View from the garden room.. The bee hanging there buzzing about on the flowers... 

Been a wonderful week.. Friday I went to Alhaurin, got an Uber.. I was going to get two buses, but... well easier like this! 

Caught up with my friends, a light lunch and D. drove me home.. thank you 🙏🏻 not sure emojis come through! 

Saturday M. and I went to watch a friend gig at a comedy club in Benalmadina, it was held in CJs Karaoke bar on calle Bonanza.. 

What a fantastic evening! Absolutely fantastic! Three other comedians also... laughing so hard my face ached and my arms the following morning from clapping so much!! 

We hadn't eaten and ended up at the nearby to the apartment, McDonald's just before midnight.. ate too much, that's the trouble with eating too little and leaving it too late... 

Sunday evening we took a late stroll to Cabopino port.. watched the sun set.. 

I'll share the AI version of my photograph here, but the original is on my 500px site and can't share it anywhere else.. 

There was a strange sea mist, if you're from here, or know here, you know the mist I mean.. this above captured a young couple standing in the sea.. 

I have to say, I do like what AI has done with my photograph..

M.

If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.

Unknown

Today! This morning a trip up to Alhaurín for drinks with the girls.. woke to a sprinkling of dirty rain, and on the drive through the mountains a few drops... But nothing much and dry within moments..

Two coffees and a té verde later... a quick walk around town and down to Fuengirola, parking in my usual spot, the Sohail end... 

Now in Bar Luis, of course, always, why change what isn't broke.. like I just said on my Insta .. until either their doors close, or mine!

Avocado y olive oil on brown toastado... A Nestea..  and full healthy tum! I say laughing.. should be healthy! For a healthy person!! 

Something we noticed yesterday in a particular British bar in La Cala..  half empty when we left.. shootings tend to have that effect on places I guess! 

I'll not post yet! Day still in full swing!

After Luis's I came off the paseo marítimo and walked straight down and through Las Rampas, Dunnes is still open, the real estate agent where we rented the apartment from is closed, Snr Lorenzo has been gone from there many years.. signs on the window say 'Been in business over twenty years', but that business is no more... Just the gates and steps down to the tower we lived in for six months, seems another lifetime ago..

The tattoo place I got my angel done, April 1st, 2003.. that's gone.. most of the bars, clothes shops, other businesses here above in Las Rampas have gone.. it looks so sad.. the day earlier wasn't too bright then either, adding to the overall look of gloom and despair.. at that time it was 85% humidity, the air was bad.. 

Sun came up about 3pm.. brighten our day..

So, okay! I walked a long stretch of the main high streets through Fuengirola.. up one road, down the other... Past where the fish market was, opposite the train station and the mermaids roundabout.. past my favorite tattoo place.. up to where the horses roundabout is and turned right... Left at the crossroads and along as far as Anthony's jewelry store, and back... Stopped in a place and bought a tea cup!?! One for fresh tea! I don't know why?? And when I went to wash it earlier, it actually has Fuengirola written on!! Oh dear! Shaking and hanging my head now! Really!?!

Then! I carried on along past the church, thought I'd have a coffee where we, the boys and I used to have chicken sandwiches.. it's gone! It looks gone for a long while, because two stores are there, both look old, closed, and run down! How long ago did the beautiful restaurant close?

So, back through a small cut-thru, where a long long time ago two gypsy girls snatched some pesata notes from my wallet, and we grabbed them back and upset their tray of roses! 

Out onto the main road by the wonderful, thankfully still open, pastelería.. filled with beautiful cakes and aromas of them.. 

Back and along past the old ayuntamiento, (town hall), and police station and down to the car..

Drove back to La Cala the back way, like I was going home.. why does life hurt? 

Came home here instead... And the fur baby and I cwtched a while.. 

She is so loving.. 

M.

“Don’t be afraid. There are exquisite things in store for you. This is merely the beginning.”

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray

There is a whole rainbow up in this photograph, if you look very closely you can see the beginning and the end.. 

Yesterday was a duvet day, or blanket day, we left the apartment for a five minutes walk, but rain came again quickly.. and most of the day; it also came into the kitchen at one point and a bucket was needed to catch the drips from the ceiling light fitting!! 

K. got the landlord out and they cleared a drain on the roof terrace, a small lake had formed and although there were no ducks or seagulls there was a small garden growing around the drain! 

All cleared and water drained away, eventually the water has stopped dripping, but under an orange alert last night, the expected storm hasn't arrived, yet! 

