Still no NIE - balls!

Friday 8^th October, 2010

I bottled it. My first crisis of confidence. I did not have the nerve to attend the police station to apply for my NIE, not on my own. Panic set in – they won’t speak English, their Spanish will to be too quick for me to understand, I’ll look an absolute fool. Can’t do it!

So I didn’t. I have arranged for Jan to accompany me next week. I know this all sounds rather pathetic but inside this body there is still an insecure little girl who sometimes cannot bring herself to do things where she may just fail. And talking to strangers…only in the last 5 years have I managed to screw up the necessary bravado to phone people I don’t know without prevaricating. I always put it off until the last minute, always. Still, friends are here to help and help Jan will. Good girl!

The day has not been a complete waste of time. I meandered around the village which is in the process of having most of its roads/lanes dug up and resurfaced. It is very quaint, a typical pueblo blanco with white washed houses lining the narrow streets whilst a riot of flowers erupt from window-boxes. One of the publicity photos for Sedella shows a man walking the streets with a laden mule. This is no myth. I have seen the man on 3 separate occasions, once with the mule laden with kindling and he riding on its back; another with the mule walking up the hill as he hung on to its tail, and today as he brought the mule into the village followed by a young horse. Old Spain is alive and kicking in these hills. I wonder if he could source me a burro to take me home after a night on the vino?

I found the town hall (ayuntamiento) which is where I shall have to pay my car tax, car tax is locally fixed in Spain; more inner demons to battle. To deal with this silly situation I studied Spanish for 2 hours today and can now master sentences such as:

                It is possible, but not probable, that I will need to buy a house if it is not very expensive.

and

                What do you think of the political situation in Spain and Mexico at the moment?

Whilst the first sentence is highly unlikely to be uttered by me or anyone else for that matter, I dread the resultant answer to the question should I ever pose it. I might just save the question for when I am able to comprehend the answer.

I have also spent a goodly time planning the chapters of my book. I feel it safe to say that NIE or no NIE my day has not been wasted.

Charlie Update

A new game for Charlie, yes the inventive pooch is at it again.

Rules:

When Mummy is lying on the steep part of the drive catching some rays whilst planning her literary masterpiece, lie quietly above her at the gate.

Have to paw a ball.

When the mood takes, drop the ball so it runs into her face.

Look apologetic, reclaim the ball and take up original position.

REPEAT.

(Until such time as Mummy loses the plot, in all senses, and hurls the ball to the bottom of the garden).