You changed my life and I’ll always love you, Pat.
My friend, my sister, my hero…
pat
18 Wednesday Jul 2012
Posted in cancer, death & dying, friends, life stuff
Category Archives: friends
happy mondays
16 Monday Jul 2012
Posted in cancer, death & dying, friends, life stuff, love
Awhile ago I created a #happymondays Twitter hashtag to greet people with on Monday mornings, since so many people seem to really hate Mondays. But not me. I always see Monday as a fresh start to a new week full of possibilities. I reckon it’s probably 50/50 the number of people I either annoy or cheer up with my whole Happy Monday thing, but what the heck, it’s fun.
Then this morning I woke up and, as usual, had a look through my emails on the iPhone while still in bed. And I got the news I’ve been dreading for some time now, though it still hit me like a ton of bricks, that my friend Pat is in hospital and “fading fast”, heavily sedated due to being in so much pain. In a flash I went from not wanting to lose her to wishing she would let go soon so that she wouldn’t be suffering anymore. And then I decided I would have a Happy Monday anyhow, or as much as I could manage through my tears, because I knew Pat would like that. Going out for a walk now…
How’s your Monday been so far?
lunch in sanlúcar de barrameda
30 Saturday Jun 2012
I’ve been wanting to go back to Sanlúcar de Barrameda since I last went with my Sister Sue back in December 2008. For some reason both Susan and I thought it would be a good idea to drive out to Sanlúcar for lunch just ten days after my third cancer op… and well, although it was MUCH better than sitting around the house – and we did have a fabulous lunch on the beach – it turned out that my massive incision and the surrounding innards were not at all happy about the extra moving and shaking. Memories of Susan trying in vain to avoid any sort of pothole or bump in the road (cos man it hurt!) and then me shuffling gingerly to the restaurant and back to the car without seeing much of the town at all. But in spite of all that, very fond memories. I mean, lunch on the beach in December… are you kidding???
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when my twitter friends and neighbours Anna & Jorge offered to take me out for a day trip to Sanlúcar to celebrate my 20th anniversary in Spain. Yes! Peter came too, and we headed out early on a Sunday morning. First stop was a walk along the beach and a tapita and beer starter at Casa Juan, the restaurant Susan and I had gone to 3 1/2 years earlier. Then we drove back into town to try the Very Best Tortillitas de Camarones In The World at Casa Balbino. After that a rather so-so tapa experience elsewhere, redeemed by a visit to the beautiful Hotel del Duques de Media Sedonia with an amazing view over the town, where we enjoyed a nice after-lunch drink in the shade of covered terrace. And then home again. More pics here…
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
6th blog anniversary
16 Saturday Jun 2012
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So, this is NOT my 6th blogoversary.
That was on May 1st, but for the first time since I started casa az I completely forgot it. How odd. Though no doubt I was distracted by this beautiful boy that day and posted a pic of him instead.
Anyhow… six years!
We’ve sure been through a lot together, haven’t we? 2178 posts, as well as over 25,000 comments and 630,000 visitors.
Thanks for sticking around guys (and welcome to new visitors!). I couldn’t have done it without you.
black tie event
31 Thursday May 2012
I found out this morning that I am invited to a black tie event starting at 8 pm – the official re-opening party of Sevilla’s “Grande Dame”, the Alfoso XIII Hotel.
Although I’d been trying to wrangle an invitation for the past few days it wasn’t looking too likely until my friend Fiona (aka Scribbler in Seville) checked to see if she could bring me as her “plus 1”. She was invited as press and because she’s been sleeping with the general manager. Kidding!
Anyhow, at first I was quite chuffed when I got Fiona’s message but then I suddenly realised that I had nothing to wear. So after a slight panic I decided that there was no way I could afford to put together any sort of super elegant ensemble and opted for “ethnic chic” instead. I have no idea what that means but it will look like a flowy black top with an embroidered bodice over a long black silky pleated skirt. With accessories. Which I also didn’t have.
So I went out and bought a pair of shoes (woven ballerina flats – just like Prada’s except they only cost 24€) and borrowed some chunky “statement jewellery” from Fourat. But I still had no bag! So instead of buying some cheap knock-off clutch that I know I’d never use again I opted for a small red woven bag, in keeping with the ethnic chic thang (a bit like Gucci’s but it didn’t cost 2200€). And I guess I’m all set. Except I have no make-up and have no idea what to do with my *HAIR*. Ah well, I still have two hours to… TWO HOURS! I better get cracking.
casa azahar 