20.02.22

Sunday, and a gray day.. although nothing as bad as the awful storm Eunice... 

"Millions of people were advised to stay at home unless they had to be out for work or essential travel. Landmark buildings suffered damage in the winds, with panels ripped off the roof of the O2 Arena in London while the top of the spire at St Thomas's Church in Wells, Somerset, toppled to the ground."

What a storm! 

Photograph from a walk yesterday along a river bed.. 

Time for sleep now.. perchance to dream..

M.

"What's ten minutes in a lifetime" he said

'It can be everything she replied'

Changes..

Had a cup of green tea yesterday and jokingly said I could read my tea leaves in this.. and as I tilted the cup.. there appeared a dog's face! Although looking on here now looks more like a man's face with a dirty nose! 

What have I read recently.. about change.. it happens.. it's life.. sometimes bad.. sometimes for the better.. and needed.

I am definitely in a process of change just now. It happened in a matter of days.

My position in the store wasn't needed any more.. Opening time changes in place and two of us not needed..

I feel strangely at peace.. Feel I should be worrying more, but can't seem to find it in me to do so.. which I guess is a good thing.

I am going to clear out the unneeded from my house, and cave.. Time to clear out the old unused and unnecessary. I carry such baggage with me.

Wrapping this up for now.. just need a photo for the header..

Song.. Coldplay and Selena Gomez

And a song.. just because it popped up and I like it.

M.

02.02.22

Be happy the sugar says.. 

Sometimes easier said than done.. 

Today, chatting to friends, mix of nationalities.. Dutch, German, Spanish and me.. 

German man said during conversation about riding out on motorbikes in the spring.. they say in Germany 'fresh flesh'.. horrible!! And Spanish girl said, her and her friends say, in a bar in the spring with visitors arrivals 'fresh meat'... 

Similar, but so very different.. 

Too many people I know at the moment with Covid.. 

I've had my booster shot now, last week, she put that in my left arm followed far too swiftly to my right arm to administer the pneumonia vaccination! 

My Covid shot made my arm ache quite quickly and lasted a few days.. but no issue with even raising my arm.. the pneumonia one about the same.. although I had a headache for a couple of days.. blaming the latter for that.. 

Apparently it was 23 antigens! No wonder it's a once in a lifetime vax!

And, Monday after work, back to the Guadalhorce Valley Hospital.. my forth kidney stone in three months.. More intravenous pain meds and antibiotics.. and meds to go! 

Really not liking this.. four too many of these things!

Need to see a urologist, and sooner rather than later, maybe there is something I can do to stop them.. 

M.

 

Berkhamsted Through Time.. 

This link is to the book I came across Googling H.C.Ward.. 

There seems to be many arguments over the name of Berkhamsted.. the various old spellings, with a 'p' with an 'a'.. and whether it was Great Berkhampstead... Well, back in the 1800's it most certainly was all these things.

Was looking for something else, and came across my old measuring tape.. it belonged to my great grandmother.. born 1848.. Rosetta Talbot.. I have a couple of her samplers also.. made over a hundred years before I was born.. 

I know here I ride my emotions out, the good the bad ...the happy the sad.. 

Over the years.. decades nearly now.. my blogging has been my therapy.. 

Thank you for walking the path with me.. 

M.

Having my bath removed and a shower put in this week.. meaning I'm leaving home earlier than I should to get to work! As feels weird being in my house and them working!! 

So now cooking in my car.. figuratively speaking! 

And now, because that was Monday or Tuesday.. it's now Monday.. again.. and bathroom looks amazing.. luxurious in fact! 

Wonderful isn't it! 

I've been to the cinema to watch the new Matrix.. okay, didn't stay to the end.. went to watch another movie but was only in Spanish and wanted to see it in original format.. 

So Matrix was what we saw.. I have to admit only saw the first many moons ago and this although started good.. for me, I lost the plot somewhere.. and having to get up early for work the next door.. left the last two people in there.. 

