Doors

 

Random post of door photographs, primarily because of the quote that came through in my inbox today..

Above, the doorway in the folly at Casa las Flores.. on the way up to town from Fuengirola, we saw it being built, so very long ago now.. and still, the bar here in this garden centre, continues to serve up the best patatas fritos in the entire world!

Okay yes, it comes for me, with memories abundant, cooked by the same person, probably in the same pan! Not the same oil!! I am sure... And what fries would be perfect in the surroundings of that place.. the verdant growth, the palms, the water with the tortugas, the flowers and scents from the herbs.. the birds flying amongst the foliage, the warmth, the sounds.. of my nirvana... Twenty five years worth of patatas fritos..

Okay! Enough already eh! 

Above, I believe is in a park near Swansea, that's all your getting folks!

Above, a doorway in Mijas Pueblo.. 

And lastly, doorway in Granada province, from Christmas 2007, and our ten days in a cave house... Wonderful...

M.

Realize that if a door is closed, it's because what was behind it wasn't meant for you.

Mandy Hale, Author

Or did it close just when you were on the wrong side of it? Taken a quick peek to see by chance, was that a shade of green better than yours? 

Did the wind catch it? Or a draft was caused because you opened it? 

Did you snag your sleeve on the door handle and pull it closed by yourself!

Is it a swing door? 

Apologies as always in my procrastination! Above two coffees from before my flight here a week ago Monday! Landed in Blighty about midnight, a little early, and after leaving twenty minutes late! A busy full flight, mostly with the seatbelt sign on due to very bumpy ride!

And landing in East Midlands, I think it was the coldest I have ever been in my life! Am I exaggerating? Not sure, we spent that wonderful week in the cave house back in 2007.. For Christmas and New Year..

Was wonderful, wish I could go back to live that time, around and around and around... Franco the Pipster and me... Found a cigarette on the massive mantle piece, it had been Franco's, but I didn't know it, he was being a secret smoker.. bless him...

Anyways!! It was -9° in the mornings and in the minus all day, every day, still didn't feel as cold as it was the other Monday in the middle of the night in the freezing wind at East Midlands Airport.

I've still not tried buses yet, since I've been back, Monday I am! Off to Nottingham and on the bus! For freeeeeee!

Last week can you guess from above where I was? Yep! IKEA! Of course, wonderful! 

I've been walking along the canal, that I've been calling the River Erewash, but now the trees are so bare and the river so high, it looks like it's the Cromford canal I've been walking along?? Says three meet here.. 

I took the above in black and white.. Seemed appropriate and looking now at this .. only a few clues to it being taken in the 21st century..

As I was walking earlier in the week, listening to Harry Potter, still .. I came across a lost wand! Sono left it on a bridge for it's owner to find! Magic eh!

Doctors I visited the doctor because of tiredness, seems a silly thing to bother him with, but I am so incredibly tired, exhausted.. so getting bloods done Monday.. and going to see a physio about my still sore, after two months, knees..

A photographs more from my canal side walk... 

The mushrooms, Jelly ear or wood ear, mushrooms.. below, apparently are edible?? Should I try them!! It's okay, I think not!

 

Terrible storms back home, trees, electricity WiFi!! And I still worry about my house, my home... 

Always..

M.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life

Steve Jobs

Selfie! Sorry! Taken Sunday on the coast, not sure about the little orb floating nearby!

Took these Tuesday morning, walking up to Bar Monika, although I didn't make the bar as stopped to talk to a friend at Bar Cruz.. 

Top two photographs are along Gerrard Brennan, just before 9:00 so fairly quiet...

The one above is near my house, Plaza Alta, so quite a few of this already in my (phone) gallery, over the decades!

And here above of course another well photographed view looking down over the valley...

The streets look so blue... The town still isn't rh shade of the Sierra De Mijas...

I of course, did not walk down my street, I glanced up as I passed before the ayuntamiento, and walking back down, risked a quick glance up the street.. I wonder if I'll ever have the strength to pass my house...

I feel at the moment still, that I won't, and that's okay.

