Happy New Year 2026!

Hola and Happy New Year 2026 from Vélez-Málaga, Spain!
On 2nd January I hit the 2 year mark living here in Vélez-Málaga and looking back over those two years I am filled with wonder and gratitude for what has turned out to be the most enlightening and life changing experience yet! Learning to play Flamenco guitar being at the top of the list! Olé!

In a few weeks I will hit the 59 mark and should I live so long then into “Season 60” I go!
I’m all in at this stage and still bursting with enthusiasm and energy! 2025 was a year of all kinds of setbacks and injuries but what doesn’t kill us and all that so as long as I draw breath I will just keep on keeping on!

Only a few days after that on 2nd February I will celebrate 2 years learning to play Flamenco guitar here.
Here’s the video I made after one year learning. I plan to make another one in Febraury.

Once again 2025 put the brakes on that and everything else for around 4 months where I couldn’t play guitar or work on my laptop. It was a freaky time! For a moment I feared I might never play guitar again but that was not to be, thank God!
I’ve been easing back into playing and attending lessons again over the past month so all is well once again!
Back on the horse again! Yeehaw!

My first photoshoot of 2026. Last Tuesday 6th January following what seemed like weeks of rain and storms, see photo above taken during a storm the night before on 5th, the sun re-emerged so I went out with my camera and got these beauties at Torre del Mar. I’m beginning to feel quite settled here which surprises me after 2 years, the opposite is usually the case. I could quite happily see out the rest of my life here.

I’m still working on my photo ebook which will be published later this year along with my memoirs.
See sample images from the ebook on the Photos Page.

One positive unforeseen surprise that came out of last year was the coming together of a group of musicians and the emergence of a fully loaded and available rehearsal and recording studio not far away at Nerja Coworking so who knows what will come of all that? Watch this space I guess… We’re back in the studio on Saturday…
How does that one go again?

That’s the end of this blog. I wish you all a happy new year with good health and good fortune!
Here’s to a year of peace and love and music! Olé!

Fyi… I am no longer on any social media platform except for using youtube @dindotie for my videos
and bandcamp for my songs. This is where I live now, away from the bullshit algorithms of the fakesphere.
Everything here is real, warts and all!

If you wish to contact me then please use my contact page.
Thank you for visiting.

Next blog 15th January…