T is for Trying Somewhere New!

 Happy T Day Ladies, hope you are all keeping well.

We really had a cold weekend, we did have rain Thursday night and Friday but not as much as they said and non on Saturday but it was cold, as you can see from the photo below, we had snow on the Sierra Espuna again.

This was Saturday Not too much snow, up there, looks quite close but it's over an hours drive from our villa, lovely scenery when you drive up there but even  in summer it's still really cold.  

We had to have the log fire going again as our villa is really are cold in the winter if we don't have any sun, they are obviously built to keep cool in summer

We've still been walking and having breakfast on the Marina, it's been busy this weekend with Fathers Day being Friday but it's quiet again now although we did see our friends Maria and Patrice who were down for the weekend from Murcia.

Not such a pretty view when the weather isn't bright and sunny but I love coming this way as the view is beautiful as you drive down the hill.

This is the traffic island, it has a full size boat on it and made to look as if it's on the sea, the Spanish do love blue paint as you can see the junction is also painted!!

We decided to try a different Cafe last week, just for a change, as you can see they managed to burn the toast, there wasn't any soft part in the middle either, we were the only people there so no excuse, needless to say we won't be going back. I know we should have complained but I really hate having to do that.

I can say the coffee was good and my drink for this weeks T party.

The best part at the Cafe, the views.

Apart from carrying on with my photo journal I made a couple of cards for my stash, I saw this design on Pinterest and as my son sent me a Daisy Die at Christmas with some other crafty bits and pieces I thought I would finally use it.

I also had plenty of black and white papers in my stash so finally used those too.

Sorry nothing too exciting to report but at least we are allowed to walk now and the sun is out again, hopefully Spring is on it's way.

Thank you once again to all my visitors last week, I enjoyed  reading your lovely comments.

Keep Safe Everyone

Jan x

T is for Tomatoes

 Hello Ladies, hope you are all well.  Not much excitement around here, same old, same old but at least we are healthy. Vaccines have finally started at our medical centre at last, for over 80's!!! Might be awhile before I get called.

We finally managed to buy the Tomatoe plants and a basil plant last week, they look like bush cherry tomatoes, they are so cheap to buy but DH loves to have something to do and enjoys growing them.

Our fruit  Bushes, the stick looking things, have finally started to have green growth on them so hopefully they will have some fruit this year, if not I'm afraid their days are numbered. The strawberries are still growing and flowering although they are slow to ripen.

You might wonder about the canes across the veg plot, we have to keep those there to stop the cats digging it up and pooping all over it, sorry I know many of you are cat loves but it truly is disgusting. We've also put Pine bark on the top to help but it seems the birds like to dig in that.

We saw the goats again, they were in the vineyard this time eating the weeds around the plants. I didn't realise just how many they had, they were all fighting to escape their pen when we drove past but I was too late to get a photo as they had gone off somewhere when  we went past on our way home.

Friday we were naughty again and had fish and chips although we had to sit just around the corner from the beach, it was so hot in the sun, there's no benches either to sit on so we parked in the shade, still in sight of the beach, we actually saw two people swimming, not sure it would be warm enough for me just yet.

 The white building is a church and on Fathers Day, which I think is this Sunday, is a big celebration here in Spain, I've seen people outside listening to the service as it's been packed inside.

This is the smaller Marina on the edge of the Puerto

My drink related post for this week, I made some Kumquat Liqueur with a few we had left on the tree, it was an easier recipe than I've used before, just Brandy, Kumquats and sugar into a jar and shake every day for two months.

It's quite a cute bottle, I gave a friend some Kumquats years ago and she made a liqueur and gave me a sample in this bottle, as you can see it didn't make too much.

I only had a taste on my finger but it tastes very smooth, I will save it for the family to try when they finally get to visit again.

We've had sunny and warm weather all week but apparently it's going to change over the weekend, rain again,  I actually dug my shorts out to wear around the garden, never mind I still haven't dismantled the fire so it's all ready if we need it.

Keep Safe Ladies, Happy T Day

Jan S

T is for Tasty

 Happy T Day Ladies, our weather only got slightly better and then we had rain all day Sunday, yesterday evening and we are suppose to be having more this lunchtime not much fun but we still have our morning walks apart from Sunday.

Last Friday we decided to have Takeout Fish and Chips from one of the English bars down in the Puerto, well I say English, it was many years ago, the couple who first opened it were English but Carlos who owns it now is Ecuadorian and the cook is Spanish, Carlos was the waiter, he eventually bought the bar, he's a very popular young man as he always makes you feel welcome without being over the top, the cook may be Spanish but she certainly knows how to cook fish in batter.

Of course we ordered mushy peas to go with it, guess what my first words were when I saw the pots!!

DH said, don't tell me you want them for your craft room!!!

This was a small portion, with salt, vinegar and Tartare sauce.

A funny story about mushy peas, when we go to San Francisco to visit our son we always cook a saucepan full of them and freeze them in pots, one day our sons internet wasn't working so the engineer came around, when he realised we were British he told my DH he had heard about mushy peas, not sure where he had heard about them, as it happened he had just cooked a pot so he gave him one to take home, with full instructions what to eat them with etc, I wish we could have heard his verdict on them as at lot of Brits don't like them, being Northerners we were brought up on them!! We used to buy them at the Goose Fair, but then we had them with mint Sauce. I think in America Split peas are the nearest thing to them.

