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Saturday, March 10, 2018

Indulge Yourself Event with Nina Croft


Growing up in the cold, wet, north of England, Nina Croft spent a lot of time dreaming of faraway sunnier places and ponies. When she discovered both, along with a whole load of other things, could be found between the covers of a book, her life changed forever.

Later, she headed south, picked up the perfect husband along the way, and together they volunteered to work in Africa. There they discovered a love of exotic places and a dislike of 9-5 work. Afterward they spent a number of years travelling (whenever possible) intermingled with working (whenever necessary.) Eventually they stumbled upon a remote area in the mountains of southern Spain and the small almond farm they now call home.

Nina spends her days reading, writing and riding her mare, Gencianna, under the blue Spanish skies—sunshine and ponies. She reckons this is proof that dreams really can come true if you want them enough.


I grew up in the Lake District, in the north of England. A beautiful area, but it’s true to say that it rains a lot, and the sun hardly ever shines.  And as soon as I was able, I headed south. These days, I live in the mountains of southern Spain. I think it’s important to appreciate what we have around us, and so today, I thought I’d share some of the things I love to indulge in here in Spain…

Sunshine.
As I’m writing this, the wind is howling, and the rain is falling, and it’s hard to believe that this is one of the sunniest and driest places in Europe. More than 320 days of sunshine a year. I love the sun, and one of my favorite indulgences is soaking up the rays with a good book and a cold drink.

Wine
Spanish wine is lovely, and it’s cheap so ideal for an everyday indulgence. From bottles of deep red Ribera del Duero (my favorite wine) to sparkling cava perfect for drinking while floating on the pool on one of those 320 sunny days a year. Or maybe mix it with a few other things for a deliciously refreshing jug of sangria—lovely on a sunny day.

Tapas
One of Spain’s great inventions. They are snacks or appetisers, and in many of the more traditional parts of Spain, you get them free when you buy an alcoholic drink in a bar. One of my favorite ways to eat out here is to go from bar to bar, buying a glass of wine and getting a tapa thrown in. It’s a great way to try new foods that you might not think to order.

Tapa actually means lid, and it comes from the tradition of putting a saucer over your drink presumably to keep the flies out, and then they put some food on the saucer and…


Scenery
We live on an almond farm on a mountain with the Sierra Nevada to the north and the Mediterranean below us to the south. The scenery is stunning. Whether I’m riding my horse, or walking the dogs, or just sitting under a fig tree with a glass of wine (it’s amazing how many times wine comes into this), I try to take the time to really look and appreciate what I’m seeing rather than take it for granted.


The Beach
The beach is about thirty minutes away from where we live. In the summer we make a point of going at least once a week. Usually on a Friday, late afternoon. We’ll swim in the sea and lay in the sand and drink cold beer until the sun goes down. Then we’ll have dinner at one of the beach restaurants. It always makes me feel like I’m on holiday. How indulgent is that?

What’s one thing you like to do where you live that always makes you feel indulgent? Let me know for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card.



Olivia Brent is happy with her quiet life in the country, until the imminent loss of her home forces her to embark on a search for her estranged father. Catapulted into a world of criminals, Olivia is out of her depth. When she meets the stunningly gorgeous and enigmatic billionaire Luc Severino, her world is turned upside down.

Jimmy Brent’s daughter was the last person Luc ever wanted to be with, but she’s the key to finding her father, the man Luc has wanted revenge on for over ten years. He’s willing to use any methods available, including blackmail, to persuade Olivia to help him find Jimmy and put the past behind him.

And if blackmail doesn’t gain her total cooperation, then perhaps a little seduction will…

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Up For Grabs:
  • 1 $5 Amazon Gift Card
To Enter:
  • What’s one thing you like to do where you live that always makes you feel indulgent?
  • Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

**Don't forget to enter the grand prize giveaway!


Good Luck!

Special thanks to Nina Croft for sponsoring this giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 comments :

  1. Watch local theatre. Ahhhhhhh....

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  2. Go to sporting events....The Cleveland Indians, The Cleveland Cavaliers, The Ohio State football games (my daughter is in the band!)

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  3. I can't think of a single thing. I need to move.

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  4. Sit on the patio and enjoy the breeze.

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  5. I love tapas! I use to live in Japan for work and would take the train fifteen minutes away to a beautiful park where there was a tapas restaurant. It was expensive but so worth it! There's one movie theater in my town that plays the more select movies that win all the awards but the tickets are crazy expensive. I pay ever once in a while since it's nice to go out and get the movie theater experience.

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  6. When crabs in season ... Eating cioppinni mmmmmmmm yum 😋!

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  7. Go hike when the wildflowers are in bloom

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  8. Have drinks with old friends! My friends are all married and when they have a chance to go out sans husband or kids it feels like a special occasion for all of us.

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  9. Sitting outside reading a book or going to plays.

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