By the by there was only six to start! 

Yesterday went on a great ride to Ronda.. 

If I look a bit bulky it's because I was wearing three tops under the jacket which also had a fleecy lining, and leggings and jeans under the trousers!! 

But it was a cold day.. 14° without the wind chill!! Two bikes.. 

Saw the processionary caterpillar had been busy around Gaucín.. which is odd.. usually they are making their way to the pine forests around late February to March.. maybe even April..

But their nests were numerous in the pine trees in that area.. standing out so brighty.. 

Saw three storks flying around the inland area towards Sotogrande.. 

Had a coffee in Ronda.. loads of bikes on the roads.. day before had been cloudy and cooler and today the same.. 

Below the man and boy at the forest between Yunquera and Ronda.. 

Must have hundreds of the same view!

More to tell! 

Oh yes! 

I tripped up the stairs at home, again, but be nearly a year since I did it before.. didn't learn from the experience, obviously.. it's much better now, but still an obvious shiner!

First photo.. the morning after!

And then the next day..

Still have the red now.. so silly.. made me feel nervous for a few days walking!

Okay amigos! 

M.

Coffee Tuesday morning with las chicas.. and the gift of a heart in mine..

 

There has been very low cloud these last couple of weeks, sometimes here in the village, sometimes sweeping in from sea and laying low over the coastal areas..

So I've either left the clouds for the sun, or found the clouds and left blue skies behind.. 

We've had rain and sun.. warmth 22° and frost on my car! It feels very cold today with wind chill factor!

I opened my box of quality street the other week! Had a mishap at the top of the stairs.. luckily just the sweets that went down the stairs!! 

Since last Friday I've been to urgencia three times with another kidney stone... 

Last trip was yesterday because my temperature is either up in the 36 range.. high for me.. or down in 34 range.. and when it's been that low it comes with a fever and sweats!! Horrible.. I burn up.. So as the hospital doc told me to come back if I have temperature issues.. sign of bad infection, sepsis etc... I went back yesterday, and as my temperature was 35.6 he said I didn't have a problem.. I said it drops to 34.3 or so I get a fever etc.. and he said...no, you need a new thermometer!! Completely ignoring the fever that accompanies the sudden and thankfully temporary low temp.

He even wrote that on my hospital report.. Get new thermometer!! I couldn't believe it! Condescending, demeaning.. 

When I got home I took my temperatures with the two thermometers I have.. the same.. 

Apart from that!

I had a lovely day new year's Day.. despite the pain.  Which I've decided to ignore.. to put to one side of my mind and not look in that direction! 

Went to a good friends.. was so nice.. relaxing, eating.. talking watched a movie.. and three dogs into the bargain..

Two days ago shared a great curry in Coín in Mumtaz.. very nice, in fact the lamb bhuna was just as good last night and last bit today!  Here at home eaten with a wonderful curry chutney a friend gave me before Christmas! The perfect accompaniment! 

And now, after preparing an Italian sauce I've decanted into four sterilised jars.. got the wood burner fired up! No pun intended.. washing washed, terrace swept.. been to town for coffee at 8;30! 

I think now.. I'll pause the great series on Netflix started to watch last night.. Stay Close it's called.. 

I think a nap is coming on!

Just quickly though, before I post this..

I came across this.. maybe 10mm sized beetle last week, after Christmas, before New Year... This is the name of this little chap! Amphimallon Solstitiale seems like he was out at the wrong time of the year?

They have beetle recording in the UK, but can't find anywhere here.. Not that I'm a beetle spotter, but I do seem to notice these things.. 

These lines below are written on a stone, I think near the The Dream sculpture at Saint Helens, Merseyside..

'We make our own pathways, they disappear into serenity and sunlight, for beneath this world lies another, filled with dreams and scattered memories, the footsteps of our fathers.'

I like this.. a lot..

M.

Happy New Year!

