what a morning! and i haven't even left the house, well apart from Pippas early morning run *walk*!!!
Mom wants to go to Paris, and i had previously checked out Eurostar and hotel packages, these have gone up 55 pounds since i last looked!
we also have a list of places in England and i checked out a bit of a route of all these places, but with stop overs making 6 nights? we're now not sure weather to do the Paris trip or the more local road trip! Mom wants to go to Herne Bay, a favourite of ours when i was a little girl, then of course Bungay in Suffolk, another place we went to a lot once my Mom met my Step-Dad.... lots of good memories... plus all the others!
i want to check out prices on cabs and eating in Paris first, then we will make a decision, maybe....
i must have been on here for hours, my hands ache and i need food and water.... i may be back later amigos...
so many things on my mind... places to go, people to see.... ok going to add pain killers to my list of immediate needs...
TTFN
Marian
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Bullying...
late for me to be blogging today, nearly 9pm, but been in a bit of a.... i want to use the word malaise, but not sure if that's the right word! just so tired i cant get out of myself, taken a few too many pain killers, but not making any difference, just worry i guess, and i should know better, worry makes my FM worse, and worry does not help anyone else either! maybe a nice cold night where we're wrapped up under the duvet would be nice, not stuck out of it evening snacks for any passing mosquitoes that fancy a nibble...
now to business.... i need to snap out of this, my poor Mom could tell in my voice earlier how i was feeling and she really doesn't need to be worrying about me.... still!!!
SO... unusual for me to put a header to my blogs... but yesterday evening witnessed a horrible thing out in our street... a noisy gang of boys ran past the house, shouting, swearing, making all the dogs in the area barking madly....
i looked out the window to see what all the fuss was about, and this lots of boys, aged about 12 up to about maybe 18 or so were chasing a lad that lives near here, not sure of his age, could be late teens or even as old as 20(!) he is, now not sure how to put this with all this politicly correctness... but he has a disability i guess is best way of saying it for now.... and these horrible bullies were chasing him, he came back down into the street somehow so these kids were up the alley towards the town hall, and from there they threw rocks, bricks and bits of wood! which he is turn picked up and threw back at them! this young man stood there with bricks in one hand and a huge piece of wood in the other visible shaking with anger, and some of the passers by looked scared of him!
of these people that passed by, on their own or in twos, whatever, no one said anything! i couldn't believe it, Franco said i should go out if i was so worried, but what could i have done, that these friends and neighbours of the boys did not? i felt bad watching and worse having done nothing.... as a foreigner, i am sure they would have not only taken no notice of me, but chucked things at me as well! i wonder is this how it is in other countries... do foreigners witness things and are just too darn scared to do anything about it for fear of reprisals? very probably...
friday i went up to town for a mosey about, met up with a friend who was already sat outside a bar and joined him for coffee, we moved around the table to avoid the heat of the sun, then moved tables... then another friend joined us... was a good morning, drinking coffee and mulling over things...
i had begun the day, after our walk, me and Pippa that is, we came home and i went up on the terrace before the sun hit it and read some work a friend of mine has written... i couldn't believe i was up there for an hour... good reading material, some thought envolking stuff of which i agreed with!
his writing made me think of Paulo Coelho a lot, about our experiences being such an important part of our journey through life, and its true all the things we buy, things that cost a lot of money and as soon as we have them, get out of date, or just worthless almost immediately and we sure as heck take with us when we leave this life, but the experiences are things we can take with us, these things remain with us always.... and i plan to help give my Mom as many more experiences as i possible can... she has her bucket list of course... and she is sure going to need to use both hands to hold it!
now to business.... i need to snap out of this, my poor Mom could tell in my voice earlier how i was feeling and she really doesn't need to be worrying about me.... still!!!
SO... unusual for me to put a header to my blogs... but yesterday evening witnessed a horrible thing out in our street... a noisy gang of boys ran past the house, shouting, swearing, making all the dogs in the area barking madly....
i looked out the window to see what all the fuss was about, and this lots of boys, aged about 12 up to about maybe 18 or so were chasing a lad that lives near here, not sure of his age, could be late teens or even as old as 20(!) he is, now not sure how to put this with all this politicly correctness... but he has a disability i guess is best way of saying it for now.... and these horrible bullies were chasing him, he came back down into the street somehow so these kids were up the alley towards the town hall, and from there they threw rocks, bricks and bits of wood! which he is turn picked up and threw back at them! this young man stood there with bricks in one hand and a huge piece of wood in the other visible shaking with anger, and some of the passers by looked scared of him!
of these people that passed by, on their own or in twos, whatever, no one said anything! i couldn't believe it, Franco said i should go out if i was so worried, but what could i have done, that these friends and neighbours of the boys did not? i felt bad watching and worse having done nothing.... as a foreigner, i am sure they would have not only taken no notice of me, but chucked things at me as well! i wonder is this how it is in other countries... do foreigners witness things and are just too darn scared to do anything about it for fear of reprisals? very probably...
friday i went up to town for a mosey about, met up with a friend who was already sat outside a bar and joined him for coffee, we moved around the table to avoid the heat of the sun, then moved tables... then another friend joined us... was a good morning, drinking coffee and mulling over things...
i had begun the day, after our walk, me and Pippa that is, we came home and i went up on the terrace before the sun hit it and read some work a friend of mine has written... i couldn't believe i was up there for an hour... good reading material, some thought envolking stuff of which i agreed with!
his writing made me think of Paulo Coelho a lot, about our experiences being such an important part of our journey through life, and its true all the things we buy, things that cost a lot of money and as soon as we have them, get out of date, or just worthless almost immediately and we sure as heck take with us when we leave this life, but the experiences are things we can take with us, these things remain with us always.... and i plan to help give my Mom as many more experiences as i possible can... she has her bucket list of course... and she is sure going to need to use both hands to hold it!
