Waiting for the train

 

Street photography

We saw this little puddy cat there on the railway lines just as we were going into the Park of the Sea last Sunday. I couldn't resist taking a photo as it does look as if he is waiting for something. 

The extension of this park which was still under construction when I mentioned it in a previous post. It was inaugurated by the Mayor and other dignitaries last Sunday. We skipped the ceremony as we were not interested in the typical "waffle" that the right-wing spout off purely to promote their party.  I didn't take any photos of the new park area as it was packed with people and we can return another time. I was quite impressed with the size of this extension to the park.    

Coming out of the park we saw "puddy" cat was still there waiting and there were a few other cats hovering around too so we thought perhaps someone had been feeding them and that is who they were waiting for. 

Dear cat lovers, Just in case you were a little distressed thinking that "puddy" cat was in danger sitting there on the railway line. This is a disused railway line which was abandoned many years ago. 🐈

Part II.  Orihuela Cathedral

From the Door of Chains around the corner to the Door of Loreto...

 

also known as the Door of the Musicians...and in we go.

A powerful smell of incense and Holy Water welcomed me as I stepped over the inner door frame . Those smells bring back vivid memories of attending church with all the family when I was little; when mass was always in latin. 

I was just going to have a very quick look around but as I heard the priest say to some other tourists that they could take photos I thought well I'll stay awhile.  I was really surprised that taking photos were allowed because they usually tell you not to. 

The 18th century Baroque organ is just above the door I entered so I imagine that is why they also call it the Door of the Musicians.

Tiny chapel Altarpiece

 Central Altar. 

I couldn't go further in the priest was having a chat with someone there and they were queuing to speak to him so thought best not.

The chancel where the choir sits.    It was locked up so I managed to get a photo through these...

As always looking up!

and that is all I had time for as mass was about to start.

We will be returning to Orihuela for sure. I have just read that there is a Velazquez painting kept here in the Episcopal Palace Museum which we just walked past the other Sunday as we headed for the cathedral. 

I don't get to see a Velazquez very often unless one goes up to Madrid to the Prado Museum so it is a very good excuse to return to Orihuela.

Christmas Gift making

Is underway and earlier this year. I am determined nothing will arrive late either. 

For Starters:

Christmas Tree Cushion

10 inch x 16 inch.  

I had to buy some Christmas Green yarn for this as I had none left in my Stash but the pompom was made of sparkly white yarn oddments. I think I have told you before that it makes me feel really good being able to use up the oddments of yarn that accumulate over time.   Link to pattern here 

The cushion itself was a very quick make the tree decoration a bit finicky .

I used yarn with glitter for the Pom Pom and the red streamer but as usual you can't see that in the photo. There is no tree trunk in the pattern so I made that up myself. 

Happy Blogging

Amanda :-)

Cartoon Cat

 

There have been a few distractions this last weekend and a touch of heartache.   Daughter Nº1, after the dismal end of her own language school venture which she had to close down last March due to the pandemic, has been depending on online classes and English-Spanish translations to earn her way and also keep my grand-daughter in technical college to finish her studies. As a one-parent family as well and even though we help where possible it is a struggle.  

She is burning the midnight oil to think of innovative ideas to appeal to her pupils and students to make her English and Spanish online classes as enjoyable and motivating as possible and also to promote her classes.
The more fun they have the more they will learn and I so agree with that! There is nothing worse than a boring class and I as a teacher have to add there is nothing worse than a classful of bored pupils or students. The learning light will flicker and eventually dim altogether and then nobody learns anything!  

As Thomas Ra ( remember I posted about him here :-) is so popular with her young pupils/students ( he does sometimes sit right in front of the monitor when she gives classes so they have been introduced to him) she has recently been using her cat Thomas Ra as a subject in her classes,the children love to say hello to him and watch him grooming himself. 

She is at present inventing a cartoon about Thomas Ra and yesterday she sent me a couple of her first images that she will add to her cartoon layout

These are two of the shots from the cartoon she is creating:

 

 Pretty good I think considering she is learning how to use the cartoon app as she goes along.