M.

A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.

Jim Watkins - American Anchor and Journalist

A zoomed in photograph from my old living room.. those mountains looked different at every different moment of the day, and time of the year..

I wish I'd stood on those mountains and looked back at Alhaurín El Grande, although I have from Casarabonela and Gibralgalía.. oh and more villages of course!

I wrote this earlier, and am definitely up and about now!

I need to get up; watching a good movie in bed.. it's warm under the covers, black out curtains makes it feel like night, and I can hear the rain against the window... 

I was watching the third in the Knives Out movie series, absolute the best! Fantastic! 

And I watched the rest already! Took longer than it should, pausing to hang paintings, pausing to string pictures with no wire or hooks... Pausing to call a registration for something for the house.. Spent about quarter of an hour doing that! Not because it took a long time to do, but because we were talking about ancestors, archaeology, and family...

And pausing, of course, to make coffee!

Saturday went to a great centre in Ilkeston, Armstrongs Mill, near the railway station.

Went to have a look around Armstrong Antiques, I didn't know all the other things were there! 

Basement has ex high street brands, womenswear floor, menswear another floor, furniture, carpets, other floor, and floor four? I think? Yip floor... The antiques area.. filled with so much!! Was like being back at my mom and stepdads, familiar things.. always wondering if I'll ever come across one of my step dads paintings.. could have spent hours, and hours there.

Lovely restaurant too, where we stopped for coffee, and a toasted teacake, for me, of course, seemed only right.. 

And now the paintings are up, like seeing old friends once more...

Before I leave; that rain against the windows earlier... That sound always makes me feel sad.. My sister from another mister is leaving work, and her home, and returning to this country, I think I am feeling her sadness also.

All those emotions; leaving your homeland is massive, then living somewhere else and taking on that country as home, and heart is a very big deal... Then leaving, another leaving, for whatever reasons, like being pulled apart, physically removed and yet one's heart and mind remains.. 

M.

Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.

Roy T. Bennett - 1939-2014, Politician

Few more photographs from my visit back home, I have realized now, it will always be home, as the many people I know call England home, home shall always be Spain to me, specifically Andalucía.

Two above taken while I awaited my friend who came to drop me off at the airport...

Beautiful sunsets... The best sunsets.. 

And soon the cigar clouds will come... Roaming above like random space craft..

Isa's where we've been having coffee, since forever.. wonderful cakes, good food and service.. Happy days..

Just a short post today, well, was, I was a bit off color Thursday, eaten too many wrong things I think, my fault, sugary or fatty maybe.. or both... Just so extremely tired, and stomachache.. still sore but went to bed at 19:30 watched a bit of TV but slept on and off until 07:30 yesterday morning... Which meant yesterday had a headache from too much sleeping!! Can't win eh!! 

Woke at 4:30 this morning and not slept again, worrying about this and that, and then stupidly checking on my phone for things I was worrying about! 

The Goose fair started last night...

Was going to grab some old photographs I have taken, but on a train and the WiFi and data are not playing today!

Found this in one of my grandchildren's books.

We should all have a DEAR day, or many of them if possible! Drop Everything And Read! 

M.

Hello my love

Hello my life

Breezy (movie quote)

(Because I watched Breezy yesterday)

 

La playa near the old apartment.. taken from the boardwalk... I have thousands of photographs of the ever changing beaches here... After each storm the coastline changes..

I am back in Alhaurín now, my friend brought me back up here from Calahonda this morning...

Leaving gray skies for blue, K. and I walked straight out and took our usual places at the Bar Cruz, two cafes and a croissant later, for me, and we walked down to a store then to my old neighbor G., down at his store for a quick catch-up.

Came home and napped! Sun still shining and rain forecast for this evening.. 

It is Peter's evening at the Artisenal gallery at the other end of town this evening, hoping for many of his friends to come and celebrate an evening in his name...

M.

It is costly wisdom that is bought by experience.

Roger Ascham - 1515-1568 - English Scholar-Writer

Ain't this the truth!

