#because in the story in my head they live in malaga

[wolfavens]

wip of niamh & marco's tartosa forever home

[helenarasmussen87]

Writing Asks

This the post where I know no one is going to ask me anyway.

1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

Something that is like a “Oh hey, what happens if we do THIS!” and go from there. Usually ends up having loads of emotions, comfort, angst, introspection, loads of kitchen sink dialogues, not too much action. Families, happy endings.

2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

Fluffy stuff and humourous stuff. I am a little too serious for either one and my humour is drier than the desert and very odd. So no.

3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

Teacher and Student relationships. Necrophilia, abuse of all sorts, underage. Just not my thing. I’ve gotten unable to stomach a lot of grimdark and super dark stuff as I get older so I won’t write it. But go ahead if that’s your thing.

4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

Two, since I can’t have more than two on the burner. Learned THAT early on and they’re Terror AU’s One is a fixit, but with health complications and angst. The other is a Modern Day AU which has two professors falling in love after one gets injured and the other worked as an EMT and helps to take care of him and they fall in love.

5. Share one of your strengths.

I can offer insights on what flows and what doesn’t. I can also happily shred my own drafts if they don’t work. 

6. Share one of your weaknesses.

Action. I work at it, but it’s not my favourite. Or war writing. 

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

“Danny had to turn his head away to hide his smile, because he knew that it was a legitimate concern for Jose. Most of the time, he had jumped into bed with his partners first and then did the mating dance. 

Although extremely smart in other aspects, dating and social interactions were always a bit skewed, because he was always second-guessing himself and nervous as hell.

“That’s actually how things work out in these situations. At least it did for me and my ex and for me and Claude.” Danny explained calmly, making Jose nod and take another pull of his slurpee.

“So what do I do? Like is there a time when I bring up the possibility of us sleeping together?” Jose asked, the words slightly mumbled as he chewed on the straw.

“You don’t bring it up. You’ll just know when the time is right for it to happen. Sex isn’t what a relationship should be built on. Yes, it’s nice and it’s part of it, but it’s not the end all to be all. Trust me on this. It will happen if it’s meant to happen.” Danny explained, hoping that he had put it all in the plainest and simplest terms he could for his friend.

I am proud of this because it was majorly borrowing from life and I can see the difference from earlier writing. 

8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

“Sergio laughed shortly. “I’ve already done enough of that, and look at where it’s gotten you. Yeah, legally I hold claim over you. I could make the club buy out your contract and sit at home all day, having litter after litter.”

Iker’s blood froze at that and he turned to look at Sergio to see if he really meant it, but Sergio’s face gave nothing away.

“Or I could sign your rights to the club and let them sell you wherever or to whomever. Take you out of Spain, or sell you to Getafe or Malaga. All of these things I could do. The club actually did bring it up at that meeting you didn’t show up for.”

Iker blinked, his hands going numb as Sergio’s wickedly honed words hit home.

“I’m not telling you this to hurt you. Or make you feel indebted. I’m telling this to you because you’re this close to losing your spot and that’s the last thing I want for you. But there’s only so much I can do for you.”

He sighed and looked at Iker dead in the eyes.

“I miss him too, Iker. I miss Antonio every fucking day. And I miss you.”

Iker swallowed hard as Sergio abruptly turned and left, slamming the front door and freeing him from the command so suddenly that Iker fell onto the couch and curled up in it.

He had no energy to do anything else. Not when he was all too aware he’d fucked up and fucked up big and needed to fix it.

Borrowed from life again and it was more of a dialogue that needed to be had when you finally realize how much you fucked up and how much you need to stop coasting and make it right. 

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

ALL OF THEM! Kidding. I want to say the one I’m working on right now. I was lucky enough I got a ton of help fleshing it out. I can see the end of the 1st chapter and I am having a hell of a time writing Goodsir’s chunk. He’s turned out more emo and romantic than I was expecting. 

10. Which fic has been the easiest to write?

The QuiObi prompts for the prompt week. Took me like two hours to knock them off and post. 

11. Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

Its a passion and a hobby. It helped me through a lot of rough patches and keeps me sane. 

12. Is there an episode above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

Mostly music or a change in life. I tend to write when everything is in flux with me.

13. What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Just write. Worry about editing later. Once you have something on the paper, fixing it up becomes easier. 

14. What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Edit as you write. You don’t get anything done.

15. If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

Oooh. I think it’s a toss up between my Qui-Gon/Jango fic in a pastoral setting where they have put their pasts behind and are farmers on Concord Dawn. Or the Werewolf fic I wrote during my RPF phase.

16. If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?

Bloody hard. I would have to say Fitzier (Commander Fitzjames/Captain Crozier)

17. Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

Depends. Sometimes I go straight from beginning to end and sometimes I end up writing the middle and not figuring it out until later.

18. Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?

Outlines. I have notebooks I jot down point form notes about the characters and the plot.

18. Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?

Mine is a librarian or an alchemist trying to figure out answers and how things fit in.

19. Describe your perfect writing conditions.

A good playlist. Alone, in my room.

20. How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

I revise it along the way when I sit down to write. Then before I post, I give it a once over to make sure it flows and makes sense. 

21. Choose a passage from one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style. (Person sending the ask is free to make suggestions).

All my old fics are honestly gone so I’m skipping this one. 

22. If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why?

Honestly? The Duo and Heero one I wrote about them being in an abusive relationship where they split up, then got back together again. I was again writing from life, and I have seen couples who did overcome it, but looking back, I think I should have written it that they separated and went their own ways. 

Keep in mind I was very young when I wrote this, and I was in an abusive relationship myself and didn’t realise it at the time. He hit me once, apologised and never did it again. But he did end up manipulating me, gaslighting me, and emotionally abusing me until I finally had enough and left. 

23. Have you ever deleted one of your published fics?

Yes. Loads of them due to me not wanting to finish them. Or the hosting sites going under. 

24. What do you look for in a beta?

Someone who is honest, someone who knows the way I write, and has suggestions to fix those said things. But someone who is themselves is the best. Because they know what they want. Same here. 

25. Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind of beta are you?

I do, simply due to lack of steady betas. Flow and story telling, but I also look for syntax and formatting as well as grammar. I will miss typos, so I run spell-check too. I mostly use a mental rubric. Teacher training.

26. How do you feel about collaborations?

I haven’t had a successful one due to the second person always deciding that they can’t follow through or up and disappearing. So I don’t do them.

27. Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Oh my God! I read so much and so many different people that I can’t pinpoint three. I usually end up reading a fic or two, so I can’t say why I read the author.

28. If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

I haven’t done that. I do admit to having inspired by fics. I wouldn’t ever presume to do that. It just feels like a snub.

29. Do you accept prompts?

Not really. I can’t tailor write stuff consistently. 

30. Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?

Oh always! I end up liking the characters that somehow never make it until the end. And in the Terror, unless you want to write angst all the time, you HAVE to ignore canon. And I mean BOTH the book and the show, since the book is nasty. The show is amazing, but oh my god is it depressing.

31. How do you feel about smut?

Yes damned please!

32. How do you feel about crack?

Depends on how well it’s done. Sometimes it is needed. Sometimes it’s like “Why?”

33. What are your thoughts on non-con and dub-con?

A bit tricky. I don’t mind non-con, but it has to be handled well. Dub-con, especially in A/B/O happens within context and it is usually dealt with. So I can tolerate that more than the first. Outright abuse, no.

34. Would you ever kill off a canon character?

Yes. Not often thought. But yes. I usually try and keep as many alive as I can though.

35. Which is your favorite site to post fic?

AO3, its a wild place and I love it for that reason.

36. Talk about your current wips.

It’s an AU where two professors that live in the same building and work in different faculties get thrown together and start to get to know each other. Due to circumstance, one gets injured and the other kind of volunteers to help take care of him, where they fall in love. The others in the vicinity do also. There’s Canadian shenanigans and baking. 

37. Talk about a review that made your day.

That they really liked how I wrote Frank Randall and would like to see more with his son, an OC I created for the story.

38. Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?

I either delete, or give a generic reply and leave it. I’ve got stuff to do.

40. Write an alternative ending to [insert fic title] (or just the summary of one).

Nope. It just doesn’t work for me.

*somewhere I fucked up on the number but here you are*

Whoever wants to do this.

[kateemmerson]

Musings of a Café Writer living #LocationFree

Living #LocationFree for the past 5 years is often met with wide eyes, scrunched up noses, and some weird questions. I know it might sound like nothing more than terrifyingly homeless mixed with exhilaratingly glamour-filled champagne parties on yachts, Instagram style.

It honestly falls somewhere smack between these two extremes.

While it may be very real that digital nomads (aka global nomads, remote workers, location free, etc.) might not have one permanent base to call “home,” we are certainly not “homeless.” We have a gazillion ways we each live into this lifestyle, and we can pretty much make it up as we go along – if we don’t like somewhere, we can move on to more suitable spaces, cities, countries (Covid and visa/passport reliant of course). Plus, folk living this lifestyle are not doing so because they have zero responsibilities, no partners, kids, animals, etc. – we are all working and contributing to society in some format. We have just figured out the best way to earn the required dollars en route – whether working remotely for a company, working in the digital online space, working in the country they are in, running global companies, have property investments, Bitcoin, or business investors – any type of work is possible, to be honest! The worklist is as varied as your creative brain allows … with the added benefit of freedom from a location. Of course, we sleep in beds too! Whether in fancy hotels, rented homes, snazzy apartments, Airbnb options, co-living, house-sitting, or any combo of the above. What binds us together as a tribe is that we are not bound to one location for work or life. There is a sense of freedom, mobility, choice, and possibility!

