too much pain

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knee pain

So I’m pretty much desperate now. I’ve had KNEES for the past few years, meaning that I became physically aware that they existed rather than previously when they just functioned without making their presence known. But it was only last year May-June when I started having serious knee pain. So I got it checked out, got x-rays and an MRI in September (on the left knee, though by then it was the right knee that was giving me more grief). In fact I ended up at emergency when the pain got so bad it scared me. Doc just said I should stay off it and prescribed pain meds, including Nolotil which is BANNED IN 20 COUNTRIES as one of its many nasty side effects is DEATH. Needless to say I eschewed the drugs.

I haven’t gone back to my GP about the MRI results because when I tried a phone appointment a few months ago she was on holiday and I got her replacement who just told me to take painkillers and ride a stationary bike. The fuck? For what it’s worth I’ve set up another phone appointment for next week to see if she has anything more helpful to say. Like, I should probably be seeing an orthopaedic specialist at this point, plus I think the right knee also needs an MRI. And then, you know, maybe some helpful advice?

Meanwhile, I can barely walk anymore. It’s shocking to me how things went from “gee my knees kinda hurt” less than a year ago to screaming pain whenever I have to get up from a seated position (once I get moving it eases up a bit, but only a bit). Needless to say this affects my job which involves a lot of walking. But it has also affected my life in general because walking is what I do! I’m always out and about, getting my steps in, just being out there. Now it takes all my effort to put myself through the pain it takes to just walk a few blocks. It’s exhausting. I’m exhausted.

upcoming getaways!

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on the road

It’s been quite a while since I’ve travelled anywhere. Out of choice, much like I have barely worked over the past couple of months during the peak of Covid-Flu season. But three things have come up in March that have pushed me to MAKE PLANS.

The first is an awards event with the Academia Andalucía de Gastronomía in Córdoba weekend after next, which will also be a birthday present for Peter. Then mid-March I’m doing a day trip to Jerez to see my friends Julie & Steven who are back in Spain to celebrate Steven’s 80th birthday. The following week I am finally getting back to Sanlúcar de Barrameda after far too long.

Hotels and trains have been booked and I’m actually quite excited now. Of course we will be fully masked on public transport and will test before leaving for each trip just in case. Fingers crossed!

anna’s back

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anna

Anna is back in town for the week and we had planned to meet up today for a quick visit… then this photo popped up in my instagram stories this morning. Taken exactly six years ago after having lunch with Anna and her kids during a previous visit. How random is that? Anyhow, it was great to catch up but Anna forgot to bring the weather with her (usually the Galicia rain followers her here). Ah well.

sunday deep clean

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sunday deep clean

This was not supposed to happen. It all started back in 2017 when I had to buy light fixtures for the latest Casa Azahar and, for the most part, I chose well. Simple designs. Or better said, simple EASY TO CLEAN designs. But somehow I kinda really liked that silly chandeliery lamp for my bedroom (top right). No problem, the landlord had his guy come over and install the lights for me and so I wasn’t paying a lot of attention when Tony Black Hands had to remove the mattress on my bed to slide a ladder between the opened drawers… the only way of accessing the fixture.

After that it was enough that the lamp was dusted from time to time from the foot of the bed using a long dustery thing. But for some reason yesterday I decided that the lamp needed a serious damp-cloth cleaning, nothing else would do. Well fuck. FOUR HOURS LATER…

Yes the lamp was looking great but Peter and I were wasted (I could not have done this without his help). Had to almost totally deconstruct the bed, the drawers were emptied and washed, floor swept and mopped and ONLY THEN could the lamp be properly cleaned. After some serious slapstick moments with more than a few bumps, bruises and blue language (while the cats decided this was the best fun they’d had in ages) the deed was done. There was nothing left to do but order take-away pizza and spend the rest of the day netflixing. And yes I know, but you have been warned time and time again that this is the world’s most boring blog. 😉