La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
MANY OF US HERE ARE counting the days until the holiday makers go home. September will begin still busy but will quickly quiet down. The owner of a small grocery on our street told me yesterday this is the most unpleasant August she’s experienced. She said she needs to buy a talking parrot, and teach it to constantly repeat, “Put on your mask. Put on your mask.” And she commented angrily, “They’re Spanish and should know better; the rules are the same in the entire country.” We joked about our mutterings under our masks, and I showed her how I carry my water bottle in one hand and my camera in the other with both middle fingers extended, giving myself smug, childish satisfaction.
I bumped into our portero when I came home. He always hates August, but he agreed that this year is the worst he can remember. Oh, and our temporary next-door neighbors don’t talk to him either. “Four more days until September,” he said.
The news from the States regarding Covid is awful. I read today that the numbers are worse than this time last year. I wonder when I’ll feel safe to travel there. I hope soon.
Meanwhile, the humidity remains below 70 percent today, so the heat is not so oppressive. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
Here are some things I saw around town yesterday. The ice cream cone wrapper dispenser at one of the chiringuitos immediately reminded me of a hypodermic needle. A sign of the times?
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MUCHOS DE NOSOTROS AQUÍ ESTAMOS contando los días hasta que los veraneantes se vayan a casa. Septiembre comenzará todavía ajetreado, pero se calmará rápidamente. La dueña de una pequeña mercado en nuestra calle me dijo ayer que este es el agosto más desagradable que ha vivido. Dijo que necesita comprar un loro parlante y enseñarle a repetir constantemente: “Ponte la máscarilla. Ponte la máscarilla.” Y ella comentó con enojo: “Son españoles y deberían saberlo mejor; las reglas son las mismas en todo el país.” Bromeamos sobre nuestros murmullos bajo nuestras máscarillas, y le mostré cómo llevo mi botella de agua en una mano y mi cámara en la otra con ambos dedos medios extendidos, dándome una satisfacción infantil y petulante.
Me topé con nuestro portero cuando llegué a casa. Él siempre odia agosto, pero estuvo de acuerdo en que este año es el peor que puede recordar. Ah, y nuestros vecinos temporales de al lado tampoco le hablan. “Cuatro días más hasta septiembre,” dijo.
Las noticias de Estados Unidos sobre Covid son horribles. Leí hoy que las cifras son peores que en esta época del año pasado. Me pregunto cuándo me sentiré seguro para viajar allí. Espero que pronto.
Mientras tanto, la humedad se mantiene por debajo del 70 por ciento hoy, por lo que el calor no es tan agobiante. Veremos qué trae el mañana.
Aquí hay algunas cosas que vi ayer en la ciudad. El dispensador de envoltura de cono de helado en uno de los chiringuitos me recordó inmediatamente a una aguja hipodérmica. ¿Un signo de los tiempos?
• Estos niños pensaron que sería genial patear una pelota en el embarcadero. Me impresionó que tuvieran tanta habilidad que no tuvieran que preocuparse por perder la pelota en el agua. Esa impresión no duró mucho. El niño del fondo saltó las rocas y se metió en el agua y un salvavidas se acercó.
• El hábito de crack de hoy: No sé qué estaba buscando (bueno, arena), pero se veía feliz.
• Y su amigo también se veía feliz.
• La calavera es una imagen tan extraña para tener en un paracaídas.
• Hablando de calaveras, ¿nadie notó a pobre Yorick en el espejo en la foto de ayer? Original a la izquierda, con Photoshop a la derecha (o tal vez era al reves). Puede hacer clic en ellos para verlos más de cerca.
Okay, I had to take a second look at the Yorrick picture. I thought you were referring to the breadstick thingy. Besides, who’s gonna notice a skull in the background when you have the gloriously handsome SG in the foreground! We’re only human, for crying out loud! Maybe I’m projecting.
You seem to have a lot of fun photographing New Crack City 🙂
Deedles:
I LOVE photographing New Crack City (and Old Crack City, too). Just got back. No cracks.
SG is simply too wonderful to spend time looking at poor Yorick. In other words, nope, didn’t notice.
No words for the other yokels you digitally captured…though Desi Arnaz’s well known phrase does come to mind.
Mary:
That seems to be the consensus about SG and Poor Yorick. The two guys at the showers were having way too much fun.
I love the idea of the parrot, though mine might say, “Put on your mask, you ignorant motherf …..”
And that plaid on plaid I like, all in the same color palette.
America is filled with idiots in office, and idiots in the streets, and when we lockdown again, they will only have themselves to blame, though they won’t do that.
