Viral Spain Blog, 10^th February, 2022.

Have had further thoughts about banking difficulties...and actually it is the conversations on the phone I find difficult, not the logging in etc. And it is down to poor hearing which has happened in my life over decades. So it's a hearing thing not an old age thing!

I was hoping for a big improvement with hearing devices. So far no, I shall persevere.

I am excited and looking forward to the resumption of 'normal life' after being ill. Still waiting, it is taking a long time. It is a good feeling though. Normal life seems pretty good right now.

And warm weather is just around the corner. I love wearing nothing but shorts and teeshirts.....well you know, with the requisite underwear! I find here there is a relatively short period between too cold and too hot but I love it.

We have recently been inundated with voluntary helper applicants.....we still call them WWOOFERS from the original website that was for willing workers on organic farms! Now, 'workaway' and 'helpX' are more about cheap travel and meeting people. In truth the work they do in return for their board has always been of variable quality. Now we only take over 25's and there is some improvement. I remember young people not used to physical work lifting a pick a few inches and tapping the ground with it. We have had some great one's too. Here we do not have as much work as we had at the Cortijo and it is nice to meet and get to know a traveller and share experiences. We have a good cook (at least I hope her claims are true!) coming on Sunday. Her references talk of her doing a sterling job of clearing up after a party as well. We have had 'good cooks' before who made an incredible mess of the kitchen.

Funny thing is, nearly all our Wwoofers turn out to be good looking young women. I assure Sarah it is just down to availability and who had the best request and references. I am not sure she is convinced.

Next week then we will get lots of sweeping up done. I shall have some vegan cooking tips and one or two meals prepared in my slots. There will be a noticeable absence of oranges and olives rolling around the patios. All leaves will be swept up and several annoying stick trees will be for the chop. Do you know the ones I mean? This time of year they are literally tall sticks but they are an invasive species slowly creeping into our garden from the ham store grounds.

I am noticing how there are not always interesting occurrences in my life about which to write in this blog.....so here is a story from my past. My 30^th birthday in fact.

Do you know what a cross elephant looks like? I didn't, but there is no mistaking the sort of swinging thing they do with their trunks. I was travelling alone through India and out for a walk in Corbet wild life park with a Dutch woman. We had seen the park elephants used for tiger spotting rides. Then we saw an elephant ahead on the track. This was unmistakably different; looking at us, not happy. He walked towards us. We kind of shrunk to the ground, holding each other, terrified. A few yards away he left the track and we thought he was gone. Then there was a wrenching sound, undergrowth being torn up by a great force. It was the big guy circling round ! He came back on the track just behind us, gave us a glance then walked on. We watched in silence until he was gone.

Happy adventures.