You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time you must make it.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
just cant stay away can i? got home about quarter to five this afternoon... house was cool for a short while then... well you know how it is, in came the heat and its hello to a small micro climate going on in your blouse!
had a lovely unexpected day today... i left the house about 10am planning to go and see my amiga in the animals in distress shop in town... but met up with friends on the high street, we had a coffee....
then i spent a few hours with them... we went to La Trocha first to run an errand... that was fun! we left Richard to pop into the local radio station and Mavis and i went up the escalator (the flat sort, not with stairs!) we were following a woman who was pushing a shopping trolley and a guy who had a two wheeled trolley thing, where you load it up with boxes lean it back and push, you know the sort? anyway, they were both heavily loaded with boxes, she got off the escalator ok, but he got stuck... yes you can imagine! we were coming up behind him fast and he was just stuck, trying to push the wheel off, the boxes nearly fell off, he tried again.. and we were on him! Mavis was telling them to push the stop button.... and i was moon walking! well kind of walking but going no where, thank goodness no more people were immediately behind us or there really would have been a pile up! in the end my friend got round him, well by falling onto the arm of the trolley to switch of escalator!!!
later on when we were back down and looked up a dozen or more people were on their way up, two with pushchairs, you can imagine the carnage that would have happened if they had been there earlier!
we went from there to their home, out beyond Villafranco.... sat and talked, well i talked... and listened!!!! we had a lovely lunch with desert, freshly prepared plums and ice cream...
more talk... and a drive back to town... they were going to make me walk.... just kidding ;-)
photos above taken on their terrace and of two kittens that are staying over just now... cute little things, their mom was a little camera shy, so its just them in the gallery today!
next doors leaky wall seems to have dried up for now... fingers crossed, one little thing i can stop stressing about... just the one!
i was telling my friends today about a dream i had the other night... a weird obstacle dream where i had to keep going round this garden/area, whatever, i had a path that was very narrow and crumbling beneath my feet, but there were minute crevices and if i ran very very fast i could hold on to them to support my self... then if i had to stop... the ground started to give way and i knew i would fall... i suppose this really is how i feel just now, if i keep going, and the faster i go the less i have to think and worry, because if i stop, i do feel as though i am falling....
i will be glad now to get to see Mom, our friend who saw her tuesday emailed me and said how well she looked which is good, but i want to see her now for myself, and spend some time...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
couple of photos i took up in Mijas pueblo last year i think... these houses are on the path out towards to gardens...
I do laugh when i watch these living in the sun programs... today or maybe yesterday? they were commenting on a ruin, quite a large ruin though, and said well the lands the important bit, and 109 thousand pounds was a lot for a plot of land he said!
well i think he has lost the plot! the ruin was old, and big, so hopefully as long as you don't go outside the size of what's already there, and use as many of the walls still standing an illegal build notice wont come thumping down on your heads! because the land would be cheaper without the ruin and if it became illegal... the land would be worth nothing!
some people only want large rooms with the whole walls of windows... and if they're not there they say they will put them in... well anyone who lives here knows the heat summer holds... and the smaller the amount of sun that comes in the cooler the house the better!
this house has always sold clothes from the front of it, well for the last 20 years i have been going past it at least! *and i think some of these clothes are from then too!!!*Franco came home early so we did a drive to Mercadona and filled up the cupboards and fridge... we had mussels mariner for dinner, followed by a salad topped with a strange sliced beef and mustard thing we found! still was very nice!
also did Mom's tesco shop today on line, she was so pleased to see a friend that came up to see her yesterday, from so far away too! and hopefully we shall go down to visit with him when i am over in a few weeks time, but we will stay over... Mom is getting a whole list together of places to go and things to see.... and i have written my list of what to take... and it is small, the barest of minium things.... i am so fed up with carrying stuff i never use, so less will be best this time! it will be wash and wear and wash and wear again! i may be taking too much foot wear though... walking boots for a charity walk i am going on, wellies... for the rain! normal shoes and normal boots! good thing thats about all i am taking! oh and tons of chargers... for... phone/ds lite/note book/toothbrush!!!
I went on a diet, swore off drinking and heavy eating, and in fourteen days I lost two weeks.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
ANother odd selection of photos taken over the last couple of days... above as promised the wisteria plant, this is only the top half of it, beautiful and lush... but where are las flores?
this view taken Saturday evening from the BBQ at Los Olivos, Calypso... and showing our old apartment block down there... our front door was open... rejas closed, of course, and our back bedroom window open up stairs... duplex apartment. even our friend and old neighbour came out of her place at the end there and waved!
i know the pomegranate is in view up above, but look closely... or just look below and there is the cicada which was making all the fuss on Sunday when we came home....
... very odd looking things aren't they? and the noise just like an electricity pylon buzzing away at close quarters!as i write Mom is waiting for a good friend of ours to arrive... and he just has to say he is stuck on the M25 and about half hour away....
i cant believe the people coming up our street, the road is shut, the barricade across the street, but people just don't take any notice at all, trouble is only about one in ten can actually reverse in one manoeuvre so its forward back forward back, with every turn of the steering wheel i fear for the front of our house! a few minutes ago people were beeping at a van parked up near here, because they are working on the new paving(!) but you cannot get out the other end, there is no road ok!
did i tell you c/Burgos is finished? i think so, the high street, after four months... is still closed from this end and you can only come up out of town on it, when a truck isn't blocking the way of course! and the coast road! i cannot see it being completed in a year, they will have to move rapidamente if they're going to get it done! can you imagine shutting a main artery road back in England! a road that has no other equal, as in a by pass or something, a road thousands use every day, and shutting it! for a year? no way... josé!!! oh and making all adjacent road un-usable at the same time! hey ho! only en España!
just had a call hoping it was Mom to tell me news... she is also waiting for the district nurse to come, late.. but it was friends who have recently moved back to blighty, i had texted to ask if they have a number for the girls who have the house next door, remember the water leak?? its back, not sure if someone has turned back on the hot tub, but we have a problem... everyone who passes looks up, especially if they have been unlucky enough to have caught a drip from above!
ok.... adios amigos...
oooops quote! forgive me if i repeat myself...
Heavy thoughts bring on physical maladies.
MARTIN LUTHER
TTFN
Marian
Monday, August 24, 2009
tomorrow i will up load a great photo i got of a cicada yesterday as we came home, he/she was making a heluvva noise outside the house!
was soooo tired yesterday when i got up! was home very late from our BBQ down on the coast, we didn't leave there till nearly 1am! so by the time we got home and to bed was about 3am! and of course Pippa had no qualms about waking me up at 8am for her walk! i was lucky she let me have that extra hour!
no napping either yesterday, we went to Miramar parque and Miramar shopping centre in the morning, and back home for the Grand Prix! but, as the repeat of XFactor from the night before coincided we kept switching and missing both in a way!
did see my neighbours cat when we came home after the BBQ, so i kept quiet in case she recognised my voice! i strangly enough didn't have any cat food on me and felt bad about that! then later... Sunday morning Pippa and i came across her again but of course, she ran! from Pippa!
