Visit with Val Jones

This is the trolley I bought for Jane so that when she attends the open air markets she's not limited to what Jim can carry at any given time!!!!!!! You can see Val thinks it's a good idea.

Jane and Val catching up as we walk the boardwalk along the sea.

A rather unique looking plant at one of the houses on the board walk.

When we went to the Grand Design home Val made friends with the resident donkey.

As we were traveling over to the Grand Design home we came across the goat man in the field.  After the farmer has harvested a field the goat man comes in with his herd and they clean up the rest so then all the farmer has to do is till the soil and he is ready for his next crop.  How clever is that?  When you got out of the car all you could hear is munching.

We did spend a lot of time doing just this---visiting in the pool.

Miss Molly in serious training exercise with Jim.

Don't they look deep in thought?

This was a pretty view on the way home from visiting the Grand Design home.

This is Jim and I at the pool.  I think he is giving me another lesson on how to speak British.


It was so good to be able to spend time with Val Jones again.  She is a life long friend on Jane's and I first met Val on our trip to England. We three girls had a lot of fun and I'm so glad we were able to be together again. 

Grand Design house in Spain

 GRAND DESIGN HOUSE IN SPAIN
There is a BBC program called "Grand Design".  What they do is televise the building of a unique home whether it be it's location or it's design. The home featured below in on 7 acres with the incredible view you see below.  The roof on this house is poured concrete and very untraditional.
The entire front of the house is glass and with a view like this you can understand why.  As this young couple built this house they made many changes that were very costly and they got the house they love but they have had to come up with ways to earn money to pay for it. They run biking, horse back riding, and 4 wheeler tours.  They have a gift shop on the first floor of the house and a tea room outdoors for visitors.

The view says it all.

There were also a couple of these pigs on the property. 

A solar hot water system

They also have  on the property a couple of rental units.

There is a hot tub and two pools.

There are horses on the property and they take groups out horse back riding.  They also do biking tours and 4 wheeler trips.  I think they do all these things in an effort to pay for this home they built which went way over budget.

For those who come to visit the house there is a coffee and tea shop. Jim and Jane, lee and Val (Jane's good friend).

In the front of the house is a gift shop.

This was an area around the house they called the tea garden.

How's that for a view?

It was a really interesting morning to say the least.

Here we are talking to the owner of the house.  It's been 10 years now that they have been in the house.

Time with Jim and Jane and visit with Val Jones

Lee working on the hedges of the Rankin Manor.

The Rankin Manor hedges are all trimmed now.

Doesn't that look yummy?

These dancers really were excellent.

Flamingo dancers at the Rebate restaurant.

The meal ran 15 Euros each.  That included all the starters pictured above, the main course, and the desserts.  During dinner you are entertained by Flamingo dancers.

The Rebate restaurant where Jim, Jane, Lee and Judy celebrated the fact that we all made it through another birthday.

Rebate Restaurant

These are the beautiful grounds at the Rebate restaurant.

Signage at Rebate restaurant.

Jane's good friend Val Jones arrives.

Out for coffee with Jim and Val.

This is Adelle, she works with Jane on Friday.

Jane in the charity shop with Val at the counter.

Pads is the charity shop that Jane volunteers at. She works every Friday from 10-2/

They really are good at graffiti,

I love the bakeries here.

Everyday within a short driving distance from Jim and Jane is an open market.  Here's Val doing some serious shopping. What a fun way to shop.  The fresh produce is lovely and so inexpensive.  I wish we had these at home.

Each morning Lee and I take a walk around Jim and Jane's neighborhood.  It is beautiful!! We walk around and enjoy the different styles of houses and gardens and walk into the small village nearby or through the many trails in the nearby parks,

Jane and Val shopping in Torrevieja

We all spent a day at the beach.  Lee and I stayed till early evening and had a lovely dinner at a little restaurant on the beach.

Jim gazing down at the beach at Torrevieja,  Three weeks ago when we came here there were a handful of people on the beach.

Cormorant spotted on a trip to Torrevieja.

Molly and Val loving up

Val and Miss Molly playing games.

Jim teasing Jane, what else is new!!!

Miss Molly playing around the pool.