Silly me, forgot to post a link to the book!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-to-draw-Cartoons-ebook/dp/B005E0AHR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1311505841&sr=1-1

This morning we went up the road to a local Bazaar, got a few bits and pieces, its so easy to just grab everything in these shops! Always so many little bits and pieces you never knew you wanted or even needed! Like today, a plug... a plug that goes directly into an electric socket that has a fitment for a light bulb! WOW! Got home plugged it it, screwed in the light bulb, and it has a switch... switched it on and ba boom... light! I am just so easily please!

From there we went to a bar just along the road from there... The place was full of foreigners! Only foreignness! Not a Spanish person in sight except the bar man! We had a couple of coffees and a bocadillo each, the coffee was nasty and the bocadillo too big for me, our fault that bit of course, I should have had only a pitufo [small one], then he charged us 8€... sounds like tourist prices to me...



Can't wait for tomorrow to get another book onto Kindle, I know first I have to scan/cut/fix then move to file, where I may have to continue to fix to fit, then upload.... but its so exciting, and feels so much like work, which I do miss, the other evening when I had completed only some of the above job on the first book I kept thinking I had forgotten something, somewhere, I think it was just that I had left the job unfinished!



Two terrible things have taken place since my last Blog, the Terror attack in Norway, and yesterday Amy Winehouse. The most up to date news is the man in Norway did not do this alone, although this he denies vehemently ... If only one man can kill this many people, imagine what 10 men could do... with the thoughts he had...

... And Amy Winehouse, what a terrible loss, not just to her family but to the world of music, I know not everyone liked/understood her, but, her voice is amazing, unique... and these days these unique voices are few and far between.... Somebody on Twitter mentioned the 27 club, and now Amy Winehouse will be added to this remarkable list....

And today as you must have guessed.... some random photos I took when Mom and I were at the London Eye...


TTFN
Marian

I have been a very busy bee today! Finished putting file and up loading on Kindle the above book for Peter Maddocks.

Can't wait to see how its come out, have to wait about 24hrs I think, then will check it out! Have just looked at someone else's book, similar!!! And hope ours has come out well also! Not the same is it, normally, on Kindle, the books are all writing, but an 'How to do........' in drawing is completely different!

This morning I noticed a man go to pick up a paper from an outdoor rack... The papers were in English, he took one, looked at it, threw it back down and walked off in a huff! I wonder what went through his mind? Foreign language papers for free in his country? Where's mine in my country? I hasten to add it was a Spanish shop, sort of... Dunnes.... I think its Spanish owned now is it? At least this part of it.

Did I tell you about a hole in the wall opposite the house? Someone, took to picking at some layers of paint the other week, every time he comes past probably taking some more! Last evening Pip started barking and I raised the persiana to see why, two kids were pulling great chunks out of the wall, they ran when they heard the blind going up, but too late... I see daylight now from our side of the wall through to the waste land beyond!

Our mail box fell off the other day! The mail man can be very heavy handed! Because its not the huge quantities of mail we get forsure! More junk than mail maybe? Anyway, I had left it perched on the windowsill, but yesterday I got the drill out and fixed it! Didn't want to drill in too deep in case I hit electricity, the meter is above it, as it happens... So its back up, at a slightly dodgy angle, got a bit of a tilt going on, but never mind it'll do...

I am getting used to the pain killers I think, felt a bit head achy to begin with, but ok now, as in no head ache! The pain? Well I think maybe just the edge off it, but so subtle I can't be sure, especially as I am still doing all the normal things that still hurt!

I wish I had one of those miniature cameras on me, at all times... at the hospital the other morning, the smallest praying mantis was on the side of the car by the door mirror, he was only about two inches long... I shooed it off before it got to go on a journey back to Alhaurín... then yesterday morning Pippa was annoying a bee caught on a bit of fluff on the terrace, I picked up the fluff, and helped the beautiful bumble bee off...

"It's good to dream, better to live, but when you live out your dreams you know that you have accomplished something"

TTFN
Marian

Another birthday come and gone, and look I came through the other end... I know the problem now, after all this time, I always have huge expectations for my birthdays, and Christmas too I suppose... There has been occasion where I had promised myself something I wanted to do on my birthday, then outside influences have prevented my plans, one of which a couple of years back I had planned ten year before!

So I make my expectations very high, then... bam, reality cannot complete and I am left feeling down hearted I suppose... I, maybe, delved a little bit too deep into this thought over the weekend, and wondered where these high expectations come from, and I wonder if its from when I was little and I always hoped to hear from my Dad, a card, a visit [highly unlikely, considering we moved to a different country], when he died I was ten, but maybe I have been left with that feeling of hope on these two days... Who knows, maybe I am just doing what everyone does, and am analysing far too much over nothing much!

