Needs must

Recent, numerous, discussions with Favio and Ana-Mari have finally paid off...he has been persuaded to lower his prices, and has done so across the board, to bring the bar more in line with others around about. Additionally, some other problems with his pricing policy have also been removed at the same time so I now feel that the bar is, at last, far better placed to ride out the economic crunch. On Tuesday he introduced a daily "Happy Hour" between 8pm and 9pm and that has been quite successful so far as well, word is spreading fast it seems. And to top it all "The Twilights" drew a full-capacity crowd again on Tuesday evening who enjoyed the performance to such an extent that one lady even removed her knickers and tossed them at David!!

Beryl has allowed me to give a new home to a houseplant that would have otherwise found itself in the bin. I don't what it is; all I can tell you is that it is green and carries a single, oval-shaped leaf at the end of each stem. I believe that it has lead a sheltered life indoors but it is now enjoying a breath of fresh air, and a good wash (in the rain) behind the ears, on one of my balconies and tomorrow will be given a feast of fertilizer to help it settle in. I've also got an African Violet (I think) that Helen passed on to me when she went back to the States a few weeks ago. I've done some reading about how to care for the critter and it is now de-bloomed and responding well with new growth in its prime position as centrepiece on my dining-table.

The showery weather of late is expected to continue into Saturday, after which things should clear up, brighten up and warm up which is no bad thing because on Monday I am invited to Dinner with Ann and Bill, for which Ann is doing one of her famous curry banquets, then, after that I've a date to go dancing with Bill's daughter Andrea who is here visiting her father.

The photos of Ana-Mari on-stage at El Bajondillo have now all been removed, as have all other trinkets and decorations around the bar and above the picture rail. In their place are big (3ftx2ft) framed pictures of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. I'm not sure that these new pictures will draw people in in quite the same way that the photos did (not that those people ever drank, they just stepped in the doorway and gawped at "the lady from the hotel") but Ana has been determined to get rid of those photos for a long time and has now done so.

Competition is stiff, times are tough and things have to change.