Just a little reminder of my house for sale!  Property Search Spain...

Weather has been okay today, April sun and cloudy moments, no rain at all, bit chilly when we walked down the road earlier!  It was the wind.

I had a whole night of nightmare last night!  Woke up screaming!  There was a door where there isn't, and another door down the hall that doesn't exist!  The door knob on that door was turning, the door opened.... no one there, but the door started flying down the corridor towards me!!  That's when I woke up screaming!  The night I thought someone was standing right near me, a very short person!  Screeeeeamed!

Tidied up the front garden yesterday, its paving, but weeds are growing up around each one, hard work as I didn't have the right tools, so it was down on my knees with a small hand thing, digging into the crevises and then kind of skimming over the weeds from two sides!

Got up and swept every now and then, bagged it up, put it in the compost bin in the back garden and job done!

So that tired me out for the rest of the week!  And had a long nap!

We were going to try to hide the jungle out back, but it looks better already now the trees are coming green, so just a 3' barrier will go up, I will go up the garden tomorrow to check on the blue bells!!

TTFN
Marian
'Just add tea to make human'

And Death Shall Have No Dominion

And death shall have no dominion.
Dead mean naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan't crack;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.

Dylan Thomas

 

This may seem a random poem, it would be but I heard it last night on TV, and checked it out today on line, and now you can all read it!

 

Maybe it sounded better being spoken as it was last night, but there is something strange and haunting about it and I wanted to share it with you all.

 

Its been a week since I last posted and now its April! Where is the year going already! Eight weeks since I arrived, not sure if it feels like yesterday or years ago!  I am still moving things around in the house, things have not found their home yet, there are still things missing, and as I've gone through all the boxes now that's a bit worrying, guess I must have left them behind.

Since my last post another book is published already! The Penguin! Brilliant!

We walked into town the other day, bit of along haul for me, was easier walking there, then we walked about a bit whilst there, I stopped to sit down wherever I could!  We had a coffee, and made our way home, that was hard, I couldn't do it every day, the weather was wonderful, can't believe how wonderful it has been!  Even this week, well its Monday, well the last two days after Saturdays grey start has been blue skies and sunshine, washing dried on the line this morning, although first thing this morning there was ice on the cars... but it soon warmed up, we haven't had any heating on in the house for weeks, which I think I expected us to have.

Easter is coming, and I haven't had a single Cadbury's cream egg yet!  I realise I ate a couple of years worth last year, but oh I want one now!! Or more!

The doctors and results from last week, I have to have a repeat blood test in two weeks, then another two weeks time, to make sure a couple of things they are worried about are unjustified.

TTFN amigos

Marian

 

 

 What beautiful weather we've had here in Wales this last few days, absolutely glorious!  Still have to laugh when they say warmer than Malaga!!! It hasn't been, it doesn't matter what 'they' say on the news, its just impossible, from dawn to dusk the heat builds and builds in Spain, and just gets hotter!

Anyway, we also had beautiful sunny warm weather, everyone was wearing short and t-shirts, summer dresses, men in sandals [with socks!!! have a word!], this was at the market in Resolven on Saturday morning, and after we left there we headed north and up to the town of Brecon and the Brecon

 Beacons... wonderful countryside, huge  mountains, green ones here, apart from the granite rock formation.

There are reservoirs too of course, not the same as the lakes at El Chorro, I know we shouldn't compare, they are equally as beautiful, just differently.  The tower here on the left is at one of the many reservoirs we passed..

We couldn't beleive the amount of people out and about too!  Hundreds of people, parked, walking with or without their dogs!  Every single lay-by was

full of cars and each one had a take-out van there!  Burgers, tea, coffee everything quick!!  Loads of bikes on the road too, still like Spain, a few crazy drivers about!!  And Franco seems to be stuck in the old kilometre driving state of mind, so we're doing 40 or 50 miles an hour, feeling like we're going too fast, we would be in Spain, 50 is about 80k an hour, and we wouldn't be doing that anywhere where we were in land,  except on the coast or toll roads;  so there we are pootling along at almost 50mph and its in a 60 zone, and people are coming up behind going 'what's occurring!'  And I'm going, 'come on Franco, we're going to slow, 
they'll think we're a couple of old biddies!!!

Still we got where we were going, and came back again!

Next door had a BBQ, and everyone had their washing out so we couldn't light our fire!

Yesterday we visited Franco's Mom, then visited a few shops in Swansea and home!  I made an apple strudel, I am suffering badly from  apple strudel deprivation!  It came out sort of okay, I went out into the garden and chatted to the neighbour just long enough to ruin the apple pieces, so it was a bit too wet and leaked out the ends, caramelised nicely though!  I am definitely going to make it again, but better of course!!

Yesterday we did manage to burn quite a load of garden waste and household paper rubbish, Franco cleared out the little back year area by the back door, it needed it! 

I am keeping an eye out for my bluebells to come out, I think I will just have to go and lay down amongst them and sleep.... the bluebells are surrounded by bracken at the moment, which will be fern soon enough!

We have another book published also, The Doorway, link on the other website, over there >>>>

Will put a link tomorrow on here, along with some dodgy photos of my failed apple strudel!

