happy and sad New Year

...Now as far as first groupie meetings go the marina Bar groupie night was small but full of quality. we had 4 people who can be classed as UK based, 2 classed as Spain based and 2 betwixt and between. However we had a good old drink and chinwag.

The Marina bar is in Winter mode now. It also seems that the proprietors Pepe and Antonio have felt the recession. There are some entertainers now. Brian Pollard tickles the Ivories on a Monday and Thursday which is aimed at the elderly rather than the young, but the elderly are the main La Cala Inhabitants. And judging by the behaviour of some people in the bay I think care in the community comes to mind. Cheryl does her show, but Pepi decided not to employ Andrea this year.

My son Ian was here for an extended stay over the Christmas break. Having observed a certain ritual between two (I assume) Spaniards, I predicted to Ian what was about to happen, when we were sat people watching at the bar in early January. "You see the guy with short legs mincing down the road towards the sea?" I asked him. "Well here is what is going to happen. He will walk down to the sea, look out towards the rocks at the end of the beach, shade his eyes as though shielding from the sun, as he searches for someone or something. He will then about turn walk fast along the road to the other end of the beach and walk back again." (I hope you are still with me) "When he returns, another guy with a mohair coat sporting a moustache, dark glasses and carrying a walking stick, will be walking down the same road in the direction of the sea. Person number one on his return, will overtake him smiling, as though he doesn't know the other guy, who will sit on the seat facing the sea. Man one will circle him like the Indians around a circle of wagons in the wild west, and man number two will try to trip him up with his walking stick. After a few minutes this ritual will end and they will embrace as friends and carry on walking together." To Ian's utter disbelief this prediction took place before his eyes. He said "why do they do it?". I said "I haven't a clue but they do it every day and one day I will have to go and ask them...."

During January I went to England for a number of reasons, one important reason was to see my Dad. He had been suffering some ill health lately and when I saw him he looked very frail. After chatting with the Doctor it was clear that he was unlikely to recover but would continue comfortably with the medication he was on for a long while, Knowing I was to return to the UK on the 31st March I flew to Spain, to return early if he deteriorated. The Doctor said I would have time to return under such circumstances. In reality it was only days after when I returned to arrange his funeral, full of regrets that I hadn't stayed until the end, but hindsight is 20-20 vision. He died aged 92 with his best pal Sam and his beloved grandson Ian by his side. He had a good send off with a Scottish piper leading the funeral procession in to the chapel.

I have therefore been in England for the end of January and will be for all of February. I have a flat in the UK and have therefore decided to do some repair work. Today I am having the windows replaced for UPVC double glazing. In Spain I wouldn't think twice about sitting on my balcony in a T shirt at the end of February and into March, but I am currently typing with no lounge window in wearing a thick overcoat and a Bobhat, and a 16KW fire burning.

So dear reader I haven't left the planet but under current circumstances I am not composing my blog on a regular basis, but normal service will resume in March when I return to the sunny Spanish shores.

But for your general information Andrea who sings under the name 'Just a Girl' and also does a 'Madonna' tribute show, is now performing in the Cala Cala bar next door to the Marina, and I think Pepi will regret not employing her this year. ..

Our next major event in La Cala will be San Juan on the 23rd June and it will be a superb event.