Our new James Bond : Daniel Craig (at least, according to his mother!).

Ya tenemos nuevo James Bond (segun su madre, al menos!) : Daniel Craig .

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
16C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East Northeast at 8 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 77%
Visibility: 6 miles

It's not exactly what I would call my best day. I've been soo busy I could not post in the blog, it rained cats and dogs JUST when I went out for lunch and one of my bosses brought me a present from France...perfume you may think? no! a smelly cheese!

Ok, I'll admit it. I love cheese. And the smellier, the better.

Hoy no es mi dia. Me sale el trabajo por las orejas, se puso a llover a cantaros JUSTO cuando salia a comer y uno de mis jefes me trae un regalo de Francia... perfume, os preguntareis? no! un queso apestoso!

Vale, lo admito. Me encanta el queso. Cuanto mas apestoso, mejor.

The weather today:
Light Rain
17C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the South Southeast at 13 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 97%
Visibility: 2 miles
Barometer: 1007.8 mb

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We went for a Fungi Walk this weekend. Unfortunately (for us) the expert in Mycology was more interested in beautiful but poisonous mushrooms than in showing to us the edible and tasty specimens! Well, cannot complain too much since it was for free and the guide was obviously an enthusiastic and well-informed mycologist. What a coincidence then that back home we just happened to find this article in The Sunday Times explaining all about Mushroom forays, which happen to be what we had always needed : mostly concerned with edible mushrooms. Too late for us now. The forays for our area took place this weekend. The next happens to be at the other side of the country. Ah well, we'll have to rely on our own resources. One day, in the future, we will be self-taught mushroom-hunters!

We've also acquired a taste for guided walks, so we may take our city's Ghost Guided Walk on Sunday 30 October (£2 per person!) which promises to take us on a "ghostly walk unconvering a selection of dastardly deeds and mysterious events that have been features of life in the city since the 12th century charter". And maybe next Sunday's Battle of Hastings hike at Battle Abbey. Even if we don't take the hike, we should be there for the English Heritage re-enactment of the 1066 Battle which shaped the future of England. We've been saying we will go to this re-enactment for 4 years, it's about time we do it!!


Fuimos a un Paseo con setas este domingo. Para (nuestra) mala suerte, el experto en Micologia estaba mas interesado en setas bellas y venenosas que en mostrarnos las que son comestibles y deliciosas. Tampoco nos podemos quejar porque el paseo era gratis y el experto era un entusiasta y profesional micologo. Vaya coincidencia pues que, cuando llegamos a casa, encontramos este articulo en The Sunday Times, que explica todo sobre la busqueda de setas comestibles, que era el tema que mas nos interesaba. Ahora ya es demasiado tarde. Las busquedas en nuestra zona tuvieron lugar este fin de semana, mientras nosotros estabamos en el paseo. Y la proxima busqueda nos queda bastante lejos. Tendremos pues, que confiar en nuestros propios recursos. Si perserveramos, puede que llegue un dia, en un futuro MUY lejano, en que seamos expertos en el tema.

Con la excusa de las setas, hemos adquirido aficion por el tema de los paseos/caminatas, asi que podria ser que fueramos al Paseo Fantasmagorico guiado de nuestra ciudad el domingo 30 de Octubre, que promete llevarnos a "un paseo fantasmagorico revelando una variada seleccion de fenomenos extranios y acontecimientos misteriosos que han sido parte de la vida de la ciudad desde el siglo XII". Y quiza el proximo domingo vayamos al tour guiado de la Batalla de Hastings en Battle Abbey. Incluso si no vamos al tour, vale la pena ir a Battle Abbey para ver la representacion, en vivo y en directo, de la famosa batalla del anio 1066 que tan profundamente marco el futuro de Inglaterra. Ya seria hora de que fueramos, porque hace 4 anios que venimos diciendo que iremos y, al final, nunca vamos!


The weather today:
Haze
17C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East Southeast at 9 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 90%
Visibility: 6 miles

See this? It is a lovely Lactarius Deliciosus . And this is what we do every weekend, looking for mushrooms! Mushroom-hunting soon becomes an obsession. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. My life is a mushroom!