Bob:
I have a feeling the shop owner’s parrot would say the same thing… in Spanish. Yeah, that plaid on plaid did seem to be thought out (although not by me). Reading about the US every day is so depressing.
People seem to forget common decency when on holiday. Our covid numbers are up too, I had to run Mom to the hospital (Im still feeling good enough to drive) for a specific blood test and every single lot was full with vehicles….I’ve never seen our hospital like that before. We are still super careful. We are seeing a friend today in our back yard but we are all fully vaccinated and he will be 10 feet away and wear a mask when not eating or drinking. He is from India and just as super careful as we are. The airlines are only now requiring their staff to be fully vaccinated (at least in Canada) or they are being fired. They only just required care home workers here to be vaccinated or contracts not renewed. Frustrating, that should have occured a long time ago. Now we have something being instituted here called a Vaccine Passport similar to ones in other countries where as of September if we want to go shopping to a non-grocery store or movie theatre or restaurant we have to have a passport showing double vaccination. There is no talk yet of a 3rd shot here yet.
Cheapchick:
We’re part of the European vaccine passport. I haven’t received mine yet, but I’m not going anywhere anyway. I’m glad you’re well enough to drive. How frustrating that must have been with your mother. There are so many things these idiot anti-vaxers don’t understand about their decision; the inability of others to get healthcare is one of them. I hope the backyard visit was pleasant. Such a strange world.
Cruise ships recently began stopping in Belize again. Nineteen people on the first cruise tested positive before they left Belize for the next stop. An older passenger was admitted to the hospital here, where sadly she died about a week later. She had been fully vaccinated. My parrot would say “Wear your goddamned mask, you stupid fucker.”
Wilma:
My parrot would say the same. I think so would the shop owner’s. If she had told me about the parrot earlier in the season, I would have found one of those stuffed toys you can record into and press it to play back whenever you want.
Lots of patterns in one place. A few more days and you get your city back. And hopefully it starts to cool off a little, it is nasty hot and humid here.
David:
Your nasty hot is so much worse than ours. You’d find this a pleasant escape. Right now, although the temperature is climbing, the humidity is down to 39 percent. We haven’t had anything like that this entire month.
Looked at some stats of the US and their covid numbers……unreal and rising.
You will not be going there I am afraid for a while.
Jim:
Oh, the Kid Brother is not going to be please.
I don’t mind the guy’s plaid on plaid outfit either, but his anklets and stack of tacky bracelets gives me the willies though, LOL!
At least you’re getting some sunshine, it’s been cold and rainy here for the last 10 days. There was even a couple of tornados the other night. Fortunately, they touched down in remote farmyards and no one was injured or killed. Just millions of dollars worth of damage to buildings, metal grain bins, tractors and other expensive machinery. Between the heat waves, drought, grasshoppers and forest fire smoke, farmers in this province have really taken a beating this year. Guess that’s why the prairie provinces are called “next year country”!
Tundra Bunny:
I always wonder if plaid on plaid (or any “different” combinations) are COOL if you’re under 30. Those bracelets clearly indicate “cool.”
We’ve had a month of fog, haze, and overcast. Today looks like the Costa del Sol. Glorious, boldly blue skies.
I had never heard of “next year country.” An apt and poetic name. Glad no one was injured or killed but those poor people who have to try and recover from more losses.
Loonies everywhere, The ass scratcher were very gross.
I was able to go out twice since things were somewhat better but now the family has me on lockdown again. I really haven’t been anywhere for over 3 years not counting doctors. Ate our once at friends restaurant and went to a nursery.
Anon (Parsnip?):
Sorry you’ve been locked down again. Not a nice way to live, but at least you’ve got a beautiful place.
Kids go back to school next week in France (Thursday), so this is the last big weekend here. We have to deal with bridge traffic, or zoo traffic as I call it, all summer. There will still be some traffic into September, but it will be much lighter.
Walt the Fourth:
I avoid our zoo in summer. I can only imagine the traffic yours attracts. Like the San Diego Zoo.
I can’t think of anything more trite than the skull and bones, but it remains forever popular.
Kirk:
I agree with you about the skull and crossbones.
Our neighbors just got back from their Mediterranean vacation — perhaps that’s an indication that things are indeed about to slow down! The wrapper DOES look like a hypodermic — kind of creepy in this hyper-medicalized time. Yorick! I knew him!
Steve:
But did you know him WELL or was he just a casual acquaintance? I’ve been seeing cars loading up, as well as people wheeling suitcases to the train station! I’m so excited.
Crack in the title makes me sit up and take a few breaths before clicking on.