A Learning Curve

There's a special Photo Competition this month which gives a prize for the most interesting desk top. I've never recorded an image of it before so it was all new to me.

I understand the jpeg thingy but had no idea how to convert a pic to it. Someone suggested Corel Photo and so I downloaded a free trial and from then it was easy.

Done and dusted now. Not a chance of winning but it did keep me occupied for an hour or so this evening.

Me and My Big Mouth!

There I was feeling pretty chuffed that the weather was improving when this turned up this evening. Low black clouds over the Island of La Gomera.

Not that it came to much but as our television signal is transmitted from there it really put the damper on our viewing this evening. I wanted to watch 'A Short Stay in Switzerland' but all we got was a blank screen. Thankfully, after a few fits and starts I managed to catch the last half of it.

Euthanasia is a subject which I have pondered on over the years and was leaning towards it being a good thing for terminally ill people but after watching that I've decided I'd prefer to suffer to the end. For one, I couldn't put my children through something like that and secondly, I don't have the courage.

How Lovely

I've just been sitting out on the balcony and it is such a nice night. Not a breath of wind, fairly warm and a clear sky.

I don't know too much about stars but I could clearly see Orion's belt and sword. Hopefully, the weather may start to improve now that January is almost done. Mainland Spain is suffering from gale force winds at the moment with around 9 people dead. Val, in Canada, has snow and it's -25.

Living in Tenerife has it's advantages!

He's Magic!!

I haven't watched too much of the snooker this week but have caught some of Ronnie O'Sullivan's matches. He really is my favourite and I'm so happy that he won.

My son's graduation from University was held at Preston Guildhall and I remember walking through to my seat. I stood for a minute or so and said 'Ronnie stood here!'. Sad or what?

Watching Mark receiving his diploma eclipsed the lot, even with my hangover from hell but that is another story!

Look at Them!!

It is so lovely to receive photos of the grandchildren. Simon and Karen sent us the latest of Sophie and Carla at Christmas and then we received one of Tully from Mark and Katie this week.

It has meant a complete re-organisation of my 'rogues gallery' as I affectionately call it. So lovely to look at every day.

From the left: Charlotte, not quite a grandchild but feels like one, Jamie, Martin and Maisie, Tully and Harry, Carla and Sophie and my nephews, Dean and Bradley.

Silent and Deadly

It's very rare for us to have the windows and doors closed but as Tenerife is having it's worst winter for eighty years we are well shut in at the moment. I hate it but at least the wind has dropped tonight and I've been able to put my washing out.

I'm not sure if it is something that we haven't noticed before because of the fresh air but our Clio keeps stinking the room out. It doesn't bother her but, my goodness, it's awful.

Staying with the subject of Clio. We keep thinking that now she is eighteen months old we'll see some improvement in her behaviour. Granted that she doesn't destroy things any more but she still chases my feet and runs riot. During our normal play time this evening she cracked me in the nose. So painful! She didn't really mean it but I'm going to put a notice on my face in the morning to explain my two black eyes. "Brian did this". That will get the village talking!

Flamin' Men!

I've really been into the Darts Championship this week and have enjoyed every minute of it.

Brian wanted to watch the Man U - Chelsea game so after Sunday dinner I sent him down to Bar San Juan to catch it there leaving me in peace. A nice soak in the bath and then I settled down to watch the Darts final. How I wish it had been on an hour earlier.

He came home around half six and moaned. I was willing O'Shea on whilst he tutted every time the poor bloke got another leg. It really spoiled my enjoyment and ruined my afternoon. Selfish or what?

I wonder what he'll think when he realises that the snooker started today?!!

Such a Shock

I haven't spoken to my mate, Ruth, for weeks but just put it down to the Xmas and New Year festivities. We met online three or four years ago and normally chat on MSN on Saturday evenings for an hour or so. She came over to Tenerife last May with her Mum and sister and here she is sitting at our local looking well and happy.

She turned up on MSN tonight and really shocked me by saying that she'd had a heart attack just before Xmas. Thankfully, she's alright but now is the proud owner of a stent. Not fifty yet either.

Such a good friend................Get well soon Ruth xxxx

Spanish Tapas

I really love garlic prawns. Cooked in hot oil in an earthenware dish and served with pan (Spanish bread) it's brilliant and I hate finishing it!

It is usually served either as tapas or as a starter but not being a big eater it does me as a main meal. Being a bit pricey and as eating out days have gone by the board with the dreaded exchange rate, Brian has perfected it.

He made it for my dinner tonight, flippin' lovely. Thanks mate!

Fun!

Kevin, Joan, Maz and Bernard

Joan sent me this pic of Xmas Fun Las Americas style. They have had nothing but praise for the hotel since they came back and I'm glad they all enjoyed it.

She has had a couple of moans because I've never posted a pic of her before. Not really my fault as she wouldn't let me use the last one! I wonder why?

2009

Happy New Year to all.

My poor blog has been neglected of late mainly due to the fact that I've had nothing much to say. Xmas and New Year came and went with nothing of note to report. It's Three Kings Night tomorrow and life won't get back to normal here until Wednesday.

