The Friday Intercambio in a bar is a brilliant way for the two tongues to interact, Buenavista has great tapas with a good selection of beers. Choneta groups us all in a fifty/fifty mix, steers the tables off on a topic and once that fuse is lit – we all go off-topic and chatter.
My new mate Javi (Javier to strangers) swopped some deep thoughts on Brexit, Isa was a little lost with my accent, and Diego used football to exchange Spanish/English terminology. I learnt you score a goal but not in the ‘goal’ or ‘net’ or ‘onion bag’, but in the ‘Porteria’ after beating the Portero (goalkeeper really). John Dodgson seemed really fluent in English, not bad for a Geordie! Javi found my house-sitting a new concept to him, so it became a topic to discuss, after we cleared up what was this OTAN he referred to in our Euro Army chat – why do they spell it backwards? It’s going to be a long while till I write my “Geriatric Hueco Años” page!
After starting servicing on two old generators and clamping scaffold pole No1 to the new Wind Generator footing, I was wondering on the rest of Saturday – the carnival in Cartagena was recommended, 
but watching fancy dress and over-the-top make up had been a disappointing spectacle when my four sisters did it, alarming when my younger brother did it (45 yrs of age and not shaped for a bustier). I took a few pics and beat a retreat 
‘Sunday Best’, wear those nice clothes for a day and then pack em away till the next church visit. The memory of my SB collarless Beatle, light grey check, jacket arose as Frankia and I nearly passed this nice little church on a hilltop, worth a stop and a candle as I’d bought a Euro Millions ticket at the carnival (it’s not greed if a few million will be used for the needy – like I said, four sisters and all Christian La Bouton fans)…
The rest of Sunday will be spent making a new hinged cover for the fifty gallon water butt, or maybe taking the ATV for a drive along the Rambla …..
Geriatric Gap Years 