Memory:

A man from the farm, he used to water down the milk, they watched him from an upstairs window, and later asked him 'why did you water down the milk' he said not enough for the calves otherwise... He once went to Aberystwyth, about fifty miles from there, he was old, and had never seen the sea... When he came back he said to them "You should see the size of the lake there!! and there was a 'uman there, looking out towards the sea, she was throwing something, 'arf naked too she were!"  'She' was a statue there, casting a wreath out to sea... Still there I guess.  Must have been there when I met up with my cousin there last year... Seems hard to believe someone wouldn't have seen the sea nearly all their lives so close to it...

'We' went out yesterday for lunch which was wonderful, an old place that used to belong to a local Lord and Lady, and one where the lady I support used to visit as friends... must feel strange going in there now, with the flotsam and jetsam!

The Wye

Blossom Time

 The other day I walked down to the Wye, climbed over a very dodgy stile, it didn't have foot rests either side, so was more of a waist high fence, with the other side being lower than the roadside by about a foot!  Which proved more difficult for the climb back over... and I waited for no passing cars, just in case I fell!!!

The Wye

The river twists and turns just here, so not a great view from either way... There was a train line running parallel to the river and road here, can't work out how they all fitted in, time to Google!!

TTFN
Marian

Bunny in the garden!

Great day today!  Just published a book about my step father Dennis C Randall, and flooding the internet with it!!  He would have been 100 this June, and although he passed about nearly 20 years ago if never far from my mind, his paintings, his miniatures, I still have a few thankfully...  And the last week before I came away to work I got the book done in less than three days, nearly 10 thousand words and a selection of photographs and newspaper articles!  I must have written hastily and not checked out much of my writing, there were one or two issues!!  MMMmmm to say the least, but I am hoping I have corrected enough now... because it is already available to buy on Kindle....  and soon in paperback, that I can't wait to see!

This I need to remember to water more!

 I am chuffed as my mom would say! So hoping the fall won't be too hard!!!

Frost and the River Wye

Before I get back to work, I have a small poem? sing song?  It came to memory by the lady I am supporting... I have never heard of it before, I should check it out... bare with....

Hahahahaha.... sorry, but that is me laughing... okay, checked it... this firstly is the version I learnt last night!

Quick! quick!
The cats been sick

Where? where?
Under the chair

Hasten, hasten
fetch a basin

Too late, too late
'tis all in vain

The dirty boot has made a stain...

But searching I found this instead!

Quick! quick!
The Cats been sick

Where? where?
Under the chair

Hasten! hasten!
Fetch the basin

Alack! alack!
It is too late
The carpet's in
an awful state.

No! no!
It's all in vain,
For she has licked it
Up again!

(sounds so much like our Phoebe and Purdy)

TTFN
Marian

Double photograph set... above... well, you can see what I have done!

Lots to photograph here, would like another really frosty morning!  Was to start today, but then clouds came down and temperatures went up!

Rant Warning:

I cannot believe the bin men here!!!!  Not sure why the wheely bin was not emptied last time, but it wasn't, and there were three extra black bags put to one side, I got them out this morning and put them on top of the recycling boxes, just to keep them off the ground...

Well, they did the recycling, but left the full bin and the extra bags... I checked out the web address for problems as the info suggests... it says if the wheely bin is not closed they won't take it... I checked, and it was indeed open, I went out put the lid down, without actually having to push hard or push any contents down inside...

I emailed them the problem we now have, four bags and full bin!  So, what happens in three weeks time, yes three, 3, three blooming weeks for a wheely bin!!!??!!  There will be ten extra bags next time then, at least, and I suppose they'll be leaving them too!!

I could understand if the lid was up at a 60 or 90 degree angle!  But really an inch or two???  It was resting on a puffed up bag!

Okay rant over, but not answered!!

TTFN
Marian

Have I already posted these photographs? LOL oh well.... The scenery was just so beautiful, I just can't help myself! MMmm, just checked, I hadn't!!

A beautiful day today again, as yesterday, cold outside, but blue skies and sunshine, and some little white puffy clouds here and there...

Time is passing well, and only problems seem to be accessing my photographs from my phone onto here, or from the camera and then trying to find them again!  Little worries that are meaningless!!

Do wish I could get in a car and go for a drive though, not just me, but take the customer out for a spin, jsut to get out, get some fresh air... for both of us!

