another holiday

Today is one of the fourteen official bank holidays in Andalucia (not counting the ferias, village celebrations, and the entire month of August, during which it seems everyone is on vacation). It is Andalucia Day, and the 25th anniversary of Andalucia Day to boot. Unfortunately, the rain persists, so it doesn't look like there will be a parade or much festivity in the village today. On the plus side, the dogs may be a little damp from the morning walk with C.; however, at least they were not terrorized by rockets and fireworks, which typically begin at sunrise and carry on throughout the day. This morning I have been reading and watching all the Oscar scoops I can find on the Internet. Besides the Superbowl, the only other day I get itchy to have a proper cable hookup is Oscar night. In Philadelphia, my friends J.K. and S. and I would get together at one of our homes to watch the awards show and generally be catty about the dresses. We would make determined efforts to see all of the nominated movies so that we could at least make half-intelligent guesses on the annual office pool. J.K. and I even laughed through "Gladiator", which we thought was a horrible film. No, I didn't do too well on the pool that year....(J.K., I have entered us in the Diet Pepsi contest to go to next year's show.) I spoke with Big Jim last night just as he was leaving for the Islamabad airport. He will arrive in Frankfurt later this afternoon, stay overnight with our friend T. (probably have a bier or two), and return to Malaga tomorrow. C. and I have to go to the airport early to pick up the four boxes of goodies Big Jim has shipped back separately. Most are thank-you gifts for C., including an entire curry service, including all the dishes plus the metal heating trays, etc. I think C. will be happily surprised. :-) Today's photo is from a sunnier day, from our December trip to Gibraltar. That morning, as we all slept below in the hotel (the white blobby bit down by the Sea), the ambitious J. climbed the Rock and took this picture.
Looking across the Strait of Gibraltar. Photo by J.A.S. hasta manana, mylifeinspain

The rain in Spain...is everywhere, including our village today. View from our kitchen window onto "calle" Salares. My big plans for the day: stay indoors!

day 39

Today is day 39 of "it's all about my eye". I am a bit perturbed with my doctors' office staff. After my last visit with Dr. Rubio, I waited for 40 minutes at the reception desk to make my next follow-up appointment. Typically, there are two or three receptionists working, but that day it was just the one woman. So I was patient because I realized she was doing her best, given the circumstances. When she finally directed her attention to me, she told me she was too busy to schedule my appointment then, that she would call me. Fine, I told her, no problem. Well, I waited a few days for her to call, but nada. This week I decided I had waited long enough. I tried several days to make the appointment, but the line was always engaged or no one answered. Finally, yesterday I got through, and the same woman now tells me I cannot see the doctor until March 16th! I explained to her the situation, and that I was not scheduling a full exam, just a quick follow-up visit for my retinal surgery, one that she was to have arranged for this coming week. Impossible, she tells me, I will simply have to wait until March 16. I hung up the phone and was really angry. Fortunately, my healing is progressing as it should, with more vision returning every day and the bubble continuing to shrink, but I don't feel comfortable altering my activity at all until I get the okay from the doctors. Which means I have to continue depending on people to handle most of my daily tasks. Good job Big Jim returns in a couple days, so that C. can have a long break. But it is still crappy, and I am going to mention my disappointment to the doctor when I next see him. Anyway, enough rant for now. Here's a cute picture of the kitty. :-)
Prefrost, C.K. having a siesta in the roof garden. She's sleeping in an old bucket, in which Big Jim plants his peppers. When you wander around the village, you find that all the houses with the pretty painted pots outside belong to foreigners. So in our attempt to create a garden mas autentico, we have adapted a more Spanish approach, ie, plant in anything you've got. Therefore, our planting containers are a hodgepodge of old buckets, plain terra cotta pots, empty water bottles that we've cut the tops off of, and antiquey proper pots that we have picked up at boot sales or salvaged from the basura. We like the way it has turned out. :-) The second picture is from one of my last trips out to the goat track. I do miss it. If the weather is nice tomorrow morning, I am going to accompany C. and the dogs, just for a bit of fresh air.
View toward the Med from the goat track. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