Possibility of options, countries, cultures, environments, lifestyle, etc

Right now, I’m chilling in a quaint café on the prom of Portobello (see pic taken at Miros <<<) with the quieter than usual buzz and banter as “we-are-in-weird-lockdown-life-but-still-allowed-out” vibe. I’ll soon be self-isolating again before I make my way to my mum in the UK for Christmas, so I am making the most of a little thrill of being outdoors at Edinburgh’s Seaside. There is a delicious light shimmering off the sea and bouncing off the clouds, reflecting the changes in the sun as we edge towards winter solstice. After 7 years of spending most of my time in summer or what travel agents refer to as shoulder seasons, I am fondly referring to my current city of choice as Edinburrrrrrr.

Remember my cold water swimming escapades on Iona that I shared earlier this year? I will manage one more cold dip this month, which means I will have been cold water immersing for 6 whole months! I didn’t even know that I wanted to try it before starting my significant retreat and detox process on Iona. I’m still in a bikini with no warm booties, gloves, or wetsuits like many swimmers – just keeping it real and semi mad. Even if my swims are super short -they still count as a cold water blitz of energy and immune-boosting habit!

  This week, I launched my fifth book, and I feel like a kid in a Christmas Santa store, to be honest. It’s some insights, sharing, and tips from living the last 5 years #LocationFree. I also interviewed 16 other souls (between 40 and 60 years of age) living in similar ways to me. It’s a super exciting collection of tips snd stories for anyone who is intrigued about the possibility of downsizing, packing up, and living and working globally.

One of my all-time favourite things to do when I travel is sitting in a café or restaurant on a beach somewhere – from Malaga to San Fran, Cape Town to Skala Eressos. I simply need my laptop and a strong coffee or a fab glass of vino, depending on the time of day. And always water – and usually a kitty somewhere close by. I seem to attract them and consider myself a bit of a cat-whisperer. Did you spot the content kitty on my book cover?

There is an element of pure delight that is elicited when I can look up from my computer and see water – waves, sand, pebbles, sheep munching seaweed (yes 100% on Iona!), people laughing, kids playing, folk squealing in the waves and that heady aroma of sun, sand, sea, and sun-lotion. Or the smell of rain mixed into it more often than not, here in Edinburrrrr.

I find myself in this glorious city for most of winter 2020, exploring somewhere North. I am still officially #LocationFree and will be for the foreseeable future. I was only planning to be location free for one year, to figure out what country I wanted to live in, but it turns out it’s been too much fun, and here I am five years later.

Ooooh, the cafes you will find when not in your hometown. From dingy and downright skanky, to glamorous, elegant, and exotic; to simple family-run salt of the earth to trendy hipster vibes with a gazillion delicious choices; or the simple paired back local café that only serves one type of coffee and eggs – just the way you like them: the smells, the chalkboards, the conversations, and the locals. The cakes and the decadent treats made with love – from the latest LA trend to grandma’s secret pistachio and rose water recipe. A café is always filled with possibility – and is still the first place I seek out to feel like a “local” in a new spot. It’s one of my “settling-in” hacks I share in my book “10 Lessons for Living #locationFree

So I find myself with a big grin on my chops as I own the fact that I am a café writer. It can be a table on a busy cobbled street, a hotel lobby with glorious views of the pool, a tiny spot perched precariously on a hill, or my all-time favourite, seaside café!. Anywhere in the world, this will put always put a smile on my face.

If there is some Latin Salsa or Bachata music drifting out of the speakers even better, offering the quiet promise of a party as day turns to night….that will always make me type faster and get through my workload ready to pop on my salsa shoes and have a whirl on the floor.

I don’t even need earphones, really –in fact, my ears always get sore trying to wear earphones, no matter the brand or style! I usually welcome the buzz around me and find ways to switch off when I need to focus.

I have amassed a few “offices’ around the world that I have stamped my name on. To this day, there is one table at Gialos on Skala Eressos where we run writing retreats, which is known as Kate’s office. Although I didn’t get to work there in 2020, I know it is waiting patiently for me 2021. I am usually sitting at my “desk” by 6 am before the rest of the sleeping Greek village stirs. While the restaurant is still being cleaned and set up for the day – George will even stop his daily prep to bring me a double greek Coffee. Or as we order there – ena diplo hellenico para kalor!

PIC: This one below taken at my “office” Gialos in Skala Eressos when the world cup was on (and my Argentinean partner at the time was in Russia supporting his team) 

It’s always about the views, to be honest. I find vistas open up my creativity and thinking. Sea trumps everything for me – being able to sit outside and feel the sunshine and breeze is high on my list of needs. When not working, I also love to be a fly on the wall, simply watching people. I can make up stories in my head ad Infinitum. Travelling a lot on my own, I also love to smile and then connect, laugh, and chat with total strangers. It’s bizarrely natural for me to make random comments and speak to people I walk past or sit next to. I will always talk to cats and dogs and stop owners for a cuddle of their four-paws if allowed. I guess that’s why I have found it relatively easy to be location free. What’s the point in staying separate and cut off from others– even when communicating from behind a mask nowadays, we can still connect energetically and with a twinkle in our eyes.

  PIC – The awesome Malaga crew where I pulled together a writing group and started my book 10 Lessons for Living #locationFree exactly one year ago!! Note the lovely views right on the sea! 

Wi-Fi is surprisingly not always high on my agenda, as I prefer working offline with fewer distractions when in writing/blogging mode. In fact, I will often choose cafes that do NOT have Wi-Fi – especially if I am running a writing group – as that just distracts everyone.

My challenge to you today is to visit a local café and watch the world unfold around you! Make it an adventure if you haven’t done it for a while. Take your laptop, a great book, or your journal to pen some thoughts. Let me know what you find on your café outing – I’d love to hear what great conversations you engage in or inspired ideas you come up with when sitting with a different view.

A dear friend just sent me this on Whatsapp this morning – so I will do my level best to simply keep on writing from my heart wherever I am. I just have to. What about you?

“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate, and the governor is out of the country, and there’s no chance for a pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest, darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that we’re not alone. Write like you have a message from the king. Or don’t. Who knows, maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to.” Alan W Watts

WANT SOME INSPIRATION ABOUT POSSIBILITY? GRAB MY BRAND NEW BOOK  10 Lessons for Living #LocationFree 

Do you wish you had the courage to follow your dream, to quench your wanderlust? To downsize, pack light and explore the world while still working? Do you honestly think others are able do it because they’re younger, richer, are single and have fewer responsibilities, with no kids to tag along?

Wrong. That’s simply not true. This book will show you that it’s possible no matter what your age! Do you really want to play it safe just because you’re no longer in your twenties, waiting on tables as you backpack around the world?

Musings of a Café Writer living #LocationFree was originally published on Kate Emmerson - The Quick Shift Deva

[c00lmint8123-blog]

Hiking in Spain

David Brodosi

If you’re looking for a top choice for a hiking and trekking holiday, you can’t do better than Spain, with its varied landscapes, many mountain ranges, coastal routes, and well-marked trails. From the famous Camino de Santiago to the Picos de Europa National Park and the Vías Verdes, covering old disused railway lines across the country, there’s something for everyone.

Ruta del Cares, Picos de Europa

One of the most popular and most beautiful routes in the Picos de Europa National Park, the Ruta del Cares runs for approximately 12 kilometers, from Poncebos in Asturias to Caín in León. Known as ‘The Divine Gorge’, the trail is carved out of the side of the rocks and traverses bridges and streams.

David Brodosi

Ruta del Cares©GabrielGonzález https://www.flickr.com/photos/gaby1/27417146834

Peñalara

One of the best places for hiking near the capital of Madrid, the Peñalaralies in the Sierra de Guadarrama, near to the province of Guadalajara. The hike takes around 3 1/2 hours for a roundtrip, and the route takes you through the Parque Natural de Peñalara, where you can spot many different types of reptiles.

Camino de Santiago

The most famous Spanish walking route is of Course the Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James. A series of ancient pilgrim routes, the trail starts in few different places along the French border and ends up at Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. One of the oldest routes starts at the town of Ovideo in Asturias, but the most popular trail starts at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, just across into France. There is also another path, the Cami Catala, which starts at Montserrat monastery, or in Barcelona, and joins up with the Camino de Santiago to finish up at the in the same place.

Cumbre Vieja, La Palma

The Cumbre Vieja is a volcanic ridge located on the island of La Palma, part of the Canary Islands. Running from north to south, it is approximately 150 kilometers and would take around eight to ten days to complete. If you don’t want to walk the whole thing however, you could opt between two shorter walks – the Ruta de la Cresteria, around the rim of the Caldeira de Taburiente – a collapsed volcano, or the Route of the Volcanoes in the south of island, snaking its way around ancient craters and Martian-like volcanic landscapes.

Caminito del Rey, Malaga

Once named one of the most dangerous hikes in the world, because of its missing sections of pathway and sheer cliffside drops, the Caminito del Rey is located in the region of Malaga. The route was closed for many years due to safety issues, however extensive renovations took place and it reopened again at the start of 2015. Today, the path has been repaired, handrails have been added, as well as bridges and stairs, to create a spectacular, but safe experience. The trail is approximately 7.7 kilometers long and takes around four hours to complete.

David Brodosi

Spain provides some of the best hiking trails in the world with its varied landscapes, mountain ranges and well-maintained trails.

Whether you are a highly skilled hiker or just looking for a new experience, there is definitely a beautiful trail to be experienced in Spain.

