End of the week round- up

The much talked about digger is apparently on its way up the pista, although when Mariano came round this afternoon on his way to Manolo's ruin (that's a good viewing point to look down towards Yator) to see where it was, it wasn't in view. However, tomorrow is another day and maybe - as time is money - it will appear. If not, maybe it will get here by Monday. None of us need anything desperately, and we are all fit enough to walk to the car in Yator.



Another land slide has slid on the way down the road, the cortijo about half way between us and Yator - Cortijo la Loma - has a water deposit and just down from that cracks appeared on the outside edge of the track. Yesterday morning about a foot or so of land had slid and this morning a bit more, probably because there is still water running out of the land, down the road and into the cracks. Last night was very cold for here and the trickles of water were frozen this morning, as was the surface of all the water deposits. We have a new word for this type of land slide, they tend to be wet, red mud so we now call them "slurps".

The wind picked up last evening, to the point where I was struggling to stay upright when we went out for a last walk and Pip sat down and wouldn't go any further. The wooden gates onto the first terrace (we call it the sunset terrace) held up this time but the steel and cane ones by the pool came open again. Still don't know how it happens, but one blows out and off its hinges as well. Blowing out is due to the force of the wind, but it takes both of us to lift it off its hinges which can only be done when it's open inwards...not outwards!!! So today John has fixed them, everything is wired up, screwed together, the top frame work roped onto the nearest olive tree, and concrete blocks stacked each side to stop the wind from causing the fierce vibrations that eventually make the gates "pop".

Today has been clear and sunny, outside in a sweatshirt but we are forecast snow tomorrow - but nothing like my loyal readers in UK! Hope you are all OK, don't know who most of you are as this blog registers people from places that I didn't know I knew anyone! Please feel free to write as well - at least then I'd know who was reading this. I assume you all enjoy my ramblings about life here!

PS Great excitement - or breaking news as the TV would call it.... John has just heard the beep beep that a JCB makes when reversing, and Antonio has just struggled up with a sack of food for his 5 dogs (+ 2 pups) and said that the digger is just below la Loma and he has parked there and walked up, so it's about halfway here. And still an hour of daylight left.