Mamma Mia!

I've finally seen it, the film everybody's been talking about, and now I know why. A smashing musical written around the music of Abba that has been a joy to watch. Luckily for me Sky TV are running it at least twice tonight so I'll be able to view and appreciate it again making my night off a real pleasure to enjoy.

I've had the Netbook setup all day, Heath Robinson style, on the balcony under the sun screen, connected to the Internet via the weak unsecured WiFi signal I mentioned the other day and, hey presto, at 4pm, an IM call through Skype from Katerina in Omsk. Only I don't think it actually was her! On the odd occasion and based on my musings here I've been told that I ought to write a book. Well, I don't know about that and I certainly don't know about what. But what I do know though is the style in which people I regularly communicate with write and in 4 years or more of SMS with Larisa I know her style very well. A style I recognised today even although each "over" was against Katerina's name. Those two are as close as ever despite the distance between (I know that Larisa is here in Calahonda) and a quick call for the password to Katy's Skype account would allow Lary to play with me, just like she's done before on the phone etc. Play is probably the wrong word this time though because she ended up fishing for why I hadn't called today. So I told "Katy" that I believed that Larisa does not really want to be my friend anymore and that I daren't call her in case it annoys her. "NO! She will not be annoyed" was what came back. I sent back that perhaps I might call her after next payday and got a luvvy-duvvy smiley in return! We went out together, 2 weeks ago today as it happens, to Fuengirola for a meal at Mesón Salamanca but just right now I can't keep doing that. Eeking-out my last pay packet from Bar Ana through this month does not allow for treats in restaurants, or anywhere else come-to-that but I felt a need to invite her to hopefully clear the air after her angry rantings the night that she fellout with her girlfriend and took that out on me, telling me (and here's more of the story) that I'm (also) no longer to be invited to Calahonda. Clear the air we didn't, neither of us found a way round but without the shop'n'cook trips to Calahonda, which cost peanuts, I can't afford to call and arrange a date elsewhere because it is just too expensive, and because I'm certainly not ever going to try and invite myself to Calahonda either, there are the reasons why I didn't call her today. Last Monday I didn't call and she let it ride but this week she hasn't, gleaning the promise of a call from me next week in the process. Yes, we have a problem, she really was the nuisance that she apologised for being that night, but yes, we are still in contact and if I get my way the pieces will be picked up now that she seems concerned about my reaction, which is more to do with her outburst than my finances by the way.

I was invited back to Teresa's tonight, by customers last night, for a drink or two with them on the "other" side of the bar but I've been naughty and not gone, preferring to stay at home, cook a nice Roast Dinner (Chicken, Bread Sauce, Roast Potatoes, Sprouts and Broccoli) and just enjoy my time with me! Going back to the bar would probably have been suicidal because Teresa doesn't like making the cocktails that we do or anything else "awkward" and would have no-doubt pressganged me into going behind the bar in the event of such orders. And I would have missed the film and probably the skype call if I'd managed my day any differently to the way that I have. It's cost me a bomb in teabags though and I seem to have worn out yet another kettle which, luckily, is still under guarantee and will be going back to the shop tomorrow! Some while back Beryl bought for me a Sage plant that she happened across in Torre's Sunday Market. So far so good, it seems a happy chappie so today I've treated it to a new, bigger, pot, fresh compost and a feed. The other what-ever-it-is that she gave me is out of intensive care and rocketing away like a good'un but the Tomatoes that Bill gave me are now giving cause for concern, remaining spindly and looking decidedly ill. Out on one of my balconies they only get full sun for a couple of hours each afternoon and I'm wondering whether that is not enough. Never say die though, I'll persevere but I do not think that they will get to be shown at Wisley.

This year's longest day passed us by yesterday which means that from now on the Sun will climb ever lower in the daytime sky until Dec 21st when that trend will then reverse. You'd think that that would mean that the daytime temperatures would begin to decrease but, of course, they don't until the middle of August. Currently the forecast is for the low 30s even although there is still plenty of cloud about which is unusual for this time of year. But clear days are now on the increase and word is that the summer will be hot. The AC is tested. I'm ready!

Temporary Setback

Having not been able to pay the bill my telephone has been cut with the consequential loss of my internet connection, so.........it's difficult for me to keep up with this blog and maintain the website etc., but, nearby here someone is being daft enough to run an unsecured WiFi network which I can just about "see" and connect to so here I am. At the end of the month all will be put to rights, indeed, even possibly in a new, nicer, 1 bed apartment nearer to where I now work although I haven't yet made my mind up on that. I'm sat indoors typing into Notepad on my laptop while the Netbook is propped up on a kitchen cuttingboard out on the balcony maintaining (I hope) an internet connection flitting between no bars and 2 bars signal strength. One worry is that today it is dull with plenty of mist about and a shower or two is being forecast so I'm keepng a beady eye on things outside because the little Netbook didn't come with an umbrella. I hadn't intended to go to all this palaver but last night on my way home Lisa popped her head out of The Ship to tell me to "get something written on your blog!" Tip of an iceberg that, as I've also had emails from all over, which I pick up daily via the Internet Connection at the bar, wondering what's happening here with me. I could, of course, write from Teresa's Bar but the constant interruption with customers coming and going makes that impossible.

Opening at 6pm and closing at 2am life at Teresa's is ticking over with a slow but steady stream of punters keeping us relatively busy. Not the busiest bar in the world but then neither are many others around about; in fact, from information gleaned we are doing somewhat better than some which is a pleasant surprise bearing in mind that the bar is the "newest on the block." Hopefully things will get better as the season progresses and the Euro/Pound exchange rate continues to improve. Fingers are crossed. Cocktails are going well and we have the best brew of coffee in Spain according to those who have taken a cafeteria of fresh Columbian from us.

I've got to cook a meal then get ready for tonight's session but before I go I'll post a photo here of the busy terrace taken a couple of nights ago to give you an idea of the place and then transfer all this onto a Memory Stick, shove that into the Netbook and upload everything. Problems, problems. Roll on July and a re-instated telephone!

Sorted

Teresa rang me this morning to suggest meeting her for a coffee, which I did. After making sure that there was no change to my situation she told me that wanted to offer me a job in her bar. I start this evening. And just as soon as the paperwork can be organised I will be properly contracted as her employee. I will also be moving from this apartment at the end of this month, because there is a 1 bedroomed place nearer her bar that I can now afford, big enough to probably allow me to put the boys up when Martin comes for his visit, we'll see. She has a licence to open from 7am and is also licenced as a cafe/bar with a kitchen, so, the big plan is now to do food once things can be organised on that front and with 3 hotels on her doorstep it's worth a shot at least. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She's had all this in mind for a little while it seems but felt that she should not try to "poach" me away from Bar Ana, which is a bit of a surprise to me, but, here I am, sorted!

Resigned!

I handed my key to the bar back to Favio last night and left the bar without a job to go to today. That things came to that is a real disapppointment but I cannot live on the money I have been paid for working the new hours that I was given at the beginning of April. Here's hoping that something else turns up pretty soon.