Even the right-of-centre paper, El Mundo, has praised the Spanish government for its ‘pragmatism’ over Gibraltar. Even more noble – a quality much admired by the Spanish – was a letter in El Pais today which not only expressed admiration for the government but also sympathy with the Gibraltarians for hundreds of years of maltreatment at the hands of Spain, whilst offering a constant refuge for her free thinkers. Now, that really is noble.

A week or so ago, Jesus and Alex gave us differing Spanish views on the issue of how independence-shy young Spaniards are. This is Giles Temlett’s take on this question in ‘Ghosts of Spain’ - Young men and women remain at home, if they can, until they are forced out by circumstance - usually marriage. . . Young Spaniards complain that a lack of jobs, cheap housing and university grants are to blame for this situation. But, with Spaniards getting wealthier at such a dizzying rate and new jobs attracting millions of immigrants, this does not wash. The truth is most only leave their parents’ home when they think they can move into something as good, or better. It is not at all uncommon, by the way, for this to be in their thirties.

Ana Obregon is a paradigm of Spanish TV – a reconstructed ‘blonde’ in at least her 50s who always seems to play women of more tender years. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if she was the voice of all the female parts in the numerous dubbed teenage dramas imported from the USA. Anyway, she stars in a much-hyped, new series tonight. A Spanish version of Desperate Housewives in which she runs a sort of hotel for women who’ve been cheated on by their husbands. Promising. If you’ve got absolutely nothing else to do with your life. A preview in one of this morning's papers described the show as 'high comedy'. I'm sure it will be; but not quite how the writer meant.

Returning to the question of Gibraltar and the common sense/pragmatism of the Spanish government. Am I being too cynical to wonder whether the first flight from Madrid to The Rock’s airport will be full of Senegalese illegals who’ve just landed in the Canary islands? Now, that would be pragmatism!

October approaches and I’m reminded that Tricking or Treating has even reached Spain. So I was interested to read today that its British precursor, Hallowe'en, is not a religious festival. In fact, it’s not even a British tradition but “an Irish pagan ceremony that has been repackaged by the Americans to sell cards and skeleton costumes”. Does anyone else still remember Duck-Apple Night?

It never rains but it pours . . . We await the arrival of the fading hurricane, Gordon - due to hit the coast in the small hours of tonight, albeit as only a ‘tropical storm’. A mere 15% of Galicia’s recently-burnt forest has been protected against heavy downfalls and, if the rain is as torrential as expected, it will be a severe setback to the attempts to prevent soil erosion.

Closer to home, if there’s no blog tomorrow, it will be because the huge crane on the building site at the back of my house has blown down and crashed through my bedroom window. Maybe I should move to one of my absent daughters’ rooms.