June 16th. Father's Bad Day (the apostrophe is correctly placed)

June 16th. Father's (bad) Day

It's always a busy time when we start packing for the journey back. For the last 3 days I have been trying to keep my parking space outside our front door so that I can load up all the stuff we take with us; dog, oil, wine, bikes, books, and stuff that Mrs. Sanchez puts in the big case, boxes, bags etc. which she calls 'clothes'. I have been persuaded to leave my warm and waterproof winter coat here. Apparently it is summer in Brum and I won't need it.

Today we went up to look at the olives and to spray Neem on the almonds. This involves a complex combined  operation with H. upstairs who parks his car in my garage. At a given signal H. collects his car and fills the space as I leave, vacating it as I return. This is all done using mobile phones and cars. Parking spaces on our street are few and highly prized. All went swimmingly until we were stopped by the Guardia Civil (see previous blog), also known as the Benemérita, who fined me 200€ on the spot and told me to get a Spanish driving licence (nearly spelt that wrongly again, Paddy).  He was wrong about the licence and the offence that he said I had committed would have been  trivial. Naturally I resisted the temptation to say 'Sin vergüenza ' (see previous blog 14/06/2012) , thanked him very much and drove off in a sulk which is still upon me 6 hours later.

 

 

 You may wonder if the olives really needed looking at and if the blackfly on the almonds needed a Neem breakfast and, indeed, if a parking space is that precious.

Our nephew and his beautiful and charming wife are in Alora at the moment. They are staying in my sister's flat and seem to be having a good time despite the hot sunny weather, gallons of wine and delicious food. My sister is not there either as it has only one bedroom.
 Last night we went with them to Álora's new ice cream parlour, Saborea which was very busy. (nephew J. paid for the lot (6) nice chap.) The ice creams are all home made and very tempting. Mrs. Sánchez had 'Cookie' and I had a strawberry cucarrucha (cone). The bars, on the other hand, were mostly empty (Saturday night!) or had shut early.

 

Mmmm

 

                                       
                         Here's the alcalde , Jose Sanchez, getting a free one


How many ice creams could you buy with 200€?


June 16th. 2013