Have doctors this afternoon, a couple of hours time, to find out what they found in my blood test this time!  I am sure its only something to do with what's already there!

TTFN
Marian

[just add tea to make human!]

 I put these photos in draft about two hours ago and forgot to do anything else!! Losing my mind?  Quite possibly!

Today is Mothers Day!  I got some lovely flowers... from Pippa!!!  Well, you know how it is! The photos here on the left as promised though, top one, the fire we started yesterday during half time rugby Wales V France, then I got carried away and started to make my through to the end of the, as yet, unseen garden of ours!

 Up those steps to the second tier of the garden, patios either side, and then I took this second photo... today!  All the rest were taken today actually!  The tin thing you can see is just a wire cage of some sorts!  There is so much junk up there!  Anyway, as yesterday, in I went, Bear Grills would be proud of me!

Then, the next few I took where the brambles end, now I have cut my way to there that is of course, today I also wore gloves so I could hold

 trees for stability and not run the risk of falling over, again!  This third pic I took looking back down my path, can you see the top patio?? Zoom in it is there!  Also now well above our houses from here...

This morning went to visit Franco's Mom, taking her some lovely flowers and card, had a cup of tea there and a chat, then we went to the Sunday boot sale market in Clydach, then to Matalan!!!  The weather was beautiful first thing, clouded over a bit, then in Matalan's it looked like it was having a hail storm out side, but by the time we came out, all gone, blue sky and sunshine back again, and we could see the sun was still shining on our patio later on as the sun was setting, we have the sun in our back garden from dawn to dusk, I guess thanks

 to the rise of the land...

Ok photo four, having turned from the above path and looking up again.... Look what we have here!  A beautiful bluebell wooded area!  All that green is bluebells, and I can't wait to see them, I will be up there everyday once those little beauties are out in bloom!

Also, can you see the wall right at the back?? That's where the garden

ends!!!

Photo five, turning again back towards our house, this is the view from up here... if I ever make it the next step up, of course I will, I will take a photo and am quite expecting to see Spain from there!!!




TTFN amigos
Marian

ps Happy Mothers day Mom... xx

Well just before I switch this off today, having just spent well over an hour on an online job application form, which included a 45 minute no going back/forward questionnaire...  At least it answers lots of questions for the prospective company saves them time, and the person looking for work too of course.  Hope I did good!

This afternoon during the rugby... not intentionally, Franco had gone up to start burning some of the undergrowth we had already cleared during half time... Pip was tied to the washing line, sounds worse than it is ok!  She has a complete run of the garden with her lead hook running free on the line, and she loves it!

I went up, secateurs in one hand and a bit of a tree in the other... and went in!  I started at the top patio and cut my way through the brambles, incredible things, I know I keep going on about them but they are wicked, they are alive, in more ways than one, the more I cut, the more they seemed to spring back at me, catching me on the face, hands, arms legs, tripping me up under foot!  I had to cut them back, then down nearer the roots, I broke off dead branches and moved stuff... stuff included old tin cans, wire baskets, tin tubs, then stuff I couldn't move, concrete, lots of broken glass metal spring thing that is covered with plants and seems to have become part of the ground now, there are old toys, a cage of some sort, a huge piece of corrugated metal... I had to bend low and cut my way through! And I did, I fell a couple of times, and stupidly used my hands to save myself, but luckily missed any broken glass or wire 'thing' whose spikes were uppermost!  I made a little path up and up and couldn't see our patio any more, could see the smoke from the fire, the M4 and the sea!  I could hear the cheers and car horns blaring.... so knew Wales had won the Rugby! Still I went on, up and up... and then I reached a bank that was quite high and worried I wouldn't be able to come back down it, so dug it out a bit and made a step, sort of... cut back the final bits of bramble in front of me, still fighting their cause of ownership of my garden...they lost!  And I came out onto a green area, and the huge tree we can see from house was nearer, not close, just nearer and the whole of the floor area around the tree, no brambles here, but bluebells are going to come up there!!!!  all the green stems are there!  Can't believe it, my very own bluebell wood!

Ok, Ok, not the wood above, the photo I took in Ashridge a few years ago, but can't wait to see what our little wood will look like, oh and beyond the tree another few yards... or more? Is a beautiful old stone wall!

Photos tomorrow.

Went to a car boot sale this morning in Resolven, in a huge warehouse, its one we went to a few weeks back, can't remember if I mentioned that during the week its a reclamation place, its so sad inside, the walls are lined with doors, fireplaces, stair rails etc, then at either end there at pews, fonts, organs, pulpits, everything wooden you find in a church is there.  There are huge meeting tables, not like ours outside bar cruz forsure, 20 30 foot long, old desks etc... Amazing place, and on a Saturday the interior, surrounded by these amazing objects is a boot sale!

We bought some beautiful flowers for Franco's Mom, and I got some too... some amazing purple tulips, they were 3 bunches in one package, amazing color...

Tony's Mom's day card arrived the other day and Barry's was on the mat when we got home today... I am addressed as 'The Mom'... arh.. that's my boy!

I am ending on a sad note, started the day in tears and will no doubt end the same.. 2 years ago today was Mom's cremation, so much of that day was a blur, and yet now, 2 years later it seems clearer to me now.  Every moment... Then last year Auntie Linda died on this day, St Patrick's day, I'd had a day to remember, for happy reasons, then came home and a call from my cousin and bam!

