March Magazine by The Camposol District Journal

J OURNAL

March ~ 2014

THE

Costa Cálida’s AWARD WINNING free magazine

Águilas - Lorca - Totana - Condado - Alhama - Camposol - Fuente Alamo - Pto de Mazarrón - Cartagena - Calasparra - Caravaca - Cehegín - Pliego - Mula - Moratalla

Shrove Tuesday 4th March

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“Property Sales and Rentals”

JOURNAL

THE Dear Reader,

Welcome to the March edition of The Journal! First and foremost it’s our favourite time of the year! (Apart from Xmas) Its pancake time! Look out for some delicious recipes later in the magazine, and whether you enjoy your pancakes with lemon, sugar, ice cream, hot chocolate sauce, maple syrup, sprinkles, or just some butter, be sure to eat plenty! This day comes but once a year! In this month’s magazine we have got lots for you to read. Many of you will remember John Brown who spent several years writing a golf column for us. He joins us again this month with an interesting article about authors that have connections here in Murcia, and it makes an interesting read. Being able to write an entire book is a real talent, and getting a book published once written is no mean feat either, so it’s nice to know that we have successful authors amongst us! Speaking of successful authors, this month Caroline Angus Baker writes a book review of a fantastic cookbook called “Spanish Cooking Uncovered” by our very own Debs Jenkins. If you are interested in traditional Spanish cooking then this is the ONLY cookbook that you will ever need. Well done and congratulations on your book Debs, and please keep the recipes coming. A couple of months back we printed an article by an anonymous resident titled “A Tragedy Waiting to Happen” about illegal UK registered vehicles being used in the local community. The feedback that we received from the community and local businesses in support of that article was phenomenal. This month, the anonymous resident is back with another of his/her articles regarding street lighting on Camposol. Always interesting, sometimes controversial, always a great read. We hope you enjoy it. A special mention goes out this month to all the young dance artists from Murcia Dance who have been working extremely hard over the last few weeks in preparation for the Mazarrón Carnival. Well done for all your hard work, we are sure that it will pay off, and good luck on the day! Let’s not forget that the 30th of the month is of course Mothers Day in the UK, which through tradition expats celebrate here in Spain. Just Fabulous on Camposol Sector B has a fantastic range of cards and gifts and is running a mother’s day competition with a fantastic prize! See in store for details! Enjoy this month’s magazine everyone. Love each other, keep working together as a community and enjoy life in this wonderful part of the world. Until next time, Robert Rutherford

The Journal Spain

Proud to be a climate neutral publication

Note to all advertisers, and contributors: Any new adverts, changes to existing adverts or articles for inclusion in the following month’s magazine should be with us by no later that the 13th of the current month. Any information we receive after this time may be too late for inclusion. Thank you for your co-operation and help in making us the most popular free Lifestyle Magazine on the Costa Calida.

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Staff CONTACT US: GENERAL MANAGER Robert Rutherford robbiedistrictjournal@hotmail.com 664 287 099

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Gemma Barnes ART WORK Danny McCarthy Insignia Graphics 618 615 903

CONTACT DETAILS www.thejournalspain.es

968 103 008

CONTRIBUTORS Dawn Llewellyn-Price John Brown Patrick Waller Shirley Ann Fisher Anne Bennett Allan Doyle

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2013

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Spain To See Sense On Self Employed Social Security? The way in which self-employed workers in Spain pay their social security contributions and tax is seriously being studied by the Government, with a possible change in the system on the cards. This comes after President of the Federation of Self-Employed Workers (ATA), Lorenzo Amor, made a plea to Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría to change the procedure so that ‘autónomos’ are taxed more fairly. Amor’s proposal consists of ‘autónomos’ paying a social security rate in line with their earnings from the previous year rather than being able to choose their tax basis and how much they pay, which is how the current system is applied. If this proposal were to be approved it would mean that those who earn more will make higher contributions, whilst those who earn less will pay less. It would be a much fairer system than the current one whereby many selfemployed workers don’t even earn enough to pay the minimum option as this wouldn’t give them enough to live on for the rest of the month. The current way in which ‘autónomos’ are taxed encourages many low-earners to work illegally without contributing at all, despite the fact that the majority want to pay but just can’t afford it. How is it possible that by earning less than 1,000 euro a month, you have to pay the same in social security as another who is earning 3,000 a month? According to figures from ATA, there are around 700,000 self-employed workers earning more than 30,000 euro a year who are taxed at the lowest social security rate, which is aimed at those who earn approximately 10,000 euro per annum. If a fairer system were put in place it would result in 80% of the selfemployed workers that pay the minimum quota (261 euro a month) paying more, whilst many of the remainders would actually be able to pay less than the actual minimum base. The Deputy Prime Minister has only gone as far as to thank the ATA for their proposals, but sources close to the Government have confirmed that the subject is something that is definitely on the table and being debated, in particular a change for those who are taxed on the ‘modules’ basis, which is approximately half of all self-employed workers. The proposal is currently being looked at by the departments of Tax and Employment, although the final decision on whether or not to go ahead with the plan will depend on whether it can be incorporated into the fiscal

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reform and whether the ATA accepts the Government’s plan. There are major difficulties in implementing this as it requires a huge amount of planning and joint coordination between the tax department and the Social Security. The Government also doubts that the proposed change will be accepted by the majority of ‘autónomos’.

Toll Road Files For Bankruptcy

of all those that are facing bankruptcy, with around 17,834 vehicles every day, according to the Ministry of Public Works. The road is one of the 10 that the ministry is considering integrating into a public motorways company, with the aim of guaranteeing their long-term viability. According to the plan being prepared by the Minister of Public Works, Ana Pastor, the ministry will own 80% of the new company, with the remaining 20% distributed among the current concession holders for the troubled toll roads. These include the Madrid turnpikes, the Alicante toll road, and the motorways joining Madrid and Toledo, Cartagena and Vera, and Ocaña and La Roda.

Spain’s Smart Meter Scandal

The Eje Aeropuerto M-12 toll road, which joins the center of Madrid with Barajas Airport, has filed for protection from its creditors with a Madrid court, given that it is currently saddled with debts of €550 Mln. The toll road, which is 100% owned by construction group OHL, is one of a dozen or so operators in Spain currently facing bankruptcy, and which are also in the process of seeking protection from creditors. In the case of the M-12 road, creditors have a month to communicate the outstanding amounts owed to them. In November, OHL attributed the company’s financial difficulties to an “increase in construction and expropriation costs, which were substantially higher than forecast,” as well as the “extraordinarily low” levels of traffic registered by the toll road. According to the company, these factors are impeding the availability of resources to “deal with obligations stemming from expropriations,” which, it said at the time, will soon be demanded of it. OHL has reported that the Autopista Eje Aeropuerto concession holder has a pending bank debt of €222.1 Mln, and liabilities of €557 Mln. The Eje Aeropuerto road lost 2.5% of its users last year, but is still the toll road with the highest levels of traffic

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In an embarrassing blow to Spain’s electricity industry, the national markets and competition watchdog CNMC has said that so-called ‘smart meters’, which are being fitted compulsorily across the country, will benefit only energy companies because users are unable to access the information they gather. The news is the latest in a run of bad publicity for the industry and its regulatory bodies. It follows a January study by the EU which showed that electricity costs in Spain have risen by 46 percent since ALL ELECTRICAL WORK UNDERTAKEN SURGE PROTECTION AND CARD METERS FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES NO CALL OUT CHARGE ON CAMPOSOL FREE ADVICE AND QUOTATIONS LEGAL & REGISTERED

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2013

2012, the second-biggest increase in Europe. Another study in February from the Factua-Consumidores en Acción group revealed that electricity in Spain was 48 percent more expensive than in the cheapest European countries. Last year, news that the government planned to “tax the sun” by forcing owners of solar panels to connect them to the national grid and pay VAT on the electricity they generate was widely mocked in the international press. The new “smart meter” technology behind the current headlines will eliminate the need for electricity company operators to visit properties to read meters and determine the amount of energy consumed. Ten percent of homes already have smart meters and they are scheduled to be fitted to every residence in Spain by 2018. A spokesperson for the CNMC said, “The benefits are for the companies because when they are installed and connected they will save by eliminating reading costs.” Companies will also be able to invoice customers monthly instead of bi-monthly or quarterly. Jorge Morales, member of the Platform for a New Energy Model, said: “The main problem is that there’s no advantage for the consumer.” “They could provide the user with a lot of information, but they don’t,” he added. “They could inform consumers in the case of supply cuts, for example; they could be configured to improve consumption. That’s why we’ve asked that the installation plan be put on hold until the end user can get information from the meter.” The legislation in Spain does not permit the fitting of meters capable of connecting to tablets or smartphones. “I’d buy one of those,” said Morales. “It would help me to know and manage my consumption much better.” “But they won’t let me,” he said. He added: “When you have information, when you know what you’re spending and when you’re spending it, you can control it. You could know immediately how much your consumption goes up when you plug in the washing machine and choose the best moment to use it.” The CNMC noted that “there is no cost to users for the replacement of the meters as part of the plan.” But the rent charged to users for the new meters will almost double, from €0.47 to €0.81 per month. These rates are currently under review after a supreme court ruled them to be “badly calculated” but the CNMC has yet to release new figures, despite the deadline of December 15th 2013 having expired.

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Corvera Airport News

Murcia’s President Valcarcel has

suggested that the Regional Government and Aeromur – the former concession holder of Corvera Airport – resolve their differences. Valcarcel, due to leave office in the next few months to stand as a candidate in the European elections, has openly commented how he would like to see the Airport open quickly and sees former partners Aeromur as the best chance of this happening. This signifies a complete u-turn in Murcia’s stance over the company’s

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inability to bring the facility into operation over recent years. Representatives of the regional government and SACYR – the majority shareholder of Aeromur – have begun negotiations in an attempt to agree a way forward, where sources confirmed that “progress has been made” and that “everything is back on track to open the airport”. However, there is still a question over the €200 Mln debt held by the region from their decision to remove Aeromur from their contract. This – together with SACYR’s subsequent legal action against Murcia for their dismissal will need to be amicably resolved before any working relationship can continue. SACYR was originally appointed as the main contractor of Corvera Airport in July 2007, with the agreement being officially terminated on September 16th 2013. If a suitable settlement can be agreed

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upon, and terms of a new contract can be negotiated, President Valcarcel might be in a position to leave office without the stigma of having achieved the sum total of absolutely nothing at Corvera during his administration.

2013

Changes To The Border Control Between Gibraltar And Spain

The European Commission is currently analysing how Gibraltar and Spain will implement recommendations made by its experts who visited the border last year. Both the Gibraltar Government and the Spanish Government have submitted detailed documents to the Commission - the former via the office of the UK permanent representative in Brussels setting out their respective action plans at the border. The Commission experts urged both sides to work to ease frontier flow and minimise border queues, while at the same time ensuring tight controls on contraband cigarettes. Although details remain scant, it is thought that the investment will lead to a high-tech transformation of the border in the coming months. New equipment ranging from biometric scanners to face recognition technology will enable law enforcement officers on both sides to build a detailed, accurate picture of people and vehicles crossing

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the border. “On 24 January, 2014, Spain submitted information to the Commission on how the country intends to implement the recommendations,” a Commission source said. “This information is currently being assessed.” The Gibraltar Government submitted its action plan that same week, but a toplevel delegation led by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has briefed senior officials in person on the measures that Gibraltar is putting in place. Mr Picardo - who was accompanied by deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia, Chief Secretary Ernesto Gomez, chief legal advisor Michael Llamas,QC, UK representative Albert Poggio and John Rodriguez, the Collector of Customs briefed Stefano Manservisi, the Italian official who since 2010 has been the Commission’s Director General for Home Affairs. Also present at that meeting was Miroslaw Zielinski, the Director of Customs Policy at the Taxation and Customs Union Directorate. At the meeting, the Gibraltar delegation explained face-to-face a range of new measures to clamp down on tobacco contraband, one of the key issues highlighted by the EC officials in their report. They include enlarging so-called ‘special zones’ where tobacco laws are tighter; increasing Customs and police operations targeting smugglers; banning the sale of cigarettes in housing estates close to the border; and plans to improve border infrastructure to introduce Customs checks on outbound traffic and monitor flows with high-tech cameras and equipment. Officials also revealed that contact had been made with Spanish authorities to establish a formal mechanism for the exchange of border information, although Spain had yet to respond.

British Expats Lose The Right To Free Healthcare

British Expats living in Europe having taken early retirement will lose their access to free local healthcare services, after the government decided to scrap the facility. In the past, those living in countries such as France or Spain have found their treatment covered by the NHS, but this is about to change. From April 1st, those who are not covered through employment will have to foot the bill themselves. The move is just one of a number of cost-saving measures that the NHS is planning to roll out in order to bring its budgets back in check. European states will no longer be reimbursed by the NHS for the medical treatment received by non-working Brits below the pensionable age. The current system works by expats filling in an S1 form, which entitles them to 2 and a half years worth of healthcare if they have paid national insurance for the previous 3 years. Those who are already in possession of the document will be able to use it until it expires, but once it lapses it will not be renewed and expat travel insurance will be required instead. A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: “No other European state offers an equivalent to the residual S1 and the reasons for the UK doing so in the past probably arise because the NHS is different to continental systems.” No figure has been released to state how much money will be saved by the move, but it is thought that the average cost per pensioner to the UK is £4,000 a year. Some 2,355 S1s were issued is the 2012/2013 year, with time left on them to run. The Department spokesperson added: “We are continuing to work through the operational implications of the change and will make a further announcement once this work has been completed.” Expats over the age of retirement will not be affected, nor will anyone seeking emergency treatment via the European Health Insurance Card.

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into the family’s system through being inhaled, eaten or drunk, but less than a gram of the substance is enough to kill a human within hours. Enrique Caño, 61 and Concepción Bautista, 50, and their 14-year-old daughter died on December 14 at their home in Alcalá de Guadaíra after displaying symptoms consistent with food poisoning, followed quickly by loss of pulse and respiration which medics were unable to reverse. Their other daughter, aged 13, was treated in hospital and survived. When questioned, she completely ruled out any incidence of criminal activity or of suicide, but said she had eaten different food the night before. The surviving daughter had eaten a ham A FAMILY from a town near Sevilla sandwich for dinner, whereas her parents who died all at once from suspected and sister had marinated rock salmon food poisoning perished by ingesting with breadcrumb-coated meat rolls, aluminium phosphate, according to known as flamenquines. toxicologists. Family members have refuted claims It is not known whether the chemical got that the deceased couple and their children ate out-ofdate food or raided bins to be able to Roca & Junkers Service Engineers eat due to financial All spare parts stocked problems, as was t &TUBCMJTIFE *O 5IF "SFB 4JODF first thought. t (BT 0JM $FOUSBM )FBUJOH But toxicologists t 8BUFS )FBUFST working for the t 4PMBS 1BOFMT t 8BUFS 5BOLT court of Alcalá de t 7BMPS #BYJ (BT 'JSFT Guadaíra are basing t (BT 3FHVMBUPST 4VQQMJFE 'JUUFE their hypotheses t 'SFF $BSCPO .POPYJEF 5FTUJOH on food in poor t &Y #SJUJTI (BT 5JNF 4FSWFE &OHJOFFS conditions or accidental ingestion Registered for gas email:info@calidagas.co.uk XJUI '3&.. JO 4QBJO of toxins, having

Aluminium Phosphate Found In Rat Poison To Blame For Family’s Death

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ruled out murder or suicide. Aluminium phosphate destroys body tissue in less than two hours and in concentrations of just one per cent, is fatal, say scientists. Professor José Luis García Fierro of the Catalysis and Petrol-Chemical Institute says when aluminium phosphate comes into contact with oxygen, it is ‘tremendously dangerous’ for living beings. It is used in pill format to kill rats and mice and, combined with the natural humidity in the atmosphere, forms a chemical compound known as PH3 or Phosphine – very similar to Ammonia – which contains Phosphorus, smells unpleasant and is highly poisonous. Inhaling aluminium phosphate causes irreversible damage to the lungs and, if the concentration inhaled is around one per cent or more, death will occur in a matter of hours. With concentrations of less than one per cent, if the person is attended to immediately, death can sometimes be prevented – which is what Professor García Fierro believes may have happened with the 13-year-old girl who survived. Where the aluminium phosphate was swallowed rather than inhaled, the effect is exactly the same except that the irreversible damage leading to death affects the stomach rather than the lungs. Just one rat-poison pill made from aluminium phosphate, of less than a gram, is enough to almost instantly kill a human being, said the Professor.

