próspero año nuevo & a Blue Moon!

This morning friends around the world i just want to share todays Go Gratitude with you all, today at the end of this decade, cant believe its been ten years since the Millennium celebrations...

i am on my way back to Mom's, will be back within a week. she seems to be living on wafer biscuits at the moment, saying all the other food she has doesnt seem appealing at all. she had such a huge delivery on sunday of easy foods, the list sounded very strange when i had finished it and the tesco guy was surprised at the quantity! and i will be there to go with her to Mount Vernon on thursday and see what the professor has to say... and make sure she eats all that food!

mom and i have a system, i gave up phoning her all day, the phone is in another room and she mostly just lets it ring, so when she is up she calls me and i call her straight back, but nearly everyone else who phones just gets no reply but are left worrying, and my poor mom has the phone ringing all day she says!

thing is people understandably want to know how she is but are getting her out of bad to do so! no matter i will be there soon to answer the phone for her...

rain again today... same ol' same ol' story from here on that then! although yesterday Franco and i went down to Fuengirola and the day was quite bright and dry, took para agua just in case though! lots of hard wind and rain over night, dare not go up on the terrace as whereabouts of washing could be a mystery!

Barry got off ok on tuesday evening, friends dropped him off for us, i hated just leaving him there at the drop off zone... the plane left a bit late too... so he is back in Nottingham now, with snow? not sure, i think his airport was closed yesterday morning with it!

ok amigos read below and here's to 2010 may it bring prosperity to you all, in health and happiness if not wealth also!

***********************************************************************************
To our Community of the Heart:

Thank you for being a part of our lives, and sharing time
in 2009 together!

May this New Year be one of Joy, abundance, good-will, peaceful
awakenings and graceful journeys. May we have courage
to look for the blessing in every moment, and the audacity
to celebrate it!

May compassion reign in our hearts and kindness ring
through every word. May our waking dreams be filled
with joy, creativity and passionate pursuits. May our
hearts and minds be joined as One; unified within, so without.

May we remember we are all Children of the Earth: kindred
spirits, brothers and sisters, members of the Great family
of Love.

May we choose Love over fear; unity and harmony over
separation and discord. May we have the strength to claim
our authentic power; standing true in Word, action and deed,
and with firm resolve BE the change we wish to see in the world.

May our children see the Light of Love in our eyes. May our
elders be honored for the wisdom each bears. May every Heart
trust they are Divinely endowed with the birth-right to thrive,
and wake each day celebrating the Great-Full-Ness of life.

May we remember Heaven is within our Hearts, opening our
eyes to the sacred in all things. May we breathe prayers of
thanks into each moment, and with reverence honor the gift
this Life brings.

This is our prayer. We give thanks it is so! And so it is!

***

Come one, Come all! Did you know ...

New Years Eve 2009 is also Day 42 of World Gratitude gathering?

As we prepare to complete this wave, and this year, we invite
you to join us, wherever you may be, at 11:11 am or pm on
January 31st for a silent world-wide Gratitude meditation.

Simply breathe into the heart, allowing Gratitude and appreciation
to flow thru you. Allow this wave to roll beyond you, to the heart
of the earth and to the heart of the Universe. Feel yourself
being connected to our global family, to Source, to Love.

Let go of any thoughts, intentions, or distractions. Rather, allow
yourself to BE the Great-Full-Ness of Life, fully present to the
gift of this moment and to the power of Now.

Whether you are able to join us at the appointed time, or simply
choose to spend one moment - maybe this moment! -- in the
energy of Gratitude, know that you are part of a wave of
appreciation flooding the planet, our hearts - yes! all creation -
with Love.

What better way can we give thanks for this year, and prepare
to enter the New - with a heart full of Love and Gratitude!

Thank you to all who joined us for this wave of World Gratitude.
What a beautiful way to complete 2009, and begin 2010!

For those interested in joining our next wave, we're charting our
2010 schedule and be sharing here soon!

Thank you, Beloveds, for joining us in this experiment in Gratitude.
We are blessed by your prayers, notes of insight and kindness,
generous support, and expressions of Love and Gratitude.

We look forward to 2010, and beyond, and to the continued
growth of our Community of the Heart - which most blessedly
includes YOU!


Ukehi shi'bijii (Thank you for being our heart)

Stacey Robyn
and the ground crew of Go Gratitude!

P.S.When we have the courage to look for what is right with
the world, we will find our hearts, and the world, filled with
Gratitude! In-Joy this 20 min. journey with Dewitt Jones, as
he shares his stories on finding more and more to be grateful
for.


TTFN mi amigos see you in 2010!
hugs Marianxx
ps... hey i nearly missed this its a blue moon this evening! second full moon in a calender month, so if there is something you only do once in a blue moon.... todays the day folks.... enjoy!!!?!!

hey there... what on earth have i been doing since Christmas Eve! not an awful lot due to the weather... and feeling a little sad and helpless regarding my Mom, she is sounding so bad, i have a trip booked for her birthday, but will be going back well before then i know.

looked at flights for next week, horrendous! will have to wait till nearer the second week of January to fly.

☺i hope all your Christmas dreams came true...☺

Christmas day it rained, again, after the lovely sun on the day before! and sunday was glorious! Franco Barry and i were out and about all day! La Cañada, La Trocha on way home, with several stops that were actually outside inbetween!

very christmassy in La Cañada, soooo manyt people all out and about present buying, remember present giving day is the evening of January 6th here the Day of the Kings, and it was one of the Kings giving out gifts to the little'uns sat on his throne in the big area near H&M and Zara etc. we popped into Marks & Spencers, well one had to didn't one! it was.... well M&S! looked a bit empty, not just of people but the whole area really, there is a small over priced, of course, food area!!!! not much more to mention about it again, and probably wont go in again either that i can foresee...

yesterday Barry and i went to Malaga, by bus, the driver pulled up on time, then got off the bus to check the time table? there are two buses at that time, the half past then the quarter too, so although he arrived on time he decided to not leave until just before the next one was due? then proceeded to talk all the way to the front seat passengers, loudly and bodily! apart from the time he ansered his mobile when he had both hands off the steering wheel for a while, at road works on a steep hill as you leave our town the light was red, a small van in front then us... at no point did he put on the hand brake so instead we rocked! as in he pulled up to back of the van, then rolled back, then forward again, then back... then.... well you get the picture, no clutch control whatsoever, and the guys in the van and the driver behind must have been most amused... NOT!

at a round about entering de la Torre, he was so engrossed in conversation with passengers that he didn't see a car and braked so hard i hurt my hand on the seat in front, but it was my hand or my head, so i shouldn't complain... but i do so love to!

