Espantapajaros

Soccer-minded individuals in the UK would perhaps be green with envy after learning how much free football one can indulge in on TV over here. 

While England fans back home had to fork out extra cash to watch the 4-1 drubbing of Croatia on Setanta, here it was one of several European qualifiers shown live on ESPN at no extra cost.

Other local channels showed the crucial CONCACAF games (Guatemala also thrashed Cuba 4-1) and some of the earlier South American fixtures. 

This Saturday - as is usual - nearly all the Premiership matches will also be shown live across ESPN, Fox Sports and Planeta Futbol. 

Meanwhile, I'm beginning to wonder what the effects of long-term insect repellant use might be.  I stopped using Autan liquid for fear I'd soon be looking like this chap in the picture, swicthing instead to Off! a creamier Argie brew which purports to contain some Aloe Vera...and doesn't feel as if it goes about mellting the epidermis in quite the same way. 

This Shrek doll was given as a present to a little Cakchiquel girl called Ruth whose parents maintain this mixed field of corn and guiskil just around the corner. She deemed it so hideous that she immediately donated it to her father for use as an espantapajaros.