8 English

Jobs and professions  In the de Souto house there was construction work in May. Last year it rained on them inside and this year they don't want to pass a similar winter.
"Since we have to  repair,' said don Antón, "let's give a touch-up to everything."
" Repairs on old houses are not good enough"-doña Rosario said. If you pay attention to me, we will build a new house where we have the threshing floor. Anyway, where will we live in the meantime?"
Don Antón did not hesitate to accept the advice.  The next day, he went to A Coruña to speak with an architect friend of his, who had made plans for him, and at the same time, to learn of a trustworthy builder who would work conscientiously.
"There are few like that", the architect told him. But, being for a friend... Speak with "Construccións Roxo".  I know the lead engineer and the surveyor. They are well-prepared people. They use the best materials."
From then in a few days they built the foundation. In a few weeks the walls were finished. The masons had done a very good job.
But before seeing the house roofed, some days went by. Since there are no sawmills near Vilanova, they had to call some Portuguese sawyers who were around there, and who used hand saws. It took them many days to plane the wood.
In the meantime, the brick layers were working inside. They were  building inside walls, mixing cement, and putting  the wall and floor tiles. After them, the electrician and plumber installed light and water.
Don Antón came by every once in a while. He always liked to talk a little with the workers.
"This construction work is giving me more work" he said, "even though I  don't lay one stone,  there is the consultation,  there is the notary, there is the registrar, you have to sign up in one office and get  off a list in another. And you can't pretend not to know, if so, when you least expect it, you have a sheriff with an order from the mayor or the pair of Civil Guards with an order from the judge that you have to show up in court. I send to the devil all these laws and those who invent them!
With papers or without them, the house was almost finished. The doors were lacking but the carpenters already were there with them in their hands.
"By Saint Matthew's Day you will have the key in hand" the builder told him.
As he wishes that the house is finished for Saint Matthew's day, don Antón wanted to go all out. He was obligated to his neighbors in Vilanova and he wanted to throw a party for everyone.
"I want it to be a party with food", he said. The bagpipe alone does not fill you up."
And that's the way it was. He ordered a lot of empanadas from the baker and he ordered the octopus cooker to made a kettle of octopus. The store keeper in Vilanova supplied the wine. Naturally, the bagpipe player was not lacking because in those kind of parties he is necessary. Of course he played well. He made even a dead person dance. And, if not, let the miller say it, who didn't stop waltzing with the seamstress.  It was a laugh. Also the veterinarian and the pharmacist danced a lot, the tailor and the wash woman, the shoemaker and the weaver, the blacksmith and the milkmaid.  The priest did  not dance because of his miter.