It’s very quiet here today at our rural finca in Mallorca. Not a builder in sight, although the re-roofing project is not yet completed. Juan – second-in-command at the local construction company doing the job – arrived yesterday afternoon to inform us that the builders, who are Moroccan, wouldn’t be working today.

“Es la Fiesta del Cordero,” he explained. I remembered having seen today marked in my diary as Eid-al-Adha – an important Islamic religious holiday; the Spanish name for it translates as the Feast of the Lamb (cordero), and it’s also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice.

The Clean Sweep Begins

Observing this holiday was due to start at sunset last evening and, judging by the even greater than usual volume of animated conversation among the men yesterday, they were clearly looking forward to it. And so was I. Today The Boss and I have begun the massive clean-up outside. It’s only the first stage, as there’s still more work to be done at the back of the house, but at least we’ve made a start. Sweeping, hosing down and removing debris outside in the mild fresh air beats the mole-like existence indoors we’ve had for the past few weeks!

Jan Edwards Copyright 2012