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WAKING ON SUNSHINE!!!! Yes, the heading might be a play on a famous song but is that not what most of us do every morning? As soon as you open your eyes 99 times out of a 100 that lovely, warm, health enriching big ball in the sky is shining down on you saying “Get out here and enjoy me!” and make the most of outdoor living. Treat your outdoor space differently to the way you did in England, remember you will be outside far more here, and so will your friends and family when they come to visit you. I always look at my outside space as an extra room and have extended my patio area so when I have visitors they have a place to sit and relax and a place for eating and doing the B.B.Q. while I have a glass of wine and enjoy their company. Hey, don’t keep a dog and bark yourself! So use your budget wisely, buy the best quality you can afford, this is not the U.K. where you may only sit on your patio a few days a year, your terraces, swimming pool surrounds and barbeque furniture will be used daily, yes even Christmas as the sun is warm during the day then too. Ensure it is of a standard up to Spanish climatic conditions with excellent guarantees, not every chair disintegrates because Billy Bunter sat on

2013

it you know!!!! Think about what you will be using your various areas for, getting the sun, shade or some peace and quiet away from the visitors. (Don’t worry, we all think this but don’t always say it) Are you a party animal requiring more chairs and tables for buffets or perhaps you are sun worshippers where sun beds are more important to you? Treat the outside as another room extension (can’t say that enough) if you are limited for space stackable chairs are great at parties allowing Uncle Nobby plenty of room to perform his John Travolta “80’s” party piece, the wiggle may have vanished but the suit remains the same!! The choice for patio furniture is limitless, aluminium, wood, steel, mosaic, rattan for the colonial look. The rattan colours popular for this year are white or grey, don’t worry if you need to match with anything you already have, brown is still around. Before you hit the shops full of ideas with what you are doing with your outside space, measure so you know what size table or sofa set will fit into the area. If you are buying a base for your parasol find one in stone / concrete with wheels and brakes, this allows you to push your parasol around as the sun moves. It beats lifting the base and hurting your back. None of us are getting any younger!!

Another little tip regarding your parasol, do not place it in the centre of your tables even if there is a hole for it. It may look great but when that gust of wind comes along it empties your glasses of wine and beer quicker than “her indoors” Tell your visitors if they are not using the parasol put it down as those gusts of wind will blow it over and could break it or do some damage to poor Nan sitting their minding her own business. Always good to use plastic glasses on your patio and around your swimming pools because when glass hits the tiles it flies everywhere and the children cry a lot when they get cut feet. If glass goes in your swimming pool the only way to get it out is to drain the water out, clean and then refill it again – yes expensive!! Enjoy your summer with your families and most of all have fun, with or without the G & T´s. Written by Chris of Furniture Plus

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SECTOR D COMMUNITY GROUP.

The community group is looking for volunteers to represent their poligonoÂ´s at committee meetings. All decisions on expenditure and projects are decided at these meetings, held once a month at 4 pm on the first Monday each month in the Clubhouse. At present the following poligonos do not have a representative so those living on these poligonoÂ´s do not have a voice on decisions being made. D 12,14,15,17,22,28, Would you like a say in what is decided, then ring Mick Drummond on 968 131 971 or 666 863 670 or email him at michaelmarjorie@hotmail.co.uk

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legal & registered seven years

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2013

l o s o p m Ca

HEALTH CLIN IC

DOCTOR :

NURSE :

MARÍA DE LOS ÁNGELES DIÉGUEZ GARCIA. LDO: Medicine at the University of Cordoba Specialist in Family and Community Medicine Master in “Advancements in New Diagnostic, Therapy and Biomedical Research

PHYSIOTHERAPIST :

VIRGINIA MORENO GONZALEZ

Jose Andrez Sanchez Del Alamo.

Diploma in nursing in the faculty of Murcia Official Master in Emergency, Critical and Outpatient Nursing 5 years Hospital experience in A+E, and Primary Healthcare nursing.

Diploma in Physiotherapy in the Catholic University San Antonio, Murcia Specialist in Sports Injuries. Club Physiotherapist for Club Deportivo Minera Master of Osteopathy from the School of Osteopath in Madrid

The Camposol Health Clinic , located at the Business Centre, Sector A has launched a new membership scheme, under which any person, can join as Camposol Health Clinic member. Membership status provides magnificent advantages to those patients who wish to utilise the benefits of our private clinic. For a small monthly fee members will recieve: UNLIMITED ACCESS TO GP SERVICES The member may refer to Camposol Health Clinic GP for consultation so often as the associated patient may require, without any extra charge, just by making an appointment. UNLIMITED ACCESS TO NURSE SERVICES The member may refer to Camposol Health Clinic nurse for consultation so often as the associated patient may require, without any additional charge, just by making an appointment. Members will recieve nursing treatment with 50% discount. Access to PHYSIOTHERAPY Services Members may access Physiotherapy treatment at Camposol Health Clinic under preferential discounts and rates. FREE ACCESS SERVICES : GP PRIMARY HEALTH CARE... INCLUDED NURSE CONSULTATION... INCLUDED Membership services : PRESCRIPTIONS € 0,50 per prescription. VACCINATION€ 3,00 INJECTIONS € 3,00 SIMPLE TREATMENT ( Blood Pressure and Glucose ) € 3,00 CURES , EARWAX PLUGS , SUTURES € 5,00 EKG € 5,00 PHYSIOTHERAPY € 20,00 KINESIOTAPE € 3,00 DRY NEEDLING € 3,00 FUNCTIONAL BANDAGE € 3,00 BLOOD TEST as per type .

Camposol Health Clinic, has two types of Membership fees : INDIVIDUALS :Only € 12 per month COUPLES: Only € 20 per month COUPLES WITH CHILDREN: Only 20 per month + 5€ for each child

To sign up to the membership scheme, simply bring a copy of your N.I.E and you bank details to the Campsosl Business Centre.

For more detailed information please call 968 103 008 or directly at the reception of the Business Centre, Sector A. 2013

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LÍNEA DIRECTA, THE BEST COMPANY FOR EXPATRIATES AT THE BEST PRICE

Rice With Serrano Ham – Arroz Con Jamon Serrano – Spanish Recipe This is one of my favourite recipes in the Spanish Cooking Uncovered: Farmhouse Favourites cooking book. The first time I made it I thought it all looked a bit simple, nothing interesting, just some ham and cheese, what’s the big deal? By the third time my husband had requested it I realised I’d stumbled upon one of our favourite tried and tested mid-week meals. This is so simple to make and really great for a springtime evening meal or lunch with friends. Ingredients for Rice With Serrano Ham For 6 people: 600g paella or risotto rice 120g ham 1.5 litre water or chicken stock 300ml olive oil 50g grated cheese (Spanish semi-cured preferably or cheddar) 2 onions 3 cloves of garlic ½ bunch of parsley

Method Fry the unpeeled, crushed garlic cloves in a pan with some olive oil until golden. Remove and set aside. Finely chop the onion and fry until it begins to brown, then add the diced ham. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the rice and continue sautéing for about 12 minutes. Add water or stock in the ratio 2 liquid to 1 rice. Add the cooked garlic. Continue cooking for about 12-15 minutes till the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat, check the seasoning and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Put it in the oven for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese and serve immediately. CREDIT From Debs Jenkins the author of Going Native in Murcia, Spanish Cooking Uncovered: Farmhouse Favourites and coming soon the dual language Spanish Country Cooking: Recetas del Campo. Www.NativeSpain.com

Since 1998 Línea Directa, the market leader in the sale of direct car, motorbike and home insurance in Spain, has offered an exclusive telephone service entirely in English and German. This service, the first of its kind in Spain, forms part of the company’s commitment to quality and excellence, which have also made it the market leader in this business sector, due to the fact that it currently has over 63,000 foreign customers residing in Spain. As a result, services such as purchasing a policy, making enquiries, processing claims, sending documents and 24hour assistance can all be carried out in English or German at a time which is convenient for the customer by making just one phone call. And not only does Línea Directa offer the best, it also offers its services at the most competitive price on the market. It does this in two ways: - Price personalisation: behind each quote there is a sales professional who, via a quick questionnaire, will search for the best product and conditions to suit the customer’s personal requirements and will assess him or her according to their individual circumstances. - Maximum competitiveness: still at the best price, this month Línea Directa is making Expats an exclusive 12x11 offer, which allows them to enjoy one year of insurance for the price of 11 months. And what is more, if the person requesting this offer already has another car insurance policy with Línea Directa, then the offer will be 12x10, which is to say two months’ free cover. This is the result of a strategy which is permanently geared towards offering customers the very best quality at the very best price.

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2013

J OURNAL

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THE

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2013

Support your local authors

by John Brown

Did you get a Kindle or an iPad for Christmas? Why not download some novels from Camposol novelists? There are at last 2 Camposol novelists that we know of, Jaycee Brown and Mary Wood. If you know of others please let us know? Mary Wood has published historical novels in her Beckton series. An Unbreakable Bond 1913-1932 (The beginning – The sins of the rich impact on the poor). To Catch A Dream 1877-1900 (The sins of one man impact on generations of women). Tomorrow Brings Sorrow 1939-1959 (The sins of the past impact on the present). Maggies Place: A House to Call Home Her fifth book has now been launched. Judge Me Not is now available on kindle and entered the top 100 of it’s genre on its launch day. Jaycee Brown has just published his first novel called The Machair Crow. This is a crime thriller set in Newcastle Upon Tyne and on The Isle of Lewis in Scotland. The Crime Book Club Review said: When Peter a fit and healthy lecturer dies while on a research project, his wife Laura can not believe her best friend and life partner is no longer alive. When she finds out he has died from a heart

attack she begins to get suspicious. When presented with the evidence Laura wants to further prove that the man she loves has not died of natural causes. The author Jaycee Brown presents a very detailed and technical description of Peter’s death, I couldn’t help but feel I was watching a Dr at a lecture and he was going to dissect Peter’s heart right in front of me. When Laura hires private investigator Helen Riley, an ex army undercover surveillance officer and police detective she wants to get to the bottom of her husbands death and find out why people are not telling her the whole story. Riley trusts only a few people around her and is always looking for her next threat. I am not sure if it is intentional but Jaycee seems to touch on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with Riley’s character, after being left to the enemy to be tortured by her commanding officer Riley has apparent issues. Learning more about her stresses the author outlines her struggles excellently. Riley travels with Laura to the remote Isle of Lewis, where she meets Donald a local police officer who, over time helps her to figure out why people are trying to cover up more than one suspicious death. Together they start to uncover a web of cover-ups, and they seem to go all the way to the very top! You notice quite quickly that Sergeant Donald MacLeod is Riley’s love interest and this shows her womanly softer side. Riley appears to be a strong and very independent woman but she slowly falls for the sergeant. I am very impressed by the comprehensive knowledge Jaycee Brown showed when setting out scenes, many

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confidence in the writing.

When Riley finds out that drones are being tested on the Isle of Lewis she is fighting against the tide to prove they are being tested secretly and on local livestock. After she is chased by a drone and finds a poisonous dart on her vest Riley has conclusive evidence that the poison used on the darts caused the deaths. With the help of Sergeant MacLeod and other loyal friends Riley wants and needs to stop the use of the drones. This was a superb read and we can’t wait to see more from Jaycee Brown, especially more of Helen Riley. You can buy ‘The Machair Crow on Amazon at www.amazon.co.uk/MachairCrow-Helen-Riley-novels-ebook About Mary Wood: I was born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1945, the thirteenth child of fifteen children. Repatriation after the war saw my family re-settled in Leicestershire where my family lived in an ex-Army hut, specially adapted to house displaced families. I slept in a double bed with three of my sisters, but gradually made it to a bed of my own as each sister left to get married. I was educated at St Peter’s RC School in Hinckley, where one particular teacher, when setting composition titles, used to say to me: ‘Mary Olley (my nee name) I want one page and one page only, not a novel!’ And yet, another teacher, of whom I have fond memories, Mr Tom Payne, encouraged me to write all I could and even remarked that he thought I would one day be an Author! It took a long time,

Continued on next page

Carpentry & Joinery Dave Davidson

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Also man and a transit van” removals and pickups in the local area including IKEA

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2013

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Ju st

CAMPOSOL

fabulous Cards, gifts & much more...

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We have a wide range of cards, gifts and fresh ČľRZHUV DYDLODEOH VR \RX DUH VXUH WR Č´QG ZKDW \RX DUH ORRNLQJ IRU (QWHU RXU FRPSHWLWLRQ WR ZLQ D 0RWKHUČ&#x2021;V 'D\ ERXTXHW 6HH LQ VWRUH IRU GHWDLOV 7HOHSKRQH RU FRPH DQG YLVLW XV LQ &DPSRVRO 6HFWRU % but at last I have achieved this. Becoming a wife and mother I held various posts - office work, cleaning, licence trade, party planning, everything and anything to fit in with bringing the kids up. And moved house several times ending up in the North West and eventually taking up a late career in the Probation Service where I served ten years until I retired. Amidst all of this, I write. And I love it. I love the planning, the plotting, the character building, the research and that tingly feeling when it is all coming together. I set out with a dream many years ago, now I am seeing that realised. To all my readers, I hope I do you proud. Please come along to Facebook my page it is - Books by Mary Wood - and press the like button then we will have contact with each other. And follow me on twitter my tweet name is @Authormary. Make yourself known to me, I look forward to meeting you. Much Love xxx About Jaycee Brown: I was born in Glasgow and studied English Literature at Stirling University before taking my Masters Degree in Education at Newcastle University. I worked as a manager in Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Services in England where I wrote a book on leadership before writing this, my first novel. I live in Newcastle with Angela and our two sons.

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The Rabbit and Spain

by Paddy Waller

Most of you Spain loving readers will know that the name Spain is derived from the Roman â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hispaniaâ&#x20AC;?. Where this apparently non-latin name came from is subject to discussion but one theory is that it was derived from the Phoenician word â&#x20AC;&#x153;i-spn- yaâ&#x20AC;? which means isle of rabbits. It is said rabbits plagued the Iberian peninsula in those pre-Roman times.