Today is very high winds and we walked down to Bar Cruz for coffee's, it felt freezing and only just now my fingers are coming back to life with pins and needles and burning... 

A few random items of clothing in the street, underwear and other stuff from washing lines around!! It's the time to watch out for falling tiles and such!

My old neighbor stopped by for a coffee too, was like the old days... Funny, I have old days now, already! 

I am back off soon for another coffee with another friend.. keeping under cover this time I hope, rain looks imminent!

These photographs taken yesterday!

Except the rainbow from this morning.

M.

Remember when life's path is steep to keep your mind even.

Horace - 65 BC-8 BC - Poet

Me and her when I was in Nottingham over Easter... 

Random day today... Plan was La Trocha car boot, meet up at 9am for coffees'... nope, no, and didn't happen! Up too late last night, got home at 23:50... and later to bed... Alarm went off at seven thirty this morning, switched it off... Got up and had my porridge and blueberries, coffee... settled down on the day-bed watching Fraser... and before I knew it, it was half past nine! I'd pulled over a cushion, pulled up the afghan and I was... apparently... out like a light! Lols

I've watched a great movie, absolutely great! Zac Efron and John Malkovich, even the guy from Big Bang Theory Jum Parsons! Strange watching it the other day and I though I have never seen any of these people in anything else and then bam! or Bang! Here he is!

Random photograph... coffee and sunshine!

Also, a few nights ago, taking about music, chatting about likes and dislikes, and the other person asked me if I knew the song by Leonard Cohen Closing Time... I didn't, hadn't heard of it... I know Leonard Cohen, but not especially any of his music..

Anyway, conversation ended and I thought no more of it.  Until the following morning, eating my breakfast, and watching a US detective program.. Cold Case I think, they play a lot of music throughout each episode... and there was the song! Closing Time, by Leonard Cohen! I didn't know it to begin, then the lyrics... its Closing Time... Closing time... Wow! Weird crappola happens a lot, especially when we're not looking out for it! And this ranks high on the weird scale!

Today, now... nearly 3pm.. town in quiet, the last day of the fair today, or rather this evening... So people who didn't close their eyes until 4 or 5... or 6am... they are still in their sweet dream worlds.. powder blue skies... a few light fluffy clouds out towards Ardales way... Its a beautiful day...

It seems its a hungry day today also! Although had my dinner, so that was lunch! I tried something different... I had bought a jar of some beautiful tomato and herbs for a pasta meal later in the week, its only a small jar... I chucked a spoonful of it into the rocket machine with half a yellow pepper, a small red pepper, and two desert spoons of cream cheese! So nice with the chicken and salad!

My Oculous Go is powering up and I'll be taking residence in there shortly! Until the 'your device is getting hot' sign comes up!! Lol

TTFN
Marian

Yesterday afternoon I came up onto the terrace after watching the movie... bit of sun cream... because we all should! Factor 30 for me... even more need to protect my skin than ever.

After a while I got tired reading, although my head was in the shade... of the washing drying on the line... it was hot hot hot!

So I drank my glass of water, slung up my hammock and got comfortable, in the shade... the beautiful breeze keeping me gently moving and I closed my eyes... drifted off for a moment listening to the birdsong... the occasional motorbike in the distance... and nothing much more, no voices, no cars on the street... nothing..

I was thinking how we are all on a road... we're not driving... its like being upstairs, up front, on the 312 from Berkhamsted to Hemel Hempstead... the big old double-decker bus... You couldn't see the driver, you couldn't see who boarded or left at any time, all you could do was sit, watch the road, and the bus took us.

Life is like that, you're headed down a road, there may be twists and turns, maybe you can see them as you approach, but that's it... you don't own the choices all the time, even if you think you do.

Life takes it away...

May 25, Saturday

I came down after what felt like a couple of hours, not having my phones with me, totally unaware of the time... and not minding one little bit!

Last night I had trouble negotiating this route with the hundreds of people flooding this street and all along the lower road... Looks so calm here at ten this morning! Apart from plastic glasses, some bottles and wet places along the way!!

Meeting my friend at a tapas bar... but we didn't stop there, too busy... correction, waaaayy to busy! So we walked along and up past the Cruz roundabout to a bar much further up the street.  Sitting outside in the beautiful warm evening, watching the world go by... which included women dressed in the very best flamenco dresses... beautiful colors and designs... everything perfect, their hair, make-up... Stunning!  The guys on their horses... sat on the front seats guiding the well dressed horses along c/Gerard Brennan, their passengers wearing the beautiful flamenco dresses or smart suits for the men...

