A Lovely Day

We went off on an away day with Liz and Lyndsay yesterday. First stop, Eldon House in Paraiso where we met up with a few folk that we hadn't seen for ages. Second stop, The Red Lion in Callao Salvaje where the same sort of thing happened. Strangely enough someone paid for our round of drinks...............no idea who but thanks!

Back to Playa San Juan and Bar Antonio where we decided to eat. Perfect service as usual.

They have two weeks left of their holiday and are moving down to the south next Friday which will mean that we can see a little more of them. Looking forward to it!

Scary Doings

I've pinched this pic from my eldest grandaughter's Facebook page as I think it's brilliant.

There she is on the left with her mate Mollymae. I reckon her six year-old sister, Maisie, will be traumatised for life after all that!

I trust they got sweeties as I'm sure I would have slammed my door in their faces!

Cornwall in October

I had such a wonderful week with my family in Cornwall. It passed by far too quickly but being able to see my daughter and her children along with my brother and his family made it so special.

We had a pasty each in Polperro. Look at that motley crew!

I did so much in one short week. Matalan, Trago Mills and KFC! We walked for miles along the beach. Had a few beers in the Smugglers Inn...........went to Baz's birthday party, had a Cornish Cream Tea and I spent some quality time with my grandchildren and nephews.

My brother, Ray, wants to do it all again next year. I'm up for that!

Catching Up

I had one of those weeks that never seems to end.

Really lonely too as Brian was working which left me to worrit on my own. Lloyds TSB didn't return my calls and we were well in danger of running out of ready cash without the new Cashpoint Card.

One almost dead computer too.

Things did buck up a bit on Wednesday when the card turned up............no idea what has happened to the first one though. The computer needed a new hard drive which was done on Friday. I've lost loads of stuff but there you go.

I do have things to keep me occupied this week though as I'm going to Cornwall on Saturday. A bit of shopping and packing to do as well as keeping my mind off that awful plane! Three grandchildren and two nephews on half-term so happen I'll be rushed off my feet for the week and will be glad of a bit of peace when I get back home.

Shirley told me that there is to be a Memorial Service for Vernon in the local Church and I'm hoping that it might be during the week that I'm there. I would like the opportunity to say goodbye.

Apologies for such depressing posts but I am a bit down in the dumps at the moment.

Jeff and I did win Euromillions last week. The princely sum of nine Euros! Eight for Friday's tickets and fifty cents each! He's even more convinced that we'll get the big one now!

Vernon

This is really hard to do.

Vernon died on the 8th of October aged forty seven.

I've known him since the early eighties and he often turned up here in Tenerife to see me. I took this photo last summer which happened to be the last time I saw him.

I spoke to Vicky this afternoon and she's bearing up. Shirley, his mum, told me that he thought the world of me. Likewise mate xx

One of Those Days

I awoke to a gigantic moan from Brian as the computer was playing up and he couldn't get his Mahjong game to play. Ok, not a problem, shove him out of the door with Clio for a bit of peace. I settled down with my coffee to try and sort it all out.

Hand on mouse, I felt something tickling my arm. At first I thought it was a spider as I saw long legs...........then I realized it was a huge cockroach running up my arm! I screamed and ran outside without my coffee and at least half an hour to wait until they came back. Thankfully, my hero returned, despatched the cockie and it was safe enough to go back to the computer. I'm still feeling creepie.

As for the computer I'm not really sure. Once I get online it's ok but I keep having to reboot. It's a Bank Holiday weekend here so if I take it to the man who can in the morning who knows when I'll get it back again. Probably something to sleep on.

I'm beset with troubles at the moment because my Lloyds TSB card can't find it's way to Tenerife. The first one was posted over three weeks ago. I've had to put a block on that one and I'm awaiting the new one which was posted today. One day life will be cool!

Sorry to moan, on a lighter note we went to Bar San Juan this evening to say bye to Mick who is returning to Manchester tomorrow to start his new job on Monday. Good luck Mick xx

Monday's Mission

It rained a few days ago which really made a mess of my balcony. Dust and water doesn't mix and I've been working up to cleaning it ever since. Such an awful job washing down the railings, the furniture and the floor.

Having spent an hour or two gossiping with my daughter I finally got out there with my cleaning stuff only to find that the sun had beaten me to it and it was roasting out there. I went for it though and it looks really nice.........who's betting that we will have rain again tonight?

Whilst I was in the mood, I hoovered the apartment, did some washing, dusted and then found my way to Antonio's for a beer. A well deserved one too!

Imagination

Jeff and I have got into the habit of taking turns to buy the Euromillions tickets each week. We sit there imagining what we'd do with the winnings. Makes me laugh really as neither of us work and there we are having a beer in the sunshine which is probably the dream of thousands of people buying tickets.

I'd love a house without a kitchen so that I could eat out every day.....Jeff reckons that's daft but who would want to cook egg and chips with millions in the bank? He changes his mind every week and at the same time is so sure that we will win..................I doubt it very much.