friday time waster

My friend B. e-mails these questions to her friends every year. Most of the time, most of us never bother to respond to her because we are bad and lazy friends. The premise is you delete your friend's answers, complete the questions yourself, e-mail to all of your friends, and ask them to do the same, returning their responses to you. You think you know everything there is to know about your friends, but do you? :-) Anyway, I have skipped the e-mail step and just posted my responses here. 1. What time did you get up this morning? 9:15 am 2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds, my birthstone 3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason---amusing but not as good as the first movie or the books for that matter. 4. What is your favorite TV show? Don't have one anymore because only use TV for watching DVDs, ie no cable, no satellite, and the 2.5 Spanish stations we can tune in are crap. 5. What did you have for breakfast? Haven't had it yet, but it will be two pieces of toast with butter/Marmite and Actimel, which is a Bio/yogurty sort of drink. 6. What is your middle name? Suzanne 7. Favorite cuisine? Jeez, I love 'em all. But if backed into a corner, I would have to say Vietnamese. 8. What foods do you dislike? (Most) organ meats (I do like a good pate), chocolate/orange dessert combos (makes my face scrunch up), the horribly smelling aged Swiss cheese that Big Jim insists on keeping in the fridge (think it's called "tete du monde"; correction, I have checked and the correct name is "tete du moine"....would not want to offend any stinky cheese fans). 9. What is your favorite crisp (potato chip) flavor? I like plain Spanish chips, which are done in olive oil. 10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Tossup of several....Best of Guided by Voices, the John Doe Thing, Aimee Mann, and Vienna Teng, when I need something girly. 11. What kind of car? the much-bitched-about Peugeot 405 12. Favorite sandwich? Plain tuna in olive oil with roasted red peppers, or my homemade egg salad 13. What characteristic do you despise? In general, mean people, particularly the greedy selfish sorts; currently, those who insist that my detached retina occurred because I spend a lot of time in front of a computer, particularly those who continue to insist this is the case despite my presentation of the medical evidence that correctly identifies the true source of the problem, ie my high myopia. I finally shut up someone yesterday by telling them about my neighbor Placido, who had the same problem in the same eye as I and he's a campo farmer who has never sat in front of a computer but also is extremely myopic. Admittedly I am getting too sensitive about this, but people who have this almost "blame the victim" mentality about all illnesses get under my skin. True, some medical problems can be avoided by general healthy living, but OTHERS JUST HAPPEN PEOPLE!!!! 14. Favorite item of clothing? Black cashmere turtleneck (other wool makes me itchy, but see #17 for my shopping tip on buying better clothes at bargain prices) 15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go? I have goal to visit every continent before I croak; the next "big" trip Big Jim and I are planning is to Bhutan... 16. What color is your bathroom? Blue and white tile 17. Favorite brand of clothing? Oilily and Marc Jacobs *I hardly buy anything retail anymore, except at end-of-season, rock bottom sales; just about everything in my closet now has come from eBay. 18. Where would you retire to? Not sure yet. In a perfect world, I would like to have a place here in Spain and an old farmhouse back in PA Dutchland. 19. Favorite time of the day? Between 4 and 5 am, when the rest of the world is asleep and all is still and quiet. 20. What was your most memorable birthday? 21....I turned 21 during the middle of the Seville feria. 21. Where were you born? West Reading, PA 22. Favorite sport to watch? Football, both American and Real Madrid (because the boys are so pretty, w/ the exception of Ronaldo) 23. What fabric detergent do you use? Colon. Seriously. It's a common Spanish brand. 24. Are you a morning person or a night person? Used to be morning person back in the US. In Spain, I follow the sun. In the summer, I am usually up by 6:30 am but also go to bed later because sun does not set until after 10 pm; in the winter, it's difficult to get up before 9 am because it is still dark. 25. What is your shoe size? 7.5 US/38 Euro 26. Do you have any pets? Two pups/one aged diva kitty 27. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with friends and family? Three days until Big Jim is back in Spain! But you all already knew that. :-) 28. What did you want to be when you were little? Writer or lawyer; I also wrote an essay in 6th grade on why I should be the first woman president. That aspiration was very short lived. :-) Happy Friday! mylifeinspain

photos finally....

