Received a gift a few weeks back, a great box of Scottie biscuits!  The tin, and the biscuits therein!  Only opened them last evening, didn't realise the buscuits were doggy shaped, how cute are they!!!
And now, of course, also I will have to keep the tin!!! Another 'keeper'... Was thinking yesterday I will have to get rid of my post card collection... why do I have them? why do I keep them? I never look through them after all...  Mmmmm strands of Christmas blues coming through.... I have been fighting them off, because this Christmas we have a baby due!  Barry and Heidi's baby girl!  I must get rid of my Christmas low once and for all this year, just hard, after so many years of feeling this strange loss of something at this time of the year...

....and here below, already in a store down the road a way... Cadbury's Creme Eggs already!! What the heck is going on, at least give us the travel adverts, the sales all over the place adverts... and then, second week into January let the mad crazy [Easter]Egg race begin!!

Couldn't believe it when I came across them!!  Had to snap up the Kodak moment to share!

In Cardiff last week I noticed a girl bending down to peer at a post in the street!  Unsure of her sanity or health!  I looked at where she had looked, in so doing giving the same impression to others of that I am in no doubt! And there... as you see below it said 'Look inside'.... so I did, I had to!  And no I didn't get a black rimmed eye, no trick involved... but a brilliant small still life....

There!  Ladders, people! Ha! Who would have though it eh... and more in the street, next time, more small life in posts, I will post here!

Did have a very yummy doughnut though, Krispy Kreme doughnuts no less... and just looking at this link... I see they deliver on line!! Are they joking!!! Okay, this will quieten down my Christmas gloom, or at least give me so many calories I won't be able to run from it, and thereby face it at last head on...

OMG a doughnut tower... that, of course I realise could not be for one person... however much an addict one could be of Krispy Kreme... although... I don't know, maybe give it a go eh!?!

TTFN
Marian

Formby Beach, Liverpool coastline.

Some photos I took on the beach in Formby, on the Liverpool coastline...

Above some of the wind turbines out at sea...

These sand dunes look almost identical to the ones in Pembry, and the walk to the beach the same too!  I could have been picked up and dropped in either spot and not know where I was!!!

With the naked eye... the above looked more like one of those monster machines from War of the Worlds!!  Thankfully able to zoom in with the camera an oil rig came into view.... as if floating above the sea, its legs dangling down ready to make a move onto the planet Earth!

On extra 'zoom in' above still looks a strange thing indeed!

The path down to the beach at Formby, it was a long, long walk from the car park!  An observation deck half way had been where I was headed, and thought it the beach, but no!  Still further to walk, first up hill and then down!

TTFN
Marian 

World of frost!

Today some frosty shots from this morning, all below in the back garden, the one above, the top of the car! Looks like a soft plush white fluffy  rug on top!  It wasn't! it was ice particles looking very fluffy! So cool!!!! lol

The butterfly tree looking decidedly iced!

Now, you see really the big camera should have been brought into the picture here, excuse the pun! Too blurry above, especially as I had a hot cup of coffee in one hand the phone in the other and had to tap the screen without either spilling or dropping either item!

Dew trapped over night on the leaves here... little tears of cold, droplets of plant fuel... held in frozen anticipation of a wintry sun...

TTFN
Marian

Here I am on location! That sound cool doesn't it, although here I am at work is the deal... I am placed in a region not mine, but when told the location I had to do it, that and not good idea to turn down work of course!  But here I am, near the land of my grand father, he was born in Rice Lane Liverpool, I am near Southport, so not that far away, but this town seemed familiar and looking on the map found its right next to Formby! Where my great grandfather and mother lived their final years and died...

I have now walked the street they lived in, a couple of times, unfortunately I couldn't find the exact house as I only know the name and no number... But, well near enough, no no, anyone who knows me knows that's not enough, feel very disappointed couldn't stop and stare and feel connected with their exact house and home...

