No don't start the Carnaval!

Friday is Carnaval Day here in Alcala la Real.

The children have to dress up in costumes and will parade around the town. I have none of my usual spare wardrobe pieces, bits of cloth or familiar shops to visit to ensure that my children are dressed for the day. Eeek!

Ruy has to be a Lilliputian soldier from 'Gulliver's Travels' - this is the only picture we could find that seemed remotely achievable, bearing in mind where most of our things still reside.....(barn in Leon). And today I found a little green hat and some black felt 'boots' that will go over his trousers and cover his shoes - I was pleased with these. Ruy bought himself a sword within a few days of knowing he was going to be a soldier. And we have an old green cardigan and a belt - I think he'll be fine. I hope so.

Romy has to go as something from a fairy story. As we found a set of ladybird wings that I'd made for Romy when she was in Nursery School in one of the suitcases we brought - as you do - we decided that we could put them to good use. We haven't yet thought of a specific fairy story that has a ladybird in it but then no fairy story would be any good without a little ladybird somewhere in the background, would it?


Last Saturday, whilst we were again in Orgiva, I was peering into the window of a lovely second-hand shop when I heard Romy exclaim - 'here are some shoes for being a ladybird!' They were a pair of flamenco shoes - red with white spots, but we might just colour those in - and they were exactly Romy's size. It was meant to be. I might look out for a pair in a bigger size...

And today, I got some antennae, a black t-shirt and black leggings (always useful) and so now I'm feeling just a bit more sorted.

I'm looking forward to snapping the parade on Friday. All the children are excited and the shops here are full of fancy dress costumes. I have been told that this town takes its festivals seriously, so we should be in for a good show - and I still have tomorrow to put things together to try and ensure that the various bits we have look OK when they are put on for real on the day.