Covid 

Given that new variants will continue arise all around the globe, it’s easily predictable that we’ll go through the entire Greek alphabet and then start again with the Alpha-Alpha variant. Unless, of course, all forms of international travel are 100% stopped and everyone in the world is vaccinated. Which seems unlikely. Meanwhile, we’ll all have to get used to to regular – even permanent – mask wearing and social distancing. Every country in the world will be Japan. 

Unless, that is, the future variants – like Omicron – get progressively weaker. And we all learn to live with Covid in all its guises, as a form of flu. But who knows? 

Meanwhile, surely these will boom times for insurance companies. Everyone planning to go anywhere will need to have Covid cover in case of cancellations or compulsory hotel quarantine. So . . . Buy those insurance shares now!

Cosas de España/Galiza

As you might expect, the police are unhappy about government plans to review the infamous ‘Gag Law’ and reduce the powers given to them under it. It’s reported  that: Tens of thousands of police officers and their supporters marched in Madrid on Saturday to protest against government plans to reform a controversial security law known by critics as the “Gag Law.”

The UK 

It’s always a bit of a shock to experience the sort of courtesies you get here that are absent from Spanish life. Like someone being aware that you’re walking towards their car and closing the door well before you bump into it. Or acknowledging that you let them join the traffic. 

It’s reported today the only c. 30% of travellers on the London metro comply with the obligation to wear a mask. This doesn’t bode well for the imminent new Omicron rules. And it contrasts with Spain’s extremely high rate of non-compulsory mask-wearing indoors. Weren’t the Spanish supposed to be the ones who ignored inconvenient rules or even laws?

One day I guess it’ll be possible to drive from Portsmouth ferry port or the Eurostar station and not meet mile after mile of roadworks and reduced speeds. Likewise on the M6 north of Birmingham. 

Meanwhile, this is my car’s first experience of snow. And, for me, an almost forgotten experience of freezing my fingers off while trying to get ice and solid snow off my windscreen at minus 3 degrees.

As I I no longer stock de-icer and a scraper in the car, I had to resort to the credit card standby. Using the gel tip in the helpful list below

Good to know that Snow and howling winds will sweep in today.

The EU

This writer seems to think the Euro is in a death spiral. Possibly. All I can says is I was pleased it fell against the pound when I made a transfer from my UK bank to Spain a week or so ago. Apparently because interest rates will soon arise in the UK but not in the EU.

The USA

Harry&Meg and those famous 2 ‘impostors’.-

– There’s a triumph for Harry as BBC ditches the ‘sexist’ term Megxit’ as the title of the second episode of a controversial documentary, relating it with ‘Sussexit’

– But then there’s the disaster of only 2% of the UK population being interested in listening to the Duke and Duchess’s new podcast. But there’ll be far more in the USA, of course.

Finally  . . .

Well, I liked this . . .

This blog can be seen on Twitter and on the Facebook group page – Thoughts from Galicia.  

If you’ve landed here looking for info on Galicia or Pontevedra, try here. 

THE ARTICLE

Useful Car Tips 

The Hidden Lock: Regardless of its electric features, a lot of cars out there still have a manual lock. Just feel under the door handle for a small plastic piece. When you remove that, you’ll find a   manual lock underneath.

Fresh Smell That Lasts: All that you need is found in your laundry room in the form of a few good dryer sheets.  Just place a couple of these under the seats of your car, and the smell will penetrate every corner of your vehicle, neutralizing any unpleasant scents and keeping your car smelling nice and good all day long. You could also put them in your AC vent, then add a little bit of airing out from time to time, and you’ll really love the smell of your car. 

Faster Car Hunt: One way to avoid losing your car is to take a  snap of the surroundings. You can even take pictures treasure map style of certain markers to really make sure. The only problem is if all the surrounding cars leave and you’re stuck with a picture that doesn’t look like what you’re looking at a few hours later. 

Tidy Trunks: Acouple of large laundry baskets. They’ll keep things nice and tidy and allow you more storage space. And at the very least, you can still continue throwing whatever in there and still have an organized mess, right? 

Plunger Comes To The Rescue: Take some hot water and pour it over the dented area. Then, place the plunger over the area, ensure it has a good grip, and pull until the dent is evened out nicely. You can repeat this a couple of times until you’re satisfied with the results.    

Telekinesis For Your Key Fob: Place the key fob under your chin and work some of your telekinesis powers on your key fob.  Apparently, your brain waves have further reach, and they expand your key’s reach.  

DIY Phone Stand: Elastic bands – a substitute for those expensive car phone holders. Simply take an elastic band or two, thread it through your AC vent, and use it to secure your phone. No more taking wrong turns and no more getting lost from not seeing the map properly. 

For Cereals and For Trash: Get an empty cereal container and then put a plastic bag inside it. Place it in whatever available corner you have in your car, and you can enjoy a clean and tidy car as long as you use it properly, of course. 

Takeout Warmer: Use your car’s seat warmers to keep food warm. Simply put your takeout on the seat warmer 

Take The Penny Test: To check if your car treads are still deep enough, grab a penny and turn it upside down, making sure the top of Lincoln’s head is pointing to the floor. Then dip that into a tread. If the tread goes over Lincoln’s forehead, your tires still have good life in them. If you can still see Lincoln’s forehead, it’s time to have them changed. 