I have been to Southport a few times now, if it brightens today I will go to the botanical gardens, but I have been to The Atkinson, a old beautiful building in Lord Street, spent an hour only appreciating local artists and craft work, really very good, wish I hadn't had to walk around so fast, galleries are meant for time, thinking, taking in...

Anyway... I have used the maps on my pho e to get about, which has worked both ways, sending me round in circles, literally!  I ended up following a random Mercedes the other day, I had been following signs for a shopping centre, the signs stopped and I figured she might be going that way... She was, so I did!

Had to pay parking, at a retail park!?! And in the town really expensive, bit like Neath, but then maybe with them both being coastal... (Mmm, true, not Neath! Lol), and here the beach is way away from the town centre!!

Tried to grab more photos, phone playing games!!

Posting now just in case!

TTFN
Marian

11th of the 11 2014 Armistice Day

On the news today they were in a British town of Bishop Auckland, Durham... The newscaster was at a school where during WW1 they planted oak trees for each of the young men who had died in the war, they were former school pupils... they did so again for those young men who died during WW2 and the last tree to be planted in  memory of a man who died in Basra 2003.

Today, as every 11th November, in the school hall a child will hold the name of one of the soldiers who gave they're lives, and one by one the 59 names will be called, and that child will leave the hall, leaving those left with the loss of the soldier passing... There are, from memory nearly twenty 100 year old massive oak trees, some twenty years younger, and the last, but by no means least still young sapling planted by the soldiers children more recently.

I hope those trees live on as a reminder of those lost at war... what an amazing memorial for those left behind, each tree a part of a family, I guess to many of the children at the school one of those trees signifies one of their ancestors...

These trees were under threat... I hope they remain safe, I feel if they cut them down now, they would bleed blood not sap...

Found a link here...

TTFN
Marian

Here I am... long lost girl that I am these days from my Blogger page!  Either been at work, on a week long course or just plain AWOL!!!

First photos of course!  And above I noticed yesterday morning a bramble still very much in full bloom, so will we be seeing blackberries again this year!  Remember the single blackberry in January this year!  Temperatures have been so high still for this time of the year.... Away last week in Alcester, we were hitting 18degrees most days and 22 on one day!!! And me in my new winter parker! lol...  The hottest Halloween on record, so 'they' say!

This amazing house is in Merthyr Tydfil, it stands proudly at the top of a steep road away from the high street, I saw it from the main road and just had to walk all the way up to the top and take this photo!  And with a little help from various add ons on my phone and computer this is the final outcome!  Maybe I should post the original too!!??  This house would be outstanding brought back to its former glory!

This wonderful globe in the centre of the town of Alcester, it says 'Goodwill to all'.... Had a great weeks course, it was strange to begin with, not as I was expecting it, shared accommodation, so suddenly living with three women who you don't know at all!  Started with two, then we became three, and the following morning we were the Ace Team of four wonderful friends and seems strange not being in their company now!  We shared the room, a good room, I think the barn originally of an old house, on the first floor, with all the normal facilities, very comfortable really, except the squeaky beds! lol  We also sat together each day for training and for lunch!! Yep, pretty much joined at the hips!!

The unusually placed clock face on the church at Alcester... it faces down the high street by the way!!

Sorry, this isn't the course lunch, but the lunch I had on the Sunday when I arrived, early of course, and at in the very very lush Vintage Tea rooms of Orangemabel! Every tea cup, saucer, milk jug and tea pot un-matched! Individual tables and chairs, the staff were wonderful and the food all looked very well presented and tasty... above, I had a jacket potatoes with brie and cranberry's, with a side salad and coldslaw! Mmmmmm!  Is two and a quarter hours to far to go for lunch??

Now I am off out, I will be back soon, I promise amigos!

TTFN
Marian

Come ride with me through my day today amigos.... M4 to Port Talbot, into shopping centre, already at car park new charges, set the day in motion for 'fail'.... 1.30 for an hour, already five minutes past before my feet even hit the shop floor!

