Today is like summer... absolutely gorgeous... Was meeting up with a friend at one after my covid test, decided to see if he was free before as too nice to just wait for later.. So called him and yes earlier would be fine.

So I was down town before ten and had a good chat with friend in her store, then my eleven o'clock coffee date came in and we sat outside for coffee..

Lots of people passing by we both knew, and got chatting to a friend who was waiting to meet with her daughter, she started talking to a man at a nearby table and before long we were discussing this and that, learnt he was waiting for his daughter to come back from having her covid test.

That she is flying Saturday on BA... I said "me too!" So of course we are on the same flight, really not that many flying to Heathrow from Malaga now at all.

He said about her covid test and I said I was having the PCR he said antigen is fine, she had checked with BA, who she works for, and I checked there and then also on the BA site and the .Gov site, and yes, antigen is fine!

We left there, Bar Cruz and headed up Gerald Brennan to another bar where my friend has some of his artwork up, we joined some friends of his, restrictions at the moment to four at a table, so I sat with three friends of his and we chatted about my work and the what how when and where of it.. two of them have done similar in the past and thinking of doing so again.  My friend sat at another table with another of his friends.. until I went for my test.

So when I went for my €115 PCR test, and asked for the antigen test at €45 I saved myself some money! Absolutely fabulous!

I was in early for my appointment, and after ten minutes results in hand left.. all good, negative result.

What a life now we have when a negative result is the positive thing we want!

As I was only in and out quite quickly I came back to the last bar and rejoined the group, only three left so we could sit together.. Was nice, new people, four different nationalities.. the sun was warm.. one could almost believe we were having a normal day in a normal world, except for masks to hand, and hand sanitizer everywhere.

From there we walked down the street a short way and my friend asked me if I would join him for lunch, which I did.. I had my moms favorite scampy and fries, then for desert, my favorite lemon meringue pie.. good grief, its a wonder I can move!  

Last night a neighbour and I had a curry delivered, now this... I am well and truly stuffed!

A great day, still beautiful blue out there.. truly good day to be alive..

Some photographs below from our walk the other day.. These amazing olive trees, not so much for olives but topiary.. each one in the field a real work of art!

And above, our most unwanted of forest friends.. the pine processionary caterpillar! On the move, looking for a fine pine tree to make a nest and rebirth as moths, as we know dangerous to humans and deadly for dogs.

Digressing, on a sad note.. I was looking for something yesterday and instead found trouble in the form of melancholy.. Opened a cupboard for one thing and something else there.. a tuft of Pippa hair! Like she'd left it there on purpose.. And a Christmas card from Baz, but inside the card, was a note from Franco.. It read from him to me, "See you soon, I love you." After the initial jolt, I thought, I hope he doesn't know something I don't!

TTFN

Marian

I was motivated into clearing my shelves this afternoon when chatting on the phone earlier...

Since I've been home I've had a few things I seriously needed to do, and instead of doing them they've been pushed to one side, later later later..always mañana eh!

Well, today, chatting about meditation, yes, meditation, and clearing things from minds and 'to do list.'

And on a shelf an old photo album, with of course old photos.. the Bonelli ones I've posted on our group page..

And then these two of me, back in the 1990's.. I loved this coat.. but didn't bring it here with me..

And oddly, I saw a dress like the green one above, in a store I passed this morning.. and wished I'd still got mine.. then here the photo.. 

All too often we get what we ask for, in different ways maybe.. but we do.

Couple more photographs of the beautiful almond blossom.. it is perfect.. and the aroma.. smells delicately of honey to me..

After a break of a few days.. I'll explain in a moment.. did a good walk today, just over seven miles... 

And yesterday, as a warm up I did three virtual walks, courtesy of YouTube.. the first twenty minutes around Manhattan.. followed by another twenty around the river Seine running through Paris.. and I finished off with half an hour in Naples.. that was amazing, it was filmed in September 2019, only two months before I was there.. finished the day 6.3 miles of walking!

Also yesterday I made the trip to Fuengirola, with my appointment paper, as proof I could legitimately leave the town, for my TIE card, it's a card all non EU nationals needed to live in Spain.. other non EU citizens have always needed it, and of course now, lo and behold, British passport holders now need to also.

Felt very strange down there, bars and stores open, completely unlike here.

I arrived early for my appointment, walked in, signed in, was seated, only four of us, and all the rest of the seats taped off.. I was called, all the paperwork delt with, fingerprinted, and left, just before my actual appointment time!

Now, why I've taken it easy.. Sunday.. email came to say a delivery was arriving, and not good as the store is shut on Sundays and so I expected a phone call.. I was downstairs cooking and heard my phone ring.. I ran upstairs.. and not really sure what happened, but I fell, completely fell, flat on my face, turning in the nick of time not to smash my glasses into my face.

I'm okay, I was okay enough to jump like a cat straight back up and still answer the phone! 

Then I sat and thought right, what did I do.. I cut my right ankle, bruised both knees, surfed along the floor on my right cheekbone.. and kind of jangled all my bones, and especially the ones I fractured in my left foot, back whenever now.. 

I know, I know, walking might or might not be a good thing.. 

I am okay, and falling isn't the best thing.. and or rather 'taking a fall' as son says!

So, also, not sleeping too well, am trying things like meditation.. again, but seriously trying now.. It's those thoughts, ideas, plans.. they flood my mind at night.. 

Need a plan to plan them during the day and not between 3 and 5am!

TTFN

Marian