Some family photos today, seems like everybody is posting them these days, so while I was scanning, well earlier, I thought later I would scan some of mine too!

Above Mom and Dad after a trip to Coney Island....My Dad looks like he is standing to attention!

Which works well with the next shot [get it??] of him during WW2... He was about 19 or so, maybe 20, I have a couple of letters my wonderful Aunt Rita gave me, that he had wrote to her during this time...


And here above, my Dad with his brother, my Uncle Charlie... Well...I wonder if they won the canary at the fair too?

And finally above, my Dad with his Mom, Carmela.... who I am named for, my Dad was so skinny, looks like the uniform is pinned on!

Was my Dads birthday last Saturday, I think I mentioned that already...

He bought me a little gold bracelet with a crab on it, when I was baptised I think, not sure, I have a silver bracelet from same time, I lost the bracelet one Christmas, the boys and I were in Hemel Hempstead, we got home to Gt Gaddesden and it was gone....

So little I had of my Dad and that went missing....

So today anyway, a small group of us met up at Bar Cruz in the centre of town and had a drink for Cyril, well you know, tea and coffee, but that's what we normally have!

Once home I have been following some ants... there is a little trail of them in the back [passage!], they are coming out of the wall down on one side, crossing over the floor to the wall, up that, over the outside window sill, then up the window frame and along and back into the wall!

Yesterday Franco and I bought a couple of ant trap things,I picked the one up that was under the cooker and placed it in they're line of journey, they are supposed to want to go into it, and take something with them back to base and expire all within! But they seem to be doing a pretty good job of avoiding it altogether!

These traps are all right, well I am hoping they're all right, but you cant put them where you want to because of Pippa anyway....

TTFN
Marian

Few more photos from my birthday weekend!

Er... Me, what a state.... not like Mom an Empire State of mind... me, as you can see in my Californian State of mind... that's hippy I think! Don't you!


I also, just publishing and then looking at that awful pic up there... my shorts are only just holding up! What a STATE!

Franco sunbathing on the edge.... Don't get up on the other side of that sun bed! Heck...



y al final... the gas station at El Dorado... looks a little deserted eh!


So...
Last night I was sitting on the door step with Pip waiting for Franco to come home... Awwwww! And three women came past, I said hola! they said hello back... then stopped talked, came back to me and asked "do you speak English?" I said yes, it's more or less my native language! After we stopped laughing they said they needed to get back to the high street, so I gave them directions... now this morning, friend and I were sitting outside a bar, and three women walked past, absolutely sure these were the same three from last night I asked if they had found they're way into town... they looked at me and said what? and sorry, you must have the wrong people!....

how bizarre... but then maybe think I was the *bizarre* in this instance! My friend said maybe it was them but they were drunk last night and didn't [want to] remember! Who knows!

Its getting hotter, if it could, just ran up now to the roof terrace to bring in the rather stiff washing, its 102 in the shade... Needless to say I didn't hang about up there to sizzle!

Had a weird dream last night, as usual, about Mom again, as usual, better than the one I had the other night where I was riding a kangaroo!

Kangaroo

To see a kangaroo in your dream, refers to maternal and paternal protection. You may be expressing your nurturing and mothering nature. Perhaps, you are being too overly protective. Alternatively, a kangaroo symbolizes aggression. If the kangaroo is hopping, then the dream is analogous to how you jump from one thing to another. You lack the ability to stick to one thing.

To dream that a kangaroo attacks you, indicates that your reputation is being called into question. meani

Well that's what it said on a web site! Well it was hopping and I am constantly at the moment going from one thing to another to keep my mind busy, only thing I can do to stop myself from thinking about Mom constantly still... but I was riding this kangaroo, so who knows eh!

Also the week before there was that awful news reel about the hideous things they do to kangaroos in Australia, so maybe it was just that!

Tomorrow coffee at Bar Cruz for Cyril...

