Hunkering on down

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When I first moved to Ciudad Rodrigo I joined the library. It seemed like a small part of settling in. That and registering for the doctor.

There's a library just up the road, by the white church there. I popped in a while ago and I asked about Internet access. They turned me down because I'm not on the padrón here, a bit like being able to say that you're a ratespayer. It didn't feel like a big loss, I can get on the Internet using the dongle thingy and not only do I buy books nowadays but I could always use the library in Pinoso without any difficulty as we are back and forth from there all the time.

Anyhow, yesterday morning I was in the town centre and there was a book fair on. Spanish towns and cities often have book fairs. Lots of little cabins some selling new books, or old books, some have religious books or engineering books or maybe it's just a stand representing the Worshipful Society of Bookbinders. Quite rightly the local libraries were represented. Because I'd spent all morning talking to one of my language exchange chums I was feeling pretty limber, linguisticlly, so, uncharacteristically, I asked about library membership telling the person behind the desk that I'd been turned down. She furrowed her brow, stuck out her top lip, mumbled and muttered and said that they were always keen to have new people so long as they actually lived in the Region. I happened to have the photos and copies of the documents I needed with me and it was done. Well nearly. The card is supposed to be at the branch library from next week.

Maggie was talking to one of her work colleagues. When the colleague realised that Maggie wasn't registered with a doctor she whisked her off to the Medical Centre and got the process under way. Maggie finished it off the other day so she now has her normal doctor back in Pinoso but a temporary one here in Cartagena too. I'd thought this business about the padrón might get in the way but as it didn't I trudged up to the doctor's and I'll pretty soon have the same arrangement.

So if library cards and medical cover are signs of settling in then settling in we are.

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