I’m in shock today – one of my daughters has confessed to not only reading but even enjoying this blog. I may need to go and lie down.

I discovered a month ago the town library has two BBC wildlife series on DVD. Today I took back my first borrowing and found I should‘ve returned it at least a week ago. But, this being Spain, no one remonstrated with me and there was no fine. I can’t even recall things being this relaxed when I was a kid in England. I’d probably be arrested today.

Just over 2 years ago, the English Speaking Society of Pontevedra moved out of its old premises. We were the last tenants to leave, under great pressure from the landlord as demolition of the building was ‘about to begin’. I walked past the building yesterday and saw they’d finally started to knock it down. This probably gives as good idea as anything of the concept of urgency in Spain, especially as regards construction.

Generally speaking, levels of efficiency are not very high in Spain and levels of customer service [as distinct from friendliness] are low. However, a couple of organisations have recently raised their efficiency levels to new heights. Sadly, they’ve traded off levels of customer service. In the case of Telefonica, I’m now having money taken from my account several days before the bill is received for review. But the biscuit is taken by the company which now supplies my water and which doesn’t even bother with the nicety of a bill. If I had an ounce of confidence I’d ever get a response, I’d write letters of complaint. Instead, the traditional time-wasting trip to the local office and a face-to-face chat is clearly called for.

I think we’re getting near to the transfer of power in Galicia. Today the local parliament was presided over by its first woman president. This never would have happened on Don Miguel’s watch, I fancy. He must be turning in his truss.

WordWatch

Un test de dummie - This appears to mean a [sanctionless] dry run, e. g. for alcohol amongst drivers. ‘Test’ now appears in a number of combinations in modern Spanish but ‘dummie’ doesn’t even exist in English. Strangest of all, written like this it gives a false pronunciation in Spanish, whereas the original wouldn’t.
Un listening – Your guess is as good as mine but I think it’s a dictation exercise
Un price-cap – As it says
Un streptease – As it almost says
Un crack – A star player
Una chaqueta – A jacket
Un jersei – A jersey

Quote of the Day

As the recent UN Arab Human Development Report concluded, the widespread lack of peaceful avenues for religious opposition in the Arab and Muslim world has become the underlying cause of religious extremism in the region.
Reza Aslan, writing before the London bombings in support of greater democracy in the Muslim world