Rabbit in the Valencian countryside

The rabbit has and does play an important role in Spain .Ok, so when I say important I mean relatively important. I am not talking about rabbits changing the course of history or banding together to launch rockets into space but the fact that this humble four legged mammal has carved out a niche

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in Spanish gastronomy, culture, and plays a vital role in the food chain and not just for us humans is evident. The rabbit in the mists of time was revered by some civilisations as a symbol of fertility. Its ability to procreate rapidly impressed ancient civilisations.

Run rabbit, run rabbit So where does the rabbit come into Spanish life? Well, take hunting, for example. The rabbit has been the staple diet for many millions of Spaniards for thousands of years. They were and still are a good source of protein. There are many ways of hunting a rabbit and in Spain it varies according to the region you are in. In Alicante, for instance, there is a custom of hunting rabbits in large bands of men with dogs and short fat sticks which they throw at the rabbit when it breaks cover. Then, in other areas with the shotgun, with dogs, with ferrets etc. In many areas of Spain they hunt with just dogs. Over the years

2013

the rabbit has had a hard time of it and in some areas it almost disappeared because of illness and overhunting. Now, however, it is possible to see it has made quite a comeback in some parts of the country but they are not as tame as they are in some parts of the UK. The hunting of rabbit is not exclusive to us humans. Raptors of different kinds feed on rabbits, bringing up their young on them every summer. One of the ways to keep down plagues of rabbits is to ensure a healthy population of eagles. The famous Iberian Lynx, also, feeds on rabbits. So they are a vital link in the food chain, nowadays not so much for us humans, but for wildlife they are.

Lunch for this golden eagle’s young Logically, then if the rabbit has been so prolific throughout Spain’s history it has had an influence on Spanish gastronomy. Some great rabbit dishes have evolved over the centuries. The first one that springs to mind, of course, is “paella valenciana” with its famous mix of rabbit, chicken and vegetables; an alltime classic Valencian dish. Then, there is “conejo al ajillo”, which is basically rabbit with garlic and is delicious cooked over an open fire. And not to be outdone is “arroz murciano” which is similar to paella but with a Murcian twist and is simply one of the best rice dishes in Spain.

dish is a ‘must try’ when visiting this region of Spain (inland Valencia). It is one of our favourite Spanish recipes. There are also other dishes like rabbit and snails with tomato sauce, which is not so well known but is a popular rural recipe in some areas. “Gazpachos”

a little known but delicious game stew with pasta So, rabbit is still very much part of gastronomic life in Spain and I can vouch for that as when visiting my inlaws I often have to go with my mother-in-law to buy “the rabbit” for the “Arroz Murciano”. As she pays for the animal, a sack with a moving bundle inside is handed to me which always makes me feel a bit like an executioner’s assistant. The bag visibly moves as I put it in the boot of the car. Very different from loading up your normal supermarket shopping bags. Once home the condemned animal is despatched by the expert hands of my father-in-law and is ready to be prepared. It helps make the Murcian Rice (arroz muricano) a cracking dish. The cooking of a Paella Valenciana

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murciano. And remember man’s best friend in Spain over the centuries has probably been the rabbit.

UIDM General Assembly 9pm 14th of March at the Cultural Centre of Mazarrón. Speakers:

Isidro Coy, Councillor for Festivities and Security.

Andrés Valera, Councillor for Finance, Patrimony, Expenditure Control, Youth and Sports.

Matilde Blázquez, Councillor for

Local Development, Industry, New

Technologies, Training, Employment and Census.

Ginés Campillo, Mayor of Mazarrón.

A cocktail reception will follow after the meeting.

Arroz Murciano Then, for those that like a good hearty meal on a cold day after walking in the mountains there is a dish called “gazpachos” often called “gazpachos manchegos”. This dish is especially popular in the rural and mountainous areas between Albacete, Alicante and Valencia. Basically it is a stew made from game so has venison, wild boar, hare or rabbit. The stew also contains a pasta like ingredient which is actually dry unleavened bread or a cracker like biscuit that once cooked in the stew takes on a pasta like consistency. This

2013

A spectacular taste. From my experiences over the years with Spanish friends and family it is clear that rabbit is still popular in Spain and even killed at home sometimes but in rural Spain it is part of everyday life and there are no qualms or problems about killing a rabbit when necessary. This is logical as the older generation in rural areas including my inlaws lived through post Civil War Spain and experienced real hunger and saw people suffer miserably. Thus, their common sense attitude to the matter. Moving on from practicalities of rural life, I would love to tell the story of Julia and my mother-in-law in the UK some 25 years ago trying to buy a live rabbit for the Sunday paella. It’s a classic but I think I will save it for another time. So if you fancy a bit of rabbit and get the chance when in Spain I can recommend

Open to all and it will be conducted in Spanish and English.

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Team HarmonyOur Aims. We are a group of like minded people living in the Spanish regions Southern Murcia and Northern Andalucia. Our aim is to assist registered charities with the very difficult task of fundraising. We are constantly seeking new fundraising initiatives and supporters to help to make our events a success. Over the last few years by holding events such as Spain’s Got Talent we have raised more than €18,000 which has been donated in full to both local and international charities. We now feel that as our team develops and grows we needed an identity, so Team Harmony was created and we feel that this is the way forward.

Dennis Blandford. Sian Cook. Debbie Cook. Tony Cook. Arthur Crosbee. Anne Blandford. Wendy McAuliffe. Gail Salmond. Christina Powell. Joan Claridge. Ronald Leach. Julie justice. Robert Cheale. Jeannie Kettle. Wayne Claridge. Tony Kettle. Rita Crosbee. Gillian Mackenzie. Caron Betts. Lorraine Oliver. Michael Walley. Patti Benn. Gordon Mackenzie. Bob Benn.

assistance to registered charities by supplying man-power to aid in their events. Our area of operations extend from Puerto Mazzaron to Caravaca in the west and to Mojacar in the South.

CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT WANTED for a charity event to be held on June 8th at The Eco Aguilas Resort Hotel. The day will cosiest of a Fiesta/ Music concert. The event will start We are also able to offer support and at 2pm with a variety of stalls, face painting, children’s entertainment, side Making Life Easier shows, and much more. Available for purchase will be a selection of international cuisine, Motor Medical a giant paella, bars, tea, coffee and cakes and alcohol. Home The event will Pet carry through to Travel the evening with an outside music concert. There will be a gate price and ...the proceeds of this will go to San Animal. So T: +34 968 595 945 we’re looking mazarron@ibexinsure.com for children’s C.C. Upper Local 2, Kelly and Alan are expats just like you and are on entertainers, musical Av. Dr Meca S/N, hand to help you throughout the term of your policy. acts, dancers, anyone 30860 Puerto de Mazarrón really that feels that they could contribute to making this a Ibex Insurance Services Ltd 2014. Ibex Insurance Services Ltd, fun day. This event 68 Irish Town, Gibraltar. Registered no. 77247. is in the very early Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission FSC 006 43B stages of planning Motor Home Marine Travel Medical Holiday Apartment Business Pet Community and is a joint venture between TEAM HARMONY, SAN ANIMAL and THE ECO AGUILAS RESORT HOTEL. So if you feel that you can contribute please contact me. We are also offering space for stalls, the cost will be €20 per plot ( size to be decided) to include entrance to the event for 2 people.

We’ve got you covered for all your insurance needs!

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Team Harmony Charity support Group. We’re a group of local people, that are scattered here and there who are learning to work together, to show people that we care! We may not have all the answers, But we will be open and just All everybody wants is honesty! And to give to people they trust. We hope to help where ever we can, But we’re not a charity, We hope to raise money through special events. And are called: Team Harmony! We do not have the copy rights, For how this work is done, But want to support registered charities And pull together as one! 2013

La Mariposa

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FULLY LICENSED ACTIVITY CENTRE

A STUNNING OFFER.... Saturday 15th MARCH, a no pedalling gentle downhill bike ride on the Sierra espuĂąa, almost 25km without pedalling which is a phenomenal SPECIAL EVENTS... way to see the nature reserve, a 4 course evening meal, overnight stay at Hotel La ''cY BVgX]! B^X]ZaaZ HjeZgW [ZbVaZ h^c\Zg Mariposa, Breakfast on the FRIDAY 14th MARCH a "Try it" quad biking and kayaking event where LZ VgZ d[[Zg^c\ V c^\]ih VXXdbbdYVi^dc ^c V YdjWaZ Zc"hjîZ gddb [dg ' eZdeaZ! ' ZkZc^c\ & you quad bike from the hotel to the lake, have a kayaking session to this stunning blue lake and XdjghZ bZVah! bjh^X$ZciZgiV^cbZci VcY Wj[[Zi back to La Mariposa Xdci^cZciVa hinaZ WgZV`[Vhi [dg '! [dg V idiVa for a 4 course lunch...all for only 70â&#x201A;Ź pp eg^XZ d[ dcan +* Zjgdh jcaZhh hiViZY di]Zgl^hZ#### Dg je\gVYZ id V ) XdjghZ bZVa [dg Thursday March 27th, Ladies only bike ride Vc ZmigV &% eZg eZghdc along a LEVEL canal, cut through the stunning foothills of the SIERRA ESPUNA, we supply HVi '.i] BVgX] BVgi^c Gdhh# I]^h ^h V Bdi]Zgh transport from La Mariposa, bikes, safety YVn heZX^Va l]^X] ^cXajYZh! ) XdjghZ ZkZc^c\ equipment, a guide, and bZVa dc i]Z '.i]! i]Z ZciZgiV^cbZci! i]Z VXXdb" a fabulous 4 course lunch...only 30â&#x201A;Ź pp bdYVi^dc! WgZV`[Vhi VcY V heZX^Va Bdi]Zg^c\ HjcYVn ajcX] Vaa [dg dcan &'% EZg XdjeaZ# 6egâ *i] VcY +i]! BJG9:G BNHI:GN L::@:C9! [VcXn YgZhh! ^cXajYZh ) XdjghZ ZkZc^c\ bZVa dc i]Z HVijgYVn! i]Z BJG9:G BNHI:GN! i]Z VXXdbbdYV" i^dc! WgZV`[Vhi dc i]Z HjcYVn VcY V ) XdjghZ igVYî^dcVa HjcYVn gdVhi! Vaa [dg dcan .. eZg XdjeaZ# HVijgYVn '+i] E>IJ ZkZgni]^c\ [gdb GdWW^Z Lâa^Vbh id EVkVgdi^ HeVc^h] VcY :c\a^h]#

MAZARRĂ&#x201C;N HAS A SKATEPARK FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE YOUTH

Off road buggies now also available see website for photos and info

Our famous guided walks March 10th & 24th, April 14th and 28th. 12 per person includes an easy medium approx 3 hour walk and a hearty walkers 4 course lunch with wine & beer. Booking essential.

having great successâ&#x20AC;? Representatives of the associationÂ â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;BahĂa Surfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the ClubÂ SkatingÂ â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;QuĂŠ lineaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; thanked the Government Team for this initiative, as from now they will have a space in which they will be able to practice different sportÂ modalities linked to the park like skating, and BMX cycling. as well as some young people that have been using the park and representatives of the companyÂ â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hermanos OrtĂz Vera S.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; that was in charge of the work, which have meant an investment of 59.800 euros by the town hall.

The sport rink is located in the garden of San Pedro of Puerto de MazarrĂłn

2013

we also offer kayak trips on a stunning lake (see website for details)

VVV DROTM@ @CUDMSTQD BNL )MEN DROTM@ @CUDMSTQD BNL

The councilor for Sports explained that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the infrastructure has some modules

In the garden of San PedroÂ of Puerto de MazarrĂłn, there is now a skatepark that is the first in the town. The Mayor of MazarrĂłn, GinĂŠs Campillo, and the councilor for Youth and Sports, AndrĂŠs Valera, wereÂ in charge of unvieling a plaque to celebrate the opening. Also in attendance were the councilorsÂ Isidro Coy, Celeste Soria, Magdalena MĂŠndez, Miguel MÂŞ GarcĂaÂ and Carlos GarcĂa;

Quad biking...... Quad biking trips from 39 euros inclusive of a 4 course lunch! see website for details. Quad biking and Kayaking tours available 365 days of the year!

such as ramps and pyramids and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;poolâ&#x20AC;?Â of concrete. The design was influenced by the young people who will be using the park. AndrĂŠs Valera also pointed out that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the skating rink has been well welcomed and has

The Mayor of MazarrĂłn, GinĂŠs Campillo, stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;we fulfill soÂ with the request that many young people have been making, even before we arrived to the town hall, and to whom we have promised to dedicate a space of this type for themâ&#x20AC;?. Likewise, the first councilor added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the petitions of the neighbors have been listened and it was decided to move it some metres so that they donÂ´t sufferÂ inconvenienceâ&#x20AC;?. GinĂŠs Campillo has highlighted that â&#x20AC;&#x153;with the implementation of this skatepark we also give life to this areaÂ ofÂ Puerto that has an excellent location next to theÂ neighborhoodÂ of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Las CĂĄvilasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and very close to the Puerto Deportivoâ&#x20AC;?. The rink also has a basketball basket so that those lovers of this sport can also have a space to practice. It should be noted that the associations and youth have committed together with the town hall to maintain theÂ facilities clean and in good conditionsÂ as it is expected that the skatepark will host sport competitions all year around.Â

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page 19

THE ENGLISH FUNERAL DIRECTOR & MAZARRÓN’S NEW TANATORIO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

Tony Smith, The English Funeral Director is pleased to announce the opening of the new Tanatorio in Mazarron. Pictured above is The owner of the Tanatorio, Mariano Canovas Montiel (who also owns several other Tanatorio’s in the Murcia Province) Tony has been working in partnership with this company for 8 years now, but has been unable to provide his services to the Mazarron area as there was no chapel of rest there. With the opening of the new chapel of rest, Tony is delighted to be able to extend his services to the Mazarron area. The Chapel is set in tranquil peaceful surroundings with ample parking for the clients. There is a quite spacious seating areas for moments of reflection. The chapel of rest is bright and modern, even with a built in projector so when families listen to their favourite music they can also see photos of their loved ones. Tony will have an office inside the new Tanatorio and will be available for appointments or informal discussion on Tuesday & Thursday between 11am—1pm. So if your passing and want some information about funeral plans or funeral insurance please call in and see us during those hours. Tony has many clients who have an insurance policy with the old Tanatorio in Mazarron. This policy still stands as he continues to work with both companies, but if you wish to change to the new Tanatorio or want to take out an insurance with us then please don’t hesitate to call us.

English: Tony Smith 650 631 719 Spanish: Mariano Canovas Montiel 649 821 384

The Black Bull, Camposol Sector B Carol, her husband John and their son Ryan would like to welcome you to the

Carol, John and Ryan Welcome you to the Music and General Knowledge Pub Quiz every Thursday 8PM

Black Bull on Camposol Sector B. You can find the Black Bull downstairs next to the post office. They have a fantastic entertainment programme, with live acts, poker nights every Wednesday at 8pm, they also have the famous “Joker raffle” every Friday at 7.00pm. The last Saturday of every month The Black Bull has live music with G&T at 9pm

In addition to all of this The Black Bull chef “Scottie” has Every Friday @ 7pm join us for the used his wealth of Famous Joker Raffle! experience to put together a mouthThe last Saturday of Every month come and see the watering menu with brilliant GNT! 9pm. a whole host of daily specials. The menu Come and try our new food menu prepared by our chef, from wraps and toasties to daily specials! Food has something for everyone. From now being served on a Sunday 11am till 3pm. fantastic wraps and toasted sandwiches All Major Sporting Events Shown! to full meals, you Open Monday to Saturday 9am till late and Sunday are sure to find 11am till late. something to tempt every palate! The Call us on 634 374 381 or Black Bull has Fish email: blackbullcamposol@yahoo.com and Chip Friday from 11am till 4pm Blackbull Camposol Wednesday Poker night 8pm

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Mushy Peas, Tartare Sauce and bread and butter. This has become extremely popular therefore booking is advised, but not essential. Also the Black Bull are now serving food on a Sunday from 11am till 3pm. This month on Saturday the 8th they have Angie McKay as Cher, and Friday the 21st of March sees the return of the ever popular Johnny Sax from 8pm, followed by our resident DJ Lisa B! Don’t forget that the most popular fun quiz in the area takes place every Thursday from 8pm at the Black Bull!

