Good Year - Bad Year???

Ruth liked this a lot!

Pete and Stella arrived next door for the drinks do on Christmas Eve and announced that the wind had dropped, and indeed next day was very much better, raising spirits; and continuing the pattern of sunny Christmas Days that we have come to expect! After the ritual breakfast and an episode of Round The Horne, we spoke to Chloë on Skype (in Bordeaux for the festive season) and walked along the (still windy) seafront. The sun shone! At Anno 2011 we found a moderately sheltered table for one drink, All the talk was of the horrors of the previous two days' weather. Then it was over to Blue Rock for the afternoon. The usual suspects were already there, and as they left for dates various we acquired seats. The catering was generous and the atmosphere great fun as ever, ("Same procedure as every year") As the sun went in we repaired home and picked up the truncated feast from the previous evening. And that was Greyrocks' Christmas!

Thoughts then turned to New Year, which would be the first planned one away from Corralejo in 26 years. In the remaining days up to departure  - which became sunnier and calmer - we had a long walk to Galera Beach, and a day at the spa followed by a super meal at La Bolada (our current favourite Argentinian). There was a "bit of a kerfuffle" on the last day when Ruth was persuaded tp try to mount her bike. (The travelling one had been fine in France, Catalonia  and to some extent in Greece, but not this one) She nearly made it - but the chain was so rusted the pedals did nothing and it had to go for emergency treatment,

How was it for you?

On  a personal level: Not too bad! We lost a Corralejo friend Sandy whilst we were in Goa, and Andreas from Berlin - an old friend from Paleochora holidays, but there are no parents left, and we have had no accidents or health scares, And of course there  was the Year of the Wedding!

In addition to this lot we hosted in November an evening for two Corralejo couples who couldn't get to Crete with wedding and party media and a supper of some items from the Crete feast. It has been demanding, costly - but within bounds - and has meant too much time in (Brexit-ridden) UK; but we won't do it again!

Other highlights for Greyrocks were resuming February-plus in Goa, some wonderful times in France and visiting Barbara and John (the long-lost cousin) in Wales.

News-wise it has been a series of disappointments and disgust at this incompetent Tory government with its "hostile environment" and the consequences of "austerity", and - in some ways more depressing - Jezza's stubbornness over a second Brexit vote. There has been little to celebrate across the globe with rampant xenophobia and populism in Russia and USA, toadying to Saudi, a threatened Press, suffering caused by social media , and conflicts that escalate.

In contrast the world of entertainment seems to have had a better year - but then the toll in 2017 was remarkable! In music we were saddened at the loss of Aretha Franklin, Dolores O'Riordan (Cranberries), Ray Thomas (Moody Blues) and Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks). In TV it was heroes of comedy from a past era: Ray Galton, Dennis Norden and June Whitfield. In public life: Stephen Hawking and Paddy Ashdown,

RIP