For the best hikes in Europe, including France, Germany, Swiss Alps and Italy see our detailed article.

Here is a list of the best hiking trails in Spain.

David Brodosi

5 Epic Hiking Trails In Spain

Camino de Santiago Trail

Camino de Santiago is arguably the most famous Spanish walking route, it is about 500 miles long. It is a series of ancient pilgrim routes that have been in use for a thousand years or more.

It starts in a few different places along the French border and all the routes end at Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. The most popular trail starts at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

The trails are flat and easy with many of the tracks being paved and well-maintained. The main routes require very little technical walking so you do not need a lot of hiking experience.

David Brodosi

The routes are also well-marked, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost.

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David Brodosi

Barcelona on a Backpacking Budget

Barcelona, The City of Gaudi. Deeply steeped in history, seemingly every nook and cranny of this city has a story to tell. Barcelona is busy, beautiful and expensive. And yet, you can still visit Barcelona on a backpacking budget.

From its Gothic Quarter to the sparkling structures of the modern waterfront, from the works of the genius architect Antoni Guadi to the boisterous atmosphere of Las Ramblas, Barcelona offers days, weeks, and months of adventure and exploration. We have never visited a city quite like it, and Barcelona ranks among out favorite European cities.

Not everything is all sunshine and roses, however. Barcelona is suffering from being TOO popular, and that has led to soaring prices, congested tourist areas, and some ill will from locals to visitors (read more about Barcelona’s problems with tourism here).

So, to get the most out of your backpacking budget, we recommend that you visit Barcelona during its off-peak season. We recommend April through early May, or the middle of September till the end of October. The weather should be good during these months, and the crowds greatly reduced. Visiting during these time periods, or even in the unattractive (weather wise) winter months will greatly reduce your costs, and allow you to experience Barcelona on a backpacking budget.

David Brodosi

Conversely, if you decide to go to Barcelona in the summer be prepared to pay premium prices on just about everything related to tourism. Your costs will spike in the summer as opposed to off season, and you’ll have a hard time visiting Barcelona on a budget.

Either way, off-season or peak season, make sure you get out of the city itself for a few days to explore the beauty of Catalonia. Here are a few great day trips from Barcelona that everyone visiting should really consider taking. Not only will these trips allow you to explore some of the incredible country-side, but by taking one or a few of them you will be helping to alleviate some of the tourist congestion in BCN.

Also, be sure to check out our article on the Top Ten Things to Do on a Budget in Barcelona, Spain.

David Brodosi

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[snsmissionaries]

2/6/19 -- Sister Nicole Ritman, Spain, Madrid Mission

The Story of Sany/I'm Officially a Cultured Citizen

Subject Line: This email will have two parts! The first is the story of our amiga Sany, who got baptized last Sunday, shared with permission. The second is just about my week.

 The Story of Sany

 Right about when I got to Málaga, we got a text from one of the members saying she had a friend we could go visit. She'd been going through some rough times, and so a few weeks back their other friend gave her a Libro de Mormón and just said "Sany, you mean a lot to me and I know you are going through a hard time. I'm giving this to you because this is what brings me comfort when I'm not feeling good and so I wanted to share it with you because you know I'd do anything to make you feel better and this is something that's important to me. You don't have to read it if you don't want, but I know it can help you." Sany started reading and once she told them she liked it, they invited us to teach her more. I don't know if you all remember, but like a month back I said that we had a first lesson with someone and I'd never seen someone change so much in just one lesson? Well that was Sany! Everytime we taught her, she was so committed to really studying and learning. She applied what she was learning to what she already knew and what she found the guide to the scriptures even though we hadn't showed her yet and looked it up there. She did the 21 day challenge of the Libro de Mormón diligently and really followed the commitments we extended. I don't think we ever had to extend a commitment twice and some she was already doing before we could extend (like starting on Ven Seguime as soon as she finished the 21 day desafío). 

A miracle that happened with Sany was that she lives here and has two daughters living in the Dominican Republic. Well one day Sany told us "I just found out that the church my daughter goes to is the same one! I didn't remember the name but she told me she told me three years back when her boyfriend introduced her to the church and got baptized. She's going on a mission in a few months and is getting ready to go to the temple." Well we were speechless. I'm not making it sound as surprising as it was, but seriously the member we had in the cita and both if us were like" what??!". It's so crazy how they found the church independent of another and gained their own testimonies and now are working to go to the temple together. I wish the missionaries that baptized her daughter would know this extension of the story! 

What I was most impressed with was that most people who work as internas (live-in caretakers for a senior) don't come to church because they work. Well Sany took her work to church. (I'm sure not everyone could but this was her solution). She would get up super early to get both the Señora and herself ready and would carry the wheelchair down the flights of stairs and push her all the way up the giant hill. We'd help her and the Señora loved going out for a stroll, yelling "venga, vamos, rápido! Rápido!" No quiero llegar tarde!" until I was practically running. Going down the hill is almost harder because you have to pull it from not speeding down into traffic. Good times jaja. The day of the baptism, she got permission to get off a few hours earlier to go to church and drop off the Señora. She was so excited! But then this Sunday she got super sick. :/ Good thing we had the baptism last week. 

 I'm Officially a Cultured Citizen 

 So I'll start this part of with a sad story. Three days after the baptism, we got a text saying the man who had baptized Sany had passed away. We hardly believed it, but we asked the Elders and the pres de Sociedad de Socorro and the Elders confirmed the text was talking about him. 

We actually were on our way to a cita with Sany so we gave her the sad news and she was so sad because she was so grateful to him for being a part of her step on the convenant path. We had a good discussion about life and death and the plan of salvation and I was feeling pretty reflective and pensive. 

Then, we leave the cita and see that the pres texted us. And guess what--it's turns out that he's not actually dead! He's not dead its his brother in law! Still sad for his family, but man alive we were so embarrassed. What a big fat fail. Probably the biggest one I'll ever have on the mission. I reread the original text and totally not our fault--it was written in a way that didn't clarify who they were talking about. But literally it was so crazy because lemme tell you it's a weird feeling to find out someone passed but it's a weirder feeling to find out that PSYCH they haven't. Like a TV show in real life except the jokes on you because you have to text the mission office and say "nevermind- we don't actually have to know what happens when we need a signature on the baptismal record of someone who's dead." I'm sure they think we're crazy jaja. And then when we texted Sany all she said was "ahhhh- vale." Luckily she hadn't brought it up since. I'm also glad we found out before Sunday when he would've walked into church alive and all three of us faint of shock. 

 So I chose the header because I felt like it has been a very *cultural* week! Yesterday, we went over for almuerzo with a Tibetan Man and his Moroccan wife and had cous-cous. Literally one of the best things that's ever entered my mouth! Basically you boil a bunch of tasty vegetables and pumpkin and halal beef and spices like cinnamon in a pot for an hour, and then pour it over a giant thing of cous-cous (tiny ball-shaped grain) and pour the broth, gravy all over. We were so close to finishing but we had a slice of pumpkin and some cabbage left. They gave us plates to help us eat the meat, but they wouldn't let us portion it out. We all used our spoons and ate from the same giant platter. They also wouldn't let us drink cold water until after the hot food because I guess mixing cold and hot is bad for your stomach. I suppose that's why they traditionally drink tea at meals, but since we politely refused the tea 50 times no lie (the wife didn't understand until I said it wasn't halal for us jaja and even after the husband would sip his tea and say "oh how delicious! Oh how healthy! Made with 5 herbs!" and made us smell it because we wouldn't sip it lol), we had mint infusion, which is just a fresh mint sprig with hot water poured on top and a little spoon of sugar. It was so good we bought fresh mint today to make it again! Maybe it won't be the same because we don't have the fancy Arab teapot they used to heat the water jk. Definitely an eating cita I'll never forget. 

 Then for Pday today I felt extra cultural because we went to the interactive music museum and saw instruments from all over the world! We stayed in the room with the piano, guitars and cello the longest and all played songs together. (OK in reality I tinkered a tune  while Hermana Zito played the cello. It's her major at BYU and it was worth my museum entry fee to hear her play lol We would all request songs and if she had the tune in her head she could just play it). I also loved the rooms where you jam out to crazy world instruments like the zither, the nose flute, double-guitars and even an ancient harp thing made from a human skull. (you pressed buttons to hear sounds of the instruments you weren't allowed to play). There was also a gladd floor with a medieval wall they uncovered and put a museum time capsule for 2033. I'll be back when they open that! 

 After we went to an Italian restaurant because H Mecca said it looked close to authentic. She ordered in Italian and chatted with the waiter and told us what to order. I felt a little less fake with her lol. We got gnocchi and margherita pizza and the other Hermanas got pasta carbonara which I tried and was probably the best. She gave it a 9/10 for authenticity so I figured that's as close as I'll get until I go visit her in Italy. 

 Then as we were walking back some guy stopped me (somehow he didn't notice the other Hermanas-just me) and in English (was Spanish but was determined to use only English) said "are you from the Mormon church? I love that church! I studied with the boys in Granada. I want to learn again." Hope he's cool and not creepy so I'll keep you updated if he ends up being cool! 

 Also something special about today is a finally debuted my pants! Hermana Mecca did too. Some pics mine don't look too flattering but they're not that bad in real life I promise. I didn't realize how cold my legs were all the time until I wore my pants! 