For updates on what’s going on, drop into the bar for more information or call on 634 374 381 or email blackbullcamposol@yahoo.com Or visit our Facebook page: Blackbull Camposol All football and major sporting events are shown live on the big screen. The Bar is open from 9am till late Monday to Saturday and from 11am till late on a Sunday.

CAMPOSOL SURVEILLANCE

Improved villa inspection to check that your house is in good order for your peace of mind At least one, or more, inspections of your villa every night Key hold & custody of your villa when you are away for a period of time

Emergency response service included If you feel threatened or intimidated when in your villa, call our special emergency number for assistance. We will initiate the necessary measures and actions in co-operation with the Police/Guardia Civil. (Available during our normal surveillance periods) Discounted cost for specialist support if police station visit needed (Available for reporting break-in or theft from your villa) Three month / Six month / Annual contracts available

15€ + IVA per month Published and printed by Luis Canovas & Global de Servicios, Seguridad, Guarda Rural y Control, S.L. Camposol Business Center Tel: 968 103 008 Please Note: This special offer is available to ALL Poligonos on Camposol Its availability is subject to a large majority of the villas on the Poligono signing up for the service Further reduction in the monthly fee possible, depending on the size and take-up of the Poligono It is intended that this service will be available from 1st January 2012 Further details available from Luis Cánovas or Conchi at theCamposol Business Centre Telephone: or email

968 103 008

2013

info@camposolbusiness.com

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page 21

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F.A.S.T. NEEDS CAMPOSOL TO KNOW: We have a new President of F.A.S.T. namely Jose Navarro, Mayor of Camposol! On the morning of Wednesday 5th February a Committee Meeting took place with Committee Members; Gerry Bradshaw, Dave Marks, Helen MacMillan, Val Taylor, Angela Jones and Paddy Snell attending. Gerry Bradshaw recently resigned from his role as President in order to devote more time to Training, in his role of Head Trainer

of F.A.S.T. still wishing to remain on the Committee. An advertisement for a new President for F.A.S.T. was placed in the media. Jose Navarro, Mayor of Camposol, showed his interest regarding the vacancy and having always given support in many various ways in the past, was invited to a meeting with the Committee Members. This provided Jose with the opportunity to fully establish everything needing to know with regard to the running of the F.A.S.T. Organisation. Following an open and friendly discussion between all, we were highly delighted to hear that Jose wished to join F.A.S.T. as President! The Camposol Community are grateful to Jose for the support and work he has given to Camposol in the past and F.A.S.T are very pleased and proud to continue working together.

Translator & Interpreter

Call Debbie 677 35 31 36

DONATION FROM the ‘LION COUNTRY MUSIC CLUB’ Two gentlemen, namely Jim Underdown MBE and Ernie Sturch handed a cheque for €1000 to Jose Navarro,

President, Gerry Bradshaw, ex President, Dave Marks, Vice President, watched by other members of the F.A.S.T. Team on Wednesday 5th February. Mervyn Booth, Manager, together with several other people originally started this non profit making Club, enjoying music together such as ‘Country and Western’. Their meetings took place for 6 years, donating to CAFÉ fund. (Mervyn has returned to UK due to poor health). Last year at Easter it was announced that they would donate to F.A.S.T. F.A.S.T. are extremely grateful and wishes to thank them and the Club for their very generous donation which is much appreciated and will be put to good use in helping to continue providing this unique Voluntary Service to residents and visitors alike on Camposol. REMEMBER: BOOK STALLS - 2ndand LAST FRIDAY each month DONATIONS OF ITEMS FOR TABLE TOP SALE - TICKETS FOR EVENTS - RECRUITING RESPONDING, SUPPORTING & FUNDRAISING See Members of the F.A.S.T. Team who will be pleased to see you – B SECTOR -Fridays www.fastcamposol.com

INDIAN RESTAURANT

SECTOR B CAMPOSOL

We are open 7 days a week 12pm until 3.30pm and 6pm until 12am Special lunch menu 9.95 Special evening menu 12.95

Quality cuisine Great prices

& special menu of the day

TAKE AWAY SERVICE Te l 9 6 8 1 9 9 1 9 8 free delivery on Camposol www.qualityindian.es page 22 www.thejournalspain.es and surrounding2013 areas

A Date for Your Diary! The third Artisan Co-operative Arts & Crafts Fayre will take place on Saturday, 22nd March from 11am-3pm at Mariano’s on Sector A, Camposol. With over 20 stalls run by local artisans there are sure to be some great gift ideas for Mother’s Day and Easter! Mazarron and the surrounding area is home to a number of talented artists and crafters (perhaps you know one or two), and the Fayre brings a selection of these fascinating people and their wares together in one place. It’s not just a great place to solve that unique gift problem, you can also watch the artisans at work and talk to them about their inspiration. It’s a great trip out! Previous events organized by the Artisan Co-operative have been very successful, raising much needed funds for some great local charities. Proceeds from our third event will go to support another local charity: F.A.S.T. Camposol. The First Aid Support Team provide muchneeded help and support to people in emergency situations across Camposol. F.A.S.T. volunteers will be present on the day with information on their organisation as well as helping out on the door and selling raffle tickets.

All raffle prizes are donated by our artisans, so buying tickets will not only support F.A.S.T., but give you the chance to win a unique, hand-crafted prize! We’re always on the lookout for new members, especially if you do something a little bit different (we like to be able to offer a wide variety of crafts at our fayres). If you are interested please get in touch! We’re looking forward to seeing you there, Keavy O’Shea and all at the Artisan Co-operative All enquiries to: artisancoopbahia@ gmail.com

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!RTS ND -ARCH #RAFTS 3PRING &AYRE Every stall holder attending this event offers their own individual hand-crafted items for sale. Come along and see crafts, live demonstrations, chat with the artists about their products and be inspired. This event is run by the “Artisan Co-Operative”, so if you have a craft and sell your creations and want to become part of this small band of artisans: contact: Keavy on 638353149 email: artisancoopbahia@gmail.com Entry 1 per person on the door (entry fee donated to FAST)

Saturday, 22nd March from 11am ‘til 3pm at Mariano’s, Camposol Sector A

Construcciones Hnos. Ortiz Vera C/ Castilla, 54. 30870 Mazarrón (Murcia)

We work to the highest standards using the highest quality materials Save time and money by asking us for a free quote! We pride ourselves on providing a complete service from start to finish. Services: Architect Studio, obtaining licences, all aspects of construction- carpentry, electrical, plumbing, general building works. Specialists in building renovations.

Salvador: 620.258.181 Andrés : 669.366.392

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Tfl Oficina: 968.599.189 Email: hnosortizvera@yahoo.es

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What’s going on...

Thanks to all of you who supported Cloud Nine’s panto “Puss in Boots” ,due to the wonderful audience attendance we are pleased to announce donations to two charities GoMad and AMADE.

CLOUD NINE DRAMA

Our next production of two one act plays ,one of those being Gosforth Fete by Alan Ayckbourn,will take place at the end of May. As always we would love to welcome any new members both front and backstage. To find out more about Cloud Nine please go to our website www. cloudninedramagroupmurcia.com

SITUATED ONLY 4 MINUTES FROM CONDADO DE ALHAMA AND 6 MINUTES FROM CAMPOSOL!

English: 642 45 04 66 Spanish: 968 00 20 02 www.amazebolz.com

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Sara & Sean welcome you to

THE ULTIMATE PAINTBALL AND WATERWALKER EXPERIENCE!

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Happy hour 5 until 7, Friday & Saturday homemade Sunday lunch, from 5.50

La V da Los Cantarreros

Bistro & Bar

Monday Mania! Selected Bottled Beers, Draft Pints and Spirits 1€ when paid for with a 1€ coin!

(Booking advised)

Free Tapas with every drink between 4-7pm

Special Fish & Chips, Wednesday Night

Wednesday and Saturday Steak deal (2 persons, 3 courses,including a bottle of wine) 22.50€ per couple.

(Booking advised)

All sports covered, especially football Snacks, breakfasts, meals, Freshly Baked pastries and Cakes available Daily Sunday Night, fun quiz & play your cards right Thursday night, karaoke with Berni Mac Friday Night is bingo night. Our new menu has arrived, come and try our breakfast special 2 of everything only 3.50 euros All time pub favourites only 5 euros

Phone 666 188 353

Full Al a Carte Menu also available Menu Del Dia Available Mon-Friday 12pm-4pm Friday is Fish and Chip Day from midday.: Enjoy our Beer Battered Cod and Homemade chips from 5.50€ and later join us for our famous Fun Quiz with prizes! Sunday Lunch from 7.50€ available from 12 till 4pm, Booking Advised. “Gourmet Cuisine in a candlelit ambiance”

For reservations and more info call us on our new number: 625 917 425

A WALK ON THE BARK SIDE Cruz Azul for Pets in San Javier is organising a ‘Walk on the Barkside’ at the Esplanada de Barnuevo, Santiago de la Ribera, on Sunday, 16 March. It promises to be a great opportunity to walk your pooch along the 3km route and meet other dog-lovers along the way, whilst helping to raise funds for the charity. Entry is just 5€ and your pooch will receive a dog tag when he/she completes the walk. Entry forms and sponsorship forms can be found at the Cruz Azul shop in San Javier, next door to Yorkshire Linen, or on the website’s “What’s On” page: www.uk.cruzazulmurcia.es

La V da Bistro & Bar

“Mothering Sunday” 30th of March Bookings now being taken!

Restaurant Bolnuevo

ay os nd ch ur Su Lun 50 e 6. om fr

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Full English breakfast 4.00 10am-1pm (Mon-Sat) Value main meals available 12 till 3.30pm 4.95 Menu del dia 9.50 for 3 courses + coffee Menu del noche 3 courses 12.00 Fish & chips from 5.00 Special offer 2 large fish chips & peas with a bottle of wine only 19 Evening Menu, Sirloin, Ribeye, Fillet & Argentinian rump Leg of lamb steak, gammon steak, poached fillet of salmon Medallions of pork tenderloin, pan fried chicken fillet.

Evening Meals start from 6.30pm Private Parties & Buffets Catered for. Two minutes from the beach, a real restaurant!

please book on 968 158 499 www.elliots.es

Pitu & Michelle Show Available For Bookings. Two Fabulous Singers In One Fantastic Show! Bar Open 7 Days A Week (Restaurant Open Monday to Saturday Night)

3 course Menu Del Noche for 9.95 with a choice of 10 till 4 7 Days week Starters, Mains andaDesserts

A Full Entertainment Package. Private Functions and Dinner Dances a Speciality. Tel 634 382 968 Email milesbettergroup@gmail.com

Sunday Now Available-12.30-3.30pm All dayCarvery Breakfast from only 3euros Saturday Night Music Night! Sundays with Eddie B from 5 Oclock with Stand Up Bingo and Super 6 Draw!

For information and reservations please call

Tel 544 Tel:669 968 026 199 939

Technology The future of Coffee Tables…

With Smart Phones, Ipads, Tablets, Laptops, Netbooks, and Smart TVs who on earth would need an Android Coffee Table? No one. In fact this is probably the most pointless invention ever. However, when looking at the photo you suddenly realise that you absolutely NEED one in your

home! Ideum and 3M have announced a new Android device, but it’s not your standard fare. By bringing Android to furniture, the duo hope their Android powered coffee table will become something we’ll make part of our lives. Offered in two sizes, the device is just as it sounds, and a pretty neat addition to the growing list of Android devices. The Platform 46 is — you guessed it — a 46inch screen, sitting horizontally on a podium underneath. It brings Android 4.1 with Intel x86, and is available for purchase later this year. Between Ideum’s background developing large displays and 3M’s work with large capacitive touch screens, this is a device we’d like to see in front of our couch for sure. They haven’t yet discussed the smaller

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32-inch device, but we’re betting it’s the same hardware, just a bit smaller. The Platform 46 also looks to be pretty sturdy, as the 1080p LCD screen has a “chemically strengthened” glass surface, and has an IP54 waterproof rating. Go ahead, spill your coffee — they’re daring you to. The podium it sits on is high

grade aluminium, too, so you won’t have to be too delicate. Promising the display will be unaffected by ambient light. Ideum and 3M note that it will have “the same Android apps available for tablets and smart phones” , so you’ll have access to all your favourites. Aside from things like Google Maps, there are other apps that could benefit from the design. Smart TVs and Coffee Tables? What next Smart Sofas and Coffee Mugs? Not as farfetched as it sounds anymore.

Blue-eyed caveman from Spain rewrites prehistory

The 7,000-year-old remains of a Spaniard found in a cave in 2006 have helped scientists uncover a breed of early Europeans that no longer exists: dark-skinned and blue-eyed. Led by a team of biologists in Barcelona, the study is part of an ongoing effort to uncover the DNA of ancient humans on the European continent. Their most recent research has been centred on the fossilized remains of a Stone Age man unearthed in a cave near the north-western Spanish city of León in 2006. The scientists, from Barcelona’s

2013

Institute of Evolutionary Biology, have now analysed the man’s tooth and determined he was part of a breed closely related to modern-day Scandinavians but with the dark-skinned genes of an African. What makes the brand new findings so relevant is that researchers had previously assumed that the blue-eyed gene was brought over by foreign invaders some 5,000 years ago. Evidence now suggests that blue eyes were already common among the continent’s early hunter-gatherers, along with darker skin. The biologists are yet to conclude the precise skin tone he had but have been able to determine he had lactose-intolerant genes, a sign which proves he was more likely to have been a huntergather than to have had contact with domesticated livestock.

Always forgetting your computer passwords? A new pill can help…

Forget concocting long, complicated passwords to protect your digital devices and the precious information you access on them. They’re too easy for hackers to crack and for you to forget. Just pop Motorola’s edible “authentication vitamin” pill and you can literally become the password. Becoming a living, breathing human password is really the big idea behind the telecom company’s controversial swallowable electronic pill. A quick soak in your gastric juices turns the pioneering pill on, triggering it to transmit an 18bit, EKG-like signal from your insides. The ingestible micro computer’s (thankfully silent) signal would then automagically unlock your smartphone and other gadgets. Yes, you’ll actively be your very own password beacon for as long as the pill is still inside of you. Regina Dugan, former director of the U.S. Department of

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Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and current senior vice president of Motorola’s cutting-edge special projects team, is an outspoken champion of the pill, and of making the authentication process more human overall. At an event last year, Dugan said that once the tablet is swallowed, it basically turns you into a cyborg. Well, kind of. “It means that my arms are like wires, my hands are like alligator clips — when I touch my phone, my computer, my door, my car, I’m authenticated in. It’s my first super power. I want that.” Too bad the pill, developed with help from ingestible tech leader Proteus Digital Health, isn’t available for purchase just yet, despite successfully winning FDA approval. Dugan claims it’s “medically safe” enough to take up to 30 times a day every day. In these early days, many questions remain. How much will it cost? Will you need a prescription to get it? Does it really stop emitting a signal upon, um, elimination? Like it or not, ingestible transmitters like these are here to stay and we’re going to see a lot more of them. Pharmaceutical giants like Otsuka and Novartis have teamed up with Proteus to embed medications with sensors that will automatically tip doctors off to how well their patients’ bodies respond to meds. They’ll collect and stream real-time data like skin temperature, heart rate and who knows what else.