We had already been around to find a quiet  spot to eat our feast with sea views but as we went to park we realised if we drove just around the corner we were actually at another beach, never been here before although it is right next to one of the hotels.

The nearest wall is actually a villa, a little run down but what a place to own and live.

The hill behind we had never seen before either but it has a view point at the top, mind you it's a narrow street and you definitely wouldn't be able to park normally. Some where to take our youngest GS who likes to explore

This is where we used to take our eldest GS when he was about three, he was mad on Thomas the Tank Engine, we told him it was Sodor island so he was thrilled to bits.

You can see it also has a walk way up to the top with views from the other side out to sea.

The White house on the hill is quite big close up and has a long drive up to it with sea views from every angle.

There's lots of these small beaches all along the coast line here, it's just in summer they are impossible to go to as the roads are full of parked cars, bumper to bumper, not something you need on a baking hot day.

This was my drink, water, I actually bought a water and a Fanta Orange to take with us but left them in the fridge at home, then I forgot to take the photo, took it when we arrived home.

You can see on of my masks, my son sent it from San Francisco, it has the Spanish flag on it!

I've also been putting together a photo journal I'm making of old photos for my sons and making Birthday cards, this one I sent to my crafty friend in the US.

I made it for a Mixed Media challenge, I had the TH apothecary Bottle die for years and could never find a use for it, one of the many things I thought I really needed!! the poppy die I love and have used it many times.

Hope you all have a Happy T Day, thanks once again for all your lovely comments last week, take care Ladies.

Jan x

T is For Tired

 Hello Ladies of the T gang, another Tuesday where we join up with  Elizabeth and Bleubeard, sure rolls around quickly.

I mentioned last week we were having some logs delivered, we usually have new logs in summer but the wooden base of our log shed was sinking so we thought we would take it up and replace it with gravel.

We didn't realise just how many logs we had left 

we think that's about half a ton.

The empty log shed holds one and a half tons of logs

We built the shed ourselves, I now do any climbing jobs since my husbands knees became a problem.

I wish I had the photos of me clinging to the Balustrades at the back while trying to lay the tiles down, not a pretty sight!

That's is our raised veg plot, we have red, white and black currant bushes and strawberries that are still flowering at this time of year. You can see the parsley grows well too

Still no tomatoe plants until next month.

So when the man from the wood yard arrives he backs his lorry up our drive, you can see there's not much room for error, he always does it first time, no messing. He tips the logs and off he goes.

I struggle to do that with our car!

This is what a ton of logs look like, half way through it seems to feel as if  they are multiplying!!!

That's our new water barrel, we bought it back from England as strangely we couldn't find one over here. We built the platform with concrete and then I tiled it, we can now get the watering can under the tap, much easier than having to lower the bucket into the water.

Filled to the brim, only four logs didn't fit in, by the time I had put in the top board I had to stand on a small step to reach, we put up the boards to hold them in and keep any rain getting in.

 It took us just over an hour to stack the new logs and then put the old logs back into the shed, we were pretty exhausted by the end of it I can tell you

We also chopped the old floor up for kindling so now we have a stack for next winter.

My drink this week, I found these fruit cordials in the English shop, they are delicious, you only need a drop and I add them to fizzy water, very refreshing, I like the raspberry one the best.

I also buy Elderflower  presse that makes a refreshing drink in water, or White Wine!!! Very refreshing in summer with lots of ice.

The weather here is much the same cloudy and misty, the sun hasn't made an appearance until 5pm which is annoying, no news on the Vaccine although over 80's were supposed to get it starting last week, we also read that from tomorrow we can eat inside restaurants, I'm quite happy staying on the terrace to eat breakfast for now.

Nothing new to report from not so sunny Spain, thank you to all my visitors last week, keep safe ladies.

Jan S

T is for Trouble

 Hello Ladies, firstly I need to say sorry for causing mayhem last week, I was a bit scared of commenting after I read the post about my link in case it caused problems,  I hope this week will link as it should, I'm still not sure why it was taking me into edit after I had published my post.

This week I will show my T related drink first before I forget, another Takeaway cup I think from the ferry coming back last year, we spent most of the time in the cabin but ventured out once for a quick coffee.

This week we were allowed to venture to the nearest town Cartagena, we haven't been but somehow we feel free just knowing we can, LOL crazy but luckily we are happy to walk, shop and potter around at home.I have been baking, I've tried to use a few lemons so I made a lemon loaf cake but it only used one lemon!!! 

The top has lines where I tipped it out of the loaf tine when it was too warm and it rolled over on to the top, still tasted lovely, sometimes when it's a few days old I warm a slice and have it with Greek yoghurt, I like it warm with custard too.

I made some some lemon curd,  that used six lemons! I try to give the lemons away but all of our neighbours  have lemon trees, the lady next door takes a few every so often, I leave a bag on the gate, she only likes two at a time, for her G&T, they last her for ages, usually if the family are coming over I slice and freeze them for their drinks.

