COVID SARS virus

Jaw ache

Raised glands neck and under arms

Earache 

Cough

Sudden agonising piercing headaches, over and over again all day... 

Muscle ache especially back arms legs

Stomachache

Extreme tiredness

Sore throat

Tight breathing

Mouth tastes bad

Itchy skin

Not hungry

M.

Our chances are gone before we know it... 

Above fishing down at Torreblanca.. almost against the paseo..

I'm driving down to work and I'm afraid this post won't be for the faint haunted, for some reason feeling considerably depressed this morning and wondering about things like my bucket list what I have still to do on it... and then thinking you know it doesn't really matter about anything on my bucket list who cares! and then I thought is there really truly anything that I want to see more often to do more of... and obviously with family and people I love .. yes yes and yes.. and then as I came around the side of the mountain and saw the ocean laid out before me... To the right what looked like islands... Six or seven.. they were just clouds, low and .. well island shaped.. but they looked so beautiful .. then to my left... The rising sun, absolutely amazing to see .. and I know I am so lucky to see this ...

Not 100% feeling better .. probably just bad dreams I've brought through with me, as usual!

But, I also seem to have the last few days really bad pain I think from a kidney stone again, although I'm sure I haven't stopped, twinges most days.. but maybe this is the bigger stone, and it really hurts when I'm sitting down, when I'm driving or if I'm just sort of kneeling or on the floor at work.. it just hurts a lot and so I'm you know should have taken more painkillers this morning.. this is as soon as I get up and start walking around at work, it'll go...

I'm dictating this into my phone... someone in an Audi behind doesn't even need to have his engine running because he's consuming anything coming out of the back of my car! I can't even see his headlights he's so close and it's a good thing you didn't just go to overtake because a motorbike did instead!

Sorry for sad post, I'll be okay once I'm in work... What with happy colleague and wonderful customers! 

In all honesty though, we do have some lovely people who come in... 

Some not so much! Ha! But, I try to remind myself that for them, we might be the only people they get to talk to all day ..

So some people skills are lacking!!! 

Others come in I think just to talk to us! Equally okay, if we're not holding really heavy things at the time or sitting uncomfortabley on the hard floor! 

My head is definitely mixed today, need sleep and rest.. then more sleep! 

An add on here .. it is November 10th.. listed on my calendar as worse day of my life .. it did in fact get worse. But was the day reality hit home, hard 

Better post now or never eh! 

M.

Talking a bit about the old thought of every seven years we are 

It Turns out that each body part has its own very distinct lifespan. The lining of the stomach, constantly under assault by digestive acid, is renewed every few days. But bones are refreshed once a decade. And there are a few parts of you that stay with you from birth to death.

Photograph above taken as I was heading off to work one morning late week, the sun just kissing the summit of the Sierra de Las Nieves...

How strange only just now, because of a friend's post, did I even remember it's Guy Fawkes night..

So I guess it's true... We can indeed forget stuff, after a period of time, when it's not something we need to remember any more ... 

Been over twenty years since I went to a fireworks display back in Blighty... 

Up our end of town yesterday morning, sat in the chilly street! A beautiful male podenco suddenly appeared from the street opposite, he crossed over, I put out my hand and he came over, sniffed me and walked back up and out of sight from the direction he had come from!! 

Saturday afternoon went to a bar in Malaga area, live music and outside, was nice sat out in the sun for while.. just relaxing and enjoying our beautiful autumn weather ..

Should be lots to write! Probably about banking systems and road drivers! 

About work? Halloween! Had an absolutely wonderful day at work, we were dressed up! Of course, I wore a dress I've owned for about .. I don't know, well over ten years .. it's black/dark gray, it's a little bit gothic a little bit steam punk.. with an axe through my head! And blood down my neck either side! Dark eyes and my bike boots!!

My colleague was the bride of Dracula! I painted blood from her eyes and dark around her eyes.. white dress with a white veil... So cool! 

All the customers were impressed all of them laughed, after the initial surprize factor! 

Spent the weekend before with my sister in-law down at Torreblanca end of Fuengirola.. great weekend, after work on Friday straight to her, then Saturday drove us down to Calahonda after coffee with a friend of hers nearby.