Pippa keeps getting shut in the cave! we have decided she is going in there as its the coolest place in the house....! as in colder.... i mean yes its a pretty cool place, not everyone has a cave after all eh!!! i have to clear out some of the earth thats filling the trough at the moment, from when Franco decided to enlarge it a little! so we have a niche in there, where we didn't before, but its brown and earthy, so i must do that this week, bag it up and move it on out! and maybe paint that niche white!
i also at last sorted out the box of photos, i had moved a bunch out of an old suitcase and still had another two plastic boxes to put the rest, they had been living in the dining room for a few weeks now... another *tick* on my list of to do...
and apart from normal house wifey stuff, that's about it for today...! the plants had suffered a bit without being watered Saturday evening... and no figs ready for now, about another 5 or 6 on the tree but still very small! unusually the wisteria at the back of the house which the out side stairs is still growing wildly! normally at this time of the year it just.. is... but its out doing itself, no flowers yet... and i don't mean this year, i mean any year? why???? someone told me it can take 12 years for a wisteria to flower... is this true?
well Mom was doing well, last week after suffering for far too long, district nurses came to see her and put her well on the way to mending...then over the weekend, no one! Mom called later this afternoon, as no one had come yet today and spoke to the original nurse from last Monday who was horrified that no one had come out to her since Friday... so now someone has, and tomorrow again too, hopefully...
was soooo tired yesterday when i got up! was home very late from our BBQ down on the coast, we didn't leave there till nearly 1am! so by the time we got home and to bed was about 3am! and of course Pippa had no qualms about waking me up at 8am for her walk! i was lucky she let me have that extra hour!
no napping either yesterday, we went to Miramar parque and Miramar shopping centre in the morning, and back home for the Grand Prix! but, as the repeat of XFactor from the night before coincided we kept switching and missing both in a way!
did see my neighbours cat when we came home after the BBQ, so i kept quiet in case she recognised my voice! i strangly enough didn't have any cat food on me and felt bad about that! then later... Sunday morning Pippa and i came across her again but of course, she ran! from Pippa!
Pippa keeps getting shut in the cave! we have decided she is going in there as its the coolest place in the house....! as in colder.... i mean yes its a pretty cool place, not everyone has a cave after all eh!!! i have to clear out some of the earth thats filling the trough at the moment, from when Franco decided to enlarge it a little! so we have a niche in there, where we didn't before, but its brown and earthy, so i must do that this week, bag it up and move it on out! and maybe paint that niche white!
i also at last sorted out the box of photos, i had moved a bunch out of an old suitcase and still had another two plastic boxes to put the rest, they had been living in the dining room for a few weeks now... another *tick* on my list of to do...
and apart from normal house wifey stuff, that's about it for today...! the plants had suffered a bit without being watered Saturday evening... and no figs ready for now, about another 5 or 6 on the tree but still very small! unusually the wisteria at the back of the house which the out side stairs is still growing wildly! normally at this time of the year it just.. is... but its out doing itself, no flowers yet... and i don't mean this year, i mean any year? why???? someone told me it can take 12 years for a wisteria to flower... is this true?
well Mom was doing well, last week after suffering for far too long, district nurses came to see her and put her well on the way to mending...then over the weekend, no one! Mom called later this afternoon, as no one had come yet today and spoke to the original nurse from last Monday who was horrified that no one had come out to her since Friday... so now someone has, and tomorrow again too, hopefully...
They always say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
another rather eclectic offering of my photography this afternoon amigos... above one of our infamous black bees... some say they sting! some say... no stripes, no sting! they are huge and look so heavy you cant understand how they stay up in the air, and the way they fly so haphazardly and clumsily, i don't think they know how either!
another wonderful view of one of the many roads *tracks* we now have to use to get in or out of Alhaurin el Grande... three wheels on my wagon and we're rolling along...
when we filled up with gas this morning and then stopped to check the air in the tires... they were all on 30? so either all ok, or the machines was not working?
we stopped in Bauhaus before heading into the most wonderful El Corté Ingles outlet store on the poligino *industrial estate*... and above show a bike positions much like most of the cars in the car park... over two spaces!?! hey what's new!
the bar here in Bauhaus sell the best coffee! really really nice! and pastries too, above in the cabinet the pastries and bocadillo are kept... lower'ist level is mirror then a couple of shelves then the counter above, but with this wonderful picture frame around it! i know i have posted a picture of this before, but every time i see it, i think, what a wonderful idea!
any time of the year the el corté is in sale status! t shirts costing 16Є i wouldn't consider are only 3Є and jeans all 3Є! you could hear the air con on in there but not feel it, it was cooler out in the shopping mall itself, then leaving it to go out side... bam the hits you like a furnace...
we popped into PC World, as we never had, and it was like walking into the one back in England! very weird...
then we did a stop off in Lidl in Churriana on the way home, as we parked there was a crunch! we had driven over a glass pot of jam... left conveniently by an idiot right in the worse place! lets hope it doesn't lead to a second new tire this week!!!
called Mom just now, sounds great, she had a mate visiting who had brought magazines and cakes... best combo for her, and they were having a discussion on where, when i am over, i will be taking them! i better get a road atlas me thinks!
If you don't have enough time to accomplish something, consider the work finished once it's begun.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
my mind is elsewhere and its late i know but i better get blogging... its dark now when Pippa and i go out for our morning walk! at least Pippa is used to the many people we see every morning! standing on the edge of the park over looking out over the guadalhorce valley and Alhaurín in the foreground, the sky is red over the mountains, much like the evenings... you can hear cocks crowing, donkeys braying and many many dogs barking!
i learnt today that dogs that run out in the campo in the corn etc and other of those type of grasses can get the corn stuck between their toes... where it can start to grow! and is really painful to remove, as you can imagine... never thought of this happening, apparently it can also occur in the dogs ears!
didn't do much yesterday... only house stuff, and today went up to the animals in distress shop to see my friend... on the way, although early lots of people i know were out and about, still trying to get done things early before the heat hits... we shouldn't be moaning, its just we have had no reprieve... its still 36º in the shade on the terrace...
and ants! they're really on an all out strike attack in our house, at every turn there is a little scout looking to hunt out any little morsel! on here earlier a movement caught my eye... and there was an ant on the cable bringing in the internet! no crumbs on here mate... i can assure you!
i think i am losing my marbles... just in case any of the find any! they are mine! this morning when Pippa and i got back from our walk i put her lead... in the bin!!! i didn't even notice till later putting some actual rubbish in there! i wonder if Pippa noticed... and thought, well that's that then... no more walkies for me!
i learnt today that dogs that run out in the campo in the corn etc and other of those type of grasses can get the corn stuck between their toes... where it can start to grow! and is really painful to remove, as you can imagine... never thought of this happening, apparently it can also occur in the dogs ears!
didn't do much yesterday... only house stuff, and today went up to the animals in distress shop to see my friend... on the way, although early lots of people i know were out and about, still trying to get done things early before the heat hits... we shouldn't be moaning, its just we have had no reprieve... its still 36º in the shade on the terrace...
and ants! they're really on an all out strike attack in our house, at every turn there is a little scout looking to hunt out any little morsel! on here earlier a movement caught my eye... and there was an ant on the cable bringing in the internet! no crumbs on here mate... i can assure you!
i think i am losing my marbles... just in case any of the find any! they are mine! this morning when Pippa and i got back from our walk i put her lead... in the bin!!! i didn't even notice till later putting some actual rubbish in there! i wonder if Pippa noticed... and thought, well that's that then... no more walkies for me!