 Sometimes it's frustrating when you think of everything you should be doing as a missionary that you're not or you try to do but noon shows up (cough cough people who told us they would come to the capacitación H Mecca and I planned and didn't) but the mission is about learning to deal with daily disappointment and trying to find the little adventures. Like when we found a gorgeous historic Barrio in the foothills and the wind was blowing too much for wearing a skirt and it was too confusing to find a single address we wanted to pass by, but it was so gorgeous and so Spanish we weren't even mad jaja. And tip: if you ever accidentally offend a member, they will be appeased with brownies. I'm telling you brownies are the secret here! Convinced!!! 

 Os quiero, 

 Hermana Ritman 

 Contact Information

email: nicole.ritman@myldsmail.net

 Sister Nicole Ritman

Madrid Spain Mission

Avenida de Tenerife, 11

28703 San Sebastian de los Reyes

Madrid, Espana

 Malaga Week 8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ULpL71c36qcwtFw28

[cryptodictation]

Rubén Wolkowyski: “There is a before and after the co …

March 30th. Rubén Wolkowyski is sitting, dozing, in a hospital room in Malaga while waiting for his disturbing picture of covid-19. He is sore, distressed and very tired after being unable to sleep well for several days due to the cough, pain and fever caused by the virus. It looks like a scouring pad, it is far from being seen as that 2m08 and 120 kilos rock that walked around the court intimidating rivals, in Europe, the NBA and with the Argentine National Team. “When they made me come in they told me that I had pneumonia and there I was frozen, shocked … I thought they were going to leave me hospitalized, that my case was even more complicated,” recalls the Colorado.

When the doctors came out, he couldn't wait and went out into the hall. A nurse was found who recognized him as a professional basketball player and the pivot took courage. “I asked her if she knew anything about my case and she confessed that they gave me two antibiotics and I would go home. You don't know the relief I felt, the joy … It was like my guardian angel “, completes this 46-year-old from Chaco who has been based in the town of Najir on the French Riviera for one and a half years. The Colo was always a low profile, cold But when he tells the anecdote of his worst moment, he is moved and moved by his story.

He remembers all those hours as a sequence of horror. “On day 9 of the process it was tremendous. I started with symptoms on March 21. First cough, then I got a high fever at the times that it rarely went down, and then a headache, chest pain, in the whole body … I passed several many days lying in bed, isolated, unable to move or get up. And that day, when it seemed that everything should improve, the fever returned. I tell you, I was almost delivered, the worst crossed my mind, “he details .

And that to the physical still had to add the emotional debacle. “That day I had to go to the hospital and those five hours I was there were tremendous. First, when I entered, when I said goodbye to my family, I felt very scared, although I did not tell them … It was undoubtedly a fear that I had not never felt. Really, when I passed the door, I didn't know if I was going to walk or with my feet forward. Because the virus is measured by viral loads and the hospitals have the most. You can get it even more and I was already bad ”, reviews.

Wolkowyski allegedly caught his family. “First my wife started. Mariana was ten days, although without so many symptoms, with little fever. Then it was my children's turn (Tomás, 20, and Florencia, 17), but they had almost no symptoms and in two days they were perfect. But the viral load of everyone grabbed me, it attacked me strongly and I had to isolate myself from them. I was alone in one room and I had a hard time. It is a virus different from all, nothing to do with a flu. Much stronger, with different pain and sensations. He took my head anywhere, I thought maybe he didn't count it ”, she is honest.

Now he claims to be well, without pain, although the fear did not go away. “Nobody gives you certainty that you will not get infected again. I don't want to go through the same thing again and, furthermore, I don't know if the body can take two hits like this,” he explains. The Chaco is one of the strongest players that Argentine sport has had. “Yes, one knows that muscularly it is strong, because I continue to train fully, but you have to see how strong your immune system is … This made me tremble like a leaf and I lost between 10 and 12 kilos,” he says.

– Is it preferable to defend Shaquille O’Neal and not face this virus?

-Without a doubt. It is preferable to defend Shaq and Karl Malone together (laughs). A blow, a blow from them, you bancás. It hurts, you fall but you get up. Here you don't see the blows, you don't know who you're fighting with. It is inside you, it is a silent enemy, which you feel is destroying you inside.

-How is that feeling that destroys you inside?

-Very difficult to explain, you have to live it. It looks like nothing. It pulls you down a lot. Everything hurts and you are not hungry because you do not feel tastes or smells. And the worst is uncertainty. No one gives you certainty and your body is alone, fighting the virus, without help. There is no cure and the antibiotics were given to me when the process was already advanced.

-You spoke of fear, just a guy who experienced adverse situations, of great tension, at the highest level of the sport … Did that not help you?

-No, because it is another fear. When you play a game and have to shoot an important shot, you feel nervous, but not afraid. If you don't put it in, you keep going. But here is the fear of losing your life. This hit me hard and today I value other simple things, like waking up in the morning and seeing the day, or giving my children a hug. Things that you are losing, without realizing that they are the most important.

-Do you feel that this will do any good, what happens so that we learn something?

-Without a doubt. At least in my case, it will be a before and after in my life. But I think it will be like that for many people, at least in Europe, where they are hitting hard.

-What did your teammates tell you in the process?

-They were very important. We have a chat and, since I counted it, they were present. Having them close, giving me encouragement, remembering moments and making jokes, was very valuable to me. They smiled at me, distracted me, and every morning everyone asked how I had spent the night, how I felt. They gave me tremendous strength at the worst times and confirmed that we still have great chemistry between us. I will always thank you.

The post Rubén Wolkowyski: “There is a before and after the co … appeared first on Cryptodictation.

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[jkthomas83]

Are you looking for somewhere really nice to go, but isn’t the normal tourist place?  If so, let me tell you about a nice trip my girlfriend and I took to Malaga, Spain.  This fabulous city located in the Costa del Sol (sun coast) region was a great trip, especially since around that time Stuttgart was doing what Stuttgart and various parts of Germany do.  It was starting to be freezing out.

Malaga might not be on your list of places to see in Spain, frankly, it wasn’t top of my list either.  We all know the main places, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia.  I should probably mention, I’ve been to those three, though Madrid was only like 6 or 7 hours, but I’m still counting it.  Spanish cities have a charm and chill nature that just make you want to see what they have to offer.  I mean they take siestas, what can be better than that?

Now if you look it up, you’ll notice something pretty convenient about making Malaga your starting point.  This is the fact it’s a central location for seeing other fascinating cities in the southern region of Spain.  You are able to travel to Granada, Seville, and Gibraltar.  Not to mention other smaller cities that have so much to offer.  If you have ever have seen pictures or know anything about white towns, those villages where the buildings are just white, these are good to see.  You won’t be sorry at all.

You can do a lot in a European city within several days.  We were there just under a week, landed on Sunday, left on a Friday.  One thing that we found to be really cool, especially for the fact that we are beer drinkers, is the fact that Malaga has a lot of craft beer bars.  Yes, the country that is known for sangria, along with really amazing wines, has some really nice, affordable craft beer places.

I’m happy to say that we tried out a good amount of those places, along with really awesome finds not beer related.  Of course, there are a lot of places people who have gone to Malaga enjoyed.  Here are a few of those really cool places, I think you should go and see for sure.

Craft Beer  Bars

Central Beers

  Central Beers is a nice craft beer bar and restaurant.  Honestly, what is better than traditional Spanish dishes, with tasty craft brews.  They have several beers on tap, along with countless bottles of beer from around the globe.  This included a nice selection of my favorite beer, which is Belgium beers.  For food, they have a good selection of burgers.  We had ham that was stuff with cheese then deep fried, so pretty much a very large croquette.  This was a perfect meal to share and enjoy.

La Madriguera

One of the more interestingly setup places was La Madriguera.  When you walk past this place, you wouldn’t think much of it, but once you walk in, you are greeted with a board full of beers, Spanish, Belgium, Scottish, plus many more.  The Bartender for our visits, yes, visits were always really good.  They could give a lot of recommendations.  Here unlike Central Beers, they have more bar food selection of items, with a few unexpected things.  Like  Poke bowl, not something I would normally be getting, but they have it there for you.  It’s obvious that a few American inspired things made their way onto their menu.  Depending on your plan for the night, you should go here and get a few drinks.

Arte & Sana Craft Beer Cafe

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Bottles… #malaga #craftnotcrap #craftbeer

A post shared by Warren Knowles (@warren_knowles) on Oct 14, 2017 at 9:45am PDT

This was one of the best places that we went for sure.  Their selection of beers definitely impressed and made us wanting more for sure.  Out of these three places listed, this by far looked like a dive.  Though, what they didn’t provide in a hipster like setup, you were welcomed with so many delicious varieties of beers.  Unlike the other places, there aren’t any food options here.  There are a few places nearby that you can go to for a quick snack, then come back for another beer, but nothing on site.

Cafes, Restaurants, Good drinks, and Eats

Gloria Hoyos

We stayed in an apartment that wasn’t very far from Gloria Hoyos.  Every day, we walked past here, looked in and said, “It looks good, we should go.”  It took until our last evening to finally do it.  If you want your fill of tasty traditional Spanish Tapas, this is your spot.  The decor is a little eclectic, but still fun and interesting to see.  They have a live DJ, along with other live music that happens too.  If it’s you and a group of people, or just you and your partner, then order up a variety of things, then go to town.  Lastly, they breakfast, yes, we went back there for breakfast on our last morning there.  Go there for breakfast too, it will be worth it.

