Monday, 18 March 2013

Ola de Bolnuevo!





10th March already – where does the time go?  It’s Sunday morning – well afternoon just – but we’ve just got up.  I say we but, then again, one of us is still in bed munching on her scrambled egg.  I’m listening to a jolly radio station (Siete Radio) and looking out over that view – it’s sunny but there are some heavy clouds around – let’s hope they just pass us by.

Last night we went to the Lions annual dinner at the Hotel Playasol down the road – it’s a very nice venue and the food was lovely – but the Lions president told them to serve it Spanish style, which means very slowly over the whole evening.  This was a shame because they had a six or seven man jazz combo and by the time the dance music started people were getting ready to go home – it was after all midnight!  It was a very formal and quite posh occasion – the Mayor of Mazarron was there and the Regional Governor – as well as other local dignitaries and there were toasts to King Juan Carlos and HM the Q.  Daddy was all done up in his DJ and dickie bow and mummy all in her finery as well as a touch of discrete slap.  We had fresh salad to start with cheese and Serrano ham – and some super almonds, the biggest I’ve ever seen (perhaps they weren’t?).  Then there was calamari with mayonesa, then soup, then chicken in blue cheese sauce with jacket potato and finally yummy desert – I had two cos Terry didn’t want his.  After the raffle (which we didn’t win) there were some speeches – the Mazarron Bahia Lions (an international charity and alternative to the masons – without all the ceremony) have rebuilt a school for disabled children in Lorca which was destroyed in the earthquake some years ago.  Not bad going and something to be proud of.

What’s new at no 15?  Well, not a lot really.  I have been working quite hard on the garden and I am in the process of planting roses and other plants at the back of the house to make the back terrace a bit more attractive.  I need five more roses and the job is done.  The right hand side is planted with a mixture of seeds scattered amongst the rocks which I have placed around the roses.  I have also pruned the yuccas to make them into a sort of spiky palm tree and they look much better.  I cut off one trunk from the back of the plant and have put it in further down near the steps leading to the pool and a few other plants (mainly osteospermum) have gone in around it.  They root fairly easily.  That’s the back terrace – just the mountain to go, ha ha…

It’s coming up to Semana Santa (Holy Week) and everywhere will be having the usual processions etc.  I don’t know what they do in Bolnuevo but the big shows in Murcia and Cartagena are supposed to be something else.  Today they are using the dirt track that goes down from here to the Gredas car park and beach for a cycle event.  Simon will be sad to hear that Monroe’s has gone from the village.  The boys who ran it sold it to the lady who runs Elliott’s Restaurant further up the road but it flopped without their magic touch (fairy dust) and it looks like it’s going to be a burger joint.  Time will tell but most people think it is optimistic.  We are quite friendly with Anya who is the daughter of Pauli who had the German place with the number plates.  He died and she was left alone here.  She works in the garden centre and is also a friend of Terry’s.  He knows everyone!

Hey, you know those Nespresso coffee cups that cost a fortune and the alternatives in M and S – well the good old Bazaar Chino has ‘em in stock for only 4 Euros 50 for six – 6.50 if you want saucers as well.  Which is less than a Euro each – espresso and lungo.  Brill!  Also, the coffee pods are 3.60 for ten in Corte Ingles, but you can get alternatives in Mercadona and Consum (Camposol) for just over three Euros.  Bargain.  We raided the Chinese shop there on Friday and got another matching recliner for the balcony and two more cushions for the pool lounger making three all together.  Amazing, every time one goes into that store one finds something to buy: we also got a nice little wall clock for our bedroom – 4 Euros!  Don’t laugh, it matches the décor and looks nice.  We went in for a mixing bowl.

You will be pleased to hear that for the last week or so we have not had the heating on during the day – or in the evening – which is encouraging – and we sat out on the balcony on Friday and cooked ourselves: for the first time I actually turned pink – a bit.

Mum opened her Woooomans Day card today and was chuffed, for which many thanks.  Would love to take you all for a steak at La Siesta (on Bolnuevo beach) to celebrate – or down to the Antipodas at La Azohia for the view.  Oh well, when you come again…

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