Halloween 2024...

 

Absolutely wonderful evening at the station in Bewdley.. spookiness and creepiness in every nook and cranny!

The main attraction was coming in though, trains full of passengers, dressed appropriately in darkened carriages... to witness the displays on the platforms and the people dressed up and scaring the bejesus out of them! 

Was chilly but not too much so, perfect weather for the night of all hallows...

And Saturday late afternoon! Football! 

At the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton! 

Great viewpoint and good match, 2-2 in good! 

Sunday did some pottering around, and Monday went to Worcester, not sure if I've been before, but now I know I have, beautiful ancient city, wonderful cathedral.. 

Had lunch in a Witherspoon's, a Witherspoon that seemed not unlike a TARDIS it went back and back and back and...

Always drawn to a cathedrals crypt... I don't know why!

M.

The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.

Price Pritchett - Author-Business Advisor-Speaker

Wonderful breakfast this morning with son and babes.. at Bills in Nottingham..

Backpack loaded and off to beautiful Bewdley.

My train was already on the platform, I checked first, that it was my train, and double checked, 'Are you 100% certain?' I asked, he said yes, he's driving! The train was going to Cardiff, also sounded like not a bad idea to keep going, as I love Cardiff! 

But Bewdley definitely calls louder for me.. 

After a few minutes on the train a girl came past and sat near me, we immediately became good friends! Jasmine! From here there and everywhere, same as me! She's spent six months in Asia, couple of years in Jersey prior to that, and named Liverpool and Nottingham as 'home.'

We didn't stop talking until the train pulled off and other people got in our way...

Leaving that train here in Birmingham New Street, we wished eachother good luck and hugged goodbye..

A new friend, off to Leamington Spa! 

I'm still sat on this train now, but better than the platform!

Just a couple of stops and off at Droitwich Spa then Kiddy next!

Bare with... You won't know but holding this to post later..

On another platform, waiting for third train.. woman got off a train and is leaning on one of seats in this shelter..

She is sobbing her heart out, talking to herself, about her life ..

I am trying not to get involved, I always involve myself and I found unfortunately, it isn't always the right thing to do ..

I don't mean to sound hard or cruel, because that's not me, but I can be naïve and some of what she's saying doesn't sound right, true... And she's saying how much she has drunk..

So biting my tongue and hoping she finds help from someone who can really help her..

Because I already feel like crying with her now, and that's not a start in helping, it's a start down the way down to where she is... And she sounds like she's in a very dark place...

Just to add, she's got on the same train as me, shouting and swearing on the phone, and to anyone else within hearing distance.. I did the right thing.

M.

January 20th, 2020 Hartlebury..

Why? Just because I came across it!

A good friend sent a photograph from 'home' this week, I replied 'that had been my view also...

Familiar to me as my own face in the mirror...'

But, catch up needed! One week here, where did I close? 

Oh okay, a little depressingly.. 

Two photographs from the flight... Full moon, and the second very very low cloud/fog.. 

You'll have to zoom in on that second one to see the tops of wind turbines!! 

Hang on I'll do it now, in a minute!! 

That's how low the cloud was! 

So I landed! Great flight, except for a beverage spillage! Stewardess gave me my tea and it slid straight off the table thingy and onto my lap! I quickly caught it though and only a little leakage, luckily, as very hot contents!! 

In my haste to catch it I sort of threw or dropped my card ready in my hand to pay with .. 

And had to get ladies behind me to search for it!

The day before I'd had two cans of coke explode in front of me so a second beverage incident didn't come as a shock! There was a third and now it seems to have gone from my mind?? 

Since I've been back I've sorted out lots I needed to, and I have done it all, in a week! 

I have made two trips to the lockup where my possessions are residing!

The first journey I went, got a case and brought it back! Long haul back, only seven minutes but uphill and I literally couldn't breathe when I got in! Had to sit for half an hour, before opening the case, only to find out that sods law was about to come into effect, to find only boots and bags!! 

So today, we went again, better selection of things, I opened cases and took what I needed! Much better idea, and son pulled the case home!

And Christmas is coming to Nottingham! Watched them start with the big wheel the other day!

M.

Leaving

I guess this is it; me leaving.

At the gate now, already. And feeling it, it's not a golden gate, it's gray, and dark outside.

And I am missing... everything and everyone already.

But where I disappear on this side I will reappear in England!

And I am only 2.5 hours away.

That's me.

Stress levels 99.9% and holding.

 M.

Coffee early this morning just a short walk away from here.. café y croissant!

Down near the beach, old familiar walk, and many good memories...

Return to bar again this afternoon, but this was this morning..

Talking to a friend just now, being asked how I'm doing.. 

I answered...

'Just feels very unreal.. maybe it'll hit home when I leave ..

When I get to England, maybe after a few days...' 

Just doesn't feel like this is the end of my life here in Spain.. and I guess with all the friends who feel like family, it never will be..

And this is how it is... 

The last day of living in Spain feels like any other day to me.

Maybe I haven't processed the reality yet.

And for last couple of hours I have had a weird eye sight thing, flashing wavy lines, it's horrible, so disturbing, slight pain over my eyes, but it's this visual thing so hard to cope with.

Stress I guess. Coming out physically.

M.

The London Pub... Fuengirola, icónico y Infamous!

And Heavens Gate discoteca, I used to go there, back in 2002! Walk in on my own, grab and drink and dance! 43.. and so brave still..

The wine I am drinking, I took a bottle of wine to a friend on Sunday and got a bottle back!! That wasn't how it was supposed to be!

C'est la vie! So I opened it Monday and on glass number three! 

Walked to the store today, said Ciao to J. in work, had a coffee next door and 'bye' to everyone in there... 

It is now evening, last full evening, last full day tomorrow.

El fin.

M.

 

When I came out of the apartment this morning I thought, where's my car? Gone now... 

Then I thought, 'have I left the lights on?' 

I remember doing that after I'd had such a bad road accident, News Years day, 1994... 

I thought my car lights were on, and kept walking up to the garage behind the house to check...

My car had been written off, it wasn't there.

Sat on the bus as I begun this entry..

Bit of a slow painful journey of a place I've called home since 1988, at least me driving I'm looking at the carriageway and other cars...

This option is just look left, and I'll do the same coming back.. Other side of the road! 

A lady had sat next to me from getting on somewhere, and as we began our journey down the final road to the bus station said to me where is the final stop..

I said afterwards, was she Welsh, she said yes, from Cardiff..

Which opened the conversation, about us living there for three years, she said they were just moving here, I said I was just leaving, they'd been in the states for a few years! 

Amazing how much information in just a two minutes journey! We wished eachother luck in our new adventures and bye...  Gone! 

A flash friend!

Strange photo, shadow of wine, reflection of water glass and base of wine glass..

These last two taken at Da Bruno's in Cabopino on Sunday...

Now I sit awaiting an appointment near where I am having a coffee..

The above photograph just now, it is a truly iconic picture of Spain! Not the bulls, not the beaches, not the beer! 

It is the coffee! And the people watching that takes place whilst consuming it!

M.

Oh why here? Another tatu! Of course!