My Mom would have been proud of me in the garden today, cross I didn't have gloves on, crosser when I would have told her how many thorns I have in my hands and legs, and that the secateurs gave me the biggest blister between my thumb and finger I have ever had in my life!  Then laughed that the only band aid I have is a Mr Men's one, small and meant for a child no doubt!

TTFN
Marian
 

Not sure why this photo today... came across it whilst uploading one for my other blog!

Which has then made me remember this one that I took, wish I could say I am just such a fantastic photographer that I got this on purpose, instead of my fluke! capturing a drip as it fell from the neighbours house!

Today cooked lunch for five, was good, I remember the days when I used to cook for seven regularly, had a bit of a mishap with the meatballs!  They were too, well, wet I think would be the word and wouldn't cook in one piece, I got into a temper[!] and just stirred them all together and made a pan of mince meat!!  So Franco had to pop out to a nearby store, just like the one back in Coín!  We had my Italian chicken and pasta too, and a tomato and mozzarella salad.  Very nice it was too, if I do say so myself!  Franco's Mom refused to sit down after lunch so she dried the dishes etc, I seemed to have used everything I had in the cupboards, although I wish I had had a bigger pot to cook the chicken in, was a tight fit and kept trying to escape the pan!  One of the five was a little'un, she is so cute, Franco's great niece, we had been a bit worried about how Pippa would be with her, not being used to small children who are nice to her, she was attacked and hassled by so many before, but she was fine, I taught the little'un to put her hand under Pippas head and not above which can make a dog wary.

I think I have finished sorting through as many of the boxes now that I can do, lots of paintings still wrapped up, they will stay that way for now, and the same goes with the boxes of ornaments.  At least they cannot be seen once we have a spare bed!

Book number 20 published today, brilliant! Looks great, and even as I typed it up I was surprised by each new page and couldn't wait to find out what happened next!  Voices By Peter Maddocks[see other blog for link!]

TTFN amigos
Marian

 First most recently published book by Peter Maddocks there on the left, available at Amazon.com

Another book on its way now...

I have been letting my friends and followers down mightily recently with my Blog haven't I?  And we have the internet now since the 1st so no excuse really, what have I been doing??? Well still going through boxes, here and there, really just don't have anywhere for most of the things, no bookcases, no where for the ornaments... Only one wardrobe!!! Yes really, how I am supposed to hang all my clothes I really

 cant say!!!

Walking Pippa, every morning, and in the afternoons just up in the garden, we look a bit silly I guess, me and Pip, in a garden her with the lead on, but there is no barriers between us and the neighbours and as yet, still not up dated her micro chip, or the number on her collar!  Doing things slowly, down the Job centre, looking for work, and the doctors, again today for another ECG, bit odd, she had to do it twice, and then

took the results to a doctor, interrupting him with another patient, she came back and questioned me on how I was feeling, any symptoms I might have, that I shouldn't wait until I see the hospital cardiologist and if I need to see them I know where they are now and to call any time and come straight in!  So very thorough? Or what???

Back again a week on Friday to have my blood test done!

Both photos on the left here taken at Melincourt falls the other weekend, this Sunday past we went to the huge car boot sale again, its held in 3 massive warehouses, so roof and sides and still cold underfoot but dry and wind free! 

Also on the look out for a spare bed for guests, and also to hide all the spare paintings we will have no room to hang!  All the ornaments are in boxes squirrelled away out of sight! Tony has more paintings to hide away too!!! And another 18 boxes.... oh my oh my!

Can't wait to see my coffee table again either from Tonys... I need all my things together...

I did have a very bad day on Sunday, tried hard to hold it all together all day, we were out and about a bit, visited Franco's Mom for a couple of hours, then the car boot, but everytime I stopped to think, which being me, was quite a lot, I couldn't hack it... I just can't get it into my head Mom has been gone for two years. Two years?? Impossible.

I wish she hadn't.

We changed updated the address on the car insurance, and now its not under Swansea the cost has come down, also its going to be much cheaper to have the policy in my name with Franco as the second driver, I have been away for less time, and have full no claims, which really Franco did too, but as the insurance was in my name in Spain, even though it was the car that was insured, it can only be me with the no claims, anyway, its dropped in price by over 700 pounds for this year, which is fantastic!  We can pay something else now instead!!! Handy!

I am checking on line for jobs every day, and have an interview with someone next week about exactly what type of work I want, and I must apply for work I find online, in papers etc, and let them know every two weeks what I have found and what I have done about it.

I have been downloading free kindle books like a mad crazy person!  The web site pizelofink.com is amazing, you can grab books for free, for only a short time each day, there are enough books on this kindle here to last 2 years, if I read one book a month, I'm such a slow reader, but just using that as an average if you know what I mean!

We had a leaky radiator fixed this week by the landlord, big puddle of soggy carpet on the floor!  And he says we can get a heater for the bathroom, we do have a rad in there, and its not that small but the bathroom is flipping freezing!!!!  And I think a nice halogen bathroom fire like the other we have/had, would be great, it comes on fast and heats up fantastically! But basically this house is quite warm elsewhere, even warmer than the house in Spain this time of year.  But not as hot in the summer, I know I know, but this knowledge is good, too hot in summer is no good for me any more.

