Monthly Archives: April 2014

sherry & tapas

19 Saturday Apr 2014

Posted by in food & drink, sevilla, tapas, tapas tours

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sherry and tapas (1)

My first Introduction to Sherry Tour was a success! Except for that bit after when I fell down. Can’t even blame the wine as I’d only had two glasses! But my clients got to sample 7 different sherries paired with various tapas, from cheeses and charcuterie to hot dishes and finishing up with cheese and dessert.
sherry and tapas (3)

Kathleen and Sam were perfect victims guests and asked lots of questions. I was a bit sneaky and didn’t tell them they were my first Sherry & Tapas tour. Happily I was able to answer all their questions and give them lots of information about the wines and the sherry making process. But most importantly they were able to sample the wines the way they are meant to be enjoyed… little by little, with food and friends.

sherry and tapas (2)

You may recall that I got the idea for this tour when I inadvertently did my own World Sherry Day event last year after missing my train to Jerez that morning, where I’d been invited to attend an event. In the end it turned out for the best because that’s when I realised that sherry is best experienced with food and I wanted to share that experience with other people. Looking forward to future Sherry & Tapas tours now. Even though I still have a lot to learn, for now I know enough to help people learn about and enjoy sherry. And I’m very happy to report that Kathleen and Sam are new sherry converts!

all bundled up

17 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by in friends, health & happiness, holidays

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bundled up
After a very long night with very little sleep I got up this morning and went AAAAAAARRRGHH!!! as I gingerly placed my feet on the floor in an attempt to get out of bed. Holy crap. It hadn’t occurred to me that the PAIN from yesterday’s accident could actually get worse. Which was when I started getting scared. I mean, at least last time I had one leg to stand on! Also, the more I shuffled around on two tortuous feet I could feel that my back was starting to go wonky. And the very last thing I need is excruciating back pain added to all this. So around midday I finally took up my friend Juan’s very generous offer to pick me up and drive me to the hospital.

The X-rays showed that my left ankle had a small fracture (!!!) but upon closer inspection it turned out that it was from the first time I sprained it three years ago (!!!!). Seriously… what?? I was walking around on that sucker (with crutches) after a couple of days, even doing tapas tours. I had no idea it was broken because I didn’t go to hospital that time. So when I was told today that I need to stay in and rest my ankle for two weeks… well, I don’t see that happening. Yes, obviously like right now when putting any weight on it at all makes me want to cry, I’ll be avoiding doing that as much as possible. But I hope to be (gently) out and about again after the weekend. The right foot is also badly sprained (thankfully nothing is broken) and so I ended up getting bandaged up like this and sent home with prescriptions for Ibuprofen and Paracetemol. Coming home we ran into a Semana Santa procession and Juan had to let me off where I could normally get home in 3-4 minutes. About 20 very-very-very painful minutes later I finally got home again and I’ve been slobbing out on the sofa ever since.

I was telling Juan that yesterday on the way home Peter had said “let’s go this way” and I said “no, let’s go this way, it’s shorter”…. if I’d gone Peter’s way this never would’ve happened. And then Juan said that if he wasn’t taking me to the hospital he might have been killed in a car accident that afternoon. Point taken. But especially yesterday I kept wishing that I could REWIND and take the other way home. Though of course I might have have been run over by a beer delivery truck…

Life, eh? How’s your week going?

ouch ouch ouch!

16 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by in health & happiness, home

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ouch ouch ouch
Before you ask, no I didn’t slip on wax. But this was Semana Santa related as I was distracted by looking at a procession and didn’t see the gaping hole in the pavement. Down I went, not only respraining my left ankle but also spraining my right foot (!!!). Or at least I think – and hope – they are “just” sprains and that nothing is broken. The pain is frankly unbearable if I try to stand so the only “walking” I’m doing is to and from the bathroom (can’t avoid that). My friend Juan has offered to come over and drive me to the hospital but I honestly don’t think I can even make it down the stairs. Fuck.