At last!

Taken this view a hundred times, never tire of it.. taken from Rivera del Sol.. looking out over the Med..

I was buying meds... But what a view...

Lucky to have lived so close to the sea here.. and make such wonderful friends. Always love being down here.. not as much as home in Alhaurín of course, but this is where my love of our beautiful country really begun...

Thirty years ago February, I first came to Calahonda, six months after first stepping onto these shores... Up at Torrevieja, on the Costa Blanca.

I wonder at times of my Italian grandparents, sailing over stormy waters, risking so much to travel from Italian shores to the US of A... It would take about ten days now, but over a hundred years ago could have been four to six weeks.

Leaving families and friends behind, to a new land, never seen.. No idea of what lay ahead except the prospect of a better life for them and their forthcoming children.

Now here I am, back on the Mediterranean!

A cousin on mom's father's side.. she lived in Gibraltar too, for a while. (I wonder if there are accessible census lists anywhere?) Her descendants have been pulled to this country also.. further up the coast but here nonetheless.

Taken from outside a store in Gibraltar... the cloud rising up above from the Mediterranean on the other side, meeting the air from the Atlantic on this other side.

Actually I was here before a job interview...

And.. I got the job!!!  Celebrations all round! 'At last.'

Three months here, three months of worry and wondering what I can do... Had two other interviews, one I turned down, one I was turned down.

It's good to have this now, financially and mentally.

Summer is slow to pick up down here, only one and a half hours from Alhaurín, but very different weather; coming through the last tunnel on the toll road, you leave one weather system and enter another! Winds, always winds.. or very nearly! Nice on a hot day, but bloomy chilly when it's been a gray day.

You know, I tried my most positive to be 'most positive' about this latest position for work.

Monday I imagined the phonecall, I put my start date in my calendar, next Monday actually, with a countdown set also on my phone.

I also added the ladies name into my contacts so I would know it is her when she called...

Must try harder at this thinking positive thing; I always was a positive person, never negative; a true believer in getting what we talk and think about. Aware therefore of negative thoughts and feelings, and words.

The universe is listening.

We had the MotoGp in nearby Jerez at the weekend, dozens of beautiful bikes passing through, always are a few on the very best of days.. especially noticeable when summer is just beginning..

Someone I know was there, and then I thought I saw him walking over the runway yesterday! But we all do that don't we.. we see people who we have been thinking of, or expecting or hoping to see.  I still see my mom at a distance, and stupidly disappointed when it's not her, even though I know it never could have been.

TTFN
Marian

Notes from my Kindle... I've searched just for a moment to see if I have written this already, apologies if I am repeating myself!

January 14th
Oh my god, we are only just manoeuvring out of the bay and already after ten minutes next to the man who sat down in the middle seat I fear I will kill him!! It is purely Ryanair policies preventing me from doing so as I know air travel with them will be prohibited if I did so!!!!

The man is with a woman who doesn't understand him and visa versa!

Now they have dimmed the lights.for take off and I am risking him reading everything as I type this out with my thumbs on my kind!e screen!
Lol

(Originally I left a big space here on the document so he could'nt!)

He is talking down to her and talking to her like she is a child!! I spent several hours with Spanish friends yesterday, we teach each other Spanish/English, it's fun and we all learn.  At no point do we talk so condescendingly!

And now, as the lights come back on the man in the aisle seat over the way from me, seems to be practicing in the worlds 'how many times can I sniff' competition!! He will be the second man I slaughter on this flight!! He is both double sniffing on an in and outward sniff!! With the occasional full blown inwards sniff to really try to dislodge his nasal crapola!

Oh dear!! I just giggled out loud!! Thinking if something happens in this flight and my words here are miraculously read!! What would people say!! Lol And would this constitute a threat if I post this little tirade of temper!!??

Oh and I decided I would slaughter the second man because I thought I might as well get the electric chair for two as for one!!
Lol

End of note!

Now to today, April 18th!
I arrived at parking very early, I had left the house early due to heavy rains overnight, and I know the roads can be slippery afterwards...

