Nov 13 2008
We have been doing a lot of repair work on our cortijo recently, and had some materials left over, so decided to pull down the old dog shelter and make a new one. This is very smart and made out of local stone instead of concrete blocks. in fact, the quality of build is probably better than our own house!
As you can see from the photo, our Leonberger dog, Bruno, is quite at home here in his new dog cave, although he does sort of swamp it.
Nov 02 2008
Some time ago I wrote about the control that Ferrari seems to have over the F1 motor sport world (See Ferrari Mafia at it again in Belgium). Today, unsurprisingly, we go to the last grand prix of the season in Brazil with the title race still undecided. What are the chances of every GP season in the past few years always coming down to the last race?
Forgive me for being cynical but by keeping interest in the championship going does the revenue increase?
The power of Ferrari over the sport has been demonstrated throughout the season. They have always had the “rub of the green”, usually at Maclarens expense. That is why on this final day Hamilton, that fresh faced Englishman, will not win the title. There is too much at stake money wise for the controlling bodies not to allow Ferrari to win.
My prediction: Expect to see Hamilton’s either…….. have a puncture at a critical moment; be shunted off the race track by another driver; or, the Maclaren team make some unbelievably bad calls.
Either way, Massa will go onto win the title. And if for some reason my cynical side has got it all wrong, then I will eat “humble pie”, apologise to all afficionados of the prancing horse and run naked round my swimming pool!
Oct 30 2008
Ive roped in my daughter, Emma, recently, to help out with some repair work to my roof and the pool area. She hasnt had any experience with construction but she has done really well and got “stuck in”, as can be seen from the photos!
Oct 15 2008
Thought I’d upgrade my phone to one of these new smartphone things. “All singing, all dancing”, they said. “A few clicks of the mouse and your up and running”, they said. The reality is in fact very, very different.
I Justified the whole thing on the basis that I would need it for work and to keep in touch with emails etc when up in the mountains. Amusingly, I also said that we could use it to obtain up to date weather forecasts when out on multi day trips in the Sierra Nevada. Fact is though, I’m a bit of a gadget man at heart. I am also, I guess, computer literate. Not a professional but, like millions out there, I’m an enthusiastic amateur.
So off I went to Orange in Granada and purchased a Nokia E51. Good price, good tarifs and even a good phone, with good internet reviews. Great I thought, now where do I perform those few mouse clicks to get it all connected?
That is where the trouble starts. We need PC Suite (Nokia product) loaded first. Now unfortunately I have had the misfortune to have used this software before, so I really should have known better, but I trusted that those lovely folk at Nokia had at last got their act together and produced quick, easy, reliable software to accompany their phones. How wrong I was!
Sp what’s is wrong with PC Suite? Its too large, too slow to install, too slow to load, and incredibly overcomplicated. Furthermore, there are lots of differing cable drivers and Blackberry Connection software products that have to be juggled (loaded) as well. Problem? One doesn’t always work with the same version of the other. Orange couldn’t help, Blackberry couldn’t help and there are so many forum threads on similar problems about Blackberry connection with a Nokia E51 on the net, I could write a separate book on the subject!
It seems to me that Nokia software boffins and developers are clever people. However, they presumably get a new computer with updated memory every other week and forget that mere mortals such as I can’t afford to do this. We get new computers every 3 or 4 years. The software seems to struggle on anything over a few months old! They have lost the plot.
What I and millions like me require is a simple plugin and connect system for these new smartphones. Stick it into the USB with a normal run of the mill cable, turn it on and easily and simply get connected without tying up either machine or human resources.
Orange, Blackberry and Nokia should also tie up better to produce some software that is portable throughout the range and that everybody understands. I have spent 2 days of my time connecting the phone firstly to my computer (the hardest bit) and then to the Blackberry system (using a different software version than suggested). I think it is working now? Come on Nokia, lead from the front, or my next smartphone might just be a Blackberry.
Oct 05 2008
Yes I know this sounds unbelievable but you can actually watch Rhinos here in sunny Spain!
OK. So the Rhinos in question have 2 legs, there’s 13 of them and they charge into one another like the real thing. I am of course talking about the Leeds Rhinos, who won the Super League Grand Final last night after beating St Helens 24-16. We had a fiesta here at my cortijo with some friends and my daughter.
