Going Bananas

Tina gave me a bag of fruit the other day as there was far to much for her and Neil to get through. I made an apple pie and ate some of the pears and bananas but the rest was well by it's sell by date this morning. I'd just bagged it up ready for the bin when my door bell rang...........Alicia delivering a bag of BANANAS. I hate to refuse them as she's such a good neighbour. One in and one out and it didn't end there. Another two bags turned up during the course of the day and I now have enough to feed a hundred monkeys!!

I'm also going BANANAS with Brian this evening. I so hate fans as I reckon that they chuck out more hot air than cold. He has one going in the lounge and the ceiling fan spinning in the bedroom. I'm baking and can't wait until he goes to sleep.

Some good news as I had a letter from the hospital today to say that I have the all clear on my mammogram. I might have a brandy to celebrate.

Michael Jackson

I didn't think that I'd ever been a fan of his until I watched a tribute to him earlier this evening. Then I remembered about his Motown days and his early years. Having reached fame at the tender age of six you can't help but wonder what that did to his mind.

I sort of gave up on him when he decided to be a white black man and I'm not about to do the RIP bit as I'm not quite sure if he deserves it. He had the looks and charm and should have been proud of his heritage.

I'll thank him for 'Ben' and leave it at that.

Absolutely Ridiculous

Totally unfair..........I could go on and on.

It's over two years since I last went to Cornwall and as Brian knows that I'm pining a little he coughed up two hundred quid for a return flight. I'm restricted as the only airline that flies into Exeter is Thomson/First Choice so off I went to check out their website.

Had I been able to go on Tuesday the 25th June it would have been 220 Euros but it almost doubles next week and reaches five hundred pounds in October. Why?...........same plane, same amount of petrol and schools don't break up for another three or four weeks.

Not one to give in easily I tried alternative routes. Going into Gatwick means the hurry up bus down to Plymouth. I don't mind that but it meant that I'd end up sitting around in London in the middle of the night on my own. Not something which I'd like to experience. Next option was to fly to Madrid and as I get forty percent off flights to the mainland it was worth a look. Another no go because there aren't any connecting flights.

Oh well, there's always next year.

Three Little Piggies

We went for our eat as much as you like Indian/Chinese meal tonight and I'm well full! Not quite the way I'd like to have a meal but it was very tasty and we enjoyed our evening.

I would recommend it but doubt that I'll go again. Brian and Shona would!

Our Week

It's amazing how quickly a week can speed by. It doesn't seem two minutes since Thursday when Bernard and I went off to the airport and now we are staring Tuesday in the face!

We don't seem to have done much either. A frantic afternoon last Friday, which Clio has reported on. Saturday was a walk around the village and a meal in Antonio's. It was Corpus Cristi on Sunday and we viewed the flower carpets that the locals make in celebration followed by Sunday dinner.

Shona fancied doing a little duty free shopping this afternoon so we caught the bus to Las Americas. I bumped into three of my old bowling mates which was nice and we had a bit of a catch up. Shopping done and back to San Juan to meet up with Brian and have a beer.

Tomorrow is going to be lazy as we are all going to Callao Salvaje in the evening for an Indian/Chinese meal. There´s a new restaurant which does both and you can eat all you want for eight euros each. We´ve heard good reports so it´s worth a go.

It looks like Wednesday might take care of itself!

Una Nueva Hervidora Electrica

In other words a new kettle. We've done well with electrics for ages (touch wood) but our old kettle died this morning. I must admit to casting spells on it as I hated it. Brian insisted that it was only a year old but I'm sure that it was coming up to it's fifth birthday. Anyway, I made sure that it ended up in the bin before he decided to hide it away in case it could be mended!

We went off to the shop this evening and he chose a two cup variety............his logic was that there is only two of us! I agree but it was more of a camping kettle than a home thingy. I did try to tell the lady that he was Scottish and it might take some time but, thankfully, she was on my side. Ten percent off and I got what I wanted.

Unfortunately it's not very photogenic!

Bits and Bats

Caron and Charlotte are off to England tomorrow to visit family. Caron will be back home next week but Charlotte is staying with her Nan for the school holidays. I had a look in my 'go to England purse' and found a couple of quid in change for her to buy some sweeties. It will be strange not seeing her for two months but I hope she has fun.

