And we are fortunate about our location: the wind has carried the fire north, away from us. Not only that, but we are within spitting distance of a natural swimming pool where the fire trucks can come and refill with water, and not much farther from a pantano where the ‘watercopters’ can top up. 
Continue reading “location, location, location…”
another sunny day in paradise
Well, that’s the impression you’d get from looking out of my study window. A bit breezy, but unbroken blue skies.
That’s because the window faces southeast.
To the north, the fires are still uncontrolled. And although I can’t see any of it, I can’t forget it’s happening as there are helicopters and aeroplanes going directly overhead every few minutes.
Continue reading “another sunny day in paradise”
is it a cloud…?
No, it’s smoke from the fire on the land just above my house.
Continue reading “is it a cloud…?”
moving experiences II
Books play a large part in my life.
When the bulk of my possessions arrived in Spain, some fifteen years ago, there were fifteen boxes of books. I’d already acquired a lot in the time I’d been living here, and, since then, the collection has expanded still further.
Now, many of these need to be moved.
We’ve decided that the easiest way to transport them – at least the yards and yards of cheap paperbacks – is to tie them into piles, as it’s a lot easier to hold onto strings than to carry boxes.
The poor things look most uncomfortable, though, Continue reading “moving experiences II”
moving experiences I
It’s a while since I posted any poetry, so, since I’m in the process of moving things from the city to the village, this seems appropriate:
PACKING
The rip and fart of parcel tape; the tangle,
stick and cuss; the smell of dust,
mothballs and corrugated cardboard.
Drugstore detergent cartons
stuffed and trussed
and stacked in the spare room.
Both cats in heat and looking
for a mate, a nest, a fond caress…
They play at pigs in pokes, scrabble,
scratch and snag at boxes, plastic bags
and bundles, wail and waul.When finally I move, I’ll leave
fixtures and fittings
and two grown kittens.
don't confuse the narrator 