Dreaming is to think by moonlight by the light of an inner moon.
JULES RENARD
TTFN
Marian
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
ok folks... not sure what i have been doing today... not much i guess..... its just so hot, all i do is move and melt a little more!
although i must admit i left the house late to go into town because of a tv program that i wanted to see the end of... i don.t normally let the Jeremy Kyle show lead my life, but a preview of what was to come was so powerful it had me hook line and sinker... as they say!
those of you that know this show already know what its about, but for the majority of you that i know don't, its a talk show, you know people phone up, have a good airing of their most private problems on tv then there is the lie detector tests and DNA and off they go, problems solved.... maybe!
so scenario is one man... two women.... each woman had a baby from this one guy within two weeks of each other(!) he wanted proof that one or both was even his... anyway, blah blah blah... but right at the end they had the two women in a side area to announce a shocking thing... their DNA was matching by 98% and that they must be sisters... they were both devastated... got your attention now haven't i! ok, well it turns out it is an anomaly.... that after tests theyre parents are theyre parents, nothing untowards went on, but back to 5 generations ago, and they should do a family tree to trace this, but they are related... and occasionally this can turn up, but its very rare!
this is a bit of a non blog... but better than the poem i was going to put on here today, one from when i was little... well will post it anyway... its been on my mind for a week or so...
well Mom has gone to Tesco this afternoon to do her weekly shop with friends by car... which is great, and yesterday i set up internet at hers for when i am over, only poor Mom had to phone sky to confirm her address, and now she is well chuffed she has an email address! now we will have to get a computer! Mom will be surfing the net and getting into all sorts of trouble!
Marian
although i must admit i left the house late to go into town because of a tv program that i wanted to see the end of... i don.t normally let the Jeremy Kyle show lead my life, but a preview of what was to come was so powerful it had me hook line and sinker... as they say!
those of you that know this show already know what its about, but for the majority of you that i know don't, its a talk show, you know people phone up, have a good airing of their most private problems on tv then there is the lie detector tests and DNA and off they go, problems solved.... maybe!
so scenario is one man... two women.... each woman had a baby from this one guy within two weeks of each other(!) he wanted proof that one or both was even his... anyway, blah blah blah... but right at the end they had the two women in a side area to announce a shocking thing... their DNA was matching by 98% and that they must be sisters... they were both devastated... got your attention now haven't i! ok, well it turns out it is an anomaly.... that after tests theyre parents are theyre parents, nothing untowards went on, but back to 5 generations ago, and they should do a family tree to trace this, but they are related... and occasionally this can turn up, but its very rare!
this is a bit of a non blog... but better than the poem i was going to put on here today, one from when i was little... well will post it anyway... its been on my mind for a week or so...
well Mom has gone to Tesco this afternoon to do her weekly shop with friends by car... which is great, and yesterday i set up internet at hers for when i am over, only poor Mom had to phone sky to confirm her address, and now she is well chuffed she has an email address! now we will have to get a computer! Mom will be surfing the net and getting into all sorts of trouble!
THE LOST DOLL
I once had a sweet little doll, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world;
Her cheeks were so red and white, dears,
And her hair was so charmingly curled.
But I lost my poor little doll, dears,
As I played on the heath one day;
And I cried for her more than a week, dears,
But I never could find where she lay.
I found my poor little doll, dears,
As I played on the heath one day;
Folks say she is terribly changed, dears,
For her paint is all washed away,
And her arms trodden off by the cows, dears,
And her hair not the least bit curled;
Yet for old sake's sake, she is still, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world.
CHARLES KINGSLEY
Marian
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Sunday evening now.... hot hot hot! and we are under attack from ants! i opened the persiana this morning and when i looked down there was a nice little run of the little devils! they had slipped in from one end of window and were running to the other end... to find? what exactly? i don't know and nor did they as the return line was running parallel and back out from whence they came!
so i committed a bit of mas murder(sorry!) and jammed up the places on entry temporarily with candle wax, always works! and this evening Franco went around the whole window with some gun and filler! from the outside you can see where they are coming up from the street up the wall and into some pipes that are fitted... coming out of the wall for what? i dont know, but thats a bit of a worry is it? ok something else to fill with that gun me thinks!
this morning i also fed my friends cat up in the car park, she was glad to see me, after eating her way through the bowl of food she didn't want me to go, hope she is ok, i bet she misses her 'mommy', and she doesn't even know she wont be coming back.... and if my friend is reading this this will be a gilt trip read for her! what i really want is for the cat to come into our garden so i can feed her, but this will involve Pippa's co oporation! yes well we shall see!
we have another new way down to the coast now, Franco sussed it out, you dont even have to go as far as the turn off for Mijas Pueblo... and you come out near Mijas golf resort! i was going to take some photos... but the batteries went as soon as i turned on the camera! must recharge them! now!
its a good trip, bit bumpy in parts, narrow road, bulls held back from the track by electronic low level fencing in places! and some good looking villas just dotted all over the place! one has the most wonderful infinity swimming pool, the tiles look blue, then the water, from a distance it looked first like the wall was of glass, but i think that would be impossible!?!
coming out onto the Mijas road you would never believe it was even a road! then the worse part is still the road from the BP garage and Morenos roundabout! its so funny some drivers behind you drive right up to your bumper, then the road gets rough and where are they?.... outta sight man, outta sight!
we had a lovely lunch with friends, they fired up the (gas) BBQ and away we went! very very nice... which reminded us we must use our stove up on the terrace, first get a can of gas up there, then use it! in another couple of weeks it will be just pleasant enough up there to do so!
Mom is already looking forward to my visit with her next month... she has a list of where she wants to go! her bucket list is still long and wanting to be fulfilled... the new tablets seem to be working, she is feeling good, Mom went into town yesterday with her buddy, and on returning went to the bus stop a man and woman were sat down with half a dozen bags around them, and on the seats, Mom asked if they could move them a bit please as she needed to sit down, these were youngish people by the way, anyway the man just looked at her! so she said, these are your groceries? and he said yes, so she just stared at him and said well? so he moved them a bit, just enough for Mom to have a seat, she would normally give up her seat for her friend, but she couldn't yesterday, really needing to sit down, after all she hadn't been down town for ages on her own. but the cheek of the man eh! whatever happened to common courtesy and all that, letting two ol gals just stand there, twice their age! i said to Mom, i should be expecting a call from the local police next saying my Mom is in a cell and needing to be bailed for being cheeky!
well i guess she thinks... what the heck!