Can't sleep so I have been putting my restlessness to good use and finally figuring out how to post photos. It is a cinch really, but I have never had the free time to read up on it. And now as you are well aware, I have plenty o' time. So watch out....many pics to post, and I have even more reason now to take my camera with me everywhere. :-) Everyone loves a puppy picture, so a good place to start. Here's Baby Beebs at about 8 weeks. The Precious Boo, at 5 months, back at her old dog park in Philadelphia. The almost 17-year-old kitty diva, C.K., doing what she does most days. Always reminds me of the "El Senor Don Gato was a cat, on a high red roof Don Gato sat..." song we sang during music class in elementary school. (In hindsight, perhaps I should have put C.K. first; she'd be really p.o.'d to know she wasn't....) All three begging for a piece of serrano ham from S. Photo by G.M.vdB. Big Jim's beloved chilis, in our very crowded kitchen. Photo by T.F. Big Jim showing his skill with the plastic sled. How many of you would have thought there would be snow in southern Spain in May? Be honest. Photo by G.M.vdB. My adorable niece Cora. Cora and Pooh Bear, modeling her Christmas "toights" as she calls them. mylifeinspain (left) with sibs back at the PA Dutch homestead, Christmas 2004. Greens and photo by my dad.
The sprawling village, where it all now takes place. Okay, I think that's enough for one go. It's 2:30 am now, and I do actually have to meet M.A. at 11:30. She's taking me to Nerja so that I can pay our car insurance bill for the next year. Yes, I know, exciting stuff, but any reason to leave the house these days.... hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

C. the midwife

In addition to being my personal chef and dog walker these days, C. can add cat midwife to his many titles. He spent the past 24 hours watching over his cat give birth to four kitties. As a homosexual man, this has been delving into pretty foreign territory for him. But he did some research beforehand, and happily mommy and kitties are all doing well. :-) Big Jim just e-mailed me the contract extension offer. It's very good, and it's for 6 months (not a year as had been discussed), which actually is a better timescale for us to work with. The pay is slightly less, but the company now will pick up all his accommodation and car/driver/petrol expenses, plus pay for a flight back here every three months. So in the end, we come out ahead. After his three-year job search, we feel as though we've hit the lottery....and as soon as I have the go ahead from Dr. Rubio to fly again, I will begin planning a trip to visit Big Jim in Islamabad. Yay! I am less angry today. I spent my free hour yesterday reading other expat blogs (to find some easily, click the expat express link in the left margin). I found it comforting to see how many other folks are living a life not unlike my own and how they manage the near-daily challenges that accompany expat world. I have already spent the better part of my hour today. I had to go order two gas bottles and pick up some envelopes at the papeleria. Also stopped off at the tobacconist. Her daughter, like all the children in the village, is off school this week and next Monday (Andalucia Day) and thus was sitting at the counter doing homework. So she and I had a little English lesson on numbers. She will now count to 100 if you ask her to. :-) hasta manana, mylifeinspain

