Sunday, June 17, 2018

This and That


We don't know what kind of tree this is but it's pretty.

Bruce and I took a walk/roll into our local park and found a nice shady area for us to sit about in. While the hustle and bustle of our little village is often entertainment, this suited the moment and the place where we happened to be that day. Butterflies and birds danced over the trees and children came and went. 
The area in the middle is a pond in spring.
One even had a miniature tractor and trailer, I asked if I could take a picture, thinking of my father and his tractors with Father’s Day today, but the young lad said no, okay then. In fact I think they may have been stealing plants from the park, or were ready to, spade and wheelbarrow also evident.

Bruce is taking a protein shake right now, we get it from the Apoteka (drugstore) here in the village. The ladies there all speak some English, some better than others, but I can usually get what I need across to them. One lady in particular has been extremely nice, I ordered in a few more bottles of the chocolate shake and it didn’t come in due to the holiday I suspect. She was apologetic and said it would be in later in the day. Then she said it could be arranged to have it delivered to the house, I said yes please. She brought it herself! How kind. I gave her a thank you card which she insisted wasn't necessary.

“Pretty bird”, I swear that is what the common crows here say, they have orange beaks so are pretty in a way and they are the ones that visit Lexi.

Sunday I’d hoped and we had partially planned to meet with Frank, Ina and dog Rosalie but they had plans to visit his parents instead. Christoph called and said he had a very successful tour week, treated himself to breakfast in Rieselfeld, don’t know why, but called to meet up. Short lunch, he had another appointment but good to get out and see him, I think he understands that I appreciate his friendship. We’ve always been able to talk frankly about our lives, especially since I sit in the front seat with him, he can vent to me. He does love talking to Bruce about more intelligent matters, philosophy and history.
Very blurry picture, okay, I was nervous...
Big what I assume is a locust, a grasshopper? or some big green insect on our wall and I’m trying to think of how to get rid of it, don’t want to kill it. Two reasons for that, big mess and it is a truly beautiful creature, just doesn't belong in the flat! Finally figure out a method, we have two jugs, plastic, so I trap it between the two and send it to the balcony. Getting rid of spiders I’ve used a spatula and glass to trap but this insect was too big for that method, That required two hands, no hand to get the door open… so there you go, one beautiful insect restored to nature.

Saturday I went into the church shop of our local church, while that might not mean anything to you, it’s not open hours that I’m normally shopping, run by volunteers is my guess. Anyway they have a real eclectic mix of things in there, many hand made from different countries. I liked the shop and it’s variety but didn’t buy anything.
This went flying by the other day. Europa Park is like Europe's version of Disneyworld.
Pepe got in contact via WhatsApp video, he’s going to our AGM at the condo in Sevilla and checked all is okay inside. Great to see the man again!  

I‘ve been cutting the lavender we have on our patios to bring inside, why not, it has a lovely smell and we have plenty of it.
Bees love it!

Happy Father's Day to you and yours!
Cheers, Bev, Bruce and Lexi Cat




Saturday, June 2, 2018

Bad Wine (What?!) and Roses


This beauty was next to the Bio store, maybe pure living had it's effect?

Saturday May 20th and we watched Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, did you? Timing wasn’t as good, middle of the night for those of you in North America, so maybe not. Never fear, it’ll be rebroadcast by BBC for a long time I expect. It was beautiful, and the women’s hats rivalled those that some wear in Spain. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets around Windsor castle and through the town. It was a delight to see, the ceremony, the exited viewers etc.

We had lunch with Frank, Ina and Rosalie (her dog) at Ciao Bella and all got to know each other a bit. Nice people and doggie. We’ll get together again I’m sure. The proprietor even gave us a shot of what I think was Kahlua after our meal. (My girlfriend from Victoria and I used to make it!) When we first came to the restaurant, years ago, the proprietor looked kind of grumpy but he’s warmed up over the few years we’ve been. Ina said she thought he had had some troubles, she knows him, living next door with a view into their kitchen. Anyway, lovely people and Rosalie, who put her head on my lap for a bit after I rubbed her ears.

Our local rose garden, the smell was wonderful, foliage at the top is wisteria which was also lovely in bloom.

Spent all day looking after finding a place I had found in Horgen, close to Zurich, Switzerland in 2014. Airbnb keeps all the correspondence between even non-booked places. So was happy to reconnect with this gent again but it seems he has to ask his current long term client if he wants to stay longer. Damn thought I’d found the perfect place, well we’ll wait a couple of days and see the result about that. The flat looks amazing and has lake views between apartments. Well not to go on unless we get it. 

This is our blurb for apartments:

Hello (name of person if given) We are a retired couple who travel with a house trained cat. My husband uses a motorized wheelchair outside the house but he needs to bring it into the house to charge the battery. We both smoke tobacco. If there is an elevator to your apartment we will need the measurements of it to make sure the chair fits in it. Please respond. Thank You Kindly, Beverley, Bruce and Lexi Cat.

I opened a local bottle of red wine and it is bad, gone off, that will be fun taking it back…. With the day before being a holiday the store was extremely busy. I waited some time for the manager who was clerking through mounds of groceries. I didn’t want to go into the entryway to have them think I’d stolen the wine, one bottle was unopened, same lot number on the back. He finally had a moment to call up a clerk, I showed her the translation on my phone (handy application for a handy which is what cell phones are called here). She took it to the manager and he scanned them and handed me cash. 

Big lightning storm last day of May, with fork lighting and sheet with heavy rain. This building is amazing on how it gets rid of lots of rain! 

Ina called and thanked us for her birthday card, she is one exuberant lady, I like her a lot, she was greatly surprised to get it. A small gesture on our part but meaningful to her. They are going on another week vacation so we have agreed to meet on their return.

I keep taking pictures of the cattle we have in the field, including four calves but I'm not satisfied with how they come out, maybe they are camera shy, will keep trying...

This is our local swallow condo. The round bumps under the roof are all nests.

All for now, Cheers, Bev, Bruce and Lexi Cat