Baz and i had a good walk around and had stopped for some lunch, out side, luckily under a para sol, when it started to rain quite heavily, but as i say, it was a para sol, not para agua! so although the rain kept off we had a fine mist, our own little eco system! quite a few of the people and tables weren't so lucky and were just plain wet!


as Barry and i came round towards the bridge into the old town i could see the top of this hot air balloon! so took a photo!

on our way back it was gone...

so... we have the dehumidifier on up stairs every day for a bit to help dry out our bedroom, the first day i put it on the container was about ¾ full of water! and yesterday about a third when i switched it off.

frightening to think of all that moister just hanging around in the room, settling in the walls and in us!

Pippa had a few days without walks with all this rain, that looks set for the next four or five days now too! but we have been out the last few mornings, a new shop we pass has a board above the window, i think when i first saw it i must have been half asleep or just mis lead, i thought it said *Anon y mas* as in a brilliant play on words anonymas! meaning of course anonymous and more! but... dopey here mis read it completely! there was first a picture of a jamon, a whole leg of ham, then *amon y mas* so it really read jamon y mas, ham and more!!!! so its a butchers...

the photo at the top of today's blog is our tree... this year its all new, well except from the angel that my step Mom gave me donkeys years ago... but the tree is black with white bits on the ends like snow and we bought white star lights and silver baubles... and that's it! the last few Christmas's i have got so strange putting up the old one with all the memories... i know i said already but we just threw out *nearly* all the old stuff, i just kept a couple of baubles and put them away safely out of sight! and i am sure next year there will be something about this one that will make me sad... i dont know what it is about Christmas i always have this huge expectation about it, not presents i hasten to add, but just about Christmas itself, the day, the meaning? i don't know what it is, but i expect this great moment in time... then on the day! phf! whatever it is i expect isn't there and i feel the loss of something.... maybe one Christmas *it* will be there whatever *it* is and i will have the answer to this dilemma...

TTFN
Marian

Christmas Eve

i could repeat Mondays blog here... with the rain rain rain... its still almost non stop here in Alhaurín el Grande! Poor ol Barry, what a holiday, away from the snow maybe, but all this rain!

talking to my Twitter tweaples we are all suffering the same problems, rain coming in! water will find a way.. although i am lucky we dont have a leaky roof terrace! how awful there are some cracks up there, but theyre holding their own for now!

our little area by the back door downstairs is wet the rain is coming in around the sky light, so i keep mopping, and of course our bedroom is starting to show signs of damp on one wall, well this is spain and if you live in an old house this is life!

we have had a few spells without rain... but this is when we have a power cut! monday i was waiting in seemingly all day for someone who was doing some work for someone we know and i was taking them there!

yesterday we actually got to do the job that was supposed to be done on monday, in and out and job done? this was during a period of no rain, but low low cloud cover, was like an old day in foggy england! i even got a chance to get out my sun glasses!

the power has been on and off all night, and this morning, mental note ~ need more candles today!

mom is ok back in blighty, snowed in somewhat, but still a cupboard full of food and nice and snug with her heating on. her and auntie Linda next door need to make a communicating door between them so they can pop next door without going out!

mom is sleeping a lot, says she is so so tired, so its hard to catch her up when i phone, and she says oh its you who keeps ringing is it!!!

today Franco Barry and i are going down to the coast... para aquas at the ready, waterproofs up to our arm pits...

A very very Happy Christmas to each and every one of you, steady on the eating and drinking! but as much happiness and good cheer as you can fit in! keep calm and relaxed if you can...

love and hugs to you and yours, i will raise a glass of red red wine to you all this evening with dinner... lets say... 8pm spanish time! and wish you all good health happiness and wealth!

TTFN
Marian

Rain Rain Rain...

oh heck what is going on... its pouring all chance of going out cancelled! Franco took the big para aqua this morning and i think i left my little orange one in cristinas on saturday! so until it stops raining i wont be going down for it!!!!

yesterday was ok, bit of cloud and bit of sun, Franco Barry and i went down to Fuengirola, El Corté and Miramar, a bit of a shopping fiesta!

Barry says we moan about everything! nearly all the time! couple of grumps apparently! well its good to have a moan... !

Saturday Franco worked and Baz and i just went into town, no rain, but possibility, thats why i took the brolley, but did not bring it back! Baz bought Franco a jamon for Christmas, he was so pleased! and there it rests now on top of the refrigerator, will take a photo later, i remember the last one we bought, we carried it home in the shopping trolley with its foot poking out the top!

looking at the tv now, trains disrupted, Eurostar cancelled for yet another day, snow ice freezing weather... all in the uk! and here rain so hard the only signal i can get is SKY news... and it just keeps going round and round and round!

Rain rain go away, come again another day....
TTFN
Marian

I have decided under the circumstances not to bother with my photos of the snow i had in England before i came home yesterday... it looks like frosting on a cake compared to wha'ts happened since i left!

so above a pic on Pippa yesterday on one of our new cushions, she finds it extremely comfortable as do we!

what weather back in the UK! Sky news... Luton airport where i flew from is closed this morning still! i know from when i booked the next available flight was on Saturday, so that would have been fun, i would have arrived home a day after Barry gets here!

now just have to hope he can get out of East midlands later today, luckily its not till later, so lots of time for runway cleaning and its not even mentioned on news today... so far!

our plane yesterday had to be defrosted once we were all on board and doors closed... they had all these guys running around it up by the windows with de-icer and they came back round scrapping off all the ice!

just kidding about the guys, but a big machine did the job, whatever that meant!

i am glad i got Mom all stocked up with shopping before i left! not sure if even Tesco will be out today?

only other photo is a last one from Berkhamsted Castle i took last week....

yesterday i got up at 3:15am... *second* thought was, hope the taxi driver is up?

he collected me at 4:15am and said he was still actually up from the evening before, not sure if that was goods news to me or worse! he still had another couple of jobs to do before home time, one of which was another tip to the Luton airport! cashing it in...

time went by quick enough read one of my on line books... then it was boarding time, which turned into a bit of a circus, looked like nearly everyone had a suitcase the size of a...a... well a big suitcase! so no space up above and people were complaining they couldn't get their feet comfy because of theyre case! oh dear dear!!!! one woman who had paid a tenner more for extra leg room complained to the steward about it! well maybe if she had paid that tenner to put the bag in the hold she could have put her feet under the seat instead!!!!

flight was packed too, which is good for spain, come on, get back out here tourists! especially as its not snowing here! well apart from where you want it to snow on the ski slopes and they have lots of snow up north, much more than Britain!