Skipping The Speeding. The better way to get wherever you’re heading faster is actually to follow the speed limits. Traffic lights and speed limits were  designed to help you because traffic lights were made in a way that would let you cruise through most green lights if you just stick to the speed limit.  

Car Manicure: Grab a bottle of nail polish, the same color as your car, and then just paint over  scratches.  

A Shoe For Your Coffee: If you’re ever in need of an extra cupholder, your shoe can serve as a perfectly suitable cup holder. Just place it between the seats and set your cup inside.  

Rice Vs Moisture: To elimiate  condensation, fill a cloth bag with rice and place it on top of your dashboard. Dry it in the microwave

Cool Car and Cool Summer: The best way to get the maximum benefit of air coming in is to simply roll down your 2 front windows instead of every window. This will force the air to circulate and force the hot air out and allow the cool air in so you get to stay cooler a lot better. 

Wiper and Mirror Socks: To make sure your wipers dob’t scratch your window and to take care of them, wrap them tightly with women’s stockings. In addition to protecting your dashboard and wipers, this tip can also help to protect your wipers from a build-up of ice. It also works for your mirrors, and socks will work just as well. 

East Is The Way To Go: If you don’t park in a garage, try parking your car with your windshield facing East. This way, you get the full blast of the sunrise and can let that early morning sun do all the melting for you. Now, you can just rush off to work as usual. 

Gas Tank Treasure Hunt: If you pay look at your gas meter gauge, though, you’ll notice that there is a little arrow beside the gas pump icon. That  points to the side where the gas tank is located.  

The Tennis Ball Trick: Park your car right, and then hang a tennis ball right where your windshield should be.  

The Wonders of Hand Sanitizer: Car covered in ice, and your keyhole jammed.  . .  Squeeze a generous amount of it into your lock. Try and make sure that it really gets in there.

The Garage Noodle: If you have a tight garage,  simply cut your pool noodle in half, affix it on your wall where your door usually opens against, and you’ll have a soft bumper to cushion your door.  

Gas Hack: Try going a bit slower. Only hold the pump at 50% and slowly fill up your tank. You’ll get less air inside your tank and more gas. 

All That Extra Ceiling Space:  Simply tie some bungee cords to a mesh net and then attach these cords to all four hand holders of your car.  

Shoe Organizers: These have tons of pockets which makes them so convenient for storage and also organization.  

Olive Oil Cleaner: You can use it to give your car dashboard a dazzling shine. Place a few droplets   on a coffee filter and use that to wipe down your dash. 

Stockings To The Rescue Again:  Aside from keeping frost from your wipers, stockings can also come to the rescue as a temporary fix if your fan belt snaps.   This might be enough to get youwhere you can have it properly repaired.

Toothpaste Vs Foggy Headlights: Grab your toothpaste, Place a few drops on your headlights, and just scrub it all over until the surface of the light is fully covered. Let it dry for a while. Then wash it with warm water.

Bye Bye Stickers: Take your hairdryer, and before attempting to peel off those stickers, apply a little heat to them.  

Slime Clean Out:  You can simply run the slime or goo around your car interior, and it will pick up any debris or dust it comes in contact with. It’s just as good as any cleaning cloth you can find in stores, and it’s cheap.  

Keep Cup Holders Clean:  Instead of vacuuming them every  day, simply put a couple of cupcake holders in there. 

DIY Tints: Rays your eyes. Ttinted plastic sheets. You don’t have to cover your windshield with them, but only spots where the sun always hits that troubles you.  

Fresh Wipers: It’s important to keep your wipers clean.  Your wipers drag all kinds of stuff all over your windshield. So take a few minutes, get a  microfiber cloth and some glass cleaner, and wipe down your wipers.  

Car Paper Towel Holder:  Take some bungee cord, put it through your paper towel, and then tie it to the underside of your trunk lid. This saves space and prevents your paper towels from just rolling around and collecting dirt in there. 

Pool Noodle Part Two: Wedge in pool noodle pieces in car seat gaps to prevent yourself from losing things down there 

Winter Driving Survival: Add more weight to the back tires by placing a couple of water softener salt bags on the edge of your trunk. This will give you more grip but this might not work so well with FWD vehicles. 

Carabiners Makes Groceries A Lot Easier To Handle:  Hang a couple of them up on your front seats, and voila, you have a hook to hang your groceries on where you can be sure they’ll be safe and sound.  

Making Keyrings Less Painful: Simply use a staple remover to hold the keyring apart. Not only do you get to add keys in a few seconds, but you also get to keep your fingers and manicure intact. 

Vinegar Ice Melter: Simply use a combination of water and vinegar. Mix the two in a spray bottle, give the ice on your windshield a few good spritzes.

DIY Car Freshener: Take a mason jar or other container. Place some holes in the lid. Fill it  with scented candle wax and place it in your cup holder. When your car gets warm, the wax will slowly melt and release sweet scents. 

Easy To Find Garage Opener: You can actually install your garage opener into your car. You might need some professional help  but you can also DIY it if you’re handy with a car.