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    Monday!

    It was an afternoon out with friends yesterday. Darrell went into Santa Pola with Chloe, to pay the road tax, on the car. Like most things in Spain, the process isn't easy; taking Chloe would at least make communicating easier. Chloe has lived in Spain twelve years and can speak perfect Spanish.  As it happened, the office was closed when they got there, so they will have to go back, sometime this week!

    While Darrell and Chloe were in Santa Pola, I planted myself at Zest, having a few drinks in the scorching sun. It was great to have a chat, with Gran Alacant's resident Socialists; talking about election results, back home in the UK. I  love discussing politics and am always up for a chat; reminding me of discussions around the dinner table, when I was a kid, at home in the 1980s!

    Denise and Richard also turned up in the square; haven't seen these two in quite a while, so we had lots to talk about. Chloe and Darrell returned and we continued to chat the afternoon away, all of us ending up a bit squiffy by the end.

    We left about six O'clock, heading to 'the strip,' where we had a fantastic dinner at Tutti's, a place I haven't eaten at before. The French gourmet burger, with blue cheese, was amazing. I don't usually eat such things, but certainly will again, in Tuttis at least.
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    Click on photo, to take you to Tutti's facebook page!

    Finally it was on to La Piedra for drinks with more friends. I haven't spent a lot of time at La Piedra in the past, which was actually a mistake. The more I go there, the more I am enjoying myself. After the hard time we have both had recently, it has been nice, spending time with people, who understand, just what we have gone through. It isn't until you actually talk to others, that you truly begin to realise, you weren't the only ones suffering.
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    Veracity & Inaccuracy!

    James B Comey, former f.b.i. director, bluntly raises the possibility of trump obstruction and condemns his lies!

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    I was reading an article on the former F.B.I. Director, James Comey yesterday, accusing the President of the United States, of lying about him. It is a sad fact of life, that Donald Trump is a liar, speaks off the cuff and bases truth on speculation and conjecture. I have seen and heard the lies, all over the internet, it is in plain site, for all of us the analyse. It just so happens, I've had more time on my hands, than others to do just that, so recognise just what is going on here. People like the President, use their power and influence, to ride rough shod, over others, to get where they want to be. He is a known sociopath, treats others with disdain and disrespect and in my humble opinion, isn't fit to be President. Strong words to describe a man, whose own downfull will be brought about by his inability to distinguish between veracity and inaccuracy. Significantly, he truly believes what he says is correct, refusing to acknowledge he is wrong. This is a dangerous flaw in his character, one all of us should be concerned about. This is not unique to the President, there are many other people, from all walks of life, who share this shortcoming; all of us need to be aware of them!

    Why the hell do people have to lie?  After my experience with a sociopath, I made a promise to myself, that I would never again believe what other people tell me. Yes, when you are confronted by sociopathy, it really does change your whole outlook on life. One has to remember, I spent the year, before arriving in Spain, dealing with lies and constant unabated untruths, so I am well versed in the words of a story teller.

    Moving to Spain was a new start for me, but I understood I could come up against the same problems, I left behind in the UK. Sociopathy is not unique to Britain; it is a personality defect that exists everywhere, lying being just a small part of it. The difficulties I went through, have helped me restart my life in a foreign country. I am totally aware of unwanted signs, singling out people who are not worthy of my time. I can detect falsehoods a mile off and will no longer hang around listening to Bull Sh*t.

    Most people deceive for stupid reasons; to make themselves look better in a group of people; to avoid consequences, for something minor; or refusing to acknowledge an issue, they would rather not deal with. There are endless reasons, why people are economical with the truth; I have seen them all and even told lies myself, in the past, as we all do from time to time.

    The biggest regret for me today, is not being able to take people at face value; trusting what they say; believing their platitudes. Due to my experiences, I start judging, immediately I meet someone new. This is something I have to do. for my own protection; to prevent a recurrence of what transpired in the past. There is a big difference today however, I know what I am looking for and am able to walk away.

