Spring in the air

I celebrated the Eucharist in honour of St Joseph at St Andrew's on Wednesday, and after chatting to people at the coffee morning, worked in the office for a couple of hours before returning for lunch and some more preparatory work on Friday's Lent course session. Each night and day gets a little warmer and more comfortable, spring is on its way, and with it all kinds of blossoms and pollens that make me cough and splutter unfortunately. It varies from day to day, depending upon what's in air. 

Thursday was an idle sort of day until the afternoon, when I walked the length of La Cala village and then back along the beach before calling into Mercadona for some garlic and beer. Climbing the hill on the way back I had an allergic coughing fit, probably caused by pollen from the mimosa bushes lining the road on one side. It was a surprise after a fairly cough free day. Reactions of this kind are fairly hit and miss it seems.

I slept a good nine hours, longer than usual, and after a rushed breakfast arrived at St Andrew's with just enough time to print out my notes for the Lent Course session. There were five of us present, and we had a lively discussion around the review I gave of Marian devotion and how to understand it in this social context. 

Afterwards, I walked down the main road on the route I take to visit the chiropracter, in search of an poster advertising a Scandinavian Jazz Orchestra which caught my attention last week. There's a plan afoot to have a Jazz Songs of Praise at Alhaurin in May. Caroline, who's organising it, is on the lookout to recruit Jazz musicians or a band to take part. I remembered that the poster had an email address on it, so when I found it, I took a photo and emailed it to her for following up.

On the way back to pick up the car, I saw on the notice board of the Parish cofradia house, on the road next to Recinto Feriale, an advertisement for a meeting in Virgen del Carmen church next week at which this year's Semana Santa brochure and poster would be presented to the public with speeches and due ceremony. The town band will be there to provide music as well. Somebody told me about this annual parochial event. The processions are organised with great care and attention to detail, and it's considered an honour to have one's poster design accepted. Each community does something similar, aware that there is widespread interest, on the part of both fellow citizens and tourists.