Author: Zogman

Our Day in the Sun – 9 March 2016

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IMG_3105- flickr--73--69What can I say, it’s been a day of wall to wall sunshine. Why, it’s almost like being on holiday! After breakfast we settled ourselves on two sunbeds next to the pool (and more importantly, the pool bar) and haven’t moved except to get drinks and food. It’s now almost 4.30pm and we’ve been here since about 10.00am. Might go for a walk to the beach later. So this is what being on holiday is like!

It’s amazing the things you promise yourself, the lies you tell too. We didn’t move until the man came to clear away the sun beds. After dinner we went to watch the Kids Club and then it was time for more rum ‘n’ cokes ( Scamp) and mojitos (me). That’s where we are now, ensconced in the lobby bar. Drinking to another sunny day tomorrow.

A day on the dunes – 8 March 2016

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combo bThe sky was a bit more promising this morning, so after breakfast we went for a walk to the dunes again. Took some more photos of the strange house which apparently belongs to an architect, not an artist.  Every time we pass it, it seems there’s more to see, just something we hadn’t noticed the last time.  We walked right in to the dunes proper this time and watched the kite surfers for a while. Then, when we got brave, we paddled our wee tootsies in the Atlantic. Ooh it was freezing! I can now see why the kite boys and girls need those wetsuits. Took some more arty farty photos in the gloriously warm – no, HOT sunshine before heading back. On the way back I did spot a couple of folk skulking behind some of the prickly bushes, apparently in the bare buff, (a dangerous game to play!) so this end of the dunes might be a nudist beach after all.

We’re sitting inside in the cozy wee bar at reception now drinking rum ‘n’ cokes and pretending it’s the Canaries we’re in, not a freezer.

Good weather forecast for tomorrow. We’ll see.

Hoodie – 7 March 2016

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combo bToday I gave in and bought a hoodie. It was another cold grey day. We did have an hour of sunshine around midday but that was it. In the morning we walked to the start of the dunes saw a strange (artist’s?) house with lots of icons on the walls. Just begging to be photographed.  Next door was what we think is a nudist hotel. High industrial looking metal walls and a name that hinted at naturism. We must go back and investigate.

Once I’d decided to bite the bullet and go for comfort over fashion, we walked half way into town and had a look in lots of shops, even venturing into Zara!!  Couldn’t find what what I wanted at a sensible price (€85 for a hoodie? I think not). With that in mind we walked back to our local shopping centre and got one there. Not in the shop where the Indian woman asked “You like it. You not going to buy?”  “Eh, naw”. Finally got one. A bit dearer than the Indian one, but from a much more pleasant seller. The squeaky wheel doesn’t always get the grease.  Just been to the Rambutan restaurant for dinner and it was great. Not the best hotel in the world, but the food is exceptional.

Sunday Stroll – 6 March 2016

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combo bToday after breakfast we walked all the way in to Corralejo. It took us some time.  We passed through a shopping arcade where there was an open air craft market and a group singing folk songs.  Further into town I got a cheap, but really comfortable shirt after waiting in a long, long queue. We saw the most amazingly customized bikes, cycles, not motorcycles, covered in shells and goatskin!

We walked down to the harbour and saw painted fish statues, like the cow parade, but fish!  On the walk back we stopped at a bar where we could have danced last night, had we known. Instead we had a pizza, Scamp had a glass of wine and I had a beer while we listened to a jazz guitarist playing Jimi Hendrix covers. Good guitarist, good pizza and the drinks were very welcome because it was starting to get warm.

Back at the hotel we watched a volleyball game in warm sunshine for an hour.

At night we watched the show – Cabaret and then got to dance salsa and bachata in the disco. Knackered now.

First thoughts on Corralejo – 5 March 2016

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P3050281- flickr--72--65We are sitting on the balcony with industrial strength G&Ts. This, after “Cooncil” (ie, all-inclusive, local spirit) mojitos and G&Ts and a few beers. Not impressed with the weather.  It’s a bit cool, but still doable. It’s the wind that keeps the temperature down. Went for a short walk along the beach, but swiftly headed for the shelter of the beachside houses. Food in the hotel is fine. Actually quite impressed. Rooms are fine. Nothing fancy, but sufficient for our needs. It’s strange that the temperature is higher after the sun sets, presumably because the wind dies down then. Hoping to go for a walk tomorrow. You know how Scamp loves her walks. Possibly heading in to town. That’s CORRALEJO TOWN, not TOONIE or THE TOON. Just so we’re clear. This isn’t Kansas, Toto.

Lunch, the highpoint of the day – 4 March 2016

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combo bNot a lot to say about today again.  Lunch was at The Cotton House where I bumped into a former colleague who worked part-time for us for a while, but who retired a couple of years before me.  Lunch was good as usual.  Barbecued spare ribs are great, but very messy to eat!  I would probably have been better with Scamp’s choice of spring rolls.  Both of us had the same main – chicken chow mein.  Simply superb.

After lunch we drove in to Glasgow, to Staples for me to get a bigger SD card for the new camera.  It was a lovely day with great views of the hills on the way back.  Unfortunately I was driving, so I didn’t get the chance to take any photos.

