good night

Last evening I was meant to meet up with I. and R. for their last night in the village before leaving early this morning for the airport. In the end, we missed one another, but as can happen in this village, the night took on a life of its own, and a delightful one indeed. I took the pups with me for they have embraced the cafe lifestyle. Perico's was a sea of abandoned tables, although inside the village "mafia" had crowded around two tables to play cards. However, there was not an empty chair at the new tapas bar next door. I stopped briefly to speak with U., who I had not seen in ages. We then spotted M.A. sitting below the square at the old Loro's, now called Oscar's. Figuring she was also looking for I. and R., I gathered up the dogs, who had already settled themselves under a table, and went to chat with M.A. I grabbed a free chair and ordered a glass of wine. It was a perfect night for the first outdoor meal of the season, and it seemed everyone in the village felt precisely the same way because a constant stream of friends passed by in the coming hours. First, C. appeared. The pups spotted their substitute caretaker ages before I did. They just adore him. C. had a meeting inside the bar, so he only greeted the dogs briefly. They then sat side by side, staring into Oscar's, for at least forty minutes. A woman at the next table asked if the dogs were waiting for tapas; no, I said, they are just waiting for C. M.A. and I decided to have a light dinner at the lonely Perico's. M.A. had a hankering for their homemade pate, so I eventually convinced the pups to give up their vigil for C. and off we went back to the square. The evening air just could not have been more pleasant....about 75 F, light breeze, no jacket or sweater required. Everything seemed right with the world. An English couple and their eight-ish son dined at the table next to us. They kept Mr. Beebs entertained by treating him with the leftover bits of their fish platters. Precious Boo quickly fell asleep under my chair and didn't stir until it was time to head home. More people passed by....first Danish C., a true village character. His standard greeting on the street is "I have some really good pot, want to smoke?" "No, thanks, C." is my standard reply. He's I guess in his early 60s, very Willie Nelson-type appearance, and never without his hat, which has an old snake skin tied around it. Mr. Beebs, however, does not like hats, so he started barking as old C. approached the table. I explained to C. my silly dog's disapproval of the hat, and he obligingly removed it. C. fancies himself an aged hipster, too cool to hang out on the square (which is "for richies"). But he still carries a bit of a torch for M.A., who he tried to lure back to his place with promises of osso bucco (he showed us the meat he had just bought) and a look at the new etching he recently purchased. M.A., however, was more than content with her pate, so after his glass of sherry, C. set off home alone. Just as we were finishing our dinners (I had salad with avocado), our friend D. stopped by and bought us a glass of wine and sat for a chat. By 11, most of the old Spanish men had collected their card winnings and headed home, and Loli, the only waitress working, busied herself by collecting the seat cushions. As lovely as it would have been to stay out into the wee hours, breathing in the gorgeous spring air, I knew I had some editing work to do today and that the pups were soon ready for bed. Reluctantly M.A. and I said our good-byes, and the dogs, sans leads, happily chased each other all the way home. Today is an equally gorgeous day. With the high temp approaching 80 F, I traded my normal uniform of jeans for black cropped pants, the turtleneck for a three-quarter arm V-neck, and my socks and shoes for sandals. And boy, does it feel good! The windows are all open, the curtains flapping in the breeze. A happy day here in the village. Hope the same is true wherever you are. :-) hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

