Stayed in bed this morning to read; Beloved brings coffee while I immerse myself in the bloody fight for the Jewish state - seen from inside. When I finally surface and go into the bathroom, a hoopoe is sitting straight below me on the railings. He flirts up his ridiculous crest and then loops away - his black and white striped back and wings scalloped and decorative like cloth. Another hoopoe is sitting on the far wall. This is a GOOD start to the day. In which, still better, I have been alone since half past ten - now quarter to three; cleaning the kitchen talking to my Ozzie sister who is about to represent Australia in the senior's dragon boat - to her surprise as well as mine. She is about to go to bed; I to spend my day doing this and that.

Hazy. Wind down but getting up again; the sun is coming out a little. It's due to be windy. AGAIN. The trade winds persist this year, but then they started late. Next week is the Dolores festival, for which Beloved insists on holding a party. Not my thing. But I will, dutifully make a vat of black bean chilli. A change from figs, for sure. we will have our usual collection of Canarian, spanish and Brit I daresay. Beloved is no more sociable really, but he does love the cooking and doing of it. Not like GrannyP...