Ten days again! No! Twelve days since last post... I'm just soooo tired! Okay, been walking, Monday four miles and was probably too far.. knees hurt and hips! I'm just so stubborn, as I walked in along the Erewash Canal/River, Nottingham Canal/Cromford Canal?!? Who knows the names!! I paused here and there, but just kept going, and thinking I have to stop soon and walk back! I have found a more circular route now, which is much better!

The photograph above is a point where two rivers/canals, cross...

Did I mention the saga of my Falmers waistcoat?? I have owned it for decades, literally, decades! 70's! 

I at last uploaded it to eBay, sold it, sent from the Post Office via Evri...

Notifications on its way... Then not on its way, apparently an incorrect postal code, which I have been seen as the Post Office printed out the label from a QR code...

The customer and I have had a fair few communications yesterday and the day before, good ones, nothing bad... I also spoke with eBay, and Evri! 

And finally yesterday afternoon heard it had been delivered, money came through and the raised concerns about not being delivered, were cancelled!

Great! Only it wasn't, it never arrived! The driver hadn't delivered it and told the customer she hadn't personally! 

The customer has now had a full refund, and I seem to have also kept the money?? 

What saddens and angers me so much is that that waistcoat had been mine for so long, travelling with me, living quietly amongst my other belongings and now? What? Where? 

If it ever shows up back with me I shall send it to the customer again, personally, for free, and I don't just mean the postage.. 

I've had a few rocky days this week, just been one of those obstacle weeks.. 

I started taking collagen again, took it back home then stopped when I moved.. 

I'll take it for six months before I either decide to continue or stop.. I'm taking the full one, it has every collagen needed, now where's my Roman numerals! Okay types I, II, III, IV, V and X!

For my joints primarily, I guess if nails and hair improve also will be a bonus... But it's my joints really I need to help along now.. 

I was never a one for supplements, now I'm taking a handful! Lols!

Also eating the Kefla yoghurt, no more sweet fruity ones, still adding the chia pudding I have made .. and maybe a drizzle of honey, but not every day on that..

Unfortunately I found a great food product on the shelf the other day. KTC Vermicelli, from Pakistan. It was on the shelf with other odd bits and pieces..

I say unfortunately as in the pudding recipe!! 

Kheer, Vermicelli pudding..

Three handfuls of this fine pasta, cooked in butter, (used my Olivio), then milk, raisins, almonds, bit of sugar... Finally some cream!

Very, very! Yummy! Oh and the price of the pasta? 12p! I only had to buy the 30% less fat cream...

M.

There is a voice that doesn't use words.

Listen.

Rumi - 1207-1273, Poet

 

Doors

 

Random post of door photographs, primarily because of the quote that came through in my inbox today..

Above, the doorway in the folly at Casa las Flores.. on the way up to town from Fuengirola, we saw it being built, so very long ago now.. and still, the bar here in this garden centre, continues to serve up the best patatas fritos in the entire world!

Okay yes, it comes for me, with memories abundant, cooked by the same person, probably in the same pan! Not the same oil!! I am sure... And what fries would be perfect in the surroundings of that place.. the verdant growth, the palms, the water with the tortugas, the flowers and scents from the herbs.. the birds flying amongst the foliage, the warmth, the sounds.. of my nirvana... Twenty five years worth of patatas fritos..

Okay! Enough already eh! 

Above, I believe is in a park near Swansea, that's all your getting folks!

Above, a doorway in Mijas Pueblo.. 

And lastly, doorway in Granada province, from Christmas 2007, and our ten days in a cave house... Wonderful...

M.

Realize that if a door is closed, it's because what was behind it wasn't meant for you.

Mandy Hale, Author

Or did it close just when you were on the wrong side of it? Taken a quick peek to see by chance, was that a shade of green better than yours? 

Did the wind catch it? Or a draft was caused because you opened it? 

Did you snag your sleeve on the door handle and pull it closed by yourself!

Is it a swing door? 

Well that was handy I decided I was speaking to my phone to do my blogging today to save me typing it all out, and after I'd pressed the mic button Alexa piped up with a notification!

I walk along the canal or river and or river who knows which one is which anymore I give up I see three rivers or waterways down there so I don't know which one I'm ever on now, as I was walking along here there was a rather large Swan out of the water which I had to pass by and I'd forgotten how huge they are out of the water and stretching up like that! 

Beautiful to see but rather frightening to be next to I came past him and then then next to the lock was the partner swan, I took a small video of them getting into the water on the other side of the lock I will upload that now..

I also had a chat with a couple I saw them twice going in each direction, excuse me I just sneezed three times not that you know

Just checking that I did only walk three miles it seemed a lot longer, I was listening to music and or my book, I've ordered one of those sticks that has a pointy end to it just to help with walking around some of the muddy banks and woodland around here, I did have one in Spain which I've obviously left along with a whole bunch of my other treasured possessions!

Let it go!! Did I hear you shout!! Nope, that's not gonna happen I'm always going to remember what I've lost and I still can't believe that what I can't find were some of the most important things...

As you can see the weather isn't that great today, but it's dry, snow is forecast for later, we'll see. 

That photograph above is of a really old bridge that used to be over one of the rivers I was walking along this morning, some time ago they stopped the river just prior to the bridge, which seems really weird and only another twenty foot from this side of the bridge the river or a stretch of water is there still.. it is like the river found its way but it can't get through... It's disconnected now.. and ends again! 

There is a gap under this bridge as you can see, I tried to see what's under there... But knowing me I'll slip in and under it!! 

I have to tell you of a dream I had last night, I'll try to cut it down, in one part of the dream I was talking to a man and we went outside of a party we were in..  we walked around, I was suddenly on his shoulders like a small child and I actually felt like a small child my head really was not very far from his and I felt very small.