Another couple of friends joined us about ten'ish I think... and I got a lift to the roundabout nearer my house, and only had to walk back down, instead of a long haul up to it! Got home about half eleven, so not too bad... I watched some TV, ate ice-cream and got to bed about half twelve..

Today I was awoken by birdsong at six am! They let me sleep for another hour but I was up and ready for the day by then!

The pretty pom poms on this shop window are actually for voting here tomorrow, the European election... I better read the stuff tonight and be ready to see who I am voting for tomorrow!!

Had coffee in town early this morning, back out this afternoon for more feria fun!

TTFN
Marian

Very quiet down in town this morning... most of the business's are closed, feria day today.. Lots going on! Day and night!

A one man feria machine came up the street past the bar about 8:30! All music, all balloons and all party party party!  We could all hear his approach well ahead of him appearing before us! Everyone was stunned! Lol... I couldn't get a front shot of him... and later headed home he was driving up the middle of the street so fast I missed him face on again!

All the bars are out already for the main day events... being stocked with glasses and plates... barrels of beer and pumps... everything from the Plaza Baja back up the street!

Later on this street will be heaving with people, fun and laughter and music and everyone dressed up to the nines! 

Tonight I am into town for tapas! I better dress feria styling!

As I write, I am also watching a great movie... Trainwreck its called, bit of a chickflick maybe? But good nonetheless... and just seen the area of the park where I scattered my mom...

I am so looking forward to seeing and spending time with my family in LA in July... but also makes me miss New York all the more..

TTFN
Marian

Back in Alhaurín now... and above the feria is in town! Just the street shade to keep us cool... It started last night.  First the rocket fire, then I could hear the procession making its way down into town from the lower road near here... The giants and bands and all the fun of the fair! Sounded good, its usually the only part of the fair I go to... seeing the procession near the Cruz roundabout making their way down to the fair ground.  Sat eating normally... me that is!  Once 'they' get into the fair ground the street lights are lit and the fun begins! Half price for kids on the first night!

Banks and stores opening later today, and people seem very tired!!

For today though, I walked into town about 8am and had coffees with the 'boys', then went into my old work place and had a catch up with friends there, I strolled back home and came in, I had to find something that needs posting tomorrow and I needed the bags for the car...

which I then drove to Coín... I went first to La Trocha garage, the car needed a clean, in a big way, so for two euro it got the full works! Rinse first, then soap, then rinse again and finally shine wash!  All done by yours truly! It gets slippery underfoot, and the power hose sort of throws me back when I press the start on each procedure! But apart from probably looking hilarious, its good fun!  I drove out and into the La Trocha parking.

I had a wonder around Carrefour and the other shops up there.  Then I was off to Aldi for provisions!

When I got back home there was a neighbors car in the way, so I waited patiently, its always okay when its neighbors... they went and another came up behind me, who waited while I parked outside and got everything out... Because they live opposite and they got out when I drove off!

Now on here, charged up my VR, had lunch.. swept the terrace and going to ride a roller-coaster or three! Fight some dragons and help Laura Croft find some hidden treasure...


Quote: my Nayyirah Waheed (my new favourite poet)

Some people
when they hear
your story
contract,
Others
upon hearing
your story
expand,
and
this is how
you
know

TTFN
Marian

Steady steps on the road...

Above photograph taken on New Years Day... Beautiful day... up there in the blue beyond is a person paragliding... Lol, honestly there is, you may have to zoom in, he is about centre!

I took a zoomed in shot, but only with my phone so blurry... will leave it up to you!

Another nice shot from in front of the town hall here in Alhaurín El Grande...

I had had to take myself for a walk, Pippa was refusing to leave the street, its been hit and miss, sometimes she gets ten or twenty feet away from the house, she goes down to the house where they're working, and she goes in if they are there, for a cwtch... Pippa checks out three houses, her favourite places to stop by! Lol...

This tree, now bare... was in flower when Franco died... last year... It of course, gets to be reborn each year... as do we in a different way...

I have felt happier here recently, happier in a different way, because its all I can, its all anyone can do; and therefor now, back to wanting to go back home! I always have said, always say.... If you're not happy where you are you cannot be happy where you want to go, because we take ourselves with us... don't we!  So now, here I am feeling happier and now want to leave here again!  I might sound slightly crazy you know, most of the time! You should be in my head!

The other day someone called to see if the house was still for sale because she had a buyer!! Then today as if in conspiracy someone else said, what are you doing here still!! You should go home! Everything will be so much better!! Lol...

