Project this and that.

Song of the day: “Dream a little dream” by the Beautiful South. It has been spinning through my head off and on all day.

I’m going to try to remember accurately and start with yesterday. I’m not making any promises though, I just might mess it all up. Hah.

Big brother called me awake, because let’s face it my freaky cheap, made in China alarm isn’t working, again. I was about to wake up, and then the house phone went, forcing me to roll out of bed. Blurry I looked at the stand; empty. The shelf beside the bed; no. Focus on the blasted sound, darn it. The cordless was in the pocket of my pajama top, thank you very much. I was very vague, which is often the case when waking up.

There was no laundry, which was good, considering the moisture levels in the air don’t allow for a lot of drying. Though yesterday was a sunny day, everything stayed wet no matter what. It’s annoying.

I started of the day heading up to tenant’s place to keep her company while I prepared to make pumpkin soup. Considering grandpa and big brother had to head out with little Adma (she’s been feeling poorly for several days now) to take her to the vet. It was downright splendid sitting out there with tenant, chatting a little while I peeled and carved pumpkin. The sky was incredibly clear, and the view was absolutely stunning.

The pumpkin soup worked out really well. I used two types of pumpkins, two (one big, one small) Butternut Squashes and half a Kabocha pumpkin (or squash).
Six winter carrots, one onion, some salt, half a jalapeno (chopped), 300 grams of grated Gouda cheese, a cup of milk, 400 grams of yogurt, six cups of water, fresh basil, oregano and chives.
I just cut the whole lot up, threw it in a pan and let it boil until I could blender it. It looked gorgeously creamy and tasted that way too. Ate it again today.

When I was done, grandpa and big brother returned with Adma. She had the beginnings of a hernia, which was causing her muscles to contract, therefore obstructing her breathing. Poor little pocket Beagle. All the roughhousing with the big dogs will have to be kept in check. She’s getting an anti-inflammatory for the next two weeks.

For the remainder of the day, I mixed paints. First a small amount of magnolia white for grandpa. It is the color he would like to use in tenant’s solarium. Light and smooth, is his motto these days hah. That done--made about a liter and a half--I started on mixing about ten liters of wood/metal paint for the bus. What with time passing rapidly, rust has been gathering in the big old thing, so we’re going to have to patch up the holes and then protect the metal against the seasons. Considering the trees are now so big, we figured a nice olive green would be a good color to make it disappear in the background.

Grandpa worked in the solarium most of the day, and bit brother worked on the imperial so basically we were all busy in the carport most of the day. Not a bad place to be, and due to the lovely weather yesterday, tenant was able to join us by sitting on my terrace in the full sunshine.

We ended the day heading into the yard, which was rather wonderful even though the air was more than a little chilly. Got to harvest peppers, another pumpkin and some tomatoes.

Last night I wrote the column thingy about the restaurant, cocktail lounge, and since there can only be about a 1000 words in it, I overshot the goal by 400 words. It’ll need work for sure, seeing as there is nothing I hate more than working with a limited amount of works. I’ll get there some day, won’t I. Heck, I managed to bring my daily blog of approximately 3000 words down to an average of 1500 after all. Hah.

The last few hours of the day were spent scavenging. Had a blast, I admit. Had the car full by the time we got home around two in the morning. I was so tired I dropped in bed face down and passed out.

Which brings us to today. *sigh*
This morning there WAS laundry. Loads of it, and considering the sky was covered with clouds (town was completely covered and I’m guessing that it rained like crazy over there) I got to it fast. If the air got any wetter the laundry would be there for three days, so after one dry day and night I had to be fast.
Considering there were three baskets of freshly washed waiting, it was none too soon either.

First thing up was unloading the car and hauling it into storage. There was quite a lot, and just when we were about done, the dog-food delivery truck arrived…and so did the rain. We did it in record time too, piling the sacks into their storage shed, and hauling other groceries down as well, just about when actual rain came pouring down.

By then, we had lunch on pumpkin soup and bread, after which we started painting the imperial at last. It is starting to look beautiful, I tell ya. Solid, perfectly fitted and now a gleaming black color. It’ll be gorgeous and yes, I am taking pictures as we go along. Hah. I wrecked a baseball cap doing the painting, darn it, then exchanged it for an ugly cheap one, rather than lose another nice one to this particular chore.