so i committed a bit of mas murder(sorry!) and jammed up the places on entry temporarily with candle wax, always works! and this evening Franco went around the whole window with some gun and filler! from the outside you can see where they are coming up from the street up the wall and into some pipes that are fitted... coming out of the wall for what? i dont know, but thats a bit of a worry is it? ok something else to fill with that gun me thinks!
this morning i also fed my friends cat up in the car park, she was glad to see me, after eating her way through the bowl of food she didn't want me to go, hope she is ok, i bet she misses her 'mommy', and she doesn't even know she wont be coming back.... and if my friend is reading this this will be a gilt trip read for her! what i really want is for the cat to come into our garden so i can feed her, but this will involve Pippa's co oporation! yes well we shall see!
we have another new way down to the coast now, Franco sussed it out, you dont even have to go as far as the turn off for Mijas Pueblo... and you come out near Mijas golf resort! i was going to take some photos... but the batteries went as soon as i turned on the camera! must recharge them! now!
its a good trip, bit bumpy in parts, narrow road, bulls held back from the track by electronic low level fencing in places! and some good looking villas just dotted all over the place! one has the most wonderful infinity swimming pool, the tiles look blue, then the water, from a distance it looked first like the wall was of glass, but i think that would be impossible!?!
coming out onto the Mijas road you would never believe it was even a road! then the worse part is still the road from the BP garage and Morenos roundabout! its so funny some drivers behind you drive right up to your bumper, then the road gets rough and where are they?.... outta sight man, outta sight!
we had a lovely lunch with friends, they fired up the (gas) BBQ and away we went! very very nice... which reminded us we must use our stove up on the terrace, first get a can of gas up there, then use it! in another couple of weeks it will be just pleasant enough up there to do so!
Mom is already looking forward to my visit with her next month... she has a list of where she wants to go! her bucket list is still long and wanting to be fulfilled... the new tablets seem to be working, she is feeling good, Mom went into town yesterday with her buddy, and on returning went to the bus stop a man and woman were sat down with half a dozen bags around them, and on the seats, Mom asked if they could move them a bit please as she needed to sit down, these were youngish people by the way, anyway the man just looked at her! so she said, these are your groceries? and he said yes, so she just stared at him and said well? so he moved them a bit, just enough for Mom to have a seat, she would normally give up her seat for her friend, but she couldn't yesterday, really needing to sit down, after all she hadn't been down town for ages on her own. but the cheek of the man eh! whatever happened to common courtesy and all that, letting two ol gals just stand there, twice their age! i said to Mom, i should be expecting a call from the local police next saying my Mom is in a cell and needing to be bailed for being cheeky!
well i guess she thinks... what the heck!
For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.
Friday, August 14, 2009
well amigos... back to the police station this morning, i had all the right documents to get my new residencia, no more the plastic card with my photo and finger print... annoying to do it over again every four years, but now we all have an A4 piece of paper we are supposed to carry the original document with us at all times... which also states you have to show your passport as ID... i know of a few people whose UK passport has expired! and i mean expired some time ago... not sure but i think that might be illegal to be in another country without a currant passport from the country you have come from? could be wrong!?!
it also looks just like the document Franco received when asking for his replacement NIE document on Monday, so i am confused... as ever....!
Moms visit back at Mount Vernon yesterday afternoon... they are going to try her on a new form of treatment, hormone therapy! so fingers crossed, please! and keep those prayers coming in....
had 'goodbye' drinks with friends who, as i speak are now at the airport about to wing their way to merry ol' England, ciao amigos... see you when i see you... as you know i dont drink much and four small glasses of bubbly i was pretty wobbly on my way home! luckily not far!
we also this morning popped round to friends who are out here on holiday near where we used to live, i needed to ask her a favour poor woman! hello! how are you? can you do this please please please!!! some things just look they're written in some other language, and i don't mean español! i just don't have a head for these sort of things!
it also looks just like the document Franco received when asking for his replacement NIE document on Monday, so i am confused... as ever....!
Moms visit back at Mount Vernon yesterday afternoon... they are going to try her on a new form of treatment, hormone therapy! so fingers crossed, please! and keep those prayers coming in....
had 'goodbye' drinks with friends who, as i speak are now at the airport about to wing their way to merry ol' England, ciao amigos... see you when i see you... as you know i dont drink much and four small glasses of bubbly i was pretty wobbly on my way home! luckily not far!
we also this morning popped round to friends who are out here on holiday near where we used to live, i needed to ask her a favour poor woman! hello! how are you? can you do this please please please!!! some things just look they're written in some other language, and i don't mean español! i just don't have a head for these sort of things!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
when will this heat subside? if its not enough being hot out, in the house, wherever you are its just hot... then go into a cool air conditioned shop... and what? get a cold sweat instead! its still in the 30's on the terrace in the shade, the nights are slightly better... but, the fan is still going a 100k an hour above our heads!
last night i got up onto the terrace to check out the meteor shower, as usual in August... and WOW! i have been lucky to see enough falling stars as they're called... but i only saw two last evening, but these two were bigger and better than any i have ever seen before, normally they are small and quick and seem so so far away... the first one i saw last night i almost screamed! it came hurtling from right to left a great big giant ball of fire! and the second one about an hour later! the same! they were both like something from a Spielberg movie! absolutely amazing things...
its not wonder us foreigners have a bad name... or thought of us strange... i am sure i wasn't the only one who seemed to be sun bathing in the dark last night from our roof terrace, laid out on a sun bed, in the dark!?! well really!
i did think at one point that a roof top party down the next street over were having a meteor gazing party... lots of people, the lights went off, all was quiet... and then bam on with the lights and 'feliz compleaños'! (happy birthday)to some surprised person, so on went the party with all that extra light bleed, muchas gracias personas alli!
also joining me last night were the local bat community from over the road, their little high pitched noises above my head! and a big white owl, not sure who more more scared him or me!
am disappointed i didn't see more, meteors i mean, but those two were beauties...
today i paid my taxes... a couple of small amounts from 2003 and 2004????
i had a cold drink with Cyrils family who are ready and off for home tomorrow after their dads/brothers service last week, everything sorted, more or less...
then a coffee with friends who we will see again later tonight who are off also, tomorrow, back to England permanently though, she has been here over 25 years.... everyone is leaving! just wish they were all going to be in the same place back in the UK, but they are going to be all over the place, 100's of miles in between and on the map looking where they will all be, looks like the shape of '?' a question mark!