bursting bubbles

I have noticed the past few days that the gas bubble in my eye has begun to thin. Much more light is passing through, and colors now all appear bright and clear, not dark and shadowy. The top third is showing signs that it is breaking down, and I suspect I will soon have several smaller bubbles floating around in there. This is completely normal I hasten to add. Today marks week 5 of the reposo. Days and weeks have begun to run together. Big Jim and I were discussing his travel plans (he arrives back in Spain 1 week from today!) last evening, and I counted up how many "normal" weeks I have had here since he's been in Pakistan: 2 1/2 weeks is what I came up with. Mind you he's been away now for 2 1/2 months. He will be in Spain for just short of 2 weeks, which I am sure will pass too quickly but it is longer than the 1-week visit we initially planned. We will next see each other in early May, when we both will travel to Munich for our friends E. and J-C's wedding. E. is currently a contractor "widow" like myself. J-C is also working in Pakistan, although in Lahore, so Big Jim and he have not yet been able to meet up. Currently Nokia is negotiating Big Jim's contract extension, and we may know as soon as later today precisely what their offer will be. It most likely will be a 1-year contract. A year is a long time to have him so far away, but there are many positives to be considered as well. He likes the work very much, and the project is going well. The company appreciates his efforts and rewards him appropriately (and we all know how rare that can be in today's business world). He and Nasir are becoming great friends, as are he and the Kenyan ambassador. Big Jim and I have been invited to come visit him and his wife in Kenya anytime we want, and if they are not there, to use their home as our own. This past weekend I shared this news about Big Jim's contract with some of our friends here. Their response was stone cold silence. I should know by now that not everyone thinks well of the decisions Big Jim and I make for ourselves, but I confess I still am taken off guard. These would be the same sort of people who told me early in our relationship that I could not date someone who lived on another continent, the same people who freely expressed their doubts that Big Jim and I could ever live happily in another country, etc. We burst their bubbles of what a "normal" committed relationship and life should be, and this makes people squirm a bit. Which brings me to my final note of the day....I was saddened by the news of Hunter S. Thomson's suicide when I woke yesterday morning. Somewhere packed away in my boxes of books in my rented storage shed in the US are copies of his "Hells Angels" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". I read both titles in a single sitting (although not on the same day), which I reserve for only the most compelling of stories. All my life I have admired those who break convention, and Thompson certainly did that. To many, his life was crazy, quixotic, but to him, I believe it was real and his contributions to American writing great and authentic. So today one less maverick walks the earth. Bummer. hasta manana, mylifeinspain

my theory

A couple years ago, Big Jim and I were invited to a dinner party. As the host introduced us to one of the Spanish couples there, the women responded, "Oh yes, you live at Calle Salares 4." She is the part-time substitute post office worker, mainly covering for her sister and brother-in-law when they take a vacation. Since then, I have theorized that if someone addressed a letter to me with just "La Americana" and the village's name, I would receive it. About a month ago, one of my friends in the US decided to test the theory. I am proud to say Gabriela didn't let me down. Friday I received a notice that a package arrived (my audio book gift from the same friend who sent the experimental letter), so this morning I got up early to go to the post office. Not only was the box from amazon waiting for me, but so was the letter addressed to the "mujer americana". I wasn't quite sure how Gabriela would react because she has her moments of severity (and who could blame her really; she spends most mornings helping English settlers from the campo villas struggle to remember the Spanish for their three-digit box numbers), but she and her husband Emilio howled with laughter, as did everyone waiting in line. I confess even before I went to the post this morning I was confident the americana letter would be there. My notice from Gabriela to pick up the package was just addressed to the Spanish equivalent of my Anglo name, with no surname. This is my village. The mail may only be delivered once every week or two, but it will always arrive eventually and to the right person. :-) Thanks B., aka Americana II, for the good fun and proving my theory. I am sure everyone in the village will know about it by lunchtime. :-) hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

day 30/happy friday!

