dog food and celery

June 24th? Really? I haven't written since Sunday? Well let's see what i can catch you all up on-

It's been hotter than Hell on Sunday. Brutal. 96F. 97F. It's dry but it still rends your soul.

THE BULL ENDS HERE

Two Sundays ago, i called Brian to see if he wanted to hang. He was in Valencia but asked if i wanted to take his ticket to the Bulls that night. This is the biggest festival of bulls in Madrid the whole year long. And i live walking distance to Ventas (the bull ring) . He said he was supposed to go with his friend Justine but then he and his girlfriend went to Valenica on the spur of the moment and would i please fill in for him. "Justine the hot little French chick? Anything for you buddy." We had fun and it was very interesting because the Matadors are all on horseback and just kill the bull with the picas (they look like lawn darts). There was lots of showmanship. It was fun. Bad for the bull. But they live better than anything raise for beef in the USA. Bad end though.

BURN YOUR VERGUENZA

I have a class of beginners, so i had them write down things they are embarrassed to try and speak about in English. They wrote it down on a piece of paper, then they tore it up and placed it in my green portfolio folder. I then told them i would burn them on the terrace and bring pictures the next week. I called it Burn Your Verguenza. I brought in pics of their former verguenza in flames. The unfortunate thing was that it didn't burn to well, so what did i have that was flammable? Olive oil. I always have some. I live in Spain! Oh, that made it burn alright. I got some good picks and while i was checking them out i heard POP. And the Mahou ashtray i've had for years had split in two. I got a wet towel and put it out before it damaged the plastic patio table.

DOGS SHOULD NEVER BE VEGETARIANS

Last Sunday in the park, Lola's little dog was running her ragged, trying to get his leash back on. She said it was fine to pick him up. So a while later I let him sniff me, talked to him and tried to pick him up. He bit me on the left index finger. Polly cleaned it out with some hand sanitizer. It was too bad and i should know better than to go near any dog and try to pick it up. My 1st class at 11:00 am was Sonia, a doctor. She asked if i had cleaned it out. I had with alcohol and salt water and wrapped it in napkin with wet salt for about 20 minutes. I didn't have a bandage big enough, so i wrapped it in a fresh tissue and wrapped it in blue electrical tape (drummer's ALWAYS have electrical tape.) Sonia, shook her head at my home-made designer bandage and went upstairs. She came down with some big bandages. I bought more later that day.

I later found out from her sister, Linda, that because Lola is a vegetarian, that the dog is too.

"I think you should let him have meat," i told Lola. "He seems to like it." I must have a faint aroma of Montreal steak seasoning on my skin from a lifetime of barbecuing.

When we were leaving, Lola said, "Can we take a piece of you home?"

"A doggie bag?," i asked.

The finger is healing nicely.

The week hath ended. Go forth and multiply.

7 x 7 = 49