We went down to town on my birthday, started the day with a plate of churros and una taza de chocolate, very nice, sitting in the sun and eating these lovely things...

Then it was back home and just relaxed really the rest of the day...

Ok hospital appointment last evening for results of Doppler scan... I have a heart defect, I have to go back and make an appointment to see a cardiologist and I think that is for meds, to take, forever!!!! He told me to go back on the blood pressure meds, and to take for the pain of the effect of the cysts twice a day a mix of two different pain killers, both strong, and one of which usually gives me a headache! So fun eh!

I tried to find out more about these spinal cysts, he[the doctor], says I have some, a few, they need to be operated on to remove, and I have to see someone about that, I am to expect letters through the post about both things, I think!

That's me for today, tired and hot, well actually, strangely cool and clammy for some reason! Maybe I better open the persianas and let some sun as it starts to set....

TTFN
Marian

My Saints day today, well my middle name that is! I should be pushing the boat out tonight down on the coast..

Name: SANTA CARMEN SANTA CARMEN Nombre en: Name: FEMENINO FEMALE
Fecha onomástica de esta santa : Date of this holy name day: 16 de julio July 16
Explicación del nombre CARMEN. CARMEN explanation of the name. ¿ Qúe significa CARMEN ? What does CARMEN? : :
Hebreo. Hebrew. Nombre hebreo que significa "Aquella que cultiva el campo". Hebrew name meaning "those who cultivate the field." Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Patrona de los marineros. Our Lady of Carmen, patron saint of sailors. Variantes: Canita, Carmela, Carmencita, Carmina, Carmiña, Carmela, Carmín, ... Variations: Canita, Carmela, Carmencita, Carmina, Carmina, Carmela, Carmine ...
Esta santa celebra su onomástica el 16 de julio This holy place his name day on July 16

This morning we walked down to the local shops, having a coffee in a nearby bar... hiding under a parasol, I wheeled the trolley down, but not back! Poor Franco not very macho, but I couldn't pull it!!

A man nearly got run over while we were having a coffee, his fault, he just crossed the road without looking, then wondered why the man in the van didn't stop??? But no injuries, so when crossing back, he neither looked left or right, or even bothered to use the crossing that time!

Just eaten tuna pasta bake thingy, not feeling very well, always makes me feel slightly queasy...

Struggling to keep my head above water today, last birthday weekend was bad, this is even worse! At least last year we managed to get away both days, no long lingering nothing days, out from dawn till dusk; but not this year, no wheels, no travel! Lots of time to think instead, never a good thing...

[trying not to put exclamation marks everywhere today] ha, nearly put one there then too, and again....

Ok, short today, going to try to lose myself in this wondrous www of ours, just read that peoples memories are getting worse, because we know everything we need to remember is on/in here... that's true I suppose...

TTFN
Marian

Seems to be my 800'th Blog entry on Blogspot.com today!

I should make this a momentous brilliant extravagant post shouldn't I?

I may let you down... down being the word... I am happy, very happy 23 hours of the day, but then that other hour? Not in one piece, broken down in minutes here and there, a sudden pause in life or breath, and I think of my Mom, miss her, this will be the second birthday, shortly, that I have not heard from her! lol, the cheeky lady, missing my birthday again eh!

Its silly really, I mean, most of my birthdays I was away, holidays usually, until I moved here... but always we spoke...

I'm having the weirdest dreams... Russell Grant says its because of the full moon tomorrow, the 15th, effecting us Cancerians! I had been lucky sleepwise at night, still feeling quite cool considering its July, that's really unusual! But last couple of nights, too hot to sleep, fan going round so fast the ceiling is likely to take off at any time! Keep having to sleep upside down to get best of the cool air from above, then waking up disorientated, or by Pippa jumping up on the bed knowing its time to get up, but not that my head is there at the bottom of the bed not the top! ~Grrrrrrreat!

I've done well, still not opened the envelope containing my ultra scan results, and only five days to go before the doctor tells me them!

Now this week, sun, heat, and more sun and heat! We are bar hopping, sat somewhere different and watched the comings and going of Alhaurín el Grande life from a different point of view! We were in the shade, bonus; and there was less spitting, coughing and cigarette smoke, that was just us!!! Not sure where we will be tomorrow, the Boardroom manager is who we follow, and where he leads, we will sit! Which is ok by the rest of us...

Not doing very good am I for such an important Blog! Ok lets see, let me pick up the pace and get going... I have been in friends pool again this week, not as much, but a little, feels wonderful in there, just keep forgetting I have to keep still and just 'hang' in there, keep relaxed and enjoying floating, or I suffer afterwards!