When I walk Pip up the top here, I can see the mountains, the sea, the valleys, fields and forests... beautiful green, trees coming into bud and spring flowers coming up already, the dark grey of the slate that lines the houses, and helped build the walls layer on layer... but then I look and only see my Guadalorce valley, my Spain, my mountains, my little house, my...

We have some boxes in the room just now, Pip is looking worriedly at them, we wonder if she is thinking... oh no! here we go again, I wonder if she knows this is where we now live?  We were at the cave house for two weeks and she settled in there well, just as she has here, but I wonder if she realises this is it!  We say Oki's name now and then and she tilts her head recognised the neighbours dogs name... she hasn't forgotten, yet...

I read this today. I love it.

"Each friend represents a world within us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." ~ Anais Nin

Its late now, time to fly....
TTFN
Marian

 Here, I am! Here I am! At Melincourt falls! Last Saturday, went to a market at Resolven!  We went a country route, well actually it really is all country, even saw eagles, one was over head here the other day, and we saw another two yesterday, so I am guessing their the ones that must have followed me over from Spain!!!  The Bonelli eagle it is!

I am still unpacking boxes would you believe, and still have about six not touched full of ornaments, and three full of memories, not sure what to do with them, school books belonging to the boys, drawings, even some clothes, those I definitely wont be getting rid of! Oh and loads of cards from all the years gone

 by.  I just need to go through them and try to thin them out, not likely to happen, so I will box them up, seal them down and put them away until forever happens.

We have had some lovely weather, blue sky and sunshine, we still have a solitary crocus in the garden, a little purple one!  The ones below were at a park we went to after the falls, I seem to be in search of the waterfalls that were on the TV.

I have also just uploaded book number 19 onto Kindle, another short story from Peter Maddocks, should be live in the morning or tomorrow sometime, will be

on my publishing link when its live.

Every time I go up into the garden I think I can see a little bit further, but to be honest it goes up so far there seems no end in sight!  I want to get on protected clothing, brambles warning on every tree! big boots and just hack my way through to the top or end or wherever it leads!!!

I am also every time I go up trying to weave twigs and branches into the plants on the edge of the garden, to stop Pippa getting through, Pippa will never get to be loose in the garden at this rate!  Next door neighbours were out having their dinner on their patio yesterday afternoon it was so warm!!!

Something not used to yet and that's the rubbish collection, every other week out goes the green wheelie bin and all the recycling stuff, all in separate bags, so that's about 3 or 4 depending on what you have, then a small green box for food stuffs and a large box things for tins and glass!! We got very used to having it all magically disappear over night six nights a week in Spain.

Everyone in all the shops and offices, anywhere we have had to go are so friendly, they can't do enough for you, opening a till if its busy, really wonderful, letting you pull out into traffic or waving a thank you, its blooming wonderful! 

So far I have lost our plastic Tesco card and an Iceland savers card thingy!  Well, they must be here somewhere, every time I put something else away from a box, everything get spread out all over the house and lost for a while! 

Tomorrow I have the doctors, signed up in the surgery already, but tomorrow is an appointment so he is aware of what drugs I am on, and what needs doing!

I know I have so much more to tell, but can't think just now?  I need to start making notes, its been such a long time since I Blogged and every day think I must remember....

Too much in my head I think, mostly two years since my Mom passed away on the 4th, can't believe its been two years... I really didn't think I would be here two years ago, here in Wales, and 18 months ago even here at all, I was in such a bad state, I know that now, I know probably everyone else maybe knew it, a little. But I was in such a bad place, now I dearly wish Mom had been here in Wales, where we are now, she has been to Barry Island, we went when the boys were little.  But never here.  Everywhere else I go, went, in Spain, back where I came from she had been also, and maybe it didn't help, but maybe it did.  Even now walking around, driving around, here in the house and garden I wish my Mom could see it, share it with me... at least know where I am.  I am glad I got to go to the ermita in Mijas Pueblo before I left, and light a candle for Mom...

Anyway, I am getting maudlin now, so will away!
I will make notes.
TTFN
Marian

Wednesday:
Well its ok, I haven't disappeared off the radar permanently, I promise!

When did I arrive here in South Wales? A week ago, unbelievable isn't it, a week already, and my feet haven't touched the ground yet! Work wise I mean... our belongings arrived the following day, but not until 5pm, I, being me started to unpack immediately even though it was 6pm by the time they had gone!

Then I worked moving boxes about all day Saturday, seems the ones I wanted downstairs were upstairs, and visa versa!  Pippa arrived about 5pm Saturday evening, she was so pleased to see me running up the road to meet her, then she went berserk to see Franco, she hadn't seen him since middle of October of course!  She seems to have settled in very well already, I covered our sofas with throws from home, and as alot of our things were already everywhere she could 'smell' us all over the house!  I must admit it was very strange to see the couple from Alhaurín dropping Pippa off here in Briton Ferry...

