I didn’t really mean to cut off the face of this consumate artist, but it is the best one I have showing his nimble hands at work.

While all the families were here we rented a holiday cottage at Piriapolis, west of Montevideo but not so far as Punta del Este and far less crowded and, of course, quieter. For the various grandkids nephew and niece present it was wonderful to be an easy block’s walk from the safe beach which offered plenty of space for the patient digging of large holes to sit in, castles surrounded by moats, and the usual beach contructions that kids will engage in day after day, up to a certain age anyway. There was a lot of swimming and kicking around of the soccer ball. Some walked and gathered shells and stones of note…. and we spent many hours each day out in the well equipped parrilla area – perfect for a large number to breakfast together and cook bbq meals at other times. Cooler, too, than being inside the house until late most evenings.

On a particularly hot day we withdrew from the beach around 12.30 to a shady table on the sidewalk where we had lunch and many cool drinks, and, as it turned out, caught the very few breezes around on a day which we later learned had topped over 41C in the shade. It was so hot I slept out on the upstairs deck of the house that night until a cool change blew in with a rush around 3 am. We later learned that in one of our friend’s family a couple of people were treated for heatstroke and dehydration.

Anyway, weaver-sculptor Fernando here was one of the passing parade that day (which included a not-very-good-palm reader and some ladies selling kitchen knives, for some reason) Here he is shown making a spear fish from palm fronds – other creations he did were a turtle, several different flowers and fans. A couple of the kids and I were particularly fascinated and bought several of them.