just like home

Dismal day. This is the place where it didn't rain once for 7 years. Now it doesn't stop. One merit is that our realigned rain-catching system (off the roof, down onto the sloping terrace, into the water-tank) is providing almost enough to keep granny and beloved supplied. Last water bill for desalinated public provision was just 15 euros. Good. Not that we drink it - take off the aljibe (watertank - lovely word) lid, survey sundry floating lizards and the odd mouse. Um. No. Though youngest granddaughter aged 18 months was caught once swigging it from her paddling pool and didn't suffer much more than mild diarrheoia, so it can't be that bad. Just unaesthetic. Wind is also blowing - from east - an east wind and rain TOGETHER??? Unheard of. Fortunately it hasn't blown hard enough to smash yet more panes in the glass roof that covers our sitting-room - once the courtyard. That happened while Granny and Beloved were off on their travels - the temporary wood replacement is now sodden and leaks more than the rest of the roof; which also leaks everywhere, throughout the house. They lie in bed listening to drip drip drip. And are forced occasionally to move the bed. Nice day to sit by the fire though and get kippered (wind in present direction makes it smoke badly. All G and B's clothes smell as if they have been off camping.)

Upside of this - yesterday was altogether nicer day - is that Granny's land is postively lush in places. Flowers everywhere. Locals out everywhere too, digging this, cutting that. More and more vines are being planted, new walls (always black, because lava stone, until it weathers) are being built to shelter them. Granny would like to ask about this, but local patois rather beyond her getting-more- servicable- but- still-rudimentary Spanish. Exchanges mostly limited to 'frio' on both sides of dialogue and exaggerating shivering. Why do some versions of Spanish leave out all the consonants? It makes things so difficult (even for Spanish speakers sometimes. Granny met an Argentinian lifeguard once who complained he couldn't understand a word anyone said. But then they said the same of him.)

Oh the joy of two-handed typing. The wrist is definitely improving. Beloved has splinted it, which helps. What a versatile fellow he is...

This weather is reminiscent of winter cosiness back home. There are worse things. It keeps the flies away for sure. (But not Feline Houdini who is sitting next to granny's laptop looking snooty.)