Wednesday 13th September

Park Life!
The main thing that happened yesturday was the thing that I forgot to write about! I had a telephone call from my big brother, who said that he would like to spend a few days here in November, and would I mind! Would I mind? I'd be absolutely delighted!! In the whole of the 9 years I've lived here, he's only ever been out once before, when we had a rare family christmas altogether, 5 years ago. He has to square it with work when he can get the time off, but he definitely has some days off going spare, he thinks.
Went for a walk with the Mook up to the big park this afternoon after nursery, as it's ages since we've been. This is because it's just been too darn hot and dusty. We've also had other things to occupy ourselves with, namely cousins and a liking of the pool. We amused ourselves with the swings, (Lucy swang, whilst I sang) until she'd had enough, and sat in her pushchair demanding juice. Carried on up the hill to the Cultural Centre as I wanted to check out what times the Spanish courses are (Tues and Thurs, 9-11) and then though I might as well have a nose (dodgy pun, I know!) at an aromatherapy exhibition that was on. Lots of perspex boxes with holes punched in the top, containing various essential oils. These were heated, to release the scents by a light placed under the bowl containing the oil, out of which stuck a fan of paper. The overall effect was a bit like walking into the cosmetics department of a department store, in that it was quite overpowering, but once you inhaled over each box it was possible to detect distinct aromas. Some of the smells were quite surprising, such as Patchouli which smelt a bit like mouldy mulch in a garden, and the vanilla one made me want some really good chocolate. Not sure what the Mook made of it as she was too short to be able to sniff the boxes, although she stayed quite calmly in her pushchair whilst we walked around.
Outside there was a great deal of noise and fuss, with workmen apparently chopping a big wooden boat which was painted bright blue, yellow and red with arabic writing all down the side in half. It has been decorating the outside of the Cultural centre all summer, and now it looks as though it is being moved somewhere else, albeit in chunks. The local police were out redirecting traffic, as the main road into Calle Grande is one way and only wide enough for one car at a time, and the tow trucks waiting to take the bits of boat away were blocking the road.
What with the traffic jam, and the noise from the power tools being used to dismember the boat there was quite alot of racket and activity in comparison to the cooling and calming effect that 'Por La Nariz' had had on us. Lucy was very interested in the crane and further on got very excited about some diggers hacking away at the rocky terrain where yet another complex is being built.