    During my life time, in the main, I have crossed paths with decent people. Like everyone, I have come across some less savoury characters, distancing myself from them. In some cases it has been necessary to cut people off completely, in order to move forward with ones life successfully. Doing this is painful, old memories resurface and as a person, I become far more inward looking, taking  solace in my own company, where I don't have to listen to others dishonesty.

    When faced with a story teller, look out for the signs of fabrication, misrepresentation, distortion and evasion. Body language is key, not being able to look you in the eye, whilst lying to you; fidgeting and squirming in the face of confrontation and contradiction  in the stories they peddle. All of these traits, I look for, on a regular basis; it is something I do as a matter of course these days; it does seem to work.

    I have been about for 46 years and am constantly readjusting my outlook on life, surrounding myself with those, I believe are honest and true. There are plenty of people like that; one doesn't have to settle for second best. If you are suspicious of anyone, you believe to be toxic, makes you feel down and depressed, whose lies are distinct and obvious, then you have a duty to remove them from your life. Hard choices and anguish now, will be worth it, in the future. Say goodbye to Liars, others will see them for who they are eventually, hold your head high, keep your dignity, remain composed and always remember you did the right thing!
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  • Published on

    Housewife!

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    I've had a busy day today; cooking since 11am this morning, preparing food for the freezer; yes it's that time of the month again.

    I am still cooking in bulk, from scratch and filling the freezer up with food. I am very economically aware these days and very frugal with all my cooking.  I tend to buy all my provisions, once every few weeks; because food tends to go off quicker here. With shorter dates on products, I spend one or two days, cooking everything for the month ahead. It works well for me. I spent 80,00€ in Lidl last week and the items I brought, will last me for a month, for two of us; not bad going eah!
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    I have also been cooking some meals up for the freezer. Today I have made Spicy Paprika Pork, which really is a Goulash dish. I haven't used beef, due to the expense, so brought a joint of pork from Lidl, which cost me about 4,30€. I always source cheaper alternatives when I can; Lidl is a great place to shop for bargains!

    I began by cutting  the joint into bite size squares. Whatever you do, make sure you wash your hands, after handling meat. I have, on one rare occasion, been poisoned, after accidentally licking a finger, whilst handling pork, needless to say, it never happened again!
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    Once diced, I marinaded the pork for three hours, in red wine, garlic, soy sauce, herbs and onions. i always tend to marinade meat, before cooking, due to the extra flavour. 

    I brought a two litre bottle of red wine from my local supermarket UNIDE, for about 3,00€, Bodega Santa Cruz. I prefer using this for cooking. Personally I  always drink a better wine, but also have a glass or two of this if I run out of premium Rioja, which is quite often to be honest. 
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    While the pork was marinating, I got on and done other things. I finished off the roast potatoes and dragged out my hoard of Marmite jars. I am still making my own stock, from the Marmite left in each jar, after use. Marmite is great for cooking. It makes any sauce that much richer and when you are a fan of the black stuff like me, you get through a lot of jars, to make stock from. Today I got about two litres of stock from eight small jars.
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    Once the pork had been marinaded, I coated the pieces in flour before browning in a pan. 

    To be honest I have never been sure why I do this, it was something I was always taught to do. I believe, coating the meat in flour, not only makes the meat browner, but the flour also thickens the sauce when you add it to the browned meat. Someone else may know different, please let me know. It is odd, how we continue to do things we were taught by our Mothers or at school, without really knowing why!
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    ​Now, with Goulash, you wouldn't normally use root vegetables, so you couldn't call it as such, but fingers crossed it will turn out alright; it certainly was spicy when I tasted it earlier.
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    ​Finally finished cooking; it's been a long day. Dinner tasted bloody lovely, even if I do say so myself. Time now to relax for the rest of the evening!
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    Interview With Patty Scull from 'That Cat Blog!'

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    In 'The Luke Martin Jones Interview,' today, I was able to interview Patty Scull, from 'That Cat Blog,' a great read, if like me, you love cats.

    Patty has channeled her cat obsession, into writing across the internet and in various magazines and publications.

