Have a Good One x

2011. How has that one crept up on me. I remember thinking forty odd years ago that I would be sixty and now I´m staring it in the face! I bought my new diary today. Another book full of shopping lists and such but I do love opening the first page of a new year. I´m hoping for a really happy one for me and mine.

For anyone reading this I wish you a really HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas!

I hope everyone has enjoyed Christmas. We have a really nice one with lots of nice stuff to eat and a few laughs down the local!

Have a good New Year all xxx

A Strange Couple of Weeks...

It has been one bad thing after another for ages and I really don´t feel in the mood for the Christmas celebrations this year.

The first shock was the death of a very good friend of ours in Cornwall. We have been mates for well over twenty years and I would have liked to support his wife Barbie during her bad time. A card never seems to be enough.

Philip, my eldest grandchildren´s Grandpa passed away the following day which was another knock.

They say that these thing happen in three´s and it was true in our case as another friend of ours died last Wednesday. We went to his funeral yesterday.

A quiet Xmas I think and I hope 2011 will be happy for everyone.

A Really Bad Day

This is our mate John Turner who´s birthday we were about to celebrate today. Unfortunately, he passed away this morning on his way to the local hospital.

Poor John xx

Shona´s Visit

Shona came over for a week and brought her three year old grand daughter Kayla. I was a little worried as the apartment isn´t child friendly but Kayla wasn´t a problem and she bonded with Clio.

Unfortunately, the weather was awful. It rained every day and we had about three hours sun all through the week. At least Kayla had one afternoon down the beach.

Off they went to the airport on Friday afternoon but ended up staying in a hotel overnight because of bad weather in one of the other Canary Islands. Poor them as they didn´t land in Glasgow until nine on Saturday evening!

Her worst visit to date!

Avocado´s

Being a little bored the other week we decided to try to grow an avocado pear.

It´s doing really well at the moment and has produced a stalk. Mo

Same place a year on but without our Jamie who had to go into Plymouth. I do miss them all xx

Sorry!

I´ve been messing about with this for weeks as my blog didn´t want to publish. I´ve asked for help in many directions but nobody seems to be able to help.

Just on desperation I decided to click on the publish button in the draft mode and I got a post! Not very well organised I agree but there you go.

Maybe I might be on a roll now so watch this space!

Facebook

Since I started to use Facebook I have found that my blog has been neglected. I apologise to those folk who enjoyed reading about my Tenerife Tales and promise to keep up a little from now on!

Being well bored at the moment I´ve decided to do a bit of a project. We have often over the years tried to do a bar count and have never got it right so I´ve set off to photograph them. This is the first.............Bar Raul. We did attempt to call in each one a few years ago but that didn´t take us far!

All is well with us. Clio is still under summer rules as it´s still far too hot for her to go out during the afternoon. I´ve promised Charlotte that she will be out and about after I come back from England. Yes, sunny Cornwall for a week at the end of the month!

Speak soon xxx

A Holiday

I´ve had a bit of a blog holiday as August here is far too hot to think!

Nothing much happens either as Bar Antonio closes for five weeks and most of the shops open just for the morning. All well dull.

The people in the apartment underneath ours have packed up and moved out today. They don´t turn up very often but usually spend the three month school holiday period here. I usually like to see them there but as they had air con installed a few weeks ago I´m quite glad to see them go. The flippin´box is directly under our bedroom window and hummed all night. Thankfully, they haven´t left it switched on!

The children go back to school on Wednesday and Bar Antonio opens tomorrow........all is well with the world x

Gosh!

I didn´t feel like watching Taggart so off I went to wander around online.

Not very interesting looking at the 274 Padiham bus but the building on the right caught my attention. It was the local social security office and where I got my first job at sixteen. Not that it was called that then..........and I can´t even recall the name it went under! It was my job to pay out the sickness benefit. Such responsibility for me and my work mate, Marilyn. You had to sign for your biros in those days and were timed when you went to the loo!

Another reason for me to feel quite fond of it was because I met my husband there whilst waiting for the bus to Burnley Mecca one Sunday evening. He was just back from eighteen months in Singapore and was well tanned, very blonde and absolutely gorgeous. Memories!

A Ramble........

We haven´t been far this weekend, mainly because it´s far too hot and no-one had anything planned. Most blokes have been glued to the golf coverage so I´ve been sitting outside the bar with a nice cold beer and a good book.

It´s been four or five years since I last read my Penny Vincenzi collection and I´ve started them all over again. She writes so well.

Maz and Bernard are on their way home from England after a four day trip. Bernard lost his Mum last week and it can´t have been a pleasurable visit. So sorry mate x

Finally, thanks to Sue for giving me her spare computer chair. It´s well good but does tend to make me crash into the sofa!