Into Opticians... new glasses bought a month ago, they were impossible to actually see through and I had gone back twice, first time 'they' said see how I go, they are narrow lenses and have lots to do in such a narrow space! Second time, er no... we can't change them now, you would have to buy a new pair... by the by, in the first instance I would have been within my rights...

The day of was off to work a week ago on Monday, picked them up and an arm just fell off... the glasses, not me! Not the hinge the part of the hinge that sticks onto the frame... no screws in these, sooooooo, now I am building the clock, sorry the scene!  In I go.... "No, sorry, we can't fix them here, we can send them off to the factory, did you get insurance?".... I hadn't so, that was that, they need soldering!  I asked if the few times they had had to heat the plastic arm could have had any effect on the solder that had, apparently, been holding the hinge in place, she said "No"... in my experience though, heat does tend to melt solder... er... that's how it works, yes!!!!

Arh.... so out I came, back to the car and off to supermarket... only a five minutes drive, so I thought I would bring my mood with me!  Did my shopping, at the check out I handed the very helpful lady, no sarcasm, she was helpful! lol... I handed her the new card we have recently acquired for this store... she said, "we aren't taking these yet!" What!!!! I had done quite a big shop, a weeks worth of meals and stuff, I had wanted to make sure I went over the limit necessary for the WOW points extra for this new system they have in place!  She said she would check to make sure anyway, she did, it didn't!

I went to customer service and said I had just spent such and such amount of money, purely because of this new card!  That the vouchers I had said they were only to be used between October 13th and ..... about the 2nd or 3rd of November, [without getting up to check!].

She phoned the office and they said that this store hadn't started yet, and it would be available to use the vouchers as of Thursday!

Al final.... out in the car park, one of the 5p carrier bags gave up its goods as I was loading into the car and a beautiful tall glass bottle of sauce hit the tarmac and shattered, its contents beautifully coloring the car park!  I cleared it up best I could and vacated the area!

Beautiful painting of the lakes at Ardales below...

TTFN
Marian

View from La Alcazaba restaurant in Mijas pueblo...

From our roof terrace one evening at the sun was setting...

Having a café con leché in town one evening, very quiet, had gone for dinner but the place I chose already had the kitchen closed! Only 5:45pm!!! Okay, it wasn't exactly Spanish is probably why! lol

This view never ceases to amaze and keep me forever wishing to be here...

This view on the other hand... above, of the Kings walk at El Chorro, the green bridge there on the right, where Frank Sinatra took a bullet in the movie Von Ryans Express!  The walk now goes over the bridge... that's the jagged line running across the mountain, not the cable above that's crept into the shot much nearer where I am standing! lol

From El Kiosk bar/restaurant near the lakes, Ardales, the water was a lot higher than I thought after such a long drought... will have to check out my low level pics!

Whispy red evening skies above Alhaurín from our balcon in the new living room!



Found one!  The lake was dry all the way to the road that runs between the church and the restaurant area... Lowest I have ever seen it!  It was winter too, the  deciduous trees as you can see are bare...

TTFN
Marian

Back from Spain, above glimpse out through La Peña in Mijas pueblo... the day of my return to Blighty!

Had a wonderful lunch in La Alcazaba restartante overlooking the Fuengirola and Mijas Costa coastline, no windows, all pulled back and anchored by metal bars, toldos flapping in the breeze, occasionally being pulled back up due to high winds... which is why I got sun burnt!

I had murluza, [hake], with mussels and shrimp aplenty, in a beautiful salsa verdé, two glasses of wonderful Rioja, a desert of flambé bananas and ice cream... Beautiful lunch beautiful day...

Above during a visit to Fuengirola... not sure what was happening in the church square, but became a great pic!

Great prose written on bar window, very good for how I feel just now with work...
Not quick sure how my camera came out like it has with the pavement jutting out like this, but hope it comes out on my Blog the same as I can see it just now!

Our barrio.... at our home in Spain...

