Come ride with me through my day today amigos.... M4 to Port Talbot, into shopping centre, already at car park new charges, set the day in motion for 'fail'.... 1.30 for an hour, already five minutes past before my feet even hit the shop floor!

Into Opticians... new glasses bought a month ago, they were impossible to actually see through and I had gone back twice, first time 'they' said see how I go, they are narrow lenses and have lots to do in such a narrow space! Second time, er no... we can't change them now, you would have to buy a new pair... by the by, in the first instance I would have been within my rights...

The day of was off to work a week ago on Monday, picked them up and an arm just fell off... the glasses, not me! Not the hinge the part of the hinge that sticks onto the frame... no screws in these, sooooooo, now I am building the clock, sorry the scene!  In I go.... "No, sorry, we can't fix them here, we can send them off to the factory, did you get insurance?".... I hadn't so, that was that, they need soldering!  I asked if the few times they had had to heat the plastic arm could have had any effect on the solder that had, apparently, been holding the hinge in place, she said "No"... in my experience though, heat does tend to melt solder... er... that's how it works, yes!!!!

Arh.... so out I came, back to the car and off to supermarket... only a five minutes drive, so I thought I would bring my mood with me!  Did my shopping, at the check out I handed the very helpful lady, no sarcasm, she was helpful! lol... I handed her the new card we have recently acquired for this store... she said, "we aren't taking these yet!" What!!!! I had done quite a big shop, a weeks worth of meals and stuff, I had wanted to make sure I went over the limit necessary for the WOW points extra for this new system they have in place!  She said she would check to make sure anyway, she did, it didn't!

I went to customer service and said I had just spent such and such amount of money, purely because of this new card!  That the vouchers I had said they were only to be used between October 13th and ..... about the 2nd or 3rd of November, [without getting up to check!].

She phoned the office and they said that this store hadn't started yet, and it would be available to use the vouchers as of Thursday!

Al final.... out in the car park, one of the 5p carrier bags gave up its goods as I was loading into the car and a beautiful tall glass bottle of sauce hit the tarmac and shattered, its contents beautifully coloring the car park!  I cleared it up best I could and vacated the area!

Beautiful painting of the lakes at Ardales below...

TTFN
Marian

View from La Alcazaba restaurant in Mijas pueblo...

From our roof terrace one evening at the sun was setting...

Having a café con leché in town one evening, very quiet, had gone for dinner but the place I chose already had the kitchen closed! Only 5:45pm!!! Okay, it wasn't exactly Spanish is probably why! lol

This view never ceases to amaze and keep me forever wishing to be here...

This view on the other hand... above, of the Kings walk at El Chorro, the green bridge there on the right, where Frank Sinatra took a bullet in the movie Von Ryans Express!  The walk now goes over the bridge... that's the jagged line running across the mountain, not the cable above that's crept into the shot much nearer where I am standing! lol

From El Kiosk bar/restaurant near the lakes, Ardales, the water was a lot higher than I thought after such a long drought... will have to check out my low level pics!

Whispy red evening skies above Alhaurín from our balcon in the new living room!



Found one!  The lake was dry all the way to the road that runs between the church and the restaurant area... Lowest I have ever seen it!  It was winter too, the  deciduous trees as you can see are bare...

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

Two very strange pictures... above, is me... doesn't really look like me, a little blurred maybe? And taken as part of a selection of photos on a flippergram thingy... it caught me full laugh, and actually, I kind of like it, not often caught so relaxed in a photo...

and two cream cakes... in a Turkish bar, café, deceptive from the outside but the most delicious cakes I think, in the whole of Swansea!!

Work is over for two weeks, not sure if I am going back to this job... well, actually I am not!  I am off to Spain tomorrow, for a week, going to do lots about the house, but especially relax, I need it, my head if off the scale in wound up and stressed out.... can't wait!

TTFN amigos
Marian

Well so much for Blogging while I am away... that didn't happen now did it!?! Somehow I don't seem to have much time, which is well, how its supposed to be, considering I am working away...

I managed a bit of fb and email time first thing and last thing at night, and maybe the odd few minutes during the day, but only when everything else is done, and I am not jumping up like I have sat on a needle to do just one more thing!

The photos randomly of two very old service buses... in Berkhamsted the other Sunday, I thought people were out on a jolly, but turned out the rail service was out of action and people were having to use the bus service they put it on instead!  So that could be why people didn't wave back, or look very pleased at being waved at!!

