ANA HAS BEEN UNWELL

We have new neighbours. They couldn't be worse than Mr. 'Yo No' from next door but they seem to have ambitions to emulate him. They are 'punkies'. Not punks. Punkies. Pronounced poonkies. It is impossible to explain to your average Spaniard that the word 'punkie' hardly puts the fear of God into a passerby. It never ceases to amaze me the proliferation of punks thirty years or more after the act. Now having them as neighbours is another reason why 'getting away from it all' doesn't work, unless you go and live in Canada or a cave.

Piti the Priapic Poodle seems to be off the radar these days. Either that or the chap in 2D has wrung his neck. The poodle's, not his own, although I could understand if he had. In fact things seem a little too quite lately. I don't know how long this will last so I am savouring every moment.

On the subject of savouries, there is a shop here called 'Sabores de Ayer' which loosely means 'Tastes of Yesterday', but after tasting one of their 'empanadas' I feel it should be renamed 'Tastes of Last Week'.

Watching the news I became aware of the impending Olympics. I wouldn't call myself a sporty type. I've been known to walk in on a boxing match and ask 'who's playing?'. I almost got my head kicked in at an Arsenal match but they couldn't be bothered in the end being a vague, void lot. Half of them were listening to the cricket at the same time as the match and my crime was to cheer regardless of which team scored. I remember being fascinated with the constant ebb and flow to the hotdog sellers and other distractions and can't even remember who Arsenal were fighting.

I was given a present from my friend Ramon. A first edition of A Modern English Course For Foreign Students by C.E. Eckersley who wanted to 'cover the pill of learning with the jam of gaiety' which is sound advice for any teacher. The book is full of useful information from how to order tea at a ''Corner House'' to why English people send their sons to Eton. I think it is going to be a good read.