Here we are at Thursday again already, and it seems to suit me as the time to write my blog for tomorrow, when we look for the silver linings, and those things that have made us smile and feel grateful during the past week.

It was a good week as it started with my birthday, (mine was on Sunday and Chris' just two days earlier on Friday), and although we do not make a big thing of these celebrations now, it was nice to have a little trip out together. We had intended to walk along the sea front but as it started out a bit of a grey day I suggested  a little drive instead to visit the new lighthouse at Mojacar. This only started operating last month, but I had read about it's construction and seen it from down on the coast. Google maps told us how to get there, and boy was the last bit a steep and narrow road! We decided afterwards that we were meant to park at the bottom of that bit and walk up, but there were no signs to tell us that, and I am not sure either of us would have made it! The drive was a bit hairy but Chris got us up there, and back down again safely. Although the web site said that the public viewing gallery was open all day, every day, it was in fact closed, but we were still able to walk onto the lower viewing area and the views were certainly worth going for.

It is a very strange building, and not one you would immediately recognise as a lighthouse, but the modern lines and angles, and lots of white paint, made it quite interesting. Despite the haze we could see right along the whole stretch of Mojacar Playa to the right, and across Garrucha port and on across Vera Playa to the left.

 

I have not used the panoramic setting on my current phone before so I had to have a go.

After the scary ride we decided we deserved a coffee break so when we got back onto the coast road, we stopped at Koi café again. This is our 3€'s worth I was telling you about last week.

Back at home I cooked us a nice steak dinner and finished off with one of the best cheesecakes I have made for a long while. (Chris not being a great one for deserts, and me needing to ration my intake, we have enjoyed it all week!).

A few observations from the garden this week. It is a sure sign that Autumn has arrived when the oranges on our neighbour's trees start to change colour.

Something has been having a good munch on our pink bougainvillia! I couldn't spot the culprit, but he either has a voracious appetite or he brings his family with him. It looks like this over most of the plant. I am guessing it is one of those big grasshoppers, but I can't be sure. In summer I would have said a hatching of caterpillars but it is a bit late in the year for them. Anyway I will leave him/them to enjoy it. It is all a part of the circle of life!

This morning we were up earlier than usual to let some workmen in, and when I opened up the back door I was struck by the light of the rising sun hitting the house next door. I love the way it is illuminating the porch. This photo doesn't do it justice but you get the idea.

Earlier in the week we had a phone call from the fire shop to say our new fire had arrived , a fortnight earlier than expected, and they would come to fit it today. So last night we cleared my photos and ornaments from the shelf above the fireplace and the cupboard next to it, and moved everything to the back of the shelves on the other side.

It didn't take them long to remove the old fire and make a hole in the chimney above it to fit the flu. They had warned us that this would be done and said they would repair the hole but we would have to repaint it. 

By lunch time the hole was filled in and the new fire was resting in the space for it. Now we are waiting for them to return around 5.00 with the fitting for the gas. Hopefully they will then put the artificial logs and coals into it, and fit the facia. 

And as promised they did come back and now the fire is installed. It threw out a lot of heat so it only stayed on long enough to grab a quick photo. We will be nice and cosy this winter.

Here as promised is the (I think) finished mural on the house across the road from us. To me it is very simplistic and the hill is an 'odd' shape. I would like to have seen a couple of small cacti growing in the sand of the slope. But it has been interesting to watch people passing by, stopping and have a good look at it, and sometimes discussing it with their friends. I don't know whether they like it or not, but it is a lot better than the big plain white wall was.

And finally a couple of nice skies I have spotted this week.

So time now to connect with Annie at a stitich in time.