WAITING FOR JODO

Living here sometimes feels like I am in a popular TV programme called La Que Se Avecina which roughly translates as The Looming One or The One that Approaches. It revolves around the residents of a block of flats on the outskirts of Madrid whereas here it revolves around not just the block but the entire town and all the goings on and shennanigans. You know when you have integrated when you go from bit part all the way to cameo appearance. My walk ons have been rather memorable too. The rest of the cast are presently on hunger strike in the town square, in heaven, mental institutions, the old folk's homes, rummaging through bins, complaining on the street corner or buttonholing me every time I leave the house. 

The pedestrianisation is coming on strong and the easing in of the idea seems to be working. I think the council have decided to do it while most people are having lunch or sleeping. Like the blossom on the trees it just seems to have appeared overnight with more and more parts of the town exclusively for pedestrians. There are still lots of people who are not happy about this and lament the fact they can't drive in the centre of town anymore and believe to pedestrianise the main high street will be the death knell for the shops. Walking around the town I can't help noticing that a lot of the shops that have closed down are opening up again albeit with new owners. 

This morning I heard the man next door screaming at his daughter and at one point he kept screaming 'Mimosa' which means the same as it does in English, the name of the flower but also translates as spoilt brat.      

On the subject of language I realise I have been calling my handbag bolsa for the last decade when it should be bolso. Bolsa is usually used for plastic carrier bags and, as H reminds me, the Stock Exchange. 

Lastly, tomorrow we celebrate Saint George, San Jorge. Like the Brits and the ubiquitos tea urn or free sandwiches, we can guarantee some sort of roll and egg thrown in. Here's a link, in Spanish, for anyone interested.

http://www.visitarhuesca.com/