Spanish Police Use Twitter to Share Drug Smuggling Tips Spain’s National Police set the country’s twittersphere alight after they provided their more than 700,000 followers with advice on how to avoid getting caught with drugs at the airport. Policia Nacional, as they are known in Spain, responded to a tweet by culture journal Jotdown Magazine in which they asked “If you’re travelling abroad (to EU countries) and you’re carrying four joints, is it better to have them on you or

in the bag you check in?” “It’s better if you’ve already rolled them and hide them somewhere where the sniffer dogs don’t detect them,” Spain’s National Police Force tweeted back. They even provided a suitable place to hide them: “cigarette packet maybe?” Even though the Policia Nacional’s social media team rounded off the tweet by saying “you still risk a penalty for public consumption”, the message caused a Twitter storm and won them even more followers. Police soon removed the humorous ‘advisory’ messages and sent out a new tweet saying: “To avoid any confusion: possession and consumption of drugs in public places does result in fines.” But it’s precisely this down-toearth and friendly attitude on social media that has won Spain’s National Police Force many new fans and led the country’s media to applaud their innovative tactics. Their light-hearted language and regular replies on Facebook and Twitter have proven key to engaging Spaniards of all ages in citizen crime fighting campaigns. Recently, a murderer was arrested just 12 hours after the National Police Corps sent out a tweet with a photo and description of the suspect. Their feed warns the public of new scams and enlists the help of Spaniards, tweeting requests for information about drug dealers and other criminals, to be sent anonymously to a police e-mail address. Police say they arrested 300 suspected drug traffickers from January 2012 to June 2013 thanks to information provided by Twitter users in response to these appeals for help. “We try not to be very boring or too institutional or else people lose interest,” Carlos Fernández Guerra, the force’s social media manager said.

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Dawn Llewellyn-Price March races in while the winter Olympics race away behind us. All that snow and ski jumping makes me want to don some fancy padded gear, leap on a plane and sit somewhere bright, white and cold with a hot chocolate in one hand, something stronger to pour into it in the other, and a pair of huge sunglasses to lessen the glare. The fact the last time I tried ski-ing was on a school trip to Switzerland age sixteen, means I’m never likely to actually attempt putting on another pair of skis, despite the Sierra Nevada’s being so close, and the nearest I’ve ever been to a ski jump is the one at Holmenkollen in Norway, an enormous beast best viewed from below like a rollercoaster. Ruined a good pair of leather boots, viewing that. Whereas Oslo had been a snow-free, one short trip by train into the mountains wasn’t the best idea, as we headed higher and higher, people got on bearing skis, and by the time we arrived at the last platform, rivulets of water were dribbling down the carriages, melted from the feet of newcomers dragging it in with them, and before we knew it, we

were knee deep in white marshmallow Cornetto either. I’m used to water crunchy stuff. Cue water marks on leather. after weeks of being doused in it. Very pretty, very cold and no northern Literally. With the wild UK weather of lights to speak of unless you count late, I decided during February to take the flames outside the entrances to a photo of the storm lashed seafront at nightclubs and bars. high tide (second largest tidal range in Speaking of flames, March in Spain the world) and safely in the shadows of probably won’t provide much in the the Marriot hotel some thirty feet back way of wintry weather, so probably best from the promenade, I clicked away, to go in the opposite direction and aim only to get doused from a sideways for a fiery inferno, and where better hitting enormous wave which knocked than Valencia’s Las Fallas. They wake out my newly washed, dried and you up early in Valencia, with 7am straightened hair, left two tram tracks firecrackers outside your window (if you’re unlucky) and bunuelos* to dip in thick chocolate. There are women in posh frocks parading in tears (they’re an Taking Care of Your emotional lot) with Meal Times! marching bands, Quality homemade food, delivered to your door either paella contests, •Fresh, Chilled or Frozen stunning firework •Pie Factory, wide range of choice, all pies handmade •Detox and healthy living range available displays, and the •Fresh Bread and milk also delivered afternoon mascletas, •Deliveries throughout the Murcia Region, contact us for delivery loud and proud and days. ear-drum shattering Ask for a full product listing, not on the list or special dietary noise as the Spanish needs, no problem, just ask! Check out the website or contact us. do best. Outside Catering I’m going for Catering for individuals, families, parties or functions of any kind. the more sedate We can provide the full service, supplying the food, staff if required at your venue or cooked fresh in our kitchen and approach this year delivered to you. and will be headed Tel 868 082 067 or 603 135 387 to Venice this month. info@countrykitchenspain.com I’ve never been, www.countrykitchenspain.com and my wellies are packed ready for a flooded St Mark’s Square and a gondola trip. I won’t be needing that

te The tas of home

Country Kitchen

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2013

Lights On or Lights Off?

Over the last few months the majority of streets within Camposol B, C & D have been in darkness at night. Because of an ongoing refusal by the Ayuntamiento to take on the responsibility for their maintenance and payment for the power used, Iberdrola, not surprisingly, have finally run out of patience and switched them off. Of course we have had uproar over the situation and even calls for mass demonstrations outside of the town hall. Stories of continuous house robberies and dog walkers breaking limbs after falling on poorly maintained roads and footpaths whilst out in the dark and late night revelers struggling to get home safely from the bars. But for me it has been a revelation to walk out at night and to see clearly the wonderful sky at night and I would be happy for the lights to stay off for good. It has made me wonder why anyone would want, after spending all day in the fantastic sunshine of Spain, to have to spend every night in such illumination provided by the overkill of street lights of Camposol. The shouts of what about our security are heard every day and of course over the last ten years we have had spates of robberies which have caused distress to those that have been victims. But it is a fact that many of these robberies have

2013

mum Ord ini

Garment Printing Office 968 152 191 Mobile 618 615 903

taken place in fully illuminated streets. Security of one’s villa is down to the the Ayuntamiento to get them back on individual and those that have invested more quickly. in a few simple solutions have certainly Everyone a winner!!! reduced the chances of being robbed. Security alarms, even dummy ones, can be effective as can good quality rajas and dusk to dawn exterior lighting. The complaint of it being dangerous to walk out at night can also be seen as an exaggeration. Over the last three years, even when fully lit, Camposol has become a ghost town once the sun goes down. Yes, there is the occasional dog walker but if they Tel: 968 138 516 are concerned over Mobile: 620 27 76 90 their safety then Fax: 968 59 29 08 walk the dog a bit gestionesryl@movistar.es Email: camposolinsurances@hotmail.com earlier in the evening before it gets dark. Camposol Insurances At least then they C/Castellon de la Plana,229 can be seen if they Urb Camposol A don’t pick up the 30870 Mazarron (Murcia) mess left by their dog(s)!! Open Monday to Friday 10am till 1pm & 2pm till 5pm Those staggering home from the bars just need to invest in Mazarron Office Tel: 968 59 28 28 a good torch. I would be happy for the lights to all stay off and never come back on but as a compromise would accept that maybe one in four lights be turned back on. This would possible satisfy those who cannot live without street lights, reduce the volume of light for those like myself

of water down the back of my jeans, soaked my wax jacket and sent me to a beauty appointment in Debenhams with a mackerel sticking out of my collar and Laverbread as a scarf. Not a good look.

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Try our gourmet custom made hampers. Ideal for a gift and we have one to suit every occasion! The choice is endless! All our hampers are beautifully presented. Call 868 082 067 or 603 135 387 for more information

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Spanish Cooking Uncovered

Book Review by Caroline Angus Baker

creativity in a harsh landscape. These recipes were created when food was at its simplest; fresh vegetables, meat, poultry, all healthy options that give the cook and the family an opportunity to enjoy Spanish food at its best. The best part is that Spanish cooking is uncomplicated. This is no book that will have you hunting for many ingredients to create a meal; this is food at its most honest, with wonderful flavours that won’t send your wallet into a spin. The book details life at the finca during the civil war, and while the recipes have been updated for modern cooking, a few little details about cooking in the 1930’s prevail for your enjoyment. The book is filled with both photos of the recipes and life at the finca. María Luisa’s Farmhouse Favourites garners no pretensions, just good food, healthy eating, all created by the spirit of a woman with a will to be proud of. Buy Spanish Cooking Uncovered: Farmhouse Favourites by Paco De Lara and Debbie Jenkins on Kindle and on paperback through Amazon (great Kindle price!) Caroline Angus Baker is a New Zealand Author specialising in psychological thrillers based in Spain. After first moving to Valencia in 2005, she continued to travel the world but left here heart in Spain. She is the author of the “Secrets of Spain” trilogy and the “Canna Medici” novels. To read more articles on Spain go to carolineangusbaker.com

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sit ist we our al bs ne er it w ia e pa ga n. co m

Spanish Cooking Uncovered. AuthorsPaco De Lara and Debbie Jenkins There are so many recipe books available these days, and to be honest, I am put off purchasing any of them. I am no cook; I am not a fan of spending time in the kitchen, and the thought of following a convoluted set of instructions for an hour puts me off dinner completely. Spanish cooking is great for people like me; there are many great flavours and the simplicity means everyone, including the cook, can look forward to a meal.

The story of Grandma María Luisa is one that could have easily never been told. María Luisa, suffering from serious asthma problems, took her doctor’s advice and moved to their family finca (country home) in Murcia in the 1930’s, in an effort to improve her heath. When the Spanish civil war broke out in 1936, María Luisa stopped marking her regular trips between the finca and Valencia, and stayed in the (relative) safety of the country home while the nation underwent a cruel transformation. Like for so many around Spain during this time, life became increasingly dire and families needed to become inventive and self-sufficient if they were to have anything to eat. The war had a devastating effect on all industries, leaving people to survive with next to nothing. After the end of the war in 1939, the following decade brought little more than hardship and starvation to much of the population. María Luisa took on a challenge and was able to help her family by creating recipe ideas to help them through an impossibly difficult period in their lives. Today, the family finca is an ecotourism farm, and during renovations, María Luisa’s grandson, Paco de Lara, came across old papers. He had stumbled upon over 2,600 wartime recipes in María Luisa’s beautiful handwriting. Combined with María Luisa’s ideas and techniques, these terrific recipes have been transformed into 80 traditional Spanish recipes that anyone can undertake, 70 years after they became a symbol of

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Librilla, Calle Totana No6 cristaleriapagan@cristaleriapagan.com www.thejournalspain.es www.cristaleriapagan.com 2013

Some recipes for Pancake day on March the 4th

Basic pancakes with sugar and lemon

Ingredients For the pancake mixture 110g/4oz plain flour, sifted pinch of salt 2 eggs 200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water 50g/2oz butter To serve caster sugar lemon juice lemon wedges Preparation method Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs - any sort of whisk or even a fork will do - incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so. Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don’t worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to taste our famous cakes and pastries “your meeting place in the port”

Recipes

whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. Now melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake. Now get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you’re using the correct amount of batter. I find 2 tbsp is about right for an 18cm/7in pan. It’s also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it’s tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate. Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest. To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.

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Fluffy American pancakes

Ingredients 135g/4¾oz plain flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp caster sugar 130ml/4½fl oz milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 tbsp melted butter (allowed to cool slightly) or olive oil, plus extra for cooking To serve Maple syrup Butter Preparation method Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl. In a separate bowl or jug, lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the melted butter. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and, using a fork, beat until you have a smooth batter. Any lumps will soon disappear with a little mixing. Let the batter stand for a few minutes. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When it’s melted, add a ladle of batter (or two if your frying pan is big enough to cook two pancakes at the same time). It will seem very thick but this is how it should be. Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, then turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake has risen to about 1cm (½in) thick. Repeat until all the batter is used up. You can keep the pancakes warm in a low oven, but they taste best fresh out the pan. Serve with lashings of real maple syrup and extra butter if you like.

&Gardens

Homes

along the Golf Club side of the rambla road and the large, landscaped corner already look so much nicer and will improve even more as the trees mature.

Camposol ‘C’ Green Fingers Gardening and Social Group This month we would like to show details of perhaps the largest project so

far completed by Green Fingers, with the help and support of Mazarron Council (represented by David Fernandez) and Colin Dorset of Camposol Golf Club: A large area at the bottom of the dual carriageway has been cleared of weeds and landscaped with machinery before membrane was laid and many

new native trees and plants put in, then finally adding the decorative gravel layer: In fact, by the end of the month we will have planted 140 new mature

trees, plants and yuccas over a two month period, all funded by Green Fingers bucket collections and social events – a huge thank-you to all who have supported these! It has all involved much hard work and liason between the three groups involved, which was both a really exciting and satisfying experience! It is so rewarding to find local groups and businesses wanting Your first port of call when undertaking any aspect of to work together home improvements. for the greater good We are specialists in all types of general building workof our area of the urbanization and our From major construction projects to fitted bathrooms, thanks must go to kitchens and conservatories, give us a call for a free, no everyone concerned obligation quote. All our team are fully qualified professionals with over 20 for doing their ‘bit’! The avenue of trees years construction experience in Spain. We understand that spending money improving your home is an important decision. Thats why we pride ourselves on being honest, reliable, and getting the job done right, first time, at a fair price. For more details visit our website: www.cmconstruction.es Or come and visit our office on A Sector, next to the ferriteria. Or call us: Mark: 659 159 948 - Colin: 676 306 718 CM CONSTRUCTIONS

"The Name You Can Trust"

On a sadder note, we are still experiencing thefts; the new solar lighting system from the ‘Wecome’ wall and a roll of membrane, together with vandalism of trees, plants and signs. Please keep your eyes and ears open so these mindless culprits may be caught, thank you. Our street sweeping and weed spraying programme continues, despite the cold winds, to make our sector a clean, tidy and lovely place to either visit or live in and we are always looking for new volunteers please! On Wednesday mornings we meet at 9am outside the Sensol Villa Office, and even if you can only offer limited time or ability, your efforts are really appreciated by all the temporary and permanent residents, so if you’d like to increase your social circle, as well as enjoying the fresh air (very fresh at the moment!) and making your area a beautiful one, just contact us! Tickets are now available for our next Social Evening on 11th April, 8pm at the Golf Club with entertainment from Karen Noble. Please check our chalkboards, website and Facebook for any further information. John, our chairman, can be contacted on 634 325 427, or visit Facebook or our website: http://www. greenfingersgardenandsocialgroup.com/

Amazing Glow in the Dark Pavements for parks and gardens Keeping parks well lit at night can be a costly means to ensure pedestrian and cyclist safety. But a British-based

company has come up with a way to turn park paths into glow-in-the-dark thoroughfares that double as energyefficient works of art. Created by Pro-Teq, Starpath is a spray able coating of light-absorbing particles that harvests ultra-violet rays from the sun during the day and dramatically lights up like a starry sky at night. The veneer is non-reflective, anti-slip and waterproof, and can be applied to cement, wood, tarmac or other solid surfaces. Earlier this month, Starpath was tested on all 1,600 square-feet of the paths at Christ’s Pieces Park, in the university town of Cambridge. The park is well trafficked late into the evening by cyclist and pedestrians alike.

with additional benefits: Its non-reflective surface doesn’t seem to contribute to light pollution, which not only inhibits views of the night-time sky, but can have dire consequences for local wildlife due to the

“Our surface works best over tarmac or concrete, predominantly tarmac, which is the main bulk of the U.K. path network,” says Pro-Teq’s Neil Blackmore. “When it’s coming to the end of its useful life, we can rejuvenate it with our system, creating not only a practical, but a decorative finish.”