At Calahonda we had coffee and some breakfast, next to work, then we went to see her old place near the boardwalk and walked along to Luna beach where we had a cold drink..  we then crossed over and went up towards Lidl and back along the main road to the car! 

From there up to Mijas Pueblo via my road, had a really time up at the pueblo ..

But, leaving the carpark road a was forced to stop suddenly and stalled the car...it restarted on three, so no problem...but my power steering had gone!?!

It seemed to correct itself on the road out of the village and we made it back to her apartment okay ...

Sunday morning I called the grúa.. fantastic I hadn't called them for many many years... My car insurance people, in fact twice in over twenty years!! This being the second time, I was sent a link and could view the breakdown guy approach! Amazing!! 

So easily pleased! 

Anyways, I felt a bit daft as the power steering was okay??? He said if it goes again to turn off the engine and restart!

Who knows! 

I do feel a bit weary now, worried about my car failing me.. not sure what to do, but will carry on doing same as always! Carrying on! 

M.

Live out of your imagination, not your history.

Stephen Covey - 1932-2012-

21st night of September .. It was so funny on the 20th I noticed I had a reminder for the 21st, clicked on it and read the reminder.. it read 'September 21st' repeat every year..

And I thought what am I supposed to remember?? Ha! The 21st night of September.. 

Of course! But it took until the 23rd and talking at work to a colleague and I asked him, why did I do that!! And then bam!! Of course!! 

With youngest son and his family this week, I arrived Thursday evening of last week.. had five days of sun and warm weather, then yesterday was a bit cloudy and this morning rain.. so been really lucky... I did bring a rain mac but not worn it yet, and just wearing jeans t-shirts.. 

Sunday we went to Ashridge Forest, we had a great walk, and then cups of tea we drank on tree trunks... 

I have been going up there since I was about 8, I am guessing, when my mom met my stepdad, I even learned the basics of driving his old Morris van on the concrete parking area.. 

But soooooo many cars!! I was shocked!! Never seen it like that before, and we got there about ten! It was crazy busy!! Takes away some of the pleasure seeing it like that, although after walking away from the main drag the people all spread out, it was as good as always... 

After our teas I waited down on the ground when the family went up the monument.. 

We went to a local park yesterday, had a great time on all the rides! I love the swings! Always love the swings!! 

Just a big kid still... Or still just a girl who likes to ride the swing high.. feeling the breeze and the rush... 

The other day we walked along to Morrisons and bought pumpkins, great value .99p each!

And once home us girls carved our pumpkins! I hadn't done that since ... I cannot remember when in all honesty.

Today we went to Ikea in Milton Keynes, always love Ikea!! As soon as we got there we had lunch, meatballs of course, fries, red berry sauce and gravy! Yum! 

With my meal I had a bottle of Vintersaga! A Swedish Festive drink! 

Bought a few bits n bobs, obviously I couldn't buy anything to take home, although I did buy a great big star! 

I noticed on the way to MK the old pub the White Hart in Hockliffe is now a Harvester, I last went a couple of weeks before I moved to Spain.. 

And the Little chef has gone at the A5 junction/Heath and Reach.. although I think I knew that already...

As we were driving in Milton Keynes, passing familiar places, I said about the Christmas and the Christmas display there in front of John Lewis's..

Then I said about the snow dome mom and I went in and the Cinderella coach ride.. her and I sat in... 

Then I was tears... I miss my mom every day, but haven't cried the loss in a while.. quite a while, don't know where that emotion sprung from.. 

She's missing so much.. 

That's something to remember isn't it... When we're gone, that's it, we don't get to the things we could have, should have, would have.

M.

Store talk:

Young couple came into the store, he said 'I'll leave you to get the shopping on the list I'm going to go to McDonald's' and when he came back he had the largest bouquet of flowers for her it was so sweet.. the couple were in their 20s, so beautiful to see their love.. 

When it's time to pay I say card or cash, because otherwise we're just waiting to find out what they're going to get out of their wallet, and then the majority of them pay with their card, they just wave it in the air which is very very annoying and rude and I've started thanking people for saying "pay with card" at the beginning of the transaction.. the majority of which are young people.. Not sure why people do that! They know we're English speaking? And when paying with their phone, people just wave that at us!! So frustrating! Okay, rant over! 