La Tranca

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Buen domingo, trancosos!! #latranca #dominguito

A post shared by La Tranca (@la.tranca) on Nov 4, 2018 at 4:17am PST

Listen to me here, you need to go to this place.  Out of the bars, restaurants, other things I’ve mentioned and will be mentioning, La Tranca was pretty neat.  This smallish cafe has so much going on, it’s just great.  We were big on drinking beer during our trip, but you have to drink wine here or try one of their aged Vermouths.  They are serving you directly from the barrels.  I had one because, why wouldn’t I have one?  What I found to be pretty cool was the singing of the bartenders.  The night we were there, the bartender was a guy, that was just doing his thing.  They also have some tapas, which if you want to do it in true Spanish style, get a little something there, then start your tapas tour of other places.

La Recova

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Buenos días! #desayunoespañol

A post shared by Camilla💫 (@camillatoia) on Oct 13, 2018 at 1:57am PDT

The best way to describe this place, simple.  Several days for breakfast, I would see people eating bread with olive oil, and thought how cool that was.  At La Recova, you get some toast, homemade jams, and spreads, some tomatoes, plus some other random things you can also order separately.  Some fruit, other vegetables, etc.  This place doubles as what I would say is an antique shop as well.  The food, coffee, juices are pretty good, and again, simple.  Something that I have come to enjoy and love about Spanish food, the use of simple ingredients, that create tasty flavorful dishes.

Sights and Places to See

Mercado Central de Atarazanas

Do you like markets?  Do you like a market where you can see a lot of different things under one roof?  If you answered yes to either of these things, then the Mercado Central de Atarazanas is a must.  I’ve been to several markets like this in Spain and this one definitely ranks high on the list.  You are able to find some really awesome Spanish Chorizo sausage, various amounts of fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, etc.  What’s another thing that makes this place interesting?  There were a few stands where you can order various types of croquettes.  They are sold by weight so you can mix a lot of different types of things.  I’m happy to say that we had a few different things.

Playa de La Malagueta

The Playa de La Malagueta is one of the closest beaches to Malaga’s city center, about a 10-minute walk.  This is a beautiful beach and definitely one of the first places you have to go and see, that is after you’ve had your sangria, beer, or that glass of wine.  I mean Spain, beaches, can you really go wrong?  Up and down the beach are various restaurants and cafes to get a quick bite or a cold drink.  We stopped, got some seafood, along with a nice pitcher of sangria.  You can’t go wrong with whatever it is you decide to do on the beach.  If you just sit on the beach, go for a swim, or walk around the area.  You will enjoy and just want to stay and enjoy more.

El Teatro Romano

The El Teatro Romano is a pretty different site.  This outdoor theater has the traditional Roman tier seating, not to mention is still used from time to time for special events.  What makes this spot pretty interesting as well, is the fact you can just walk down the Calle Alcazabilla, then turn your head and see this amazing landmark.  It is located near the Alcazaba, which is another must-see landmark.  All in all, this entire area should be on your list while in Malaga.

There is so much more to write and mention, but I think we all have enough to ponder and think about.  There will be more, look out for Granada and Nerja, which were so good, they deserve their own separate story.

Thank you for taking the time and watch out for more.  So many more trips and stories to tell.

Malaga is one of the great places in the southern region of Spain that everyone should go and see. Check out some of my places that you should go and see in this fabulous area of Spain. Are you looking for somewhere really nice to go, but isn't the normal tourist place?  If so, let me tell you about a nice trip my girlfriend and I took to Malaga, Spain.  

[euroman1945-blog]

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Tuesday 5th June 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Taking Sandra to Malaga as usual this morning, as I have explained before most of the trip in done along the ocean and then we rise up into the mountain and we overlook Malaga and the bay, with the sun rising at this time of the year it’s spectacular and certainly makes the journey memorable.. but before the drive to Malaga happens I have to walk Bella and drink coffee, post some ready writain stories, make a meal for the wife to take, drink more coffee, shower, make breakfast and feed Bella….

POLICE SEIZE COCAINE WORTH £110,000 IN ALNESS…. Police have seized cocaine with an estimated street value of £110,000 in a Highland town. The drugs were recovered in Alness on Saturday 2 June as part of an ongoing operation. A 26-year-old man has been charged in connection with alleged drugs offences. Det Insp William Nimmo from Police Scotland's Organised Crime Unit described it as "a significant recovery that has removed harmful drugs from our local communities". He said: "We will continue to take action against the supply of illegal drugs and would encourage anyone with information to contact us." The man is expected to appear at Inverness Sheriff Court on Monday.

MAN ADMITS GLASGOW PAINTBALL SHOOTINGS…. A man has admitted a series of paintball shootings including an attack on a mother as she walked the West Highland Way with her children. Anthony Rasmussen, 24, shot 47-year-old Miriam Bell during the spree between Glasgow and Carbeth in June 2017. Mrs Bell, who was hit on the hip, thought she was shot at with an air rifle as Rasmussen fired six shots from the Audi car he was in. He also fired pellets at five other people, including a 59-year-old woman. Rasmussen, from Clydebank, injured Elizabeth Hayes who was walking the same route and shot her twice in the rib cage, on the elbow and the side of her face. He also fired paint pellets at Daniel Malone, 21, in Knightswood, as well as Richard Wood, 63, and Scott Wilkie, 18, in Bearsden. Mary Summers, 58, was also shot at in Clydebank. Father-of-two Rasmussen pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to seven charges, including shooting Mrs Hayes to her injury. Sentence was deferred for reports. Mrs Summers, said she was on Duntocher Road, Clydebank, with her brother when she heard three loud bangs. Procurator fiscal depute Lucy Adams said: "On the third bang, Mrs Summers felt a pain on the right side of her head in her hairline. "She put her hand up to her head where she felt a cold liquid which she initially thought was blood, but then observed it to be yellow paint." Later, another victim, Mrs Hayes, noticed a car coming in her direction before being struck, causing her significant pain. She later described seeing "the barrel of a gun" before being shot for a final time. Shortly after this, Mrs Bell was walking behind her husband on same route, with two of their three children when the Audi slowed down beside them. She noticed the passenger window was open and as it passed her. Rasmussen pointed what she thought was an air rifle in the direction of her and her children. Ms Adams added: "The vehicle then stopped and this male fired the gun approximately six times at them, one shot successfully struck Mrs Bell on her left hip." She screamed which alerted her husband and he noted the registration of the car, and contacted the police before Rasmussen was arrested.

BUS CRASHES IN BUSY EDINBURGH STREET…. Passengers have escaped injury after a bus in Edinburgh left the road and crashed into a restaurant. The accident took place on Forrest Road at about 22:00 on Friday. The bus driver was treated at the scene. Police Scotland tweeted shortly after the crash: "Officers are currently dealing with a road accident involving a bus on Forrest Road. "The driver is being treated for injuries, nobody else has been hurt in this incident."

SCOT BORN PREMATURE WINS PRO-AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONTRACT IN US….  A Scot born six weeks premature with a debilitating condition has fulfilled a dream of becoming a professional American Football player. Cameron Craig struggled as a child to catch or kick a ball, but at the age of 22 he has been offered a contract to play in the US. He will start a training camp with the Las Vegas Cobras in January 2019. He believes he is one of the first UK players to go pro in the US without going through the high school system. Cameron knew nothing about the sport when he started his business degree at the University of Southampton four years ago. He thought he was going to play rugby when the university gridiron team caught him at a freshers' fair. Cameron told the BBC Scotland news website: "I didn't know anything about the sport. I was adamant I wanted to be playing rugby because that's what I played at school. Some guys in American Football equipment, helmets and stuff, they handed me a flyer and invited me to a taster session. "As soon as I tried on the pads and helmet I fell in love with the sport." Cameron played for the Southampton Stags and helped them to success last season when the team moved up to Division 1 in the BUCS league. He also played with teams in Sheffield and London and was invited to a players' academy training camp with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in London in 2016. Not bad for a boy who, according to his dad Scott, "bumped into walls and broke things" as a child.

PINNEYS OF SCOTLAND STAFF IN ANNAN 'DEVASTATED' BY CLOSURE…. A union leader has said staff at the Pinneys of Scotland plant in Annan are "devastated" by the decision to confirm its closure. Young's Seafood made the announcement on Thursday saying there was no "viable alternative" to shutting the factory. Unite Scotland industrial officer Andy MacFarlane said the union was "extremely disappointed". He said moves to transfer production to Grimsby had made the consultation a "sham" and a "hollow process". Parent company Young's confirmed this week that the site would close by the end of the year with the loss of hundreds of jobs. It said it would continue to meet staff for talks to discuss "ongoing items", including redeployment opportunities. However, Mr MacFarlane said that although the closure confirmation had not been a surprise it was still a blow to staff. "The workforce is devastated," he said. "Whole families and communities will be affected by this decision. "If there are any interested parties then we would encourage them to come forward immediately with concrete proposals."

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of an old fishing boat resting on the shores of the Isle of Kerrera taken by Harshad Joshi.

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Tuesday 5th June 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #robertmcangus #scotland #travel #love #tulips #news #blog

[365footballorg-blog]

From being sacked in a factory to the brink of Wembley

FA Cup quarter-finals: Wigan Athletic v Southampton Venue: DW Stadium Date: Sunday, 18 March Kick-off: 13:30 GMT Coverage: Watch live on BBC One & the BBC Sport app from 13:15 GMT, live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sport and follow text updates on the BBC Sport website.

“The chairman asked me to meet him at his factory. We’d lost 3-1 at Northwich Victoria a couple of days earlier and I was getting the sack. He told me: ‘I don’t think your signings have been good enough.'”

Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook is recalling the time he discovered his services were no longer required by non-league Southport.