Overhead street lighting does provide one important benefit to urban parks, however, and that’s the deterrence of crime. It’s

Seeing that local city councils were increasingly shutting off park lights at night to save money, Pro-Teq developed Starpath to maintain public safety without the financial and environmental costs of overhead lighting. It’s a common problem; in the U.S. for instance, cities generally count streetlights as their first or second biggest energy drains. But the glow-in-the-dark spray also comes

constant illumination.

not yet known if Starpath would provide enough light to do the same.

Pro-Teq’s Neil Blackmore says that for larger urban parks where the possibility of crime is higher, his technology could be used in conjunction with overhead lighting, if not replacing street lights completely, then cutting down on the number of them necessary to illuminate darkened areas. Pro-Teq’s demonstration project in Cambridge is tiny, though, compared to a glow-in-the-dark technology being rolled out across the English Channel. The Netherlands began its “smart highway” redesign this year with the promise of using super-charged glowin-the-dark paint to illuminate highways during the country’s long, dark winters. Not only will the paint light up to define the road and its lanes, but when the temperature drops below freezing, a bright snowflake design appears on the asphalt, warning drivers about the possibility of black ice. As innovative and environmentallyfriendly as the Netherlands’ design is, though, Pro-Teq’s Starpath may have bested it in terms of pure aesthetics. The starry spray is dramatic and not only lights up to a brilliant blue but is also available in other sparkling colours, like red, gold and green. Whether its application could extend to some roadways remains to be seen, but at least for now, Starpath looks like an energy-efficient way to light up parks while simultaneously turning them into eye-catching art displays.

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Health &Wellbeing Changes in your feet tend to occur in association with prolonged use of poor fitting shoes and their incidence increases between 40 to 60 years of age. Modifying the shoes that are worn can prevent abnormalities such as: bunions, hammering and clawing of the toes, calluses or corns, arthritis of the joints. It is believed that because of their choice in footwear (narrow toes and high heels), women suffer from four times as many problems than men!

Healthy feet: Foundation of your life! Your feet work hard. The foot is a complex structure, containing 26 small bones (one-quarter of the bones in the human body are in the feet!), 33 joints, and a system of more than 100 tendons, muscles, nerves and ligaments working together in concert. The average person takes approximately 10,000 steps per day, which can add up more than 3 million steps per year! Each step can place two to three times of body weight forces on the feet. With time, this extensive recurring use leads to a certain amount of normal changes as we get older: The foot becomes wider and longer. There is flattening of the foot, a mild settling of the arch. The fat pad on the bottom of the heel becomes thinner, causing loss of natural padding and bounce in the step. The foot and ankle become stiffer by losing some of their normal range of motion. There can be some loss of balance while walking, potentially leading to a fall. Make sure your feet are comfortable. Most people are born with healthy feet, but three out of four people develop serious foot problems as they age. Some of the foot changes that occur are abnormal or pathological. When your feet hurt or bother you, it can affect your whole body and you can’t fully engage. It can feel like you are being held back and missing out. Foot health can be a clue to overall health. For example, joint stiffness could mean arthritis. A doctor can treat many of the foot problems that are caused by arthritis as well as suggest medicine to relieve the pain. Tingling or numbness could be a sign of diabetes. Swelling might indicate kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure.

It’s now time to take good care of your feet. Healthy feet contribute to safety and health: Examine your feet regularly Wear comfortable shoes that fit properly Wash your feet daily with soap and lukewarm water Trim your toenails straight across and not too short Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, once claimed “When our feet hurt, we hurt all over”. Good foot care and regular foot checks are an important part of your health care. Seniors should pay particular attention to their feet, as healthy and pain-free feet help with balance, which can prevent falls and support an active lifestyle. Juan Basilio Galindo Tovar (pharmacist of camposol pharmacy)

Sponsored by Camposol Farmacia

breastbone parallel to your spine (avoid arching your back) and breath into your upper chest then release your shoulders. When sitting in an upright and open position in this way you will have more room to breath, more space for digestion and a better ability to move forward and rotate. Think about your head neck and back working as a unit, from the top of your head to your sitting bones, so that you bend from the hip joints rather than the waist. Alexander Technique This brilliant Alexander Technique exercise rests and elongates your back and calms your whole system. Try This Simply laying on your back on a blanket or rug knees bent feet flat on the floor firm support under the back of your head. Rest your hands-on your torso and have a little space between your feet and knees. Turn off your phone and TV and relax. Over tight or damaged muscles that are giving you pain will gradually relax their tension. And gravity gently lengthens the curves of your spine (making you subtly taller). Rest quietly ten or fifteen minutes a day and you will be amazed how effective it is for releasing back pain, it is always best to consult a qualified teacher. Yoga Last year a study revealed yoga is an effective way for people with lower back pain to become more mobile. A new study published in the journal Spine, has recommended that yoga should be offered on the English NHS, if prices were kept low it could save money for the NHS and the Economy.

Banish Back Pain It seems that in class more students are arriving with non-specific back pain. I am calling it that because it is unclear what actually causes it, it comes as a by-product of every day life for most sufferers but there is plenty that can be done to minimise the risks. Sit Right Sit near the front edge of your chair and drop your knees so they are lower than your hips, allowing you to feel your sitting bones and horizontalise your pelvis, creating the balanced foundation for your spine. Lengthen your front by lifting up your

Try This Practicing yoga regularly will help maintain a healthy back by improving posture, increasing flexibility and strengthening the core muscles. A simple spinal twist can help to relieve lower back pain. Begin laying on your back knees bent and your arms out level with your shoulders, inhale and as you exhale let your knees fall gently to the right while slowly turning the head to the left (any discomfort felt and keep the head centered) . Continue like this for at least ten complete breaths slowly then let the knees rest one side for ten breaths and then the other. On completion draw your knees into the chest to relax lower back then slowly stretch the legs away. Relaxing with a blanket under the knees, releases lower back tension also. Acupuncture Guidelines recommend 10 sessions over

Struggling to eat healthier? Try the next best thing to fruits and vegetables.

Jan Dillin Tel: 672 880 353 Mail: janz21663@gmail.com For more information call Jan on 672 880 353 email: janz21663@gmail.com “Juice Plus by Jan Dillin”

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www.thejournalspain.es

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Health &Wellbeing a 12-week period, although of course all cases are different in my experience you should notice an improvement within one to three treatments and ultimately a complete removal of pain. The treatment nourishes or clears lines of energy (meridians) that run through our bodies. Commonly with back pain there is a weakness in the kidney and bladder meridians. Sometimes, with stress and tensions the practitioner will treat the meridians of the liver and gall bladder. Tiny pins nourish and calm your energy, you may fill tingling a dull ache or I always felt â&#x20AC;&#x153;that was the spotâ&#x20AC;? as the pins are positioned. Ultimately you will be free from pain. Generally you will feel better in yourself with more energy. Homeopathy Homeopathic remedies can also be used for specific conditions if chosen with consideration with the symptoms you are witnessing, not only to relieve the problem but to prevent it from coming back. Arnica is extremely useful in relieving sudden accidental injury, sprains or bruising. Hypericum is useful when pain in the lower back will be helped by a massage. Different remedies would be recommended depending if the pain is worse in the morning and then better in the evening, or if pain was made worse with walking or if there is more stiffness in the upper rather than the lower back. My information on the remedies of homeopathy is very little apart from the use of Arnica and Hypericum both of which I recommend to my students you would need to take a consultation with a qualified practitioner in order to obtain more information and be prescribed the correct remedies and treatments. lisa@yogawithlisa.es (0034) 626 960 354 www.yogawithlisa.es

Reasons to Drink Coffee

of colon cancer could be decreased by 25% for coffee drinkers. StrokeÂ - A 2009 study done by the Department of Family Medicine in Seoul, Korea, found that chances of stroke could be reduced by drinking more than one coffee beverage per day. The risk of stroke decreased by 25% for the women who were in this study. Another study done in Finland with male participants showed that their risk of stroke was reduced by 12% when they drank more than 4 cups of coffee on a daily basis.

When you wake up in the morning feeling groggy and tired, coffee can be just what you need to wake up. It can give you energy and clear your mind so you can focus and get things done. While you know you can rely on a cup of coffee to perk you up, do you know the other benefits of drinking it? You might be surprised to learn some of the unique benefits of drinking coffee that most people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t aware of! Longer LifeÂ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A recent study done by the National Cancer Institute found that individuals who drink coffee on a regular basis are likely to live longer than those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. The study was done with 400,000 people of all ages who drank both regular and decaf, depending on their preference. Although the reasoning behind this still isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t clear, many scientists think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s due to the many antioxidants that are naturally found in coffee. Disease PreventionÂ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; In a study done by Harvard, researchers found that drinking one to three cups of coffee per day can benefit the health dramatically. For example, consuming one to three cups per day can reduce your risk of diabetes. This study also showed that the development of Parkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease could be decreased by 80% and risk

Better HealthÂ - There are more than 1,000 antioxidants inside of that cup of coffee you enjoy drinking so much. These antioxidants can benefit your health in numerous ways. For example, they can reduce inflammation caused by arthritis and even get rid of toxins that cause certain types of cancer. The antioxidants will also neutralize free radicals that can cause you to gain weight or have certain health issues. With more antioxidants active in your body you will feel better on the inside and look better on the outside. GoutÂ - Gout is extremely painful and can occur in people of all ages. Since it affects joints, it can result in not being able to walk or even move for long periods of time. The worst part about this is that it can be difficult to get rid of if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the right treatments with you. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the good news for individuals who suffer from gout? Regular consumption of coffee can ward off that pain and soothe this condition! The Nursesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Health study examined female nurses over the course of 26 years. The results showed that women who regularly drank four or more cups of coffee each day decreased their risk of developing gout. This is due to the antioxidants in coffee reducing insulin in the body. When the insulin is reduced it will get rid of high uric acid levels, which are what cause gout for most people.

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Do you need to lose weight? Do you need to eat a more balanced diet? Herbalife have helped millions throughout the world improve their life through good nutrition. Come and see us free of charge to find out how you can benefit from a bespoke nutritional lifestyle solution. Your free, no obligation consultation will include: t" 1FSTPOBMJTFE 4UVEZ PG /VUSJUJPO t" 1FSTPOBM /VUSJUJPOBM 1SPĂśMF t*EFBM 8FJHIU $BMDVMBUJPO t#PEZ 'BU QFSDFOUBHF $BMDVMBUJPO t.VTDMF JO ,JMPT $BMDVMBUJPO t" 4UVEZ PG ZPVS #BTJD .FUBCPMJD 3BUF

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Sports

Los Amigos De Mazarrón F.C

LOS AMIGOS DE MAZARRON FC LATEST NEWS Mazarron FC had a terrible start to 2014, gaining only two points from the first five games played in the New Year. From a position prior to the Christmas break where they were just two points away from an automatic promotion place, they had dropped to 12th by mid February. Fifteen goals were conceded in those five games and the problem position in the team was that of goalkeeper. The Manager seemed to be unsure as to whether Ruben or Noguera was his first choice and alternating between the two gave little chance for the defence to settle with either of them. At the time of writing we learn that Mazarron have now obtained the services of a new goalkeeper, Marcos, from local rivals Bala Azul so this will hopefully help to solve the problem. Scoring has not been a worry with Jose Ruben and new signing Tolo second and third on the league’s goalscoring lists and 41 goals were scored in the first 19 games of the season. Despite this poor run of results there is still an outside chance that Mazarron could make a late run towards promotion but they really need to be far more consistent and stop conceding sloppy goals. Secretary Barbara Marchant and

FC also organise a supporters’ coach to each away game, something unique in this area where away support is almost non-existent. Coach prices are 8€ for members and 10€ for non-members. Full details of all games, date and kick off times and coach departure times both home and away, are normally not announced until the Wednesday before the weekend on which the game is to be played and advertised in the local media, on www.mazarronfc.es and on posters at various points throughout Camposol and Mazarron. Forthcoming fixtures are: Sunday 2nd March AD ALQUERIAS (HOME) Sunday 9th March CF Lorca Deportiva (Away) Sunday 16th March LA HOYA LORCA CF (HOME) Sunday 23rd March CF Molina (Away) Sunday 30th March CD ALBERCA (HOME) Sunday 6th April CD Lumbreras (Away) The 5th Annual Los Amigos de Mazarron FC Gala Evening and Dinner which is to be held at the Hotel la Cumbre, Puerto de Mazarron on Wednesday 12th March 2014 with guest speaker Joe Royle, is a complete sell out. The event is jointly sponsored by New Images, the No.1 Unisex Hair & Beauty Salon and Nail Bar, Centro Commercial B, Camposol and Ibex Insurance of Avenida Doctor Meca S/N Commercial Centre Upper Local 2, Puerto de Mazarron. Other celebrity guests include former World Welterweight Boxing Champion John H Stracey and ex England International Tony Currie who will be playing in a Celebrity Golf Tournament on the morning of Tuesday 11th March, the day before the dinner, at the Camposol Club de Golf. Later that night, there is a Sporting Legends Evening at the Club House,

husband Chris presented a cheque on behalf of Los Amigos de Mazarron FC to Jose Rodriguez, President of Mazarron Football Club, before the recent home game against EMF Fuente Alamo. Mazarron’s home games are normally played on Sundays with varying kick off times. Admission is just €4 with juveniles free. Los Amigos de Mazarron

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John H Stracey

Camposol Club de Golf beginning at 7.30 pm. John H Stracey and Tony Currie will answer questions

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on their respective careers and DVD highlights will also be shown of them in action. Steve Tucker of Costa Calida International Radio is acting as compere for the evening and Joe Royle will also be in attendance. John H Stracey who is now an accomplished singer in his own right will perform a few numbers from his repertoire during the evening. John has appeared on the same bill as Johnny Mathis and The Eagles and has also performed at the famous Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas. There are still tickets left for this unique occasion priced at 8€ for Los Amigos de Mazarron FC members and 10€ for non members. These can be purchased direct from the bar at the Club House, Camposol Club de Golf or by ringing Barbara on 627 012 646, Dave on 634 369 639, Gerard on 624 320 567 or you can email losamigosdemazarronfc@hotmail.co.uk for details of availability.

Mazarron Bowls Club

Other social events over the last month included a bowls day out with the Mazarron Bowls Club at Hacienda del Alamo. Los Amigos members were made very welcome and enjoyed tea and coffee on arrival before being given a talk about how the Bowls Club had evolved. They were then given a lesson about the weights of the bowls and how to bowl by three very patient staff who encouraged those who were not so good and praised the efforts of those who showed some promise!!