TTFN
Marian

Paolo Nutini - Last Request (US Video)

Caught up with Woody when we were in the garden centre the weekend of my birthday! He was tired of all the red carpet hullabaloo!

I have just had the most surprising telephone call! I have been looking for Borax, I said something about Borax on Twitter and it got picked up by someone who had an idea to get rid of ants with Borax... I have been looking everywhere for it, well wherever I go! In the end I actually emailed the head office of Borax in California and today a man from their office Malaga called me! To begin I was, hey howd you get my phone number!!!!???

But then when I let the poor man speak he told me they had asked him to contact me about why I wanted it, and how much, and to tell me where I can get it!

Well the power of the internet eh!

And I was going out this morning, but at the last minute with door and windows all shut, everything switched off I realised I just couldn't make it, either down into town or even to the end of the street!

I decided instead to relax and watch the series Heir Hunters, so sad that so many people just don't have anyone close when they die, these on this TV series are people who have left no will, either because they have no idea of where they're family are, or have just not bothered of course.

Once case last week a man died, alone, no family it seems, he had left home at 17yrs, the last his parents or siblings ever saw of him, he moved down south, as unbeknown to him had one of his older brothers a few years later, they lived for over 50 years, and died, only 20 minutes away from each other without ever knowing the other was there... or even alive i guess...

They found a couple of sisters still living out of 6 or 7 siblings, and some nieces and nephews, they were sad, were glad they could at last know what had happened to him...

Just checked my *In* box and there is my email and the details of where I can get the Borax from! Although it is seeming a bit strange like its an illegal substance! I may well need help in calling and ordering it though, no doubt this man's English will not be as good as the one I spoke to just now... because of course my Spanish would fail miserably!

Yesterday... Tuesday, I went into town, got a few bits and had a té, then a friend joined me and I had another couple of té! I had told Pip I wouldn't be long, but then I guess she never believes how long I will be gone any more!

I also got passport photos done, took a while it was so hot in there I was glowing! I must get the forms all filled out and posted off as soon as I can find someone to sign the back who is official!

Friday we are meeting up at the Cruz bar in town to have a coffee for Cyril... Cant believe he passed away a year ago on 31st...

below another poem from Mom's book to me...

It was a joy to see you grow
- but a sadness too
- for you found your independence
and no longer needed me.
But now I see
that the years have given
more than they have taken
- and I celebrate my daughter
and my friend.
Pam Brown

TTFN
Marian

Took my birthday cards down today, usually leave them up a while longer yet, but...

And its my Dad's birthday today, he would have been 85, bless him, he never even got to make it to half that age though.

Not going to post this today, sounding not so good so far....

Well above was Saturday.... So will have to work hard to refresh my memory from last week now!

Well seems I was having a moan about the local bank! So I guess that was Tuesday... Wednesday I think I may have just been about the house, Thursday I stopped by a friends house for a coffee or tea, and then straight home from what I remember!

Back to Monday briefly, above the bus time table in Alhaurín de la Torre, yes that 10 foot high sign, lists the times of buses, not when they will arrive at that bus stop, but at what time they will leave Malaga bus station, or Coín for instance!!!??? Whereas the norm would be to tell at what time it would be at which stop!

Also, as you can guess the table for our bus was placed furthest away, at the top, so about 10 foot up in the air and impossible to read anyway!


And of course above is the wonderful chocolate cake I had that day... death by chocolate he called it, too many of those... and well, who knows!!!

Friday friends picked me up near the crossroads! I had been talking to a road sweeper, he works 7 days a week, I said he must be rich from working every day but he said no, the wages were poor!

We had some fun out walking a few mornings last week, a dog walking friend who has two dogs, we met up a couple of days and her dogs always bark at Pippa, who now, will always bark at them! They're big dogs too so we have to take evasive manoeuvres when we see each other! Either she hides, with her dogs behind a big car, or we suddenly walk in the other direction! Either of which must be quite amusing if we're being observed!

