another holiday

Today is one of the fourteen official bank holidays in Andalucia (not counting the ferias, village celebrations, and the entire month of August, during which it seems everyone is on vacation). It is Andalucia Day, and the 25th anniversary of Andalucia Day to boot. Unfortunately, the rain persists, so it doesn't look like there will be a parade or much festivity in the village today. On the plus side, the dogs may be a little damp from the morning walk with C.; however, at least they were not terrorized by rockets and fireworks, which typically begin at sunrise and carry on throughout the day. This morning I have been reading and watching all the Oscar scoops I can find on the Internet. Besides the Superbowl, the only other day I get itchy to have a proper cable hookup is Oscar night. In Philadelphia, my friends J.K. and S. and I would get together at one of our homes to watch the awards show and generally be catty about the dresses. We would make determined efforts to see all of the nominated movies so that we could at least make half-intelligent guesses on the annual office pool. J.K. and I even laughed through "Gladiator", which we thought was a horrible film. No, I didn't do too well on the pool that year....(J.K., I have entered us in the Diet Pepsi contest to go to next year's show.) I spoke with Big Jim last night just as he was leaving for the Islamabad airport. He will arrive in Frankfurt later this afternoon, stay overnight with our friend T. (probably have a bier or two), and return to Malaga tomorrow. C. and I have to go to the airport early to pick up the four boxes of goodies Big Jim has shipped back separately. Most are thank-you gifts for C., including an entire curry service, including all the dishes plus the metal heating trays, etc. I think C. will be happily surprised. :-) Today's photo is from a sunnier day, from our December trip to Gibraltar. That morning, as we all slept below in the hotel (the white blobby bit down by the Sea), the ambitious J. climbed the Rock and took this picture.
Looking across the Strait of Gibraltar. Photo by J.A.S. hasta manana, mylifeinspain