Since I was dirty already anyway, I took out the wood paint as well and used the last bit for painting part of the youngest section of the carport. I’ve been wanting to all summer, but just didn’t get around to it, darn it. Of course, I ran out of paint before I finished, but at least I made a start.

The rain kept pouring down, and the dogs did an excellent job of keeping my feet warm, considering they all clustered around my feet all day. Hah. Poor darlings…in particular since these dogs weren’t my own. No, the unfaithful bastards chose to retreat into my cabin where they got toasty on bed and pillows rather than annoy me for a change.

Basically, I worked in the carport all day, searching through supplies, taking apart old metal bolts for recycling in the near future. Do love it, recycling that is. For instance, this afternoon I spent using two old (broken) office chairs of a completely different design, to make one whole one. It worked too (yeah, I know. It surprised me too) seeing as now we have a fully functional chair. It sits well as well, in case you’re wondering. Hah.

Well, I should be getting to work on the book now. I’m running way behind as it is. Darn it!

Frisky business

Song of the day: “The young ones” by Cliff Richards. Boy that’s an oldie…not to mention that it has been ages since I last heard it.

Not a lot of activity going on, basically we’re doing busywork trying to finish everything up. Big brother and I have both been working on the imperial for the Land Rover, and why he is welding the final touching, I have been removing the “snails” and such from the metal with an angle grinder. It’s my first time with that particular power tool (I love power tools, btw) but it is not going bad at all. Almost got it done for painting.

So yesterday was mostly spent doing that, along with some carpentry in tenant’s solarium. I had wanted to put in the ceiling today, but grandpa insists on first painting the beams and such, so it will be easier. I wonder if he ‘s managing it. Hah.

Along with that, big brother and I have been talking a lot about our new book idea. It is going to be a joint operation, really, and it will primarily involve a series of six. We’re going to see how that works out.

Am a tad tired for some inexplicable reason, and I am seriously contemplating a nap just about now. Heck, the way I’m going I just might pass out on the table here. (Sitting in the carport). Of course I did have an extremely early morning today, what with us having to go to first Marbella and then afterwards Malaga with the Land Rover. Yep, we need to have something fixed again, but since it would take at least three days, if not more, we had to make an appointment to head back that way ‘round Tuesday. Blast all the stupid repairs. It is now official that the Ford Garage screwed us over with faulty fixing and I still don’t know what I’m going to do about that. Maybe I should sue. Hah.

Gawd, almost forgot. Big brother got pulled over in the Daewoo Matiz, btw. Seriously, if you know the Matiz you know how rediculous that is. But at the moment the officials are a tad paranoid over here. They're basically pulling aside all single men, and considering I had big brother's passport in my bag, I had no choice but to walk over and join in on the mess.

I parked the car at the gas station and hiked back to the round about where big brother was being frisked by a talkative, yet completely Spanish Guardia Civil. Patted him down and everything, searched his coat, searched the car and then started eying me when I came up and explained that I had been waiting for brother to pick me up at the gas station, and that I had his passport.

Finally understanding, he took the paperwork (including that of the car) and then demanded to look through my purse and work suitcase. If I didn't know any better you'd think that the bag was carrying a bomb, or something. He handled it with kid gloves and then had us open it...all of it under the watchful eyes of his colleagues with heavy guns and a chain designed to throw on the road to kill car tires. It would have been a tad scary if it hadn't been nice material for the blog.

But anyway, in the end everything checked out, of course (I could have told him, that, but who am I?)and we were allowed to move it along. *sigh*

Well, not much writing going on either, seeing as we’re still working with the edit. Reached page 75 last night, by the way, so we’re almost halfway through.

No gardening, much to my regret. We did have a water leak repair the other day. Took big brother and grandpa about an hour to replace the main supply hose with anew one. I sewed my chair pillows yesterday afternoon too, and mom made new casing for my dog pillows. Sure, lots of small things going on, but they too need to be seen to.

I really should take a siesta. I’m just too friggin’ tired to keep my eyes open. Not much else happened anyway, so who cares.
Gotta go.

Two work days over and done with.

Song of the day: “Staying alive” by the Beegees. I know. Don’t ask me why, it was just there, okay. Has anyone noticed how the song just makes you want to move? Hah.

So, I’m here, as promised. Back from a long day on the road, delivering the papers talking with folks after spending a full day at the cocktail lounge & restaurant in town. Now, I don’t want to spoil anything so I’m going to keep this very basic, but I had a nice time at the place. The people were friendly, boss of the day patient and the day long. But I got some interesting stuff, I think. Now all I need to do is find a nice way to write about it.