Saturday we went to Ikea, Franco had to get some bits for friends, we of course, stopped for lunch there, Franco had a huge lamb shank, which he enjoyed, and I had the wonderful meat balls with the more than wonderful sauce, but decided against the gravy in fear of MSG!

We didn't look around up stairs, it was packed! Which is good, for them, so we only *did* downstairs, on checking out as usual people in front had items with no prices, but scarily enough Franco knew they had only picked up a part of a light fitting, and that was why there was no price on it! Last time he knew how much some tea clothes were, and that it was a four pack! I think he goes there more often than I do!

We came back through Churriana and the Lidl there, and then home!

Sunday I got up, took Pip for her walk and then went back to bed with a headache, got up after a couple of hours and took a migraine tablet... but was so hot, I just couldn't settle and that made it worse, and I think I eventually got up about 8pm... Don't know why it happened, my neck hurt so I guess that was it!


Above is a quite poor photo of the park near the Coín bus station, there were a couple of dozen or more men there... all chatting in the shade of those big old trees, they watched the world go by as we watched them! And we had plenty of time to watch them, on the internet it said the bus would be there at 1pm, but the one that came, was just passing by, and in the wrong direction, he said he would be back at 2pm, and he was!

And now I think I need a cup of tea, never drunk so much in my life, but it seems to cool me down more than coffee, and cold drinks just make me hotter! Have just been try8ing to find a product Franco saw on TV yesterday, some sort of cool mat thing to lay down on and cool you down, it was on *Something for the weekend*, but I cant find it mentioned any where!

Adio amigos...

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
Judy Garland

What a nightmare of a day! If I say the word Bank... it will explain it all!

First the bank here.... typical walking in enquiring around the group of people with terrified looks on their faces backs to the walls around the room, found the one I was behind and I went and stood at the line.... because that's what its for!!!

Only two people in front of me but still took 25 minutes for me to be served?

Then back home, still no word about Mom's estate being finalised... from here you cant phone a free phone number, so I found another, probably a high premium number which when the bills comes through will double the bill... because the first call was 32 minutes, the second 20 minutes, both with similar starting code, so same price, I guess!

The first bank... I enquired how long these things take to complete, my Son had had to pay all the bills as I live out of the country and it had to be paid before I left England... they said, oh they because I spoke to two different people, 3 or 4 letters had been posted with reference to Mom's account, that they were awaiting important documents to complete the business! Oh these were sent to Moms house? Well she isn't there, and the person who is will have probably just thrown the letters away, because, un like Mom they hadn't *returned to sender*, because they were have had them back by now!

Seemed strange, as these documents were done four months ago while I was there!

So I then took the next option, speak to the person at the other bank... this was a call to a call centre, the lady who answered the phone there had trouble understanding me! I spelt out Berkhamsted several times, but I could hear her saying Hampstead, er.... what address? Finchley Road... And I am going no... BERKhamsted.... I even checked on the computer and said right its whatever number High Street, she said and the county? arh...... Herts!!!!

Eventually she said, hang on I will ask my supervisor... she came back in a few minutes, right, Berkhamsted.... I have it now! yeah well....

I was then transferred to the branch... and the lady I wanted is off today, [of course], I had to explain everything to someone else, who is calling me back... hopefully, he says all the documents the first bank wanted, were sent in early April to the correct office!

So we are back to square one, without the snakes and ladders, and didn't collect £100!

Apparently this should have been all completed in about two weeks.

So watch this space!

And moving on.... those photos look great don't they? Well I mean, seeing them like that, I will leave them there for a week maybe.

Ok I am exhausted, having washing to hang out, and am hungry....

so its adios from me...

TTFN
Marian

Monday already, and I got through the weekend, sounds bad, I'm sorry, it wasn't it was a truly memorable weekend thanks to Franco...

With my birthday on Saturday and knowing how I was feeling we were busy almost from dawn to dusk on both days!

I did shed tears while walking Pippa as aforementioned i think on the early blog I did that day...

I packed our picnic and we were off about 10am mas ó menos....