Aged 39, and with the Sandgrounders in the Football Conference relegation zone at the start of 2007, Cook was out of work, his first job as a manager over after 25 league games.

Eleven years on – and after steering Chesterfield and Portsmouth to promotion – the lifelong Liverpool fan is one win from a Wembley appearance in the FA Cup semi-finals with League One Wigan.

Having masterminded an outstanding victory over Manchester City in the last round, Cook will earn the Latics a return to the scene of their epic 2013 FA Cup triumph[1] if he can engineer a win over Southampton at the DW Stadium on Sunday.

After three wins over Premier League opposition already, Wigan fans are daring to dream.

“In my world, getting to the FA Cup semi-final is like winning the cup,” Cook told BBC Sport.

“If Wigan Athletic, a League One club, get to the FA Cup semi-final, that day will be our cup final. I dream about that.”

‘We didn’t think this could happen’ – Wigan reaction to Man City win [2]

‘I wanted to take moment in’ – Grigg explains reaction after goal[3]

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Liverpool away days, Rome & ‘stupid’ Wembley game

Cook, 51, is no stranger to Wembley having grown up watching Liverpool through the 1970s and 1980s, when they enjoyed great domestic and European success.

He became a player the hard way, turning out for Merseyside non-league team Marine in Crosby, just a few miles from Kirkby, where he was raised.

A midfielder, Cook played for Wigan at the old Wembley in the Mercantile Credit Football Festival,[4] a competition held over two days in 1988 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Football League. It featured 16 teams playing matches lasting 40 minutes.

“It was a stupid competition,” said Cook, whose dad Chris took him to his first FA Cup final in 1974, when Liverpool beat Newcastle 3-0.

“The whole street went on a coach to that final. That’s what it was like supporting your team.

“I never missed a game. As a kid, I used to watch from the boys’ pen at Anfield, and when I got older I stood on the Kop.

“My hero? Easy. Kenny Dalglish. All day long.”

Cook was in Rome in 1984 when Liverpool beat Roma on penalties in the European Cup final, and was at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul 21 years later to watch his team crowned champions of Europe[5] for a fifth time in the most dramatic of circumstances.

But he missed the 1989 FA Cup match at Hillsborough – which turned into a disaster that claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans – because he got a late call into the Norwich City squad for the other semi-final that day, against Everton at Villa Park. Norwich lost 1-0.

Before becoming a manager, Cook’s passion for Liverpool extended to organising coach trips to away games for friends.

There is a story doing the rounds that soon after Cook was sacked by Southport, he was on board a supporters’ coach heading for Watford when the Southport coach – heading for Salisbury – pulled alongside.

“That may well be true,” said Cook, whose playing career included spells at Coventry, Wolves, Tranmere, Stockport, Burnley and Accrington Stanley. “But I don’t remember.

“Watching Liverpool has always been my life but once I started as a manager, I had to shy away from it.”

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Selling Seamus Coleman & taking Ian Rush to Sligo

Cook says the thought of giving up as a manager never crossed his mind after his short, unhappy spell at Southport.

“Southport were going from part-time to full-time, and when I got the job we had one professional player. We held trials on a field to put together the rest of the squad,” he said.

Cook repaired his reputation during five years in Ireland with Sligo Rovers, inheriting a squad in 2007 that included defender Seamus Coleman.

“He made me feel that I was the best player in the league,” said Coleman, who was sold by Cook to Everton for £60,000 in 2009 and went on to captain the Republic of Ireland at Euro 2016.

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When Sligo hit financial trouble in 2008, Cook used his contacts to arrange for a Liverpool legends team, which featured Ian Rush, to visit the Showgrounds for a fundraising game.

“The reason I took the Sligo job was because I knew if I was to ever have a managerial career in England, I needed to have some success,” added Cook.

He did. Not only did Cook bring Europa League football to the town, he also delivered back-to-back FAI Cups as well as the League of Ireland Cup.

Those successes helped him land the manager’s job at League Two Accrington Stanley in 2012 before leading Chesterfield (2013-14) and Portsmouth (2016-17) to automatic promotion to League One.

‘Dumbstruck at beating Man City’

Wigan were minutes away from being on the end of an FA Cup upset in front of their own fans in December.

The Latics trailed non-league AFC Fylde 2-1 in a second-round replay before Will Grigg scored two late goals.[6]

They haven’t looked back since.

Wigan put three past Bournemouth without reply in a third-round replay before an equally impressive win over top-flight opposition – this time West Ham United.

But it was the against-the-odds win[7] over runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City in the last round that really catapulted the Latics back into the public glare.

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City had arrived at the DW Stadium with hopes of a clean sweep of trophies, but Grigg’s 79th-minute winner changed all that.

Almost four weeks on from that famous win, Cook said: “We’re still dumbstruck at knocking City out.

“Two months earlier we were losing in the 82nd minute at home to AFC Fylde. I’m thinking, ‘the fans won’t be happy but at least we can concentrate on the league’.

“All of a sudden we’re in the quarter-finals. You think to yourself, ‘how did this happen?'”

It did not take Cook – who was appointed[8] last May – long to discover the magnitude of coming out on top against Pep Guardiola.

Waiting for a plane to Malaga at Liverpool airport the morning after, Cook was approached for selfies by Manchester United fans, who were also heading to Spain for their team’s Champions League game with Sevilla.

“They wanted photos with me because we’d beaten City. I was telling them: ‘I can’t have photos with you, I’m a Liverpool fan and we don’t like Manchester United.'”

The short trip to the Costa del Sol, a golf break with Wigan chairman David Sharpe, was planned before the game.

“We thought we’d get knocked out so we thought it would be nice to nip away for two days and then come back and focus on the league,” added Cook.

Boyce relives Wigan’s ‘fairytale’ FA Cup win[9]

Watch all of the latest FA Cup highlights and reaction here[10]

Media playback is not supported on this device

‘I’d take promotion over a semi-final’

Since winning the FA Cup as a Premier League club, Wigan have been relegated three times and promoted once.

They are second in League One, five points behind leaders Blackburn with three games in hand.

Forward Grigg, who has scored half of Wigan’s 14 FA Cup goals this season, and midfielders Michael Jacobs and Max Power arrived in 2015. All three are pushing for a second promotion in three seasons – having experienced relegation from the Championship last season.

“The core of our team is made up of good lads, good characters who have turned up 95% of the season,” said Cook, who says he would happily sacrifice an FA Cup semi-final spot if it meant an immediate return to the Championship.

“We desperately want to get promoted. But we’re going to try and get to Wembley as well.”

References

^ 2013 FA Cup triumph (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ ‘We didn’t think this could happen’ – Wigan reaction to Man City win (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ ‘I wanted to take moment in’ – Grigg explains reaction after goal (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Mercantile Credit Football Festival, (www.theguardian.com)

^ crowned champions of Europe (news.bbc.co.uk)

^ two late goals. (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ against-the-odds win (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ appointed (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Boyce relives Wigan’s ‘fairytale’ FA Cup win (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Watch all of the latest FA Cup highlights and reaction here (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

From being sacked in a factory to the brink of Wembley was originally published on 365 Football

[buzzandnova]

This Restaurant's Idea Of A 'Vegan Meal' Has Twitter In An Uproar

When you have special dietary restrictions, eating out can be tricky. Oftentimes people are forced to eat before they head out and just grab a drink or small salad when they’re out with their friends because finding a restaurant that actually makes meals that’ll fill you up is a struggle.

So if you do find an eating establishment that boasts it makes meals that fit within your diet, you get excited.

Unless you’re a vegan eating out at this restaurant in Malaga, Spain.

out for tea and the restaurant claimed they catered for vegans, this was my sisters amazing vegan meal 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/5jBiSAiSYG

— gabbie (@gabbiejarvis) August 5, 2017

Gabbie Jarvis was travelling abroad with her sister when they were looking for a place to eat. Gabbie’s sister is vegan, so they were happy to find a restaurant that claimed to serve up vegan options for its customers. Their idea of a vegan meal, however, was a sliced raw tomato topped with raw onions. 

According to Mashable, Gabbie liked the restaurant and still plans on returning there with her sister, despite their lame vegan option. If you’re wondering how much they charged for that “meal”…

for everyone asking, I think the food cost about €6-€9

— gabbie (@gabbiejarvis) August 6, 2017

Which is $7-$10. Would you pay that much for a tomato and onion?

If you are worried about whether or not Gabbie’s sister had proper sustenance on her vacation, fear not.

vegans can eat more than raw veg x pic.twitter.com/swMEQjJfCj

— gabbie (@gabbiejarvis) August 6, 2017

And because it was a post about vegan food, people started chirping up with the vegan and vegetarian jokes.

I mean, it is vegan. What’s the problem?!

— Carl (@PooWithEyes) August 5, 2017

it’s raw tomatoes and onions on a plate, what isn’t the problem?

— gabbie (@gabbiejarvis) August 5, 2017

Woman asks for vegetables Woman gets vegetables Woman not happy Woman needs to cheer up

— gerryquiff-PHOTOS (@gerryquiff) August 6, 2017

That’s a great vegan meal! pic.twitter.com/UN8UAVn7Rb

— Jay Cartere (@JayCartere) August 6, 2017

Others were just shaking their head at the meal.

You’ve got to have balls the size of an elephant to actually serve that to a paying guest as a vegan ‘meal’. Poor attempt at a salad.