I’m thinking casual-like. A little like my blog but then more goal oriented, rather than just flapping my mouth…or in this case my fingers. I do tend to get off track a lot writing here, and if I wanna have a serious shot at a newspaper, I’m going to have to make the piece up to par with something that could be published. I do know that the other columnist also writes in a rather casual fashion so it shouldn’t be a problem.

I want to talk a bit about the business itself, the staff working there, the boss lady and then just the customers and the way spending a day there felt, so to speak. A bit tongue in cheek to keep it interesting, maybe.

But anyways, though I had planned to stay a full day, the time of year really wasn’t all that suited, seeing as it is the slowest month, but still, I got to stick around from noon ‘till seven in the evening and it did give me a general idea of how things go. I’ve got to remember thanking the boss lady for letting me hang around for a day.

After getting home around nine in the evening, big brother and I headed out for a quick scavenge after all, we managed a six page edit of the present project before I really was fully ready to head to bed and pass out.

Slept a wonderful full night (in two pieces) of eight and a half friggin’ hours and woke after nine in the morning whether I would be able to get away with another hour when big brother phoned me to say that he’d overslept too. Yep, my alarm isn’t working once again, so we had agreed that he would call me awake for a change. I didn’t mind the extra hour of sleep mind you, but it did put a bit of a rush on the rest of the day.

I visited with tenant for a bit, hung laundry, emptied the car from our scavenge, and then grandpa finished that up so big brother could head for the house and have a late breakfast while making the lunch we had to take along. Grill cheese and onion rolls took our fancy today, along with a French bread with potato salad. Gawd, I was friggin hungry…not to mention nauseous…but I’m getting ahead of myself. More about that later.

But anyway. I’d just about changed into outside work clothes when John Doe (main distributor, remember?) phoned to tell me he’d be there within the hour. So we headed out and arrived five minutes late in the end. Considering he was at Burger King “fueling up” when we parked beside his van, big brother headed for the hardware store while I went over to say hello.

Now, I have a serious dislike for interrupting folks when they’re talking, so I waited patiently while he made his order and talked with a guy (probably another distributor). It took him about 2 minutes to notice me, which amused me a bit. I don’t know why, but I had this awesome scene in my head for a horror story. I mean really, throw in a psychopathic stalker who can follow someone inside somewhere and you’ve got some serious horror going. Hah.

But anyway, John gave me the keys and I headed back for the van and Land Rover to load up. I’d already loaded up a hundred and five bundles when big brother returned, and together we finished up, leaving the first twenty bundles at the first location while we waited for John and his “new friend” to join us.

There was some chatting, followed by the week’s payment and off we were. We did the route on time today, I mean seriously, we started at three, did some groceries somewhere and then started for real. Hah.

Within the first hour I rounded a truck, dodged a couple of guys with a frisky dog and slammed my head in the side mirror. Strangely enough it didn’t hurt all that much, but I did feel funny afterwards. A little spaced out maybe, and within fifteen minutes I slammed the side of my head into the post of the car door. That’s when the nausea set in. This was followed, half an hour later, by ramming the top of my head against the top of the doorway, when I miscalculated the distance
Getting in, at which time I got myself a genuine headache.

Was getting a little worried by then about the spaced-out bit, so we had something to eat and slowly I started to feel a bit better. Soon my “screaming” foot took away any concerns I might have had about my head. Seriously, once my foot started messing around for real, I didn’t even feel it anymore. Hah.

I had some chats again with most of the regulars. I’ve decided against doing a day at the Fish and Chips place, seeing as that is really in the same sector. I’m thinking something totally different for the contrast. Bouncer? Taxi/limousine driver? There should be something out there that is fun to do and fun to write about…I hope.

Well, we also managed the village tonight, and got home before midnight, so tomorrow is a stay-at-home day, yay. I’m either going to work on the piece, or heading out into the yard, I haven’t decided yet. Maybe I’ll even go all out and do both. Hah.

I’m going to catch up on the ‘zon discussions now and then head for bed. I’ve just about had enough of this day. Besides my poor doggies really need some attention by now. Poor darlings have, for all intents and purposes, been without me for two days, so they take precedence. Going now.

Have a--zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Hah.