Shona arrives on Thursday and I've been desperate to offload a computer desk which Mimi left with me when she went off to Belgium a few weeks ago. After a couple of weeks without interest three folk wanted it all at once! As Yvonne asked first she got it. I didn't want any money for it as it was given to me and now Shona can find her bed!

Half an hour after the desk moved on Bill turned up. He has a golf shop and organises golfing holidays. Someone had left a brand new pair of Nike trainers in his mini-bus and as he didn't want to throw them out he thought of Brian. A perfect fit and they take up far less room than a desk!

Mia Allison

As you may have guessed from all this cooking stuff I've been doing lately, Brian has been working. It's a bit of a guilt trip really as I feel bad when he comes home and doesn't have a meal in front of him. Lancashire blood will out I suppose. Tonight's offering was beef, onions and mushrooms with sliced potatoes and I was quite proud of it. The trouble is that I never enjoy my own cooking and can't wait until the dishes are washed and away. That feeling doesn't apply when he cooks though. It's a daunting task then............I wish I could find the pic of my son wading through a whole kitchen worth of dishes!

Still on the cooking theme as our Shona comes out next week and could have to bear with some of my experiments. She'll be fine as Bar San Juan does a good breakfast!

We had an email from Brian's brother George today and he has a grand-daughter...........Mia Allison. A lovely name and we send loads of good wishes and lots of love xxx

Hot

It has been quite a cold winter with many windy spells. Not too much rain but I'd rather have that than the wind.

During the last few days the temperature has soared and our walk along the seafront was a little painful today. Far too hot for Clio.

We had thought that the filming for 'The Clash of the Titans' had finished but we spent half an hour watching them out at sea. One poor chap was swimming around for ages and then they set the explosives off. I must have jumped six feet into the air!

Well, as Clio would say, it keeps the oldies amused!

Help!!

Caught out by a Bank Holiday yet again! It wasn't too much of a problem as we had food and stuff in but we'd neglected to put our 'bill money' into La Caixa Bank and you all know what a headache it is when the telephone bill isn't paid.

Brian came up with a cunning plan to save me rushing there first thing on Monday morning..........the Cashpoint! We've never paid money into it before so it was a bit of a learning curve. I know I'm getting old now that a machine can floor me. We weren't doing too bad until a queue started to form and I got a little flustered and it was well hot in the cubby hole. My turn for a cunning plan and I invited the next in line to give us a hand. What a nice man!

That done, we walked down to Bar San Juan to sit with Terry, Helen, Paul and Bill and Muriel. It seems that we had been spotted and they had been timing us. Lots of amusement at our expense............I'll get my own back in the course of time.

Fish Pie

Tonight's culinary delight was fish pie. I would have preferred mash but as Brian insisted on pastry I bought a pack of the frozen variety.

I over did the eggy bit so it was a little too brown on top but it tasted ok.

More practice for this one I think and I should have it right for when Shona visits next month. Who's betting that she doesn't like fish?

Our Day Out

Charlotte and I went off on our school trip yesterday. We went up to Pino Alto which is way up in the North of the Island. It took around two hours to get there and I was well amazed to find it was pouring with rain and well chilly. As you can see the Spanish manage a fiesta whatever the conditions.

Whilst the children were singing and dancing us grown-ups were taken on a tour of the village. The road reminded me of when I lived in Cornwall as it just went up and up. One poor chap was gasping as he arrived at the top. All that just to go back down again! We were shown this mine and from what I could gather it was something to do with bringing fresh water out of the rock. Lots of herbs and stuff to collect, not that I knew one from the other but it did smell nice.

This was another viewpoint which was pointed out. All to do with the pine trees that grow here.

A nice day out but I must admit that it was good to get back into the sun again. Little Lottie's birthday party to go to and then I escaped to a child free zone!

Well Done Burnley!

I'm more of a Blackburn Rovers fan but it's really nice to see Burnley hit the Premiership.

I'd love to be in the Stop and Rest on Friday night to hear the banter. Ray v Dennis! At least it might be a little different from the conversation that they've had for the last thirty years or so! Go for it Dennis.........

Scrummy!

Dave taught me how to make beer batter a little while ago and we decided to have a go at fish and chips tonight. To be honest, the photo doesn't do it justice as it was really good.

I wish I'd remembered the mushy peas though!

Well, I Went!

It was 'Mammogram Day' yesterday and my friend, Tina, offered to drive me to the hospital as it's a little off the beaten track. It was kind of her as I must admit to being a little nervous and was glad of her company.