On day 30 of sitting on my bum, I confess this has been the first week that has flown by. I'm not sure whether the audio books have made the difference (I'm on to Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island" at the moment) or whether it is because I have been able to use my free hour to do more productive things (yesterday I finally packed away the suitcases from my US trip). The gas bubble in my eye appears to be thinning some. During my daily self-check, I have noted that images are much brighter than a week ago, and my peripheral vision seems to be intact. The latter was of concern to me and my doctors because of the sort of detachment I had, but all looks good. :-) The Spring-like weather did not last for long. Fresh snow on the mountain and blustery cold winds. During the neighbor women's daily morning coffee chat yesterday, there was a long discussion as they compared the merits of the scarves each had wrapped around their necks. I decided it was time to venture out on the roof terrace since we had the frost and snow in the village a couple weeks ago. I thought it would be best for me to assess the damage and prepare Big Jim before he returns for his visit in a couple weeks. It was not good. Like the rest of the Axarquia, we appear to have lost 90% of our plants. Big Jim will be very disappointed because the garden really was his baby. The crop loss has been pretty devastating here; in Malaga province alone, the early estimates are in the 120 million euro range. M.A.'s accupressure specialist, who has lived here for years, remembers only a handful of frosts, and three of those have been in the past couple weeks. My plans for the weekend are to listen to more books and to dust the bedroom.....not particularly exciting, but pretty thrilling for me these days. In my search for things to amuse myself, I have defragged my computer and updated the antivirus program a few times. These are the sorts of things I forget to do regularly when I'm in the throes of normal daily life, but now I find them almost titillating, as the blue, green, and red lines shuffle about the screen (if you don't know what I am talking about, you obviously have never defragged!) and the files searched counter hits 111,487 with 0 viruses detected. Sad, yes I know, but I am trying to make the best of this situation. :-) Have a nice weekend everyone! hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

books on tape

Last evening C. surprised me by bringing around a tape player (remember these?) and a bag of ten books on tape. Just what I needed to help get through the next couple weeks, yay! Another friend from back in the US e-mailed yesterday that she had also sent an audio book from amazon (thanks again B.!), so I have that to look forward to receiving as well. With these easy-"read" books and having a personal chef and dog walker, I may get used to this reposo absoluto....no, just kidding. Can't wait to get back on my feet. I spent my free hour on Sunday with L. and M.A. It was such a beautiful Spring-like day that we went to the square for a coffee and a little sunshine. Today I went out on my own for the first time but to do less fun things, ie, go to the bank, pay bills, etc. That said, it was a fun excursion. It appears everyone in the village knows about my retina and my operation because there were words of encouragement everywhere I went. You've got to love this aspect of small-town life. True to form, when I skyped Big Jim last evening he was weepy. He's been in Pakistan for two months now, and we have both been through a lot during that time. His visit in two weeks is just what we both need. :-) Okay, off to listen to "Death by Drowning". hasta manana, mylifeinspain

10 things i love about big jim

I have never been one for Hallmarky holidays, but in honor of St. Valentine, here is a "top 10" tribute to Big Jim.

1. He still makes me gushy (and hence do lists like this one :-)
2. He is one of the most generous people I have ever met....to me, to my family, and our friends
3. He is a tremendously good cook, always able to whip up something fabulous from whatever we have in the kitchen (BJ, hereafter I will never mention the curried fish-stuffed pancakes ;-)
4. He is also an excellent nursemaid, when these service are required. He is very good with the teas and lemon and honey, toast and crackers, and generally being a sympathetic spirit
5. He is an absolutely great friend
6. He is not afraid to cry; whenever we watch a sentimental movie, it's a tossup who will turn on their sprinklers first
7. He is a really hard worker; this is of course important to me and my PA Dutch work ethic. When he starts a project, he completely devotes himself to it
8. A former boyfriend's mother once described me (negatively) as a "free spirit"; Big Jim doesn't run away from this; rather, he embraces this aspect of my personality completely
9. His kind and caring gestures, like the way he always manages to secretly fill my hot water bottle, wrap my PJs around it, and tuck in the bed, so that all are toasty warm when I get sleepy
10. His morning "bed head", which makes him look so cute I often beg him not to comb it :-)

xxoo, mylifeinspain

the rest continues....