Rather too many local shots were consumed prior to the game, but this made for a very merry atmosphere. Have you ever tried to explain the game of Rugby League in a foreign language whilst being thoroughly intoxicated?
This was followed by a traditional spanish curry and chips, which in time honoured fashion, I proceeded to dribble all the way down my prize Rhinos replica shirt (sad eh?), to join and mix with the red wine and absinthe stains.
I watched a reply of the game this morning just in case I was either dreaming or had passed out and missed most of the action. No, we still won it!
Sep 12 2008
During the long hot summer months here in Andalucia, I’ve been watching the english BBC series, “Masterchef”. I am always surprised by the small amount of food these, “Masterchefs” seem to serve. Coming from a middle England, Yorkshire background in the 1960’s, we always got served meat and 2 veg. Stodge, whether it was mash, chips or tripe and onions, was always slapped heavily on an already bulging plate of food. Funny how we weren’t as obese a race in those days isn’t it?
How times change eh? Now they give us a lot less food, albeit looking wonderful, and charge us more money for it? Good marketing, snob value or pulling the wool over our eyes? The trouble is that we are very gullible for this type of “Nouveaux Cuisine” style food these days.
Anyway, today for the first time ever I tried my own “Nouveaux Cuisine” recipe on my partner, Kiersten. She is a vegetarian, by the way. This was the result:
Conclusion:
I like proper food. You cannot change overnight. I never could quite restrict myself to putting just 3 carrots, a teaspoon of leeks and half a red pepper on the plate. Life is for living and good wholesome food is part of that life. Don’t think I will be entering the Masterchef challenges somehow. Nevertheless, it did put a smile on the face of both Kiersten and myself. Might have to have a big plate of egg and chips for supper!
Sep 10 2008
Just in time! I guess we couldn’t have cut it much closer. Our leaky roof has been worked on for the last week and we managed to complete just a few hours before the first rains since 11th May fell on Lanjaron. Many thanks to Jorge and my daughter, Emma for helping us out.
Our new roof is now fully waterproofed although there are still the tiles to lay down. The photo shows the asphalt layer lying atop the new concrete layer. Of course, if it had been built right in the first place then non of this would have been necessary!
We took this opportunity to channel rain water from the roof into a new water deposit tank. This can now be used in helping to feed our growing vegetable plot.
Sep 10 2008
Had a good day walking in the Tabernas desert yesterday. Incredible scenery and its no wonder why Sergio Leone decided to bring his spaghetti westerns to be shot here.
Sep 07 2008
It’s not often I interupt the quiet life of Andalucia to get involved in the high power games of professional sport. This time however I make no excuses, so allow me the space here to be a bit of a “grumpy old man”!
The Belgium Grand Prix run today is one of the highlights for me of the racing calendar. Great circuit, always eventful, good scenery etc etc. It usually rains too, which always makes for an interesting race and levels the playing field for all teams. Ususally the best driver wins.
What we want to see, as spectators is overtaking, skill, speed, excitement. That we can always get from a GP race in the wet. Why not install a sprinkler system on the tracks, set to go off at random moments. What a spectacle that would be?
We also want a level playing field. For many years I have believed that F1 is “fixed”. By that I mean that the power of Ferrari in the sport is so great that they usually get the favourable decisions made by stewards, officials and the guardians of the sport (Ecclestone, Moseley etc ……. ha ha ha, some role models eh?).
The money in this sport is awesome. It also spreads unimaginable corruption. The media also goes quiet when biased pro-Ferrari issues are raised. Is thsi sport?
I have an idea. Why not Maclaren, BMW, Williams, Renault, and anybody else except Ferrari and Terro Rosso (Ferrari 2nd team), start a new F1 competition. Let Ferrari win their little competition every year and we can have our own. Lets all agree to promote the sport in the right way. The spectators are the most important and any non-Ferrari supporters will be outraged by the events in Spa today.
That’s it. I’ve had me grumpy bit. I for one will now turn away from this sport and will probably watch the moto GP instead. Purer. Or instead I might just settle down next Sunday, with a lovely glass or two of rioja and watch my tomotoes grow!
Sep 05 2008
Southern Spain in August, within sight of the African coastline, yet ……. “rather cold and windy for this time of year!”