I am still sorting through boxes, I say me, because it has to be me, or we will never find anything, ever again, bless him!  We don't actually have anywhere to put any ornaments yet, so I have just opened the three thousand two hundred boxes of ornaments... just kidding, [!!!!!]... The almost as many boxes of books I have opened and stacked the books on the landing!  Where we will put a corner of book cases when we can, but they're alright there for now.

A big thing is the recycling!!! We have got away light with that in Spain, especially where we lived, we didnt recycle anything at all, no one in our street did, all went out every evening to be mysteriously magicked away over night!  We have an assortment of bags ready for the morning, plastics, cardboard, garden waste, and then the wheely bin, don't have enough glassware or tins 2pu box out, nor the paper/magazines etc bag, there are 9 bags out though non the less!

I have spent so much time gardening, made up for all the lost years of that in one week!  We don't have a garden yet, its a mixture of waste land and forest!!!

The worse bit is the roses, I did actually like roses, but these are everywhere! Not exaggerating here these things are growing the length and breadth of the garden, the root might be at the top, and everywhere it touches it takes root again! All through the grass, through the hedges and other trees, the brickwork and the paving! the stems are an inch in diameter, these are old old roses, and the thorns??? my hands are cut to ribbons, I have broken off thorns in all the fingers of my right hand and wrist, gardening gloves? yes of course I wore them, but they really didn't help against those thorns...

We have a palm tree too, the palm leaves are everywhere, looks like they have never been picked up! two feet long blades of leaves, sharp and prickly!

Along with old childrens plastic toys there is a pair of trainers, they are adults though and the first one gave me a start, thought there could be a foot inside or even a whole body under the earth!!!!
Beer cans, cigerette packets and general rubbish!!!

There have been more than a few holes we have had to plug in the house too!  Just random holes, drilled into the outside walls and left?? Franco has used that expandable foam on those, as well as the interior gaps and holes!  Open brickwork? He has sealed all around all the window frames and window panels, the bathroom is cold, but we think, hope, the silver fronted polystyrene we bought to put behind the radiator... hope the silver backing stuff we bought today will help with that, the bathroom has three exterior walls, had to change a tap which has a bad drip problem on the exterior wall of the bathroom too, its made the wall a bit damp, so hopefully with the new tap and silver padding the room will heat up and dry up soon!

I actually, getting back to the garden, haven' seen where the garden ends!  Might sound a bit strange, but its such a forest up there, what with roses and trees and, well abandonded junk, I havent made it through yet!  We havent let Pippa up the garden on her own yet either, the gaps around the garden will never keep her in, we know this as next doors dog pays visits to our garden for a reason, a reason which is really annoying me and must be fixed asap!  Words have been had with the lady of the dog, politely and just in passing type of way... she was unaware of this problem!  Not now, not going to put up with that, oh and the huge tub of anti dog powder put neither her dog off coming into our garden or Pippa looking through the massive gap we have to fix!

We are getting the internet on March 1st... a large part of my heart is still in Spain, always and forever... and without the internet my brain too!!!! Cant wait, we have the phone number already, no phone, just the number, and between 8am and 1pm on above day we will be connected!! [my first thought was to get the number to my Mom....]

I have had a sore throat for a couple of days, not sure if its all the unpacking, dust and bits and pieces that come off off and out of the boxes, also a couple of mouth ulcers, either too much sugar or stress? I think the later...

Pippa is loving all the walks, we have two routes already for our walks, one takes us up behind our houses towards an old manor house, we can see our back garden from up there, its steep and well above the houses... the other walk takes us up even higher than that, and we can see the sea easily from there, and lots of it!  We can see the big tall offices of DVLA Swansea, the M4 and mountain range after mountain range, beautiful scenery, Franco is going to take us to the Brecons soon, and hopefully that waterfall I saw the other week.

Yesterday Pip and I were just on our way down the steps to the path and a friend and neighbour was coming up to the house, she said she was on her way to the supermarket and did I want to join her?  I ran back in, Franco said "that was quick!" I said that we were going nowhere but I was!  And off me and mate went, a couple of supermarkets swifty followed!  What a mess I looked too!  Been out in the garden and looked like it! at least I had changed my shoes and taken off my wellies!

I am totally lost on the roads here! Totally, I am sure its from arriving here and Franco taking me 'everywhere' in about 3 hours!  all the shops all the towns, all the supermarkets!!! I was tired, emotional, and totally confused with the road system!! I shall never be able to drive here on my own, or know which way to go, ever!!! Franco has a sat nav, but can't find it! whoever needed a sat nav to find a sat nav? We do!!!

Tomorrow someone is coming to help with the garden,  He is going to knock back all the small trees, the weeds, the jungle of roses and the mess of junk, I think there is a pool table up there! There is also a couple of patios already, will be lovely in the summer sitting up there in the sunshine, we might be able to see the sea from there....  there are alot of grey bricks right by the back door so we will paint it white and lightenp the whole area, the gate has seen better days by the steps up to the garden also.  I opened it a little heavy handidly the other day, having secatures, sacks, and pan brush with me also!  and the only hinge still hanging on.... gave up and fell away from the wood altogether, so I got some new screws and put three in to hold it in place, with no lower hinge though still its not easy to open!  Pippa runs up like a whippet of course while I am trying to hold on to her, its all a bit high up there and I worry she might fall off!! Looking forward to getting it more secured up there!



