Friday Smiles 2023: Week 17

It has been another quiet week with warm sunny days. In fact it has been very warm, some might say hot, some days, and tomorrow we are forecst up to 40º. It is a bit ridiculous for so early in the year, and everywhere is looking dry and brown, with cracked earth, and few wild flowers around. We have all been warned to 're-think' our use of water. I am guessing we may have some water rationing before the summer is over. But for now, there is enough breeze to make sitting out in the shade, quite pleasant, so we have been doing a lot of that.

Of course most sunshine has some shadows too and we had a shadow cast on our week when the Town Hall announced the sad news that 'Pedro from the Farmacia' had died. He was a really lovely man who went out of his way to help each of us, even getting up at night to unlock the farmacia when someone needed urgent medicine. He was only 46 and has left a wife and three sons aged 15, 8 and 4. Over 10% of the village population posted comments and condolences on the announcement, and the church couldn't begin to house all the folk who attended his funeral the next day. He will be very sorely missed.

Another small cloud passed by on Monday when I walked round to the recycling bins and managed to fall over. I know since my back has been bad, I haven't been picking up my feet properly, so I should have been taking more notice of where I was putting them! I soon picked myself up and apart from a small bruise on my knee there was no visible damage. However I banged my right elbow which agrivated an existing problem with the muscles in my upper arm and shoulder, so for a few days I couldn't do much at all. But hey-ho, with painkillers and muscle rub it is easing and I am almost fully functioning again. Chris says I shouldn't be allowed out on my own!

On Tuesday it was my Rudolph Day Challenge that I enter on the 25th of every month with  one or more Christmas cards. Fortunately I had made my cards well in advance this month so I was still able to contribute. I used one very simple die from a well-known Chinese outlet, and tried to use it in different ways, and here are the six cards I made.  I liked the simplicity of the image, and it proved to be quite versatile.

On Wednesday evening, Kim started barking and wouldn't stop, so we went out to investigate what he had found. As we had expected, having walked around the yard with torches, we finally found this little fellow curled up by the barbecue. It is probably the same one we found before, as we have never seen another one in the village. We gently lifted him up and put him in the green zone where he must live. It is too warm for them to hibernate properly this year so he was probably hunting for food and water. He may have discovered that there are several bowls of water in our yard.

The garden continues to give us lots of pleasure. My little ground cover daisy is covered in pretty mauve flowers again. We bought one small pot of it a few years ago and now there are bits of it all over the garden. As well as covering the ground, it also trails nicely and these are hanging from a window box. I love all the daisy-type flowers.

Apologies to those who follow me on Facebook as you will have already seem my roses, but they are so lovely, I just had to share them on here too.

This morning we went to Garrucha so that Chris could have an eye test and hopefully he will have his new glasses in a week's time. I then went to a little jewellers to have a new battery and strap fitted on my watch, and then, as it is a Bank Holiday, or a red day, here in Spain as well as in UK on Monday so all our shops will be closed, we stopped by the supermarket to pick up a few bits, so it was quite a sucessful outing.

Now I must return to my sewing machine as several items of clothing are waiting for alterations. I am not a bit like Annie. I do not enjoy sewing, but needs must ...

I will be linking up with Annie's Friday Smiles in the morning, so I'll see you all there.