Other than the normal chores of washing and filling / emptying the tanks, the last couple of days have been rather good.
Firstly the weather is improving, we don't have the electric fire on at all and day time temperatures are around 20°C unfortunately the wind still gets up a bit in the afternoon's.
As I write it's 8:30am, been up since 6 and I've just beaten the early shift to the showers. I think they've turned up the water pressure a bit because the shower, stall #1 next to the door, my favourite because it's got an extra hanger for my towel, was great. So I am squeaky clean and drooling over my oranges in yoghurt with a nice Columbian cappuccino, the sun is shining, how good can it get?
Well there are some down sides. The official greeting in the morning, which was a cheery English “Good Morning!” Has been officially replaced with a gruff “Morgen”. The other minority nations on the site are also noticing the subtle changes. The Poles are looking nervy, the Belgians are worried, the French have already surrendered and the Italians are not sure which way to go. Still, makes for a very ordered site but I'm not keen on wearing those armbands.
Went and bought two €5 “Jazzcards”, which are the local phone cards that give you a rate of 10 cents/minute calling the UK at any time but when I got back to the MS, they'd obviously fallen from my pocket so I had lost them, tried to somehow blame Mrs. S but couldn't manage it. Here is the good bit though.
Remember the Skype thing? Well as you know..............hang on, hang on, am I talking / writing to myself here? I mean “Remember the Skype thing?” Of course I bloody remember it, it was me, just the other day. I think this thing has gone on long enough, who am I fooling here, just the ramblings of an old, well middle aged, man, who will re-read this in 10 years time and think WTF was that!
So that's it I'm stopping now, no more, nada, zip......................................................................................
Except, what the bloody hell else am I going to do in the time I get up and when SWMBO finally hove's into view. OK, back to the plot.
Where was I? Oh yes. Anyroadup, when using Skype it kept asking me if I wanted to put any credit into it, not bloody likely I thought at the time. After a while I thought, well I might as well because I didn't want to go back and get some more “Jazzcards” so soon, again.
Using the Vodafone mobile after 8pm, our time, is 18 cents/minute, Jazzcard 10 cents/minute and it looked like calling via Skype to a none Skype land line was 12 cents/minute and you don't have to go to the local telephone kiosk. I had been putting off calling the seven insurance companies for the MS and Navara renewal, whose details I had got from various forums, because on Jazz it would cost a fortune, hence two cards because you always get put on hold.
I generally start with, “I'm speaking from Spain. Do you insure 5th Wheels (explain), and do you provide long term (8-10 months) foreign cover?” Answers do vary but usually follow a similar pattern. “Er...Spain eh, bet it's hot, what's a 5th Wheel, and no.”
So I'm calling them using Skype and talking, and getting nothing positive in return, for about an hour or so. Looked at the credit I had left and it stated £8.94, now as I had only put in £10 I thought this rather, but pleasurably, strange. Then the penny (ha ha a pun) dropped, the cost was not 12p/minute it was 1.2p/minute, Lordy, Lordy, what a happy bunny I am now.
Back to yesterday and our belated trip to Almeria, and finally dragging SWMBO out of bed early enough so it's worth it. What a day and what a great town it is. Parked at the Mediterranean Mall, about a mile NW and on the outskirts of the town, anyway see picture, it was 25°C.
Slight downer; SWMBO was “peckish” at lunchtime, mine cost €3.75, the bill was €36 plus tip, go figure.
Returned to MS after dropping in to the airport to see what the long term parking costs were, there isn't any, any long term parking that is. So I don't think we will be popping back to Blighty any time soon.
Got back to the site and for the first time tried out the site bar. A few beers, tapas and some games of pool and we had a great time. Back to MS, found the missing episode of “Yes, Minister” and all was / is well with the world.
Old joke time
Contains issues that religious people may find distressing...
Background:
Laura Schlessinger is a US radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned in any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet.
Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding
God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to follow them.
a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.
d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves,
both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
e) I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to
death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
I) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev.20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.
Female brain power
In the hospital the relatives gathered in the waiting room, where their family member lay gravely ill.
Finally, the doctor came in looking tired and somber.
I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news," he said as he surveyed the worried faces.
"The only hope left for your loved one at this time is a brain transplant.
It's an experimental procedure, very risky but it is the only hope."
"Insurance will cover the procedure, but you will have to pay for the brain yourselves."
The family members sat silent as they absorbed the news.
After a great length of time, someone asked, "Well, how much does a brain cost?"
The doctor quickly responded, £5,000 for a male brain, and £200 for a female brain..."
The moment turned awkward. Men in the room tried not to smile, avoiding eye contact with the women, but some actually smirked.
A man, unable to control his curiosity, blurted out the question everyone wanted to ask,
Why is the male brain so much more?"
The doctor smiled at the childish innocence and explained to the entire group,
"It's just standard pricing procedure.
We have to mark down the price of the female brains, because they've actually been used."
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