Spanish views from a small town

This past week has gone by rather quickly. And late summer is back again, after the rains of the previous week. Though the nights are chilly, I've been wearing shorts these days. But you can tell we're not really in August because of the way the mornings take a while to warm up, and by how the light has changed. Afternoons are nicely warm, but only after twelve or so, and until five thirty, when the light starts to advise a waning of the day, even though sunset is still around eight in the evening. That will will move back an hour when we return to standard hour at the end of the month.  I have had errands most of these past mornings, and gone walking only one of them last week. Afternoons were occupied by my classes. So far, the afternoons have not dawdled, and I have reached eight o'clock a bit surprised on some days. The littlest kids and the oldest kids are the best ones. The littlest ones seem well-behaved and eager to learn. The eldest are also well-behaved, eager to ...

Today is a holiday in Spain. We celebrate the adoption of the Constitution of 1978. The day after tomorrow, is another holiday. It's the day of the Immaculate Conception. That leaves one workday in between, which many try to take off and create an uninterrupted five day weekend, which is every kid's dream. Celebrating the Constitution, I can understand. It's the cornerstone upon which our country is presently constructed, flawed though it may be. That same Constitution, however, declares Spain a lay country, with no official religion. So, why celebrate a very Catholic holiday just two days later? Why celebrate any religious holidays in any country that recognizes no official religion? More than anything, because religion is still very much a part of the culture. It can also move millions in money, such as Christmas, Easter, and All Saints' Day. Only observant Catholics celebrate December 8th by going to Mass. Everyone else could care less. Not so, for example, Christm...

December is the month of doing nothing. Do not expect a letter to reach its destination until two weeks have passed. Unless you are drowning in your home, do not expect a plumber to come the same day you call him. If you need to get in contact with someone in their office, do not expect to find him there until January. It is a month of holidays, too many holidays.  In Spain the Constitution was ratified by the Congreso de los Diputados on December 6th, 1978. December 6th is therefore a holiday. And f or some strange reason in an aconfessional state, as atested to in said Constitution, the day of the Immaculate Conception is also a public holiday. That's the 8th of December. On the week those two holidays concur, many people take extra days off and make it a mini vacation or an extraordinarily long weekend. Then there's Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Most people go home early on Christmas Eve, others don't even go to work. A week later it's New Year's Eve and Ne...