Veis la foto de arriba? Es un bonisimo Lactarius Deliciosus . Y esto es lo que hacemos cada fin de semana : buscamos setas! El buscar setas se convierte en una obsesion. Creedme, se de que hablo. Mi vida es una seta!

The weather today:
Haze
16C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East at 3 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 77%

The Shipping News arrived today from Canada (how appropriate is that, eh? considering the story is supposed to happen in Newfoundland) via a Bookcrossing member. See, in Bookcrossing we not only set books free in our cities, but we also trade them or create book-rings where books travel with other bookcrossing members.

The Shipping News llego hoy de Canada (y que mas apropiado, considerando que la historia se desarrolla en Newfoundland) enviado por un miembro de Bookcrossing. Porque vereis, en Bookcrossing no solo "liberamos" libros en rincones de nuestra ciudad sino que tambien podemos intercambiarlos o crear un 'circulo' en donde el libro se envia a varios miembros que lo han solicitado previamente.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
9C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the North at 9 mph
Dew Point: 8C
Humidity: 89%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,029.1 mb

Some governments are becoming incredibly paranoid. Take for instance the case of Italy, where a new law has been established, affecting internet users. Any person wanting to use an internet cafe in Italy will have to show and have their passport registered by the cafe owners, as explained in The Guardian's article : Passport to Surf . And I wonder, what's next? The same law for all European countries? And how about tatooing passport numbers in the citizen's arms? Nazy-style, why not, after all this is Europe, we have a lot of experience, History is there to help us! If this is what the EU Constitution is, this Constituion some still want us to adopt, no matter what, then let me tell you: you can keep your precious Europe. I'm out of here.


La paranoia de algunos gobiernos ha llegado a limites insospechados. Segun una nueva ley italiana, los internautas que deseen usar los servicios de un internet cafe tendran que mostar su pasaporte, segun informa The Guardian en este articulo : "Passport to Surf". Y lo proximo que sera? La misma ley a nivel europeo? Y luego, por que no hacer que cada ciudadano tenga que tatuarse el numero de pasaporte en el brazo? Al estilo nazi, que para eso estamos en Europa, no? Ya tenemos experiencia, para eso esta la Historia, para ayudarnos a oprimir. Si esa Constitucion Europea que algunos aun desean imponer se basa en esto, se lo digo bien claro: metanse Europa donde les quepa, que yo me largo.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
15C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the West Northwest at 15 mph
Dew Point: 7C
Humidity: 59%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,021.3 mb

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I wish my relatives decided they don't want to celebrate their birthdays. This would mean no more spending hours and hours trying to find an appropriate present light enough in weigh so I don't pay an eye for the postage. It would also mean the end of carefully wrapping presents in bubble wrap so they don't break and then carefully cellotaping the box to secure the contents. In summary: I am fed up with the whole stuff! No more birthdays, for heaven's sake! And Xmas! Xmas is just in 2 month's time!!! I won't survive another year of this! My relatives live in two different continents, help!!!

Me encantaria que mi familia decidiera que ya no quieren cumplir mas anios. Se acabaron los cumpleanios! Para mi, significaria el fin de esta tortura de horas y horas pasadas buscando un regalo apropiado que, ademas, no pese mucho y me arruine al enviarlo por correo. El fin de pasarme el rato envolviendo el regalo en plastico de burbujas, para que llegue perfecto. El fin de esas horas pasadas envolviendo la caja del maldito regalito para que no se abra por el camino. Queda claro? Estoy hart@ de cumpleanios y santos. Y la Navidad....que viene la Navidad, maldita sea, en dos meses ya estamos otra vez con la misma historia, yo no sobrevivo otro anio, socorro! Que tengo familia en dos paises, una en cada punta del mundo!!!!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
17C
UV Index:1 Low
Wind: From the West Southwest at 30 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 72%
Visibility: 9 miles
Barometer: 1,014.2 mb

 

Our sunflowers have gone crazy this year. They won't stop flowering and it is already the end of September! They are truly the 'miracle sunflowers'. To start with, we never planted them! We planted some gladiolae bulbs and added plenty of compost. The next thing we knew, the sunflowers were there. We suspect some of last year's sunflowers seeds fell in the compost and there you are, sunflowers again! But the 'miracle' does not stop here. When the first flowers dried out, more little flowers appeared in the plants. There are currently between 5 and 10 sunflowers in each plant. There has been a non-stop flowering madness since the beginning of July. To think we didn't want sunflowers this year....