Last Thursday, I think? Went round the neighbors for drinks [I took bottle of red], and drank it! Phew, not used to that amount in one hit! But felt fine, and fine in the morning too, which was both amazing and good luck! We had a good evening, chatted the whole time and caught up, sometimes we can go for months without seeing each other, and then they're off again!

The band is back to practice Mondays and Thursday, great! Have a break folks, its too hot out there!

I've fixed the hose [broke last week], plants are ok, figs are coming on, my favourite, and some cuttings I took seem to have taken, fingers crossed! Not a great time to do it, temperature being well over 50degrees up there all day and no escape for them!

Have you noticed I seem to end each paragraph with an exclamation mark!!! What's that all about then? How long have I been doing this? Must mean something, but then, that's how I speak, with an '!' at the end of every sentence!

I think, before I drive even myself crazy with this Blog today I shall say adio amigos....

TTFN
Marian
oh and ps, I didn't win the 187 million Euros either... by the way!

Museo Carmen Thyseen Málaga today... We made good time to Málaga, bit of traffic in the city, but not too bad, parked easily and came out into the heat... was 39º by 10am! Like an open oven door! We had a coffee by the Alcazaba, I popped into the ladies there.... What a toilet! Huge room, old oak door with a massive bolt on the inside[of course!], georgeous tiffany style lamp and an oil painting on the wall of a naked man! There was a head and shoulder portrait on the door, of a woman, so I am guessing likewise in the gents, well the other way around of course!

I had printed out a map to get from the Picasso gallery to the Thyssen, but it was easy to find anyway, and five stories high, was a long haul walk... but very very good, although after the Louvre in Paris..... well, spoiled I guess eh!

Beautiful books in the shop on the way out, but so expensive....


Above is something I caught sight of on the way into the City, I thought initially it was scaffolding, but look closer..... go on zoom in! Its a piece of art, see the chairs??? Strange eh! Although a better photo than the first I took of a white van as it pulled up along side as I took the photo!!!!

Anyway, back to the Thyssen, after we left we went back to the main plaza at the end of c/larios and had a paella, mixto with a beer!

Then home!

I got lots in the mail box today, a card[*smiles*], and a bill from the phone company, for well over a hundred euros!!! They want[ed], 50€ for a call out fee, remember I called them out because the line was bad? Well they were charging 50€ for that effort of coming out, looking, using the phone and leaving! So I got straight onto them, told them I wasn't happy. I mean afterall, he didn't have the means to fix was what was needed, he told me what to get. And a couple of days later I bought the fixings from a hardware store, and I fixed the phone myself! And they want 50€??? I should send them my bill for fixing they're equipment!!!

Also had an Aviso[notice of mail in the post office for collection], its not our house number, or name, quite possibly not even out street! So popping that back in to them tomorrow, to get back again at a later date no doubt!

Oh and lots of post for next door but one, as usual!!!!

I'v had to lug the rug[oh!] up onto the terrace for a wash, Pippa has been so afraid to go up there, she had a couple of.... what shall I say? accidents? on the rug[pheuwy!!!], I tried to clean it downstairs out the back, but not a good idea, and so made it worse by having to get a wet rug up two flights or stairs!

Anyway, its washed, and dried up there now, but I think I will wash it again before bringing it down again! Poor little Pip!

Then last night, no, the night before, I was hosing down the plants, watering the plants really I think I mean! And the end came off and soaked me, so that was fun!!!

The last two nights sleep has been wonderful, Sunday night was as bad as Saturday night, even though we thought the celebrations were over, they weren't, 6am Sunday morning the rockets started again, and went on all day and all evening, then, no bands, nothing but rockets, and at about 10pm, there seemed to be a whole crowd of people milling about outside in our street, and there they were, hundreds and thousands[well almost], and they didn't leave till about 1am!!!!

Monday, hospital, I forgot to mention Friday, went to the hospital too! I had had a phone call late one evening, about 9pm telling me an appointment had been changed and thought it was my Monday appointment for the heart scan... so, off we went, waited up by the room for well over half hour, at least until they switched off the lights!!! Then we knew we were either in the place, or it was the wrong day and time, the later is the answer of course!

So a complete waste of time... We went as previously arranged to the correct appointment, we arrived early, but I went in on time, I watched the whole scan, could see lots of highs and lows on a monitor, me, inside of course, my heart beating away, thank God! And lots of lights, green and purple and red, like flashed of colored lightening, very pretty!

Took the results in a sealed envelope and went down to the appointments desk, because we thought the phone call must have been telling me of a change to the results consultation... we waited about an hour, nearly, and no, that appointment is fine and correct also!!! So what the heck was that all about? What appointment did I miss? And what for???