TTFN
Marian
last night i got up onto the terrace to check out the meteor shower, as usual in August... and WOW! i have been lucky to see enough falling stars as they're called... but i only saw two last evening, but these two were bigger and better than any i have ever seen before, normally they are small and quick and seem so so far away... the first one i saw last night i almost screamed! it came hurtling from right to left a great big giant ball of fire! and the second one about an hour later! the same! they were both like something from a Spielberg movie! absolutely amazing things...
its not wonder us foreigners have a bad name... or thought of us strange... i am sure i wasn't the only one who seemed to be sun bathing in the dark last night from our roof terrace, laid out on a sun bed, in the dark!?! well really!
i did think at one point that a roof top party down the next street over were having a meteor gazing party... lots of people, the lights went off, all was quiet... and then bam on with the lights and 'feliz compleaños'! (happy birthday)to some surprised person, so on went the party with all that extra light bleed, muchas gracias personas alli!
also joining me last night were the local bat community from over the road, their little high pitched noises above my head! and a big white owl, not sure who more more scared him or me!
am disappointed i didn't see more, meteors i mean, but those two were beauties...
today i paid my taxes... a couple of small amounts from 2003 and 2004????
i had a cold drink with Cyrils family who are ready and off for home tomorrow after their dads/brothers service last week, everything sorted, more or less...
then a coffee with friends who we will see again later tonight who are off also, tomorrow, back to England permanently though, she has been here over 25 years.... everyone is leaving! just wish they were all going to be in the same place back in the UK, but they are going to be all over the place, 100's of miles in between and on the map looking where they will all be, looks like the shape of '?' a question mark!
Is life not a hundred times too short for us to stifle ourselves?
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
TTFN
Marian
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
phew... what a day! left home about 9am, had a word with the neighbours about a water leak they have... still have, the street is soaking out there, and they're house has damp now 2' up the wall, and i suppose ours does too, but the tiles are hiding it... you can see the water running out from the top of the wall, i think maybe their hot tub is leaking, although its not on the terrace but actually running through the cement! we have a concreted space between our houses and i am concerned its filling up with water! spanish houses can be damp enough already without pouring water into them!
anyway, we will see if they do anything about today, they were going to the aqua park today!?!
when we were coming home on Thursday (?) from the coast, the police were with a man on his property and sticking signs on it, another illegal build i guess, and today Franco see's the house has been taped up, no access! its so sad...
a house down our street also has a sticker on it, although after 300 years its not going to be an illegal build(!), but it is from the electricity board saying, the electric is cut off and the money owing is over 900Є, phew that's a wopper!
this morning after going into the bank, with the bill for my recidencia, i erm didn't pay it, i had forgotten to fill it in and my card was at home ready with all the other documents for the 2nd visit to the police station!
then... down to post office to collect letters from the hacienda, nice, looks like bills from 2003 and 2004? which is strange has these have already been paid a long time ago, are they running a little short and need some extra cash? how ridiculous! have to look into it...
then i popped into the cafe picnic up the other end of town to where i normally go, its near the animals in distress shop i was headed for next, had a nice coffee, lots of pastries and wonderful looking celebration cakes for sale, and made to order.
from there to see friend in the shop, and i ended up working in there till nearly 2pm! and boy am i paying for it now, bring on the pain killers amigos! i sat when i could but was in charge of getting three or four boxes of books up and out of the way, lots of nice things came in... always bad when that happens! but didn't come home with anyway.... (i made a list though in my mind!)
i tried the lawyers place, twice, but not open!
now dinner is nearly ready and my hands which were already hurting are worse, so its hasta luego amigos, hasta mañana....
anyway, we will see if they do anything about today, they were going to the aqua park today!?!
when we were coming home on Thursday (?) from the coast, the police were with a man on his property and sticking signs on it, another illegal build i guess, and today Franco see's the house has been taped up, no access! its so sad...
a house down our street also has a sticker on it, although after 300 years its not going to be an illegal build(!), but it is from the electricity board saying, the electric is cut off and the money owing is over 900Є, phew that's a wopper!
this morning after going into the bank, with the bill for my recidencia, i erm didn't pay it, i had forgotten to fill it in and my card was at home ready with all the other documents for the 2nd visit to the police station!
then... down to post office to collect letters from the hacienda, nice, looks like bills from 2003 and 2004? which is strange has these have already been paid a long time ago, are they running a little short and need some extra cash? how ridiculous! have to look into it...
then i popped into the cafe picnic up the other end of town to where i normally go, its near the animals in distress shop i was headed for next, had a nice coffee, lots of pastries and wonderful looking celebration cakes for sale, and made to order.
from there to see friend in the shop, and i ended up working in there till nearly 2pm! and boy am i paying for it now, bring on the pain killers amigos! i sat when i could but was in charge of getting three or four boxes of books up and out of the way, lots of nice things came in... always bad when that happens! but didn't come home with anyway.... (i made a list though in my mind!)
i tried the lawyers place, twice, but not open!
now dinner is nearly ready and my hands which were already hurting are worse, so its hasta luego amigos, hasta mañana....
You cannot step twice into the same river; for other waters are always flowing on to you.
just come back as i have just received this bit of information about the Perseid meteor shower ... we have a shower each year to be seen from here in Andalucia, but is usually around the 16th so not sure if this is it!? great photo on here....
Monday, August 10, 2009
right today... new week new lot of worries do's and donts!
i decided not to leave it any longer and renew my residencia! so we were up at 5.30am, out an hour later in Fuengirola at 7am! well there are changes a foot! it used to be that if you did not get there before at least 8am you stood no chance of getting a number to be seen at all that day, well no longer, you have to have an appointment... well nearly i guess as we did not! but that's not what it says on tinta net! i down loaded forms last evening, filling them out on line and then printing and there they were, all neat and tidy, two the same, one for them, and for some reason, one for me! but the forms were incorrect. we have to go back Friday morning now with some extra documents and copies of! my old passport before name change, the old residencia card (on line it said you may not even have to show the old one!!!) so i didn't bother copying it! while we were there Franco mentioned that he no longer had his NIE number certificate, so with a copy here and a payment (10 euros) there... back to the police station and at least Franco came away with that done and dusted!
and since being home we have had notification that there are two letters from the Hacienda (tax office) waiting for me at the post office now ...oh joy of joys what now? will find out mañana weather i want to or not!
the last, but one, part of the local reform of all our roads here in the historic part of town has been going on now for about four months i guess, since semana santa, its right here by our Vera Cruz, the green church, and the little side road down into the car park, well walking up here most mornings i have made a metal note to tell you something! and so i am! the road here will be narrower, like the parts before and after it, with small pull in's for loading and unloading, so this will be fun! also there was a nice little garden area and parking behind for the houses near the church, well not sure if they will be putting back the little garden, but the parking is gone! at night they packed their cars in there, about ten or so i think, so where will they be parking i wonder?
also when i got today i listened for telephone messsage and one was a little worrying it was a recorded message telling us that someone had been trying to access our entry code on the phone? sounds like internet bugging! which is odd because recently Franco's Twitter account has been invaded by someone....
you know how i am getting rid of unwanted stuff.... well Franco is bringing stuff in???? bung it in the cave he says! not on your nelly!
