Bad Internet, Good Bowling

For the second weekend in succession our telephone line and internet connection has been so bad that it was unusable. Allegedly, the 'man' turned up and repaired something or other last week but it just made matters worse. We had a gigantic whinge this morning and the 'man' showed up again. It turned out that the wiring in our apartment was shot and he had to replace the lot. He even left me a new phone!! So far so good.

As for the bowling............Doreen and I had a good 6 - 2 win yesterday which puts us fifth in the league. We have to play Jeff and Brian next week who are currently in the lead. Neither of us are open for bribery and plan to take some points from them if we can. Expect a battle!

Today was the first Monday League match of the season. Doreen and her partner, Barry, were lined up against Ros and I and it was such a close run game. They won the first by four pins but we rallied and ended up with a 6 - 2 win! Cool!!

The Spoils of Time

I decided to re-read the famous trilogy by Penny Vincenzi as it's been hiding in the cupboard for three or four years. I finished the first book 'No Angel' on Friday night and went off to find 'Something Dangerous'. You guessed it, no sign of it. I know I wouldn't have lent it out, I'm positive that it didn't go to our car boot sale, but after having every book out of the cupboard, still no sign!!

As we had an extra hour this morning we decided to pootle over to the market and I had a quick glance at the second hand book stall. Would you believe that he only had two by Penny Vincenzi and one of them was..........'Something Dangerous'!!! Noticing my excitement he tried to flog me the other one too!

Recycling or Somesuch!

I found this earlier.................


HINTS AND TIPS - YOUR BLUE BOX, BLUE AND WHITE SACK
Use the WHITE SACK for waste paper only, i.e. newspapers, magazines, junk mail, yellow pages etc. Do not put any domestic refuse, nappies, books into the sack as these can not be recycled. Take care when presenting your sack for collection to prevent problems of spillage and windblown paper.Use the BLUE SACK for plastic bottles only, i.e. milk, shampoo, pop, washing-up plastic bottles etc and metal cans/tins and foil. Do not put any domestic refuse, nappies, or plastic toys into the sack as these can not be recycled. Take care when presenting your sack for collection to prevent problems of spillage. Wherever possible, wedge the sack between other containers.Use the blue box for glass jars and bottles only. Rinse debris from glass containers before putting them in the box. Wash out your box occasionally as this will help keep it cleanUse the green sack to recycle your clothes, bedding, curtains and footwear.

It all sounds a little complicated to me. Because of the heat, our rubbish has to be taken out each day and, during the summer months, not until after eight in the evening. Most street corners have a collection of wheelie bins, different colours for different things. The 'muck truck' turns up around midnight each day. It all seems a lot easier than having blue boxes, blue bags, white bags and green bags!!

Bits and Bats

I mentioned recently that a mate had given me his old mobile phone..............old for him but really modern for me! The trouble was that I couldn't get on with it and so I decided to have a treat this week. Pay as you go mobiles are very expensive here...........over 200 euros for a decent phone with camera and 550 for the Nokia, which I really wanted. I've now gone on contract and chose a Sony Ericsson Z530i. It's one of those clam things, quite small and I'm well happy with it.

Good news on the bowling front. I have a new partner for Monday League. She's called Ros and I've known her for ages. We have found a sponsor, had a pre-match natter and are looking forward to the first match!!

It was Charlotte day yesterday and she was such a little minx! We are suffering with really high winds at the moment and I'm sure it sent her hyper. She screamed, giggled, ran around like someone possessed. Good fun though!

Marian

Mike and Marian came over three or four times a year and are honorary members of the five o'clock club.

We have never seen Marian at the best of health and have watched her deteriorate over the last couple of years.

Sadly, she died in her sleep during the night.

It's hard to think that we won't see her again but at least her suffering is at an end. Hard for Mike too, but I expect he is relieved having suffered along with her for so long.

Night, night, Marian, I'm glad we had a hug a couple of weeks ago xxxxxx

Teenage Girls!!

There was a real row between mother and daughter at the bowling today. Fourteen year-old Chaz was expected home at seven o'clock on Saturday night but went on the missing list. She eventually rang home at ten to eight to say that she had fallen asleep on the bus and didn't know where she was!

Her mum and dad, Carol and Elliot, set off in the car to fetch her home but couldn't find her. Can you imagine what they felt like? Just going dark and their only child wandering around lost.

They ended up driving for about 45 kilometres, stopping at every bus stop on the way. Chaz had walked as far as the airport, 4 kilometres, borrowed a few cents from a stranger and phoned her mum.

All was well in the end. The whole thing took a couple of hours but she was safe. Now she is wondering why she is grounded!!

I found it hard not to smile today when I heard 'But, Mum, I only fell asleep on the bus'. A few of us oldies with grown up daughters had a few quiet chuckles!

To make matters worse, Doreen and I beat Chaz and her mate, Tash, at the bowling. Poor kid, not her weekend!

In Bed With a Lizard.........

.............well, almost!!

I went off to my bed last night and as I pulled the top sheet back I discovered a lizard making itself at home!

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind them but I would rather not sleep with one. It got chased out and I spent half the night wondering where it had gone!