I had a notification the other day, it said 'do you wish to cancel your shake to report feature on your phone?' I had just got annoyed with said phone!! I didn't know it was there, that option!

And half wondered is that just for a 'certain' generation? When we would shake something to make it work? Because most modern tech definitely does not work better when shaken!! And do younger generations even think shaking something would help?? 

Two Saturdays ago was a night out in town with my vecina, first a couple of cocktails each in Bolins up the other end of town, almost like a different town 'up there' then to Mexology for, Mexican food, very very nice, that's where Bensons used to be..

Work today, and yesterday, Sunday, in the big store in Mijas, they are having a complete refit so spent the day filling shelves! Day before also worked, in the warehouse and big store doing a pick for our shop .. it was my day off but I was guilt tripped into working! 

Working tomorrow also! Then off for three days!! Whoop whoop! My three day working week sometimes feels a lot longer! 

You can tell now the majority of summer tourists have packed up and gone their way.. roads are quieter, except school times, and just the general feeling of calm is returning to our lives down on the coast... 

Calm in our lives .. nice saying..

M.

Sugar Bay, Marbella the other evening.. lovely location, right at the beach, but very very cold. Blankets were supplied! The gin was good also, Le Tribute the tonic also Le Tribute.. very strong and I'm not used to it.. 

Today was way too busy.. doctors first! Appointments will be arriving for eye doctor and physio! Not for the same complaint!! That would be weird! 

I then had to pop into the garage near Coín, and on to Aldi! 

I came home with something I hadn't put in my basket! I'd also paid for it?? So I am guessing it came from the next customer?? 

Nothing exciting either, chewing gum! 

But as you may have noticed by the unusually large amount of selfies, not normal!! 

I popped into the nearest hairdressers to enquire about getting it colored, and he said now!! 

Which I was definitely not expecting, and two and a half hours later I emerged! 

He was ready to go with the color he could see, but I said I wanted some 'pop' difficult to see here.. but will try for a better shot tomorrow!

When I came out the wind was blowing a storm.. well, just wind but very strong and I didn't want to hang around outside.. 

I've come to bed early, to watch a family movie.. 😂😂 Once upon a time in America! 

Just saying! But couldn't see any Bonelli's in the titles! 

M.

Well friends, I've been, correction am sick with a damn cough virus thing, not covid, tested for it.. and I'm glad of that, because this has made me too sick to move much out the bed for three solid days, day four I went out for air.. 8am for half an hour, came home and spent rest of the day not moving.. 

Day five, Saturday? I walked into town but came home and slept for two hours.. 

Yesterday? Didn't go out just stayed sick.. 

And now I am out, standing by my car for air and collecting a colleague who feels mostly the same as me! 

This is, must be the worse a cough has ever in my life made me feel, so why I am eternally thankful it's not covid, my lungs can't take this attack as it is.

I got cough meds from farmacia.. I think it's helped, not sure.. and drinking lemon honey and ginger, chucking in some chilli flakes now also, just for the helluva it! 

Well, home from work, luckily a short day, coughing my way through, talking makes it so much worse! But me and silent don't walk hand in hand! 

Still, it's only a cough and will pass..

Other people are not so lucky, a friend today isn't good, but hopefully will be home and okay this evening! 

Someone else we know is in ICU.. 

And yesterday I made the mistake of checking on someone I have known since 1994, and working in Mercedes.. him and his wife lived out here, before me, in Alhaurín also as it happens. But moved back to the UK .. I found out he passed September 2022... So that's five friends passed last year. Two in their 50's three in their 80's.. but still...No time is really the right time. 

Also, I found randomly, someone I supported back in 2018 died in 2019... very young at only 72.. 

Okay amigos.. stay well! Or at least try.. trying is difficult I know... 

Oh just remembered another photograph, it's borrowed... One moment..

This is very very good.

M.

Alhaurín El Grande Feria 2016

Well today is getting busy about town!  The 2016 Alhaurín El Grande Feria is about to start...

Calle's Nueva and San Sebastián are colored purple white and green, stunning and shady, the plazas empty for now, but not later!!

