Saturday; fiesta - Mayday. Weather ecstatic. Blue gold blue gold. Have been visiting other rural houses to find places for people to stay when they come to courses here; if they do.... Both so far reassuringly tatty - we compare well, and have so far the best site by far, if the windiest. First was renovation at the back of our local town, rather lacking in vegetation but not in faded totem pole sculptures done by artist wife of voluble wind-surfer owner - both Belgians and multi-lingual. Was outspoken on subject of local politics - crooked - as if we didn't know. Politicians give large barbeques, offerings to schools, etc, disneyfied rural centres, playgrounds to get people to vote for them - they do. Even if they don't use the parks, children's playgrounds. (Even my eldest grandaughter commented on total emptiness of playgrounds. 'Parks' no different.) Present head of island council, as we know, is currently in prison - not for the first time - for bribery and corruption. Did his best to persuade judge to let him carry on his job by mobile phone from his prison cell.... Judge, fortunately, wasn't having that one. Corrupt leader's party is now trying to get him portrayed as political prisoner/of conscience. It's a joke. All any of them are interested in is building ever more tourist facilities and cramming in ever more tourists down at the resorts; are not inclined to be helpful to single places in the sticks like us, whom said politicians want to control, saying they want to keep tourist bed numbers within limits; ie, limit any tourist beds not profitable to themselves. Beloved and I, when we could get a word in edgeways commiserated with windsurfer Belgian on this. Place a bit graceless but OK. Windsurfer small, predictably lithe, tanned, blue-eyed, went on about his towels (in neat shelves in reception - he should see my jumbled heaps) -royal breakfasts - fresh fruit salads etc. (Mine now.... All those fig compotes.... They have no fig trees.)

Second place entirely old - a mill house - nicely scruffy, shaded by old trees, relaxed, run by Spanish woman. Didn't find out what her breakfasts were like. I preferred it. We talked about roof problems - common with people owning such houses as hers and ours here.

Birds have been nicking my ripe figs. Two pairs of shrike, I think, are nesting near - too close for territorial comfort. They have loud shouting matches from neighboring cactus trees. Once I found two fighting on one of our walls...

Beloved tetchy - because of delays in attic woman's arrangements, I think. Has to be soothed.