After my latest visit with Dr. Rubio I should be happy (and I am really, although it may be a bit difficult to see through my initial disappointment)---my retina has attached nicely; the intraocular pressure is normal; no cataracts, etc. However, the gas is taking its bloody old time to dissipate, so I am still on bedrest until, get this, the first week of bloody March! I squirmed like a bratty child when Dr. Rubio told me, and he gently reminded me that patience is fundamental to my eye's recovery. And despite my frustration, I know he's right. Although I feel fine as I sit on my tuffet, I was very tired when I got home after just a few hours out on the coast. Additionally, I found I cannot walk for any length of time while this bubble still wobbles in my eye. After my appointment, D. and U. stopped at one of the department stores in Torre del Mar. I decided I would have a walk around as well. At first I was fine, but after about twenty minutes, I was nauseous. With my gas bubble bouncing after every step, I managed to induce a bout of seasickness while still on dry land! So no matter how much I'd love to be up and about, I realize now I cannot. Another positive progress note, every day I check my vision by closing my left eye and holding my finger up to my right eye. I can see every detail perfectly, so the retina appears to be working well. Dr. Rubio also had me try to read the letter chart for the first time yesterday, and I had no trouble seeing the big E over the top of the bubble. The remainder of the chart will become visible as the gas level decreases. So again despite my momentary lapse into whinging, I know I have much to be thankful for. In the next couple weeks, I plan to write some letters and catch up on my reading. I think one of the frustrations for me has been feeling as though I have no sort of purpose. Yes, I intellectually am aware that my purpose is to sit and get well, but I can't up but feel as though I should be doing more. If you haven't heard or read, Pakistan has been having devastating rains. A dam broke in a western province, washing several villages into the sea. In the mountain areas, they have had tremendous snowfalls, with accompanying avalanches, etc. Mr. James says he has never see rain like this. There was little work to be done yesterday because the rain had turned the roads to the work sites into rivers. The phone and Internet connections there have been spotty at best. The outlook is not good either, with rain in the forecast for the next five days.... Today I plan to use my hour of freedom constructively. C. is going to walk me to the market so that I can do some needed shopping. I can't go alone because I am not allowed to carry anything weighing more than a couple kilos. I feel such the invalid.... hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

1?

With any luck, this is my last day of sitting and staring. I visit the doctors again tomorrow morning, and let's all hope they are pleased with my progress. I know that I am getting better because I have not napped all week! I have accepted that I probably will not be able to just jump back into a "normal" routine straightaway, but it would be nice if I could at least do my own cooking and start working at least part-time again. Walking the dogs by myself may have to wait at least a little while, if only because of the precious Boo's size (she's about 25 kilos). Typically she's a good walker; the only danger would be that she freaks out whenever a rocket goes off, which in the village could occur any day and any time. So I just have to see what the docs say....at the very least it will be nice to get out of the house again. :-) hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

fat tuesday

Back in PA Dutchland, today is the day when folks line up early in the morning on the Weis Market parking lot to buy their dozen of fasnachts, which are traditionally eaten on Fasnacht Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, etc. As donuts go, fasnachts are not particularly exciting. There is no glaze or powdered sugar or cream or jelly filling. The Dutchies usually slice them in half and spread thick with turkey syrup, which is like molasses. In the village, the English expats have introduced their similar custom of Pancake Day. Pancakes are nice, but I must admit I miss the donuts. :-) In other news, Mr. James has recovered from his first bout of tummy troubles in Pakistan. He sounded horribly when we skyped Sunday, but after a long sleep and a visit to the local homeopath, he was much better last evening. Additionally, because it is looking as though this contract is going to be extended past March, he decided not to rebook his flight for the end of February and is coming home for a visit. This means, three weeks from today I will be going to the airport to pick him up. :-) Can't wait to see him! And the puppies will be so excited, too. I have four more days before my next doctor visit. After Friday, I really hope I can begin to resume la vida normal. My vision continues to improve, although the gas bubble still makes images wobbly and affects things like my depth perception. However, I can see perfectly well with my left eye, and as lovely as the prepared food has been, I miss the creative outlet of cooking for myself. At least I have been able to start reading again, which is a real treat. I also am looking forward to working again! And walking the dogs....C. reports Maroma is covered with snow this morning. I may venture up to the roof terrace later to sneak a peek. hasta manana, mylifeinspain

