Fixing stuff

I went to the Gambia once. I was strolling down a candle lit street in Serekunda one evening and this man asked me if I wanted my white, Converse, baseball boots cleaning. He didn't look rich, I was loaded so I said yes. The boots were fashionably holed. I'd obviously misunderstood. This chap not only cleaned my boots but he patched all the holes with recycled canvas and latex gum.

Here in Spain they don't exactly squat on the floor as they repair things but repair things they do. I took a pair of Aviator sunspecs to the local optician and they resoldered the nose piece whilst I waited. No charge said the optician woman, you come in here for your contact lens solutions so I'm happy to do it. I was very pleased, I've had those specs nearly 30 years.

One of the sofas from the house in Culebrón received severe injuries during the roof repair. For months and months the sofas were left to fend for themselves, piled on top of each other and wrapped in thick black plastic. Tons of dust and earth and bricks must have fallen on them. As a consequence the springs in one of the seat cushions obeyed one of Newton's Laws and popped through the lining fabric. So yesterday morning I took the cushion to one of the two re-upholstery shops within 10 minutes of the flat here. It'll be ready about six said the woman and it was.