Franco picked me up from airport, he was a bit late as was the couple picking up the son of a friend of mine! had i known i would have shared the ride to save Franco having to have the day off, but never mind, too late in retrospect... so, traffic problems on the road, no change there then!

we had lunch at Ikea... my yummy favorite of meatballs of course, Franco tried the Chritmas lunch.. it was more money and less food? and nothing like one would expect, a few slices of cooked ham, some potatoes cooked in a sauce and a red sauce! oh sorry, nearly forgot he got a free yoghurt chucked in for good measure!

.... and from there we popped into Las Lagunas and then home... and Pippa! i always forget how fast and wriggly she is!

i then kept busy.. couldn't stop! i think it was the early morning and lack of sleep, as despite having gone to bed about 9:30pm i was still clock watching at nearly 11pm! usually the way when you have to sleep! then cant....

... so the wonderful new Christmas tree is up, starry lights lit and silver baubles arranged, by Franco! the other extra bits i always have every year, cards are strung from string... and of course my lovely nativity setting is there...

and now today, nice when i took the Pip out for her walk... then it started raining and raining hard, letting up a bit now... much check the weather... have a trip on the bus later to the airport to meet Baz, then Franco will pick us up just after 8pm!

er... checked the weather... well its not always, or even usually right is it??? time for coffee....

TTFN
Marian

I am adding to the post, today 14th December 2010, a year later, looking back I have noticed something missing...

I had ended the post on the 14th saying I felt strange.... Turned out I awoke with a migraine, and Mom refused to go to Mount Vernon without me... She couldn't get out of bed, and really didn't want to go. We called the doctor for Mom, who came to see her, didn't see the signs of kidney failure that I now know, far more than I want to. I stayed on the floor of the living room in my cocoon of a sleeping bag...

Mom remained the same until I left for home, sleepy, no concentration, unable to read a book or do a puzzle, just wanted to sleep, ate very little, her body was shutting down. And no one knew, the doctor I feel should have thought about the tumour and where it was, and how it could be effecting the kidneys, blocking them maybe, still in retrospect, its all too late.

oh dear where have i been since last wednesday? seems like months ago! let me check... ok not much help really cant remember... i think Mom and i just went to Berkhamsted actually last wednesday after my writing... we got a cab down town either that day or the next!

and then i think friday i went into Berkhamsted and did a little tour of Berkhamsted castle before heading into town for Costa, and my favourite Crème Brulee latte!

you know i cant remember, so will forget about it!



i hadn't been into the castle grounds for years, i think maybe the last time was for a November 5th firework display, a long time ago... it was a lovely day as you can see above, a couple were just leaving when i arrived so i was privileged to the peace and quiet therein... it was nice to chill out there for a while...

Mom has an appointment at Mount Vernon tomorrow, i think she was trying to get out of going saying she wouldn't be able to walk that far... but they have wheelchairs Mom so there is no getting out of it!

friday evening Kate picked me up on her way home and i spent the weekend with Tony and Kate, and saturday with Barry too, we joined the masses on the M1, and a bit slow going it was too. had lunch in Nottingham and a wander round the shops, and home again as the sun set!

went into a fantastic shop in St Albans on sunday morning its called the Emporium and sells, well as the word explains i suppose, it sells loads of *stuff*...

*stuff* from years ago and some from now... memorabilia its like an Aladdin's cave and i would really like to spend more time in there... Tony! but no, not really his fault we left when we did, it was freezing in there! i think the heating was blowing out cold frosty air! they really did have everything there.. furniture from the 60's, kitchinalia, (spell check wouldn't pick up that modern word!) unusual clothes from who know what decades! ornaments, furnishings... oh so much i cant remember it all!

ok amigos, am tired.. oh better keep going though, today i popped over to Aylesbury for coffee with friends in the morning, colder today, but not frosty!

i scared Barry a bit i think, on my gmail home page i have the weather for Malaga, London and LA, and it said Malaga was going to be -1c today! going up to 3c and later on in the week only going to 1c! when i actually clicked on the link though the true figures came up! hope he hasn't really cancelled his flight! Franco has bought the worlds biggest turkey! i thought he was kidding but he showed it to me last night on the web cam... and its a big bird forsure...

ok now i am going, feeling funny today... in a not funny way..

TTFN
Marian

St Peters in Berkhamsted ~ i thought this morning i would purloin a couple of photos of Berkhamsted today.. thank you!

there is a yew tree which when i was young i learned was over 2000 years old, so now its a bit older than that! but not much!! i just read a little yew tree facts and quote* The leaves of the yew are now used to produce a drug which inhibits cancer cell growth permanently, called taxol. Note: leaves, bark and seeds are poisonous do not ingest. The flesh of the berries can be used as a laxative and a diuretic.*

so i was just going to run down to the poor tree, till i read the red section and decided against it!



and above Berkhamsted Town Hall this is now a restaurant down stairs, a French one, used to be Italian... but in the *good 'ol days* the doors in the centre there were open to the street and down either side were small shops, a quirky gathering of unusual wears... a florists on the left i think right at the front, or it could have been on the right?

and down at the end, through the doors into a little courtyard, turn right and then into a restaurant, it was quite big and where the boys had their first tea cakes... probably... don't know what's down there now, will have to have a look next time i am in Berko!

Mom's appointment with the doctor on Monday, her kidney function isn't good, and she is back on the meds now which is good, half measures to start and see how it goes... she is sleeping so much now and not reading at all which is nothing like my Mom, she used to speed through a book a day or more! and this was only in September! now nothing, she is trying the last couple of days to get back into her crosswords which she also has always done, but she only really looks at them for a while then has another nap.... i cant even imagine her walking along the canal into Berko like we did early October, no way... Jose!

we might be going to Hemel today, but if not *we* then just me... i need some exercise and walking is good for me, and no head ache this morning i got up at 6.30am! well i say got up, rolled off my air bed actually!

Mom's suggestion of a hammock is sounding really good now, although not sure where exactly she thought we would put it!? maybe outside between hers and Auntie Lindas! one of them could pop out now and again and give me a little rock...

Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.