They were, back wheels spun a bit here and there, due to my heavy right foot and rear wheel drive car!

At parking, although full to bursting and I had to park awkwardly they held the transport for me until I was checked in... Security was also heaving, but suddenly I was navigated to an empty conveyor belt, three boxes and through, no pausing, I picked up my boxes and got everything sorted on a side table, that's what they're for! Not the conveyor out of the machine!!

Then I was through duty free, I filled my empty water bottle from a drinking fountain... Did just write fountain originally, but didn't want you all imagining me dunking my bottle in a random fountain! Lol.. and stayed momentarily in the regular area until my phone suggested B area, I got through passport control and went to recline at my leisure on one of the recliners! I did so, and read and messaged my time away.

Yes, once above the thunder the beautiful blue, as always..

Can't believe the second runway has been open now for three years!

Then things went pear shaped!
Delayed for boarding delayed for flying.. But I'm the air now.. We flew into the gray skies, exactly where the lightening was coming down from, so that was exciting lol..

I missed a good photograph, a honey bee was on my window before take off, but he'd forgotten his passport, rabies vaccination and boarding pass! So had to disembark forthwith!

It's just 12:06 now, just taken off ten minutes ago... We're up to 37,000 feet above the clouds and hopefully above the storm!

England here I come...

Holy catnip! Flight still in progress... Hit a bumpy bit in the clouds. And the wings did a massive left then right dip!!

And we the passengers all paused for just a moment!

Very acrobatic! Maybe save it for an air show though please.

I am also a bit concerned about my ears..

About half an hour from landing back into Malaga last month, due to my cold which by then was into its fourth week.. I had the most excruciating pain and couldn't hear at all.. Totally deaf, with pain I'd never had in my ears before...

The cold is gone, still coughing sometimes, just randomly, but I have something else going on with my ears and jaw.. And I can feel my ears beginning to protest again now.

The jaw thing, I seemed to lock it, or it twisted somehow at my son's in February, it's taken weeks for me to be able to eat properly again, although yawning is still not possible.

Time for gum! For the air pressure!

Update from pilot despite leaving 50 minutes late we're landing only five minutes late!

Turned into ten minutes, and passport control was heavy going. I got a bus easy enough but was the scenic tour route; still I made it here safe and sound.

