Well, Tito’s trainer, Sharon, paid a visit again yesterday. She caught me on the hop as I had it firmly in mind that she was due today. Luckily she called me about something else first which gave me time for a quick tidy up (throw everything behind the sofa) before she arrived.

The kids and I walked across the park with Tito to meet Sharon and on the way back she commented that he was doing much better. It might sound silly that I was getting pulled along behind a four month old pup but Tito is the size of your average four month old buffalo already so he is quite capable of barreling me off my feet.

It’s quite reassuring to have Sharon in my corner. Tito is going to be a huge beast of a dog and with two small kids I need to know I am in control of him at all times. Perhaps because I am aware of this, I tend to tense up when I am trying to get Tito to walk beside me. The poor pup is yanked back into position every two steps and that is definitely no fun for him or me. So my homework is to learn the art of the loose leash.

The main job of a dog trainer is not really training the dog. It is getting basket cases like myself into line and showing us how we can train our own dog. Yesterday Sharon threw in a couple of hand signals which work beautifully on the kids too. Now all I need is a command that would have every one else in the house doing their share of boring housework and I would be walking on air.

You too can have your dog and kids trained in no time. Give Sharon a call on 699109837.

Congratulations to 16 year old Maxime Huscenot from Reunion for winning the Santa Pro Surf Junior after beating French Jules Thomet in the final.

Despite today’s grey skies the Feria De Flores Y Plantas was a great success. It seemed to me that there were less stalls and more space than in previous years but in a way this may have worked in favour of the vendors because everyone had the space to lay out their wares beautifully. We saw lush succulents, cactii, herbs and a riot of flowers including some stunning orchids.

Given that coming home with me is a sure death sentence for any poor green thing, I restricted myself to two plants only. One is a Basilica – so they tell me – I can’t find any related information on the internet which might help prolong its life. I did however ask the seller if this was a hardy plant and she assured me it was very difficult to kill. The other is a bushy, crinkly thing. Needs much sun and little water apparently so it does stand a fighting chance.

The Feria de Flores y Plantas always includes local handicrafts and produce. There was a honey stall and a mojo and liquor stall and another stand selling beautifully woven baskets. Others sold ceramic pots and vases.

The flower arranging exhibit was a big hit this year and even the kids’ play area was impressive (despite my doubts about that in the previous Feria de Flores post). The festival continues through the day tomorrow with the stalls open for business at 10:30, a musical performance starting at 18:00 hrs, awards and photography session at 19:00 hrs and close of the festival at 21:00.

One thing that stands out for me about the school my kids go to in Tenerife(and presumably then the state schools in general) is the number of outings they take the kids on. In this last school year my kids have visited Agua Park for the dolphin show, Aguilas Park for the bird show and each of them visited Finca Carreton where one rode a donkey and the other a horse and they returned with an eco-friendly ‘fly trap’ that they’d made and a seedling for them to grow at home. My daughter also went on a nature trip to Red Mountain in El Medano.

In previous years my daughter has also visited the firemen, the airport, been to a movie and to a El Quimpi where she met farm animals and engaged in several activities including baking a cake.

A couple of times a year there are also occasions to dress up and march through the town or have a village celebration. This year the Canarian Day events were curtailed by the teachers strike but in previous years kids and teachers dressed up in traditional Canarian outfits, danced and sang and the whole town turned out to watch them and join in their celebrations. Around carnival time, the school again dresses up and this time parades through the village in fancy dress.

On the day of the fancy dress parade, you can practically get bulldozed to the ground by the number of parents galloping alongside their beloved bairns taking pictures. Having recently read a few weird tales in UK newspapers about parents getting into trouble for taking pics of their own kids in the park, I think this is a good example of why life is so different in Tenerife.

June 13 to June 21, 2008

Aguaviva Canarias celebrates the arrival of summer, World Environment Day on 5th of June and World Ocean Day on 8th of June for its fourth year running.

There are two free concerts at Playa del Conquistador On 13th of June at 21:00 h and 14th June at 18:00 h. The first features Chamboa, Black Strobe and Superstereo. The second features Fiction Plane and Oscartienealas.

On Saturday 14th, Jamiroquai, El Canto del Loco, Calle 13 and Aristides Moreno play at the Los Cristianos Stadium. It all kicks off at 22:00 h and there is an entrance fee of €45.

Finally snakehips Marc Anthony does his thing on 21 June, starting at 22:00 h in the Los Cristianos Stadium. Entrance costs €28.

Tickets for both paid events can be purchased from Cajatique.

The Rastro which bursts forth every Sunday from the mouth of the Our Lady of Africa covered market in Santa Cruz is under threat. Although the Rastro has taken over the same area every Sunday for 17 years it has received growing numbers of denuncias in recent years as more buildings have sprung up around it. As forty year old regulations state that markets should not impede access to public buildings the Rastro, popular with tourists and locals alike would seem to be on a shaky wicket.

All is not lost however as the Rastro is receiving support from powerful quarters including mayor Miguel Zerolo and thousands of names have been added to the petition against closing or moving the Rastro.

According to The Sun, the awful Coleen McCloughlin is in Tenerife now, hiding away in case she gets pestered by a local who bothered her on her last visit. Whoever that was deserves a medal for doing something to keep her off the streets and the sooner Ms. McClouglin gets her tacky wedding over and done with the better.