Accesso !???

Well, today's hot news is that a JCB is on it's way down from Yegen doing a temporary clearance which is taking some time because as fast as Manolo clears the slurps, more is coming down. Not a job I'd like to do, Mariano said some more rocks are rolling down as well. At lunchtime, he was about halfway to Montenegro and we don't think he made it all the way today. We'll find out tomorrow when we see Mariano as we are working on his land this week, re-building stone walls. One wall has completely disappeared under the soil and he is going to get a lorry load of stones delivered so we can replace it. We are digging out enough soil to put in foundations, but because the soil is so wet, can only do a bit at a time and then have to leave it to dry out before digging more. However, he has 3 walls to be done, plus the end of his drive has collapsed and needs rebuilding and some of the posts that support the grape vine wires are seriously wobbly as they've been put on the edge of a banking and - yes, the rain has washed away some of the supporting soil. They have been cleared out all around ready for more concrete to be put in the holes.

Today's Spanish lesson - a dry stone wall is balate, a stone wall with cement is muro and brick walls (normally in a house) are paredes.

These photos show how the land and olive trees have subsided under the weight of the wet soil. One has gone down about 4 metres onto the next terrace, two others are down over a metre. All the trees are still upright and look healthy enough, they are just much lower. As John said to Mariano, they'll be easier to harvest next year!

Also as you can see, the orange trees are shedding fruit faster than we can pick and eat. We have oranges for elevenses and at lunchtime and came home with 30 or so to squeeze.

Plus, it's hot and sunny at last!