Talking
of bills . . . I went next door last night to have a beer and to ask
Ester whether their electricity bill had shown the same increase mine
had this month. It turns out they pay 20% less per unit than I do,
because they're a 'numerous' family, of 5 members. This discount -
like the family allowance in the UK - takes no account of income.
Meaning I (and others, of course) are subsidising people far better
off than me. I think I'll start adopting kids. Or at least claim my
daughters and nieces are all living with me. Though I fear I'll
immediately hit the problem of not having all their personal
histories in a Family Book. Another essential document for
getting through life in paper-mad Spain.
By
the way, I also discovered that Ester get a discount at Carrefour
(all supermarkets?) because she has a large' family. She offered to
include my shopping with hers but I had to tell her I avoided
Carrefour like the proverbial plague. Or, at least, I have until now.
Gibraltar:
Fellow blogger-mucker, Trebots, has commented:- Ignoring
the electorate at large, I don't get why the interests of a small
number of fishermen should prevail over those of quite a large number
of Spanish employees in Gib. Quite.
Especially as I've seen it claimed a few times - perhaps only by the
Gib government - that there was only one fisherman affected. Whom
they regarded as an illegal operator anyway.
Talking
of rocks . . . Spain is also having trouble with another one, this
time of Portuguese ownership. More accurately, with a couple of
islands which Spain would like to be regarded as mere rocks. Spain is
anxious to prevent Portugal establishing sovereignty over waters up
to 200 miles from the islands. Presumably this wouldn't be a good
precedent vis-a-vis Gib. More here.
Years
ago, I heard that peak viewing time in Spain was 12.30am. I've
always sort of believed this, while harbouring some doubts it could
be this late. But here's an article which adds support to the claim.
And it introduces me to an eminently sensible group of Spaniards
called The National Commission
for the Rationalization of Spanish Working Hours. Or ARHOE in the
local acronym. All strength to their elbow(s).
A
brief conversation with my younger daughter last night:
So,
what are you reading, Dad?
A
very interesting book on the formation of the brain.
You've
taken non-fiction to a new low. I'm already falling asleep.
What
do you mean? You're such a philistine.
Well,
who's interested in the life history of grain?
Finally
. . . If you don't laugh at this, you might as well give up now.
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