post-superbowl dream diary

A sad mylifeinspain drifted off to sleep finally at about 4:30 am. However, my brain was still working overtime, and I found myself in a vivid dreamworld. I was back in the hospital, although not in Spain but in the United States. My surgery to repair the retinal detachment had gone off well, but now my doctor thought I needed a second operation to fix a 1.5 degree something; the something was never clarified. Anyway, I found myself sitting around in my hospital room waiting for my doctor and the head of the ophthalmology department to make a decision about when and whether to operate. I passed the time watching Tom and Jerry cartoons. Finally, both doctors came into the room to talk to me. Now here's the strange bit. Both of the doctors were Donovan McNabb; one a younger version, the department chair a bit older and grayer. They debated the merits of the surgery, and finally the elder Donovan won, and I was sent home without further treatment. I was awoken soon after by a tremendous lightning strike and roar of thunder. The dogs panicked and sought shelter behind our two Moroccan end tables. The power went on and off three times before it finally settled on "off". I drifted back to sleep and came to when C. stopped by to walk the dogs and brought me a mug of coffee. Electricity was restored a little while ago, but dark clouds remain over the village, as I am sure they do over Philadelphia today. It's tough being a Philadelphia sports fan. Although having a lot of heart, our teams have a knack of falling apart in the clutch. I have been fortunate to have attended a World Series game, when the Phils lost to the Blue Jays, and an NBA championship game, when the 76ers fell to the Lakers. I will never forget the subway rides to both of those games. There was such optimism and good feeling in every subway car. Strangers from all walks of life chatting and laughing and trading stats and predictions. But we Philadelphia fans know in our guts when our teams are going to lose. This morning I felt my stomach tighten after the Patriots' field goal, and the Eagles wasted too much precious time scoring their third touchdown. There will be no cheer on the subway this morning, just faces looking straightahead or staring out the window. hasta manana, mylifeinspain

superbowl mania in the village

...is nonexistent, believe it or not. No one here making vats of sloppy joes and chicken wings for their Superbowl parties; no one ordering kegs of Budweiser for the guests; no discussion of whether the halftime performer Paul McCartney will disrobe; no anticipation of the strange and weird commercial ads that always are shown between touchdowns and punts. No, this village is one surefire Superbowl-free zone, with the exception of our little house. I don't have any chili on the stove or beer cooling in the fridge, but that's okay. All I need is my Internet connection so that I can listen to the game live, although I will probably have to take a nap this afternoon. This is one night when the time difference is a bit of a pain. I will try to keep my cheers and groans (hopefully there will be very few groans) to a minimum as to not worry or wake up the neighbors. And tomorrow the village will wake up and hear on the morning news that the Philadelphia Eagles are the Superbowl champions (because the football gods know its their year). Most will respond to this with a shrug of indifference, but in Calle Salares there will be one person still asleep with a smile on her face. Go Iggles!, as the natives say. :-) hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