Feeling in a very strange mood today, keep wanting to do stuff, but my 'stuff' isn't here with which to use! I have my camera, and am taking too many shots of things I will never publish, and am deleting as many as I take some days...

The strange thing in the tree is still there... It still looks like a huge flower??? But so near the top of this massive pine tree... Wish I could get nearer, but the nearer I get the more obliterated it becomes by the tree itself!!

And so, as I am rambling and saying nothing at all I better get cracking!  Half hour left of my break, I should try to relax maybe!

TTFN
Marian

I know I shouldn't I have been reading my own archives...


Its that time of the year when I tend to do so!

Not sure if this is anywhere in my writing of the time... Thinking of the awful morphine mom was on, she wanted the pain to stop, she showed me her hands and said her fingers were sewn together... I pretended to cut them, to free her fingers, she wriggled her fingers and shook her hands and said how much better that felt now she could move her hands freely.... then she pushed the bed cover down and said to me "cut this out! Get it out of me now!"  I said I couldn't and she shouted at me... It was awful, you know I would of if I could have...  This was the week before she passed....

I am so glad, ever more glad, that the vicar came the day that she passed... He talked to, said a similar thing to the 'last rights' that are said when someone has already died; he told her she was free now, free to pass on to pastures new, free to fly.... that her work here was done, that she could go...

And go she did...

TTFN
Marian

 Two snowy views from the car on the way here on Wednesday, couldn't believe it, even with my own eyes!! Snow, snowy fog and nothing else in view!!

Some views as we stopped, and we stopped all over the place!! Luckily we were the only car we saw!!!  I wanted to get out and get closer to the snow, but we were inches deep in water when we went to open the car doors!!

And in Builth Wells, all green, obviously low enough not to have snow, but it was bitterly cold Wednesday!
And below the Builth Bull!!!  Not much more to add to that just yet!!

The river Wye is very wide here, as it is here where I am staying just now, you can hear it all night... think I mentioned that already!

Some more stories from here... I don't think I am repeating my self here?

Firstly a friend of hers, whilst nursing during WW2 and looking after 'the boys' here in Wales... She was asked if she would wash the false teeth... and she did, but all together in one bowl!!! Arh... nightmare!!!  She moved onto other things quite soon after that!!

And every evening they were given soup, not much for lunch, and soup each night, the soup was made up of all the leftovers from lunch time... One might think surely there couldn't have been any leftovers?? But it was what was left on plates!!! OMG, imagine, people forks and knives in and out of the food, saliva left in the food!?! UUUUGGGGHHHHH!! LOL  That is what they made the soup from every day!!  A pound a week pay, chips on a Friday from the chippy as a treat... and soup every night for supper!!!

As a child, stationed in Aldershot, the Aldershot Tattoo... She says the stands and grounds went dark, totally dark, totally quiet, then the sound of a faraway piper began... then a light in a far corner and another piper... lights came on one by one, more and more pipers all combining to make a wondrous sound, she says it was amazing, and gave her chills!  It did me as she told me the story...

Not sure whats wrong with my taste buds, brought chocolate with me, dark chocolate, salted, and I can't eat it!!! It is awful!!  And its the only chocolate I brought with me!!

TTFN
Marian

Great church in Builth, full to bursting with bric-a-brac... I hesitate at the word Antiques, but I am sure if one had time there must be hundreds of good things in amongst the.... other stuff!!  We only had ten minutes, there was a man at the door when we went in, and I was going to buy a book, but when we got to the door again he had disappeared inside somewhere!!!  So I left the book... Didn't really need it, was not going to take it home and I think where I am staying just now I have seen a copy here!!!

My friend who I stayed with when I arrived here in Wales on Tuesday brought me here... We had the most amazing road trip!  It was like travelling though a couple of seasons too!  As we reached barren mountain summits covered in snow... the land the trees the roads... then dipped back down into lush valleys, the sun shining after the high fog, stunning clouds and roads running like small rivers...

A stranded sheep, he had got out of the field, and was trapped between cattle grids and fences, poor chap!!  We crept past so as not to spook the sheep which is here on the road...

This pillar on a building in Builth, The Strand... They look like faces of moustached men!

Keep seeing this fungus stuff all over trees here in Wales... what is it!! The whole of this tree was covered in it, including the ivy which was taking the tree over!!

