In summer, we retirees don't tend to be hungry for vacations, and we can calmly analyze everything around us. Here are some issues that surprised me.

Spain. The Euro Cup and the Olympic Games are all over the summer. I have to say beforehand that professional sport competitiveness is not to my liking, but I was surprised to see the blindness and promise of Spain everywhere, also in the Basque Country. I believe that the Basque emotional framework that we had achieved some time ago (sometimes linked to identity, sometimes not) is being removed. We are assuming the gestures of the dominant culture and in our peoples the wild Potra song has been heard normally. My astonishment has led me to wonder whether the social, cultural and Euskaldun community that I love is about to disappear. If so, I would be surprised, but above all lost. I hope it is nothing more than a fashion.

Osakidetza-Basque health service. All summer, I've visited an intimate friend in the hospital. Almost every day I have seen with astonishment the decline of the health system. I knew that Osakidetza was wrong, because I have worked there for the last forty years, but everyday reality has overcome my worst suspicion. Lack of organization, change of permanent physician, clumsy information and communication and, ultimately, dehumanization. I am clear that it is not the responsibility of the workers at all. Heads of service, managers and politicians have been and are responsible for this disaster. On the hottest days of August, patients have stayed in the rooms at 32 degrees. On the contrary, the invisible managers were comfortable in their offices or on their holidays, with air conditioning. After the summer, the fight for public health will resume, but from this emergency situation, the whole of society has to be aware. Without a dignified and effective public health, there is no future in this country.

Single. The Madrid company has come to our people with its dark investment funds, putting a red carpet on the outside. The destructive macro-projects have been presented with the support of many administrations, which has provoked the reaction of this people, who have organised serious and in-depth work against them. This is not surprising, because historically it has been a way of responding to what our peoples have had, but, to my surprise, the political leaders of Álava have not given a strong answer. It's hard to understand why. After the holiday, let us hope to regain its ability to express its political position in the face of the planned destruction.

Surprised, the summer is about to end.