We got up to the Ardales lakes and pulled up right out side the Kiosk restaurant/bar...

Not too busy yet! We couldn't see anywhere to sit for the day, the water was up beyond the trees, in places the trees were well under the water! amazing considering the heat we have, but then considering the amount of water that fell, four years worth, I expect these reservoirs will be full for some considerable time!


After a coffee at the bar, we drove to the other side of the lake, where the photo below was taken, lots of fish!

The barrier there would be high to climb over, but the water was up to it anyway, so a big NO to parking ourselves there!

We then drove on... over the other reservoir and well on our way to the flamingo lakes! We tried a couple of places near the water, but with no trees we would have baked along with the ground there!

So we turned about, back past everything and took the El Chorro road, then the Bobastro road and climbed that, in the car, that is! We went up past the huge reservoir near the top of that mountain! And we pulled off the road in a place we have done so before, I had an idea...

Around the corner from where we parked was the perfect place to spend our day... its right on the edge of the mountain, with the most fantastic vista before us...

The mountain had a hang over to give us shade, and as long as we didn't get too close to the edge.... we would be fine... and we were!

I hung a rubbish bag from a rock, we opened up our chairs, we had the food in the shade, the radio on another ledge... we found a great local station but it was playing hits from the 80's and 90's, perfecto!

I was like some hippy, dancing and singing along, on the edge! we rolled up our shorts, and I had my nicbini [that's bikini to everyone else, nearly!] top on...

A couple of cars pulled up and people were taking photos of the vista, then saw us! Don't know what they thought! Probably that we were living there!

We didn't leave until 530pm, I nearly finished reading a Earnest Hemingway book, very appropriate don't you think! The Sun Also Rises....

Our food.... all home made, even the mayonnaise... I made some meatballs I had seen made of TV the other day, normal to the point of adding a rue sauce, and rolled in bread crumbs before deep frying... potato salad, cole slaw, tomato salad with mozzarella, gazpacho! And a whole load of crisps and nibbles bits! A few different cold drinks as well... No wonder I was so exhausted making this lot of Friday afternoon!

oh I forgot some fruit pies as well, I made four little mini pies! fruit with crumble on top!

Needless to say, we didn't eat half of it, and had picnic at home for dinner last night too! With the home made mayo I have thrown away every with that in it today, just in case!

So we left about 530... On our way home we drove in Casarabonela, a village I had always wanted to visit, it's on a sign post to and fro the lakes and, well being Bonelli, and it being bonela... you can see my fascination!???

We managed, at last to park! And we had a wander about, came to the town hall and we could see the view of Alhaurín el Grande, and at last, I was where I look over to every day from our terrace!

We sat just off the square and had a drink, I ventured a glass of vino tinto, and was drunk after half a glass, as usual, cheap date that I am! I then got a bit melancholy, so we were off outta there... before I could take a turn for the worse!

The day wasn't over yet! We stopped off in Cartama for ice cream at the ice cream parlour on the way out of town!

Can't remember what time we got home, nearly 9pm i think! I picked up Pippa's bowl, emptied the dried food out onto the counter to fill bowl with her dog food, and then, and only then did I notice the ants! Considering they were half way up both my arms, all over the counter and then in the new dog food... I guess I was a little slow to say the least! I threw the new food straight into the bin, the bowl into the sink and ran water, grabbed a load of paper towel wet it and cleaned up the ever spreading army of ants that were running like crazy across the counter and up two walls to escape the strange new place!!!!

I cleared it all up screaming as I went, it only took a few minutes for all of this, Franco walked in, What's going on? What ants? Arh... look in the bin!

Then... Sunday.... Franco had more plans, we were off early back to Cartama and we climbed the mountain to the chapel there... Virgen de los Remedios Chapel, then continued up higher to the ruins of the castle, phew, what a climb!

We came down, and stopped off in a garden centre on the Coín road, we had coffee's and little bacon and cheese baguettes... We bought ice creams and wandered around the garden centre...