Today! I picked up a friend who I met at a client's when I was in live-in healthcare in England. I collected her from an Airbnb near the coast in Malaga.. very lovely neighborhood! Very unspoilt.

Very California feel.. we drove first to Mijas Pueblo and had a breakfast, typical Spanish, tostada, oil and tomato.. coffees.

I took her around the gardens of Mijas, told her some memories of the walk I have there..

Then I drove us home, showed her my house and we walked down into town, had a cold drink and just enjoyed catching up..

Back up to the car and down to La Cala, parked in the feria ground and walked to the Chiringuito I usually go to, we had lunch and just carried on talking! 

Closing with a drive to the airport for her to meet up with the rest of her friends who are arriving today, and then they're all off somewhere for the week!

And when I got home a white feather on the rug! It wasn't there when we came by earlier.. But now there it lays bang in the middle of the red rug in front of the TV unit .. 

M.

The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

William James - 1842-1910 - Philosopher and Psychologist

I had a notification the other day, it said 'do you wish to cancel your shake to report feature on your phone?' I had just got annoyed with said phone!! I didn't know it was there, that option!

And half wondered is that just for a 'certain' generation? When we would shake something to make it work? Because most modern tech definitely does not work better when shaken!! And do younger generations even think shaking something would help?? 

Two Saturdays ago was a night out in town with my vecina, first a couple of cocktails each in Bolins up the other end of town, almost like a different town 'up there' then to Mexology for, Mexican food, very very nice, that's where Bensons used to be..

Work today, and yesterday, Sunday, in the big store in Mijas, they are having a complete refit so spent the day filling shelves! Day before also worked, in the warehouse and big store doing a pick for our shop .. it was my day off but I was guilt tripped into working! 

Working tomorrow also! Then off for three days!! Whoop whoop! My three day working week sometimes feels a lot longer! 

You can tell now the majority of summer tourists have packed up and gone their way.. roads are quieter, except school times, and just the general feeling of calm is returning to our lives down on the coast... 

Calm in our lives .. nice saying..

M.

From Instagram this morning

'If you only knew what little time you have, you would not waste it living half lives. Go live the richest life with your soul mate, get there fast, you are burning daylight. Life is too short to be luke warm about anything'

Well, after that last paragraph I recon I have thirty years left! 

So should get a move on with living my life.. no more wasting time, no more thinking of doing something and putting it off.. 

I can procrastinate, but not over important things.. forever trying to get rid of stuff, decluttering, not that there's any obvious mess... but I feel it, things need to be cleared out of the house, or my head?

I have a long list of places I want to visit, not even that far away.. maybe I should start ticking them off my list.. visit and ✓

I do put off calling people, and that has to change, because we can't call some people when it's too late.

Wonder why we put off life? Living? This is our time, so many people don't get our chances, and time runs out..

Sometimes we don't make the most of them, we don't take the happiness because of fear maybe?

I have things I want to do!

This Blog has taken a turn for worse and I don't want that! I am actually very happy!! 

A lot of good things in my life.. 

Although I am getting fed up with these night terrors, if it's my breathing? maybe it's just the change of season? 

But I'm waking up scared and my heart's banging out of my chest! Had loads in my 30's... The odd ones here and there, maybe twice a year.. but now four in the last month? 

I'm not a great sleeper and now worrying about these doesn't help.. 

We had rain! It's brought the temperatures down nicely, I was actually cold last night in bed! It's 27° out there, beautiful temperature.. no fans on, no sweat pouring from an invisible tap above my head! Or anyone else's! 

M.

"If you trust, you will be disappointed occasionally, but if you mistrust, you will be miserable all the time"

Abraham Lincoln 

Above and below a few photograph from the Gibraltar Trafalgar cemetery 

Yesterday morning I drove down to Gib to meet up with a friend and her husband, I used to meet up with her on training courses.. ten years ago!! Where the heck did those years go.. for both of us, they've been trama filled.

These photographs are from the hotel boat at Ocean Village on Gib..

Met them here and we sat up on the wonderful terrace.. for a long while.. caught the sun here! I'm glad I had factor 50 in! 