Catching Up

Doreen and I managed to get two points on Sunday from Bob and Steve which was a good result. Yesterday was Presentation Day for the Monday League. Dave from the California Bar picked up most of the prizes which was a good result for him. He is a superb bowler though. I did get a prize.........ten euros in the raffle!! Oh, and Brian's long awaited trophy from the Sunday League.......I did feel good walking out with it, even though it wasn't mine! Feelers are out for a new partner for me, but it isn't looking good.

We had a wander down to see Maria earlier, she has been in Barcelona all weekend and told me that is was 'muy frio y mucho viento'. Pretty similar here today, not quite so cold but quite windy.

Next stop was the park to see Charlotte riding her new bike. She's getting the hang of it now so expect a pic. I was planning to mention her Dad's antics but I've decided against it!! Nose hair is gross!

Home again to catch up on Corrie. I had hoped that Rosie would catch the train but never mind. Micky in the Bill got sorted and no-one made a fortune in Antiques Roadshow.

Such is life!

Love, Love Me Do!

You know how your tummy turns over when you hear a song from your youth...........the Beatles do that to me every time I hear them. As an eleven year old, I so loved George!!

Joan and Kevin lent us the dvd series of 'The Beatles Anthology' and there we were saying 'I was such an age, doing this that.......... and remember Radio Luxembourg?'. Kids of our generation used to hide under the covers at night hugging the transistor radio, hoping a grown-up might not notice! Reception was terrible and that flippin' ear thing really hurt!

Back to the Beatles.............one of my regrets in life is that I never saw them live.

Chocolate Eclairs

They are listed in the top ten of things I miss about England. Brian happened to notice a tray of cakes in the bakery tonight that looked well similar. I've just pigged out and it was perfect!!

A Little Sad

Martin, my Monday bowling partner rang today, to tell me that he can no longer play in the league. He has a new job in a hotel, with a shift pattern. I did hear a rumour last weekend but hoped it wasn't true. After two years as partners it is a bit of a blow, mainly because we have been really getting it together lately with lots of good scores. I felt a little choked as I think a lot of him and will miss him.

I'll also miss Monday league as it's a good afternoon out. Still, I'll think positive and hopefully, someone else might be looking for a new partner before the start of the new season.

It won't be the same though, but good luck to Martin and his new job xxx

Beautifully Done

I've read Jane Eyre several times during my life and can almost recite the main dialogue word for word.

This latest BBC production is pretty spot on and I can't really fault it. Well, apart from Mr Rochester not being as gruff as he should be and some of the scenes weren't in the right place. Jane is well cast though and is how I always imagined her to be.

I'm looking forward to the last in the series even though I can't imagine how they can put so much into an hour long programme. It has nine out of ten so far so wait and see.

A Good Day at the Bowling!

Jeff and Brian are miles ahead in the new Sunday League and really wanted Doreen and I to beat the two Swiss blokes who are in second place.
How we did it I know not, but we managed a 6 - 2 win!! Doreen and her gammy leg too!! The Rack'ems also had six points so a good day all round.

I've been hankering after a mobile phone with a camera for ages and a mate passed one over earlier today. Never having had anything else than Nokia, Sharp has confused me............. I can't switch the flippin' thing on! The idiot guide is in Spanish which doesn't help, but I reckon an English one would be difficult. Bluetooth who??

Remember Damien......he took a saw to the swing park tonight. The mind boggles!

Cart on Stanley, Cart On..........

Check this one out............
www.celticcross.co.uk/news/stanley.htm

It took me ages to find it and I really wanted to hear it. Cart on lads, one day I'll manage to see you play xx

Another Year

I can't believe that another year has flown by and it's five years since we left Plymouth on the Brittany Ferry to Roscoff.

Do I regret it? In the main I think I do. I'm not about to have a moan but the phrase 'the grass is greener' comes to mind.

Time for bed x

Too Hot to Think!

Another really hot day. Barry told me that his garden thermometer recorded 40 degrees C at eleven this morning! The only time I've felt cool is when he took me to bowling and had the aircon on in his car.

Happy Birthday to Dean, number one nephew who is twelve today xx.

Bowling was good as Martin and I won, 6 - 2. The last match in the season and we didn't qualify for the wooden spoon! It was the best I'd ever seen him play and with luck he'll start off with the same sort of points next season.

Brian and I met up with Dave and Caron later. Vic popped by to let us know he's going back to England tomorrow..........happy holidays to him x.

I keep meaning to mention this horrid child that frequents the swing park. We have named him Damien..............he is evil! His parents keep him supplied with horrid looking swords and plastic guns. I doubt if he's three years old yet but I'm sure he is a terrorist in the making. His bedroom must look like an arsenal! He'll have some poor child's eye out one of these days, mark my words!

Cheats!

I really can't bear anyone that cheats. This new 'throw it down the gutter' mentality that is rife during this bowling season is doing my head in. How can a person score a series of strikes in the first game to follow it up by a score of 112 in the second? Because he wanted to keep a low handicap..............flippin' sandbagger!!

I lost interest, yet again, as I prefer to fight against someone, not watch them miss pins on purpose.

Brian and Jeff almost came to fisticuffs over their game too. One of their opponents threw his ball and Jeff pointed out that the head pin was missing. Matey declared a dead ball and asked for the pins to be reset. Jeff turned a strange shade of puce and argued the point. He looked even worse when the chap got a strike!! Having checked the rules this evening, matey was correct......hee, hee!

It will be fine tomorrow, no handicaps in Monday League!