— Nick Cronin (@NicksNikon) August 5, 2017

How much did she pay for this meal?😂

— 🏃🏾 (@MayoAkanfe) August 5, 2017

It never fails to amaze me that there are STILL people who think vegans subsist off of salad and basically nothing else🙄

— Chiny© (@chinyamy) August 6, 2017

Im not a vegetarian/vegan but id be well raging with that😂😂

— Alanis Kyle (@AlanisKyle1) August 6, 2017

Some even shared their own order horror stories.

This is the ‘large caprese salad’ that @HotelduVinbrand in St Andrews charged me £15 for! Laughable really 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/cqeTDbeWXz

— Lesley Morton (@BabyMorton) August 6, 2017

I was once given an entire packet of those “plastic cheese” squares and some bread

— Jo-Anne Hamilton (@Jolloy23) August 6, 2017

Once ordered a 4 cheese pizza. Plastic cheese squares was one of the cheeses! Didn’t finish that.

— Marti (@Princesspitfall) August 6, 2017

How would have you reacted?

This Restaurant’s Idea Of A ‘Vegan Meal’ Has Twitter In An Uproar was originally published on Buzzing Lives

[kateemmerson]

Malaga Momentos - My City of Healing

This is my tribute to a city that held me tight while I grieved a part of my life no longer real or relevant, cried a whole river of tears, let the sun warm my bones and fell in love with me again. Like L’Oreal says …‘cos I’m worth it, baby!

I have lived my entire life believing that certain places call out to my soul. They whisper quietly and then if perhaps I don’t listen timeously, they yell a little louder. It always feels like threads of energy are attached to my heart and they start tugging gently at me. I have never been able to adequately explain it, suffice it to say that I am a gypsy-traveller-nomad at heart, and love to move. Often. I also understand the innate value of a home, a base, and roots, but I have danced and moved between these two extremes all my life.

The way it happens varies – it might be the first time someone utters the name of that place and it feels like the words leave their lips and send a cupid’s arrow straight to my heart; or an image lands on my retina for the first time, or the words jump off the page in a book and just…won’t… let…go…!

Sometimes it’s just a whispering deep inside…that inevitably becomes stronger and stronger. Having traveled alone on a plane at the tender age of 8, that bug bit early. Many times I have literally sold up everything I own in order to make a trip to follow the strings that are pulling the hardest. The yearning that will not quieten down. 4 years ago I even took it a bit further, and as a ‘late-in-my-40’s’ year old, packed up again and went #LocationFree with my business still intact and growing. I have just written about that journey for my 5th book, due for release later this year.

For 4 years I have had no fixed home of my own, simply following the strings pulling at my heart; combining retreats, talks and coaching work around the world – and LOTS of online work, along with many visits of the heart to South Africa. One suitcase and a large armful of dreams. But now, I am finally looking for my next home. A little place to call mine – a nest to return to. Roots to plant and lavender to pick. Listening once again to the stirrings in my heart. I’m also getting clear about where I DON’T want to be, which can pave the way for where I do. There is a very loooong back story as to how I landed up coming to Spain – my business partner Sarah walked a part of the Camino in 2018 and together we decided it would be a spectacular way to combine writing and walking. So we did. Another whole story layered on top of that was that in my personal relationship, Spain seemed like somewhere to explore as a potential home for us in the future.

But where to explore? And where to explore for my heart?

Choosing Malaga was easy. My mama-bear lives in a beautiful retirement village in the UK and I have gotten to know many of her lovely neighbors. Cue a wonderful couple who spends a LOT of time in Spain and own homes here. So I popped across for tea asking for some necessary advice. I was presented with a good old fashioned map and a destination. They know my age, my interests and I just said – “where do you think I should spend the winter to write my book?” “MALAGA!”

“Where?”

“Malaga – you will LOVE it. Lots of culture, museums, history, art, expats, locals, awesome food, warm etc, etc.

“Where? Oh there, on the coast – I see it.”

“But not to the West Kate; Malaga or East.”

Got it. Done. That’s all it takes for me sometimes. A clear directive delivered at the right time. Apparently, many people I know have already been to Malaga, including my parents (and Hemingway of course); but I didn’t know that at the time (in my active brain). Go figure.

So I duly went into my trusted housesitters profile  (click link if you want a 25% discount) and started looking for a Malaga based house-sit for the winter. Mmmmalaga. A 2.5 month house-sit for one kitty popped onto my screen. Looks easy peasy. And warm – just like a Durban winter. If you are not from South Africa just think cozy, sunny and warm, a bit like Florida in the winter. Where all the human “swallows” might go in search of thawing out. You just need a light jacket in winter, no serious heating and can soak up plenty of vitamin D.

Well, yes, that beats the dreary UK over the winter, dunnit?

Fast forward – we facilitated the Walk ‘n Write Retreat in Northern Asturias region; my partner doesn’t join me as originally planned; Sarah and I visit Madrid for 4 nights; I plonk Sarah on the plane and then I head South. Alone. I like the way Malaga rolls off my tongue. Sounds exotic – I’m spending winter in Malaga. Tra la la – like I’m some millionairess with a house on the hill. Ha – If only I knew what was in store.

The potential house-sit didn’t pan out, after all, so while in Madrid I had booked 6 weeks in a glorious modern Air B‘nB New York type loft, thinking I could get writers to join me for a residency while I wrote over winter too. Or perhaps friends could pop over from the UK? It was gorgeous and trendy and just a short walk from everything. The morning after I arrived, I walked the 18 minutes across the “dry river” bridge into the historic city center to go and sign up for Spanish Classes. After all, I needed a total immersion if considering living in Spain. I thought it best I scrub up a bit and take the language plunge. Plus it would get me to meet people in a city where I knew literally no one and I could use it with my significant other.

I fell in love. INSTANTLY. Everywhere I looked made me beam from the inside out.

I have three innate questions when visiting a new place: Do I love it? Will I ever come back? Could I live here?

It was an instant YES to all three. It took me by surprise actually. These questions get asked and answered internally for me, without having to actively process them the moment I arrive somewhere. Most places I visit I generally tend to really like, or even love. Some, I definitely know I’ll be back to visit again and then a few grab me and my heart almost instantly. Malaga was an instant cupid moment and it has stayed with me. Four months later, I still absolutely love this city, and I absolutely could live here – but I also have come to realize that Spain is somehow not my next home. It’s a hard one for anyone else to fathom what I am saying – but that is how it feels for ME. It’s been a really interesting concept for me to lean into. I could live in Malaga but not in Spain. Mmm ok – so it’s off the list as a permanent base then.

I am still on the hunt for my next country! How exciting!

Malaga will 100% be a place I return to. It feels like home even though it won’t be my permanent home. Does that make sense? The first Air BnB apartment turned out to be inappropriate ‘cos I couldn’t sleep, thanks to the neighbor’s TV on till 3 am. Thankfully I managed to cancel the rest of my booking and moved straight into the center of the historic town. There is a fabulous brand called ILOFTMALAGA – great curated apartments of very high standards. Funky, modern and minimalist – me to a T. My quiet apartment looked onto a bustling street in the heart of the olde town. Bliss.

I started looking for another house-sit. I also found the awesome website GUIDE TO MALAGA and reached out to it’s founder, Joanna Styles, and joined a networking session to meet like-minded business women. Bliss! Her guide really is the GO-TO for anything that you want to know about. Be sure to grab it when visiting Malaga.

“Why a house-sit Kate”, you may ask?

Mostly because I love to feel like I’m really IN a city, living there like a local, with animals to look after and using local transport – rather than being a visitor looking from the outside in. Can you believe that the same housesit from my initial search, was back in play on the membership site, as she had been seriously let down by anther house-sitter? Only this time I was already IN Malaga and could meet the “pussycat’s slave” in person. I got to visit the exquisite property just to the East of Malaga, and it instantly felt like Cape Town – Camp’s Bay to be precise. With a sweet black ’n white kitty to love and vice versa. I needed some animal love! It was a done deal. I had a winter home and a base from which to write my next book and heal my heart. The Cat slave, Melanie, is  helping shift people’s perceptions to become Vegan through her recipes and coaching.

This might be another whole blog post one day, but at a very personal level, suffice it to say I was walking into the “Devil’s Den” by wondering if I could actually LIVE in Spain. It was part of another story of my potential future that was rapidly changing before my eyes– a future that it seemed was sadly not coming to fruition. And yes, I am being a little cryptic on purpose. If you know me, pick up the phone and call to chat for a more personal update! But, sometimes we need to face the fire. Spain was that for me. Healing, writing, walking, crying, yelling at the universe, sleeping, laughing, walking, reading, writing, creating a new community. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat. Malaga Momentos.

After about 2 weeks of being in Malaga – already with some favorite spots under my belt, an innate understanding of all the cobbled streets, local coffee shops where locals hung out, many, many beach walks, clients taken care of, and my resonance with the city deepening, I realized I needed to really LIVE and CONNECT and be less of a hermit. I was spending too much time alone if this was going to be my home for a few months. Working mostly online can be deceptive that way. I am always connecting with coaching clients, mastermind folk, writer’s and my mentorship groups and always interacting with people, friends, and family. But I needed more connecting IN THE FLESH. I knew I was going to be staying for a minimum of 3 months and I thought I best get to work on building a community of people. Playmates, colleagues, connections to yackety-yack with. Solidarity and friendships. The best way I know how to do that is to do it via something I love. I looked at dance classes, but they started at my bedtime. So what about writing?

