Cleaning up.

First thing this morning after dogwalk (7.30 - 30°)   then coffee, a quick bed make or rather sheet straighten as there isn't much bedding on the bed in the summer, then out to clean the pool.

We have a pump with a brush fitted to a handle on the sucking-up pipe - as you sweep so the dirty water goes up and out the other pipe and we send it to the vegetables, or the olives, or the flower beds, whichever is in most need of the drink.  It takes about an hour and a half depending on the dirt.  Just dust is quick, lots of olive leaves block the filter and you have to stop, clean the filter out and start again.  I do it early as most of the pool is shaded by an olive tree until 11 o'clock or thereabouts.  This morning was just a dusty session and I was finished by about 10.30.  Sat down with a cold bottle of water and then some friends came up for a walk (he of the 'mad dogs and Englishmen walking in the afternoon'  post).  This time though he was with his wife and they'd come at a more sensible hour.  Even then it had reached 34° but they'd taken it slowly. 

And so it continued to rise, by early afternoon both thermometers on both terraces were up to 38  but then large clouds started looming over the Sierras.  Thunder started to rumble around, time to pack everything away.  But before we could finish tidying up,  huge winds full of dust and grit and dry leaves was blowing everywhere.  The tomato frame started to sag sideways, Miguel next door was perched on a step ladder trying to take down the caña that provides shade outside their door,   worse still our  nice clean pool was disappearing under a coating of leaves and dried grass :(

By the time we got indoors we were covered in a fine gritty dust all over, in my hair, stuck to my skin - yuk.  Straight in the shower, hairwash, clean clothes. 

2 hours or so later, most of the wind has gone and I've just skimmed a leaf-net full of debris from the surface.  The dust is settling on the pool floor, it settles in ripples like the tide has gone out at the beach.  The tomato frame is still standing although at a very strange angle.

But as I write this I can hear the wind has picked up again so more cleaning tomorrow.   The forecast for Spain has 110  advise notices for high temperatures  today and has recorded a high of 45° in Cordoba.