Could Have Been Worse

We decided to catch the bus into Santiago today for a bit of a change of scenery. I enjoy sitting back and looking out of the window and was doing just that when I was thrown forward.

The bus skidded down the road narrowly missing the car in front. It seems that a woman ran across the crossing causing the car to stop suddenly and the bus driver was hard put to stop. After a bit of an altercation in the street between both drivers with the stupid woman looking on, the bus set off again. I was a little surprised to find that our driver didn´t ask his passengers if they were ok.

Thankfully, we bumped into Bert who gave us a lift home as I´ve gone off buses for a while. Just a bruised arm to remember it by.

Dog Hunting

It has been four weeks since Bill and Muriel lost Lexi and they didn´t feel comfortable at home without a dog. They decided to check out the dogs´ homes. First stop, Live Arico where they were really made welcome but no small young dogs just poor big old ones. It´s so sad. They moved on to K9 and found the same thing. Look at that poor soul!

I´ve been trying to get in touch with animal charities for weeks to offload my books. People just don´t turn up to collect them. Thankfully, Muriel happened to mention them at Live Arico and these folk were well eager. They are hoping to buy the land for the dogs to give them a secure home and are so grateful for anything they can sell. I had a phone call minutes later and books all gone. I have the phone number if anyone local has anything for them.

Back to Bill and Muriel. They had a look in the pet shop yesterday and came back with Annabella. She´s a sweetie.

Bits and Bats

I haven´t been very bloggie lately as life has been a bit run of the mill apart from a visit from Shona that is.

We had a good week, ditched Brian as often as we could and went for it. Nice breakfasts, scampi and chips one day and we both enjoyed sitting next to the beach reading our books in the sunshine. Maybe we can do it all again in December.

Muriel organised a barbecue at her place on Saturday night. Around fifteen of us sitting on her terrace scoffing and drinking good stuff! We didn´t stay too long as we´d left Clio at home and it´s always good to bail out before things get too rowdy. A nice evening though.

Tina had a birthday today so off we went to Bar Antonio to spend a couple of hours with her. She has a couple of jobs on the go and we rarely see her. Nice.

Such a Surprise

We had a walk down to the bar this afternoon hoping to enjoy the enthusiasm of the Spanish folk cheering on their football team. It didn´t get off the ground and I ended up reading my book.

They all wandered home quietly, no car horns, no fireworks and I feel quite sad for them. Mind you they did find it quite funny last weekend when they teased us for our draw but I didn´t think it appropriate to return the favour.

One point is better than nothing and we´ll see what happens next!

Ummm?

We've just had a rare night out. Neil and Tina cooked a massive Indian meal at bar El Corral, a small Spanish place at the end of our road. It was really lovely and we both enjoyed it.

I´m quite cheerful at the moment. A new mobile, good internet and my Windows 7 is sorted. Time to be more upbeat I think.

Shona arrives on Friday which means that I have a little holiday and I´ve found a breakfast place for us. It´s time for a bit of fun!

Moaning Minnie

I´ve just been looking back at my blog and I reckon that it needs a name change as all I seem to do is moan!

I hate this retirement thing as there is nothing else to do so I´m turning into the female equivalent of Victor Meldrew. I can so see his point!

The things I wish for: a good internet, a good television signal, a good service at the mobile shop and what do I get? An absolute mess.

Ok, point by point. Internet off for over twenty-four hours. I spoke to a really nice man who talked me through a new set up. Lovely, internet on, increased speed and was I a happy bunny? Yes, until an hour ago when my computer decided that I had an illegal copy of Windows 7. What on earth do I do about that? The man in the computer shop gave me a number but where do I put it? Goodness knows but the thought of a month without my computer whilst the World Cup is on gives me the shivers.

Next..........television signal. Totally illegal I know but not having any alternative I use it. This German chap runs it and I´m sure he hates women and Coronation Street. Every time I get settled to watch it we lose the signal. I missed loads tonight but it´s happily working now. I bet it never even flickers during the World Cup. I could cheerfully ring his neck.

I´ve decided to shelve the mobile shop as I´m far too grumpy to even go there. Best I go to bed, at least I have a decent book!

Spanish Red Tape

All I want is a new mobile phone. Well, to be honest, I have been really happy with the one I had but it managed to get itself wet a couple of weeks ago and doesn´t want to play anymore.

After drying it out in the sun and giving it time to recover I decided it was a no go and called into the Movistar shop to buy a new one this evening. Don´t they want any business in these places? I´ve had the same number since 2001, have been on a contract phone for the past six years or so and she wants my original contract and my NIE number. All she needed to do was put my phone number into the computer and all would have been revealed.