Been a tough couple of weeks, but time flies by and I am really enjoying  the challenges every day brings, different every day!  The journey back yesterday was a nightmare on the M4, made worse by drivers with no lights on!?! What is that all about?  Heavy rain, splash back, fog and almost zero visibility at times... its almost mesmerizing like driving through snow or thick fog hours upon hours, journey took a bit longer than it should and the services were packed out!  It felt like everyone on the M4 came off it just when I did, and then back on I had to pass all those same people I had before! lol

Once over the bridge into Wales the weather improved a little but the speed limit wen down to 50! That didn't slow the journey down for most people because not many people took any notice of it!  Even on passing a completely mangled Fiat 500, and the accompanying police cars and vans... after a tail back and 2nd gear speed for half an hour prior to reaching the scene of the accident... 'they' put their right foot peddle to the metal and drove past the speed limit without a second thought it seemed!

Today been to the opticians and into Swansea, found a nice coat, going back for it soon! Just need that "time out" to decide on it!  Also needed some winter type shoes, not the fury sort, have a wonderful Uggs for cold weather, but some ankle boots sort of thing!  Walked through a tonne of shops, and decided on the cheapest pair, because they were the best!  Also wanted a handbag... don't tell Franco!  The one I am using now I bought in NY and with the cream linen I don't want it getting ruined by dirty weather! lol, if you know what I mean!  Saw a whole load of bags that were just perfect!  But did that "time out" on them, came home and resurrected an old one from five years ago! Which is now as was then, perfect!

Oh... I got bitten by a spider over night Sunday night or in the evening and I didn't notice, I have the worse horrible 'thing' on the back of my hand, it looked like a giant white spot surrounded by a red circle [infection I guess], and over the last few hours the white bit looks more like a giant white... well... thing is the only word for it! It looks revolting! lol

Our garden looks somewhat of a jungle again out there!! Brambles have taken over, the palm tree has dropped its long leaves, and the plants look... wild! Would be a good word!  But nice to come back and go blackberry picking in my own garden! Very very tasty!

TTFN
Marian

I decided also, no more shells to bring back from me, leave them where they should be from now on, all the tidying up and clearing out, the amount of stones and shells I have from all points North South East and West... Some I do remember where from, but the vast majority I know not of they're creation... So, I placed these three near each other and left them to pose there for the photo shoot, and there they remain until the water moved them again at the next tide...

Next time we will talk to the ship wreck that remains, Pippa will love it! Will need to give her some time for this! And us! Walking on sand works harder! Or should that be is harder work!

This isn't a poor photo... I stuck my size 5 and half into the shot for size comparison of the razor clam!  I wish that it was me who had come across these clams before the seagulls, tonnes of them empty of clam, can't believe so many of these are shipped away from the UK to be eaten over in Spain and Franco etc... only take a couple of minutes to cook in a nice white wine garlic and herb sauce! Very nice!

Lots too of these Dogfish on the beach, chucked back in by the fishermen apparently, they are unwanted catch!

Copied from internet... The most common and well known British shark is the dogfish, it is actually a member of the Catshark family!

Strange then I think to myself, and you - that it is not called the Catfish then??? Like other catfish?

TTFN
Marian

This is a view of the lake, or some it at Pembrey Country Park... as seen from the hide!  There are two of these, to watch any passing bird life!

Well, trees!! In the park!

This was a very steep walk back up from the doggy beach back up into the park... great there is a dog beach, Pippa absolutely loved running the beach, there is 7 or 8 miles of wide wonderful beach, all  hidden away by the sand dunes, lots of it for humans only of course!

Even Pippa was struggling to get up this sand hill! I'm holding her and calling mush mush! Like she is a husky! We walked miles, and we really did, ten miles on Friday! Over 22 thousands steps... so my Fitbit told me! And I know it speaks the truth!

Yesterday when we got back, we had something to eat and went back out, Pippa went up stairs, watched us from the window... and almost waved us off with glee! She must have thought let me lay down my head and sleep!!! Sleep sleep!!

This view above just made me say Cabopino!! Just so looked like the trees by the side of the beach there, I could have turned around and walked to the port there... or turned back around and been at Calahonda.... Homesick....

Beautiful beach... thats forsure....  And yesterday evening, kept thinking we were going back to it!!  I know we're only two minutes from the beach here, but I kind of felt the tent was still pitched and we were going back there, very strange, from someone who doesn't camp!!  Was so funny, got the tent up, following the instructions in the bag of the tent.. and there were more instructions!  They were sewn into the tent, and can only be read once the tent has been put up and your inside to read them!!! So that's a bit... well, rubbish!

Definitely going to invest in phone chargers, either pre charged or solar!  And another question for the sellers of tents and camping equipment... why do you stop selling it in August?  Why are toys in the shops where going out doors stuff was the week before!!  Well??