Then we were walking side by side again, we ordered some food from a food truck on the street, the guy said 'I'll call you when your food is ready' and we were just wandering around the area then the man I was with disappeared behind a sheet or a carpet that was hanging over a metal fence, and then disappeared!

I walked back towards the food truck and the man shouted that the food was ready and he placed a tray on a nearby table and there was only food for one person!

After thinking about my dream I wondered if the man was even there or if it had been just me wandering around talking to people, ordering food, and why was he carrying me for a small while and why was he walking by my side...

M.

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

Dale Carnegie -1888-1955, Author and Speaker
 

 

Bit drizzly today and yesterday, but nothing bad, nothing like the awful storms hitting the Iberian Peninsula.. still hitting hard.

Tried to share a little video I made in September 2017, but couldn't directly, so this is it, by way of YouTube..

I was looking for something else, and as always stumbled upon a happy memory to make me sad..

Yesterday a visit to The Range, followed by coffee in Costa Coffee with an almond croissant, of course, and then Morrison's for groceries.. updated my Morrisons card! Such excitement.

 Sorry that was sarcastic.. 

Not quite the old life is it.. Still a life I should be better at living in a better way, a calm happy contented way.. I must stop struggling and go with my flow, stop battling against the.. against a life I didn't see ahead.. I guess..

And tomorrow I shall get the bus to town!! Keep telling myself I'll do it! It's not like I haven't taken a bus before!! 

M.

You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.

Jim Rohn -1930-2009, Author and Speaker

Just posted onto Facebook and these words below showed up on my feed.. they do, indeed seem to be very appropriate for these days..

What might have been and what has been

Point to one end, which is always present.

Footfalls echo in the memory

Down the passage which we did not take Towards the door we never opened.

-T. S. ELIOT, "BURNT NORTON"

Apologies as always in my procrastination! Above two coffees from before my flight here a week ago Monday! Landed in Blighty about midnight, a little early, and after leaving twenty minutes late! A busy full flight, mostly with the seatbelt sign on due to very bumpy ride!

And landing in East Midlands, I think it was the coldest I have ever been in my life! Am I exaggerating? Not sure, we spent that wonderful week in the cave house back in 2007.. For Christmas and New Year..

Was wonderful, wish I could go back to live that time, around and around and around... Franco the Pipster and me... Found a cigarette on the massive mantle piece, it had been Franco's, but I didn't know it, he was being a secret smoker.. bless him...

Anyways!! It was -9° in the mornings and in the minus all day, every day, still didn't feel as cold as it was the other Monday in the middle of the night in the freezing wind at East Midlands Airport.

I've still not tried buses yet, since I've been back, Monday I am! Off to Nottingham and on the bus! For freeeeeee!

Last week can you guess from above where I was? Yep! IKEA! Of course, wonderful! 

I've been walking along the canal, that I've been calling the River Erewash, but now the trees are so bare and the river so high, it looks like it's the Cromford canal I've been walking along?? Says three meet here.. 

I took the above in black and white.. Seemed appropriate and looking now at this .. only a few clues to it being taken in the 21st century..

As I was walking earlier in the week, listening to Harry Potter, still .. I came across a lost wand! Sono left it on a bridge for it's owner to find! Magic eh!

Doctors I visited the doctor because of tiredness, seems a silly thing to bother him with, but I am so incredibly tired, exhausted.. so getting bloods done Monday.. and going to see a physio about my still sore, after two months, knees..

A photographs more from my canal side walk... 

The mushrooms, Jelly ear or wood ear, mushrooms.. below, apparently are edible?? Should I try them!! It's okay, I think not!

 

Terrible storms back home, trees, electricity WiFi!! And I still worry about my house, my home... 

Always..

M.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life

Steve Jobs

As the sun rises this morning over the Guadalhorce valley...

Coffee at Bar Cruz, times two, nos vemos pronto to friends, just one more visit to an especially favorite clothes store!

A visit to a friends apartment.. and Mercadona for food for later...

And now a coffee, yes more! At Mori's ..

Writing just one more time before flying this evening..

Maybe I'll post this before I fly..

M.

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

Winnie-the-poo

The Thyssen gallery in Málaga 

Many more photographs from last week's visit to the Thyssen gallery in Málaga..

The link may help where I have failed to add any artists names... And dates of work! 

Next time, I will go slower and take more time..

Although we took time, I know when I go alone I take more .. maybe without the worry of who I am with...

Time has flown as must I later today...

Here all day really, flying at 22:00... And after a bit of a mixed weather day yesterday, today is bright and sunny with a mix of clouds..

Above I do know, I'd in the room with the Rembrandt collection..

M.

One who knows how to enjoy life does not need riches 

(I add, it would help though!)

Museo Carmen Thyssen

I should have taken more note of who painted everything I took photographs of .. 

Deepest apologies.. 

I took way too many photographs, hadn't been in the Thyssen for about.. mmm maybe five or six years? 

Good to be back there... 

The picture below, Emilio Sánchez-Perrier, Winter in Andalucía

Looks so incredibly modern, the poplar trees, the sheep... Almost photograph like..

Painted in 1880...

I miss going to the gallery's and museums of Málaga, the rich history.. artwork painted over the last couple of hundred years; some more.. we saw some of  Rembrandt's work ... from the 1600's..

To see all this amazing beauty, then step out in the old part of Málaga.. wonderful, fills the heart up, recharges the soul.. I am so lucky.

Just ran through my decades of views of Málaga, to place one here from the past, but wasn't a helpful exercise! The happy times...

M.

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.

Carol Burnett - Actress, Comedian, Singer