Friday, 31 December 2021

Consigning 2021 to the "Basura"!

Basura


Well! "We are still here!"

Greyrocks reviews the ending year with little enthusiasm, great relief and some trepidation.

Firstly, our location statistics have the simplicity that comes from a pandemic and Brexit! Namely: UK nil, Goa nil, France nil, Crete 90 days as decreed by Schengen, Cyprus coming in as a late entrant owing to its non-Schengen status and the rest in the sun with home comforts, a good free health service and  - until six weeks ago - little likelihood of catching Covid!

Our escapades in these places and the migrations between are amply narrated in the rest of the 2021 posts.

 ChloĆ« and Jack were with us for a few days in January after their return from New Year in Gran Can, and in Paleo for a couple of weeks in September.

We have followed closely the data on Covid in all of the above places, and can only be aghast at the mismanagement from the English (sic) government. 

Enough of that! Things are now getting bleak in the Canaries, so there will be posts about the situation and the fate of Greyrocks.

Bizarrely, however, there seem fewer deaths of people of significance to us. Here they are:


Yes: they are all white chaps! (Greyrocks could have made a gender balance gesture with the addition of Janice Long - the first female DJ at the BBC)

Charlie Watts was the most self-effacing of the Stones, but considered by many to be the best drummer in rock. Greyrocks certainly has many numbers with his perfect input on their Desert Island list.  

Also contending would be "Music" by John Miles, although for us a "one-hit-wonder".

Raking back into our music history also off to in the gig in the sky were Don Everly and Michael Nesmith - the latter being wasted on the Monkees.

Amongst the actors we single out Ronald Pickup, latterly in various blockbusters but we loved his portrayal of Prince Yakimov in the 1987 TV series "Fortunes of War".

Finally - whilst not greatly rating his humour - we note the passing of Jethro the Cornish comedian. A much loved character in Corralejo, whom we visited on his deathbed, from Port Isaac retold many of his long-winded jokes.

 


Redressing that ethnicity unbalance somewhat, and eclipsing the others by miles Greyrocks marks the death (just inside 2021) of Desmond Tutu. As a dedicated opponent of apartheid and champion of human rights he was a hero of Greyrocks, with Ruth's younger self having done her little bit for the struggle.




Meanwhile back in Corralejo the British ex-pat community lost "Football Paul" after a short illness. We joined a large section of it at his wake:- socially distancing ourselves, of course!




Wednesday, 15 December 2021

Rough conditions and a "Bridge Too Far"

The mural on the revamped Nautical School was completed a few weeks ago and it is mighty fine! The image could be - and in this case is - a symbolic representation of troubled times here on the island and particularly in Corralejo. We have some terrible Covid data, the weather is bad and Greyrocks has been suffering health-wise. Not helping at all was the occurrence last weekend of the puente of the Constitution. A reminder here that this starts the seemingly interminable Spanish Festive Season! There are two "Bank Holidays": 6th and 8th December, so schools close to pupils for 7th as well. This year we are blessed with those three days being Monday to Wednesday. Hence that's Friday to Wednesday  to use for a trip to the seaside! A "bridge" too far this year!