Then..... On our way to check on friends house we popped into the El Dorado [El Cine], and we had another coffee! and wandered around by the newly refurbish lake, for fishing, and the wonderfully refurbished two swimming pools! Well worth visiting there, if you live here, or to take visitors! Then it was a few shots of the old film studio houses etc, and off....

Then we went home!

phew... so we were very busy all weekend which was good...

Today, Monday, friend and I got the bus, as arranged to Alhaurín de la Torre, we just fancied a different view... er yes I know I had already had plenty of those over the weekend, but we planned this a couple of weeks ago!

We had a cold drink, a wander around and waited an hour for the bus back!

And now I am tired out from all this writing, its late and I need to eat!

Was wondering how I could show you all the photos I took over the weekend, I have put them on Flickr.com, my name on there is Manisavane, so if you can look there, you should be able to, try it and see, good luck!!! And I will paste more on here, if I see no one has been to visit there!

Ok so above makes no sense because I have added it to my blog up there on the top on the right!!

TTFN
Marian

Today is my first birthday without my Mom in this world...

I will be ending this with another poem from the *Daughter* book she gave me.

Mom was my first thought when I awoke this morning from a night of awful dreams... when I got to sleep at all, not just my Fibro, but most people are not sleeping in this heat...

Walking Pippa this morning with tears running down my face... we are going out for the day, I know a change of scene cannot change how my mind will be working, but am hoping for distractions, and I know Franco and I will spend the day talking and just being together, there will be laughter.... along with my tears....

Pippa will be house sitting, sorry baby...

the poem below by Margaret Mead 1901-1978

You can go without regret
Away from this
familiar land,
Leaving your kiss
upon my hair
And all the future in your hands....

TTFN
Marian

Sorry, with regards to my fragile state of mind I am drawing inspiration from a book my Mom gave me September 2007...

Monday I had not just a normal [bad] day but a real awful day, being Franco's birthday and mine approaching, and no cards from Mom i was a real mess, didn't get out of the house till the doctors appointment, after just being upset it went from bad to worse when I remembered a book Mom had given a few years back, entitled *Daughter* A Giftbook. I remembered it, went up stairs to the bookcase that I move about every so often which mean taking all the books out in the process and refilling it, so any book could be anywhere... but lo and behold the book was on top! how? who knows? then in the bathroom a light bulb went out, but later, it was working fine.... signs signs signs...

Anyway I started reading the book and was a complete sobbing wreck....

And below is one of the poems...

Walk gently my daughter
Through life's joys, songs and triumphs.
For my love will be there in your heart.

Walk gently my daughter
Through all life's great mysteries.
For my love will be there in your heart.

Linda Macfarlane

TTFN
Marian

Tuesday, i think!

went to doctors last afternoon, 5:30pm and as hot outside as walking into a furnace... my legs felt like they were actually being burnt!

but anyway, the doctors... i think i decided last time i saw this doctor i wouldn't go to him again, so i had almost half hour visit, and he was in the room for about 15 of them, at the most, took two phone calls, and left the room twice and stayed out for quite a few minutes each time.....!!!!

i said my blood pressure was high, he checked it and said yes it was very high.

he put a strange strappy contraption on me that linked my ankles wrists and chest together, then a piece of paper printed out for a while with him moving the chest bit about.

then, he took my BP again, this time not holding the gauge.

he asked me what meds i am on, i said just the anti inflammatory and he said it was probably that causing the high BP and to take only one a day.

he asked if there was any high BP in the family and i said yes my Mom.

any heart disease and i said yes on my Fathers side.

i stupidly [maybe] mentioned the palpitations and said that they and another few things i had thought were something else i am... er going through shall we say. and he said, oh no, you cant be. well i am of that there is no doubt!

he wrote a prescription, then asked my age!

i offered him information i thought he should have asked... as in my not smoking, not much of a drinker, i don't add salt to anything, and with my MSG problem not even any sodium, eat well enough, am not over weight.