Rabindranath Tagore

TTFN
Marian

Worlds End...

couple of Christmas'y shots for today... yesterday friends came up from Kent, keep saying *up* and its across really, or even down! anyways.... after a cup of tea we set off for Worlds End nursery in Wendover... didn't want Maggie having to do too much more driving after the trip to get here in some poor weather, but Worlds End is about 15 minutes i think, and the sun was out and the sky was blue... so looking good, and stayed good!

they liked all the shops there, and the plants of course, Cath said they're cheaper here than where they normally go in Kent, but a long journey to come here instead me thinks!



the Christmas *area* was wonderful as usual, on the way towards Santa above, the ceiling was dark and starry with big white fluffy snowmen *flying* ... beautiful, Santa had his own home just outside by the Christmas trees....

lots of decorations and extra bits you really would like, such a shame it has to be put away for most of the year!

two other gift shop areas there also, or actually four or five even! you go in and out of various places, they all have their own pay desks which can be confusing!

we stopped there for lunch too, Mom had her favourite scampi and us three *girls(!)* had a turkey dinner! so busy in there, but then it normally is!

Today... Monday, went to be a bit late and made the mistake of getting up late! 7.45am, far too late for me, so am a bit head achy, hate when i do this to myself, but i guess i will never learn if i haven't by now eh!

Mom has a doctors appointment this afternoon and we're going there and back by cab, so i had to get some exercise for me i would be rubbish tomorrow too, so it was up and out and i walked down into Berkhamsted, looked like rain but held off, i had the most wonderful coffee in Costa, it was a crème brûlée latte! and was fantastic! well more than fantastic and i would have another one right this very minute! will have to wait until tomorrow though...

had a little look around some shops, bought Mom a pot of 5 hyacinths, the lady said blue or pink? and i said pink, but how can you tell? she said oh i have my ways... she looked at them, picked one up, and i was impressed, till she showed me a picture of pink hyacinths on the side! hahahaha very funny! good thing i hadn't made a bet!

i was going to walk home even though the rain had started but as i looked to cross the street i saw the 500 held up at the lights and made a dash for it, thanks to the red lights i managed it!

its still raining now so not looking forward to our little trip out in another hour...

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-five now, and we don't know where the hell she is.

ELLEN DEGENERES

TTFN

Marian

Mazzys Crumb Cake!

Crumb Cake!

16 tbsp margerine - this is a weird measurement, so i just put the marg into my measuring jug up to... oooops at Moms! hope you can work that out!
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla - i use the fresh from one vanilla pod
2 cups flour
2tsp baking powder
½tsp salt
jam/apples/peaches - i have used layers of all of these, not all together though!

crumb topping
2 tbsp margarine
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup flour

cream together margarine and sugar. add eggs and beat thoroughly, add vanilla

sift dry ingredients together. add to creamed mixture and blend thoroughly. spread ½ of batter into greased
and floured 9" x 13" baking pan. or something similar!

spread pie filling over top and cover with remaining batter.

mix topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over top.

bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes - all oven are different and it takes a little longer in ours

Enjoy amigos....

TTFN
Marian

Mom M.I.A. = missing in Aylesbury!

Ship building comes to Aylesbury..

well ok its not strictly or even sort of a ship i know, but looks like one i think, i have been watching this magnificent theatre being built over this year... and have kept on meaning to take a photo... and look hey! i did!



then this above is a pretty poor photo of the not exactly finished Christmas display in Friars Square, Aylesbury, and if the Christmas decorations are finished in there than they are pretty poor too!

it does not look very clear but there on the left at the top are a giants leg coming down through a cloud!

after Mom had her hair done, we set off for Aylesbury by bus... up in the lift to a store and had some nice soup and bread, we only had half measures so only got charged for one soup? well thats good i guess, after looking in a couple of other stores we went for a coffee and muffin! i wanted to buy some cards so said to Mom as she hadn't finished her coffee, well not really even started it that she would probably be about quarter of an hour yes? she said yes, so i said well i will be about ten minutes i think at the most... and off i went, down and out of Friars square into Haleleas(?) into the shop, grabbed what i wanted to the till and straight out, back in precisely 8 minutes! and Mom had gone....

i hung about where last seen, asked someone sitting there from before, no luck, looked into a couple of shop door ways, nope, sat down for ten minutes, Mom's mobile phone packed in through lack of interest! i then walked to the other end of mall and in and up to the loos... calling Mom? Mom? Mom? like some weirdo at all the closed doors...

came back down and out into the mall again... and then wandering along... Mom! arh!!!!

so... to the bus! and home...

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

THOMAS EDISON

oh! Mom worked for Edison in New York! #10 East 40th st And this piece below i have perloined from The Edison Biography, which i have just read, before completing this!

Thomas Edison died At 9 P.M. On Oct. 18th, 1931 in New Jersey. He was 84 years of age. Shortly before passing away, he awoke from a coma and quietly whispered to his very religious and faithful wife Mina, who had been keeping a vigil all night by his side: "It is very beautiful over there..."

Recognizing that his death marked the end of an era in the progress of civilization, countless individuals, communities, and corporations throughout the world dimmed their lights and, or, briefly turned off their electric power in his honor on the evening of the day he was laid to rest at his beautiful estate at Glenmont, New Jersey. Most realized that, even though he was far from being a flawless human being and may not have really had the avuncular personality that was so often ascribed to him by myth makers, he was an essentially good man with a powerful mission.... Driven by a superhuman desire to fulfill the promise of research and invent things to serve mankind, no one did more to help realize our Puritan founders dream of creating a country that - at its best - would be viewed by the rest of the world as "a shining city upon a hill."

Mom knew Charles Edison... oh heck cant get rid of this italic.. never mind, seems very strange to think my Mom knew the son of the man who invented the light bulb doesn't it!!!

TTFN

Marian

Just joined every group there is that involves the new production called Love Never Dies.. its part two of The phantom of the Opera...

photo courtesy of the above...

going in march to see The Phantom was for Mom's *bucket list*, and it was the most beautiful show, show wrong word, performance is better... i hope to see it again, and now want to see the new one which opens in march 2010, its ten years on and the phantom is living in New York, the scene is Coney Island, which is my Mom and Dads old stomping ground and means a lot to her, the good times and lots of good memories... have been checking out the matinee, but looks like they're all booked up? will have to be an evening visit...

