It's generally reckoned by the females I know that I have a crap cleaner. And that she's crap because I am crap boss who, like a typical male, doesn't superintend her and make her work better. But this isn't the main problem. This is that she's bloody clumsy. So things get broken. Not that she's ever admitted to breaking anything; she always claims not to know how damage occurred. Returning from England, I found one of my silver Iranian wine goblets broken on the tray. My assumption was she'd knocked it to the floor. But, no. Apparently the stem and the base simply parted company when she was cleaning the goblet. Short of calling her a liar and making her pay for the repair - or summarily sacking her - I feel rather short of options. I cling to the fact that she's at least honest. Except when it comes to admitting she's broken anything, obviously.
My using a couple of mild swear words in the last paragraph has taken me back to the C word I touched on a week or so back. As I said, it's commonplace here and is often a term of endearment. Not so in the UK, of course, where it's still very much a taboo word. Even more so in the USA, I believe. So it's all the more odd that the BBC seems determined to crash through the taboo barrier and get it accepted for comedic use. Read more on this here, where the author alleges:- "BBC producers complain about being forced to move up North, as part of the corporation’s mad exercise in regional equality; the truth is that the corporation already inhabits a different planet, not a different region, from most of its audience."
I think I've mentioned that the fashion this year in Pontevedra is for very brief denim shorts. From reading this, though, I'm now aware that, unless these are so brief the pockets are visible below them, then the young ladies sporting them are not as fashionable as they think they are.
Which reminds me that the guide for what's on in Pontevedra this month urges us to Pontevédrate: Goza da Cidade Imaxinada. I assume this is a reflection of the fact that, come summer, the city's wonderful old quarter is essentially one large tapas-cum-cocktail bar and disco joint.
And talking of enjoying yourself . . . If you're down near Mojácar, this looks like a must-see. And, if you're in London, then you should pop along to the 6th. 'Taste of Spain' festival in Regent Street.
Finally . . . The author of the bullfighting article I posted last night - Alexander Fiske-Harrison - has written to say he's moved from writing about corridas to actually taking part in one. And then writing a book about his experiences. Here's his blog, where you can read Times and Daily Mail reviews of this, and his comments thereon. Plus a more recent post, which cites an FT review.