On our way back from our walk, Pippa and I spotted the moon hovering over the terrace....

And below is part of the park we walked.... beautiful, and no dogs off leads... or otherwise!  So it was a good walk, I get so stressed when we're out and there's some massive dog running about off the lead!  Pippa senses my fear and we have to turn tale and go another way!

Down at Bar Rosa this morning, Bar Cruz was too packed to perch at!  So we had churros and café at Bar Rosa, one of the girls who used to work there ten years ago is back, so that was really great!  The town was full of people and cars and its great to see it so bustling and full of life... We have one thing to do today later, then at 19.30 we will be where the action is! Note to self, charge my camera battery now!!!

TTFN
Marian

In Search of.... Barranco Blanco water fall!

So today in search of the elusive Barranco Blanco waterfall... We have searched for it a few times now, we tried both options roadwise off the main drag... The first brought us almost there.. 

And the second near but not close enough!  Both now seen from the comfort of my lap top and not mobile phone, so now I can see exactly where we went wrong!

But still three photographs otherwise would have been left un taken, so always a plus somewhere in the searching!

Some very beautiful properties down in the hidden valley, although not somewhere I would want to be if unable to drive or walk or want to go for a wander of an evening!! Absolutely fabtastic though, idyllic, stunning... Maybe somewhere I could build my 'cabin by the lake'... very private!

Its been a very busy week, I got home on Sunday evening and Franco's son arrived Tuesday mid day, we met with friends in Malaga airport arrivals first and had a couple of coffees with them... Then the grand tour started on Wednesday!  Malaga by train from Cartáma Estacion, Thursday Plaza de Naranja in Marbella followed by lunch in Puerta Banus and a wander around the million euro yachts rental Lamborghini's and posh shops!  Friday and down to Calahonda, Fuengirola and the tapas bar near Mijas pueblo before home... Saturday and we were down to Benalmadina, and Plaza Mayor in Malaga by way of Torremolinos!  Today, Sunday as you know already, mystery tour of the Barranco Blanco and Casa de Flores for coffee and chips!

Its been coffees teas and random food all over the place!

Franco and I are exhausted!  Tour guide can be hard going when you've been at work for a month with no real break, and especially no exercise!  I don't think I walk a mile a week, maybe I should just randomly run up and down the stairs every half hour or something at work, just to get some exercise in?  And Franco has been struggling with a stomach thing we're not sure of, blood tests taken last week and results a week tomorrow, wish we could find out sooner, its our town feria coming up on Wednesday through to Sunday, so the banks and doctors have restricted hours!

TTFN
Marian

Down at the garage this morning where we bought our car was this little chap!  He caught my eye as I waited for news of our documents... so I caught him on my phone!

First from one side then the other!!

We went to have a coffee at La Trocha first before shopping trip for food at Mercadona... and we used the lakes road... This road was started, and finished at least by 2009... On Google maps it has shown this road which starts down at La Cañada on the main road near Marbella and comes as far as Alhaurín El Grande and Coín... it terminates at a roundabout... with the tarmacked road unfinished disappearing into the distance, over the hills and faraway!  The dual carriageway narrows into a regular road where no one has gone!  But today!!!

A man waving a flag moved us over and under the bridges of the roundabout above....

On towards the lakes road... Where once finished one will reach the A357 from Malaga; Cártama to the right and Campillos to the left...  It will bring Ardales El Chorro etc, a good fifteen or twenty minutes nearer!!

Fabtastic!!!

After a coffee in the fairly new bar on the outside of La Trocha we went to get our weeks shopping, we still haven't visited a Lidl shop yet, strangely as it was where we shopped back in Neath all the time, mainly due to the fact that that's where we shopped before we left here!

Maybe next week eh!

By the by... Our car documents not as yet ready... and we missed the post man delivering my new sim, so a trip to the post office in the morning is a welcome thought ahead of time!  Pippa as usual had brought the notification into the house for us to find easier than right near the door where we might have missed it!

TTFN
Marian