... and to Mom, further blood tests from earlier this week showed no problems, which is good, she was so worried she would have to go into hospital. today she wasn't too good first thing and after some tea, went back to bed for another couple of hours.

i went into town, got picked up by the shops... by friends! we went into Berkhamsted, coffee in Costas, and then supermarket and back to Moms... she was up and watching TV, had eaten and felt a bit better...

yesterday, Wednesday i think! uncle Bill dropped us off in Hemel Hempstead, we walked for a couple of minutes into Marks and Spencer and already it was too much for Mom, we went a little further in the mall, i called Tony in a right panic, a white mist came over me, not a red anger one, a white one, just as scary for me, all of a sudden i couldn't think what would happen if Mom couldn't make it on the bus, or if we just got stuck there or something! anyway, Mom came back, and we went on to Debenhams for some soup! and a café solo each which seemed to help us both, then it was on the bus and back to Northchurch! met a man on the bus who knows the hairdresser that the boys used to use, Scissors in Berko! i told him the first time i took them there and how Tony got feisty and tried to kick and struggle in the chair... he was only about 3yrs! i had to pin him down on the chair while the guy cut Tonys hair!

The man who tried his best and failed is superior to the man who never tried.

BUD WILKINSON

TTFN
Marian

great day yesterday, but very tiring, on the bus just past 9am and over to Aylesbury, the bus driver was 12, no really! well maybe 13½, he looked seriously young for driving a bus, and he was heavy on the metal too, be it the brake or the accelerator, he was going so fast at one bus stop he was well past it by the time he came to a stand still and the guy had to walk a way to catch us up to board the bus, and we were on the road and not in the lay by so traffic was getting backed up! then when he pulled off the guy nearly fell over!

just shown New York on the TV, and the wonderful window displays in Bergdorf Goodmans 5th avenue ... brings back memories, last time i was at that store i was waiting with my cousin Tim for his friend who worked in their hair salon and we waited in a margarita bar further down 5th av - what a hard life eh...

... anyway... where was i? so Aylesbury! and it looked so much better than when i was here last, the corner where woolworths was is all taken up now by River Island and Peacocks and looks great, a few of the other empty stores are, be it temporary, full of christmassy things... and give the whole of the Friars Square a much more prosperous look! and then where the *missing* water feature was, is, Father Christmas's cabin! with a giant pair of legs swinging over a bean stalk! must belong to a giant... i guess?

i spent a great couple of hours with Sarah and Callum, coffee-decaf, then a look around some shops, lots of laughter and a few near tears... you know how it is... then i met Steph, i waited in Costas with a cafe latte-decaf! after there we also went around the shops, lots... then a bit of lunch and more shops, lots more laughter and a few near tears.. we're going to go to Milton Keynes! cant wait - although it will also mean i am nearly on my way home then...

i got on the 3.30bus back to moms, exhausted but happy! and over dinner prep and dinner talking to Franco on gmail video, thank goodness for that, and there was my baby Pippa, she has some bad habits when i am not there!

saw my favourite *Fools and Horses* episode last night, turned over and not knowing which one it was i settled down to watch it and there they were... del boy and trigger in the posh wine bar, giving all the chat and del turned round to lean back on the bar..... whoa! it was raised up and he went down!!! fantastic!

hasta luego amigos...

TTFN
Marian

Monday morning just past 10am, England, raining, cold and grey...

Franco left me at departures saturday morning, i didn't even go up to the duty free section, i sat down on the lower level and then at 11am walked through passport control and into the departure gate area, spent a penny! and the gate number was up already! great...

sat down and marvelled at the amount of people who were at our gate for Luton with Monarch but they wanted Easyjet, some even saying but it says Luton!!! and the poor guy had to keep saying, yes its Luton but Easyjet is at another gate...

flight went quickly too and we landed 10 minutes early, bag came almost first... Tony called as i approached the carousel i had a head ache and he knew when i answered the phone to him! still have a bit of a pain on the side of my head.. relax i keep telling myself, thing is i never listen to myself...

stayed in pretty much over weekend... rain stopped play! but was a nice break, watching movies and eating! and last night Tony and Kate brought me over to Moms... she doesn't seem as good as she was in october, i dont think. she has had a lot of problems over last month...

we have a couple of people due this morning then we are going to go to Berkhamsted, Mom hasn't been into town for a while now so a bit worried the trip...

have a bit of a poem to follow....

..... Keep Ithaka always in your mind,
Arriving there is what you're destined forl.
But don't hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you're old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with what you've gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvellous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.

by Cavafy about Ulysses

TTFN
Marian

i better get a bit of a blog done eh! i am off to Blighty tomorrow and not sure if i can have internet access until i get to Mom's on Monday, i will be twittering, so that will be there on my blog i believe down on the lower right hand side...

anyway, where have i been? since tuesday? where did the week go? ok, i had enough of these fatigue causing meds and had the last one wednesday evening, so last night wasn't as tired as usual when i went to bed, tired normal that is for me, but not completely whacked out and semi conscious! well if my Mom can go rebel on hers i forsure can do the same on mine, although strictly speaking maybe Mom should still be taking hers! but she now sounds so much better, awake, positive, she made it to the prof. at the Mount Vernon yesterday without any problems, she just sounds so well now... even though she is not.

i went down town..., it must have been wednesday, Franco was out and i made it down, i had to get some labels for Christmas cards, rather than take the whole address book, which is heavy and big! the main road into town, the high street is being paved also like the rest of this area and the road closed signs were up, in three places, not enough though, people were driving round them, i still cannot get my head around the fact that people here do not take any notice of road closed signs, its like they don't think its for them??? so people had to reverse (help!) all the way back up the street, and try another route, most of which also have road works on, well, why not do it all at the same time i say!!!! problem with the reversing here... most of them were ending up on the paths, no kerbs, just a smooth kerb to allow for parking, so people were over steering right, left and right again! like something from a Harry Hill video... there's a thought now, i missed that one didn't i!

i stopped with friends outsider a bar and had coffee, then on my way stopped at a friends home for a tea! i think i better cut down a bit on my coffee, but how much is too much? i only have about 4 or 5 a day, and when my BP was low, which was forever till now, i have had 10 or more and been fine? no comprendo mis amigos!