Had a great two weeks, should have been a week, but extended it to visit with my aunt Rita from New York, who was on a trip with two of her friends, I had never met the two gals before, they are so much fun, two great ladies I wish I had known longer.  These three could fill a book or ten with the most amazing stories and lifetimes of tales!  I got see them the day they arrived, actually there awaiting they're arrival into the hotel they were staying in which was great!  Then on the Sunday I spent the whole afternoon and most of the evening with them, for the next couple of nights I arrived after they got back from they're trips out and about and had had dinner...

I rented a car, twice... Which was strange, keep thinking I still have the car and have left it back home in the car park behind the house!! Didn't did I!!! lol... I saw loads of friends and neighbors and people of the town who know me, just randomly, like the girl from the lotteria shop, others stores and passersby...  Was so nice driving about the countryside, trips to the coast, lunch with my neighbor from the apartment down at Calahonda, La Trocha car boot sale, the lakes at Ardales and El Chorro... the Kings walk is finished now, and you can get over the railway line now instead of via it to gain access to the amazing ravine.  Breakfast at Torremolinos a couple of times at a friends restaurant, the end of season for him now.  A couple of visits to Ikea!  And Primark in Miramar!!! Home from home eh!  Now I wish I hadn't brought things with me I didn't need to from the UK!!  A trip to La Cañada and of course Malaga... The Picasso museum was closed! Mondays!! Must remember to never go on Mondays again, the Thysson too was closed!  Even the Teteria was closed....

Was so sad leaving, again... I even made a deal with the lotteria girl, for me to win the 100 million euro I would give her 1 million... I have changed our home about there, moving the lounge upstairs in the front room so we have the big doors to look out through, from the sofa we can now see the mountains and the Guadalhorce valley, from first thing in the morning with the sun rising over Malaga, through the changing colors of the day to the sun setting from the direction of Cadiz....

TTFN
Marian

Two very strange pictures... above, is me... doesn't really look like me, a little blurred maybe? And taken as part of a selection of photos on a flippergram thingy... it caught me full laugh, and actually, I kind of like it, not often caught so relaxed in a photo...

and two cream cakes... in a Turkish bar, café, deceptive from the outside but the most delicious cakes I think, in the whole of Swansea!!

Work is over for two weeks, not sure if I am going back to this job... well, actually I am not!  I am off to Spain tomorrow, for a week, going to do lots about the house, but especially relax, I need it, my head if off the scale in wound up and stressed out.... can't wait!

TTFN amigos
Marian

Well so much for Blogging while I am away... that didn't happen now did it!?! Somehow I don't seem to have much time, which is well, how its supposed to be, considering I am working away...

I managed a bit of fb and email time first thing and last thing at night, and maybe the odd few minutes during the day, but only when everything else is done, and I am not jumping up like I have sat on a needle to do just one more thing!

The photos randomly of two very old service buses... in Berkhamsted the other Sunday, I thought people were out on a jolly, but turned out the rail service was out of action and people were having to use the bus service they put it on instead!  So that could be why people didn't wave back, or look very pleased at being waved at!!

Been a tough couple of weeks, but time flies by and I am really enjoying  the challenges every day brings, different every day!  The journey back yesterday was a nightmare on the M4, made worse by drivers with no lights on!?! What is that all about?  Heavy rain, splash back, fog and almost zero visibility at times... its almost mesmerizing like driving through snow or thick fog hours upon hours, journey took a bit longer than it should and the services were packed out!  It felt like everyone on the M4 came off it just when I did, and then back on I had to pass all those same people I had before! lol

Once over the bridge into Wales the weather improved a little but the speed limit wen down to 50! That didn't slow the journey down for most people because not many people took any notice of it!  Even on passing a completely mangled Fiat 500, and the accompanying police cars and vans... after a tail back and 2nd gear speed for half an hour prior to reaching the scene of the accident... 'they' put their right foot peddle to the metal and drove past the speed limit without a second thought it seemed!