Nuestros girasoles se han vuelto locos este anio. No paran de producir mas y mas flores y ya estamos a finales de Septiembre! Son realmente girasoles milagrosos. Para empezar, nosotros no los plantamos! Lo que plantamos fueron bulbos de gladiolo, y aniadimos mucho compost para alimentarlos. Y lo que paso despues es que...salieron girasoles! Pensamos que algunas semillas de girasol de las plantas del anio pasado cayeron por error en el compost. Asi que...venga, girasoles otra vez! Pero el 'milagro' no se acaba aqui... cuando la flor de cada planta se seco, salieron mas flores! Ahora mismo, cada planta tiene entre 5 y 10 flores. Y asi, desde principios de Julio. Y eso que no queriamos girasoles este anio....

The weather today:
Cloudy and Windy
17C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the Southwest at 23 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 74%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,015.9 mb

It's been a busy week and I 've not had time to post in the blog. However, I had a bit of time, enough to buy the tickets for the Royksopp gig on 15 October.

Ha sido una semana muy ocupada y no me ha dado tiempo de postear en el blog. Sin embargo, si me ha dado tiempo de comprar entradas para el concierto de Royksopp el 15 de Octubre.

The weather today:
Rain
18C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the South at 12 mph
Dew Point:16°C
Humidity: 88%
Visibility: 2 miles
Barometer: 1,010.2 mb

Back to the Moon! By 2018 human beings will step again in the Moon, as announced by NASA . The spacecraft will be based on the Apollo model although it will be bigger and carry six astronauts aboard. I am happy we are going back to the Moon but cannot stop suspecting this may be a new Space Race. Against whom you will ask. The Russians are not economically able to compete in this race! Ah no, not the Russians. The Chinese! They've already said they are going to the Moon . So the US needed another Space Race to take them back to the Moon. I cannot but think...thanks, China!
To those who oppose spending on space exploration, to those who ask why go to the Moon when there are so many starving people in our planet, the answer is very simple : stop war and producing arms. That will feed the poor and solve all problems in this planet. The money spent in space exploration is ridiculously small, compared to what is spent in war. Don't stop space exploration. Our future may be in the stars!

Volvemos a la Luna! En el 2018 una nueva mision tripulada pisara la Luna, declara NASA . La nave se basara en el disenio de las naves Apollo , aunque sera de mayor tamanio y transportara seis astronautas en lugar de tres. Me alegra que volvamos a la Luna pero al mismo tiempo, se me ocurre que esto es otra 'carrera espacial'. Me direis que los rusos ya no estan en condiciones de participar en otra. No, por supuesto que no. Pero los chinos, si! El gobierno chino ha anunciado varias veces su intencion de ir a la Luna . Justo lo que necesitaban los americanos para ponerse manos a la obra. Otra competicion! Ante los resultados, solo se me ocurre decir....gracias, China!
A los que se oponen a la exploracion espacial, a los que preguntan como podemos pensar en ir a la Luna si hay tanta gente muriendo de hambre en este planeta, yo les respondo, bien simplemente : la solucion es que no haya mas guerras y se pare inmediatamente la produccion de armas. Eso dara alimento a los pobres y resolvera los problemas de este planeta. En comparacion con lo que los gobiernos se gastan en defensa, el dinero invertido en exploracion espacial es ridiculo, es una cantidad infima. No obstruyais la exploracion espacial. Nuestro futuro bien podria estar en las estrellas!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
15C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the West Southwest at 5 mph
Dew Point: 11C
Humidity: 77%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,025.1 mb