Lots of new buds on the trees too, last year the lime, grapefruit and orange trees only had a few fruits appear, not sure why, I had a good crop of Kumquats so lots of marmalade, I've also put some Kumquats in Brandy, no one actually drinks brandy so I thought I would use it, I'm trying to make a liqueur, well that's the plan.

Must dash the wood delivery has arrived, a ton of logs to stack!!

Keep safe everyone, thanks to the ladies who were brave enough to visit lat week.

Happy T Day

Jan x

T is For

Hello ladies, Thank you to those of you who came over for a  visit last week, It was good to join the T gang again.

 

Wednesday was full of excitement, we were allowed to leave our area and go to the next town for the first time since before Christmas,  We could hardly contain our excitement, LOL

We needed tomatoe plants and some more bark for the garden so we decided to go to the Nursery over there In Totana, first we went for a walk on the seafront, it was cloudy but warm although there was a few waves, we don’t usually have waves here so it’s always interesting when we do, 

 

 

We had our Tostada con Tomatoe at the Cafe on the Marina, sitting on the terrace, social distancing of course, first time for about three weeks, delicious, our favourite breakfast.

I tried to get a good photo of the Almond trees but I'm not sure if they aren't quite in bloom or the blossom has almost finished.

I love to see the goats just across from the Nursery, looks like they were eating left over lettuce stalks, they are usually standing on the top of bales of hay looking around, playing king of the castle! Sometimes we have to wait while they cross the road, takes ages as they have to nibble on every blade of grass, that is until the farmer gets tired of waiting and sends his dog to round them up!!

I love the way the sisters who run the Nursery have trimmed these olive trees, reminds me of South San Francisco, they have trees that look like this, always fascinated me when we used to take our DGS to his Daycare.

Sadly they didn't have any Tomatoe plants or Basil, what a shame we will just have to go again next Month!!

My DH had his 70th Birthday last month, we didn't go out as we are being careful due to his health problems but I decided to make him a card for his special birthday.

I cut the card on my cricut and found a photo from when he was three years old, very cute with his curly blond hair, he was so pleased with it he has still kept it next to the TV.

I hope you are all keeping safe and enjoying better weather, lots of snow around the world, even our four year old GS in England is tired of it now. I'm thankful we don't get any where we are.

Jan x

T is for Too Long

 Hello Ladies, 

Long time no T, It’s been quite a while since I last joined the T party,  actually I was quite shocked to see it was last June, with the heat and the amount of holiday makers that arrived where we live we decided that we had to stop walking and having breakfast out so I didn’t have any new photos to show and it was even too hot to go into my craft room so I just gave up and spent my days reading and chilling by the pool.

We did go to the UK last August as we had already booked a ferry thinking we would taking our GS to school, thank goodness we took the chance as it seems we wont be able so see them for a while yet. we decided to leave a day early to escape the heat, we thought we would drive just over half way to Bilboa and enjoy the aircon in the car.

We booked a hotel in Aranda de Duero which is just north of Madrid, the hotel was amazing but the rooms could have done with a spruce up, our room overlooked the vineyard.

 

The hotel foyer had all the old items used in the vineyard.

 

 

 

 

Obviously it was all about social distancing so breakfast wasn’t a buffet but there was plenty of choice .

We drove the couple of hours up to Bilboa to a hotel for our last night in Spain, it was the cleanest hotel I have ever stayed in, the couple who ran it were really lovely, we felt sorry for them as they only had one other couple staying there, apparently they have lost nearly all there bookings due to the virus. 

 

 

 

The room wasn’t  massive and didn’t have brilliant views but the shower was big enough for a whole family.

It was quite odd as at breakfast we had plastic gloves to wear while making our own toast whilst wearing our masks of course and choosing our food, also all the cutlery, cereal etc was all in plastic bags, 

We enjoyed our ferry crossing as usual, calm seas, we had to stay in the car until we were called to our cabin, we were one of the last to get on the boat, by the time we had paid for WIFI and got to our cabin we were already sailing. View of Bilboa, not the most thrilling views from the boat as it’s the industrial part of the city.

The first two weeks we had to quarantine, after filling in forms to enter the UK no one had been in contact to check that we are staying indoors, a bit annoying when you read about people walking into the country by the thousands and most likely not bothering to quarantine at all. We did enjoy spending time with our family and meeting our GSs new school friends during the last week as he had just started school.

Sadly our son in San Francisco had his flights cancelled last June and our flights to see them in October were also cancelled, we were lucky that we had all our money refunded by BA and Brittany Ferries let us move our crossing free of charge so we still have one crossing already paid for waiting to be used, eventually!

We are still in a mini lockdown but life goes on and we have managed to get all our jobs in the garden done as they had been put off for so long due to keep going away to visit family.

we can get takeaway coffee so my ticket to the T party is my cup, quite a cheerful one I think.

 

My computer is going into the workshop for a few days to be cleaned and updated so I will say bye for now so I can unplug everything ready to go tomorrow, hope you are all keeping safe and well, 

 Looking forward to visiting you all to see what exciting things you are up to.

Jan x