TTFN
Marian
i decided not to leave it any longer and renew my residencia! so we were up at 5.30am, out an hour later in Fuengirola at 7am! well there are changes a foot! it used to be that if you did not get there before at least 8am you stood no chance of getting a number to be seen at all that day, well no longer, you have to have an appointment... well nearly i guess as we did not! but that's not what it says on tinta net! i down loaded forms last evening, filling them out on line and then printing and there they were, all neat and tidy, two the same, one for them, and for some reason, one for me! but the forms were incorrect. we have to go back Friday morning now with some extra documents and copies of! my old passport before name change, the old residencia card (on line it said you may not even have to show the old one!!!) so i didn't bother copying it! while we were there Franco mentioned that he no longer had his NIE number certificate, so with a copy here and a payment (10 euros) there... back to the police station and at least Franco came away with that done and dusted!
and since being home we have had notification that there are two letters from the Hacienda (tax office) waiting for me at the post office now ...oh joy of joys what now? will find out mañana weather i want to or not!
the last, but one, part of the local reform of all our roads here in the historic part of town has been going on now for about four months i guess, since semana santa, its right here by our Vera Cruz, the green church, and the little side road down into the car park, well walking up here most mornings i have made a metal note to tell you something! and so i am! the road here will be narrower, like the parts before and after it, with small pull in's for loading and unloading, so this will be fun! also there was a nice little garden area and parking behind for the houses near the church, well not sure if they will be putting back the little garden, but the parking is gone! at night they packed their cars in there, about ten or so i think, so where will they be parking i wonder?
also when i got today i listened for telephone messsage and one was a little worrying it was a recorded message telling us that someone had been trying to access our entry code on the phone? sounds like internet bugging! which is odd because recently Franco's Twitter account has been invaded by someone....
you know how i am getting rid of unwanted stuff.... well Franco is bringing stuff in???? bung it in the cave he says! not on your nelly!
TTFN
Marian
Saturday, August 08, 2009
el fin de la semana! weekend! i remember thinking why don't the Spanish have a word for weekend like 'we' do! doh - week end -! literal definition of course of el fin de la semana - the end of the week -!!
i have just spent over an hour sorting my way through one box of my old memorabilia, i was trying to thin it out somewhat, well i have a few bits, although on closing the box it neither seems lighter or easier to close?
its not an easy job either! lots of birthday and christmas cards from family... who are no longer on this side of the plain... stuff from the boys when they were little, only one pack of Barry's school stuff in this box, some artwork that is very good. above painting are two guys in silhouette but on another page drawn complete and one guy is holding a drum and the other a trumpet!
i wonder if he remembers these?!?
not sure when i will do the other three boxes, in time eh! you know when its time to stop... when i was taking above pic and i dripped mascara onto the inside of my glasses! that was my hint!
8th of the 8th today! i remember 8.8.88, i was in Torrevieja! my first visit to españa! i am too melancholy today i think, should move my mind onwards and upwards...
so! my Mom, she is ok, tired and a few after effects of the radiation therapy, this is effecting her much more than the chemo did, much more invasive, as they said it would be. she is seeing the specialist again on 13th i think. next thursday.
i am sitting much more comfortably now too! the two two seater sofas we had have moved on to pastures new! our neighbours sister actually, and when she arrived i knew her! from one of the local shops, so that was nice...
and now we have another neighbours sofa! friends from down the road and round the corner! they are off to pastures new like their sofa...! this is the longest sofa in the world! it almost takes up the whole length of our living room, of course you may wonder at the size of it depending on the length of your own living room amigos!
the in between time of the others going and late last night, under cover of darkness... more because of the heat and weight of this thing than anything else! we had the little two seater camping sofa thing we used at the car boot sale, ok for a little while, and was very handy having a drinks area in the arm rest! a little deep net basket thing... very good, although there was only one, on Franco's side... of course!
the other day we got rid of my old computer, was worrying dumping it in a bin, i had tried several ways of disabling it so no one could get into it for any information! easier said than done, but it ended up at the bottom of a skip! along with Franco's old lap top... at least we gave that a good clean in the kitchen sink before dumping it! do you think all that water will have made it a total no go area? Franco said maybe his newer lap top could do with a clean also, but i managed to change his mind on that one!
ok i seem to be in a strange mood today, so i think i will just spend some time surfing and twittering! and then relax(?)!
adios amigos
TTFN
Marian
Thursday, August 06, 2009
no phone notes today only one written, scribbled madly before i left yesterday morning...
and while i am writing on another 'tab' in the back ground... Amazing Grace is playing... please please open now on another tab and play while reading the remaining.... thank you...
yesterday was a service for a dear friend of mine who died on Friday evening, Cyril, he had had a great day out with his son down on the coast watching the world go by...
i suppose his passing was both un expected, as death always is, but expected also, he had hid how poorly he was but we all somehow knew just the same.
the service was simple with this song being played first, i don't know who sang the version played, and she also sung the 23rd Psalm... the Priest said we didn't have to sing, although i think most of us did a little with our heads still bowed and seated as we were.
Cyril loved the sea and boats and a lot was talked about his is love of these things and the great day he had had on Friday and his family.
He also talked of how when people pass over, to us they are out of sight and gone... but he said its like a boat watched from a shore, we would say, look the boat is disappearing, and now its gone, it is no more! but to others on another shore they say hey look here comes a boat! its a matter of perspective, and those we cannot see are really only just over the horizon after all... it is only from our view that we cannot see them!
what a great way of looking at life, and death also... as other peoples deaths only happens to us the living!
i haven't even touched on the notes yet, not sure weather to or not now? some of it seems a bit 'heavy', the mood i was in i guess, but a part of it i wrote... how i wonder of all the beliefs in the world and all the fighting over them - that when we die we get/go to, what each of us truly always felt deep within our hearts and souls and believed in... but then that made me sad as i have some good friends who really don't have any beliefs and i worry... where will they go?
ah hm... ok! back for a moment more to yesterday, the friend who picked me up... i didn't notice for 20 minutes we were in a right hand drive car! arh! there i was stuck out in the middle of the road, i guess most part of the journey was through the campo down single track roads, but even so!
the crematorium in Fuengirola, well Mijas actually, in up near the horse race track, and right next door to the sewerage works! very pleasant aroma! not! it is a beautiful church there though with a wonderful feel about the place, if you know what i mean!
a flower shop, and of course a bar!
but after the service, the cremation actually takes place in Álora! i had thought it only that Alhaurín here didn't have their own! so it seems that from all the churches everyone is taken to Álora!?! well from around about here anyway... bit like the ITV, (MOT) for your cars eh! Malaga or Estapona!!!!
five of us went afterwards a bit further up into the mountain and to the small urbanisation of cerros del Aguila (hills of eagles), and we had a tapa and a cold drink... and a toast to Cyril...rest in peace mi amigo...
should end it there... on the hills of eagles... but some of them wanted to pop into iceland on the way home! which we did, before leaving the coast by way of Mijas pueblo and the awful road works!