 

Was going to put a less happy emoji up as my final pic of 2021..

But, although there has been the lowest of lows.. there has also been happy moments.. 

Happy days, time with loved ones.. friends.. enjoyed happy times.. there has been laughter and good moments.. 

Mmmm I won't list the bad stuff.. we've all gone through bad stuff.. 

Happy New Year to everyone and all the very best, health, prosperity and of course happiness! 

For now, for me, here I sit on the downstairs sofabed.. wood burner going.. spent nearly three hours in urgencia today and more yesterday.. Today actually saw a doctor, unfortunately our local one yesterday was so busy he never made it back to base.. 

Today I went to the Guadalhorce Valley hospital again, just over two months from the last kidney stone exiting my kidney, the second has now, or is now? Doing so, and stupidly, extremely stupidly I googled the antibiotic she gave me, as only two doses and turns out to be one of the most lethal there is! And normally always only one dose! 

Ending the year missing the people I love..

M.

 

This photograph was taken when we were up at the lakes December 25 2011.. can't believe that was ten years ago.. 

I guess that black duck symbolizes me, always taking my own route! 

A friend called me yesterday, she's driving down to stay the night.. four hours drive! On her way now and arrival imminent!

We used to work together in the UK, albeit briefly on handovers.. Will be so good to catch up in person! 

This song below was in a movie I watched yesterday.. and now here.. 

Don't wish your life away.. Jared Lee

M.

Merry Christmas!

Maybe 'Dont look up' not the cheeriest of choices to watch on Christmas Eve! 

But good movie none the less!

Ventured out this morning about half eight, rained all night.. 

Had a coffee in the bar then went to La Trocha with friend, had another coffee and quick wander around Carrefour and then downstairs in the charity shop bought four books for a euro!

Came home and the rain came back! 

Been in my VR or watching Netflix.. made a curry and next dessert! Have a glass of wine and awaiting the tinkling of Santa's bells! He better be wearing his waterproofs tonight! And very good lights! 

M.

The eve of Christmas eve... I'm watching Love Actually.. of course.. who wouldn't be at this time of the year? Oh! Just me then..

Works been exceptionally busy which is of course wonderful! And now I'm off for a few days.. Everyone, just about all the customers were in very jovial festive spirits today, really great day.

Wood burner going, it's the second day of rain.. and now the house is in the clouds.. or are the clouds down on my village?

We now have to prove vaccinations or negative test results for entry into bars, restaurants or clubs.. even for a coffee and a piece of cake.. anywhere in side.. 

And as of today, masks again are obligatory in the streets.. 

Our figures are nowhere near as bad a the UK, but better safe than sorry.. 

We've been wearing masks still inside in public places.. bars etc.. any businesses.. since March of 2020.. That has never changed.

That's is for today! 

Oh a photograph I took the other day, last week? Or the week before? 

I would love to be able to see their terrace! And I would love to get some palm trees on my terrace! Looks so cool.. and in summer it would be so much cooler! Literally!

Today's piece of music is.. 

James Blunt Goodbye my lover..

For no reason, I heard it today at work just as someone did something outside.. they left a bag on a car.. and it seemed both sad and.. I don't know.. to leave something for someone like that? Was either a gift or a cowardly parting of ways.. maybe of course it could have just been rubbish!

But the person put it is the dumpster without opening, so I guess they thought it rubbish anyway.. 

M.

This morning was touch and go with the wind factor! 

It blew me down at 8am and chased me back up at 10!!

But first.. woke up too early about six.. came down about half past when I realised I wouldn't have the luxury of going back to sleep..

It seemed warmer than the past couple of mornings.. not the normal 8 - 10° the house usually rests at this time of the year with no heating on.. so looking at the burner for some reason I reached down to touch it near the base and was surprised to find it warm still! I opened it and a piece of wood wasn't quite burnt out so I opened the front and it immediately started to crackle and spit! Lots of tiny sparks? I put a small piece of wood on top closed it all up and it caught! 

