Our eyes met for the first time and...!

Saint Valentine’s Day, just like Halloween, is becoming more and more of a community event in Ireland. ‘Valentine’s’ isn’t just for young lovers anymore – it’s as if everybody wants a slice of the action.

I was out and about in town on 14th February and it came as a surprise as to the number of people who wished me a ‘Happy Valentine’s Day.’ Or could that just be me, Gorls?

The papers were full of love stories of how couples were still head over heels in love after so many years, and on one page there was a chain of 14 entwined blood-red hearts.

I don’t wish to come across as unromantic here, but in the interests of accuracy, this column has to point out that this red heart depicting romance bears no resemblance to the little grizzly blob that beats in the human chest.

Our radio stations were trying to outdo each other with callers telling their love stories; with the emphasis on the thrill of that first encounter. It is amazing how many happy lovers who claim that they knew the instant their eyes met that

‘this is the one for me.’ This is extraordinary in itself, and I have heard many such stories over the years. ‘Our eyes met for the first time across a crowded room (or across a bar counter in my case!) and I knew in that second, that I wanted to spend my whole life with him/her’. (All together now …Aahhhh!)

A typical story I was told was of the daughter looking out the window of the family shop, seeing a young man, a newcomer to town, standing talking to somebody on the footpath, and she said; ‘that is the man I am going to marry’ – and marry him she did.

Right, now and with the fact established that you can meet somebody for the first time and based on your first eye contact, decide that you cannot live the rest of your life without that person, there is also another fact which recently occurred to me and which I would like to share with you.

We all know about the balance of nature and that there is an opposite of everything. Newton’s Law states something like, ‘for every force of nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction.’ Hold that thought, please …

Sometimes I meet someone

News In Brief

Women between 25 and 65 to receive cervical cancer screening

Once the pilot study has been satisfactorily completed in autumn, the Ministry of Health in the Valencia region is to send out mass invitations for women to participate in screening for cervical cancer, an estimated 1,400,000. Those between 25 and 34 will undergo vaginal cytology, while the remainder will receive a kit to take a vaginal sample that will be used to detect the presence of the human papillomavirus.

for the very first time; our eyes meet and I know from that very first moment that I want to spend my whole life without them! Not only do I long to spend my whole life without them … but even ten minutes is pushing it! Well, if people can fall in love in seconds, it shouldn’t come as any great shock that someone can rub you up the wrong way during a similar timespan?

I admit it here, in front of all you good people that I have locked eyes for the first time with a person and we both have taken an instant dislike to each other. I sometimes try to hide it – but I am not good at that bit!

We are not talking here about the person we meet whom we get the wrong impression of.

Very often we can change from our initial opinion of another person and indeed, I have a few friends whom I wasn’t mad about the first time we met, but accepted in time that I was wrong in my assessment.

This natural human interaction has nothing to do with the ‘hate at first sight’ syndrome. The strange thing is that there may be nothing much wrong with the other

Cambiemos want to Clamp Down on Electric Rental Scooters

Cambiemos will again raise the request for review and withdrawal of the permit for the rental of electric scooters by the company Hoppy (Hoppy Eléctrico SL) in Orihuela and the Orihuela Costa at the Plenary. A spokesman said that "it again will raise the request after the rejection by the groups of PSOE, VOX and C's, who blocked a debate and vote on the proposal in the last plenary.” person. They will have friends, maybe even mutual friends and get along fine with the world, but the ‘hate at first sight’ couple are doomed to, at best, tolerate each other and live with their personality clash.

There are personality traits in people that can instantly rub us up the wrong way. Some of the worst offenders in my book are those who always have to play the devil’s advocate and feel duty bound to come up with an alternative point of view. The one who keeps interrupting, or finishing my sentence for me is facing the drop into the category that I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with. You’re telling a joke, a good one, and the first of the evening and there are two of the company you won’t take along on life’s journey: one keeps guessing the punchline – right or wrong; and the other isn’t listening because he is too preoccupied with getting his joke ready to top yours! Finally, something to remember this article by (!) the expression ‘rubbing someone the wrong way’, comes from stroking a cat. The cat likes being stroked, but not against the fur!