The whole conversation was conducted in Spanish and I really wish I knew some choice swear words as she completely ignored everything I said. A big stomp up the road towards home muttering all the way.

Dorothy

I really don´t know why I started watching this. Probably because there isn´t much else to watch at that time on Saturday or Sunday evenings.

Poor Steph went away on the moon tonight and we are now down to three hopefuls. If I could vote I´d give Lauren a chance but I think Sophie will be Dorothy in the end. ALW´s face says it all!

All in all I´ve enjoyed it, tears at the end too!

I Had a Plan!

We went to Puerto Santiago this morning for a bit of shopping and knowing that this really beautiful tree was normally in bloom at this time of year I took my camera.

My mate, John, always does the spring flowers for me and so I decided to return the favour. Our cold winter must have delayed it this year as it was in bud but no blooms. Never mind, I´ll wait a couple of weeks and try again.

This was the only photo I took. Don´t be deceived by the sunny aspect as it was freezing.

We´ve had really cold winds for days and along side of my hay fever, I feel like screaming!

Footie

I remember when the English football leagues used to start in September and finish in March or April. The FA Cup was always at the beginning of May. They seem to sneak an extra week every year and before long it will stretch for twelve months.

I´m grumping because I really wanted to watch the Apprentice and I´ve got Fulham playing in some European Cup or other. We did have an agreement that it would go off should it be boring but as Fulham just scored I reckon I´m doomed.

A couple of football free weeks and it all starts again with the World Cup. To be honest, I don´t really mind that and plan to watch all of England and Spain´s matches. Fingers crossed for England!

Getting There

We went down to do a full clean on the holiday apartment today. Not much of a problem as they hadn't made much of a mess and two hours broke the back of it. The towels are causing me a little bit of stress because I could only find four last week. Today there were loads. Best thing to do is wash them tomorrow and drop some off on Saturday! I'm pretty crap at this!

This German woman rang me this evening, right in the middle of Corrie. Abrupt as Germans are but nice and polite. She just wanted to make sure that I would be there with keys tomorrow to let them into the other apartment. I can do that.

As it's my birthday on Sunday, I'm hanging up my cleaning gear on Saturday and going for a party.

So Busy!

Life pootles on............computer, PS2, books and television, happen a beer or three along the way and then all this work turns up. Brian has been rushing around all week doing this and that and as Sue and Don are on holiday I've been doing a bit of work for her.

They set off for England on Monday via Madrid and as I haven't heard from her for a couple of days I trust they got back in time for their son's stag night. Thankfully, the wedding isn't until next Saturday and I'm sure that the flights will be fine by then.

I did a mid-week clean on an apartment a couple of days ago and I'm surrounded by dirty laundry which has to be washed and ironed by next Thursday so that I can have the place ship shape for the next lot who turn up on Friday. More washing!! In the meantime I have to buy fruit for another apartment and meet them with the keys.

I'm caring for Sue's canary, name not known but has now been re-christened Cheeky and watering her plants. Sorry Sue, if you are reading this, five of them are in intensive care xx

Thanks John x

John knows how much I miss England in the Spring and always takes a few photos especially for me.

This year's is really nice.

I had to wait for longer than usual because of the snow but it was worth it. Thanks again mate xx

Here at Last!

Matey turned up at just after ten o'clock this morning and set up my new telly. He was so amused to see our BBC antenna lying across a chair on the balcony. I'm sure we made his day.

We had been debating what to do with the old one. Brian could run up the stairs with it over eight years ago but I doubt that he could run down with it now. Problem solved as matey wanted it for re-cycling and if he makes a bob or two on it well done him.

Not being into daytime TV we just stared at it for a while and decided that it's debut would be tonight's Corrie! What else?!

Done and Dusted

After setting my mind on a Samsung, 32 inch with HD and TDT (Freeview) I ended up with an LG. It pushed the buttons and it's mine!

I'm sure that the lady in Santo had the quickest sale ever as I just wanted it over with, a beer and home!

The nice man is delivering it tomorrow at around eleven, installing it and setting it up. I trust he will sort out my PS 2.

Another post tomorrow with a pic and I promise not to mention televisions ever again!

A Plan!

As you all know I've been researching televisions for the past six months and tomorrow is the great day when we go off to buy one. Well, at least that's the plan!

I don't quite know how I started to be so careful with life. A few years ago I'd have just gone and bought the flaming thing but now it appears to be a major decision. Could it be that we have nothing else to talk about? Could Clio's ears be another thing that occupies our lives?