Before going down to street level and having coffees.. couldn't believe the time, it was nearly three before her and I went for a walk along through the main street and down to the cemetery...

The runway above... 

And harbour shots

All from the roof terrace of the boat..

And below, the view as I approached Gibraltar from La Linea.. I hadn't visited since Covid and the the coach trip from Alhaurín..

There is a tunnel now for traffic... 

But footfall still walks over the runway, felt very strange to me, with no traffic..

Didn't leave till late, was a really good day... 

I took the toll road both ways.. just to help with time and I couldn't face the coastal road.. too many roundabouts and cars!

It said the super blue moon was the 30th, but it was about three in the morning here, and I did manage to get some photographs, not great, just on my phone, but I'm glad I got to see it afterall.

And now rain is forecast from tomorrow until about Tuesday, we will see! 

I checked with Doctor Google and this came underneath the weather forecast..

*People also ask

What is happening in the rain?

Rain is liquid precipitation: water falling from the sky. Raindrops fall to Earth when clouds become saturated, or filled, with water droplets. Millions of water droplets bump into each other as they gather in a cloud. When a small water droplet bumps into a bigger one, it condenses, or combines, with the larger one.

https://www.nationalgeographic.org › ...

Rain - National Geographic Society*

So! Just in case we didn't know this! 

And for now.. 

This quote as I end is soooo me... I am always scared of stuff.. I am not the brave girl people might think I am.. 

And also as below, once I have done whatever I had to do, it's true, it wasn't so bad as I had built it up to be.. 

I have little faith in myself, and I think, the older I get the less faith I have..

M.

The quote!! 

Once you face your fear, nothing is ever as hard as you think.

Olivia Newton-John - 1948-2022 - Singer-Actress

My coffee the other morning.. and seeing what appeared to be a thing of deep space in my coffee I named it the Nebula alfa Santini ! And so it is! 

I have weird dreams as you know.. literally from the sublime to the ridiculous.. I watch all genre of movies and read all books! So I guess what goes in must come out. But there are most definitely things in dreams I believe are messages from our intuition or our gut, that's been proven now, our gut feelings have scientifically been linked to our brains! 

Anyways, in my dreams this night past, a snake, and although they can have a vast amount of meanings, the fact that he was a baby, to start with, and although hissed at me and could have easily bitten me, he didn't, I was holding him and... I am laughing my head off here alone in my house, we shared a drink! Well, it was a dream and anything can happen! So I'm taking all positive aspects of the meanings of snake and running with those! On the other hand shitty bathrooms are never good dreams or a good meaning!

I'm on holiday this week! Did I mention that already!?! 

Had a great day yesterday, went to the next town mid morning, relaxed and happy, I shopped, one item only but was a very good day.. 

The awful humidity we've been having broke on Saturday night, there were storms and rain all over, apart from over this area.. or if it did must have been well after I was asleep.. I sat up on the terrace and although a few drops, nothing of what was everywhere else nearby.. 

Sunday the winds came, which it seems were worse on the coast, including Malaga, people injured, trees and debris all over the place.. 

I swept the steps Sunday morning and they looked like I haven't in weeks by the late afternoon! 

Might be a few errors here, writing early, because I'm not sleeping, my mind is playing games and keeping me awake! So I was going to read and have a cuppa tea, the latter has got cold and the kindle timed out!

Our blue moon this month, on the 30th, I have to try and see it.. even if it means me wandering the streets or driving down to the coast.. because the next regular blue moon will be May 31st 2026. And that seems like another lifetime away! 

January and March 2037 will be Super Blue Moons.. and that my dears is like like talking about the past or never never time.. for someone who never looked into the future, me, it's an inconceivable date.

Better post before I fall asleep..  like now I want to sleep! 

M.

Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud.

Maya Angelou - 1928-2014 - Poet-Singer-Activist

You know my glasses are the click-on type, so funny the other morning, I wasn't actually feeling that great, but I went to click the sunglasses part on and nothing!! Reason being I have no magnets on my face! My glasses were on the table!! Then yesterday a friend trying to take off her click-on part.. but then she realized she had her normal sunglasses on!! 

