Sock knitting

Good intentions while on holiday to knit 3 or maybe even 4 pairs of socks... this is the result.

One and a half Christmas socks, half and the ribbing of a pair of 

After Thought heel socks.

I have never knitted after heel socks before and it all seems a bit strange, but hey ho! nice to try something new.

The Show

Sunday we saw the girls perform at the Castle Theatre in Wellingborough.

Both girls were excellent in both ballet and tap, plus Abigail gave her first performance on Pointe.

In fact there were 32 performances and Eleanor and Abigail were in nine of them... I was SO proud.

The E's and A's mark the dances the girls were in

We both thought it was one of the best shows Michelle Randle had put on.

I should also add son Richard spent hours helping to make the props. An unused greenhouse sometimes reaching 47 degrees was used to paint and make the props. On the day of the two performances he was high above the stage working the pulleys etc to lift and drop the different scene curtains, an exhausting job.

Well done to all my family.

Day 23 to 28

Monday was fairly laid back with a visit to a couple of China shops, one called The Pretty Shop was new to us and had a lot of craft items for sale, but nothing I either needed or wanted.
We also visited a fairly local wool shop where I bought a skein of wool, but nothing very exciting. I guess knitting is not a very big thing over here in the heat!

Tuesday someone turned the sun full on again, it is very hot. We attempted to try a new restaurant in Las Alcazares, San Miguel but we had no idea what the menu said and left. Back to the Penny Farthing on the  strip, where I had scampi and chips, CJ had a lasagna and we both had a delicious sundae for afters.
Wednesday was much the same as Tuesday!

Packing the car to leave

Thursday up bright and early to start our homeward journey. Destination for the first night was Pau just inside France.  Having travelled south under the Pyrenees we decided to 'go over the top', the Spanish side has a lot of construction but great views and well worth the trip, the French side is extremely twisty turny.
We spent the night at the Victoria Apartment building. Great value and enough room to swing a cat [if we had one with us!].  Tired we wanted to eat but nothing seems to open until 8pm so Burger King was our choice for a quick meal and then back to rest up for our second full day in the car. 500 miles.

Friday the journey was not so long but the clouds were so low it was not such a nice journey. We stopped to refuel at Alchan and stretch our legs in the supermarket. B & B hotel at Alencon for this night, where you check in by machine and are given a key code to get into your room. It was compact but fine for our needs. We walked over to the Buffalo Grill for dinner to treat ourselves to a nice meal and celebrate Chris's birthday [ the next day]. T bone for him, Ribs for me. Plus a shared dessert... too much food while on the road but very nice.

Happy birthday Chris

Ribs for me

Our shared dessert

Chris has a new friend

Love eating here

Saturday I gave Chris the few birthday cards I had with me, before we set off on the last leg of the journey home. A looooong day, left at 7am had a three hour delay at the Tunnel as a train had broken down, everywhere was manic with nowhere to park and so many people wandering about or sitting on the floor. Luckily I had already bought a pack up lunch on the journey so we sat in the car and watched the rain pour down eating our sandwiches, not the way we hoped to spend his birthday.
The Dartford crossing also had a half hour holdup and the rain was non stop, 12 hours after leaving we arrived home sweet home.

Total holiday miles 3770  average 51.6 mpg and 49 mph

Day 22 Sunday

I decided to go to church today, always a challenge as I do not speak any Spanish. It was the first meeting to be held in the new building and the place was buzzing with people. An English lady that lived near the church, Maureen, had decided to come to the meeting for the first time. She had watched the church being build brick by brick and was keen to know more about it. We sat together and Sister Lust, and an Elder Missionary translated the service for us. I am always amazed how quickly they can hear the speakers in Spanish and translate into English when neither language is their own.
A member of the Seventy had performed the dedication service on Saturday and joined in the service today.
I look forward to attending again when next in Spain.

Day 21 Tropical storm night

4.30am the place was alight and the noise deafening as a storm hit us. It is the first rain we have seen at the Villa but boy oh boy did it rain. The lightening was so bright it was like the middle of the day.

The view working on my family tree, too wet to go outside

We spent the morning chilling out and then after lunch when the weather improved went for a drive along the coast to see the devastation caused by the storm and buy more ice cream!

First stop was at the National Park La Salinas, San Pedro del Pinatar
The Mediterranean sea looked very dark and angry

This area is famous for its salt lagoons, which were all very red after the storm
This is just one of the mountains of salt

We wandered around marina and Chris found a friend!

There are some very expensive boats tied up here

Then I found a friend

Enlarge the photo to see the flamingos that make this area their home

They have little colour and were quite a distance from where we parked

We continued on to Mojon, a small place that has been hit a number of times of severe weather.

The roads were deep with water and on one road a car had lost it and was abandoned deep in the water.

From here it was back to Mercadona Supermarket for ice creams and home

Day 19 & 20 Church and lunch

Thursday CJ and I went to the open day of the new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints only to find the open day is on Friday! We were greeted well but decided to come back on the Friday rather than put the members arranging flowers etc to any trouble. The man who spoke to us said he thought we were the first non residential to set foot in the building!