Goodness knows if it's an 'old thing' or is it because I'm bored out of my brain?

Voting

I've just been speaking to my brother and the subject of voting came up. He said that he hadn't made his mind up and the conversation turned to our Nana.

There she is in the middle with her sisters at Blackpool. Going to vote was quite an occasion for her. She would chat up the Labour candidate who promised a car to take her to the local school, put her posh frock on and go down the road in style..................to vote Conservative!!!

Dad always voted Labour so no-one realised that the poster in the window wasn't hers. Such good fun!

Happy Easter

My blog has been so neglected lately. It's not the lack of time just the lack of news.

We've been doing some decorating and my yellow lounge has been turned into blue. It looks really good and as soon as my new television moves in I'll post some pics.

Clio apologises for her lack of posts too but she hasn't been well lately. She went off for a bit of pampering last week and her hairdresser noticed that she had an ear infection. We were gobsmacked as we hadn't realised! A visit to the vet which she really loves, swabs and a microscope, almost a hundred euros and some sort of spray later and she's now on the mend.

Back to the vet on Saturday and hopefully she will have the all clear. Her Dad is in charge and knows he can slink over to the bar after her appointment to watch the ManU/Chelsea match

Talking about footie, we settled down to watch Arsenal v Barcelona last night and a Spanish family over the road was doing the same thing. They cheered, we cheered and we all ended up on our seperate balconies shouting in turn.............well funny.

Poor John

We've known him for several years and he has been suffering from ill health during the last three or so. He died on Monday morning all alone.

He was a pilot in the RAF, had a Garden Centre at some point and was the most opinionated man I've ever known. Nothing ever suited him but we all banded together to care for him in our own way until the end.

His family managed to get flights here on Tuesday and the cremation was carried out today. We hired a mini-bus and set off to Santa Cruz. A very tasteful service and I was almost in tears when his young grandson made his speech.

We will all miss him.

The Weekend

We had a red storm warning on Friday evening which was a bit worrying and I thought it was prudent to clear the stuff of the balcony just in case. Having seen the devestation in Madeira last week I wasn't sure what might occur. Thankfully, nothing much happened apart from fairly strong winds over the weekend.

It didn't manage to hamper the television signal and I've watched or half watched loads of stuff including the final of the Carling Cup. ManU managed to jammie their way to a win yet again. Rugby is a different matter. I saw Ireland beat England yesterday but didn't understand half of it. At least with football you can see the ball!!

Muriel was telling me today that our new Lidl store has Singer sewing machines on offer this week. Mine was bought in Malta in 1974 and it's motor packed in a couple of years ago. I've been using Caron's for my mending but it would be good to have my own again. I'm going to check them out on Tuesday.

We had roast lamb for dinner and I'm still stuffed............time for bed I think!

Oops................

I meant to mention my little problem in the thread shop. Since I repaired all those trousers for Bill and Muriel, I've had loads of people asking me to turn up hems and stuff.

At the moment I have two pairs of trousers and a skirt to hem. Trousers are fine but I needed some tailors chalk for the skirt. How on earth do you ask for that?

The chappie does speak some English but I lost him. We looked around but nothing seemed similar. After a few chuckles it dawned on me to try to explain in Spanish a kiddies chalkboard. Sorted!

Public Relations!

I awoke this morning and thought that there was a major disaster in our area. Ambulance, police cars and fire engines all sounding off across from our apartment.

Bedlam! It turned out to be a bit of show for the kiddies in the school opposite. They were allowed to investigate each vehicle and set the sirens off.................over two hours of it and my head was ringing. It turns out that they are visiting all the local schools.

The thing that really tickled me was when the ambulance put some music on the tannoy......'Another one bites the dust'. I trust they don't think that is soothing music for their patients!

Bad Weather Continues

It has been bad for most of the week as you either get blown away or half drowned.

This photo printed in today's edition of El Diario de Avisos shows a car which was washed into the sea by a deluge of water running down the barranco (ravine). In our village too!

The beach is completely wrecked. The huts were smashed to bits and the boardwalk washed away. So sad as it was beautiful there. It cost millions of Euros to make it such a pleasant place to sit and now they are going to have to start again.

We've been without electricity for hours today and still can't get a television signal. At least I now have the internet!

Televisions

I'm planning on re-arranging the lounge during the next few weeks. It needs painting and I've decided to move the furniture around a little. Him 'indoors has gone into hiding!

We've had our present television since we first came to live here over eight years ago and although it isn't playing up it's a bit of a brick. Gone are the days when you could put all your ornaments on top...........remember that Mark?