gardening mishaps and other miscellany

Had another fantastic dinner last night, prepared by I. of I. and R. I., like Big Jim, is a big fan of curry and chilis, so whenever he and R. are in the village, he prepares an Indian feast for a group of us. For last evening's affair, I. made Pakistani meatballs (in honor of Big Jim), tandoori chicken, a chickpea marsala, rice, raita, and even homemade naan. Oh and for dessert, we had ice cream topped with chili-spiced fresh fruit. Yum, yum. I will be so sad when they leave for Norway tomorrow. :-( I know they will eventually leave Oslo altogether and move permanently to Spain, but the sooner the better as far as I'm concerned. I., who is a competitive sailor in his free time, has been out of work for more than a year now (same situation that Big Jim and I dealt with) and is seriously considering giving up computer work and opening a sailing school here on the coast. Which of course all of their friends here think is a great idea, if not just for our own selfish reasons, ie, we could enjoy their company year-round! Over dinner last night, someone brought up the subject of Burger King's new breakfast sandwich, you know the one that was in the news yesterday: [the] "Enormous Omelet Sandwich carries 730 calories and 47 grams of fat and comes with two eggs, sausage, three strips of bacon and two slices of melted American cheese on a bun." If America wants to continue to be the (big fat) butt of jokes in the international community, it should hire Russ Klein, Burger King's chief global marketing officer, to be spokesperson...."By expanding our indulgent breakfast sandwich menu...." Indulgent breakfast sandwich menu, wha?! He clarified by saying this is not a sandwich for "pencil pushers", but for active young men. Who I suppose want their hearts to seize first thing in the a.m. I suppose these are the same people who believe the recently announced reworked food pyramid, which suggests folks eat at least two fruits and two vegetables a day, is just impossible to follow. Anyway, I took a few pictures of the garden this morning, for no other reason but to chart its progress during the next few months. This is my first serious foray into plant care, never having the space during my apartment life in Philadelphia, so every bud and sprouted seed are still something for me to marvel over. As I newbie, I am sure to make plenty mistakes, but isn't that the case whenever taking on something new. :-) I will keeping a running tally here, so perhaps others can learn from the err of my ways. 1. Either wear gloves or remove valuable jewelry before digging around in pots all afternoon. My first day on the roof garden was spent removing all the dead pepper plants that froze during our uncharacteristically cold winter. I bagged up the rubbish, taking the first two bags to the basura and then returning to sweep up the last bit. As I was doing so, I heard the garbage trucks come down the road and I cursed them for arriving a half hour early. I filled the final bag and then went to the bathroom to wash my hands. It was then that I realized my wedding ring was not on my hand. Panic, panic, panic. Could it have gone down the drain? I didn't think so, but I called C. for a second opinion anyway. He wasn't in. I then thought perhaps I should dig up the fifteen new pots I had just replanted. No first I'll check the rubbish. I poured out the bag on the washroom floor and began to sift/pan for gold. Whew, there was the ring, crusted in muddy soil. Will never, ever curse the early basura truck again. Had it been fifteen minutes later, the bag and my ring would have been off to the garbage tip. 2. Cover nose when handling chili peppers and their seeds. This past weekend, I focused on pepper plants, and all was going well until I managed to inhale a bit of chili dust from one of the dried peppers I had cut open. At first, I just sneezed a few times, but no big deal. About a half hour later, though, my nostrils swelled so that I could no longer breathe through my nose. Again, panic, panic, panic. Remembering that milk is really best to drink if one has a too spicy chili, I ran to the kitchen, filled a bowl with milk, and applied to my nose with a washcloth. Hideously silly, I know, but it worked. Within ten minutes, the swelling had eased. When I related this tale to Big Jim, he nonchalantly replied, "Oh yes, that can happen. Now you know why pepper spray is so effective." Errr. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain p.s. It's been awhile since I've been on me soapbox: Please consider visiting http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/pharmacists_wa?source=workingassets today to send an e-mail message to the major US pharmacies in 20 states, encouraging them to stop their practice of refusing to fill women’s prescriptions for contraception. Pharmacies have no business interferring with a patient's doctor-prescribed medications, but regrettably this practice is growing. Do something about it.
This is what is left of my "to deal with" pile of pots. Ninety percent of the garden died this winter.
One of the now cleaned-up corners. The palm in the back is slowly coming back to life.
The other replanted section, along with shadows of the pups.
Gratuitous dog picture.
My seed trays, with the first bit of morning sun popping over the mountain.