DON’T FORGET

No two people are alike – and both of them are glad of it.

Bernie.comaskey@gmail.com

*Author, entrepreneur and newspaper columnist, Bernie Comaskey, now spends most of his time on a farm in Ireland; but he retains his strong links with the Costa Blanca.

Bernie has published four books; ëIf Ever a Man Sufferedí, ëThe Best of Bernieí, ëThe Teamí, and ëJust Between Ourselvesí. Bernieís books are available at half price, on sale from either Spanish Solutions or ëThe Leader.íCall 637 227 385 for info.

Sour Taste For Caught Lemon Thieves

The Guardia Civil arrested a man and a woman who are believed to be linked to a fraud of 70,000 euro, by the illicit trade of 200,000 kilos of citrus fruits. The victims are farmers from various towns in Alicante and Murcia.

The alleged perpetrators placed and collected a large order of fruit which they paid for by means of a bank promissory note, without funds.

Orihuela Preparing For Forest Fires

The Department of Emergencies and Civil Protection in Orihuela is taking action to ensure their Local Plan for the Prevention of Forest Fires is up to date.

Fire fighters in some areas of Spain are already monitoring the situation which can so easily get out The municipality has 9,650 hectares of forest land which could be considered at risk, 26.4 percent of the total area.

Health Department Incorporates Home Physio

The Torrevieja health department has added home physiotherapy for patients using the Home Hospitalisation Unit

The objective is to take physiotherapy closer to patients receiving UHD treatment to optimize their recovery and, ultimately, improve their quality of life.

It is estimated that more than a thousand patients a year can benefit from this new service

The Torrevieja health department has incorporated home rehabilitation within the progressive expansion of its portfolio of services that it has been carrying out during the public recovery of the centre.

This recovery has been possible thanks to the addition of a physiotherapist to the staff of the Home Hospitalization Unit (UHD) of the hospital, who, initially, will be in charge of providing the rehabilitation service to all those patients who require it.

Cristina González, the department's physiotherapy supervisor, said that "physiotherapy will help patients improve and optimize their functional and respiratory capacity, so that their recovery at home will improve".

Polish out scatches on your car with toothpaste

REMOVE BAD SMELLS FROM SHOES, FRIDGES WITH NEWSPAPER

A motoring tip that is as cheap as they come!

Buff Out Scratches In Car Paint

Car buffs spend a lot of money on their vehicles, but this hack is as cheap as they come. The next time your car is scratched, get rid of the offending mark with toothpaste. This may or may not work, depending on how deep the scratch is, but it won't hurt. To do this, clean the area with soap and water, then dry with a soft, cotton towel. Next, rub the toothpaste into the scratched sec- tion. Allow the paste to sit for about 10 minutes. Using a clean towel, carefully rub the toothpaste out. Hopefully, the scratch should be gone!

Endangered birds released in El Clot de Galvany

El Clot de Galvany welcomes 20 new specimens of Pardilla Teal. They were released in the natural park last week located at the foot of Gran Alacant.

In the last three years, more than 136 birds of the Pardilla Teal species, classified as endangered, have been introduced, with this latest 20 adding to the family.

“We will continue contributing to the conservation of different habitats, which have registered the best figures for Pardilla Teal in recent years”, said councillor Esther Diez

Brings a whole new meaning to the term ìDOGGY BAGî

LOS DOLSES - ORIHUELA COSTA

Ref: 001562 e425,000

Detached Villa With Private Pool

Totally refurbished 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, villa with large southfacing terrace.

Airconditioning and heating, all new windows, completely insulated. Underbuild with 2 additional rooms. Garage and access to seperate garden area, part of which is used for bed and breakfast.