Referendum rhetoric risk revealed

I walked to the Thanatorio for today's funeral in good time, and was welcomed by the staff. Having prepared some specific functional Spanish phrases for the occasion, I was as keen to use them as the manager was to practice his English. We had a sympathetic exchange, which relaxed me and got us off to a good start.

The CD player provided worked, but wasn't all that powerful once the forty odd congregation were packed into the place. It also didn't prove to be easily controllable, and had to be abandoned for the first hymn. The unaccompanied singing I led was better than the bereaved husband had feared. When it came to Abide with me, the CD accompaniment at a good measured Anglican pace lagged behind the enthusiasm of the congregation, and it wasn't audible enough. Half of them were Spanish, having a good go at singing, with goodwill for a much loved departed friend.
  

Another time I will rely on by ability to lead unaccompanied singing rather than on flaky technology not really fit for purpose. It's not good to perform with children, dogs and devices not your own. You never know how it'll turn out.

We've had more gusty winds this last couple of days, which make the building howl. It's not that hot wind we had on Monday, however. It has a pleasant cooling effect that makes sleeping much easier at night. Before Franco re-branded this coastline the Costa del Sol, it was called the Costal del Viento, though that's not something one is aware of most of the time.

The murder of Jo Cox MP on a street in her own constituency came as an awful shock, just as we were getting ready to go out for an evening meal at one of Nerja's special restaurants, simply known as Number 34. We came here last year on an evening when a guitarist was playing classical and flamenco music. This time we were entertained by an excellent guitar duo playing romantic Latino music as well as flamenco. The food was superb also. We dined early and while we were these the place filled with young families, parents with babes in arms and toddlers, which was additionally charming.

I must confess, however, that my mind was much disturbed by thoughts of what happened earlier, and what consequences there might be, apart from a brief moratorium in referendum campaigning. So much poisonous fear and anger has been whipped up by referendum rhetoric on both sides. Just the kind of thing to provoke outrageous actions on the part of fools and madmen. There's a thought provoking article on the Spectator blog commenting on two outrageous events of this miserable day.