For the record… I don’t like surprise visits! Or I think I don’t. And then they sometimes happen and they are wonderful. Like today. I had just got home from the gym and, freshly showered, sat down at the computer to do a bit of work before lunch. Then I got a text message from Jessica asking if I had any free time in the next couple of days (!!). I asked where she was and it turned out she was just around the corner, having just finished a whirlwind Andalusian road trip with her husband Thomas and her mother Patricia. So the most obvious thing was to meet for lunch since, in fact, for the next couple of days I am jam-packed busy with tours and meetings.

Since they were so close by of course they had to come over and meet Smudge. Turns out that Patricia is even more of a crazy cat woman than I am (though she matches Sledpress with four cats). And so everyone made a huge fuss over both Smudge and Loki (Luna shot upstairs as soon as she heard a whole whack of strangers in the livingroom). Jessica was amazed at how tiny Smudge is, saying that she looks even eensier than in the photos she’s seen here.

Then it was off for lunch at Vineria San Telmo where we enjoyed some good food, wine and conversation. It was the first time I’d met Patricia, so that was very nice. And it was lovely to see my “little sister” and Thomas the Cat Whisperer again. I hope we get a chance to get together again before they head back to Paris on Wednesday.