The party then tried to put into practice what they had learned earlier when a game of bowls then followed which was enjoyed by everyone. A very enjoyable meal at the local hotel with a few drinks and plenty of banter completed a great day out. It was a most enjoyable experience and thanks to everyone at the Bowls Club for looking after everyone so well and with so much patience!! Then, the first meeting of the Los Amigos Luncheon Club was held on 25th February when members travelled to Totana Sports Club for a delicious Menu del Dia lunch. The mini bus was fully booked and other members travelled under their own steam. The luncheon Club will now meet monthly and will be trying out the many fine local eating places in the area. One very sad note in January was the

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death of stalwart Mazarron supporter Reg Betts who had served on the Executive Committee of Los Amigos a couple of years ago. Sincere condolences to wife Sally and family on her sad loss. Los Amigos de Mazarron FC hold weekly meetings at their new venue of the Club House, Camposol Club de Golf at 4 pm. Social meetings, which are open to anyone, members or not, are held every Thursday with the exception of the last Thursday of each month which is reserved for the Members Business Meeting and open to members only.

Blowing away the cobwebs…………… It´s been quite a while since we all got together to play golf as a society, and once we had all finished discussing Christmas, New Year and all the new clubs, etc. that we had now loaded our bags with, play got under way. We decided to start the New Year at a course we hadn´t been to for quite a while. The course at Roda was in excellent condition and is a good test for medium to high handicappers, which was reflected in the returning scores. For a while at the 19th, several members were tied on a mid-twenties score, until the last four returned and dampened the euphoria of those leading.

Congratulations go to Bill Henry (pictured above) who was declared winner on a score of 33. He was followed by Norrie Bull on 30, and Melvyn Appleby on 29. Nigel Chadderton was the winner of nearest the pin. On Wednesday 5th February the majority of the membership met at the club house to hold the annual general meeting of the society. All items from the last year were approved, there was a vote of thanks by members for the committee´s work, and the committee was then re-elected en

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block. Choice of courses to play this coming year were decided upon, and a couple of small changes to the rules were voted through. We have provisionally booked to play at Corvera on Wednesday 26th March and new members and guest are always welcome. Geoff Sharp hatters45@msn.com

Hi, Each month I will be writing a article on different aspects of the golfing game, from equipment,technique and practice drills. This month I will be looking at: More Power Makes Increased Distance Hitting long, straight irons is one of the keys to a better golf game. So what do you do when your distance is falling short? It could be that you’ve never had the type of impact on the ball to make the ball go as far as those your playing with. This can be a symptom of body rotation or club head speed. There are drills you can do to increase your body rotation and your club head speed, generating more power behind your swing and allowing you to hit longer irons. Body Rotation Drill Step 1 Address the ball as you normally would with an iron. Step 2 Make a normal back swing and hold the position at the top. Step 3 Lift your lead foot 2 or 3 inches off the turf. This frees up your hips for greater rotation and transfers weight to your back foot. Step 4 Bring your club back down. Step 5

Repeat your back swing, but instead of lifting your foot, rotate it to the right while lifting your heel up 2 to 3 inches. Step 6 Practice this technique to generate greater upper body rotation. Club Head Speed Step 1 Address the ball. Make sure that your head is centered over the ball. This will allow you to generate a full follow through and more club head speed at impact. Step 2 Bring back your club as you normally would. Step 3 Swing through the ball, keeping your head centered at impact and your hips and shoulders square. Step 4 Visualize your non-lead hand rolling the ball as you go through impact. To roll the ball you need to break the wrist. This will help you get the feel for your wrist break and release point, the area where you generate the most club head speed. Step 5 Go in to your follow through. Your nonlead shoulder (the shoulder farthest from the hole) should naturally drop through impact so there is a steep descending angle from lead to non-lead with your head still centered. Your non-lead shoulder should slide under your chin as you complete your follow through. I do hope the above information helps, if you need any assistance with any aspect of your game please don’t hesitate to e mail me or phone me, e mail golfstop@live.com or phone 634332476

The Workplace, Camposol B, Commercial Center

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Frazer-Nash’s Range Extended Electric Metrocab Wants to Reinvent the London Taxi

In London, the new vehicular frontier appears to be the humble taxi cab. Here comes the Range Extended Electric Metrocab, a hybrid peoplemover that began plying Central London streets this week in a limited trial. The cab, cutting a profile that its producers say is “sympathetic” to archetypal London taxis such as the London Taxi Company’s TX4, is built in Surrey by British firms Frazer-Nash and Ecotive. Motive power is drawn primarily from a 12.2 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack – roughly 4kWh smaller than the unit found in the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid – which powers two electric motors, one at each of the rear wheels. Energy can be channelled into the depleted pack via an onboard 1-litre gasoline-burning engine coupled to a generator. Frazer-Nash and Ecotive claim a maximum travel range for its Metrocab of 560km (348 miles). Befitting a London taxi, the Metrocab complies with the various idiosyncratic rules set forward by London’s Public Carriage Office, such as meeting a tight turning radius of 7.62m (25 feet) – a standard derived from the size of the turning circle in front of the city’s Savoy Hotel. Passengers are treated to panoramic views of the Smoke

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through a glass roof panel. Taxis are very much top of mind for Londoners. The once-bankrupt London Taxi Company restarted its hackney carriage production lines in September 2013 after a cash infusion by China’s Geely Holding Group. Nissan’s Paddington-based UK design studio slapped a throwback face on the

carmaker’s NV200 van – a model that is steadily colonising New York’s streets – and dubbed it the London Taxi (with a capital “T”).

Charging the battery pack

Frazer-Nash and Ecotive said operators will register their interest in trialing the Metrocab this year, though the companies have global ambitions for their product. With the TX4 back on track and the NV200 months away, it will clearly have company.

fastest car the company has ever built, and will have a £1million price tag. It has an electric motor linked to a 6.3 litre petrol engine that propels it from rest to 62mph in under three seconds and to 124mph in under seven seconds. With a top speed of 220mph, its lap time around Ferrari’s legendary Fiorano circuit is under 1 minute 20 seconds - 5 seconds faster than a Ferrari Enzo and more than 3 seconds faster than a the F12 Berlinetta. The company said that LaFerrari, which made its world debut at today’s Geneva International Motor Show, is the fastest car in Maranello’s history and ‘the first hybrid in Ferrari history.’ ‘All in all the car guarantees maximum driving thrills,’ said a Ferrari spokesman. ‘The LaFerrari’s body has been given a sculptural treatment heavily influenced by its aerodynamics.’ Built for thrills, LaFerrari emits 330 g/km of CO2, which though low by supercar standards, is still much higher

The 220mph green machine: Ferrari unveils fastest-ever supercar electric hybrid with top speed of 220mph (and a £1m price tag) The new lightning-fast car called LaFerrari - or ‘The Ferrari’ – is the

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2013

than an average hybrid car. The congestion charge exempt Toyota

Prius costs £21,600 and has CO2 emissions are much lower at just 89g/ km, it qualifies for exemption from the London congestion charge and does 72 miles to the gallon. There are no runners. Instead it is the pedals and steering wheel which are adjustable. So if you sell the car, Ferrari will have to mould a new bespoke seat for the new owner. The driving position is similar to that of a single-seater F1 car and was designed

after consultation with the Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, who both played an active role throughout the entire development process. Weight from the system is kept low and between the car’s two axles as close as possible to the floor to lower its centre of gravity by just over an inch to boost dynamic handling and help keep the car as compact as possible. The chassis has four different types of carbon-fibre, all hand-laminated and cured in an oven in the racing department using the same design and production methods as the Formula 1 car. The seats and the battery compartment were integrated into the chassis to improve the car’s rigidity and cut weight. It is powered by Ferrari’s hybrid petrolelectric energy recovery system called ‘HY-KERS.’ The powerful 6.3 litre V12 800 horsepower engine is coupled with a 120 Kw electric motor with power equivalent to about 40 electric kettles, as much horsepower as a family saloon. Together this gives the LaFerrari a combined power output of 963 horsepower – equivalent to nearly ten Ford Fiestas - to drive the wheels. The electric motor is coupled with the F1 derived dual-clutch gearbox so that power is instantly available to the

wheels during acceleration and from the wheels to the electric motor during recharging. A computerised engine management system controls the relative flow of petrol and electric power. A second electric motor powers ancillaries such as air conditioning. The thin battery pack weighing 60kg covers most of the cabin under-floor area and is attached to the chassis beneath the driver and passenger to keep the centre of gravity low. The batteries are charged in two different ways. Firstly energy generated from braking is collected. Secondly energy is collected every time the engine produces more torque or ‘puling power’ than is needed - such as in cornering. Instead of being sent to the wheels, the excess power is converted to energy and stored in the batteries. An aerodynamic guide vane on the rear spoiler generates downforce to keep the car gripping the road – and prevent it taking flight. An on board computer electronically measures the car and the driver’s actions to optimise performance.

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Property, Financial and Legal THINK BACK…… DID YOU EVER “CONTRACT OUT” OF THE UK STATE EARNINGS RELATED PENSION SCHEME?? Cast your minds back to the early 80’s – remember Maggie Thatcher – hmm there will be divided views on her time as Prime Minister. Maybe some of you have forgotten that it was good old Maggie who created the right for us workers to contract out of the State Pension Scheme – maybe someone came to your firm to talk to you about it, or maybe you heard about it in the press. There was a lot of talk about depending how old you were at that time – whether it would be to your advantage to contract out or not. You probably don’t remember doing very much – well you didn’t have to do very much! Just sign a form to say that you wanted to contract out and that was it. Then everything carried on as normal – the same deductions were

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Qualifying Regulated Overseas Pension taken from your wages – and because Scheme. This means that now you are you had contracted out, that portion living in Spain, those “contracted out” for the State Earnings Related Pension monies can be taken from the UK and was invested in another location ie an insurance company, to wait until your eventual retirement date. Maybe you Legal & Financial Services remember receiving The ONLY qualified and experienced UK Lawyer in a statement from this area providing a comprehensive range of services the company covering English and Spanish matters including concerned telling QROPS Pension transfers to unlock your UK private you how much was pension held in your fund? If this is what For an initial discussion please telephone 634 053 976 happened to you, or email:shirleyfisherlegalservices@gmail.com the situation is a Camposol Business Centre little different to Calle Madrid 19, Sector A those who decided Camposol, Mazarron to actively start up MURCIA 30875 their own private pension fund and FOR AN APPOINTMENT additional monies Tel: 968 103 008 from their wages FAX: 968 199 664 were taken for that and invested accordingly. Well the FANTASTIC news is that BOTH these situations are covered under QROPS Regulations –

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Neptuno Deluxe – 175,000€

MU553

GREAT LOCATION Extended detached villa on a perimeter road with 3 beds, 3 baths, glazed sun lounge, central heating, log burner, internal stairs, extended “top box”, walk-in-wardrobe, private swimming pool, summer house, very private gardens, off road parking, unobstructed views to the front. Located on B. Fully furnished

CAB550

Carmen – 168,500€

BANK REPOSSESSION Third floor apartment on La Torre Golf Resort with 2 beds 1 bath, double glazed, gas central heating, ducted hot-cold A/C, terrace, lift, intercom system, communal pool, close to the Town Centre overlooking the 10th & 18th Fairway. Basement garage space. Part furnished.

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IMMACULATE DETACHED VILLA This beautiful extended detached villa with views to the golf course has 3 beds, 2 baths, glazed sun lounge, central heating, A/C, log burner, extended kitchen, private swimming pool, immaculate low maintenance gardens, basement storage, off road parking. Located on B. Fully furnished.

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Apartment – 65,800€

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Townhouse - 96,300€ BANK REPOSSESSION Excellent location only 2 minutes walk to the beach is this 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 74m2 built property set over 2 floors, spacious lounge/diner, large kitchen, rear patio, front terrace, tiled staircase, storage. Located in Isla Plana. Unfurnished

2013

you could receive a cash lump sum and could invest some of the fund to create a personal pension for your retirement. If you were “contracted out” for some time, these funds could be substantial. If any bells are ringing and you would like to make an initial enquiry regarding your pension fund acquired from any source, then come and see me with your paperwork and we can get the ball rolling. Contact me on my mobile 634 053 976 or send me an email to shirleyfisherlegalservices@gmail.com or leave a message for me at the Business Centre if Im not around - Tel. 968 103 008. The appointment will be free of charge and without commitment. I look forward to helping you enjoy your retirement! Shirley Ann Fisher UK Lawyer & Commissioner of Oaths Camposol Business Centre, Calle Madrid 19, Sector A (next to Mariano’s Restaurant)

Commerzbank sells $1 billion in bad Spanish property loans Commerzbank (has sold roughly $1 billion (613 million pounds) in bad Spanish property loans in a bid to clean

up its balance sheet and free up capital ahead of European banking health checks. Germany’s second biggest lender said on Thursday it hived off a portfolio worth 710 million euros) of non-performing Spanish mortgages to international investors, sending its shares up 3 percent. The deal is a milestone in Commerzbank’s restructuring plan that aims to restore strength after an 18 billion euro government rescue in the financial crisis. Banks have been trying to sell off risky assets, but few deals have materialised as buyers and sellers disagree on valuations. A pickup of the Spanish real estate market helped smooth the way for the transaction, Commerzbank said. The transaction reduces the bank’s riskweighted assets by 600 million euros and results in only a “minor” charge, which will be booked in Commerzbank’s fourth quarter earnings. Since the beginning of 2013, the bank has halved the volume of nonperforming loans in its Spanish commercial real estate portfolio from about 2 billion to roughly 1 billion, Commerzbank added. Commerzbank in 2012 decided to wind down its mortgage unit Hypothekenbank Frankfurt International, previously

known as Eurohypo, which does not underwrite new business anymore but runs off existing loans. To speed up the process and to be ready for an asset quality review as well as a stress test run by European banking regulators Commerzbank has embarked on divesting larger portfolios. In July, it sold British property loans worth 5 billion euros to U.S. rival Wells Fargo and private equity firm Lone Star Funds. Separately, it has hired Lazard to sell a different portfolio of Spanish mortgages - 3.3 billion euros in performing loans and roughly 1 billion in non-performing loans - people familiar with that transaction said. “Commerzbank will not sell those on the cheap, but only if can get out of them more or less loss-free”, one of those people said, adding it was too early to say when a deal will be reached. Commerzbank’s efforts to shrink its loan book and reduce risk have also included the sale of ship loans, and altogether the lender has reduced the size of its non-core assets unit by 22 percent to 124 billion euros as of September 30. At that time, Commerzbank’s internal bad bank included a 39.4 billion euro exposure in commercial real estate, 15.7 billion in ship loans and 68.4 billion in public finance.

Property, Financial and Legal Half of Spain’s Job adverts pay less than 1,000 euro a month Jobs in the ‘mileurismo’ category – those that pay less than €1,000 a month – have risen from 30 per cent to 49 per cent of those on offer. Of those, positions offering gross annual salaries of under €15,000 rose from 20 per cent to 31 per cent of the total, and jobs offering €16,000 to €20,000 from 6 per cent to 18 per cent. The figures complement data released by the Juan Alfaro Club of Excellence’s Labour Reform Monitor which showed that average wages across Spain had fallen by 10% since the introduction of new legislation designed to introduce flexibility into the job market. Average wages in Spain are believed to have fallen 20% in total over the last 24 months. Spain’s Minister for Tax and Public

Administration, Cristóbal Montoro, however, said last year that wages weren’t falling but were instead “moderating their growth”. But Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy admitted that wages were going down in December when he told reporters: “In difficult situations, it is better to bet on earning a little bit less and maintain as many jobs as possible.” Spanish daily La Información collated statements from a number of sources, all of which seemed to support the claim that wages in Spain are continuing to drop. The IMF recently called for further wage cuts to improve Spanish competitiveness. Human Resources agency PeopleMatters said that 25% of businesses they had contacted had plans to lower wages in 2014 regardless of economic circumstances, while the Spanish Federation of Business Organizations (CEOE) recommended that wages should be frozen or, at most, raised by 0.6 per

cent. The average monthly wage in Spain of €1,615 per month is already below the EU average of €1,916, according to last year’s Adecco Monitor of Employment Opportunity and Satisfaction, and far from the averages in Germany (€2,421), the UK (€2,321) and France (€2,130). Only 30 per cent of Spanish jobs offer wages equivalent to the EU average, and only 7 per cent offer wages equivalent to those found in Europe’s top economies.