TTFN
Marian
and while i am writing on another 'tab' in the back ground... Amazing Grace is playing... please please open now on another tab and play while reading the remaining.... thank you...
yesterday was a service for a dear friend of mine who died on Friday evening, Cyril, he had had a great day out with his son down on the coast watching the world go by...
i suppose his passing was both un expected, as death always is, but expected also, he had hid how poorly he was but we all somehow knew just the same.
the service was simple with this song being played first, i don't know who sang the version played, and she also sung the 23rd Psalm... the Priest said we didn't have to sing, although i think most of us did a little with our heads still bowed and seated as we were.
Cyril loved the sea and boats and a lot was talked about his is love of these things and the great day he had had on Friday and his family.
He also talked of how when people pass over, to us they are out of sight and gone... but he said its like a boat watched from a shore, we would say, look the boat is disappearing, and now its gone, it is no more! but to others on another shore they say hey look here comes a boat! its a matter of perspective, and those we cannot see are really only just over the horizon after all... it is only from our view that we cannot see them!
what a great way of looking at life, and death also... as other peoples deaths only happens to us the living!
i haven't even touched on the notes yet, not sure weather to or not now? some of it seems a bit 'heavy', the mood i was in i guess, but a part of it i wrote... how i wonder of all the beliefs in the world and all the fighting over them - that when we die we get/go to, what each of us truly always felt deep within our hearts and souls and believed in... but then that made me sad as i have some good friends who really don't have any beliefs and i worry... where will they go?
ah hm... ok! back for a moment more to yesterday, the friend who picked me up... i didn't notice for 20 minutes we were in a right hand drive car! arh! there i was stuck out in the middle of the road, i guess most part of the journey was through the campo down single track roads, but even so!
the crematorium in Fuengirola, well Mijas actually, in up near the horse race track, and right next door to the sewerage works! very pleasant aroma! not! it is a beautiful church there though with a wonderful feel about the place, if you know what i mean!
a flower shop, and of course a bar!
but after the service, the cremation actually takes place in Álora! i had thought it only that Alhaurín here didn't have their own! so it seems that from all the churches everyone is taken to Álora!?! well from around about here anyway... bit like the ITV, (MOT) for your cars eh! Malaga or Estapona!!!!
five of us went afterwards a bit further up into the mountain and to the small urbanisation of cerros del Aguila (hills of eagles), and we had a tapa and a cold drink... and a toast to Cyril...rest in peace mi amigo...
should end it there... on the hills of eagles... but some of them wanted to pop into iceland on the way home! which we did, before leaving the coast by way of Mijas pueblo and the awful road works!
TTFN
Marian
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
notes on my phone for here is not a working idea! put on three sound bites and then had more trouble playing and deleting than if i had just used a piece of paper!
notes were....
Pippa this morning met a friends cat and it not only did not run from her but came up to her and they sniffed each others noses before the cat went to try Pippas other end! i think the cat thought it was a dog! then it rolled onto its back! i think it wanted Pip to give it a tickle!
other note was Ben Shepherd on GM.TV was telling everyone he has a Roomba! well bit late! Tony's had one for ages.....
there was another note but i dont know what it was!
paid a couple of bills today, the IBI (house tax), and another one(?) still the basura (rubbish) to pay, these three always come in as a job lot but on three separate bills which is good!
just read above and sounds a bit mechanical but you see i am trying to put off telling something which is making me sad.... not Mom folks she is good ok!
but i learned today of the passing of a good friend of mine on Friday past, he had been unwell, although hiding his true illness from us, we could tell things were not as ok as he kept saying they were. such a great shock. so we have a cremation tomorrow for a dear friend...
Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
now where was i? Mom? she is home and doing well, has lots more tablets to swallow, but they're doing good, so what if she rattles when shaken!?! Tony brought her home late'ish on Friday afternoon... and she has her last radiation therapy tomorrow, Monday. and the appointment with the specialist is on the 13th of the month. and contrary to what i said the other day... she wont be coming out here now in September, the doctors say its too risky, a cancer hospital would need to be here, right here! and insurance costing well over a thousand pounds would also be necessary... so that's on hold for now...now the photo above... looks like a similar scenario to the famous road in San Francisco? ok, well maybe not, but it looks good from here... i zoomed in from this shot below, taken from the roof at Miramar...
we were naughty... we drove home up through the road works (!) lots more done i guess, not enough for me to get excited over, the photo below though shows the house that is in the hollow on the left, as your going to Fuengirola, it has slowly over the last few years been taking bits and pieces of rough land, building a wall, a small building, planting out etc, well now the road we travelled on is right there down on that level and very close! not sure where the road will end up being though!
i turned from above and took the photo below of the hill we had just come down from, the coast is over that mountain! you wouldn't think this was a road would you? a main highway to the coast? well i suppose at the moment it has gone back 25 years to how it was when my neighbour moved up to Alhaurín el Grande...
now been making lots of notes... i really should use a little tape thing... wonder if my phone can do that, probably shall look into it later!
i wrote during week whilst watching a tv show, i think it was a 'living in the sun' channel 4 thing... the woman said regarding the man noticing the damp on the wall... well she said, no damp courses in Spain, true, but once your in and living here it will go, lies, if you live in an old(er) house, or apartment, you will share your house with damp, mildew, mould, hang on this sounds familiar now i think i am repeating myself, so sorry will get off my soap box... and rest a while.....
that's the trouble with making notes here there and everywhere.... what about this? on Loose women the other day one of the gals was talking about how in ye olden days the women, not them! would be outside the houses everyday washing the stoop and the street in front of their houses... and how much cleaner everything was then(not so sure about that eh!?!), but here too, as you know with my embarrassing moments of cleaning out front! but then here when you walk along people ahead dropping wrappers, tissues and all sorts! the street cleaner comes round every single day down our street, but if the people had a little more respect .... oh he would be out of a job! ok... today i was having a mood at everything down in Miramar, poor Franco had to carry that worn old soap box of mine... its getting too heavy for me....
i think maybe i should switch off now... its Sunday after all, no band practice this evening i don't think, and they cant march from our Vera Cruz with the road still up! i was giggling last afternoon, a wedding in the church, no access to the car park, for strangers anyway, no road access... goodness know where or how the bride and groom arrived? but lots of the guests were walking past, looking gorgeous, the women in wonderful dresses and high heels... i followed the little dug outs they left walking Pippa this morning, looked like little animals had been burrowing all the way up to the church!
For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.