Changes

When we moved here almost eight years ago there were around ten English couples living in our village. Numbers have increased rapidly since then and there is quite a large community now. Quite a lot of them turn up for the winter, hence their name........swallows!

We are seeing the other side of the coin now as folk are returning to the UK quite regularly. Helen and Terry left us back in the summer and Gavin, Hayley and little Lottie disappeared last week. Mick and Alison plan to return to Manchester in March followed in the same month by Dave, Trish and Gareth who are going back to Wales.

At this rate and before our tenth anniversary we'll be back to the original ten!

Problems, Problems, Problems.........

We've had a relatively good run recently as far as our internet connection is concerned but it started to go to rats a couple of weeks ago. It's fine during the day but I use it most during the evening when it doesn't want to play.

After ringing the man that can yesterday it seemed a little better. He called me this afternoon to ask if I had one of those thingies connected to my landline which I denied, I'd no idea to be honest. All was well until around eight and off it went again! We poked about our two router mess up and found the little blighter. Chucked it out and the internet is fine but............the phone won't work!

Happen I'll ring him back tomorrow and confess!

Rain

That time of year again and we've had three cloudy, drizzly days and torrential stuff just before dawn. Not that I see that bit!

After hot sunny days for months it's such a shock to the system and I can't believe how much it bothers me. I'm so hoping that it's a blip and we'll have sun again for a few weeks before the real cold sets in.

Poor Patrick

I was really gutted when I went online this morning and saw that he'd died and I've been feeling sad all day.

Unhappy Girlies!

Ebony, on the left holding little Sienna, has been staying with her grandparents for the summer along with her brother Reece. We've known them for quite some time as they used to live here until their Mum decided that it was better for them to return to England.

For the first couple of weeks Ebony did nothing but moan that she was missing home and her mates but after that she didn't want to go!

We had a bit of a 'leaving do' in the park this afternoon and I've never heard the like. Sobbing from every direction...........Ebony, Paige, Hannah, Lucy and little Lottie were heartbroken. After receiving a rather soggy hug we saw them off to the airport. Reece wasn't a bit bothered.

She'll be half-way home by now and I trust the sobs will have stopped or Nanny Pam will have something to say!

Over the Way

Four apartments face us and the occupants rarely last more than three months. When we get really quiet ones we hope and pray they will last forever!

At the moment bottom right has a lifeguard who is quite tasty so he can stay, top right is up for rent, top left has a screaming baby but they are ok apart from that.

We went out earlier for an hour or so and bottom left was up for rent. On our return a family had moved in complete with widescreen tv and the biggest loud speaker system I've ever seen.

I dread to think what I might wake up to tomorrow.

SOS

Save Our Stanley.

The banner might not prove them right as they are around 300 thousand pounds in debt at the moment. I've no idea how they got into that fix but I'd hate to see them go.

Burnley FC played a friendly tonight to raise funds and I reckon Blackburn Rovers should help too. If I win Euromillions.............no, no chance of that!

What a Muppet!

I was in a bit of a rush yesterday and ended up posting this on Clio's blog. I would have left it as it was but I must share today's update.

My washing machine decided it didn't want to play around ten days ago and we've been using the one in the empty apartment next door awaiting a visit from our landlord. He turned up last night and said that he would bring a mending man this afternoon. They finally turned up at six o'clock. How stupid did I look?!

Brian moved everything out of the utility room recently to give it a good clean and hadn't turned the water supply back on! Two seconds and problem solved. The muppet had bailed out to the bar and I was left to face it on my own. The mending man found it well funny but the landlord didn't. I had to endure a lot of finger shaking but thankfully didn't understand half he said. Time for a much needed beer but I'm still blushing to think of it!

The Things You See!

I was sitting outside earlier this evening as it was nice and cool out there. Most of the apartments opposite are up for rent again but the family with the screaming baby are still in residence. It's daddy walked out onto the balcony naked!

Ummmm!

September

Things are coming back to life again. The shops are staying open and it's less like a ghost town. The Canarians are moving back to their winter homes and the English and Germans are moving back for the warmth of a Tenerife winter. Schools will start next week after their three month break. It was a little cooler today too.

Only another five days or so and Bar Antonio will open again and all will be well with the world!

I've done quite well with my beer ban. I confess to having a couple here and there and a little white wine creeps into my gassy water on occasion but on the whole I feel better and it's still a couple of months before I go to England.

There's news about that too. My brother Ray, his wife Alison and their boys, Dean and Bradley are spending four days in Looe whilst I'm there. Getting well excited now!

Beer

I've decided to give it up. We normally wander around for a couple of hours during the afternoon and have a couple but I haven't had one since Sunday. I know it isn't such a record yet but I'm well determined.

Gassy water from now on and we'll see how it goes!

Kids

Yet another birthday party in the Church Square today. Young Paige reached ten and all the English children turned up to celebrate with her. She's fourth from left, middle row.

As we'd been officially invited we wandered down for a couple of hours and for once I took my camera. I really love this photo as they all look so healthy and happy.