Dawn

Dawn

Monday, June 25, 2012


Well, I promised a report on the owl. In brief, it seemed to do what it was bought for, in that, firstly, it caused a fair degree of humour on the part of the bar staff. And, secondly, it caused the pigeons to move at least a couple of yards away. Indeed, some even took flight, albeit to return in a short while. More testing is clearly required.

Meanwhile, the bird station in my back garden has been provisioned with seed, peanuts and water. Our impression is that the male blackbird has been making reconnaissance sorties but we can't be sure. Again, more time is required.

Then there is the TV-be-Gone. So far I've succeeded with every TV I've pointed it at but this morning's café was indicative of what I'm up against. The noise coming from the group playing on the TV was louder than average, as I tried to catch up with my correspondence. So I switched off the TV. Only to find that the noise was coming from the bloody radio. As is often the case in Spain, they were on simultaneously and the (unwatched) TV was the quieter of the two. So not worth turning off, in short.

Talking of TVs . . . I didn't watch the final third of England's match against Italy last night. There were only two outcomes possible - a shameful, embarrassing win or an ignominious defeat - and I didn't want to be there for either of these. I heard some time after the match that England's possession for the tournament as a whole was 40%. Meaning that the figure was considerably higher before last night's encounter with Italy. Of course, all the pundits are now saying that keeping possession was a basic talent which England lacked. Well, perhaps someone should tell the goalkeeper that hoofing the ball up the pitch in the hope it might eventually arrive at a player in his own team is simply asinine. Where is the much-trumpeted intelligence of Roy Hodgson? Can't he see this and have a word in Joe Hart's ear. Like Stop!!, for example.

Walking past the religious knick-knacks shop last night, I realised it was probably the only one in town without huge discount signs on its window. I guess that's logical; as times get worse, the need for talismans rises. Especially those of the saint of lost causes - Jude? I wonder who covers redundancy and unemployment. Either in the Catholic world or the Greek Orthodox world.

A new experience for me today - As I approached some pedestrian lights in my car, a woman started to cross despite the fact they were on red for her. But, as she was rather attractive, I didn't really mind and I was quite taken by her Spanish arrogance as she sashayed across the road, head in the air. So I didn't blow my horn at her until she'd reached the other side.

As you all know, there've been quite a few bank mergers in Spain. Here in Galicia we had the fusion of our two large savings banks into a single proper bank. Today it's emerged that five of the directors of one of the constituent banks paid each other five million euros just ahead of the merger. It's just possible they'll be investigated and charged. One lives in hope.

Finally . . . The EU at its best. Do read the article before watching the video.

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