Off out I went.. 

Came home.. five hours after placing that tiny piece of wood.. a tiny spark remained, so I put an envelope on top, secured with another small piece of wood and it caught! Three hours later I've added just one log of wood now.. 

Never been like this before! Very odd! But very good! 

Just finished watching Back to the Future.. Christmas must-watch movie! Yesterday was Home Alone #1 and #2!

Anyways! Between town for coffee and freezing my butt off.. blue finger nails and cold through.. I had to move my car at last, so drove to Aldi in Coín for milk and a few bits, was still early so drove around to Mijas pueblo, parking up near the top and walking down to the town. Still windy! 

I had a really lovely wander around, didn't stop for coffee, but went into the ermita de peña.. said a few words of remembrance.. 

Took the photograph beneath..

 

Which strangely doesn't look real here! 

Beautiful view over the coast.. 

Tempted to drop into the garden centre for more plants but maybe Saturday..

Feeling like a piece of music should be here now.. 

Let me look! What you don't know is there's a gap here of nearly two hours!! 

I went to YouTube and clicked on my playlists and weirdly after about six months? Of having this phone.. the music I had previously downloaded and paid for music that had been on my old phone and NOT transferred here.. was an option to download!!!??? Wtf?? 

Still, it's here, and oddly as is the way of the world, and only talking yesterday about thoughts becoming real.. I now have it all back!! The most is music I bought through Google rewards.. and once Google music went the option to download to YouTube, being Google came, and I did it, but new phone and nada nada monada!

Even this morning I thought again how I wish I had my downloaded music available! Two thoughts in two days and the magic happens! 

Mmm anyway, I saw the one I was going to link to here, Rag'n'Bone Human and it was playing while I scrolled and clicked 'download' I, unfortunately for you and I both, hit play in queue on a track and next to auto play was this instead.. 

Lewis Capaldi Someone You Loved... 

Good video also.. 

It made me have to get up and do stuff rather than sit and get melancholy.. 

Enjoy! Or not.. 

I have my music back.. a nice gift.. 

M.

 

If this has no sound I'm deleting.. so going to be quick before anyone sees it!!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZwTRpLjibWtqTwR86

(See if this works!)

Actually, I'm going to leave it.. because it's so funny, even without the lyrics! 

Its an App.. and I'm singing.. Tragedy by ABBA, well not me.. them singing and and I'm animated..

If I can find a way of getting the sound on here I'll do it! 

I have another funny photograph of me to post ... Un momentito! 

Elfish don't you think!

M.

Went for a drive yesterday.. San Pedro de Alcántara.. it's about forty minutes from home.. 

Usually drive underneath the main road, in fact the tunnel wasn't even there when I first moved here.. There is a strange undulating raised walkway.. 

A short video I took was way too shaky, on my Facebook it wouldn't have been a bad idea to pop a motion sickness med before watching!

Still nice there.. San Pedro has changed in many many ways since I last wandered the streets.. 

Felt a bit strange actually.. 

Had a couple of coffee's and ate some lunch... It was nice.. too much food.. 

Silk floss tree.. taken a few photographs of the this tree over the years. But caught this one just right with some of the silk floss on the tree..

Very strange looking. And spikey! Dangerous tree!

This afternoon I came back home, via the wood man, dropped in two bags or wood for the estufa, got the gas can near the door and some random cardboard and metal bits.. 

Dropped rubbish off in bins and bought a gas can, then dropped into La Trocha and Carrefour.. bought a few bits.. a few of the wrong bits as I was hungry!

This Pantone amongst them.. was it wrong to get this giant one? Then cut a big slice when I got home and lather it in butter? 

High bad cholesterol? Sure.. and high good cholesterol too! So that's equalled out nicely!

M.
 

It was good to get out on the walk earlier.. (all this written last night), really was good to get natural fresh air.. forest air..