And suddenly everything and everyone is pointing me back to America!  So I am going back to work soon! Been a month and need to focus!

Talking to a friend the other day, had to laugh when I read these words that came after whatever I had said!

"Excuse me, but how, in the seven realms of Hades, are you confused?  You're a California Girl hun.  Confusion is not an option."

This says it all!

Life can be beautiful in different ways... #Alba

More from last Mondays trip to Ronda...

                  

Taken from the train...

No further earthquakes have hit the northern Moroccan coast... There was one further up in Spain, actually in Spain, but not a bad or deep one, I feel I have now become a bit of an expert on earthquakes, found a great site explaining them and listing every dam one of them!!  There are hundreds every year in Spain... a biggy took down Malaga two or three hundred years ago!!

                 

Taken from the train... another view of El Chorro and the Kings walk! Even the green bridge above!

We've had met up with friends who are over for a few weeks, they stay down at Calahonda where we used to live and are meeting up with them again tomorrow...  Also tomorrow I might be collecting my new gafas!  Can't wait, went to a new shop in La Cala and the owners are so helpful, so knowledgeable, I actually learnt more about frames than I have ever learnt from any other opticians... ever!!

                

The Kings Walk, Caminito Del Rey...

Yesterday morning up in the car park were two stray dogs... a scruffy black and white long haired one and a younger looking tan dog, might only be a big puppy, its feet seem to large for its body and the way it lumbers about, blue eyes... a lovely pair of dogs, and they are definitely forever friends, because when we came through the car park later in the evening one was laying on the other, we had Pip with us that time and they were all over her... too nervous to come too us, but friendly enough, like they wanted to, but were unsure of us... Well, an hour later I was back up in the car park, handing out food and water, and they were soon my friends too, knowing they could trust me, which was okay, but they wouldn't leave me as I walked back down, and as I followed a couple down the driveway, I explained, as best as I could that these dogs were strays, lost? abandoned?  and could they put them on Facebook for me, I had already but only covering mostly Brits, I wanted the whole of Alhaurín to know about them!  So they took some photos!! Of me and the dogs!!! And the poor things followed me home, and I had to leave them outside... I worried of course... and of course Franco said I couldn't do anymore...

and this morning.... there they were not far from our house again, and unfortunately me with the Pipster, she does not like lots of dogs, even two together, she had already snapped at a little dog earlier in the day, she is getting very grumpy!!  They remembered me and were licking me and jumping up at me, and round and round Pip, she was starting to pull out of her harness, so the only thing I could do to avoid her running off was to pick her up, and I had to carry her home like that! The two dogs at my feet, and as we turned into our street they ran straight up to our front door, and it was a case of who was getting in first!! lol oh heck!  Now before I go to town this morning to join Franco after his Spanish lessons I am wondering if I can risk going the way I normally go, because I know forsure they will follow me down into town, and I can't risk that!

I have put a photo and all the information on a web site for missing dogs here in Spain... and just hope the owners find them... Only worse case scenario is that were dumped there... in the car park, because that seems to be where they are staying, just like that dog a couple of months ago at La Trocha...  It breaks my heart....

            

From the train, I have, shall we say, enhanced these two... made them pop!!

Yesterday we went to La Canada, such a beautiful day!  Really can't believe this weather, its been truly gorgeous, the same today!  But we are thinking ahead and looking into getting a burner, we had though a wood burner but the amount of work it would entail to get the flue up through two floors, Spanish floors remember, we're talking concrete and tiles!  And yesterday saw a different idea we hadn't considered, pellet burner!  It only needs a vent to go outside, so can easily go outside the front of the house downstairs, it will easily heat the dining and den downstairs, and we think the heat would come up the stairs and heat the lounge and bedroom too! So watch this space!

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

 

Great bit of design work in the local McDonalds in Calahonda!

Blue moon, well, no actually was the full moon....  Looks like a Christmas decoration!

Beach front destination! How lucky are we! Thank you Maria!!

The paseo maritimo in Fuengirola, the beach covered with people and parasols! 

Outside the bar we were drinking in in Fuengirola...

And on the roof terrace...still amazes me, after all these years...

My pineapple desert! Could be a painting the design is beautiful!

Alhaurín July 22nd night-time view taken towards the white church from the other side of the Mercadona roundabout!

Nearly home... the Twelve fountains down there centre stage, lit well!  The garage door which is where the doughnut man hangs out, or did at least!! Doughnuts fresh and hot and so near to my front door!!!

Road near our house...

TTFN
Marian