for some reason i thought he should have asked about those? but then, i also thought he might want to check my cholesterol levels? but then he didn't even listen to my heart... SO?

so last night i took a tablet for anxiety! looked on the internet at its information and it can be given to people who are giving themselves palpitations!!! and or misleading signs of heart problems when there are none.

so what's with the high blood pressure then? does that mean nothing till i keel over or what?

oh and i am leaving the anti inflammatories altogether, they do say they can lead to heart failure, i'll take pain killers instead as i wasn't offered another choice!

nearly forgot to mention this tablet knocked me out within 2 hours of taking it, bit slurred speech and clumsy, was still high in my blood stream on getting up and only really in the last hour or so do i feel normal tired[!] just about out by the time i get to take another one.

i will persevere until i see him again in two weeks.

TTFN
Marian

Moon over the Med

Vamos El Rojos!

yeah won on the Euro☺Millones! €9.61.... ok ok it isn't much is it, but i did say i was going to win, and i did!

and that's about it for today... Formula 1 on tv now whilst i am writing and watching at the same time, then footy later... and its vamos el rojos! come on the reds!!! later, i re tweeted a tweet from Kate reference Paul the Octopus who is deciding all the games of late! and now lil Paul is following me... oh how life is, i never expected to be followed by an octopus! how much better can life get!?!

we popped out earlier just to check on friends house, buy a carton of milk and hurry home for the TV action! its past hot out there, being in the mid 40's still at 8 and 9pm... in the 30's by the time for sleep, which means no one is....

and with the heat we are having an outbreak of ants, or would that be an in break? they are coming out of all the door frames, the door frames just hang there, not sealed or anything so anything in the brick work, works its way out to freedom! one sniff of food, or anything Pippa may deem to leave about the house makes it open house for them... i saw Pip (please look away now anyone with a gentle stomach!) had been sick, grass and bits, erm, anyway, i went to clean it up and saw the main bulk of it was just ants! and the two lines soldiering there way to remove it! well thanks very much but i would rather do that myself, ants are like carrion aren't they, instead of crows and magpies removing road kill, ants remove household edibles!!!

the other afternoon i picked up Pippa's bowl to put her dinner in it and found it to be alive with ants trying to carry off her dried food that's normally left in the bowl all day, so i am checking that out every time i go into the kitchen and cleaning it meticulously in the evening leaving it clean and empty!

and the little devils hurt too they nip you, its erm... the formic acid, no wonder it stings! and once you pick something up they're on they're up your hand and your arm so quickly its hard to decide what to do first, drop whatever all over the floor or get the ants off!

sorry Pip no midnight snacks for you, the ants could carry you off starting with that little black shiny nose of yours if you stick it in there in the dark! ah my poor baby...

yesterday.... woke up with headache, again, just walked Pip, and back to bed after some breakfast, got up about 2pm... cant keep doing this, maybe the doctor will have some answers tomorrow...

TTFN
Marian

couple of shots of the new road we used on Sunday along with half of the rest of the town! no wonder its so flat... its wide enough for three lanes in some places, so a lane each way with a crawler lane for the up hill truck struggle... but in the papers two years ago it said two lanes each way with crawler lanes on both sides? cant see it somehow.... hope there will still be room for the central reservation also planned, but???

and below just one photo of the airport!

i should have taken more maybe!

well the week has passed already, Wednesday i back in town *networking*... great name for sharing coffee and chit chat round town isn't it!

still feeling head achey and so yesterday morning awoke with a head ache, walked Pippa and more or less spent the day in bed! it never reached migraine status which i know is good, but it was just so bad i couldn't sleep? so was just laying there really, and every time i moved just a little too much Pip was jumping up and expecting me to get up, and each time i tried just that, coming down stairs, having a cup of tea, or coke (caffeine!) she would stay up there on the bed!

i think it was about 4pm when i came down, about then, took aNother pain killer... she came down that time, dinner time!

