The foxglove by the cottage door .........

...Looked down on Jane when Jane was four. I used to love it when mum said this little rhyme with us as small children, so, of course I remembered it, and I used to say it with all my little ones at the nursery. Well "The lily by the villa door looks down on Kate, and Kate's nearer sixty four!! This is the lily plants that I dug up from my friend's garden when she moved house in February, and now Sylvia is very jealous because they never bloomed for her. I don't know what was in the compost I bought, but my few small cuttings have shot up and produced head after head of beautiful flowers. This particular head has twelve individual flowers in it. I now know that I incorrectly called them Calla lilies when I mentioned them before. These are, in fact, Canna lilies, similar in name but quite different in appearance. I moved them on to the front porch to give them some protection from the mid-day sun though it says on the internet that they thrive in full sun, but I think it was talking about growing them in England! The flowers don't last for long, but as long as I dead-head them regularly, they just keep producing more.

It was fun here on Sunday night when Spain won the world cup. I heard a huge roar from across at the plazza, so I guessed it was the right result. I was busy in my craft room and Chris had gone down to the bar to watch the match in more interested company! I had to bring the dogs in because the noise frightened them, but I did just nip across to the plaza and back to see what was going on. There were people at every gate and on every verandah, calling out to one another and all looking so happy. Gangs of youngsters, all dressed in red and yellow, and carrying big flags, were singing and dancing in the street. cars toured the village, jam-packed with people, horns blaring and flags flying. I think most of them went on down to the coast where I gather they jumped into the big Mojacar fountain. There were fireworks and sirens going on for ages and it was great to see everyone having such a good time. As I walked the dogs early Monday morning, I saw a big lorry pull up outside a bar and a whole gang of flag-wrapped young people disembarked. I presume they had stopped by for a breakfast of coffee after a night of revellry!

I have been aware for a while that my sight has deteriorated since I came out here, causing me problems cutting out or painting detailed pictures, and trying to put pins in the right place for my lace-making. So I did a bit of research into local opticians and as several people recommended the same one, I went there for an eye test this morning. It was as I had suspected. With my glasses on I have 80-90% vision in my right eye, but only 20% in my left. I was warned at the eye hospital, just before I left UK, that I had a cataract coming and it was an agressive type that would need attention within the year. Well, I have managed for eighteen months, but now I must have it dealt with. (A family failing eh?) So tomorrow I have to go to my doctor with the information from the optician, and get him to put me through to the hospital in Huercal-Overa. I have no idea how long the process takes out here, but I suspect it will be quicker than in UK, so watch this space...