When we got back, I went out to post a parcel to Hazy (Incoming Hazy!) and break in the new card on the way back home.  I had to wait for about 15 mins while a rain shower made its way swiftly across us.  There were some nice sprinkles of sun across the pond at St Mo’s, but a fair amount of cloud too.  Thankfully the rain stayed away.

That about wraps it up for Friday.

Back in the old routine – 3 March 2016

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combo bJackie headed North this morning on the 10.00am bus. Scamp had a Gems concert in the afternoon and I went out for “the messages” then had a quick wander round St Mo’s pond. I got some better photos of the Tufty Duck brigade and some closer views of one of the resident swans. Some 9mm landscape shots finished the photography for today.

In other news, JIC and Sim checked in from St Lucia with a temperature of 30ºc and sunny skies and we have a couple of days worth of recorded TV to get through in the next few days because I don’t watch TV when I’m in myself.

Looking forward to lunch at The Cotton House tomorrow.

The Wanderers Return – 2 March 2016

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combo bI had good intentions today. I was going to the gym or maybe just a swim. I did neither. I lay in bed and read another couple of chapters of my latest book, The Drowned World – JG Ballard, originally published in 1962 and as valid today. It’s the story of earth after the polar ice caps melt. Not due to greenhouse gas emissions or stuff like that, but because the sun has gone mental (Technical Term) and is overheating. Different scenario, same outcome. Amazing book. I first read it when I was about 16 and then went on to read Crystal World, Drought and Concrete Island. Ballard was a really imaginative writer. Years ahead of his time.

After my literary morning, I went to St Mo’s to feed the jucks and get their photos. Unfortunately I got mobbed by a couple of swans and didn’t get any decent shots of Tufty the Tufted Duck.

Went to meet Fred and set the world to rights at midday. Todays discussion bounced around the delights of doodling, (but his were so much better than my po faced perspective doodles) Council Tax reforms, Euroskeptics (and what we should do with them) and former bosses (and what we should do with them). The world would be a much better and more pleasant place if they would let us run it.

Came home and decided the bright sun deserved to be recorded for posterity and with that in mind I took myself off to St Mo’s for the second time today. Saw a Treecreeper. I thought it was a Nuthatch, but realised that it was the wrong colour. I think that’s the first time I’ve seen a Treecreeper, hope it’s not the last.

After dinner I tracked Scamp and the sisters on their flight back home. On dear, my week of perfect isolation is at an end.

First day of Spring? Nobody told the weather – 1 March 2016

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combo b

For the first day of Spring, the weather was really like Winter.  Cold winds and even colder rain showers.  Spent the morning tidying up the back bedroom for the return of the wanderers.  Then in a bright spell, I grabbed the dreaded Micra boot handle and bolted it in place, joined up the cable to check it still worked (it did – did you doubt me?) and fixed the cover panel back in place.  Job done.  £95 for a new switch?  I think not.  All you needed was a 10mm spanner, a Torx screwdriver, a stanley knife, a JB00A push to make switch, a sheet of sandpaper, a hot melt glue gun, a silicon gun and some duct tape, always some duct tape.  Oh yes, and some step by step instructions from a kind gentleman on the net.

Couldn’t decide what to do next.  I’d considered the gym, but I needed some photos for the 365, so a walk was a better option and with a look at the sky, it would need to be a short one.  Managed a dry half hour at St Mo’s.  Nothing very inspiring.  The Tufted Duck was keeping well out of detailed camera shot range and the Oystercatchers were just messing me about.  As soon as I got the camera fired up, they were gone.  Oysters in St Mo’s, who would have thought it.

Quick dash to Tesco for supplies and then home to make dinner.  That’s about it.  Snow forecast for tomorrow morning.  Thankfully I don’t need to be up and out in it.  If it’s photogenic, I may take the camera for a walk.  As Scamp is fond of saying, it all depends on the weather.

Leap Day – 29 February 2016

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combo bThere’s not a lot to say about today.  Had breakfast in bed.  The first time since Scamp left for Fuerteventura.  Started a painting then got bogged down in it and started to seal up the boot lock for Scamp’s car.  Got it done and tried to fit it, but the plastic box I made around the switch was too big and wouldn’t allow the lock shield to bolt in place.  Had to remove it and resort to silicon sealant.  Messy stuff.  I’ve left it to dry and set overnight and will fit it again tomorrow hopefully.

Went for a drive in the afternoon, but with low light and no directional sunlight, there wasn’t much I wanted to shoot.  Took some photos on Fannyside Moor, but nothing that inspired me to work on it.  It was photos for photos sake.  However, the settings I changed last night seem to make an improvement to the general quality of the shots I took.
<Technospeak> (This indicates the start of a technospeak section JIC)
Found out how to link a MySet to an unused dial position on the camera which is a great advance.  I didn’t know you could do that on the E-PL5 either.  It’s amazing what you learn.
</Technospeak> (It’s ok, you can start reading again, technospeak over)

By the way JIC, here’s an interesting thing to try with your coffee grinder.  I’ve tried it and it works with some coffee, but not all.

Went to salsa and learned an interesting new move and an intersting sequence in bachata.  Other than that, it was cloudy all day and it’s raining now.  Hope the rain keeps away tomorrow to get this boot lock fixed on the Micra.