this morning i had to get into town for Euromillion lottery, i am winning it this evening, sorry everyone else, it just has to be done! and we needed a few bits of food. 5 items = €13.05, seems a lots! bananas, a little chicken (breast), four yoghurts, coffee and a bag of green salad!

wasn't out long, talk in town was mostly about the news (English), the warning of a 30° high for a couple of hours this afternoon! and the NHS (medical) hot line to phone in case of any problems associated with the heat! it was already over 30° here by the time most of us got to talking about the news report, and are expecting a minimum of 40°, but that is only the street heat... not the furnace that will be everyone's terraces by 4 or 5 or even 6pm! it just keeps on getting hotter during the day.... till we all melt through the cracks in our marble flooring!

i have also made an appointment now to see the doc, Monday evening, even sneezing is now starting a chain reaction of palpitations or head aches?

TTFN amigos
Marian

i don't think i posted this photo of Pippa on my blog did i! i'm sorry she does look a little cheeky there.... but she was actually relaxing [on the sofa] watching the football, and proudly supporting my team!

not much in the food for chatting today feeling a bit head-achy and cant seem to spell (no difference there!) but actually its not spelling which is the problem its the typing and typos that go with it when my head hurts... all the way down to my toes! and every joint in between!

may have done too much yesterday, friend and i thought we would go to Malaga airport for a recky... you know see how it is these days, we arranged this last week and i didn't know i would be going on Sunday! i also took 3, even spaced out before you yell! travel sickness meds, but i wonder if they are making me feel bad now, i felt bit weird when i got home...

anyways....
Sunday Franco and i took Maria and their Mom to the airport for their flight back to England... car parking has changed... not actually where it is, just how you get into it! now you drive past it and come back down the road and in from the opposite direction! so not rocket science, we parked at the very top, the 4th level, under the car port type covers they have there...

before i go... this is added later, we stopped for coffee at the bar in Terminal 2, begins with R... cant remember its name, but its the only one there... anyway, after check in, we wanted 3 café con leche y un té... easy order? the tea was green tea, alright if that's what you ask for, but when milk has been added its pretty yuck! Maria changed it for another coffee just in case, all the coffees were different, Franco's was good, mine was tasteless, Maria's horrid, and their Mom's... heavy on the sugar! but that's because Franco had put it and not stirred it! Ummmmm honey!!!

exit 2 is still departures and 0 for arrivals.... well i say that! but although departures terminal 2 is still the same there are no arrivals underneath it! as when we landed in March you only come out of the new terminal 3 building, you can come outside and walk along outside if you want! but if you use the elevators or lifts you go up and either walk or use the moving walk thingy to get yourself along to the car parks!

so i guess its exit 2 for departures and then you make your way following the many many signs along to terminal 3 and ground floor for meeting and greeting!

have i made that sound confusing? it isn't.... departures is just extended really is the best way of looking at it, the check-in desks have more than doubled in number, and the security/passport control is all down at the new end... passing Starbucks etc, its in the bottom left hand corner, big and open and much much better now...

from that end there are stairs etc downstairs which take you directly to arrivals, you can wait for people inside, or out side... you can even peer in to the carousel area and see who you might be waiting for from there! there is also a restaurant there, the old restaurant in the old arrivals area was cheap and cheerful, a coffee and cake was within easy reach to all and sundry! i usually paid under 2€ for them! this place is 1€50 for a coffee, 10€ for a wrap and many other delights at delightful prices!!! it might be cheerful but not cheap, and where have those old guys gone... on the heap no doubt with their old bar and accessories!

the airport buses are all outside the new terminal 3, we, well i, got us on the wrong bus! we asked for Malaga bus station, but it went to the port... handy, for the port! so we had a 15 minute walk to the bus station on the way back, the charge was 2€ to get there, but only 1€.50 to get back, i wonder if that's because it was the port, even if it is further to go? who knows!

still lots of construction going on, the new rail station for nearer access to the airport isn't finished, the new run way of course, still not done, but its looking good! photos tomorrow, i really am struggling here, so i am going...

