Category Archives: casa azahar

my loki

26 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by in casa azahar, cats, home

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My darling boy started feeling poorly late Friday evening when all of a sudden he vomited what looked like his entire day’s cat food intake. But of course, cats vomit all the time for all kinds of reasons, so I wasn’t too concerned at first. The next day he ate well, but when I got back from shopping I saw that he had thrown up his breakfast (all over the freshly washed sofa cover!). Meanwhile, I had bought some malt extract while out, thinking that if he had something blocking him (though it’s not really hairball season) then it might help let it pass through naturally. Next day things hadn’t changed and I realised that by then my choice was to either look for an emergency vet service or wait until after Christmas. Since Loki still had an appetite and looked more sad than sick, I decided to wait and either go to a vet I already know, or try out a place I’d noticed in my new hood (even though on their website the Team all look about 12 years old). I thought if they were good then it would be fabulous to have a trusted vet a short walk away.

So this morning I first went over to their clinic on my own, to have a chat with the vet and check the place out a bit before bringing Loki in – and thank god I did. It’s mostly a dog grooming place and all the services they offer on the website (xrays, biopsies, ultrasound, etc) are done at another vets. Rude 12-year-old receptionist said the vet wasn’t in and didn’t seem to know anything so I hightailed it out of there and called the other vet, Begonia. Will be going over there in an hour. Fingers crossed for Loki… I’ll update this when I get back.

I’m back! Just a quick update because I am totally wiped out after lugging a 7 kilo screaming Loki to and from the vet’s (though he was good as gold while there) and I have to work this evening, so I really need to relax for awhile. And so briefly… they think it’s acute gastroenteritis. He’s on a treatment now for the next week, but if he hasn’t improved by Thursday the vet wants to see him again on Friday to do a blood test. I was all for doing the blood test today but Eva said she preferred to take things one step at a time, because given his symptoms, she felt it was unlikely Loki has any of the things they would be testing for. So I calmed down and let her do her job. Anyhow, more mañana. I need to go put my feet up and nurse my cold for the rest of the afternoon. Thanks for your kind thoughts! xx

shortest shelf life ever

22 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by in casa azahar, food & drink, home, homecooking

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I absolutely adore roasted piquillo peppers and use them in all kinds of dishes, even just tossed into salads. I usually use a different (superior) brand to this, but as these come pre-sliced (and are way cheaper) they also serve their purpose. Anyhow, I went to make a quick tomato sauce the other day and was about to add some of these when I thought to look at the use-by date, since I had been away in Málaga and actually couldn’t remember when I’d opened this jar. Well, the expiry date was about a year away but then something else caught my eye… in small print on the back label it said that once opened the peppers must be kept refridgerated. No problem there. But then it said “for a maximum of 48 hours”. Whaaat??

I’ve been eating these things for years and I am quite sure I have used them even after having been in the fridge for a couple of weeks, or even longer. The only time I wisely decide not to use them is when I see they’ve gone all furry (obvs). But they seem to last a long time, and fellow foodie pal Lynsey @larosillacomida tells me that as long as they are still under the brine in the jar then they are fine. Which these were. And they hadn’t gone furry. But I still ended up tossing them. Dammit.

But honestly… 48 hours??? I’ve never heard of any preserved food spoiling IN THE FRIDGE after such a short time. What is the point of preserving them if you have to eat the whole damn jar once it’s been opened? This can’t be right.

in search of christmas

20 Wednesday Dec 2017

Posted by in casa azahar, cats, christmas, sevilla

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I grew up in an abusive chaotic household and, probably as a result, I strove to create my own happy rituals when I finally got away from there. And my two favourites ended up being birthdays and Christmas. Not just my birthday, I should point out. I would make a huge fuss of any friend having a birthday, the celebration of arriving here, the happiness I felt that these people were actually in my life.

But Christmas… that wasn’t just a day. It was a whole season. Not being religious I always focused on the “goodwill toward men” bit, and films like It’s a Wonderful Life and the Alistair Sim version of Scrooge would raise my hopes that there truly was good in the world, and that positive change was just an epiphany away.

Also… hey, lights! And decorating the apartment, and finding that perfect something for someone. I mean, what’s not to love? The gift bit was never a huge deal in itself, but the quest of finding something that would make someone’s eyes light up (“oooh, how did you know??”)… I always took that as a personal challenge, often starting my stealth Christmas shopping as early as September.

Back in my “baking days” I would start my rich dark fruit cake just after Halloween, and booze it up weekly until it was ready to eat on Christmas day. And back in Toronto my “shortbread boxes” became a thing of legend among friends and co-workers who would receive a white box filled with a dozen buttery biscuits, tied with a bright red ribbon.

In Spain Christmas changed in that I was pretty much always living on my own. But that didn’t stop me from putting up lights, taping Christmas cards from friends around window frames, and usually inviting a few “Christmas orphans” (expat friends stuck here over the holidays) over for a meal. In later years I would make Christmas dinner for my flatmate Peter, sometimes with, other times without, additional friends. And last Christmas was extra special when my dear friends Julie & Steve came to Sevilla just to spend Christmas with me!

Which brings me to this Christmas. I’m once again living on my own, though I’m sure that I could find some people to invite over for a meal. That’s not the issue as I don’t have to be alone unless I choose to be. The problem is that somehow, in my heart, I seem to have misplaced my Christmas spirit. There are no decorations up, no cards or gifts have been sent (well, okay… I did send one on Monday and that made me smile). But otherwise I find myself looking around at all the pretty lights here, listening to carols in the streets, all that, as if I’m in a bubble. I can look and listen, but I can’t touch or feel it.

I really don’t know what to do about this, but I don’t feel like I should just give in. Heck, I’ve got four whole days. It could be that my misplaced Christmas spirit is just around the corner, down the back of the sofa, or perhaps even just a smidgen of an epiphany away.