Well I hope this has come out ok for you to read as having trouble this end!
TTFN
Marian

Well this is probably the last post from 'home' Alhaurín el Grande.  Seems strange after nearly ten years of calling here home, although truth to tell I call Spain home from about 10 years or more, before I even came to live out here, after my first trip here by in 1988 here felt like home, I used to joke I was working in England and only managed to come home 2 or 3 [if I was lucky] times a year to Spain....

The first time I touched down at Alicante airport I truly felt I had come home... Well my hat is home somewhere else from Thursday, I am both excited and scared and excited and scared!  Its a big difference isn't it?

We still have the mountains though! A view from the house of mountains, and it looks like we're pretty much surrounded by them which is wonderful, its these mountains here I miss when I go back to England, everywhere always looks so flat!

I am looking forward to the supermarkets!! Buying whatever I want, whenever I want it, in or out of season, and from every country in the world!

The house feels even emptier now, not sure why exactly as nothing else has changed for the past couple of months, maybe I just feel I am leaving, so the house already feels the loss, of us all here there!

I even have my suitcase packed now, well I needed to know if I could fit everything inside don't I?  I also needed to know the weight of it, looks like I am ok, that reminds me, must check how much I can carry on EasyJet... 20Kilo, might have to leave more of Pippas toys here than I thought!!

Well amigos, thank you all for travelling with me in Spain, sharing the highs, and the lows, the good and the sad... You all ready for Wales!  Hold my hand I think I need it....

TTFN

Marian

my beloved Alhaurín El Grande....

Wednesday got the bus down to Fuengirola to meet up with friends who are over for a couple of weeks at their home in Calahonda.  The day was still chilly, well I say chilly it was 10° on the terrace this morning, sitting at the bus stop at the feria ground was getting warm with the sun starting to pour over the Sierra de Mijas… I sat on the right hand side of the bus so I could wave at my friends sitting at Bar Cruz, looked strange seeing them there without me…. This is how it will be soon, without me being on the bus though!  Trip down was good, and quick, best bit going over the mountain toward Mijas pueblo though, the view this morning of the Atlas, and Riff mountains in Africa were truly stunning, what a view, so clear, I wished I could have run over to see them closer all the same though!  And just before we got to the village you could see Gibraltor also!

Friends were waiting by the bus station when I got off and we went to the bar on the corner by the church square, where I have been going now for over 20 years!!  Two of us had churros con chocolate and the other an English breakfast!  Those churros there are fantastic!

Then we went down to the paseo maritimo, I wanted to go past Luizs’ bar, but he still hasn’t opened back up yet??  When Mom and I first arrived here he was open all the way through December, closed for a couple of weeks in January and back open again by now… lots of bars and restaurant’s still closed up!  We walked for some way and sat down in the sun near the port, watching the world and his dog go by!

We were all wrapped up, me especially having come down from the colder in land town, but the tourists that were about were all loving the wonderful weather wearing vest, shorts, sandals… I remember when we used to come out first and second week of February to stay in the timeshare, it was always summer clothes.  I was thinking the other day that holiday makers feel warmer here than we do in the winter because even if it’s only 17 or so here, they have come from 3 or 8 or something in-between.  On the other hand when I go on holidays to England in the winter it never feels too bad when I get there, so little gap between the temperatures, but in the summer leaving a hot 42 and arriving in Luton airport to about 15 is pants!

Am I making any sense at all??? I know what I mean anyways!

They dropped me off at La Cala, where I found my friend waiting for me, at the entrance to the market, we walked up and down, I saw a whole load of things I cannot carry back with me, I have just had a quick run through with my case, too small!!! I had only put a handbag in and it filled it half way!!! Heck!!  After walking the market we walked into the town, down to the beach and went into a chiringuito for some lunch, I had my favourite boquerones, fried whitebait, and rice pudding for desert! With a coke!  Two of my friends were also in there which was nice, I hadn’t seen them for a couple of months and they didn’t know we were leaving; we first met when I did the ‘ladies that lunch’ thing when we first moved up there to Alhaurín el Grande.   So we chatted over the two tables, and it was a hug and a kiss and a cheerio for now…

I am Blogging off line, and cannot remember when I last wrote!  So today is the Wednesday as I have said above, yesterday Tuesday, had some, no sorry the best bread pudding ever, anywhere, friend made some especially as I am leaving, as I write they are making some now on the telly!

Saturday I met up with a couple of mates in the morning in town, and then went home for a while before going back out to meet up with different mates!  Sat at the bar at the top of town at this end, for about 3 hours, had a good chat; they live here and back in Wales, so will see them back there too which is really nice.

So many people are already making plans to come down and see us when we are in Wales, which is lovely and so welcoming, better get a spare bed now!!

Tomorrow I am visiting friends for coffee in the afternoon, Friday a trip to Torremolinos and breakfast with a friend, if he has opened up yet, he said it would February, but… then we are back round to Saturday already, friends up town in the morning, then I want a trip to Mijas pueblo, a walk around the gardens, a glass of wine and a tapa and a tear…

Sunday La Trocha market and hopefully a wonderful piece of apple strudel with cream? Yes, and why not!  Heck I am rushing these days through, it’s just if I don’t get to Blog, you know where I am anyways!