Lots of confusion regarding Monday bowling. My partner, Ros, is on grannie duty because nursery is closed and when I rang our opponents to postpone they thought it was next week anyway! All sorted now and I have yet another free afternoon tomorrow.

The Photo Comp

I haven't entered for ages but felt inspired by the Christmas subject. Having nothing new I shoved in an old one thinking that it wouldn't rate anything. Fifth place! I'm really pleased and will gather some new material for the next one.

The subject is Light. I'll have a go.

How Awful

There has been a Woolies in my home town of Accrington for 83 years. My Nana used to tell me about spending sixpences in there when she was a youngster and I remember buying my make-up there when I was in my teens.

My son, Mark, managed to get himself 'lost' in there once when he was around two years old and was given ten pence by some nice lady who 'found' him. Little tinker managed to lose himself every time we went in from then on!

Alison and I went in last October to buy some hair thingies for me and I'm so glad we did. My last memories of an institution.

Poor Woolies...............RIP

Have a Good One

It's just us this year as most of our mates are off doing other things. Maz and Bernard are staying in a hotel in Las Americas with Joan and Kevin whilst Pam and John have gone to England to stay with their daughter.

We have a plan though. Smoked salmon and poached eggs for breakfast and then a walk around the village. Roast duck with all the trimmings for dinner followed by hot mince pies with ice-cream for pudding. Lots of good telly for the evening including Corrie!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Flippin' Freezing

I know that it isn't half as cold as England but it feels well chilly here at the moment. I even resorted to wearing my fleece this afternoon. It's lovely in the sun but turn a corner and the breeze gets you.

Having craved for a gas fire all evening it struck me to turn the oven on. Nice and snug now!

Wow!

I haven't been receiving my Christmas cards for the last two or three years but they are flocking in at the moment. People have sworn blind that they have sent them but they never turned up.

Special thanks to Mark and Katie, Sam and Baz and Simon and Karen.

I know that it's a pain to write them out but it's so nice to know that you are thought about when you get them. I promise not to moan next year!

Thanks also to our Shona who was kind enough to post mine in Scotland xx

What a Performance

We borrowed a Digibox from our mate Mick last summer and as it suited us and he didn't really need it we bought it from him about three months ago. We get BBC 1 and 2, ITV1, Channels 4 and 5 as well as a couple of Sports Channels. As long as I can watch Corrie, I'm happy.

Rumours were flying around at the end of last week that it had to be re-configured at some point. Not a problem or so we thought. I was sure that it would be after Christmas and a couple of folk said that it wouldn't be before February. As we don't normally watch television during the day, it was six o'clock when I turned on last night to catch up on Eggheads (I know I'm sad)........NO TV!

Off we set at lunchtime to sort it out and as we had to go by bus it was quite a mission. On arriving at Guaza we turned the corner to find a queue of around twenty people all clutching their boxes. It was really funny. It took us over an hour to sort ours out and by the time we left the shop the queue was well down the street.

A five-hour trip and a ninety Euro charge, what a day but at least I got my Corrie back!

Boys and Toys

It's a Bank Holiday here in Tenerife and Brian was well impressed with a car rally held just a couple of streets away from us. He went out early with Clio just for a nose around but came back to ditch her and collect the camera. He did quite well with this pic!



Curiosity got the better of me and I went to find him later. It was pretty exciting watching the sports cars zooming past even though they were risking life and limb on a two lane road. Parked cars down each side too.



I managed to catch this chappy on his way mainly to capture the conditions but we really put our foot in it on the way home. Having decided to wander into the throng we blundered into a televised news report!

How the poor chap managed to keep on talking with these two dimwits hogging the limelight I know not. No Spanish TV for me for the next few days!

Sleep

I'm going through one of those phases when no matter how I try, I can't sleep. It's really awful and I feel well wrecked. I went off to bed at around midnight on Tuesday and tossed and turned for hours. I was still awake when the kiddies went off to school on Wednesday morning and ended up without sleep until two o'clock or so on Thursday morning.

I sort of put it down to my poor brain having nothing to think about. When I worked it was easy enough to lie and plan my schedule for the following day which soon sent me off. Now I tend to start worrying about the most stupid things. I won't go there as it really is ridiculous.

Almost half one on Friday morning and I've had around twenty hours sleep since Monday. I'm dreading going to bed but I'd best give it a go. Find a book and be positive. I WILL SLEEP!

Marley and Me

My sister-in-law, Alison saved loads of books for me to bring back home to Tenerife. They have all been really good but a couple have stuck in my mind.

The first one was 'My Sister's Keeper' which was really brilliant but I've fallen in love with Marley. One of my friends let slip that I will cry at the end. Bad move because I'm scared of finishing it!

He does remind me of our evil dog, Sable, who lived with us for ten years or so.

She was Mrs Wicked and chewed everything in sight. I could write some books about her!

For a Doberman she was a sweetheart and I can still feel her silky ears even now.