Thursday Franco and i went down to Calahonda, checked out Maria's place, everything fine, quiet, not many holiday makers out, yesterday we had a bit of rain too, not much only a sprinkling, and friends we were meeting up with had on t shirts and shorts! Brrrrr! we went to Los Olivos for a tapa and coffee(!) saw a mate that used to live here in Alhaurín in there which was great and arranged to meet up when i am back in a couple of weeks.

then a guy came in we used to live near, and a few others! was like coming home...

had a good day... in the evening we had to go to Vodafone! we were in there only an hour and half! was light when we entered and dark when we left! lots of people out and about in the evenings here in town, but a mist was over and for the first time this winter you could really feel the dampness in the air...

but today! hot sunshine again, hot in the sun anyhows, cooler in the shade! when Pip and i were out bright( er no dark still!) but early we met up with a couple of neighbours! one mi amiga who has left Spain and now lives back in England.. she is only over for a few days, and another who was out having an early morning ciggie!!!

was strange meeting in the dark like that! but later after a quick trip to town i visited with the friends she is staying with and we went out, a visit to the cemetery and then a bar for coffee (!) and tapas... good to see her again, i miss her being round the corner...

today i notice i am not taking the tablets, sorry doc! although when the alarm went off i felt tired, it was just normal Fibro tired, not drug induced, and its nearly 4pm now, not had to nap yet or put my feet up...although having been out a while i probably should do, especially as we have to go out again later!

washing on the line, hope it dries, i am wearing some of it tomorrow! case packed with clothes to keep me warm, it feels cooler here, for us, but mi amiga felt hot! i guess she has got used to English weather already!

ok amigos, probably lots more to say, i usually do! but have things to do, and hands tired... Franco will be moaning at me, so hasta luego and off to England....

omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis.
All things change, and we change with them.
Roman proverb

TTFN
Marian

i was just about to relax with a book when i realised i haven't blogged since couldn't remember when... saturday it seems, these meds are doing me in, read on the FM site this morning about something new i might try... funny how us FM sufferers are guinea pigs for so many different things... we will try almost anything you know if there is the slightest hope of it making us better...

i also came across a poem, will place at the end of today's post, it made me cry i must say

the truth does doesn't it....

also been talking to lots of other women with the same FM as me, i must admit in the past when i first registered on the site, and the odd times i have *popped in* as it were, reading other people stories, the same as mine mostly, has just made me depressed and felt worse than before, now, no, now i feel a certain comradeship, a joint army against what is pulling *us* down, and you know it is good to talk, and to talk with people who have the same symptoms which cause the same thoughts and feelings...

and to hear symptoms you have are real... because after a while you do wonder... especially how i have got so much worse this year, and why, and i am still willing to give things a go to improve myself, and i certainly have to, cant put up with this... i wont put up with this!

anyway... eh amigos!


photos.... so here today i welcome you to a new street here in Alhaurin el Grande... whats the name of it? ooops, didn't look, maybe soon eh!

top photo as seen from the park with the exercise stuff on... as you turn into the street the wall there and the other side of the road full of graffiti already, as everywhere it seems..and the next is the street as you head up to the main road with the Sierra de Mijas in the back ground...


and above looking back... looks lovely eh, well sort of, as in nice and clean and straight, cracks appearing between some of the houses already... lots of the door knockers are missing already, they were there the other week, not now...

the odd one going, maybe, but loads....


and this is the name of the little charmer leaving his (her?) mark everywhere just now, not sure why the *?* is the person unsure of their own name!!!!

no one lives here yet and by the time they do there may be very little left!

Poem...

The pain we go through the agony within
how do I get rid of it fm its a sin
Shoulders hips knees and your neck
also to feel like a nervous wreck.
Take the tablets one by one
and off to pain clinic it might work for some.
I think of times long ago
when life was a breeze and fun it did flow.
I may be sick and have fm thats a curse
I am going to fight it and try not to get worse.

TTFN
Marian

not often you see bare naked trees around here... these are some of those burnt in the Mijas fire the other week... what with the color of the mountains beyond it makes the picture look so cold....

we stopped here too... there is a parcel of land for sale, not much bigger than a mans handkerchief! well a bit bigger i suppose, but the sign says room for 37 houses! as you can see there is a finca here just now....

yes well, the remains of one, there is a nice piece
of land just in front, room to turn a car, with power steering! so not ours!?! then its down hill on three sides and the drive up! so 37 houses????
look how think these walls were, but there on this little mountain shelf sticking out as it does, you would need them! no protection for the hot sun, and none from the winds either!

this morning we went down to the coast, we did a bit of a shop, Aldi and Iceland(!) bit cloudy again today, still warm, but up here the cloud is only just lifting now and its 2.30pm, we had a coffee down by the shops and sat out in the sun shine where the sea breezes move it on... here!

with the release recently of a new game Franco would like, although he hasn't had the first one yet, our minds turn to the difference in prices here from England... the game was down to about 26 pounds on release day, not sure what it is now, but here in Spain 86Euros! even the first one is over 60Euros! we noticed the other day too, a Robbie Williams CD he has just released, 7 pounds i think in England was over 17Euros!!! not sure if its just the shops ripping you off here, or some over priced charges they pass on?

.... the games here anyway are, well obviously in Spanish! but the other languages are French and maybe Portuguese! never English??? whereas the games you buy in England have them all, and more.... why??? the games packaging is all in English... but there it ends, so these are made especially for Spain, in fact some say not to be sold out side of Spain???

ok too may question marks today!

up date on Mom, she is rebelling and does not want to take some of her meds! too many side effects all causing more trouble than their worth! so is seeing the Professor at Mount Vernon a week early, i will now be missing her appointment!

me(?) my side effects, (must run in the family!) just as bad, insomnia now too, so although even more tired, less sleep!!!! all i can say is, don't let me drive....

We learn simply by the exposure of living. Much that passes for education is not education at all but ritual. The fact is that we are being educated when we know it least.

DAVID P. GARDNER

TTFN

Marian

"There is a secret
that almost nobody knows.

I will tell it to you
if you promise
to tell someone else:

The world isn't quite finished yet,
it isn't quite complete.

It's still
being
made.

Everywhere you look
and everywhere you listen,
someone or something

is helping
to make the world."

wanted to share this poem above with you, curtsey of World Gratitude, i have been following them for a while now, words of wisdom, words to up lift....

made some notes today as the day has gone on or i cannot remember anything! my Mom is having trouble with her memory at over 80! well if things carry on like this i wont even remember my name by then!

so.. like my Mom and her calls to me, i shall take note of my notes...

today we have had rain, woke up to it at 7am, didn't realise it was raining though and opened the back door to let Pippa out and she backed in! so back to bed! yeah!

it stopped later and i went into town, only as far as i had to go though, and i was dressed for the occasion, flowery Wellington boots! longish purple sweater with shortish sleeves! and sun glasses! funny looks? actually no! most people were wearing coats and boots and carrying para aguas! glad i didn't have the coat i was boiling by the time i got home!

on the way down to the high street i remembered when i first came here how there were speakers outside most of the shops from the Vera Cruz church down to the department store at the bottom of the road, and from the speakers came municipal music! strange tunes... but missed now they're gone, progress? i am not so sure....

the book i am reading about this journey on a narrow boat from England to France is good, not my normal read, but very good, and now the couple are in Paris and talking of all the sights Mom and i saw from the river Seine... so i can picture them for real in my mind now, as i could of Leighton Buzzard when he mentioned there earlier on in the book!

