The Boy and The Coconut Tree

It is mid September already, the temperature today is 14c, how did that happen. I was enjoying temperatures of 35c on the Costa Brava less than 3 weeks ago and now I am under a blanket on my sofa and flirting with my thermostat who clearly hasn't been touched for a while and is need of some attention but I refuse to give EON the benefit of my cold, a blanket and a hot cup of coffee are better than huge electric bills. The drop in temperatures in England have certainly increased my need to shop. I went to Habitat last week for one thing and ended up buying lots of things for my flat. I explained to my student last Sunday that I was nesting, though there will be no eggs in Spring. I guess what I am really doing is hibernating.  This is a photo of where I was 3 weeks ago today. Warm and sunny on the Costa Brava. Calella De Parafrugell Yesterday we had another terrorist attack on the Underground  and what amazes me is the first person to check on me was my Italian fr...

I’ve been in Barcelona 1 week now and I am feeling less like a tourist and more like a local although I am trying to speak Spanish not Catalan. My Spanish is progressing slowly but not too badly for someone who has not had lessons. I speak it every day and learn new words every day. My first week has gone well; 8 students and I’ve given 3 lessons this week and will probably give 7 next week with another student starting in July and 2 in September. This is certainly better than I had expected. Not only have the students of Barcelona embraced me but so have the locals I’ve met. I’ve had lunch with friends of friends, sisters of friends, aunts of friends etc. It has been lovely though I’ve eaten out more this week than I normally did in a month, thank god it is cheaper here to eat, the average cost per person has been 15 euros and it has been good. Typical meal of Tapas for 2 Friday I ventured out of the city to accompany a friend to S’Agaro on the Costa Brava, we check on...