What Reticence?

First things first, the trip to the Accountant´s office has been done and now, at 1145am I have eyes full of salt due to all the perspiration, generated in 31C temperatures, on the walk back down the steps, home.

The plan began to fall in place, we started our evening by going to Lanjáron Nuevo where, with the hugest of all grins on their faces, we were greeted by 3 waiters in unison!!! We haven't been there for a while and I think they were really pleased to see us again. On the walk there by the way she stopped and browsed a newspaper kiosk but didn't buy one and that meant to me that I was to be the "Star Turn". And I don't think that I did too badly throughout either...even (literally) getting a pat on the back from our favourite waiter over my, now unfaltering, learners' grade Spanish while discussing and ordering my selections from the A La Carte choices. Lary opted for an Onion Soup starter, having been told that her first choice of Gazpacho was unavailable, and I have to say that she was disappointed because it turned out to be French onion soup.....not what she would have chosen had the menu been specific, which it wasn't. She made up for it though by having a half-portion of Creamed Spinach on the side. Half my portion which she picked at, directly off my plate, with a spare fork as she saw fit. A touch of the sharing culture, with which she seems more at home with than I am.

I took the opportunity to discuss with her my T&Cs at the bar because she has been employed in similar situations herself in the past and I got a nod of approval which is comforting because I have been wondering whether the pay package on offer was "light". Then Viktor rang to tell her that mutual friends had begun divorce proceedings......and we had a giggle over the fact that the "breaking news" couldn't wait.
"When does Katy arrive?"
July 5th or 6th, I'm not sure"
That's a Saturday or Sunday"
"Sunday! It's the Sunday but before, on the 30th June she is going to St Petersburg first."
"Oh? I had a visitor to my website from there the other day."
This screenshot shows my webstat software reporting that hit on Monday so it seems that La Paparrazi is still "full of" the webcams and passing the address to friends etc., and a knowing smile in response from Lary makes me think that that is exactly the case.

Meal over, bill paid I put Plan A, Part B into place - "let's go down to El Bajondillo and listen to the live music." On the way Irena rang -"where are you? I'm coming into town now, we can find a Bar with TV and watch the match together." Irena is the lift that I mentioned yesterday. Lary and I found a suitable bar, reported, and waited....no Irena....more phonecalls later (she can't find a parking space close to where we are waiting) we leave and walk down the street to find Irena parked in the town centre bus-stop surrounded by buses all glaring at her. Un-fazed, she waited while we climbed in, then bulldozed her way out of that situation. After having found a space in Calle Casablanca we all tripped into the nearest suitable bar (actually a Tex-Mex Restaurant, which was - empty...another of Larisa's preferences, remember?) to watch Germany v Turkey. Because Russia has a place in the semis of this 2008 European Cup Larisa (and also her friends) has raised a passionate interest in her teams fate. Today, this evening, they play for a place in the Final. It's a pity that in my bar, right now, the TV isn't working!! And if Russia does get to the final I could fill the bar with the entire Russian population on the Costa I think.

Half-time and...
"How's your Spanish coming along Derek?" (I haven't seen Irena for a while.)
"Leave him alone, he's doing fine, hasn't stopped all evening."
"Oh! Good!, Well done," etc. etc.

Lary and I do not have to worry about getting up early in the morning but Irena does so at 11pm they began their journey home leaving me to go down to El Bajondillo alone.