tgif

I received a strange phone call yesterday morning. Not sure whether it was a scam or just a case of mistaken identity. Some man called up from a town about 50 miles away. He was trying to tell me that our car had been involved in some sort of theft the day before in this town. He had the first four numbers of our license plate but not the complete number. From what I could gather, he claimed to be the store owner from which the alleged tobacco had been stolen. I asked who had given him our phone number; he said "some blond guy." I told him he had the wrong car because no one had driven our car for the past two weeks. He said he was calling the police. When C. arrived to walk the dogs, I asked him to check to make sure the car was still where I left it parked because I had gotten to think perhaps the Peugeot had been stolen (not necessarily a bad thing). C. reported back the car was exactly where I had left it and did not seem to have been driven recently. So who was this guy who called me? I checked the phone book and compared the number left on the caller ID. The number was indeed from the town from which he said he was calling, but our car hasn't been near that town since Big Jim and I were in Gibraltar....I have heard no more from this mysterious fellow or from the police, so I am writing this off as either an attempted scam or just a case of mistaken identity. I told Mr. James about the call when we Skyped last evening. He got all worried and reminded me not to let any strangers in the house; I told him I was no fool and that if someone did turn up, no matter how official looking, I would first call C. (who used to be a London bobby, by the way) and have him deal with it. My eye is definitely improving, although I still can't see very much. When I look straightahead, I can see the edge of the gas bubble about one-third from the top of my field of view. Above it, the world is pretty clear; below it, all is still dark and shadowy. This line will continue to move down my field of view until all is clear and bright. Right now, though, it's like looking through a pair of leaky swimming goggles.... It is a cloudy and quiet day in the village today. I have heard not a peep from any of the neighbors, and it's just past 10 this morning. Everyone must have decided to have a lie-in because of the weather.... M.A. is going to walk the pups this evening to give C. a night off, and I suspect she'll want to watch more Sex and the City episodes. She has become quite hooked on the show recently, and we have had quite a few conversations about how the world has changed since she was young. And now that I have explained to her what "Trojans" are, she gets more of the jokes. :-) hasta manana, mylifeinspain

retreat

Was worn out yesterday from my excursion Tuesday to see the doctors. I suppose I have to admit my body is not quite up to jumping right back into my normal routine. My friend M. Skyped me yesterday, which was a nice surprise. She suggested rather than looking at my absolute repose as a "confinement" that I should consider it a cheaper version of one of those meditative "retreats" celebs pay big bucks to go on. This idea is not so far a stretch, really. The quality of the food people have been making for me is excellent. In the past few days, I have had salmon in a nice dill sauce, Thai curried chicken, shepherd's pie, and last night steak in a green pepper sauce with a beautiful salad, including some of the season's first strawberries. It is a pleasure to stare at the freshly vacuumed Moroccan carpet rather than the dog hair-covered version I had been looking at. When not listening to NPR and BBC radio, I have had plenty of time to think. I keep a notebook next to the sofa so that I can easily jot down ideas and make plans for things I want to do when I can finally get back to my normal routine. There is planting to do on the terrace; there are new recipes to try, an office that needs to be organized. trips that need to be planned. How many times do we say to ourselves "If only I had a week to just do nothing." Well, I have been granted my week (and then some), so I may as well make the best of it. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

10 more days...

of reposo absoluto! Was at the doctors today for a checkup. All looks very good. The retina remains in place, no sign of cataracts, but I have 10 more days of bedrest, with just an hour a day to get up and around. I am also off the antibiotic tablets and only have to take one pain pill a day instead of two. The eyedrop regimen remains the same. I also need not bandage the eye anymore, but I have to wear sunglasses at all times. Was nice to just get out of the house today and get some sun on the bones. After the doctor visit, D. and U. and I stopped at a cafe on the coast in Caleta for lunch, which was a real treat. While I was away, C. surprised me and cleaned the house....vacuumed, mopped, dusted, the whole nine yards. I haven't been able to do any of these things for more than two weeks now, and with two dogs and a kitty, the house needed some care. I could not have better friends. When I am well enough to celebrate properly, I must treat all of them to a very nice dinner out. Not only have people walked the dogs, brought me food, driven me to all of my eye appointments, they also have done my banking and picked up groceries and medicine whenever I have needed something. And now cleaned my house. Really kind folks here.... The doctors did tell me today I will probably need to get new glasses and contact lenses for my right eye. Currently my prescription is something like 10.75 (yes, I am incredibly nearsighted), and they reckon it will be more like 11 or 12 postsurgery. Still if this is the worst of worries vision-wise, I'll take it. With much chagrin I am off to have yet another nap. I have had more siestas in the past two weeks than in the entire three years I spent previously in Spain! hasta pronto, mylifeinspain