I had decided it was the time to start writing my 5th book and had lodged that in my heart as my “winter” project. It’s about the past 4 years of living location free. So I searched for and joined the local Facebook group for Expats, and put up a post about how I was writing a book and asked who fancied joining me for some writing sessions? A simple post. I often do these writing sessions with our writers in our mentorships and regularly sit in community with writers. I was bowled over by the responses, especially a lady from Scotland who lives here all winter who started pointing me to all sorts of people she instinctively thought I’d like to meet. Instant networks and threads for me to explore.

I wasn’t starting the Malaga group as a paid membership or community –simply more to meet people and anchor myself in front of my computer. In the first meeting, there were 5 of us – and in 2 short hours, I had planned my whole book in 13 pages of hand-written notes. I always have a rule that every time you sit to write you need a goal to aim for. I offered this one rule to the group to get everyone to set minimum word count/goals for the writing session. Very little talking – lots of writing and lots of coffee. Word quickly spread. This week, as I leave Malaga, two other writers have taken over the group to keep the energy going and to keep writers writing!  Thanks to a lovely young lad Matt from the USA and Marta from Scotland (a belt loving scriptwriter) who took over,  I somehow feel as if I have managed to leave a little piece of myself here in the form of a committed writing group. That makes me so happy! I had been shown a PERFECT writing spot by my house-sit host. La Galerna is right on the beach in Pedregalejo, and we sit upstairs looking over the Mediterranean. I gathered folk who wanted to write together, once or twice a week. Within just 11 such writing sessions I had finished the first draft of my book. FANBLOODYTASTIC! Thanks to the regular committed folk Marc, Ruth, Carolynne, Eunice, Gian, Jan, Matt, Caroline, Marta and Lina. My regular writing tribe!

I have a small community here now, favorite places that call out to my heart, little back streets I always walk, bus drivers I know to greet, the place I buy my breakfast, an awesome physiotherapist, a weekly co-working meet-up with the fabulous Victoria Watson, a brand & PR expert, my regular pit-stop to the El Haman Turkish hot baths that soothe my muscles as I let the stress slip onto slabs of heated marble. I literally used to pray onto the slabs of marble while pouring buckets of piping hot water over my soul. The power of rituals. Then there is the powerhouse that is the incredible Nathan Manzaneque who runs the BTB networking club. I was also bowled over by the powerhouse of heartfullness, Victoria Ahlen who runs The Vilostrada Foundation doing phenomenal work in Morocco, and she is based between Morocco and Malaga. Or how about early morning Pilates with Ruth on the beach watching the sunrise.

I found a funky hairdresser and the best nail technician I have ever found anywhere. She’s called Angelica – go figure- and she is like a little butterfly on my nails. Or for the gals who need Frida type eyebrows – visit these two gorgeous Polish sisters who make this an unforgettable experience. Lashes and brows with love. I also have many other local coffee shops. I even get to tell established residents where to eat a certain food or entice them to a piano concerto in the magnificent Art Deco Concert Hall. And a guy I make sure I go and visit every time I’m near Plaza Constitution with his puppy called Kitty to offer an ear as he battles the streets. It’s a community for me. I know I will entice you to come and visit and …I already have plans afoot to host a Writing Residency in November 2020. Hosted at a gorgeous, brand new Retreat Centre called VegaHouseSpain run by Ana Capucho Maybe you get to explore this city with me soon?

I walk through it like a local. Smiling!

For me, life is usually about going TO something rather than walking away FROM somewhere else. I know it’s still Europe / Uk that’s pulling me. That’s what I know for now.

But I needed a blank page in between the old and the new. Malaga was my place. Officially leaving South Africa after to-and fro-ing for 4 years, I am in the place of – oh hell – so where next? Where is the place I let myself “pot”. You know- when you POT A PLANT? I have picked up my roots from the 50 years of being in SA, but am now dancing in the air waiting for the drumroll of ….YES, IT’S HERE. To feel the resonance of “This place wants me to stay.”

Malaga offered me a precious place to pause. To regather me to myself. Process and ponder life and where I am going. How do I want to truly live going forward, and how do I want to show up for my work and purpose. Where do I wish to create a proper home and retreat center? What does this new chapter look like and who joins me on it? Do you know what I mean when I say certain cities have the ability to help you heal – from the inside out? Malaga just mostly made me smile – or when I was grieving I could still smile through the tears as I stared at the ocean. It is an outrageously wonderful city to be in over Christmas and New year – the shops and Christmas lights and concerts are simply magnificent.  I also had a dear friend and my mum come visit – and it was so easy to show them “my” city. Every time I spot the ‘Catedral’ I burst into a smile- she suddenly appears as you walk along a narrow street then BOOM – her majestic dome and “manquita arm” is right in front of you. Or walking past Octopus- the multi-million dollar yacht that was berthed in the Puerto all winter. I never did get an invite onto it. Rooftop terraces to bask in the sun sipping vino and tapas. Buskers playing everything from harps, to flutes to opera. A little Flamenco passion and “Naranja” lined streets. I also happened to have a fabulous Spanish teacher who lived in my complex – if ever you need a Spanish language immersion, she’s your teacher! I met many, many, amazing souls and you all know who you are, even if not mentioned in person here. Thank you for making my time in Malaga so precious.

I would really LOVE to know where you have ever found yourself doing some deep inner healing and re-assessment work? Or where you are right now? Was it a bustling city, a new country, or a wee village on a remote island? Was it summer and sun, or snow and shovels?

How long did it take you to come back to yourself – to find a sense of inner rhythm again? I feel like my winter sojourn to Malaga has revived me, and I know everything is gonna be just perfect, even though it’s totally different from what I had imagined unfolding these past few months. Life has a plan for us – we just have to show up and be present.

Drop me a line on kate@kate-emmerson.com to connect- or leave me a comment

If you feel like you need to take some time to gather yourself towards yourself, be sure to come and grab my latest series about THE STRATEGIC POWER OF DISCONNECTING

Love Kate xx

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Malaga Momentos – My City of Healing was originally published on Kate Emmerson - The Quick Shift Deva

[snsmissionaries]

2/1/19 -- Sister Nicole Ritman, Spain, Madrid Mission

EXTRA! EXTRA! BAPTISM AND TRANSFERS EDITION!!!

¡Hola a Todos!

 So this week was just about my undoing because not only did my bestie Hermana Orjuela get transferred to Móstoles (Madrid) but that Sunday we were planning on planning the baptism in consejo because we didn't have it the last week but then we didn't have it again. And then all the sudden H Orjuela left, our ward mission leader told us it was finals and he couldn't come to the baptism, and I realized that since Elder Gergov has only been here 3 weeks I was the only one here with a full transfer in the ward and it was basically up to me to plan this baptism. In real life, this wouldn't be a problem. But without a laptop, knowledge of who was who in the ward (everyone was gone for the Fiestas), my Spanish struggling when I'm overwhelmed, and never having had another baptism in my mission, I was more than a little over my head.

 So I am running out of time to write this but al final, everything came together with the Lord obviously guiding us because somehow at the last second, white pants were found, the papers were cut in pretty waves with pens to write notes, the brownies were made, the ward was invited and after asking a million people, we finally found speakers jaja. The musical number didn't turn out as well but the most important part was that even though we had to try three times, Sany (got permission to use her name tell her story and share the pics) was baptized. Presidente had the idea of confirming her right after because we had the baptism immediately after church and it was seriously the most beautiful blessing I've ever heard. And her testimony was also the strongest, most mature and genuine I've ever heard at a baptism. She even got to video call Hermana Orjuela after! The other great thing about the baptism was that we had record wars attendance because it was right after church! There was even a couple on vacation from Provo that stayed after just to come support and even helped us in the kitchen with the brownies. They said they don't ever get to see baptisms because the only people in their neighborhood who aren't members are Larry King and the President of Budweiser lol. I wish I caught there name but I didn't because I was running around like crazy. I was also relieved because I thought the Elders would roast us for printing our programs in blue, having a framed picture of Christ and putting our brownies on decorative plates and putting the notes in a flower stand like girls, but all they said was "hey that was actually a nice baptism" with a brownie in each hand. Whew. 😅(Homemade brownies are so impressive to people here. They have them in panaderías and in Gelato shops and stuff but they think it's like so foreign and they can't make it. If only they knew it were legit the easiest thing in the world maybe they wouldn't think I was so cool jaja). 

 Also I just realized I forgot to say that my new companion is Hermana Mecca! She's lived the first 10 years of her life in Argentina and the rest in Italy an hour from Milan. I had the gall to cook her pasta her first lunch. She actually liked it but the next day she cooked for me 😂 Her Spanish has an Italian melody but a strong Argentinian "sh" and sometimes she remembers the Italian words for things better than Spanish jaja. She dealt with all the craziness of the baptism like a pro. We actually have the same time in the mission except nativos get three weeks in the CCM first and are in the field while we are in the CCM for six weeks. But I'll be seeing her again when we go home.

 After a crazy baptism we decided to take a relaxing Pday and do touristy things which meant going to the Puerto and being basic tourists, which is still fun. We wanted to go to Hard Rock Cafe but realized it was still under construction. Someone Google that and let me know if it'll open by the time I leave or not.

 Well pretty much out of time and I'll tell you to the whole story of Sandy's conversion next week! Miracles to tell 😃

 Os quiero, 

Hermana Ritman

 Malaga Week 6:

 https://photos.app.goo.gl/xt9oEsG8LurAZ8B98

 Malaga Week 7:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8HHUbEj9FUqAdhCEA

  Contact Information  

email: nicole.ritman@myldsmail.net

 Sister Nicole Ritman

Madrid Spain Mission

Avenida de Tenerife, 11

28703 San Sebastian de los Reyes

Madrid, Espana