TTFN
Marian

view from under our stairs... sound of the sea, lovely little island out there... muy buena!

catch up with Mom... she is doing ok'ish, she had been taking tablets for something and has decided not to take them any more! then asking the doctor afterwards! she hasn't been out for two weeks, which isn't like her at all, hopefully when i am over we will be able to get out a bit, i'm sure she will summon her inner strength... she regularly has family coming to see her to say *hello*, and making sure she has everything she needs, also good friends nearby, a chemist that delivers! i have been doing most of her shopping on-line for her, but hope she will be back out shopping with her friend soon once a week to a supermarket.

and reality... we went down to Las Lagunas this morning, coming and going through the campo and came across what the fire here had done to land the other week...

trouble pulling over with a car behind us all the time, none on the way down of course, typical!

people were very lucky didn't look like any of the many houses were touched, about 200 evacuated, and in the spring all will be green and healthy once more!


still the warm weather holding on tight! the other evening Franco and i walked down into town after the shops had reopened and i wore a skirt!!! shock horror! i dont think i wore a skirt all summer, shorts or jeans... felt weird!

monday i walked down town to see mate in the animal shop, and stopped for coffee with another friend by the cross roundabout in town, sat under the shade of a para sol! expect i will be needing my para agua when i get to England in just over a week will i? everyone was wearing too many clothes and having to carry cast offs!

me? the side effects of my meds are still doing me in more than making me better yet, this has taken twice the time as it seems sometimes someone else must be doing the typing as words appear that i don't want, whole words? not just typos! which is a bit un nerving, maybe my keyboard has a poltergeist! or of course could be my head ache... so adieu my friends for now...

Dreams are the soul's pantry. Keep it well stocked and your soul will never hunger.

SHIRLEY FEENEY LAVERNE

TTFN

Marian

I am afraid we didn't make it down the track still known as the Fuengirola road, we walked around the market at La Trocha, popped round friends house, coming out of there we thought as their road is now tarmac we would see if you can actually come out by the Moreno restaurant now, but alas... no! so it was a turn about and the long haul back to Coín and home....

was, am just too tired... and the head ache is back, had it all day yesterday, it gave me a reprieve this morning...

anyway! was 17° on the terrace last night when i went up to hang some washing, and was surprised to find it dry this morning, usually gets a bit damp over night up there, but this weather is still wonderful, cant believe its November, when i hung out some more washing... winters scarves, gloves and woollies etc, it was 25° in the shade up there!

i had wrapped up a bit warmer for the rastro this morning, but needn't have! so i took off my gloves(?) and left my scarf in the car, getting back in Franco said "what's that cloth there?" cloth! ha my scarf!!! which i promptly wrapped round my neck again, i get a helluva draft around my neck from the open window!

market was as busy as usual which is great, lots of people i knew... and back home i noticed a twitter friend was there too! strange to think we pass each other like that without knowing... bit like on Facebook the other month i noticed two people i know were both in a town out shopping, facebook friends of mine but don't know each other...

am really please with what i did yesterday, sorted out my winter things from the chest they live in in the summer, except a pair of leather gloves i had had for long time, but still good and very comfy, had turned green with mould! luverly!!! and just so Spain!

the sealed bag was full of the above washing stuff... and although put away clean now smelled of mould, so everything in the wash! i put away summer things and now my draws and wardrobe are full of winter!!!! bring it on!!! (not!)

sorted some things for Cudeca and some for the bin! yet still i have clothes that i brought over with me 7 years ago, which i have never worn since! i know i keep hearing if you haven't worn it for two years chuck it out! but then there are some things missing from the chest, which i guess i did chuck out.... i am so bad at hanging on to things... bit like this blog today, i am fighting sleep, so should just give in to it, no its not night time, just siesta time in our quiet street in our quiet town at this time on a sunny Sunday afternoon....

hasta luego amigos...

To see a world in a grain of sand And heaven in a wild flower, To hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an hour.

WILLIAM BLAKE

TTFN
Marian

friday already folks, where is time going, wish i knew the answer!

we didn't do much yesterday, in fact i took Pippa out for her morning walk, and didn't venture out again until the shops reopened to milk at the local shop in the evening.

was a lovely warm day, outside, chilling up a bit in the house now, need to get some fluffy slippers and soon, my toes are getting cold!

today Franco took Pip out for her walk, and i went to town later on, gathered some of the local free papers and stopped at a friends for coffee in town on the way home, we went up on to her roof terrace to hang the clothes, she has a wonderful 360° vista from up there... next time i must take some photos yes? yes!

our old boiler is now playing up, just to add insult to injury! Franco has taken it apart a few times and run it through with aqua forte, a weird fluid we use here in Spain, probably an illegal substance back in the UK!

i am still fluffy round the corners with these meds, but persevering as the doctor has asked, and i do not usually do as i am told! but i guess i must this time eh!

but he phoned the other evening, did i tell you? couldn't believe it, the doctor calling and checking on progress, wonderful! anyway he said i must persevere, that it could take 4 or 5 weeks for the nerve endings to stop feeling pain! and the side effects, stomach ache, head ache, dry mouth, twitching(lovely!!!) tiredness and this awful foggy fussy numb in the head thing! he said not to worry about the high blood pressure yet, and we would deal with that another time, which is worrying me of course!

saving all of the above for now, and not telling my Mom, she has enough on her plate just now without worrying about me, because then i would worry about her, worrying about me.... arh!!! and there we go around and around!

If you have anything really valuable to contribute to the world it will come through the expression of your own personality, that single spark of divinity that sets you off and makes you different from every other living creature.