I actually.. nothing to do with the sunglasses, but didn't feel right that morning,Tuesday, so I went into urgencia, I woke up feeling dizzy, luckily was seen by a triage nurse almost immediately, no one ahead of me, then into the doctor in the adjacent room.. he tested me for a couple of things.. stroke, and MS.. then decided I had vertigo... I am pretty sure I don't, actually..

 

I am taking the meds, but I think it's leaning back in the hairdressers chair to have my hair washed, it's agony, and quite often I feel disoriented or headachy after that.. 

Doubled the times I've been to one this year practically! Well almost! Six or seven times my whole lifetime, and three or four times this year!! 

Color only, don't come near me with those scissors or hair dryer!!

The awful info on the meds doesn't look like something I should even be taking! Still just five days!! And already tomorrow is my last day.. I think? No, Saturday! 

Last evening it was cooler, and I didn't even need the fan on in the living room, and at night I didn't need the fan on all night.. I had an hour or more awake.. but not heat related.. just awake, and seems like a lot of people are saying the exact same thing! 

I've just checked, yesterday was a new moon! Must be something in that, I know how the moon controls so much of our lives... But must have been a huge shift last night.. when I pulled up outside work this morning same place same time.. the sun wasn't anywhere near showing through where it normally is at that time! 

I also noticed yesterday that the cars were making the screeching sound they normally make when it's a change of season although we're very very early to be changing seasons there's obviously a subtle difference or we wouldn't be having these noises on the road as everyone turns their wheels..

Did I mention I'm watching Good Omens? I know I have the book, books? Probably on Kindle somewhere, because a friend bought them for me years ago and I never got around to reading it.. them! 

I am cat feeding at the weekend, just one trip to feed somebody's mommy cat and her kittens, petrol paid and as many figs as I can pick!! Sounds like a good deal to me!

Work has been good,.although we will already be pleased once the tourists go home and leave us all in peace! 

Sorry tourist's!! Need you really! 

Just re reading this, think this dizziness or the meds have left me a bit dyslexic! 

How I used to be after a migraine.. arh .. the good old days eh! Thankfully not missing twice monthly days of hell! 

The photos are from ten years ago.. and I'm sure posted back then also.. Been blogging over twenty years now.. WOW! 

How many volumes would that be.. 

M.

Two night terrors in past few weeks.. second one two nights ago.. woke up on my side feeling like I was being choked, I couldn't breathe.. 

I forgot all about this until this evening.. something made me remember..

I used to have so many of these night terrors back in the '90's and then just the odd one or two every few years.. 

Hope that's it now for a while.. hate waking up scared.. 

Spring onions! Top photo... I wish I could buy one at a time... They're so huge here!

Yesterday's lunch, beautiful figs, my favourite fruit, cherries and prickly pears!

Eating the last of the prickly pears.. they don't last long in the refrigerator..

Last night I set my alarm for 4:30am this morning... To wake up and go up on the terrace, try and catch a glimpse of a meteor or more... the Persiad meteor shower began around my birthday and last night was their peak... I lay down on a readied sunbed with cushions placed earlier.. 

They were really damp, almost wet.. so that wasn't great, I'd covered up in leggins and a black hoodie.. against being spotted apparently sunbathing in the dark!! 

Real reason so the mossies didn't get me! But the tiredness and damp did.

The night before I had become a midnight buffet for any passing mossie or biting bug! I didn't want to make that mistake again! 

Later on the terrace this morning as I quietly drank tea and enjoyed the peace and quiet and early coolness.. I heard the vacationing visitors next door rise from their beds.. could hear their morning discussions and cries.. of the kids.. Then they came up on the terrace, quietly and whispering.. 

Seems to be a lot of door slamming going on! But, hey ho, hope they enjoy their stay and get down to the coast.. get some cooler weather down there.. 

I caught a cold, last Saturday it started and the only thing left now is what's in my lungs.. it's lots better.. On Tuesday I got a bottle of cough syrup called Bronchostop! It's herbal and has been amazing, I really felt a difference by the time I got home from work, took three lots during the day..

The shop is now brimming over with tourists, some buy, some are just supermarket tourists!

Last Sunday I went out pillion, on a ride.. My bliss.. #makingmemories 

New section called

Out of the mouths of customers:

Woman talking about her husband not asking for receipts she said "He's still in training!"

M.