I now have to NOT open the envelope and take a sneak peek at the results, I wouldn't know what they mean, and would only get the wrong idea and worry, but its difficult not opening them.... isn't it???

TTFN
Marian

ps, sorry, very very tired and may be many errors, mis spellings or grammar or just plain weird writing today, apologies amigos, must try better next time!!

As I write, I hear rockets.... rockets rockets rockets, all we have been hearing all week, and I am all rocketed out now! These things must be costing someone some money, somewhere! And for what, to get people to the church?? Arrrrrhhhhhh, I know I have said this before, and I have every intention of saying it many times more yet, but honestly, we all have either mobile phones or alarm clocks to get us to be somewhere we are supposed to be at whatever times we are supposed to be there, we really do not need rockets for that any more!!!


Trip to Benalmadina this morning, we borrowed a friends car, a 4x4, I had only driven it once before, but it was ok, bit bigger than I am normally used to! And I felt very small at the wheel! We went down the coast road to Fuengirola and then along the coast road, along, well along the coast! To Benalmadina port, I hadn't been there for a while, I don't think since Mom passed away, she and I went there alot, so I could see her there... Everywhere, but then we passed the Chinese junk boat, and I could see Tony and I on that too! The new sea taxi was there, it looks like it would be a bumpy ride, but you get the boat from Benalmadina to Fuengirola, or Cabopino, Marbella, and even Gibralter, at some point! Every two hours from 10am, and its a return trip, just hope not everyone wants to get the same boat back, no standing, tha'ts forsure!

We arrived ok, parked, had a coffee, then went to meet Franco's sister Maria and her friends, they were at a beach bar on the other side of the marina, and we found them fine... had a coffee while they had breakfast then said our goodbyes! Maria is only here for the weekend, so just a fly by visit... Then we were back to the car and off outta there! We came back a slightly different way, and about half hour quicker too! Popped into Aldi on the way and stocked up! [on ice cream], although what I got will take a lot to beat the bubble gum ice cream I got earlier in the week from Overseas[Iceland], Mmmmmm yummy!

Back in town, couldn't get home! We came down the road, and the police were blocking the road, por que, the band was walking up our street! So engine off and waited... I drove up our street behind the band, pulled up outside the house, un loaded the shopping and left Franco to meet and greet the Pip, I then continued to follow the band up our street.... once again, engine off near the junction with plaza alta, once more they left, and the whole load of us cars made a quick get-away down a narrow lane, and away.... but slowly, this time the street was filled with people walking about! But I made it through, taking no prisoners... or maybe just the one or two across the bonnet like trophies!!!

Last night we had an impromptu walk! The phone rang, late, and I mean late!!! My friend whose car I had borrowed couldn't find his wallet, etc etc, everything! And that it might be in his car, in his bag, somewhere there! And he had only just realised it was missing, and where it might be, so off we went to the car, parked up the road, a way[!!!], Pippa thought it was great fun, going out so late, that is until the rockets started going off.... poor thing had to be carried for a while, and then she just kept wriggling and trying to get away, goodness knows what she would do, or where she would run, in panic... I hate to think!

Anyway, the car, the bag, yes! Hidden away out of sight, but there, thank goodness, then home, and back to sleep!

Today we have had bad trouble with internet, well no wifi, that is! Franco was trying to connect something, and ended up using the Ethernet lead, then when I tried to get on line, nothing, nada, and nowt as well!!! I started to lose the plot and thought I would just give it up, then on the hundredth time of switching everything off, mine at last started working! Why does this happen? Makes no sense to me at all....

Maybe its the heat, no no I do know its not, but it is hot hot hot hot! Washing taking half hour to dry... which reminds me I have more to put out just now!

Do you remember I brought my Step-Dads guitar in from the cave? It was so damp and ruined, I didn't know what to do with it, it seems so sad that it was left to rot in there, I feel bad about having done so, it was last year when we had all the rain and it was flooded like everything else in there!

Anyway, its been drying out, but is real stinky and in so many pieces its beyond repair I know, so today, I washed the case, and the back panel of the guitar has come away, I cleaned it up and its now making a very strange new addition to the lounge!!! maybe I should frame it? The label came off, but I'm going to stick that back on, Dads guitar was a Spanish one, made by Manuel Segura Roma E Jerez, sold in London!!! Oh and just googled all the info I have on it, one similar is for sale for 50£... Although I am sure its in much better conditioned, no cave damage me thinks!!

Before I go... Franco wanted something in my make up box, not as dodgy as that might sound by the way folks, but he opened it, peered in and the look on his face made me say to him "... you look like a stranger in a strange land!...."

adió amigos time for ice cream!
TTFN
Marian