I have to keep telling myself I am not, never going to see all these places and people again, it just feels like it, and as you know I get so attached to places, houses, towns, I just get attached!  I won’t miss the stress Pippa get under with the people here though… maybe a less timid dog, or no dog!!! But people hang over the back railings looking at my Buena vista! Next doors dog starts the red alert, and Pip, like a good soldier dog responds, and responds…. And responds!  People only to have to pause in the front of the house too! And she says “get away, get away”… now those little dogs from the dog the road who live during the day, on the road, cheeky and nicky, they like to actually come up to the front of our house to say hello to Pip! She says “get away, get away”…

Getting back to my small suitcase problem, when I got home I got the case from the top of the wardrobe, while Pip was up on the roof, not wishing to upset her!  Put it in the bathroom and steadily without causing a commotion got everything together in the bathroom, then shut the door to see if I can get it all in the case, as I said, only the hand bag made, I realised nothing else much will get in the case!  So then Pippa watched me strangely as I got all my clothes etc, out of the bathroom and hung them back up, and took everything else back from whence it came!  Then the case too! She put her head from one to side to the other, very confused[dotcom]!

Friday, was it? Yes it was, I was in Cristinas on the internet and it was raining outside, really raining!  On the road coming up in the Laura Golf area it was snowing! A blizzard!  Friends on the bus told us on Saturday the bus had to stop until it passed a little, whimps! Mmmm, maybe I should keep quiet there; I haven’t driven in snow for about ten years… I was always so lucky in England, I never had a rental car and snow, either one or the other!  What I really want is a pair of those things to put on my shoes, anti-skid metal things that clip on! Or skies, going by the amount of snow in South Wales at the moment!

adio amigos...

TTFN

Marian

Thunder, lightening and rain rain rain.... well I suppose it was bound to happen this month eventually!

Got four more books live on the Kindle this week, not bad going eh?!  One is a re do of How to Draw Cartoons, but the others are all new, check out the link over there on my PublishedByMe Blog.

Monday evening I went out with friends to say 'bye', I had been looking after their home here when they were away, so handed over the keys and had a great evening, wonderful food, down at a restaurant in town, great food, three courses, so my food baby was well in shape!!  We had a laugh, not late home, about 10:30pm.... Unlike last night, second night out this week, and not home until 11:30!  What a dirty stop out!  Went to another bar[!!] in town, not been in this one though, ever, 7 of us, a great laugh, and great tapas...

Rain was forecast for today, but usually it moves on to the next day, and then the next, then never even happens!  Hope Pip is ok in the house, with the thunder and lightening, will get home soon, bring down the persianas[blinds], up with the draw bridge and snuggle down for the evening, although I expect Pippa will keep her beady eyes on me, wondering if I am about to make a run for the front door again this week and leave her.... home alone....

Only a short Blog today, power might out, so will say adió amigos..
TTFN
Marian

Happy Birthday Mom.... and, as I said on Fb earlier, I am sending an Angel to you, with a hug and flowers from me...

Goodbyes, life is full of goodbyes... but each goodbye brings a new beginning, a new home, a new job, new friends... a new country... All waiting there with new possibilities!  I feel I am almost reaching my limit of goodbyes though... even the size of my font has changed and I can't change it!!!!

Well lets see what its like down here... Ok I was saying before I interrupted myself!  I feel there have been more goodbyes than 'hello's' but I know that's not true at all, even over the last weekend I met new people, new friends, and tha'ts how life is...

I remember buying Mom's last card, it was so hard to find one with the right words, and when she opened her cards, she read them, smiled, and asked for them to be taken home, she didn't want them there in the hospital...

I also know, not everyone by any means gets the chance in life to do what I have done, fulfilled a dream... I can never say I didn't try, I can say 'I did it!' and am glad of it! Millions of fantastic fabulous memories that I will carry with me forever and beyond forever! Pictures in my mind, sights and sounds, and smells! that will flood my mind for the rest of life, pleasurable thoughts... and friends, so many...

Well seem to be having a microsoft word problem it seems so the message reads! Also have been  uploading three more books onto Kindle so maybe that hasn't helped, trying to do so many things at once eh!

adio amigos..
TTFN
Marian

Hello folks...

Here I am at Papeleria Cristina!

Not so easy blogging in a busy place, next to other people, my flow... doesn't flow so easy!  Also my mobile isn't working now! Cannot make out going calls which could be a problem as I don't even have a  house phone now!  Still I can always scream can't I!!!

Have had several text messages this morning none of them that I can reply to in here, so sorry amigos! Hold that thought until I am outta here!

I must remember to make notes while I am blogging away from  home as it were, because sitting here now can think of nothing really...

The sun is shining, its cold in the shade but warm in the sun... the town is busy, sales sales sales!  There is nothing on the TV so I am reading, although yesterday I wore out my right hand on  my mouse!  Getting two more books Kindle ready, cutting pasting, rearranging, and doing all sorts, both will be ready to up load on Monday, although until Monday I cannot see if all the work I have done is even working, that's whats a little bit frustrating, and if I had a dongle, I think the downloads would be too heavy thereby using up in a matter of hours and not days!