sick/sopa de picadillo

Sorry no post yesterday, but I was sick, sick, sick. I woke up feeling okay, albeit a tad sluggish. As I passed the mirror on the way out to walk the puppies, I thought to myself, "Oh, you caught some sun yesterday." Out on the goat track I started shivering, however, and then realized my face was not sun-kissed but rather flushed with fever. By the time I brought the dogs back, I was too exhausted to even hang up my coat or their leads. Crawled back into bed and slept another five hours. Then made some tea and got myself comfortable in the TV lounge. I find BBC sitcoms provide me needed solace at times like these, particularly the "middle English" programs, so I put series 1 of "One Foot in the Grave" into the DVD player. And then fell back to sleep for another few hours. This was how the day went. At some point during the night, however, the fever broke, and I feel significantly better this morning. Not a dynamo, but much, much better. :-) Now that I can at least think about food, here's the recipe for sopa de picadillo. This is peasant food at its best, in my opinion, and therefore there is no strict list of ingredients. Start with a basic chicken stock (used canned if you have to, but at least use the low-sodium one). Throw in any chopped vegetables that you have to use up, but don't feel compelled to. Most of the restaurants in our area of Spain serve a very simplistic version of the soap and do not include extra veggies. Add a cup of rice. If you want. Again, I have seen this soup with and without rice. Those who do not include rice often add croutons to finish it off. If you decide to use the rice, boil until just done, and then add diced cooked ham (of any sort) and chopped hardboiled egg, salt and pepper. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon and garnish with either a mint or sage leaf (seen both). I love this soup. It certainly is not fancy, but it is always tasty. If not including vegetables in the soup, serve with a salad and some good crusty bread. hasta manana, mylifeinspain p.s. Oh this is where Big Jim is today: http://www.punjab-info.fsnet.co.uk/taxila.html. Can't wait to visit him!

easter 2005 and other things

Yesterday was a washout here. When I awoke and ventured outside with the pups, a cold and misty cloud had just made its way into the village. The cloud then opened up, and rain descended by the buckets for the next eight hours, the sun finally breaking through precisely in time to set again. After I hurried through my market errands, I made myself comfortable on the sofa, finishing two books I had started before the eye trouble and starting a third, and enjoying many a cup of tea as the rain pounded on the roof. A perfect lazy Saturday is exactly what I needed after the late nights and hectic Semana Santa schedule. At 3:16 pm (yes, I wrote down the time), I made an exciting discovery: after 9 weeks (63 days to be precise), the gas bubble put in my eye to keep the retina in place had finally vanished. I knew its days were numbered as it had become more of a doughnut shape of late. While exceedingly excited by this development, the bubble and I had become a team of sorts, my constant companion on the path to my (hopefully) restored vision. Now that it is gone, I hope the inflammation still troubling the underlayers of the retina starts to go down. I have not seen much improvement thus far. Lines on the printed page of a book appear slurried, as though I had drank an entire bottle of the local vino. And prednisone is not my friend. Even with the reduced dose this week, I need to drink a couple cups of mint tea after taking the pill to keep my stomach happy. But I still have two more weeks of meds before I next see Drs. Rubio and Marcos, so it is probably too early to make any judgments. After my restful Saturday, I was up early this morning, although an hour later than I thought because I had completely forgotten about turning the clocks ahead last night. Had my computer time not automatically updated itself, I would still be clueless. At 6:15 am (in reality 7:15 am), there were a couple roaring rocket blasts, followed by distant yells and singing. I am not certain if these were brought on by the secret sunrise mass attended only by the men of the village or by the early morning stragglers from the disco. Difficult to say really.... The weather is forecast to be much improved from yesterday, so the post-mass processions should be able to go off without a hitch. I am making my own Easter dinner: lamb chops, roasted parsnips, creamed spinach, and strawberries and cream for dessert. Just because I am on my own this year does not mean I am not going to eat well! Big Jim is only working part of the day, so that Nasir can go to church and spend Easter with his family. I also plan to do a bit of work on the roof garden this afternoon. I bought more plants from the local floristeria, plus some of my seeds have begun to sprout, including the broccoli rabe! How happy I will be if I can manage to actually grow this here. I have lamented before of its absence in Spain, so I figured my only hope was to raise it myself. :-) Happy Easter, everyone. Tomorrow, a couple recipes to help use up your leftover Easter eggs and ham.... hasta manana, mylifeinspain

more semana santa pictures

Just returned home a little while ago from the village Passion play. I will post more details later (I confess this paso watching until 2 am is wearing me out!), but for now here are some pictures both from the processions last night and the Passion play today.















hasta luego, mylifeinspain

happy birthday, mom!