    'That Cat Blog,' highlights cat related stories in the news and popular culture and is a must read on your blogging list.  One of my favourite sections is 'interviews with cats,' a charming and insightful look at life, from a cats point of view. Patty has included pictures and photo's, reviews on cat products, giveaways and interesting and enlightening information for the avid reader. 'That Cat Blog,' is a truly innovative blog and online magazine.  I have learned much from Patty's writing and knowledge, as I know you will.
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    As readers to my blog 'Spanish Views' know, I had two cats when I arrived in Spain in January 2016, Precious and Lily. Sadly Precious died about three months ago. At the time I took great solace in cat blogs and websites, like the one produced by Patty. The internet is a great tool, if used in the right way. Patty's blog remains a great source of entertainment and help for me. Take a look yourselves!
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    Can you tell me you name and age please Patty? Also can you tell my readers, a little about yourself and your life in New York?

    My name is Patty Scull, I am a 30-something living in Brooklyn, NY. My day job is as an event coordinator so I do a lot of weddings and corporate events. I moved to NYC almost ten years ago, from the coast of North Carolina. It was definitely culture-shock to go from rural NC to one of the craziest cities in the world! I enjoy going out to restaurants and bars, seeing plays and movies, concerts, and hanging out with my cat Thomas.

    What made you decide to start blogging? How long have you been blogging for?

    I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. After college, I wrote a column in a local newspaper, and when I moved to New York I started writing for a blog called Short & Sweet NYC where I wrote album reviews, concert reviews, covered local events and the like. From there I continued writing for blogs such as Brooklyn Vegan and Broke Ass Stuart, and had my work published in a few literary journals. At a certain point I got burned out and thought about all the content I was creating for other people and asked myself, "Why am I not doing this for myself?" Eventually, That Cat Blog was born! It's a perfect merging of my love of writing and my love of cats.

    How has blogging changed your life?

    When I think of blogging, I usually think of it as more of a solitary effort but surprisingly, I've met a lot of really great people through my blog - some who live in NYC and have become friends of mine. I have an entrepreneurial spirit so I like that through blogging, I am creating content that is mine, and I like that I'm contributing my voice to the conversation in the pet space. 

    Where does your interest in cat’s come from?

    I think my first cat love was probably Hello Kitty. In middle school, I had the pencil case, the notepads, the purses, the t-shirts, the stuffed animal, the erasers - if it had Hello Kitty on it, I had it (or wanted it). At one point, someone gifted me a Hello Kitty bedspread. Then in recent years, more and more, I noticed that anytime someone would post a link on my Facebook page, 95% of it was about cats. Everyone already knew me as a total cat lady, so I embraced it and decided to start my blog. 

    Patty, how many cat’s do you have of your own? Can you tell me a bit about them?

    I have one cat of my own, and his name is Thomas. I adopted him through Anjellicle Cats rescue in New York City. He's about two and a half, and his adoption papers say that he was found in a park in Harlem. He is a silly guy, but overall a great kitty companion. 

    I have always been a lover of cats. Sadly a few months ago, I lost my Cat Precious, who had been with my partner and I for twelve years. What advice would you give someone, who has just lost their beloved pet? 
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    I'm so sorry to hear that. It's always tough losing a pet. I'm no authority on it, but I would say to take the time to grieve. A pet really is a part of the family. Maybe when you're ready, have something done in his or her honor such as a custom portrait, or a Cuddle Clone, or even a tattoo. 

    We still have one cat left, would you advise getting a new companion for her? We are obviously reluctant, due to the pain involved in losing a member of the family. Will a cat adapt to the loss, after spending such a long time, with a companion?

    Don't get a new cat to "replace" your old cat. Take the time to grieve and honor her memory. Then when you're feeling ready, reassess getting another animal. Your remaining cat may well want another companion! A good way to test this out if you're not sure, is to try fostering. Speak with your local shelter and talk to them about your situation. They start you off with one cat to foster, or even kittens. Who knows - your cat may enjoy having some young, fresh energy around!

    Do you have a favourite cat story? One that warms your heart!

