Barrie Mahoney's posts

Expats in many countries, and particularly those in Spain, Portugal and France, will quickly discover many wonderful bakeries. Forget the plastic bread on sale in the supermarkets, but that wonderful bread baked in relatively small quantities by people who recognise that it is the taste of real bread that buyers are looking for. I like a simple, freshly baked loaf of bread, preferably white and with a dark and crispy crust. However, I still cannot quite find the taste and texture of a loaf that I was used to in the UK, despite having a wonderful bakery in the village where all types of loaves are baked...

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As many Canary Islander residents and visitors already know, Carnival is celebrated with a passion in every major town in each of the seven main Canary Islands, with the main celebrations taking place in the capital cities of the islands. These celebrations take place between January and April each year with the actual dates changing according to when Easter is celebrated; this is most annoying for holidaymakers, but take that issue up with the Vatican! The forty days before Easter, known as Lent, have always been marked by the Catholic practice of giving up meat. So the fiesta of Carnival that takes place just before Lent begins on Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival means ‘goodbye to flesh’ in Latin and became a time for a wild party, and yes, I do mean wild!

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It is strange how expats suddenly develop a craving for something that reminds them of life in their countries of origin. I guess it is not that surprising really, as Christmas is a time of the year when our memories, particularly as we get older, recall times gone by, both happy and sad. Many of those special times have occurred, of course, over the Christmas and New Year period; many of us will have fond memories of families and friends, of precious times spent together, unique family traditions, gifts and special food that appeared at this time of the year.

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The Canary Islands have a history that is, quite literally, littered with explosions. Each of the seven main islands was created by hot volcanic lava pushing through the cold Atlantic Ocean in the last million years or so. It therefore does not seem surprising that an occasional ‘belch’ can be heard, and seen, every few hundred years or so. One of our islands has been in a bit of trouble over recent weeks, but first, a little background...

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It was a hot, sunny day and the boys and girls in the village school were enjoying their lunchtime games as usual in the schoolyard. However, today, tempers seemed a little more frayed than usual during this particular ball game. I watched the children closely for some time anticipating that the dinner lady who was supervising would have to step in and bring the game to an abrupt end, intervening with the usual talk about sporting behaviour and “it's not the winning, it's the playing” reminder that teachers and dinner ladies are so good at repeating...

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Complaining in Spain

One of the worst things that the newly arrived expat quickly faces is the sudden inability to complain if things go wrong. Spain may well be a member of the EU family, but when it comes to complaining, the expat would be wise to remember that it is a very different culture and pace of life. After all, isn't that why we left the UK in the first place? Forget shouting, being abusive and banging your fist on the table, because, at best, you will be completely ignored or possibly sent to the end of the queue to sulk, or, at worst, you may see the inside of a prison cell for a few hours.

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Admiral Nelson and the Canary Islands

You may remember Horatio Nelson from school history lessons as the jolly little man with the big hat and equally inflated ego; his costume goes down a treat at fancy dress parties. In pictures, Nelson is instantly recognisable as the semi-blinded, one-armed naval officer who destroyed the French and Spanish fleets; he also had a fascinating ménage à trois with the rather interesting Lady Hamilton. So what is the real story of the man whose statue dominates London’s Trafalgar Square, and how does it link with the Canary Islands?

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Listening to the UK Prime Minister and the Energy Minister’s attempts to help consumers with their fuel bills this year brought a mixture of indignation, amusement and cynicism from many UK consumers. Some would say that the issue cannot truly be resolved simply by endlessly switching energy companies and tariffs, together with the odd roll of loft insulation. Many have commented that these regurgitated suggestions are akin to a sticking plaster being offered to a dying patient. Energy experts tell us that the root cause has more to do with the rising cost of oil, greater demand for energy from China and India, diminishing oil supplies, the financial crisis, as well as the excessive profiteering made by greedy energy companies operating within a distorted market. The problem of rising fuel bills will take much more than a one day meeting chaired by the PM, slick press conferences and bright orange publicity posters to drag this particular patient from his death throes...

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Regular readers of ‘Twitters’ may recall that an emaciated, flea ridden and sickly kitten burst into my life last year, and a number of readers have been asking about what happened to him.

Although I like all animals, maybe with the exception of snakes, I had no intention of allowing a cat to take up residence in our home. I saw myself as, first and foremost, a dog lover; I understood them and always have had at least one dog by my side. I liked cats, but had no understanding of them. Also, I was nervous of having one because, on our island, there appears to be a fondness for poisoning the stray cat population - they are regarded as vermin to be destroyed. In my own village, for example, there used to be many cats and now there are hardly any. Witnessing a child grieving over her poisoned cat in its death throws is not easy to forget...

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“Journeys and Jigsaws” is the title of the first of a series of novels by Barrie Mahoney. Although not autobiographical, the book draws upon many of the incidents that Barrie experienced as teacher, headteacher, school inspector and journalist.

'Journeys and Jigsaws' follows the early career of a young headteacher, James Young, and his appointment to a village school in crisis. The novel deals with the many challenges and hard won successes faced in increasing pupil numbers and bringing the school back to financial viability, as well as keeping the villagers happy. Glimpses of easy going village school life in the days before the National Curriculum and school tests, include the chaos caused in the village when James decided to remove the school stage, a near riot when the school swimming pool is closed. However, there is support for James from a surprising source when his own personal life hits crisis point.

The novel also deals with entrenched attitudes and misunderstandings relating to HIV/AIDS and public expectation of professional people living and working in a parochial and inward looking community in the 1980’s.

'Journeys and Jigsaws' explores the complex relationships between people who do not fit into society’s expectation of them. Lies, suppressed feelings and desires in a remote, feudal village are exposed, leaving many hurt, betrayed and broken. The book chronicles the attempts of the main characters to achieve self worth and to become part of this backward looking society, despite being different. The book also reflects on how most people are different to each other, and celebrates these challenges.

'Journeys and Jigsaws' by Barrie Mahoney. ISBN: 9781843865384

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