Also, when I leave here, I keep thinking whatever I have looked at is actually on the computer at home?  I think that stems from all the days I used to carry my lap top to the wifi area, then leave open anything I wanted to work on, but of course, this isn't how it can work using a different computer is it! Bit weird how the mind works, or is it just me???

I can't believe it!  We already know one of our new neighbors!  Fantastic isn't it!  She is only a few houses along the street, a friend there already, that's great

Ok amigos, going now, done my time....
Will make notes for Monday over weekend...
TTFN
Marian

Well I am still here, I mean the internet!  Should be going today, so every moment is a bonus, and a surprise!

Have another two books now on the kindle, they will become 'live' tomorrow hopefully, see my link there on the right, PublishedByMe!

I am having so much fun doing these, its work, brain work, and sometimes for some reason something I have done only a day before gets lost in the maze which is my mind, and I have to come across the 'thing' somehow!  I was reading the other about ways to learn to remember things, placing the list of things in the rooms of your house, like the rooms in your mind!  This was definitely working for me, if only I could remember where I put my mind!

Yesterday we had rain, not heavy but consistent, if you know what I mean, with a capitol 'P'!  Yesterday afternoon, it cleared up and this morning after a chilly night we have or rather had, lots of snow over there on the Sierra de Las Nieves, [snowy mountain range to you!]  Also over towards Carratraca, and the wind turbines....It looked like icing sugar sprinkled atop the summits... but a couple of hours later, most had cleared, as today the sun shone and in the sun was quite pleasant!

Ok just a short Blog today, like me!

TTFN
Marian

To the left one of Christmas trees in Mijas pueblo, down on the lower plaza, it is a bit strange, zoom in to check it out, this is where I tripped down a small step too, hurting my ankle for the day and evening!  Silly step!

I could just eat some of those wonderful tapas Barry and I had that day in the new tapas bar... was talking about them last night, when a friend and I went to a new Curry house in town, don't get me wrong, the meal there was wonderful too, it just made me think of those tapas!!

We shared everything except the meal dishes, although we did have a taster!  We got a table for two, two of us, a couple of friends may have been joining us, they did half hour later, so we had to change to a table for four, although we were ahead of them in courses, we spent the last half hour watching them eat!

The photo on the left here I took early yesterday, Saturday morning, isn't it beautiful, the fog over the Guadalhalorce valley, I zoomed in to the

mountain there, looks like an island floating in a white sea.. actually looking at this two mountains floating there!

I have such mixed emotions going up on the terrace now, we have such a beautiful wonderful view from there, total coverage all the way from Las Delicias to the left across towards Malaga on the right, we see the sun rises, and the sun sets... The most truly beautiful view...

Our House!

The phone line and internet go on Tuesday, probably a nano second after mid night, so I will go to bed with the phone, not literally! and wake up without it!

Already feeling the missing part, like I am having something removed!  Over dramatic? Yes, maybe, but.... there it is, I use the phone and I use the internet, like you didn't know!

I will Blog off line, and post where and when I can, done that before haven't I! Time, and time again, so no change for you... just me...

This morning I have painting the kitchen ceiling, well just the bit where the new light fitting made where the old one was stand out!  I have cleared two kitchen cupboards, and in the last shelf of food, it is categorized into, to eat, to throw, or is ok to leave in there!

I have uploaded another two books over the last 3 days onto the kindle!

The Big Fibber Diet By Peter Maddocks

and Cartooning for Beginners in Spanish this time, this one will be live today!

I haven't done any more to my own book, too much going on, although without the internet, maybe over the next three weeks it will be done!

Feel sad to go now, last live Blog post from here!!! Everything feels strange now, everything feels like the last time, and I don't want it to feel like that, its daft, and unnecessary, I should just enjoy every day, on the day, neither thinking behind or ahead, we do after all only have today, every day! What is that poem? Today is the present, it is a present! so enjoy the present!

So now I am rambling, so, adíos amigos...
Catch you on run!
TTFN
Marian

Franco has found us a new home!  Its unfurnished, but we will have lots of boxes! Thank goodness there is a cooker though, so at least we can eat!  I have checked it out on google map and the house looks lovely, the street really nice, views of the mountains! I have 'stood' in the street done a 360° turn, gone up the road, in five minutes your in the country until the next junction, then going the other way its a 20 minute walk into Neath town centre...

The house if off from the road, up some steps and Pippa will not be able to see anyone passing, or even the cars! 

At least all our things will be there, bits and bobs the week we arrive!

The kitchen light broke yesterday, well I broke it! Unintentionally I hasten to add, the bulbs had been flickering and I tried to take it out and broke the plastic hinge that was holding it in!  I thought, just buy a new tube and glue the thing in somehow, but a couple of people said the black powder over the inside of the light sounded a bit dodgy and that I really should get a new light fitting, so I phoned a friend, and he organised a mate of his to come and have a look, he was only half late, so not bad really, saw what was needed, went down the ferriteria and bought a new one!  Its so bright in the kitchen now, I fear the planes coming over to land in Malaga will mistake my light for the landing lights!!  Its so bright, the house is lighting up the whole town!! like Oxford Street during Christmas!

TTFN
Marian