Today been to the opticians and into Swansea, found a nice coat, going back for it soon! Just need that "time out" to decide on it!  Also needed some winter type shoes, not the fury sort, have a wonderful Uggs for cold weather, but some ankle boots sort of thing!  Walked through a tonne of shops, and decided on the cheapest pair, because they were the best!  Also wanted a handbag... don't tell Franco!  The one I am using now I bought in NY and with the cream linen I don't want it getting ruined by dirty weather! lol, if you know what I mean!  Saw a whole load of bags that were just perfect!  But did that "time out" on them, came home and resurrected an old one from five years ago! Which is now as was then, perfect!

Oh... I got bitten by a spider over night Sunday night or in the evening and I didn't notice, I have the worse horrible 'thing' on the back of my hand, it looked like a giant white spot surrounded by a red circle [infection I guess], and over the last few hours the white bit looks more like a giant white... well... thing is the only word for it! It looks revolting! lol

Our garden looks somewhat of a jungle again out there!! Brambles have taken over, the palm tree has dropped its long leaves, and the plants look... wild! Would be a good word!  But nice to come back and go blackberry picking in my own garden! Very very tasty!

TTFN
Marian

I decided also, no more shells to bring back from me, leave them where they should be from now on, all the tidying up and clearing out, the amount of stones and shells I have from all points North South East and West... Some I do remember where from, but the vast majority I know not of they're creation... So, I placed these three near each other and left them to pose there for the photo shoot, and there they remain until the water moved them again at the next tide...

Next time we will talk to the ship wreck that remains, Pippa will love it! Will need to give her some time for this! And us! Walking on sand works harder! Or should that be is harder work!

This isn't a poor photo... I stuck my size 5 and half into the shot for size comparison of the razor clam!  I wish that it was me who had come across these clams before the seagulls, tonnes of them empty of clam, can't believe so many of these are shipped away from the UK to be eaten over in Spain and Franco etc... only take a couple of minutes to cook in a nice white wine garlic and herb sauce! Very nice!

Lots too of these Dogfish on the beach, chucked back in by the fishermen apparently, they are unwanted catch!

Copied from internet... The most common and well known British shark is the dogfish, it is actually a member of the Catshark family!

Strange then I think to myself, and you - that it is not called the Catfish then??? Like other catfish?

TTFN
Marian

This is a view of the lake, or some it at Pembrey Country Park... as seen from the hide!  There are two of these, to watch any passing bird life!

Well, trees!! In the park!

This was a very steep walk back up from the doggy beach back up into the park... great there is a dog beach, Pippa absolutely loved running the beach, there is 7 or 8 miles of wide wonderful beach, all  hidden away by the sand dunes, lots of it for humans only of course!

Even Pippa was struggling to get up this sand hill! I'm holding her and calling mush mush! Like she is a husky! We walked miles, and we really did, ten miles on Friday! Over 22 thousands steps... so my Fitbit told me! And I know it speaks the truth!

Yesterday when we got back, we had something to eat and went back out, Pippa went up stairs, watched us from the window... and almost waved us off with glee! She must have thought let me lay down my head and sleep!!! Sleep sleep!!

This view above just made me say Cabopino!! Just so looked like the trees by the side of the beach there, I could have turned around and walked to the port there... or turned back around and been at Calahonda.... Homesick....

Beautiful beach... thats forsure....  And yesterday evening, kept thinking we were going back to it!!  I know we're only two minutes from the beach here, but I kind of felt the tent was still pitched and we were going back there, very strange, from someone who doesn't camp!!  Was so funny, got the tent up, following the instructions in the bag of the tent.. and there were more instructions!  They were sewn into the tent, and can only be read once the tent has been put up and your inside to read them!!! So that's a bit... well, rubbish!

Definitely going to invest in phone chargers, either pre charged or solar!  And another question for the sellers of tents and camping equipment... why do you stop selling it in August?  Why are toys in the shops where going out doors stuff was the week before!!  Well??

TTFN
Marian