:-)

photos from miercoles santo

Just got back from paso watch. Three left the church tonight, beginning at about 10:30 pm. They are currently processing through the village, with townfolk following, each carrying a lit taper. I am still feeling a bit off-color, so I decided not to join along tonight. So for now, just photos....

slow starts

Very sleepy day here in the village. As the curtain in the TV lounge flaps in the breeze, there are few sounds entering the window, chirping songbirds, the occasional scrape of a wooden chair across the marble tile floor. The balmy temperatures from yesterday remain (75 F!), but the sun has been replaced with another thick layer of clouds, which perhaps is buffering the cheery children's voices and the women gossiping on their way back from the market. I too am sleepy today. One of the side effects caused by one of my new meds is restlessness, and this kept me awake hours after my normal bedtime last night. I managed to pull myself out of bed at a fairly respectable 9:30 this morning, but it has been slow going since then. M.A. called yesterday to see whether I wanted to have dinner with her last night. Of course, I said. She came to meet me just before 8 and said she had just run into I. and R., our friends from Norway who are here for a three-week holiday, and that they would be joining us. Was very glad to hear this because I was hoping to see them soon; their thrice-yearly visits always seem to pass too quickly. M.A. and I walked down into the center of town and found I. and R. sitting at a table outside the Bodega waiting for us. They had just been to the restaurant where we had planned to go and found it unexpectedly closed. So we sat to regroup and come up with a plan B. M.A. suggested we go to Lauri's right across the street. After three years in the village, I still had never been to Lauri's. It is set on a tiny, tiny side street with a fairly large covered terrace in the back. During the daytime, the outside tables are all occupied by expat Germans drinking very large beers. I have always found this a bit strange, the way English people in the village go to certain bars, Germans others, etc. I suppose Lauri's patio has the most beer garden-like setting, so perhaps this has been the attraction for the German community. At this time I suggest readers who only approve of eating certain small animals that tend to be molded into chocolate and served up in Easter baskets at this time of year skip down a paragraph. The reason M.A. wanted to go to Lauri's was that she was hungry for rabbit, and this is the chef's specialty. So off we went. Inside, the restaurant was surprisingly cozy. Only a few tables, and all except ours occupied by local Spanish. My kind of place. The menu was short but covered all the basics. I. and R. joined M.A. and ordered the rabbit. I was the party pooper and decided on chicken. I don't think I have actually ever ordered rabbit from a menu, and I know I have never made it myself. But I often do sneak a piece when Big Jim has it when were are out and last night gladly accepted an offering from M.A. And then I understood her insistence that we go to Lauri's. Wow was that rabbit tasty. Must remember to take Big Jim there on his next trip back. After dinner, I. and R. went back to M.A.'s for a nightcap, but as it was almost midnight, I headed home. If I known that the pills were going to keep me up past three this morning, I would have joined them. Ah, asi es la vida. Big Jim also is having an offish day. He skyped me earlier this morning to say that he had just been to the homeopath and was taking the afternoon off because he wasn't feeling well. His past couple of workdays have also been cut short by monsoon-like rains and major thunderstorms, not exactly the best weather if one is working around 60-foot cell phone masts. My spring clean and garden planting have been going well. I spent the better part of the weekend repotting and starting new seeds. Even though I know the seeds will take at least ten days to sprout, I can't help but check their progress already every morning. Sunday afternoon, I pulled out all the dead plants from the pots in front of the house and swept up the fallen leaves. When I went out to the post office yesterday morning, Almendena, who was out chatting with the Herb Thief (who I am again tempting with new pots of basil and cilantro outside the kitchen window), commented how clean the area was. I knew my efforts would not go unnoticed. :-) I replied, Si, que milagro! (What a miracle!), which got a big chuckle from the ladies. Okay, enough procrastinating on my part for one day. It's time to get this show on the road.... hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