These two photographs I took with the sun getting worryingly close to dipping down beyond the mountain.. the perspective is difficult to tell.. but I was looking way down into a small ravine.. which is where my small shadow is down there.. difficult to see the depth..

I shared my walk with no other walkers bar one.. on my way back down a man came up videoing the scenery.. 

Maybe this photograph above will help with perspective..

I sat in a small tree like chair for a while and just relaxed.. I was already on the turnaround.. 

So glad I got myself up and out and didn't just sit there and blur out..

My burner is lit, house is toasty.. and watching a great series on TV.. Superstore.. 

M.

Just watching Gilmore Girls.. again.. and this song rang a chord with me.. 

I am not unbreakable..

Sometimes it's as though the universe knows everything.. and nothing..

Thoughts appear in movies.. books.. Things in our minds, moods show up in daily life.. 

I made the mistake of taking half a sleeping tablet last night, a tablet a friend suggested, and although I bought them a month or more ago I didn't take because it doesn't interact well with other stuff I take.. 

But night before was so bad I thought I'd risk it for a biscuit.. I still lay away mid sleeps.. for a couple of hours..

And still now I feel so blurry, or maybe I would have been anyways? 

Life can be blurry.. 

My card was denied in Mercadona today.. great! Such fun! Money there but bank said no! So not only will my bank .. Santander of Spain! Not allow my wages in...  it also didn't want me to use my own money already in there! 

Only in Spain! 

So again, into the bank I went.. again she copied my TIE card...again, sent to Madrid! And she unblocked my card! Crazy! And just too tired and blurry to really care that much.

I hate when I get feeling like this... I can see myself from outside.. almost.. 

But I can't find 'me' to get me back out.. I guess this doesn't make sense.. 

So I am now sat inside, in this beautiful country I am lucky to call home, watching sad movies.. and wondering what the hell is meant to happen now.

Maybe a walk would be better.. maybe I should do that now.. right now. Fresh air.

I'm walking now..

M.

Not sure what's been happening since I last wrote.. most certainly been ages... and I'm sure I've had good and bad days and then good again...

Above a fisherman, in the distance between some very small plants.. all about the angle isn't it!

Cabopino beach, again... I still wonder who is the lucky wearer of the gold bracelet I lost there...

Wandered along here on Sunday morning... It's that time of the year when its damn cold first thing, and even chilly in the shade, but warm enough in the sunshine.. I mean, not hot! Because if it's 16 degrees for instance, that is a thirty or more.. degree drop from August and September...

 So just now, I am in bed... heater on, hot chocolate and a hot water bottle! 

I had a wonderful weekend and a crappy Monday! Ha... that's life eh! 

Someone came into where I was today.. in a store, he said he'd been told to isolate in Heathrow because he'd come from Nigeria... he told them he wouldn't so boarded a flight for Malaga.. and not an issue here with isolation! I couldn't work out if he was just stupid for telling me, or just plain stupid!!! 

Feel there is so much to tell you... my kidney stone doesn't seem to have shifted yet, as in the mornings it really hurts like hell still... I don't know what to do... I suppose just keep taking the meds and pain killers and get on with it! 

Christmas on the horizon, so I'm generally more down than up.. and life is putting me down in other ways.. so.. as we say.. It is what it is eh!

Onwards always, upwards if we can... don't look back? Mmmm that is a difficult one isn't it?

M.

 

Not sure what bird this is? Eagle? It's neck looks too long.. and photo here is already zoomed in!

Yesterday I met up with someone selling a headboard.. down a road off the main road on Sierra Gorda.. not turned up there since the last time I collected the Pipster from her holiday location spot..

People were nice.. headboard perfect!

Then to La Trocha market, I had the giggles walking around wondering how the hell I'm going to mount the world's largest headboard on the wall and will it even fit!

