Thoughts from Heald Green, England: 5.10.19

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.   

                  Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain

Spanish politics

• More Catalan provocation? 

The Spanish Economy

• Those Ffart tariffs and their impact on Spain.
• The Spanish government's initiative to palliate the effects of the Thomas Cook collapse. Presumably permitted by Brussels

Spanish Life 

• No huge surprise to read that there are 3 Spanish bars in the world's top 50.
• Things are bullish for Spanish bears.
• But not so for Spain's numerous dying villages.

Galicia Life

• There are more eucalyptus trees in Galicia than in Australia - 80 million of them, it's said. As we have a wood-processing plant on the outskirts of Pontevedra city, we are never more than a few metres away from one of the blasted things.

The UK/The EU/Brexit

• Just in case anyone is interested, here's Richard North's view of the latest non-developments.

Nutters Corner

• I've always suspected this.

Spanish

• Word of the Day: Sobremesa.

Finally

• Family conversations yesterday:-

1. 10:20: 
My son-in-law: Will you be travelling in the hearse, Col?
Me: No, Michael. There's only one place in a hearse and it's usually reserved

2. 17.30
Younger daughter: Oh, dad. Forgot to tell you that we have an important meeting tomorrow morning, so you'll be baby sitting for 3 hours from 9 to 12.
Me: Good to know.

3. 18.00
Elder daughter: Shall I come over tomorrow morning when the weather will be better?
Me: Yes, that would be great as I've just been told I'm baby-sitting between 9 and 12.
ED: Ok. I'll call you at 11 to say what I'm doing.

Finally, Finally . . .

• As we stood outside the crematorium waiting for the coffin to be taken from the hearse, one of these trucks passed by. Even the employees of the undertakers found it impossible to suppress a smile at the irony.