Spanners in the Works

I had intended to come home straight from work tonight, cook a meal and have an early night to continue trying to turn my routine around. But towards the end of an extremely busy happy hour session (in those 2 hours I took half of what was taken last night over the course of the remaining 6 hours after 8pm, accounting for my half-prices of course) I received a call from Teresa. "Help" she said, "my gas has run out and I don't know how to change it." "OK,OK, give me half-an hour" I replied. I got there only to find that she also didn't have a spanner with which to change the cylinders over so a quick trip across the road to borrow one became necessary. My plans for a meal tonight meant that a peanut butter sandwich was all I went to work on, but while returning the spanner to its owner, my hunger got the better of me and I succombed to the temptation of a Chicken Curry as I handed the tool back over the bar. A bevvy back at Teresa's after and here I am, home, late, and hungry again. Despite a short rainshower earlier, the place is busy and walking the paseo maritimo is fraught with frustration because of all the dawdlers, everywhere, enjoying Torremolinos's "International Day" and, just down the road from here, Micaela celebrating "cruz de mayo" with her annual floral display outside her hostal. A bad night for wanting to be in a hurry.

While I'm writing I'll put the record straight, being the victim of a slight misunderstanding again. I went over to El Bajondillo on Tuesday, taking advantage of my first free evening, where Ana-Marie was, of course, singing. During her break she came over to talk to me, asking how I was enjoying my new hours etc. My answer wasn't too positive, less hours, less money and such and then, realizing that my perception of the situation at the bar was not right, she explained in English that Juan (who, it turns out is Swedish Anna's Partner, Paco's, brother) has asked Favio to allow him to work in the bar to see whether the business is a viable proposition for renting. An unusual arrangement, but Favio agreed. Only time can tell which way Juan will decide but business has been good of late.

Everybody has been expecting the Red Lion to be demolished and the plot then to be redeveloped. That's as may be but right now the apartment above, across the road from me, is being redecorated in preparation for renting out. So, hopefully, no builders muck, rubbish, noise or dust for me for some while yet. My privacy has gone though. Windows peer at each other at the same level and I've begun to keep my nets drawn to stop prying eyes. Which also cuts down on the light that my babies get. The one I'm nursing courtesy of Beryl is doing very well, having been cut right back to ground level a week ago, it has now presented me with tender new shoots, two of which have begun to unfurl their leaves. I've had difficulty taking a decent photo but...

Visitors come and go all the time here and the last to have gone after a long stay were Kate and Derek from Derbyshire. They kindly passed over the bar to me a bag of unused goodies as they took their leave last Tuesday within which was, amongst much other stuff, a couple of decent sized "bakers" (potatoes). They are to be the basis of tonight's dinner (well at least one is) of a Potato and Tuna Bake a la Torremolinos so without more ado I'm going cooking:-

Potato & Tuna Bake
INGREDIENTS (which will probably make a Pig's portion..grin)
1 good sized spud
1/2 a smallish onion
Portion of frozen spinach.
Olive Oil, Flour, Milk, seasonings and dried herbs (a nice White Sauce)
2 small tins of Tuna (mine is in Brine)
A couple of ounces of Cheddar
1 teaspoon mustard (I've got some Dijon to use up)

PREP
Peel and slice the potato crossways (1/4 inch or so slices)
Peel and finely slice the onion
Grate the cheese and combine with the mustard
Drain the Tuna tins

METHOD
Boil the potato and onion slices, together, until the potatoes are done, whilst, also, cooking the spinach, per packet instructions. When ready and all is well-drained place the potato and onion in the bottom of a small casserole and then cover them with the cooked spinach. Meanwhile knockup half-a-pint of white sauce, season it well and add a couple of your favourite dried herbs for luck before adding the drained Tuna, carefully forked out of the tins without too much break up. Pour the finished sauce over the veg, sprinkle well with the grated cheese/mustard mix and bake in the oven at 190C for 20 minutes or so or at least until the cheese has melted and begun to bubble 'n brown.

PS
I ate the "Curry" but only because I couldn't bring myself to feed it to the poor dustbin. That would have been cruel!