Then I saw this massive, like two feet high ceramic/china cat.. it was in a sitting position, gazing up with massive oversized eyes.. it appeared to be staring at a man, whose back was towards me.. as I carried on past, I stopped, the man standing by the stall.. floor based stall.. and he looked like he was staring at the cat staring at him!! He actually didn't move, his face or eyed.. he was literally just staring towards the cat.. which was as it seemed to me, staring back at him... Thankfully my mask hid my by now laughing my head of face! 

Crazy!

Anyways, got home, unloaded headboard! 

And today! 

Doctors as last, my appointment had disappeared off the radar.. now I know why, it is because when I booked it last Monday at 10 a.m. my appointment was actually for an hour and a half later, who knew! I thought it was for today that is why the appointment disappeared from the app and from the website.

So I got to the doctor's on time and waited and told her I thought I had an appointment for today she said it was last week, but still saw me.

Read my blood work from the hospital urgencia three weeks ago, I have a kidney stone!

So I've got an appointment coming with the urologist, two with her.. two different types of pain meds to alternate between every four hours and a medication for the kidney stone..

At least now I know why I'm in so much constant pain, you can imagine where my head was with it all.

M.

November 7

                           

This amazing sunset from a couple of years ago.. still for me a spectacular sight.. 

Flicking through the photo memories with this popping up, I realised as I turned my phone it actually looks like a face... incredible!

Maybe I've said this before? Deja vu happening now..

Been a lovely weekend.. yesterday I took a friend down to his favourite breakfast haunt, The Tudor Rose down at Torremolinos.. still open long weekends going into November, normally closed from October.

Had a wonderful, for me rare.. English breakfast.

Then a walk along the paseo marítimo and back to the car and back to Alhaurín.. 

I then popped to Aldi, a stray dog in the car park as per norm.. I went to give him water but Pippa's old water bottle was broken.. so had to throw it away.. 

Did I tell you I found her old fox toy? It still smelled of her.. I've returned it to where I found it.. 

Later yesterday I met up with another friend and had coffee at a bar recently opened down the road from me.. it used to be a bar, decades ago.. but now reformed reopened and great coffee and tapas!

This morning I went off early to La Trocha market, coffee with another friend and then a.. as my mom would have said.. mooch around the stalls... Cooler undercover, but lovely out in the sunshine..

I tried to go through stuff this afternoon, but only got as far as Tony's basketball certificates!! And year ten reports! And they ended up back in the box.. 

In time eh.. everything in time.

M.

Ships don't sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don't let what's happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.

Unknown

November 9 A different 9/11

The worse day today..

I wonder if one day my life will be happy enough that today won't bring me down to where I am right now..

No more words left. 

From the movie The Shack.. I'll think about you..

M.

Small cat in the house the other evening, the sensor light came on out back, then I heard the fly screen open... I wasn't really worried.. I mean it'd have to be a damn skinny human or ten inch high something at the most to squeeze thru the rejas!

Then along ran this cute puss cat! Meowing towards me, like a long lost friend.. meow meow.. ran to my leg my hand.. so cute! It had a QR code so I knew she was somebody's cat..

She explored the house thoroughly, we had a cuddle and I thought I better put her out, so she didn't get too comfy.. 

She wasn't around anywhere on the terrace so I knew she could get out as easy as she got in.. 

And I missed her...

~~~

Definitely a chill in the air this morning.. 10° in Alhaurín! Blooming heck!

Hands are cold in the house! 

Kidney issue still happening.. guess I better do something tomorrow, can't today.. but tomorrow.. mañana eh.. always mañana, until there isn't.

I can categorically say I was flying from Bristol to Malaga this time five years ago. 

And I hope one day I can Not think of this.. 

It's like I am an old '45 record and I keep on jumping, back.. I run forward, then, jump back again.. on continual play back. Or one of those damn annoying movies where the script jumps back and forth and you, the watcher never knows 'when' you are!

Things need to change, I need to change.

I need to run so fast I can't go back, can't even get the chance to look back.

M.