All is good.
TTFN
Marian

~~~~

I think sometimes I am held together with fine threads... One small bit caught or picked at and I am undone again... and again

Okay, so trying to find my voice...

I have not been too busy, looking for work is mentally debilitating, it gets you down; it gets me down.

I enjoy working, I bring a lot of me to whatever I do, and when I'm not doing anything, feel a bit lost.

And also, being in a new place, a very different place, is both exciting, and strange'ish.. We come to Alhaurín as often as we can and it is very good having two places to call home.

I am learning my way around La Linéa now, on foot mostly though, so really need to just get in the car and drive around, can't really get lost, the sea is on three sides really... the town is really nice, a mix of old and new, so many shops! But then there is nearly 65,000 inhabitants, and that's just the listed ones!

Alhaurín is not quite 25,000, so a big difference.

Great views from the terrace and I take lots of photographs from up there when I think to go up there... or of course to hang the washing...

This is the same photograph, more or less... I just cut and changed to black and white for effect... The reason being the very strange angelic form there above the Rock.... and even a very tiny one below and to the left of it... very very strange... it kept its shape until it left...

... stepping off the top here!

Today I am in Alhaurín... flying tomorrow to Nottingham to spend Easter with the family... missing my babes hugely...

I have been in my VR far to long and have a very sore face! So now, at last posting here and will get my dinner on the go in a few minutes...

I have made some notes to post here, but seem to have lost them...

I seem to have lost a bit of my mojo! That's what it is... I know its here somewhere... Not in the VR though! I need  relax maybe, sounds silly for someone not even working, but not working isn't exactly relaxing! LOL... Maybe its good there is no WiFi in the apartment, I'd be lost in the world of VR all day!

I go out every day, we are either here, or get out and about in a new area for me... Which is great, I walk into Gib other days, and yesterday the amount of tourists was a big change from only a few days ago! You can tell the locals walking in, we walk like soldiers against the storm! Heads down, long strides, purposeful...

Okay amigos, thank you for hanging on for me... I am doing okay, I am doing good... I shall be back!

TTFN
Marian

Bolonia Beach... windsurfers paradise! We dropped in here for a coffee... stunning beaches...

Castillo de Castellar, shame the day was wet and cloudy! We drove through and up above some of the clouds but those above still had plenty of rain inside they let go on our heads!

Coming back down we stopped off in a venta and had wonderful tapas and the sun shone... as arranged by the weather people, right on time!

Not sure where this shadow pic was taken... I think on the walk back to the apartment from the frontier...

And above the Commonwealth Park in Gibraltar... I have sat and paused here plenty of times already...

"to the things we missed; and things we didn't"

Yes yes yes! It has been far too long, I am sorry, I seem to have lost my writing words...

February since last post and I have been doing a lot of nothing, and a lot of new places and faces...

Places... probably seen on my Facebook or Instagram accounts...

Let me find some photographs...

Yes looking up through a random palm tree...

A view from the plane going to Stansted, UK... back in March...

Ely Cathedral near where we stayed in March... Beautiful Cathedral, I had never been to Ely before...

March 14th below.. Three photographs taken in Mijas, always difficult to get something unique... after thirty years of Mijas visits... I think I did good here...

And below... three photographs taken near the end of March, from the Rock of Gibraltar...

The runway here, ironically a friend was taking off at the time we were up there! So we watched the plane take off from Gibs short runway!!

And here is La Linéa de La Concepción... And there... to the left of middle, and half way up... to the left of the church! Is the apartment!

Lots of photographs on here, let me post and post some more...

TTFor a minute
Marian

The other day I walked along the paseo here in La Línea... As far as the blue benches go that is, and a little further! This is just a matter of minutes from home; who'd have thought!

Inappropriately dressed, wrong shoes, wrong coat! Heavy bag! Took my good camera but only used my phone! As usual!

Shamed by a man taking 'proper' photography using a tripod and camera almost long enough to reach the rock!

TTFN
Marian

Last week's full moon, AKA Super Snow Moon, took this on our way from the bar.. But spooky looking, and in a pretty location I shall visit during daylight hours next time!

Above in Gibraltar's Commonwealth Park.. only small but very pretty and relaxing walking around there.

Lots of flora and fauna, although the latter were well hidden!

Last weekend we spent in Alhaurín home, arrived late and had most of the weekend to relax, and walk, and relax some more.

Above new perspective!

And below an old one... This tree coming back into flower again... Telling the time in its own way...

Been difficult not being able to upload photographs without WiFi, (without wifi!!! I scream silently!)

I know I can blog without but anyways...

Valentine's weekend we went to Fuengirola, and stayed in a hotel near the paseo maritimo... Nice hotel, and the food was hugely better than I thought it would be, even eating in a canteen way wasn't as bad as I had imagined! Lol

We were on level seven giving wonderful views...

Nice to see the old place from a different perspective forsure...

And my perspective can be strange!