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Sponsors of the puzzle page Suduko Puzzles Answers in next month’s magazine

Can you find the word “Mother” in all these languages Riddles Send your answers to thelastlaugh20@gmail.com and enter, with a chance to win a €5 voucher for JUST FABULOUS Puzzle Page Riddles What has a head yet it never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps, can run but can not walks, and has a bank but not a cent to its name? Imagine you are swimming in the ocean and a bunch of hungry sharks surround you. How do you get out alive? A poor woman takes an expensive piece of jewelry, when she is caught the owner of the jewelry tells her “You can have this for nine figures or you will go to jail.” The woman soon leaves with the jewelry. How did she do this? My eye is dark, and my mane is yellow. You man see me at the mart, and I’m probably taller than you fellow. What am I? My first two are male, and my first three female. My first four save them both, and my whole is a female of the same sort. What am I?

Useful Numbers activities Mariposa 968 631 008 Bar, restaurants & cafes Amapola 968 15 65 03 Bar Trevi 669 026 544 Cat’s Bar 666 188 353 Elliots 968 158 499 Mariposa 968 631 008 La Vida 625 917 425 Quality Indian restaurant Tel 968 199 198 Seventh Heaven 968 332 088 Vista Bar 648 731 309 Bathrooms Beautiful Bathrooms 968 974 038/663617 563 Beauty Care & Health Clinical complementary therapies 634 327 241 Heather mobile 636 657 481 Freedom Mobility 968 153 620 Builders CM Constructions 659 159 948 Car Hire & SERVICES F&C Rental 968 199 156 Car mechanics & car sales Ken Sherwood mechanics 679 646 859 Carpentry Dave Davidson 634 330 706 Camposol Business Centre District Journal, Security, Dentist, Chiropodists, Another World Properties, Camposol Health Clinic 968 103 008 Central Heathing & Plumbing Calida Gas & Oil 659 761 771 Charities Age Concern 634 310216 Andreas animal rescue 690 906 565 PALS 968 422 228 / 626460 465 JJPuppies 618 934 921 Lions 682 104 635 Mabs 639 665 370 Making a Difference 634 357 137 Chimney Sweep Tony 646 438 694 Chiropodists Nathalia 968 103 008 Computer design services Daniel White www.danielwhitedesign.com Dentists Camposol Business Centre 968 103 008 Ear Candling Heather mobile 636 657 481 Electricians Andy 617 644 339 FASHION Legs and Co 660 792 513 Funerals and funeral plans Tony Smith, Funeral director 650 631 719 Iberian Funeral Plans 965 993 498 Fish & Chips Elliots Bolnuevo 968 158 499 Gardening Evergreen 679 582 410 Hairdressers Carols 968 974 989 Cut & Dried 628 149 840 Home Furnishings & furniture @HOME 868 088 118

Furniture Plus 968 153 907/678 083 491 Yorkshire Linen 968 595 946/650 857 619

Insurance & Asesoria Nash Warren, Bolnuevo 968 156 583 R&L Seguros 968 138 516 / 620 277 690 ASSA 968 453 386 El Pilar 968 425 210 Ibex Insurance 968 595 945 Law services MMB 968 332 068 Shirley Ann Fisher 968 103 008 Metalwork Eriks 636 050 008 Mobility, aids & equipment Freedom & mobility 968 153 620 Properrty services Camposol Properties 968 592 679 Helping Hands Home Care675 865 636 Kevins Fly Screens 650 662 579/616 984 652 Pool cleaning, maintenance & repair Tony, the pool diver 646 438 694 Kohn Pool Services 968 138 638/626 684 979 Printing & Design Insignia Graphics, 618 615 903 Mister print 638 893 357 SALES AND RENTAL AGENTS 2let2buy2sell 968 979 876 UK 00 44 1223 968 199 Blue Med 968 595 684 Costa Calida Property Services 968 199 251 Mercers 968 199 188 UK 08450 177 805 Sensol Golf Villa Rentals 968 970 614/608 631 700 VillaQuest 968 974 918 Spanish interpreters and courses Debbies translations & interpreting, 677 353 136 Pilar Garcia 630 21 99 82 Esther Rama 617 054 872 Television Services Rainbow, 686 358 475 Window cleaning services AYS 619 877 303 Water, purification services Waterfiltersspain: 677 353 136 Miles Better Water Filters 619 877 303

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Jacuzzis & hot tubs bought, sold and repaired 650 722 905 www.eurospas1.com

In the event of a medical emergency call 112 and then phone F.A.S.T on 968 970 626 (Camposol Only)

Getting in touch with the committees and organisations

CRA Camposol Residents Association. The cabin is now located alongside the Cultural Centre on B SECTOR. and is open Monday and Friday until after Easter. Bob Owen can be contacted at chairman. bobowen@hotmail.co.uk The duty Committee member can be contacted on 634 364 739. Their web site which is interactive and very informative is www.cracamposol.com Sector A committee. Have their own web site at www.a-camposol.com They can be emailed at info@a-camposol.com. The telephone contact number for the committee is 603109974 This number is manned every morning Monday thru Friday 10am / 12noon Sector A gardening group is run by David Senior Peake who can be contacted by email dseniorpeake@hotmail.co.uk. They also run a bookstall Friday morning outside the post room on A. The team leaders meet monthly in Tels first Monday in moth 11AM visitors welcome. Sector B & B-clean (their gardening group) NB B sector community group is newly formed. Helen White 968 199 506 is the pro tem organisor. Sector C Greenfingers gardening group, Chairman, John Osborne- Tel 634 325 427 email: johnos1943@gmail.com. Camposol Community Group D Sector The group meets monthly on the first Monday at 4PM at The Clubhouse. Chairman Mick Drummond 968131971or 660038015 Secretary Les Crook 968979831or 606874193 A car with tow bar and trailer is now available for sector D residents to take garden waste to the Eco park, contact Alan Muncaster 654 024 474 Age Concern can be found at the Cultural Centre on Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am to 1pm and Fridays 12.30 to 3.30pm. Telephone 634 310216, email ageconcerncostacalida@hotmail.com Camposolers The registered group site for residents of Camposol, the proprietor is Reg Rogers who can be contacted by e-mailing reg rogers@hotmail.com. Apply to Reg for membership. NB there is an underline dash between reg and rogers!!!!!! Town Hall can now be contacted through an office in the Cultural Centre Sector B, by the roundabout down from the roundabout by the filling station. Tatiana Andres is there to help you every weekday morning. Phone 968 131 717, email oficinacamposol@mazarron.es MABS now have an office in the old MASA office on the main dual carriage way on Sector C LIONS, Membership Lion nigel 651867105 Welfare Lion Gina 654874563 ANNOUNCEMENTS Welcome book club every second and fourth Tuesday in the underbuild at the former medical centre on Sector B.

HELPING HANDS HOME CARE Gardening, Painting, General DIY, NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL Fully Legal Call Karen on 675 865 636

There s been several rescues, abandonments and quite a lot of re-homing too (thankfully!), but as always, vets soaring costs to be paid for treatments, operations, vaccines, microchips, passports etc. Not to mention worming! t’s been a real ‘Puppy’ profusion lately! A lot of positives though ....... Remember the two puppies found by the bins before Christmas, well doing lot Their Both found forever homes now! Holly has gone to Camposol and the other, has-been homed in ........... ............... Way to go girls! We inherited six very young puppies Pointer x This Month

in her new life in Camposol. Thanks to Julie Lee and family. Unfortunately, high winds During the last month, our Donkey shelter fell down! Luckily none of the donkeys Were hurt and thanks to the lovely Jason Birch, the shelter has now Been repaired. All the donkeys say ‘Hee-Haw’! Thank you Jason! Our ex-stud Horse Desi, who took months and months to be released from the pound, has found the happiness I deserved in his new home near Almería which is fantastic news! A special thanks to all those who help with Fostering Continuously, rescuing, Adopting, donating and volunteering Their Time in order to help all our animals. We could not manage without you guys! As always donations are always Greatly received in Either of our shops, in Mazarron and Fuente Alamo town, or in the car park where you can in Camposol find me every Monday Between 11.30 and 1.30. Any large items you wish to donate, we can arrange to be collected. Without your donations we would be unable to help all the animals we do. Thank you Andrea xx

MABS EVENTS IN MAZARRÓN This month’s events Tuesday - 25th March – VOLUNTEERS MEETING - Trevi bar, Camposol Sector B - 11.30 am If you would like further information about how you can help MABS come along to our meeting. For further information please ring 620 582 418 or call into the MABS Information Centre Saturday 19th April - MABS EASTER FAYRE - MABS CENTRE - 396 Avda de los Covachos Camposol Sector B4 – 10 UNTIL 1 - Easter Bonnet competition; Easter Egg hunt; Craft stalls; raffle and much more. For further information please ring 620 582 418. Tuesday 29th April - VOLUNTEERS MEETING - Trevi bar, Camposol Sector B - 11.30 am If you would like further information about how you can help MABS come along to our meeting. For further information please ring 620 582 418 or call into the MABS Information Centre

from a Spanish Farmer, who did not want them. They were very thin and malnourished. But after a few weeks in the care of their fabulous foster mums, Amanda and Chris, they’re stronger and doing well. Already two have been re-homed and four are still awaiting Their homes forever. They’re simply lovely and whoever has one will not be disappointed. On another good note, the owner agreed to let us have to spay her mother to avoid further unwanted litters. This is a positive for the Spanish people. A very young pup German Shepherd X was found wandering alone in the broccoli fields, cold wet and hungry. He’d been there for days unable to be caught. With perseverance I was rescued and was bought back to health and happiness, regaining his faith in mankind. We have managed to home in Camposol little only just the other week. Thanks to Val and Brian. Just have a happy life! We found a little dog injured in the road at (Tallante) after a hit and run. She was terrified and unable to move. After a visit to the vets, she was found to be in reasonable shape and luckily did not require an emergency operation. She is Recovering well now and is starting to walk again and getting over her ordeal Which is fantastic news! She’s awaiting a minor operation and when to she’s strong enough will be looking for her forever home. Kira is approximately 6 yrs old, small terrier x type, very quiet and sweet natured, good with other dogs and will make an perfect companion for That Lucky someone. Another abandoned dog, a Boxer X bitch we named Lady B, was found wandering in Camposol last month with a prolapsed vaginal. This dog required urgent intervention. She was caught with the help of one of our friends, Julie, who took her to the vets for an immediate operation immediately. After a recuperation period Lady B, now named Bella was homed to the family of one of our volunteers and has settled down well

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2013

The last Tuesday of the month - VOLUNTEERS MEETING - Trevi bar, Camposol Sector B - 11.30 am. If you would like further information about how you can help MABS come along to our meeting. For further information please ring 620 582 418. Next meeting October 29th. JIGSAW BEREAVEMENT GROUP Cats Bar Sector A Camposol 12.00 pm held on the first Friday of each month.This informal group provides support and information to all bereaved people. Call 620 582 418 for further details. Event tickets MABS Information Centre on Sector B Camposol, the MABS Charity Shop in Totana or by calling 620 582 418 keep watching the press for forthcoming events Thank you for your support!

FUTURE EVENTS The President of Age Concern (Ann Lambert) was at the Welcome Group’s January meeting to receive a generous donation of 600€. ‘Welcome’ provide valuable support to Age Concern throughout the year and it was great to see this year start in the same way! For anyone who wants to join us for a chat for a couple of hours our next get-together will be at 1.30pm on Wednesday 5th February. The next menu-del-dia will be Wednesday 26th February at las Galayos, Puerto de Mazarron. A four course meal including drinks for 10€. With music from ‘Timeless. Age Concern can be found at the Cultural Centre, Camposol Wednesday/Thursday 10am to 1pm, telephone 634 310216. Tickets also outside Bar Salud, Fridays 11am to 1pm, telephone 634 336484. Tickets from: Friday 11am to 1pm: Outside Bar Salud, Camposol B Camposol Cultural Centre Wed/Thu 10am to 1pm Telephone: 634 310 215 Other areas: 634 336 484

thelastlaugh20@gmail.com If you have a favourite joke that is suitable for a family magazine and not too long why not send it to

over. It will always be the exact fare. 10. If you lose a hand, it will cause the stump of your arm to grow by 15cm.

We will publish it and give you a credit

11. Mothers routinely cook eggs, bacon and waffles for their family every morning, even though the husband and children never have time to eat them.

thelastlaugh20@gmail.com

THINGS YOU LEARN FROM THE MOVIES 1. If being chased through town, you can usually take cover in a passing St Patrick’s Day parade - at any time of the year. 2. All beds have special L-shaped top sheets that reach up to armpit level on a woman but only waist level on the man lying beside her. 3. All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread. 4. Once applied, lipstick will never rub off - even while scuba diving. 5. The ventilation system of any building is a perfect hiding place. No one will ever think of looking for you in there and you can travel to any other part of the building without difficulty. 6. Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German officer, it will not be necessary to speak the language. A German accent will do. 7. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window of any building in Paris. 8. A man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious beating but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds. 9. When paying for a taxi, never look at your wallet as you take out a note - just grab one at random and hand it

Last month’s Suduko answers

12. Cars and trucks that crash will almost always burst into flames. 13. A single match will be sufficient to light up a room the size of a football stadium. 14. Medieval peasants had perfect teeth. 15. All single women have a cat. 16. Any person waking from a nightmare will sit bolt upright and pant. 17. One man shooting at 20 men has a better chance of killing them all than 20 men firing at one. 18. Creepy music coming from a graveyard should always be closely investigated. 19. Most people keep a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings - especially if any of their family or friends has died in a strange boating accident. 20. It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involved martial arts - your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessor. 21. During a very emotional confrontation, instead of facing the person you are speaking to, it is customary to stand behind them and talk to their back. 22. When you turn out the light to go to bed, everything in your room will still be clearly visible, just slightly bluish.

23. Dogs always know who’s bad and will naturally bark at them. 24. When they are alone, all foreigners prefer to speak English to each other. 25. Rather than wasting bullets, megalomaniacs prefer to kill their arch-enemies using complicated machinery involving fuses, pulley systems, deadly gases, lasers and man eating sharks that will allow their captives at least 20 minutes to escape. 26. Having a job of any kind will make all fathers forget their son’s eighth birthday. 27. Many musical instruments especially wind instruments and accordions - can be played without moving the fingers. 28. All bombs are fitted with electronic timing devices with large red readouts so you know exactly when they’re going to go off. 29. It is always possible to park directly outside the building you are visiting. 30. A detective can only solve a case once he has been suspended from duty. 31. If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone you bump into will know all the steps.

Answers to last month’s Riddles 1: A red hot Iron 2: A Needle 3: Probably a map, it is between England and France. 4: 0 5: Scissors

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