Dawn

Dawn

Sunday, July 22, 2012



There was a wooden owl the same dimensions as mine for sale at today's flea-market down in Veggie Square. It lacked colour but stood on a skull, giving it a little cachet.



Naturally, I asked the trader how much:-
Two hundred euros.
(Stifling a guffaw) Are you joking?
No. It's very old.
Maybe. But it isn't well carved and isn't worth that.
Well, what do you think it's worth?
About twenty.
It's worth more than that.
Maybe, but I'll see you here next week with my twenty.
(Returning later with my own owl.)
Look, my owl is more than three hundred years old.
It's made of plastic!
No, it's wood that looks like plastic.
(Trader's wife) I've got one made of clay at home.
Is it coloured like mine?
No. (To husband) Does it have any colours?
Yes, four or five.
OK. See you next week.

Yesterday I read that Spanish house prices had fallen more than 8% over the last 12 months and were now 24% down from their peak in 2008. But these are official figures and are universally believed to understate the decline. Then this morning I read in the Diario de Pontevedra that prices in this city have risen by 12% over the last year. So, pick the meat out of that! Meanwhile, here's a foto of what I think was the last block of flats built in the city. Unbelievably, it was started after the property bubble had burst and, as you can see, it has For Sale signs in several of the windows. Like the block of houses behind mine, it looks completely unoccupied.


It's not only shoe and dress shops that are closing n Pontevedra. There's the electrical shop where I used to get the batteries for my TV-B-Gone, for example. And the place specialising in Chinese massage. And another one specialising in Depilación. One particular oddity is that estate agents(realtors) have taken over two or three of the empty premises. Perhaps because it's true that prices have increased by 12%. But it's possible they're now outnumbered by the kiosks where you can sell your gold.


Finally . . . During my annual visit to the pool in my community yesterday, I was disturbed by the sound of granite-drilling. Bringing back memories of the two years of it when the early work was done on the (empty) houses behind mine. God forbid it's some new construction near us.

Which reminds me . . . It struck me this morning that it would be a much simpler world if God got rid of all religions. Perhaps I should start praying to him. But what's the point – he already knows what I'm thinking. And, as ever, is choosing to ignore me. There'll be words when I get up there. But I guess he knows that too.

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