Domingo de Ramos

Semana Santa program schedule Today, Domingo de Ramos (or Palm Sunday), is the first day of Semana Santa (or Holy Week). The schools are closed (have been since last Wednesday actually), store and business hours will be irregular, and much of the townpeople's schedule this week will follow this printed itinerary. Semana Santa is an interesting time to be in Spain, and one does not need to be Catholic or even Christian to appreciate the artistry and pagentry that take to the streets of every Spanish town. I spent my first Semana Santa in Spain sixteen years ago when I was a student in Sevilla. Sevilla is known for having one of or possibly the most spectacular Semana Santa celebrations in the whole of Spain. Processions of the Virgin crawl through the city's narrow streets day and night for the entire week. People crowd the area surrounding the cathedral to catch a glimpse of La Macarena and strain their ears in hope of hearing a saeta, a spontaneously sung hymn of lamentation (although judging by the quality of some of the singers near the cathedral, one questions how impromptu the performance).
People milling about the square after this morning's mass. Here in the village, however, the solemn celebration is a more simple affair. Our town band has been practicing for weeks, but you wouldn't know it. The pasos are not nearly as grand or ornate as those one would see in one of the larger cities. But that said, I believe I prefer the intimacy of Semana Santa here in the village. Our first year here, Big Jim and I decided that we would join one of the processions as it slowly made its way through the village. Whether the locals wondered what the newly arrived expats were doing I do not know. But what I do know is that afterward we received even more smiles and "muy buenas" from our already friendly neighbors.
This morning's procession, on its way to the Hermitage of San Antonio. The weather has not cooperated the past two years, with rain cancelling many of the processions, but the forecast this year looks more promising. For the next two days, the women will furiously clean their homes. Almendena, Rosario, and the Herb Thief will all be outside sweeping and touching up the paint on their houses. Wednesday evening the processions resume. hasta manana, mylifeinspain

new tapas bar

Spent most of yesterday being a domestic diva. Vacuumed, mopped, even cleaned out the fridge. The last job took two hours to do, but I found the end result oddly satisfying. Last night I went to the new tapas bar on the square with C. and a few other people. What a great place! It is set in an old, very large townhouse. Rather than knock down walls to create large dining areas, the restauranteurs have left the individual rooms intact. This leaves a much more intimate feel to the place. We went upstairs and settled in what once was a bedroom, overlooking the plaza. If the people in the next room get a bit rowdy, one can just shut the door so there is no need to have to shout over everyone. The decor is Spanish rustico with a little Martha Stewart thrown in for good measure. Many nooks and interesting crannies still to be explored. We only managed to try about one third of the items on the extensive tapas menu. Everything was really tasty, although my favorite was the lightly battered tempura shrimp, served with aioli. Super yummy, ahhh. Even with a couple bottles of wine thrown in, our cuenta was a reasonable 15 euros each. Will certainly be back, many times. :-) Heavy fog rolled in last night, and the village remains buried beneath the clouds. Not the bright sunny day I was hoping for, but I think I'll go ahead with my planned planting and work in the washroom rather than on the terrace. Today's photo is just a little fun. Big Jim and his colleagues enjoy playing "spot the typo" on signs and billboards around Islamabad. He scored two points for this one. :-)
Play "spot the typo" hasta manana, mylifeinspain oh and p.s., British spelling is considered correct; so "Centre" is okay.

oh i just can't remember..../keep on truckin'

While I was lying in bed this morning (as I tend to do for at least thirty minutes postalarm, half-listening to the BBC World Service and allowing my mind to drift and wander as my body slowly comes to terms with the idea of removing itself from beneath the cozy duvets), I mentally sketched out my blog entry for today. Now extricated from the sleeping den and properly caffeinated, do you think I can remember anything that I planned to write?! I have tried and tried to recall but nada. So I leave you with a "happy Friday" and some pics of long-haul truckin' Pakistani style. The personalization of US 18-wheelers with bikini-clad chick mudflaps and Spanish camiones with saint names somehow pale in comparison to these ornately handpainted versions (to see more detail on these and all photos, just click over them to enlarge). Enjoy! hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