We arrived mid-day'ish and had lunch in the Galleria area between streets, been there a while now, maybe four or five years? But I'd never eaten in there before.

Me above in 2001, feeling alive and hopeful and full of possibilities...

And I feel like that girl again up there; it's a bit butterflies, a bit like jumping into the unknown.

But I have a hand to hold and I'm not alone in taking a leap into a new chapter...

I have spoken to many family and friends, and I know my post today will be, hopefully, a happy surprise to many.

I should if I could have, spoken to more family especially, but I've been working away, as you know. Three weeks, two days, in Neath. Old home ground, which was both good and painful at the same time, and which maybe has helped, helped with seeing so many friends, and mentally also.

I'm at my oldest sons, now until Monday morning when I fly home to Spain.

No more working away from home; no more leaving where my heart resides.

Watch this space!

And for now!

Nottingham's Council House

Last night in Nottingham was Light Night, lots of exhibitions all over the city, which was buzzing, so many people. What we saw was really good, then it started to rain, so headed home.

Big Wheel (Eye)

Light Night

Bit impossible to make out above, but this church had many different activities going on; the best being a steam coming down from tubing with illuminations... Reflecting on the steam itself. A few different patterns, and you could walk thriuth the curtains of colored steam! Was really cool! We walked backwards and forwards through them, several times! Plus a few more times!! 

Cassie and I also walked into a separate quiet chapel, we knelt and looked at a cross on the floor made only of piled up four inch nails.. there were lights hidden amongst the nails, and although I'm not especially religious, it still was very symbolic.

Today my youngest son came to visit, they're staying nearby and will see them again tomorrow.

But today we went into the city for lunch, seven of us! 

TTFN

Marian

'I have a colony of bats behind my ribcage, their claws hooked over my bones as they hang upside down, (and the mention of Jack making a fresh start somewhere outside of London) has them fussing and stretching their eerie paper-thin wings. It makes me queasy.'

This is a paragraph from a book I'm reading, One Day in December by Josie Silver..

It's how I feel feel much of the time, not obviously the bit I've bracketed! But the feeling behind my ribs!

I bought the book on my Chepstow placement, but only started reading it flying back from Birmingham last month.

And now here I am in Neath working and who would have believed it! It is bittersweet and I'm still not sure for the best.

Working somewhere we used to live has, is, confusing somehow. It's like I could go home, to Britton Ferry. And Franco and Pippa would be there. And I know this isn't good.

Staying in the road I used pretty much every single day, the same shops, same mountain range there, the same skies...

A really scary thought passes through my mind that I could actually go to our house and walk in and there would be everything I've lost.

and finally...

My dream last night...

I had a weird dream last night, or rather just before I woke up this morning, and luckily it stayed in my mind as I got up out of bed..

I was trapped on the side of a mountain, bare rock, mountain above me and mountain below me. There were others with me after a few minutes, but no interaction.  Then I found a bit near someones terrace, a lady started talking to me over the wall, and after a while I, jumped over and the lady gave me a hug, but then I went straight back to the mountain side.  Trapped once more.

Then I woke up, and I laughed to myself as I remembered and went over the dream.. I wasn't trapped when the lady had called me over, onto her terrace... Yet I had chosen to go back to the mountain and be trapped.

Then I kind of realized freeing myself is up to me.. If I am trapped, it is of my own making.

What a revelation! What an amazing dream! Incredible.

And I know I guess, I am trapping myself, not here in Spain, I know I don't ever want to leave here, this is truly my home, but I mean trapping myself with the past...

Thursday I accepted a placement for work, it starts next week, Tuesday. It is in Neath, somewhere I know so well... It will be great having so many friends nearby.  Bittersweet maybe in other ways. But I know the area so well, and will meet up with people... It will be great, it will be good for me. Its just three weeks, perfect amount of time.

And my next Blog will be from there... Who'd have guessed it eh!

TTFN
Marian

phew last batch of photographs from Malága!

I must have taken a thousand of this structure above... as you walk along towards the port area this is above... it is just so aesthetically pleasing! Lol

This was taken Sunday evening.. as you can tell from my long shadow!! My legs are out'standing'ly long!

In the morning walking to the bus station, the river bed.. or overflow water... not really sure where most of the water comes from, but anyway... this amazing mural/graffiti with the old buildings beyond is eye catching, someone else was taking a photograph so I just stopped and did the same!

It actually looks like I have cut two pictures together, which is why I didn't just post the zoom in!

City Hall from the adjacent gardens

And again City Hall... from above, on the walk up to the Alcazaba, I did think I might try for the Gibralfaro, but no way, at all, was I going up there, carrying my heavy coat and myself!

So I paused here next to the Alcazaba and went back down the road to the centre again.

I wandered the streets.. Malága is a beautiful city, so often missed; people fly in and out of Malága airport without pausing to see or spend time is this great place.

Malága Cathedral