The other snowy pictures are on my camera, will have to try to get them on here, thought I had downloaded them, but seems not???  Love this Chromebook, but like my recently updated to Windows 10 lap top there seems to be so much you just can't do with it!!  I miss my Windows 7... wish I had changed it back while I still could!!

Anyway!  Trip here from home went well, wonderful Vueling, all good and on time!  Arrived into Cardiff airport and the bus to the city was there waiting, for me, and once in the city a short walk to the station, I booked my train ticket while on the bus!  So just got into the station and printed out my ticket!  Got on the train not long afterwards and was on my way back to Neath! [Still feeling the irony!!]

Friends met me at the station and we went for coffees, was lovely to catch up with friends there... then my friends husband collected me and whisked us off to Ammanford area collecting a take-out on route!

Great evening of chatting and catching up.... and in the morning we left early, and took two hours to get here... we diverted, we took roads lesser known, we went through Bethlehem... and we stopped and took photos on wild moors, we drove through snow covered roads, the summits of mountains were snowed in... luckily the roads were clear enough, although plenty of slush filled the edges... then, a drop of ten feet and the snow was going going gone!  Took some lovely shots, I will try to get on here tomorrow...

We got into Builth... and I will continue tomorrow!
TTFN
Marian

Ready to go

Well, I'm ready for the off, there is almost a sense of desperation the day before I go... It's as if I have to go everywhere that I love here before I leave again... Managed a hot chocolate at La Trocha in Coín, and lunch at Bar Cruz in Alhaurín... The sun has shone, its been about 20º, one beautiful day here in the land of dreams...



Case properly packed now, things were just sort of chucked in, the case looks empty, the case looks like when I get there I am going to say, "where the heck are the rest of my clothes, and what on earth shall I wear for a month!!"  But, so be it!  Less is more forsure!  Like today, we needed something, not seen it for months, but I found it quite easily because we just don't have much of anything anymore... There really was only so many places something lost could be!  Perfect!!

Getting back to today, the day before going is the hardest, its like losing it all again, but tomorrow, when I am on my way, I will feel better, because not only am I looking forward to being where I am going, every day brings home one step nearer again... I am lucky, I am blessed.... See you in Wales!

TTFN
Marian

Mijas today! Wall to wall blue skies... cool in the breeze and there was one helluva wind up there!  We started off at the Market at La Trocha in Coín... had coffee with friends and a good look around each and every aisle... Then around the artisan food hall and back in the car... Quite a breeze in there, I was glad of having my coat on!

Such a nice day we decided on carrying onto Mijas pueblo and lunch at our favourite opposite a little church near the museum... the road is up there at the moment, the road is up all over Mijas just now!  But works have to be done before summer... so no complaints from us!

We shared a plate of fried whitebait and nice fresh bread, and I had a glass of wine, the only one since I have been home, after coming back with a cold which might quite possibly have been the flu, followed by a jaw thing doing on, probably related the the virus I had had... still coughing now, but so much better!  This is the first time I fancied a glass of vino!  Mind you, I then fancied a cigarette... Franco said no! lol I don't smoke, but really just wanted one!

 Coming to the end of this month back home, feels like two months not one, so been a great visit home... and I am looking forward to getting back to work next Tuesday, working with a lovely lady, in a lovely location, which makes a huge difference with wanting to be at work and not!

We've met up with friends, we've travelled to Ronda, and all over the place, its been lovely...

I am packed, I am taking the minimum amount with me this time, I had taken a few extras as it was Christmas with me last trip back to work... This case is holding, four tops, one pair of trousers, one on... no travel bags with my shower/cosmetics etc etc... a plastic bag will suffice!  One pair outside shoes on, a pair of house shoes, [fewest undies!], pj's... that is it!  Well and lap top, kindle, phones with chargers and camera of course!!

I do not intend to carry a heavy case on and off planes... [well, you know what I mean!], on and off trains at least!

In the house, we have improved, by painting, moving, and clearing...  flowers blooming and all good!  We have one of worlds smallest bedrooms, because I brought the living room up into what was the big bedroom... we had a tiny cupboard on one side of the bed and an old bedside cabinet on the other, we got four Ikea Billy bookcases, of the small narrow variety, doubled them up, and they now reside by the bed sides!  sideways on, second shelves are for bedside stuff, and the other five shelves for storage... having the white side face on they actually make the tiny room seem bigger???