My days mixed up we arrive a day to early

Friday I went on my own and was warmly greeted there seem to be no one else attending the open day. An Elder of the church and English speaking Missionary sister showed me every room and wow it is such a nice place with everything brand new and untouched. The official opening is tomorrow with a member of the seventy attending together with local dignitaries and the Mayor.
I look forward to attending the first service on Sunday.

Lunch today was with friend Pat at the Penny Farthing Las Alcazares. We were so busy catching up on all the chat I forgot to take a photo.

Day 18 Wednesday in sunny Spain

Today is a no going anywhere day!
While CJ sunbathed and even went for a swim I worked on some projects I had brought with me and some new ones I had acquired since being here.

I've been looking for a way to hold my DPN's safely while travelling.
BINGO I found these key fob ends for 80cents, about 60pence
and they fit neatly on the ends of my needles

I added elastic through the top holes of the key fobs and
 they now work brilliantly keeping my needles in order.
I bought enough wool to knit a drawer full of socks and here we are day 18
and I have just about completed ONE sock!
It's twin is to the heel stage but I could not resist starting another pair
so that I can try out the 'after heel' method, see how nicely my new fob gadget fits.

My favourite handbag is made from old jeans, so a trip to the charity shops and
I have a whole table of old jeans, all washed and ready for cutting up.
I like to keep the pockets for another project I want to work on. I also took out some of the zips.
Recycling done mad!

When the heat gets too much for me, the windows and doors are closed,
the air conditioner goes on, and I work on my family tree.

It is great working on all these projects with out feeling guilty I should be doing something else... loving this holiday.

Day 15,16 and 17 Gibraltar

I know you are wondering what happened to the missing days? Well we had torrential rain one day, and when it rains it floods everywhere so we stayed home,and I've no idea what happened to the other missing days!  I must have been having too much fun !!

Sunday we left the villa for a trip to Gibraltar, it was very overcast and we went through a few miles of heavy rain but otherwise it brightened up. We took the coastal route of about 350 miles and at least 20 tunnels, it s a very pretty ride cut through the hillside with the sea visible on our left nearly all the way. There were three toll booths to navigate costing 30 euros. Traffic was very light and we travelled a section of about 110 miles only passing one car and only one car passing us... a dream journey.

We had a two night reservation at the Hotel Ohtel overlooking the Rock of Gibraltar and with a wonderful view of the harbour, airstrip [which is a runway built over the sea!] and the boardwalk.
Tired we took a short walk and enjoyed a Burger King snack for dinner.

Monday we drove through passport control and at this point we had not seen another English car anywhere, in fact we only saw two in the whole of Gibraltar. We did a circuit of the country to get our bearings and then joined the queue for the cable car, unfortunately something had happened and it was delayed half an hour but then about a dozen of us crammed into the first carriage of the day and up we went. I thought it would be scarier than it was but it was OK, I think I even managed to breathe and take photos. We wandered around admiring the view and the monkeys that were just enjoying their breakfast and ignoring us.
We also visited the Botanical gardens but I had climbed SO many stairs I was exhausted so we did not see all of it. Next stop was Morrisons for a late breakfast, Chris had read never go on a Monday as the shelves are bare, they were right most things were off the menu and they seem to have run out of everything. Must say it is the only Morrisons we have been in with a bar [ which was open] and fruit machines.

OK here are the photos.....

One of the many tunnels

Fruit trees under plastic net coves dot the landscape

First sight of The Rock

Two nights in the Hotel Ohtel

A cuppa on the balcony

Very pretty harbour all lit up at ight

First thing Monday morning, Gibraltar here we come

Tunnels hewn out of the rock

The tunnels are just big enough for one vehicle

Towards the south of the country

A rocky swimming area

A slimmy green waterfall

The southern most point lighthouse

An ornate Mosque

On our way up in the cable car, overlooking the Botanical Gardens

Cable car selfie

We made it to the top

Which one is Chris?

So high up in six minutes

Looking down on the view and cable car

Incredible views 

Too near the edge for me!

The monkeys were far more interested in their breakfast than us tasty visitors

Now for the scary ride back down

We had a 'car' all to ourselves

Almost at the end

Having walked up and down what felt like a million steps we head for more steps at the Botanical Gardens

I love mosaic maps

Thought I'd be clever and take this photo upside down so you could read the words!

A very wild tropical botanic garden

Morrisons bar and fruit machine! Chris is getting me a hot chocolate as the cafe end had run out!

The history in this place is wonderful, but parking to visit any of it almost zero.

Back through customs, having had a great day in Gibraltar

A plane taxing along the runway, the road into Gibraltar actually crosses the runway!

The plane goes to the end turns round and then takes off

Our journey home was further inland and more inhabited, only 14 tunnels and cost 25 euros in toll fees.