TTFN
Marian

a few photos today of the results of the 8 hector fire on the Sierra de Mijas, didn't know exactly how much a hector was, so just Googled it! 8 hectors = 0.03 square miles... so not much really at all is it!

the photo above shows the fire damage on the mountain right there in the middle of the photo, well sort of, slightly blackened...


these shots above and below are much better views.... the smell is still quite strong too, not nice at all....

its not still smouldering which is how the one above looks, that's the window! we had a few spits and spots of rain yesterday, and again today, then drying almost instantly and of course is filthy rain! always is in the summer.... like its been hanging around in the clouds gathering dust!

and the longer the time between rainfall the dirtier the water! so every ones car are bad...


the fire was on both sides of the road as you can see, amazing how it jumps, most reports are that it was caused by an electrical station, and they were certainly doing lots to the electric station afterwards, although some say it was a cigarette, i think that's incorrect.

now a couple of things i keep forgetting to tell you! or maybe i have? five years of walking Pippa through the car park near here, but the first year that the 12 or more trees have been humming! well the bees are! its never happened before but its so noisy sounds like these vuvuzelas on the tv just now... what shall we do when the footballs over? my last team is out(?) Brazil was a rather tenuous link, my Grand Fathers brothers who moved there over 100 years ago!!! who i have to find... oh Mom! how??? although i have found a site now where, for a penny or more, you can have freedom to the ships records... so i will do it, when i can!

er... anyway, my usual digression... back to the bees! they are so fervent in their collection of the pollen the petals are all over the ground! and now even the little yellow stems from inside! there are a little fewer now than a month ago, but they're still trying their luck! Pip and i walk beneath the trees fearlessly....!

then there is a poor dog, i forget about him most days, or even weeks, but he lives in a garage, frosted glazed window, that is all, poor dog, sounds like an Alsation... what a life, or lack of one.

Tuesday i had a date with Val! my friend who i used to work for from Cristinas the newsagents in town, was great to see her, she has been over here for a couple of weeks, and is now back in England and i guess back to work on Monday!

Val was over here with her two sons, we had coffee and a bite to eat at Bar Rosa, and then the boys wanted a game of golf, so we went to Alhaurín Golf club, and they did! and we sat and continues chatting on the veranda of the bar... was lovely up there, so peaceful. i had never been in there before, but then i suppose as we don't play golf why would we!

... ok yes i did do the Million Dollar hold in one job, so i have been on a few courses, i forgot that!

Thursday i caught up with someone else not seen for a long time, a friend of Cyrils, we used to all have coffee together outside Bar Cruz, can't believe its nearly been a year since Cyril passed away... we're going to meet up again at the end of this month down at Cyrils bar and have a drink to him...

heck Germany winning 4-0 to Argentina, don't think Argentina are going to catch up in the 2 minutes, however much extra time they give it! erm...

yesterday i stopped for a chat with friends and joined them... been a week of that hasn't it!

one minute of extra time... its not going to happen Argentina now, be serious!

this morning Franco and i went down to the coast and got a few things we needed on our way to see his Mom Maria and Dawn, they will all be back in the UK by tomorrow evening, they're all tanned and relaxed which is what a holiday is all about, didn't see enough of them, so close but so far really... things we needed before hand were some meds, the anti inflammatories you can just get without the hullabaloo up here! oh good word and it must be right, no red wiggly line underneath! i also got some more travel sickness meds, these have caffeine, whereas the others i got, hadn't and i really don't need anything to make me (more) tired!

and on our way back a quick trip to Iceland! (Overseas supermarket), can't believe how much traffic there was down on the coast today, but the sales have started here now, so minus the extra IVA (VAT) that went on everything here in Spain as of July 1st, and the prices of sales stuff here are always so cheap! it was crazy down there, people driving in the wrong lanes, no signalling, bad parking and absolutely no consideration for other drivers... oh hang on, that's all normal...!

It is the sign of a well educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without accepting it - Socrates

TTFN
Marian