Plans afoot for next trip home, so the time will fly, I start on Wednesday 10th and finish on 10th March...

TTFN
Marian

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

Wonderful day in Ronda yesterday, after so many trips by car we thought a trip by train would be really great!  As aforementioned we had checked out the train times and got there in plenty of time, got a coffee first in nearby bar... When we got onto the platform two guys got off the Malaga train, they needed to get to Malaga airport and had inadvertently got the wrong train, they needed to be on a plane in an hour!  They walked into Cartama Estacion to get a cab, wonder if they made it...

The lookout from near the band stand at Ronda, view from the Parador

I tried to take photos that I had not before!  Bit difficult after going to Ronda for 28 years now!  I don't think I had been there since mom passed away... not sure... It was her birthday on Sunday...

The train journey was lovely, took loads of photos... as did most of the people on the train! At one point, we stopped at Bobadilla, a strange, very old station, seems to be out in the middle of nowhere!

 

Blossoms and cactus fruit... best served cold!

 ...And pulled out the way we had come in, so spent the last part of journey going backwards!  Most people moved seats, seeing as there were plenty of free ones, probably not the case in high season! and on the way back Franco and I swapped seats so I did the last part of the journey in reverse!  I don't think I used to like to travel backwards but don't mind it now! Which is pretty good seeing as the amount of train journeys I now have to make are leaving me going backwards most of the time!

           

View from the Parador, looking down at a faraway house and looking up at a hotel balcony...

It was a festival in Ronda, unbeknownst to us!  So 90% of the shops were closed! Dammit!! But, one shop was open, one I have been going into since our first visit there... A shop that sells all sorts of bits and pieces, toys at the back, kitchenalia to the left, and gadgets all over the place! Wonderful shop, full of so many things I have always wanted but didn't know it until I walked in!

    

Weather vein on an old palace and a bullfighter outside the Ronda Bull Ring

I bought a little gadget for my camera or phone, not actually supposed to be for such a use, but I will use it for photography!

Great visual effects with new gadget!

The lack of shopping opportunity also didn't stop me buying a bag, I needed a new one! Of course! Who doesn't??  By travel bag is shot, so bought a replacement!

We had tapas in a great tapas bar... a few cups of coffee, and a far bit of walking, the journey was great, train comfortable, all good, except, I have never watch watched while in Ronda before! Although I knew we had plenty of time I was worried about missing the train home!

Tapas!

TTFN

Marian

Oh dear, what happened to last last Blog post of mine?? Thats the problem blogging using my phone, or Kindle was it?  Must use my lap top next time, I can use my phones internet to do so!

Well, I left my work placement and went to see Barry and his family, spent a wonderful five days and five nights with them all, my gorgeous wonderful granddaughter... She cried when I left the flat to go buy some bits!  she watched my every move around the room, and each morning, came crawling... or walking, pushing the door open to me, with her beautiful smile... 23 steps was the record when I was there!  Probably already surpassed!

Had a good visit with them all, went into the city a couple of times, Baz took us all out for dinner on the last evening, and on the Friday I caught the bus to East Midlands airport... Its what I would call, old school, recently updated, and really nice, small, relaxing, easy to negotiate... after Stansted with about a million people on my last return flight home, this was wonderful!

On my last couple of days with Baz I started to get a cold, probably picked up on one of three train journeys it took me to get to Nottingham!  And not sure how it stayed in its early stages, because the day after I got home it hit me like a hammer, couldn't move, my head felt like it was full of cement, my body just wouldn't coordinate at all, although I carried on carrying on, as I always do, I felt like crapola with a capital C.  I've been home over a week and still feel bad, but better, trying not to cough, but at night is when its hardest not to...

We have been out and about as I say, after Franco's Spanish course on Thursday we got in the car and went for a good drive about, we took a route to Cartama Estacion, checked out the train times... We're going to Ronda tomorrow!  Then we drove through a couple of small towns we didn't know existed until the other month when the bus brought us through them!  We kept driving, more because there was nowhere to stop to park... very busy, it was lunch time... So we came back around and onto the main road again and headed up to Casarabonela, we hadn't been there since my birthday back in 2010, had a coffee and came home...