TTFN
Marian

Great cloud formation here... looks like a rat man diving into the deep blue skies...

Beautiful bumble bee drinking of a beautiful purple thistle...

These strange and creepy bunkers are all over the park, some open and easy to find, a lot more hidden away, follow the railway lines and each one will lead you to a tunnel or bunker, some of the ones in the woods will be harder to find, they have been left to overgrow with trees and plants, brambles and weeds live where man used to work, or hide... or kill and take... This park has a dark history, going way back when... past times of war when these bunkers were used to hide weaponry and arsenal, to times medieval when men would collect the riches from ship wrecks... ships lured onto the rocks and beaches so the cutthroats could kill and steel from the passengers and shipmates alike...

Last night watched an episode of Wales most haunted held here in Pembrey, you can let your imagine run wild watching it, getting all caught up with their built up fear... could lead to hysteria...!! We got a lost a few times in the woods, maybe actually bringing the map would have been a good idea, because there is no phone signal for internet access anyway, phone yes, text yes... but then without electric nothing nada and nowt!!!

Above the begun and unfinished work of someone... even on its own its pretty strange!! And inside some of the bunkers strange words and pictures abound... Wish we had seen the most haunted before we went! I think?  Although will see it through different eyes next time!

Oh and keep the map on me!

Above photo actually taken in Ferryside where we popped to on the Friday morning... searching for internet! Across the water, the river Towe... is Llansteffan... remember the castle were we went a couple of months ago!

Pretty weed above! lol

Just realized missing part of this Blog!  Been camping! Yes me?? Really, well... we went camping in Pembrey country park Thursday until we went on Saturday morning! I hadn't been camping since I was about 11, I am sure... not counting pitching a tent in our garden when I was still at school, hardly real camping popping back into the house for food and mom bringing out hot chocolate is it??

We had a great pitch! Nice and quiet, a few others in our field (?), who were very quiet, the night was quiet, only the night bird noises, and I was up about 6am walking Pippa in the quiet, lovely... Then Friday happened, and the nightmare began! Two awful families over the way, nice enough groups either side of us, until one of the groups decided that they wanted to hear their music and not that of a nightmare group over the way! Whose van doors were wide open to accentuate the boom boom boom of their music! They had tethered dogs, unlike their neighbors whose dogs were left to run wild...  Arrrhhhh!! Okay, enough tampin about camping!!  Needless to say the people who run the campsite had a good talk to them yesterday to fix the problems!  But too late for me! We were outta there by 10:15am! Just before the heavens opened!! Shame, because I really wanted to leave later, after the Zombie festival started at 8pm!  No seriously I did!

And also seriously tired now, the last of the music players, you could hear three different peoples playing... stopped at about 1am! And a guy over the way started calling out for their dog about 4am!!!

So tired... in fact probably feel worse today than yesterday!  And am off back to work in the morning, need to feel awake!  I actually feel like I have been gone from work for a month or more, very strange, the three weeks of my first shift went so quickly, now its down to two on and two off, even quicker!  And I promise I will Blog from work, from now on!!!  Oh and more photos posted in the morning from the camping, before I get on the M4!

TTFN
Marian

Oystermouth Castle, Mumbles, here and now! How's this for being up to date friends? Having coffee in Mumbles Coffee shop and Blogging... Thank you for free WiFi...

Was sat on bench here appreciating the view, when I realised I could smell fish `n chips!! Already!!  Really!!

The weather is improving, but first thing looked like it could go either way today...

TTFN
Marian

It had to happen.... attack of the loom craze!  Okay I only got the cheapest set to try it out, and following the easiest tutorial on the net, found out immediately cheap is as cheap says!  But, I can see how the kids have got so addicted to it! And its so easy! The cheap loom bands as of poor quality, the hook is weak and I think about to break if used a third time!  But I will be doing some more forsure!

Got a picture of my favorite tree along the coast the other day, despite the cloudy moment, and the awful traffic jams! Tourists eh! You gotta love 'em... Well, actually yes you do! We thought there was a problem with road works or something, the day wasn't hugely bright and wonderful, but the quantity of caravans, mobile homes etc were outstanding!  The roads down on the peninsular are narrow, meant for fishermen and locals, the pretty houses coming up to roadside at risk of losing their front rooms!

I spent yesterday afternoon, evening and so far this morning clearing.... the cupboards, rooms, drawers, anything!  I go through these phases or cleansings... Then I can't believe where I find even more stuff!! Its as though every place I keep things are tardis like! Still more to throw out, pass on, whatever... I find it truly hard to do this, I am emotional attached to every single thing I have, they are all part of me, and it feels like throwing a part of me away with each thing that goes, there will be nothing left of me one day... just my skin and bones...