out of hibernation

So I skyped Big Jim last evening and told him about the news from the doctors. We discussed all of the possible outcomes, including the fact that I might be left with poor vision in my right eye. He suggested if this be the case that I adopt a more roguish appearance and start wearing an eyepatch. I initially wasn't too keen about the idea, but he then proceeded to send me links to several web sites that sell specialized eyepatches (www.patchpal.com/patches.htm and www.stores.ebay.com/Munchkins-eye-Patches). After perusing these, I warmed a bit to the idea. Seriously, how could one not love a Hello Kitty eyepatch! On my first officially sanctioned walk with the dogs last night, I decided to take them on a tour around the village. Wow, how the little town has changed in two months! There is a new upscalish tapas bar in the main square, and Bar Loro, which is under new management, has been completely remodeled. The block of flats by the edge of the old village has been finished and now has actual residents moved in. Work on the new sports complex has really taken off. Is this how bears feel when they wake up from their winter slumber I could not help but think to myself. I continued my reawakening on the goat track this morning. I took the camera along to mark the occasion. Today is a beautiful day for a walk. Springy temperatures and quite a bit of sun. The dogs had a great time, as did I. Ran into the randy Alfonso, who was very glad to see me back up on my feet. I decided not to overdo it on my first day, so we only walked half the length of the entire trail before turning back. Still about a 40-minute walk roundtrip. Plan to spend the rest of the day tidying up the house and doing some laundry. I also will e-mail my work clients to let them know I can take new assignments. I have had a lot of time to rethink my work approach. In the past, I primarily have been working on long-term ongoing projects. This worked well then and provided us some veil of security when Big Jim and I needed it. However, because we know Big Jim's contract has been extended for at least another six months, I am in the position to be a bit more flexible and selective in the kinds of jobs I take on going forward. So my new plan is to retain one longer-term project and then pick up more short-term, one-off assignments and just see how that goes. Okay, must be off. Here are some pics from our walk today. Also, plan to post more of Big Jim's photos from Pakistan in the next day or so. :-) hasta luego, mylifeinspain
Maroma, covered in clouds, with just a touch of snow left on the peak. The rusty brown bits you see are dead avocado trees, more testimony to the harsh winter we've had.
But the farmers being the resilient creatures they are have replanted.
The Beeb man, running along the top of the irrigation canal. It was empty today; otherwise, he would be below, running through the water, one of his favorite things.
And the precious Boo, who typically is afraid of cameras but does not seem to mind my little Caplio R1.

good news/bad news

C. took me to my eye appointment this morning. I saw both Drs. Marcos and Rubio. Here's the skinny: the good news is that my retina is in place and I have no cataracts AND no more reposo absoluto. I have done very well taking care of myself say the doctors. So I can get back to doing all the normal things that make me happy. :-) The bad news is that my vision is still very bad, even with prescription lenses. I think the easiest way to explain is the following. When the doctors put a straight line in front of my right eye, I see the line, but there are blurry bands running through it. The doctors believe that although the retina is in place, layers underneath are still inflamed and thus wrinkled. If the crafters out there imagine doing decoupage and having a tiny section of the paper wrinkle, this is essentially what is going on in my eye. Thus, I have to take three different kinds of antiinflammatories, two kinds of pills and a different eye drop, for the next three weeks, which the doctors hope will "iron out" the wrinkly bits. And I am not to rub my eye at all, very important they say. The doctors assure me not to be too concerned; it is still relatively early in my recovery. I am okay with this. As I said to C. on the ride back to the village, suppose the worst case scenario, ie, I am left with crap vision in my right eye, I can live with that. My left eye is still healthy, and crap vision is still better than no vision at all. Growing up, I knew two people who had lost an eye in accidents, and they lived perfectly fully functional lives. So although I am admittedly a tad disappointed, I am not at all panicked by today's evaluation. After the doctor visit, C. and I had a coffee at this place I have always wanted to try in Torre del Mar. From the windows outside, it appeared to have an almost American diner-like atmosphere that appealed to me. Once inside, it did not disappoint. Coffee machines whirling, glass clinking. People of all sorts scattered about, chatting or reading the newspaper. After our quick coffee, we stopped by this British shop, which occasionally stocks bagels. Happy happy to find a four-pack with my name on it, so I bought them as a little treat. We then drove along the coast road to Torrox, where C. introduced me to a fantastic greenhouse. Now that I am released from bedrest and the frosty weather is in the past, I plan to spend the weekend getting the garden in order. Everyone here spiffies up their houses before Semana Santa, so I feel I should do the same. Don't want to be the eyesore on our tidy little street. :-) What a fabulous garden center this place is. I suspect I will be making return trips. I filled the shopping trolley with all sorts...petunias, pansies, gerbera daisies, and a couple I can't remember the names of, plus I picked up a basil plant to tie me over until the new seeds sprout AND I chose a topiary of daisies to go outside the front door. All totaled, the bill came to less than 25 euros, which I thought was quite a deal. Really excited to start potting up everything Saturday. I do realize I am not going to be able to just jump back into my old routine. I will have to take things slowly. Just our 4-hour trip and little shopping excursion today has worn me out. So, off now for a siesta and then to the farmacia to pick up my new drugs. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