We've visited the La Trocha twice, today we weren't going to, but then changed our minds, its been such lovely weather, warmer than normal, even for here... Franco and went to the flea market in Fuengirola yesterday and were very over dressed in our coats and boots, the tourists were in shorts and t-shirts, some in Torremolinos... were topless later on in the day!  The men I hasten to add!  And it wasn't a pretty picture, so none included!

We have been to the garden and bought earth for plants that have been living in too little of the stuff and now showing signs of it!  I bought bird food yesterday, left it out for the birds and it was still there today, I have moved it about, and not a bit has been taken, plenty of birds!  I seriously don't think they know its for them!  No birds tables, here... no bird feeders! The bird food seems to be the sort you put in bird cages... So not sure how to go about getting them to know it is for them!!  Its only the birds by the bars that know to pick up what humans drop!

We have been to town a load of times, even one evening!  We were going to go to a British bar right at the end of town, they had a band on, then we thought, maybe it wouldn't be a good thing to go there for the first time not knowing anyone... so we decided on a bar in the middle of town, another British bar, but... we decided on a Dutch bar instead!  We are so not used to British bars, but we want to expand our friends and contacts here... Maybe next weekend...

The view this morning, I had taken Pipster out for a walk, and came home, I was sat on the terrace drinking a cup of tea, watching the sun come up, so far it was only on Las Delicias...

And when we were out for a walk yesterday afternoon, Pip was very intrigued by the cat on a lead, the cat was huge, I kept trying to take sneaky pics when we having a coffee in the bar, but had to wait until we were over the road, and then just blatantly take a photo!

I caught this reflective view of life in Casarabonela before our coffees arrived!

This week, we have Ronda tomorrow, and some friends are due out who live down on the coast at Calahonda, and another friend who will staying down at Torremulle... We will enjoy his singing if he puts on a show down there!

TTFN
Marian

Had a stomach dropping moment just now [earlier when I was unable to Blog}... It's because of Facebooks 'this time....' Whenever thingy...  And was reminded like a punch in the gut of this time six years ago, the horrendous trip to England, mom in hospital, and all that followed on a roller coaster of pain and suffering for mom... And a different pain and suffering for me... Mom is never far from my thoughts, to tell her what's happening in my life, to exchange chit chat on the phone... Suddenly so sad, and so far from home, here I am on placement and my eyes are leaking... I want to be home... 

And suddenly I feel like someone I might support... Talking 'Home' some speak of, wanting to be home... Home is all a matter of who sometimes not where... Some people want to be home, they want their mom's, unaware they now are 'the mom'...

I needed my mom so totally when I was young, as we all do; and when mom got older she needed me more...

She would have laughed at me today, we have a, what appears to be regular chest of drawers here in 'our' room, for our belongings while we are on placement... I obviously noticed on the day I arrived some of the drawers wouldn't open, two I thought were just jambed, and well, the other I saw immediately to be a secret drawer!  That sounds slightly contradictory doesn't it?  But I knew it from living with antiques and my step dad!  I tried the obvious with it, but because one of the other drawers was jambed I couldn't release what I knew to be the secret lock!

Ta Da! All three secret drawers opened!  Nancy Drew and Jessica Fletcher stand back!  Oh and by the by, nothing in the drawers, I kind of guessed there wouldn't be as it is in the staff room for us to use!  But such fun!! Am now wondering if there is a forth secret compartment... Well, there could be couldn't there...

Okay, need help... what is that in the pine tree above?  Is it just a plastic bag! Seems to be coming out of a stalk! Looks like a bit of a palm tree!!?? My camera zooms in really well, but I can't get any closer than this with it, I did get up to the tree before you say it!  But of course then I couldn't see it at all!!

And this little puffed up chap... Lovely day today, took a few snaps in my break!

**** And a few more 'stories' from the past...

Back in the hotel/hospital, 'Coming back after lock down, climbing up the fire escape stairs, quietly past matrons room which looked out on us... soaking wet from walking in the lake!!'

Friend and self had been invited for lunch on board a destroyer, two of us all dressed up... arrived at the port, had to ride out on a small boat and then climb up a rope ladder!!!  With the 'boys' watching us in our frilly knicks from below!!

At a service given in the local area, 'Such fun with Tutu!'
[er yes, that would be Desmond Tutu!!!] ****

Mom & me...

And finally, a surreal moment when a Tweet from yesterday morning was replied to from the man on the program I was talking about!!

TTFN
Marian