Landscape Gardening?

Back in April the garden looked forlorn - overgrown, covered in weeds - to be honest - a mess.

We decided that to cut down on the weeds we needed to put down new plastic under the gravel. This meant that all the gravel had to be moved before the new plastic could go down and then put the gravel back.

After a lot of hard work the gravel was back down and looked much better. Under the 2 gazebos we removed the gravel and replaced it with plastic & green carpet. We refastened the netting around the gazebos and repaired the canopies. The conifers were cut down and it looks much tidier now.

Some of the gravel from under the gazebos was moved to the path down the side of the house and then the ivy & honeysuckle were trimmed back to finish the transformation.

Having got it all tidy I held my craft class under the gazebo as it was cooler than in the house. We made 2 cards before our new monthly girls lunch out.  One was a Christmas card - strange making them when the temperature is over 30C! 

New Bowls Club

A new bowls club has recently been completed here on the Costa Blanca. It is owned by the Spanish company Terrapilar and is part of the Vistabella sports complex. There cannot be a better view from a bowls green than this.

Allen & I were unsure whether to rejoin San Luis because of the vandalism problem and we didn't want to rejoin and then find we had lost our money. So with the new club opening we made the decision to join there and the journey is only 3 minutes more than to San Luis.

Having decided we were joining and paid our monies I was then approached and asked to take on the role as Captain - another decision to make but with Allens support I agreed.

The first official function was a cocktail party held to introduce the new club to invited members of the bowling fraternity. With the Presidents of Costa Blanca Bowls, Valencian Federation and Costa Blanca Umpires & Markers invited, together with various committee members of CBBA & SABA it was quite an occasion.

The Directors of Terrapilar, Eduardo Lopez, Benjamin Lopez, Joaquim Grau and General Manager Pablo Riestra were asked to bowl the inaugural bowls on the green and after some instruction on the bias of bowls they proceded to do so. Considering they had never even held a bowl never mind bowled one they did quite well and it will be interesting to see whether we can encourage any of them to join us on a regular basis.

Following the opening we retired to the club house for drinks & buffet courtesy of Terrapilar.

The following morning we held a small bowls competition designed to give some idea of the green & complex to bowlers from other greens. Ian Young (Club Chairman) & I were sporting our new club shirts which will be used for all our league matches and we posed with Joaquim Grau & Pablo Riestra.

The general concenus of opinion on the green was favourable and although heavier than most greens should be nicely bedded in by the start of the league season.

The winners were from Greenlands, Mike Regan, Penny Tompkins, Brian Miller & Barry Collins and they were presented with their trophies by Eduardo, Benjamin & Joaquim.

Once again Terrapilar provided a free buffet and a drink for all competitors. Eduardo decided that a glass of cava was needed to toast the new bowls club and so Ian, Allen & I joined Eduardo & Pablo in a glass to celebrate. Having finished the cava Eduardo disappeared and came back with a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne for us all to try. Pablo whispered that the bottle cost more than 200€ - no wonder it was good. When we finished the expensive stuff Eduardo opened a bottle of Reserve Cava - we decided he liked having a bowls club!

Wonder whether we should start the tradition that he come with bottles after all our league games - or maybe just those we win.

To Vistabella Bowls Club - cheers!

For Your Delictation

I just had to share with you Allens latest culinary acheivement.  Made especially for me because Rocky Road is my all time favourite.  First attempt at Rocky Road Cheesecake.

And it tastes as good as it looks. Am I lucky or am I lucky?

Shopping for Dear Sister

Having seen the photos of my recent purchases, dear sister Lynda let me know she would like some things getting and taking over in August when we brave the UK weather.

Having already got her black shoes in the same style as the 2 pairs she got when visiting .

Today's trip with Marina & Gill was for sandals, handbag and jewellery. First off it was Anti crisis shoe shop where I got Lynda a pair of sandals like my blue ones but in her chosen colour - beige.

Of course I ended up buying 2 pairs of sandals for myself - will post pictures later so Lynda can see if she wants some.  Marina & Gill both got sandals for themselves.

We then decided it was El Corte Ingles time.  Gill and I found some knitting wool on special offer - mine cerise, Gills purple and Gills winter evenings are now organised.

The sales in Spain have now started and unlike UK they have to be at a set time so we stood the chance of more bargains.  The only other purchase in ECI was a funky dress for Gill who is tiny and gets the bargains as the bigger sizes get picked over first.

Then we were off to the Chinese warehouse and first stop in there was a red & black bag for Lyndy loo.

I had gone with instructions to get a lime green necklace and some of the peacock earrings, but true to form I got more than that.  Lyndy is now the owner of a lime green necklace, a turquoise one and a creamy white one which all came with matching earrings, and I didn't forget to get the peacock earrings which are just slightly different to mine.

I didn't get out without getting myself a couple of pressies but those I'll also keep for later.

Having vacated the Chinese warehouse we retired to the restaurant next door for a leisurely lunch and a chat, before making our way home - happy with our purchases and already planning a monthly date.

Wildlife in Spain

The cuckoos have departed so they are no longer to be seen.  

Allen was lucky enough to get a photograph of a kestrel who was in the middle of his evening meal of rabbit.

Just further along these 3 rabbits were watching intensely - probably thinking glad that's not me!

But did they call for Divine intervention from this special religious bunny with his dog collar.

When Allen arrived home he found one of the deckchairs occupied by a very large cricket.

Lisa of course thought he had come to play with her as she loves her insect friends!