The first hurdle was my lack of a medical card which I fully expected and I was asked to wait whilst my letter and passport were taken elsewhere for checks. It did cross my mind to bail out then but I braved it out and waited. Ten minutes or so later I was taken into a small office and had to answer a questionnaire. Quite funny really but with my Spanish and the receptionist's English we managed it. She did seem quite amused when I told her that both my children were bottle fed..........happen my Lancashire/Spanish confused her!

That done I was sent outside to wait again. It's hard enough going for these sort of things in England when you know why you have to wait but neither Tina nor I knew what the plot was. Ten minutes later they shouted my name........Hoonie as they pronounce it here.........and it was done and dusted.

Back to San Juan and a much needed beer in Bar Antonio!

It Gets Worse

Sue and Don brought us a few presents back from their trip to the UK including three PS2 games. Nothing will get done from now on as we are back gaming and taking 'turns'. Thank you both xx.

It was after four o'clock before we moved this afternoon for our daily walk with Clio and the first thing we came across was the funeral of that poor woman who was murdered on Tuesday. The Church Square was packed with mourners and we stood with them for a little while before walking down towards the harbour to check out the state of play with the filming. Nothing much going on so we sat outside the Silver Bar for a quick beer and were in conversation with Wendy and Nigel when an ambulance with lights flashing turned into the side street.

I must admit that I didn't think too much of it, even when I saw the Paramedic standing in the main road and using his mobile. As we got up to leave we were told that Eric had passed away and they were waiting for the police and a doctor to turn up. His wife, Pauline, has to wait until tomorrow before their children can get here.

How much more does this village have to go through?

Such Goings On!

We were all a little shocked to hear that a woman was murdered just up the road from us yesterday afternoon. It was a little more personal when we found that it was the sister of the local garage owner who we know quite well. It seems that her ex-husband did the deed but apart from a short report from the Guardia Civil, that's all we know.

They have been doing odd things with strange boats down at the harbour all week. It's all to do with a film called 'The Clash of the Titans' which stars Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes. The main action doesn't start until the end of the week and I might wander down with my camera.............and volunteer Brian as an extra!

Losing Things

It isn't something that I'm in the habit of but I seem to have lost fifty Euros out of my purse.
We went to Santiago this morning to do a bit of shopping but were running a little short of ready cash just as one of the shops was closing. Knowing that I had a fifty tucked away I decided to use that before we went to the cashpoint machine. It had gone.
I'm always so careful and I couldn't believe it. Thankfully, it wasn't far to the machine and the shop remained open until we got back.
It has been going over and over in my head all day. It's done and that's all there is to it but it does bug me.
I've just checked my Euro Millions ticket and I've won thirteen Euros! Makes it all a little better, I suppose.

That Time of Year Again

I thought that it was time to liven up the place by doing a bit of a spring clean this week. Curtains washed and windows cleaned. I so hate cleaning windows. The bedrooms aren't too bad as Brian takes them out and I can do the frames and shine the glass all in one go but the patio doors are a different story. I went for washing them in soapy water, using the squeegee thing and then the paper towel way this time as opposed to glass cleaner. They don't look too bad but I'm avoiding looking at them when the sun shines. The worst bit is that the folk across the road can see how useless I am!

Brian did the kitchen and bathroom wall tiles a couple of weeks ago so all we have left to do is that awful slatted window in the utility room. On reflection, I reckon I'll leave that to him! Job done.

A Strange Birthday

I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do today so Brian suggested that I went for a peaceful beer at Rincon whilst he went to feed Sue's birds for me. Peace didn't last too long as Muriel and Bill turned up with Quality Street and I arranged to meet them later. The next to find me were Janie and Gary who stopped for a quick one and they were followed by Neil and Tina. We did have a really pleasant hour and Neil gave me a haggis. Don't ask!

I never did make a proper decision but after joining Muriel and Co at Bar San Juan for a while, we ended up going for a Chinese takeaway. Complete confusion as the staff couldn't speak any English but were fine with Spanish. We could order ours but as the phone orders came in from English folk they were baffled. Brian ended up translating. Well funny, and I hope they got what they wanted! Sorry, didn't mean that as he did really well.

After dinner and Britain's Got Talent, I went off to watch Slumdog on my little yellow telly. I'm not sure if was the illicit DVD or my player but it stopped just before the end!

Told you that it was a strange birthday!