Yesterday went for a walk, up the mountain with neighbor, another 12k.. I've walked that walk many times and relied on my phone to tell me the distance, but Seems there was a three kilometres difference between my phone and friends tracker.. looking at my phone, up the mountain it cannot get a good GPS so its way off! 

Watch is in the post! 

This morning went for a nice drive out somewhere different, most of the route was familiar just the last turn was different, so nice to see new places.. and even better nearby places!

M.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1803-1882 - Lecturer-Poet-Essayist

 

There's been a fly up on the terrace all afternoon, or at least since I've been up here.. he's just this second gone, now I am writing about him! 

He's been doing the square dance waiting for a mate to approach.. 

Some have come and gone, checked him out and moved on! 

I was downstairs for a couple of hours, so give him his due.. he could have got lucky or it could have been two flys! 

Went into town early to have coffee for 8am.. and was home about 10:30.. 

Finished painting the terrace walls and started to take down the bricks on the walls.. I took down one side last year, and have completed, neat the other side..

I've caned up the sweet pea and moved plants over on the other side... 

Looks good, it's so peaceful up here.. 

When the band isn't practicing, when the dogs aren't barking, when... Cuando cuando cuando...

I have recovered from yesterday's mammoth boardwalk walk! Learnt NOT to wear flipflops for long walks, and maybe eat more sooner rather than later.

There has been a fire burning on the Mijas side of our mountain this afternoon.. and I've seen a few fires this side in the Guadalhorce valley, controlled legal fires.. but nonetheless, probably as it's been so dry, not a good idea!! 

Just also heard some rocket fire, but some way away.. 

It is a beautiful evening.. just beautiful 

I'm reading a book I started way too long ago so shall get back to it.. 

Maybe another photograph..

M.

Yes! Here it is.. the grand finale to the day..

Arh! Well okay, two, was zooming in on another helicopter out checking for fires..

And my little fly friend is back

And the grand finale!

You really can't make some stuff up can you! And I've written some stuff!! Apart from novellas, my Blog! But life is more amazing than fiction, more unbelievable, more crazy, more of just everything.. and we should never forget this fact! 

I stand here now outside work and amaze myself for forgetting that I work where I can see the sea.. albeit through the trees opposite, it is still a beautiful view.. 

One I've known now since February 1989.. and lived by for twenty-one years... 

I was just taking a photograph of said views, and when zooming in saw our van from work passing by and our driver craning his neck looking back at me!

The other day, going somewhere on exactly the same day as last year unbeknownst to me until I got home.. and Caleta is not near home, it's almost as far as Nerja, so not a usual trip by any means, infact until last year's visit I had never been there, which is why it's so strange! 

And when talking about my son's car, one similar drove past, when relaying that story yesterday, to a colleague as we drove to the warehouse, another car similar drive past, and it's ..

'It's' I don't know what! Because I started this Blog yesterday morning, the day after the yesterday before! And just stopped there! 

Now I'm sitting on the beach at Luna Mar.. pretending to be a tourist, in my beachwear, and back pack, as pale as a newly arrived tourist!

I had coffee near home first then drove down to La Cala, parked and walked to the little chiringuito where I always go, had a zumo de naranja and planned to walk and sit a while, turnaround and come back without too much of the walking I suppose..

Yet here I sit, where I started sitting twenty-one years ago! It's beautiful still... Different, but beautiful always.

Last time I walked along the boardwalk to Calahonda was with Franco and when we reached the river that divides Rivera from Calipso we had to either walk the beach or walk up to the road..

Now it has met up with what was here.. 

Okay, so now I have to walk back!

And home! Twelve kilometers walk... In flipflops no less! Hadn't actually eaten either, trying the option of first meal is lunch, not breakfast at the moment, just to see if it's helps my stomachache.. not yet! But I'll see, oddly I'm not feeling hungry now when I wake up, like I always used to, I do miss my porridge though..

And of course it meant for today when I got home and ate it was about three, and not eaten since last evening! 

Maybe a little chocolate now to make up for lost energy!

M.

My small back patio is looking good with flowers and plants now.. 

Just have to remember to water them!

Had lots of days off work this past week, last Sunday went to La Cala with neighbors, we walked a bit, had lunch in a chiranguita on the beach.. then walked to a bar and had a couple of drinks.. 

Really lovely day..

A view from the other morning.. the moon still high in the sky..

Wednesday went to La Cala market, and a bite of lunch afterwards, different chiringuito! Walk about and home afterwards..

Friday went into town to help celebrate a friend's birthday, was a lovely evening, five of us.. beautiful late afternoon and early evening.. 

Gibraltar in the background here.. a few weeks ago.. obviously not from my terrace!! From Cabopino!

Went down the coast yesterday, as far as Torrox on the motorway, then came home via the coastal road as far as Malaga then onto main road and home.. it's a really lovely ride back, seems so different there compared to our stretch of coast, yet just an hour or so away.

I'd been to Caleta last year..and checked exactly when later.. unbelievable coincidence.. it was April 16th last year..

The same date!! How's that for craziness!! 

I've been painting on the terrace, around the back area and up the stairs, up one side and still the other to do.. should have been my mission today, but came home from coffee and I've just chilled! 

Maybe later, after grocery shopping.. maybe not!

It looks so much better, probably not been done for seven or eight years.. I did some prep, but still as I rollered on paint old paint came off also! What a mess! It's difficult painting white on white in brilliant sunshine! Notice the missed bits later in the evening! But at least the sand from last year's sandstorms is being painted out.. until the next one! 

I tried cutting my throat the other night! Unintentionally! I pulled my necklace across in my half sleep, I could feel the star sticking in my neck.. and scratched my throat! Hilarious! 

I'm trying to get my stomach back to working normally! Wondering if it's just the effects of antibiotics every month for fourteen months.. so taking strong probiotics.. did I mention this already!!?? Lols! 

M.

Well yes I'm home.. it's Good Friday, been home eleven days.. 

Just always feel so bereft when I leave my family.. Like I'm sort of exiled from them.

Above a can of soup I had.. picked it up in a store when we went food shopping.. have to admit, although very nice it was nothing like and no where near as nice as freshly made and eaten out of a giant bread roll on a pier in San Francisco!

I also picked up a microwave meal and when I heated it up the lid melted!! So therefore, not all microwavable! 

Going through some wonderful old photographs suddenly I saw my mom's handwriting!! A card to my aunt Rita and family.. from us! 

That was strange seeing her handwriting out of context as it were..

We went to a wonderful 'old' place.. old for the US of A.. Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay out on Long Island..

This is my new pad, out over the other side of the lake.. mmm juts kidding, my cabin by the lake could be built here though, never quite known where I'd like it situated.. this could be it!

Here is the Museum.. a beautiful old building, wonderful history, just us three and a random man in the tour, well worth visiting, learnt a lot about this area and the men who lived here..

Raynham Hall Museum..

At my cousin's I used the Google search thingy to identify their cat, I'd seen one before at a client's when working in England, and placed a 3D by his side!

At work on my break, surrounded by crates.. 

Thinking of the sun outside.. and happy thoughts of things.

M.

It is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.

Queen Elizabeth II - 1926-2022 - Queen of the United Kingdom