Más Gatos

More furry friends...

...and more to come methinks.

[The pics were taken by The Boy, as I was too busy squealing and stroking them.]

Ronda Revisited

As some of you may recall, we visited Ronda (also on the back of one of The Boy's business trips) about two and a half years ago.

These aren't brilliant photos, but you can see how it straddles the gorge - and the three bridges.

Puerto Banús

Our hotel was in Puerto Banús, which has a rather fancy marina.

As you can see it's stuffed with gin palaces...

...although there was the odd sailing boat.

This isn't a gin palace - more gin principality.

For Virginia

A Spanish pillar box.

El Museo del Grabado Español Contemporaneo de Marbella

Deep in Marbella's Old Town is a small engravings museum.

It has a very well curated collection is a converted townhouse.

In the cellar gallery is this lovely, old engraving press.

Rooftop Flowers

It's always worth looking up...

Words Fail Me!

On the continent I've often come across electric candles - you pay for so many minutes illumination, rather than lighting one. But a Holy Water dispenser!?!

An Afternoon in Marbella

Leaving The Boy to discuss golf courses I had an amble around historic Marbella.

There's a small Old Town, where you can see the Moorish influence...

...and plenty of ceramics...

...and flowers...

...and the odd funky bit.

Perro.

Gato.

The life of Maisie

We should have called her Reilly!

Farewell, good and faithful servants...

The Converse are dead...long live the Converse - aren't the new ones horribly clean?

Peppa Pig

My friend Elaine (who had children the right age) introduced me to Peppa Pig a few years ago. I just love that little pig and her family - they're all so kind to each other. Plus, they jump in muddy puddles, who can resist that?

My little bit of paradise.

I can't for the life of me remember what this flower is called - but I love it. I've just put an all white one in our front garden.

Miss T's Ups and Downs

Some of the things that made me happy this week:

Adam can't resist planting all his seeds - and ends up with far too many plants.

Spring flowers are out.

It's been warm enough to sit and drink gin in the garden.

All the washing could be dried on the line, and smells glorious.

My iPod has a fresh batch of Radio 4 podcasts.

Public libraries are free, and I can order all the books I want to read.

There were 20p postcards at the YSP.

My feet are sock free & I can flash my painted toe nails (London cab black, since you ask).

I've found an excellent mini camera bag in Oxfam for £5.99.

However...postage has GONE UP!!!!

The YSP Again

I love the YSP - it's free and it's full.

This time we saw some work by Isamu Noguchi - the late American artist.

Sadly, we couldn't photograph the plans, but I was very tickled...

...that such a famous artist...

...designed so many children's playgrounds.

And I couldn't resist the flowers of course :-).

Maggie, Maggie, Maggie

It's also been the best year yet for the magnolia.

We've had it about seven years now, and it was also a present from Tantie, Adam's great-aunt.

I think it's quite the loveliest flower.

A Lemony Triumph

We've had a bumper crop of lemons this Spring.

In order to make the most of them (besides I prefer lime in gin), I made some lemon marmalade. The first time I've made jam or marmalade of any kind. I don't eat marmalade myself, but everyone I've given it to says that it's fab :-).

A present for Bones?

I came across this at the Eynsham Emporium? I tried to send a picture to Dr Bones to see if she'd like it - but sadly her phone can't accept snaps...boo.

Cathy's Cambridge Garden

Last weekend I was in Cambridge visiting my pals Cathy and Andrew. In a couple of years, Cathy has created a lovely town garden.

The Continental Van comes to Oxford

As you may have gathered I am rather a fan of all things postal. I caught sight of this van in Oxford at the end of last month. It's small and weird enough not to be out of place in Spain or Italy.