Xmas is coming.

Yes, no kidding, it will soon be here, unfortunatly the workmen show little sign of NOT being here. They are becomiing like family to me, that is to say at times very annoying for no reason other than their existance. One of them has a really silly annoying giggle, wonder if anyone ever told him, and several have developed a tuneless whistle that is a song with only two bars of music it seems. My dear old father had a similar thing, but we all knew it was from Oklahoma! It really annoyed Mum.

I set my mobile to wake me in the morning, but some damned bird has figured this out and can imitate the alarm sound to a tee, and takes delight in waking me up half an hour early ( at 6:00 ). At 6:30 sharp they troop in, annoying whistle and giggle and all, and one of them always says something garbled in Spanish with the word “cafe” in it ( coffee ). I always say “OK”, and off they troop to the patio to boil beans and plan their busy day digging holes and covering the inside of the house in chalk dust.

This is like house arrest, but now and then I sneak out to do some work on my little fledgling business. I always get back at quitting time to the smell of more beans and they troop out whistling and giggling.

“Mañana!” they shout. “Si mañana”, I say, and look forward to Sunday, my day of rest… except for that bastard bird, that never seems to take a rest.