BRUCE BARTON

TTFN

Marian

got up earlier today and took Pippa for her walk, was a bit wobbley but she knows the way! and when i got home i had another little nap! because i sat down on the sofa and just went back out like a light!

i also walked down town in the hope of seeing a mate, but she was no where about, in fact no one was about! very quiet in town this morning at 10am! i also went into the farmacia to have my BP checked again, still high at 146/92! not sure really what to do, the doctor sort of went on to other things... but reading on here, which is probably the worse thing to do both these readings are this awful stage II!

driving down to the coast this morning down the rough track that goes behind the garden centre to Entrerríos, we could actually come out onto the road now, not have to drive along the river bed, so progress, even if it doesn't look like it!

but what i was going to say... so easily distracted i am, that during the drive i kept trying to tell myself to calm down! other drivers, state of the road, other drivers! i could hear my heart beating in my ears! hey ho!

its not like i eat badly, we eat fresh veggies and lots of fruit, no pre packed foods, i have a bit of exercise, walking Pippa and into town most days, i know that's not exactly the gym but with FM i am sorry its a no can do for me.

i can only think, although i have had plenty of stress before in my life, that stress is the cause, worrying about Mom, lack of work, therefore money and all that encompasses, which is in itself no small stuff.

oh how i miss the NHS you lucky lucky people over there in Blighty, don't you know how lucky you are... of course as are the people who *forgot* to mention they were leaving when they moved to Spain!

ok mustn't stress now about it!

so after Calahonda and checking out apartment, view above near by... we stopped off in La Cala, market day and busy, but we were lucky to find a car park space and had coffee at a friends bar, where we hadn't stopped for too long! while we were there we heard sirens going and by the time we left the N340 heading towards Fuengirola was backed up on both sides... so that determined our journey home, back up the La Cala road past turn off for Entrerríos, then the road towards Fuengirola but taking the golf road off on the left, then it was track from there to the Mijas pueblo road! no goats or bulls today... and i had my camera at the ready, we could smell them, but not see them!

when we got home Franco took the boiler off the wall, we are having the worse trouble getting any hot water at all out of the old thing! there was a wasp and a snail there, both dead! and even without their presence its not looking good.... we know now its not the water pressure with the wonderful new pipes we have in town!

anyway time to relax (ha ha) going off to read my book now!

TTFN
Marian

a bit of a bleary foggy blog today... took my new meds last night at 8pm should have been7pm but was confused as usual, without the meds!!! an hour and half later i couldn't keep my eyes open so only saw a bit of the new series on every day this week! unable to catch up too! humph!

and to make matters worse i will take today at 7pm on time... because when the alarm went off at 7am this morning i couldn't move at all! Franco took Pippa out for a quick walk and i didn't get out of bed till 8.45! nightmare, so apart from feeling even more tired than i always do my joints were that much worse for laying down for so much longer! and i have had a fuzzy headache all day too, i feel doped up and lethargic! just put some make up to go out to the shops when they reopen shortly, we have run out of coffee!!!!

i normally *do my face*, i don't do much, but what i do do, i do right after breakfast weather i am going out or not, so not good eh!

pain wise, well no change, or am i being a bit ahead of myself, i guess i should give it a bit of time without giving up just yet on them. but if the only difference is me feeling this awful foggy feeling on top of all the rest, forget it.... and i will not keep taking them if i have a headache all the time either!

i think too i should check my BP in a chemist soon, seems odd the doctor just left it.. he said *ok, lots going on here...* dealing with my FM and possible RA? oh heck!

well this is turning into a great little blog today isn't it, me having to use the back button on numerous occasions due to bad spelling, worse than normal as i cant seem to keep my mind straight!

i think i will leave you here and get back to my book... leading lady in Rome, and a mention of Hemel Hempstead earlier, i love it when a book mentions somewhere i know, yes daft eh! but having been to Rome i can visualise where she is walking and what she is seeing... blah blah blah..

ok amigos i am of no use to anyone for now, so adieu!
TTFN
Marian

Just a quickie today... well if i can, went to see a doctor today, he is changing my meds, trying me on a different anti inflammatory, and trying me back on some nerve dulling things i havent tried for a long time, although Franco reminded me i did try some again about 4 years ago, they must have been so numbing i forgot i had tried them???

but i suppose i have to try them again as the flare up i am having now is so bad i really cannot cope with it at all, he said it could be RA, as this has showed up in a previous blood test.

but first *we* are giving these things another go, the last time i remember taking them was about 1995 i think, and i turned into a zombie... these are only 10mg of something some people take at 200mg! goodness knows how they cope with that!

i am going back with the results when i am back from England mid December, when he will also check my BP which didn't look good! he tested both arms!!! i normally have great BP really low, in fact almost abnormally low, today it was 160/80 which is graded as stage II, which is a bit of a shock to say the least!

i said i think i am in the wrong place and should have gone to the vets...

so amigos, i am going to leave you here and hope i am not to bleary eyed or cant wake up enough to blog ever again!

hasta pronto... and will be more cheery too, what with everything else ... this is just about the straw that broke the camels back! hence the wonderful picture by Pablo Picasso..

TTFN
Marian

mira! look! tar mac! on the Fuengirola road... don't blink though amigos or you will miss it! and its not quite as far as the garden centre yet, but nearly! and you can now access the garden centre again from the Moreno/BP round about again which is soooo much better than having to go through Alhaurín golf, and better for those residents too i guess!

just at the exit to the garden centre car park and looking right is the view above... Franco and i went there for a coffee and to take a walk down the road! well to have a nose of course, and i suppose there wont be much walking going on down here once its up and being used again, the speed the cars will be going!

its very wide in places, although the predicted (papers) four lanes, plus crawler lanes, does not seem possible.... some very nice retaining walls coming up in place... and water gullies with massive culverts... and hope they are massive enough!

we decided maybe driving down the road would have been better... i didn't, as usual, have walking shoes on, so was all over the place! and the wind was up!

prior to here, we went to La Trocha market first, so many more stalls! un believable, not even any car parking to the left or right as you enter the covered area which of late there has been, the outer car park was totally full and we squeezed in in the main one.

the whole of the car park was full, no spaces at all for one more trader! even the back wall which is normally just where you would walk around to get to the next isle! so great for La Trocha at 15 euros per stall! but less probably for each individual stall holder... seems to be lots of new stuff too, which had apparently been stopped(?)

it was a little breezy walking around there, wouldn't have wanted to be there from 7am like some friends i talked to had been! not without a think cosy coat and gloves anyway, should have had my gloves on today, and maybe another layer, its great there, under cover from rain and hot sun, but a gale blows through there on days like these...

ok, above, to the left the old road, and to the right, the new road....

so much here where we live we drive around these country roads going hither and... the other, and say "oh look, the old road!" well here will be another such place, well if they leave it like this!

well i am going to get on with my great new find, and read on line, my first down load book i just kind of jumped on one near the bigining Harriot Evens, titled I Remember You,i have never read anything of hers before, but am getting into it, the next book i read, i must check more carefully first i know so many books i want to read that i have seen and have caught my eye...

adio amigos...

Most people are on the world, not in it—having no conscious sympathy or relationship to anything about them—undiffused, separate, and rigidly alone like marbles of polished stone, touching but separate.

JOHN MUIR

TTFN

Marian