    One of my favorites is the story of my former job's "office cat" Rose. Rose was a cross-eyed, grey tuxedo cat who was found wandering around a construction site as a kitten. The office manager took her to live at the contracting office and she lived there for her whole life - she ended up making it to 22 years old and was the sweetest cat ever. 

    Finally, can you tell readers, to my blog, ‘Spanish Views’, a little bit about your blog. ‘That Cat Blog!’

    That Cat Blog covers mostly cats in the news and pop culture, and sometimes my cat Thomas does a guest post. When we have products to review, Thomas likes to give his two cents on those. We cover things like: cat cafes, cat-related holidays, weird cat news, etc. We are not a cat health website (there are tons of great blogs that cover cat health - we're just not one of them!) Come to That Cat Blog if you like hearing about the latest trends in cat clothing, hero cats, and cat pop culture. We also have a very popular series called "Interviews With Cats" where we "talk" to a different cat each week and they tell us about their lives. 

    Thank you for thinking of me for your interview-I hope your readers enjoy it!
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  • Published on

    Election Disaster - Crisis in Westminster!

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    What a terrible election disaster for Britain, yesterday. Theresa May, called a General Election, believing she would win a resounding victory, giving her the mandate she needed to carry through, strong, decisive Brexit negotiations with Europe. Well, as we now know, her gamble spectacularly failed. We are  in a position, where Theresa May has lost her House of Commons majority; in percentage terms, the Conservative party won 44% of the vote, closely followed by Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party, on an incredible 41%, a figure, that has handed victory to previous Governments in the past.

    Theresa May has now embraced the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), as working partners; no formal arrangement has  been made, although may happen in the future. With one seat to be declared, in Kensington, it looks like the Conservative Party will have 319 seats, 7 short of the 326 needed to form a Government. The DUP has won 10 seats; with their support, there will be enough seats to push Mrs May through the winning post, just!

    Coalition Governments are not a problem, on the surface. Clearly the public voted in such a way, that they wanted parties to work together, in the national interest. No bad thing, under the circumstances, Britain finds itself in, at a time of national crisis. There is however a problem here. Theresa called this election, to cement a mandate for negotiations in Brussels. She is now weaker than ever, and would have a difficult time thrashing out the best deal for Britain. Her strong 'Hard Brexit' wish, is now well and truly over. Her new partners, the DUP, want a softer outcome; her manifesto looks to be in jeopardy. The DUP itself, are in my view, extremist; they have links with Irish terrorists; they are homophobic, anti gay marriage and anti abortion. These are not the sort of people, Theresa May should jump into bed with too quickly.

    I am personally no fan of Jeremy Corbyn. His left wing socialist views are too extreme for me and I believe he would have thrown Britain into further economic decline. Having said that, he fought a brilliant campaign, which engaged the electorate, especially the young, who want to see real change. They got out and voted for him in their millions. Jeremy Corbyn's position, as leader of the Labour Party looks to be secure; even those from his own party,  who critisised him in the past, are rallying behind him. This man could be our next Prime minister, if, as I believe will happen, the United Kingdom is thrown into a second election, probably in October, as any deal done, between the Tories and DUP collapses.

    So what now? It is time for Theresa May to go. She is damaged, beyond repair and should do the honourable thing. The only reason she secured the number of seats she did, is because of the collapse in the SNP vote in Scotland, allowing Scottish Conservatives, to win an extra 12 seats in the Country. Her credibility, terrible campaign, where she came across as robotic and arrogant and her inability to get her message across, has made her a lame duck Prime minister; not great when you are heading into Brexit dialogue, She may well be kept in power by the DUP, but this will only last in the short term. All political arrangements collapse unceremoniously in the end. She will be forced to call an election eventually.

    Theresa May needs to resign and let someone, far more able, less divisive and genuinely popular, take over as Prime minister. My fear is, it will not happen and my Country of birth is in for a turbulent time, once again, which may, just may, rub off on those of us, who live in Spain. Today is not a great day; this is the worst possible outcome and changes need to be made, quickly, so stability can return, once again to Britain as we begin talks with the EU!
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