Fireworks!

Fiesta!

This weekend is the village fiesta, so far we've avoided the festivities, however Ian did stand on the sun terrace last night and took some firework pictures. I hid with the nervous dogs - which surprisingly included Rosie who stuck her head under the sofa. We sat in Ian's office with the radio on and it disguised many of the bangs. Pirata, needless to say, just wanted to go out and find out what all the noise was.

One thing that always makes me smile during the fiesta is the Sunday morning band that marches through the village at 10.00 to wake people up in time for mass. The band is aways a drum and coronet band - designed I am sure to wake up even the heaviest of sleepers and those whose fiestaing only broke up a couple of hours ago!

The other thing that makes me smile is our ritual every year of saying 'what time does the procession start?' as we stare at each other trying to work out what time to go to the square. We then try to remember what time it started last year, then we make a note of the time when it does start and promise ourselves that we'll remember for the following year. Which, of course, we don't.

I started off the day with a long bike ride. I did the bike ride that I did two weeks ago, however this time I did it without my spontaneous detours and it was successful. I was home to hear the band, which was nice.

Jim's Piano

I should have added this on Friday, but better late than never. It's fitted in nicely in the hall where we hoped it would.

When time allows, I'll be learning to play that big piano favourite, The Ace of Spades by Motorhead.

Bentley Goes for a Walk

We took Bentley for his first walk outside the house yesterday. Poor chap was very unhappy to start. It is difficult to know when a good time is to take him out, it was the same with Wilbs too and Sam. As they have been abandoned we don't know if they remember that the last time there were out with a human they were left on their own - if indeed that was the case. We need to make sure that they are feeling safe in their surroundings, but not leave it so long that going out is traumatic. We had to carry Bentley through the back gate and he did panic a bit, but after a while he settled down. I don't think that it was his happiest experience, but I'm sure it won't take him long to realise that it is supposed to be fun and we won't be leaving him. When we were out on our walk we saw two puppies who were the absolute splitting image of Rosie when she was a puppy. So there could be more slug slurpers around - what a terrifying thought!

After a year of umming and aahing, I've decided to buy a new bike. This is what I have finally decided on:It is more of a road bike than my mountain bike, but it is made from steel and quite rugged, so I will also be able to use it on unmade roads. I will keep my mountain bike so I'll be able to use that for more rough tracks. The larger wheels and thinner tyres will mean that it will be better for road use, so I'll be able to go further afield - well, that's the theory. The new bike will also have fittings for a basket or pannier, so I could use it for shopping if I wanted - or indeed fill the pannier up with pasties on a day out. The colour of the one in the picture is 'robin egg blue' and that is the colour I will go for (it's either that or black).

Jelly Legs

We went for a picnic after we'd been supermarket shopping on Saturday and went to the Moorish castle at Reina. We'd been to the bottom of the hill before with Mum and Susan, however we'd never been to the top. Well, at least I hadn't. Going through the castle is part of the spring hike to the ermita, but when I did it (carrying Bob and Tinkerbelle - when Ian 'couldn't find' the 2000 walkers) I went round the hill rather than over it. When Ian did the walk the following year he did go through the castle, but that was before work had been done on it. It is now open to the public and we walked up there. Oh, what a walk, the walk up was bad, but the walk down was like walking down a wall. My legs turned to jelly and were shaking uncontrollably, which gave me a rather odd gait. It was definitely worth it, however, as the views were tremendous.

I headed out that way again on Sunday, on my longest yet solo bike ride. Needless to say it didn't go quite to plan as I got lost in Llerena and then took the wrong road out, so instead of going up a pretty path in the country side, I ended up in a field. I gave up trying to find the land and just went up the road towards Reina again, which I managed fine, and I didn't see another person let alone car so it was quite pleasant. It was a lovely day for a bike ride as the rain we'd had last week had reduced the dust and there were hazy clouds in the dips in the hills.

...and then there was light

I bought a light for my bike. While I don't intend to do much (any), with the darker mornings now meaning that it I really can't go out until after 7.30 without lights, I thought I'd get one. I got quite a powerful light to light up the paths and tracks and was able to head off over to near the moorish burial mound and see the sun come up. I've not needed a bike light before, and I think the last one I had was a dynamo one, which I could never go fast enough to get it lit.

It was the last day of morning classes today, however, so at least I can go out a little later and not worry about not being back for class. I've started getting interest in afternoon classes. So far I have about three new names from the summer who want to continue. However I'm refusing the 5 year olds and there are two sulky teenagers that I'm avoiding . I've got about 7 hours worth of classes a week booked, and I am stopping at 10 hours, otherwise I can't keep up with everything else.

We're in the middle of a major storm and poor Wilbs has been trying to hide behind the sofa. Pirata, however, is ready to go out and explore the big bangs - he is a little cat with no fear!