I've taken a shine to a twenty-six inch Samsung, flat screen jobby. Not for on the wall but it will look quite cute on my tv table. A shopping trip next month.

Carnival

February is carnival time in Tenerife and although most of it happens in Santa Cruz the local schools have their day of celebration.

We were alerted by the noise and managed to get a few pics from our balcony as they passed by. I felt a bit choked to be honest as they all did so well and looked so good. I managed to spot Frankie, Sienna, Paige and Molly but couldn't find Hannah no matter how I tried.

Well done to the school as it must have taken a lot of arranging x

Grand-daughters...........

Maisie, pictured, was seven last month and was chosen as goalie for the school football team. Her first official match was this afternoon but although she fought a brave fight she let three goals in and her team lost 3 - 1. Never mind, more training and she'll be fine.

Tully, had her fifth birthday today. Hopefully a few photos will come my way and we hope she had fun.

Jamie is in the middle of exams and course work. She's already got an A in Maths and a B in Science/Biology and is awaiting the results of her History exam at the middle of next month. Keep up the good fight and loads of love from us xx.

Sophie and Carla. Not much in the way of news about them. Buck up Simon x.

How Evil!

It has been such an awful day. Thunder, lightening and torrential rain. I haven't seen the like for years in Tenerife.

Part of the beach has disappeared as Elaine's pic shows. Electric on electric off, internet on internet off. No signal to our digibox either but I did manage to watch most of Corrie on FilmOn.

The most wonderous thing is that my printer started to work again. It gave up the ghost a few weeks ago and nothing seemed to revive it. I checked the cables, gave it a few clouts but it was a no go. Brian insisted that it was time to bin it. When the leccy came back on after the last power cut it leapt into life. I don't suppose anyone will believe me!

Naughty but Nice!

Brian has been constructing a rather large wardrobe at Barry's house all week. Remember Barry? He used to take me to bowling.

I've been dog-walking, cleaning and couldn't get out of cooking last night. I made one of those steak and onion pies which I seem to be quite good at! I've also been doing quite a bit of sewing for Muriel. Twenty pairs of golfing trousers which needed to be changed from a thirty-two inch leg to twenty-nine. It seems that most men who call into their golf shop have a twenty-nine inch inside leg. A daunting task but I'm almost halfway there.

When it came to eating this evening neither of us had the inclination to cook so we opted for a fish and chip takeaway from Bar San Juan. Alan and Jenny are the new owners and have recently added the service.

I snuggled up on my new sofa and ate it with my fingers whilst I watched Corrie. All it was lacking was the newspaper!

Bits and Bats

Not a lot to report really but I'll have a go!

Even though it's warm in English weather terms we feel well chilly during a Tenerife winter. I suppose going from thirty plus down to about twelve has something to do with it but it still doesn't compare to having snow and ice. No snow on our volcano this year which is rare.

Weather report over, so what's next?

My brother, Ray is having a birthday tomorrow. Best photo that I could find was one with his back to us. Have a good day Ray xx

Grand-daughter, Maisie, is seven on Sunday. She's lost both of her front teeth and seems quite proud of it.

Still on the subject of birthdays.........................I've been checking out the Moonpig site for ages but haven't had the courage to go for it. Using bank cards online is a little worrying but it is so hard to get a decent English birthday card here. I'm waiting for reports from Ray and Maisie and if they like them, that's the way to go!

Katie and Tully look out!

Boring, Boring, Boring...................

I had such high hopes for 2010 but over two weeks in and it's boring. We've visited Bar San Juan a couple of times recently............a slow walk for me............but no-one turns up and we end up watching television which I could do at home. Too chilly to sit outside Bar Antonio so the television again. At least I have a challenge translating the Spanish!

There is a bit of a good side though. Geoff and I won ten euros on the Lottery and Brian starts a new job next week. Peace at last!

Not Well

One big problem which I won't dwell on or share and one other one which really hurts.

My right knee is well swollen and it hurts to walk. I did manage to get out and about today but I've grounded myself for at least tomorrow.

This getting old thingy isn't good!!

It's Grim up North

There was I thinking how cold it was here at the moment and then I watched News at Ten.

Hundreds of schools closed in Aberdeenshire, Manchester Airport closed this morning and now it's heading south.

Hopefully, my family will have battened down the hatches, turned the heating up and settled down for the night xx

Scottish Folk and New Year

We met up with Bill and Muriel this afternoon. Being Scottish Bill was making the most of the holiday and after a few pints decided to have his own little sing song.

Maz and Bernard joined in and then this little Spanish bloke with a guitar came out of nowhere to accompany them.

I laughed until my sides hurt and really wish the rest of the year could be so much fun x