Her online classes being online means she has been able to offer her classes to the national arena but surprise, surprise she has recently started Spanish classes with a Polish lady in Poland. This has given her the stimulus to open up and offer her online classes worldwide.  Now I know that this sounds like publicity and you are quite right if you are thinking that!  I am her mother and whatever I can do to help her and my grand-daughter to get back on their feet I will do!   I have never advertised on my blog posts and nor do I want to and this will be the only exception. She is of course advertising herself on different worldwide online tuition sites,some are free but others cost money which she cannot afford. Publicity is very expensive!   More than anything she needs to get the word out there worldwide, so as she has a social Facebook page for her classes and also uses it to promote her business I would kindly ask you if you could ( if you are on facebook) like the page (link below) and share it on your own Facebook page please.  

Thank you! I am sending you my thanks in advance whether you do as requested here or not....but also to thank you for reading this. I am not comfortable with this type of post but this situation my blogger friends has brought about drastic measures.

Free2talk OLT  facebook page

RAOCKs

 Crochet doodling again and using up some leftovers to make this ribbon yarn butterfly. 

Hook 3,5 Katia Tahiti ribbon yarn,pattern from Planet Penny . 

 

I doubt very much that I shall make another butterfly with this ribbon yarn. It was hard work😧

 RAOCKs  dropped off in the park last Friday.

 

 

 Keep well

     Amanda 🙂

Ra, an Egyptian God!

 

The Many Attitudes of a Cat!

 

 My grand-daughter Cookie (aka Rebecca) has a ginger cat who she says is the reincarnation of the Egyptian god,Ra! Officially his name is Tomas but he actually has a few pseudonyms as well, such as Sir Thomas,Thomas Ra. Pasha or The Whinger. 

 

He is a city lad and from the capital,Madrid. He was given to Cookie by his previous owners, friends of the family ,because they knew Cookie loved animals and Thomas needed a different type of home. In his Madrid home he liked to sneak into the neighbour's flat and sleep on his bed unfortunately the neighbour was allergic to cat hair so that caused a lot of friction with the neighbour. He also liked to go walkabout if anyone left the street door open and as they lived near busy roads with high levels of traffic it was very stressful for them because they were scared Tomas would get run over.  They thought he would be happier living in a smaller place like Torrellano.  Cookie of course was delighted and she loves him to bits!

He is a cat that demands a lot of attention and is very vocal if he does not get his food and cuddles on time. 

 

 

This chappie is really smart and has got the ladies (daughter and grand-daughter)in his home at his beck and call and should they upset him at anytime he leaves a little reminder outside of his litter box just to warn them he is not at all content!  

 

 

He knows the neighbours very well; the ones who like cats the ones who don't and the one who has a big bad dog. Every morning he insists on being allowed out to patrol his kingdom. He patrols from the 4th floor down to the lobby checking if there are any new smells,anything not quite right and accepting graciously an endearing word from the nice neighbours but avoiding or ignoring the uncivilised ones.  Sometimes, as he lives on the 4th floor, he pops up to the roof terrace and may have a snooze in the sun,check the weather and that there have been no intruders sneaking into his territory.  However,recently he has been a little wary about going to the roof terrace as it seems there was some sort of incident with a seagull ! 

 

He detests Cookie's tortoise "Lunita" (little Moon) because he doesn't like Cookie picking Lunita up or paying any attention to the tortoise at all.  

 

 

When Lunita was very small Tomas decided that Lunita was just a waste of space and didn't fit in his home so he thought he 'd have Lunita for tapas. Luckily Cookie grabbed him by the tail and shook him so much that he dropped his titbit and ran. After sulking somewhat at the shocking treatment he had received he gracefully accepted that she could stay after all.

 

Don't speak to me stance!

  They are still not buddies even now that Lunita has grown quite a bit and has a harder shell. Although he does try to be social towards her by offering a helpful pat now and again when Lunita is taking her slow daily constitutional along the hallway.

 

 This is his "don't you think for a minute you are going to watch TV until I have had a decent cuddle and you've scratched under my chin vigorously " posture.

 

He does like to offer a helping hand to the the teacher lady who gives online classes but isn't too happy when he isn't allowed to parade in front of the monitor so the young 'uns can see what a beautiful boy he is.

 

Life can be so stressful at times so he takes a little quality time for himself and watches some of the TV series, particularly the romantic ones.

 

🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈

 

Unfortunately I can't show you my recent  RAOCK make because I haven't quite finished it.  

Having to deal with the preparation for the April Tax declaration is taking up a lot of my time at present. I do like to get all the documents together well in advance so I do not have to deal with any surprises at the very last minute.

 

 

 

Have a good week and stay safe

 

Amanda :-)