monday monday

Our main "street" in the village. Stayed up a little late last night waiting to make sure Big Jim arrived in Islamabad a-okay. I read Big Jim's journal to pass the time. He got back right on schedule, although "a bit smelly." In the afternoon, I called Nasir, his driver there, to make sure he had not forgotten about picking up Big Jim at the airport, but of course he remembered. I love Big Jim's tales of their adventures. He and Nasir spend an average of 10 hours a day together, much of the time in the car. They get on very well, Big Jim's only complaint being Nasir's reluctance to use the windshield wipers even in torrential rain, "Don't want to use up all the rubber, sir." "But that's what they are for, Nasir!" After last weekend's snowy weather, yesterday I could throw open the windows and breathe in the first decidedly spring air. The temperatures are almost twenty degrees (F) higher than the chilly ones just a few days ago. I hope the good weather continues; Easter is less than two weeks away, and the village church is doing its Passion Play in the square on Good Friday. More on this as Semana Santa approaches.... I have a quiet couple of days planned before I see the doctors on Wednesday. I had an exciting development yesterday: two tiny bubbles have broken away from the ever-shrinking larger bubble, another sign that my days of being a couch potato are numbered. Wahoo! I truly cannot wait to wake up one morning and not have floaty bits circling around inside my eyeball. hasta manana, mylifeinspain

big jim's departure/faces of pakistan

Well, Big Jim should be on his way from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi at the moment. We left the house for the airport just before 3 yesterday afternoon, and he will arrive in Islamabad at 3 in the morning tomorrow....long, long trip. Yesterday was a flurry of activity as Big Jim finished packing, assembled the bookcase we bought Friday (after searching in about eight or so furniture shops, we stumbled on the newly opened Leroy Merlin [which may be the silliest named store I have ever seen] by the Malaga airport. LM is a great find, sort of an upscale Home Depot), sent e-mails, and walked the pups one last time on the goat track. He made me breakfast (grilled cheese and tomato) using my early birthday present---a George Foreman-like electric grill. I have been wanting one of these for ages. :-) While he scurried around packing, I did my best to keep out of his way and busied myself by puttering and reading his journals from his first two months in Pakistan. The dogs, well aware of what suitcase packing represents, sat like bookends on the sofa, ears and tails down, not wagging. Their food went untouched all day. I know how they felt; unable to face lunch, I stuffed just a couple mandarinas in my coat pockets as we went out the door. But rest assured I am doing okay. I allow myself to be sad about Big Jim's departures for a day or so, and then I get back to a routine, which lately has been a whole lot of nothing as you well know. C. is still walking the dogs, until my next doctor's appointment Wednesday, but I am taking over the cooking. I have some beef cubes that I plan to put in the slow cooker to make a stew for later today. Just simple things to start that don't require lots of prep work or heavy lifting from the oven. The twelve days passed quickly, but they certainly were lovely ones. I know I have said this before, but it is so nice to see my husband happy and confident again, back to his old self. And A.'s visit was so important to him. A. had a difficult time dealing with his parents' divorce, but at 22 is now his own person and is beginning to understand for himself the reasons why their marriage did not work. So despite my current, temporary sadness, it is important to remember the words of Thorton Wilder, and that is "just to enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate." When I returned from the airport yesterday, I began to sort through the thousands of photos Big Jim left behind. I leave you today with the first installment.














hasta pronto, mylifeinspain