Feeling a bit sad, you noticed huh?  I put a picture of my mom on fb last evening, my cousin scanned it for me while I was working away, and I looked at it better yesterday, really looked at it for the first time... my mom, the faraway look in her gaze... so many wonderful people 'liked' the post...

 
TTFN
Marian

Some beautiful flowers in the wood at the top of our garden... I threw the seeds of some plants up there at the end of last summer and it seems they have taken!  Beautifully!!

Above two men stepping out on the boardwalk... New Palace Pier it says behind them!  My step dad on the left!

A very early drawing of my step dads...

And a close up from my step dads painting in the George and Dragon pub in Northchurch, we noticed how is spelling of Berkhamsted was old school! *Berkhampstead... both 'p' and 'a' no longer there...

The photo I took from nearby here... may have posted this already? Or not?

I fear time is against us
Never felt like this in the past
Suddenly the future is here
And time is passing by... 
Marian Bonelli

TTFN
Marian

The plaque above, by the way, is in St Mary's Church Northchurch... it reads...

In grateful memory of
James Randall aged 85
For twenty years Sexton of this church
and Ann his wife, aged 78
This tablet is placed by their sons
Willaim, Henry, George.
"Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good."
1894

These are my ancestors....

Above the Gape and Olive in Swansea marina...

Tunnel nearby to here...

NYC as seen from the Island cruise...

Self explanatory above!

The massive Colgate clock over looking the Hudson River...

Franco and I, and Eric and Debbie... cool how my camera self made this little action movie! You have gotta love technology!

View from the Lighthouse on Fire Island....

Now to business again! Have you missed me peoples! I am so sorry... Been working, and working... and a little more working!  My first shift with the new company was twenty one days long, my hour a day off I combined and had seven of the fifteen hours off in one hit on each Sunday I was away... allowing me time to unwind and visit friends and family in the area, I have been pulled towards Berkhamsted each time so far... and now back in Neath I feel a stranger again!  Even in the supermarket on Tuesday I had to ask the poor woman three times what she was saying! Couldn't understand her strong accent!

I started a new job then! LISW, (that's live in support worker) lol.... and thats what I do now, its very much the same but different from my last job, can't go into details except to say I jump onto the M4 motorway and travel up to Slough and jump off again, I am then about 20 minutes from where I live for the two weeks I am working!  Its a nice area, in a nice town, and I feel I did okay in my first three weeks, one of shadowing, two of being the lead support... There is no down time, waking up there early and going to bed there immediately after night support come in, so Sunday time off is real good... And coming back this Monday, late afternoon I slept like a log and both yesterday and Tuesday had long day time naps!! Trying not to today though, don't want to sleep all the way through my time off!!

I lost a bit of weight during my first shift too, not much just a few pounds I think, which I will probably put back on in these few days!!  I am eating okay while away, but no grazing in between or evenings! I have left my work clothes there too, so will just bring back and forth with me my personal bits and pieces...

Coming back into the house Pippa went crazy happy to see me, my poor baby dog, Franco knows where I am but she didn't! So good to see her furry little doggy body jumping about yapping and nipping at me! lol The garden and grown with weeds and brambles, the flowers come and gone on some plants, blackberries out already and lovely orange flowers in the woods where I threw seeds last year!!! Cool I thought!  A butterfly tree cut down to nowt near the back yard... Franco wanted light, obviously the butterflies will have to find their flowers elsewhere this year then! Although before I went I noticed some flowers coming out on another tree I must have cut down for the last two years, not realizing it was a plant (Ooops sorry!!)  So we have some beautiful hydrangea flowers this year!

I opened my Birthday cards too!!! Thank you everyone!! Kind of feel I missed out on my Birthday this year... does it mean I am a year younger now then! lol... Okay, well worth the try I guess!

Purloining this poem... from Poetry Foundation Web site...

"Time does not bring relief: you all have lied"
By Edna St. Vincent Millay

Time does not bring relief; you all have lied
Who told me time would ease me of my pain!
I miss him in the weeping of the rain;
I want him at the shrinking of the tide;
The old snows melt from every mountain-side,
And last year's leaves are smoke in every lane;
But last year's bitter loving must remain
Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide.
There are a hundred places where I fear
To go, - so with his memory they brim.
And entering with relief some quiet place
Where never fell his foot or shone his face
I say, "There is no memory of him here!"
And so stand stricken, so remembering him.

TTFN
Marian