08 Wednesday Feb 2012
Right, I’m really scared. Will I be spared for another six months or has my luck finally run out? Also, the PET scan is in a different place this time, so no Team there, nothing familiar. I’m not even sure where it is, so will take a taxi. I think María Paz is coming with me but she has a bad cold and might not be able to make it, and Peter is working, so I might end up going all alone. But at least I’ll know that my Home Team will be here waiting for me.
See you on the other side…
04 Saturday Feb 2012
Posted in food & drink, friends, restaurants, retail therapy, sevilla, spain, wine, work
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Yesterday started off as usual, though I was a bit miffed at having to miss the gym due to a late morning meeting. But the meeting went well and after a late lunch at home I thought I’d stay in and get some work done. I recently got commissioned to write a short piece for a very prestigious travel mag and wanted to get a good start on that. But I had a couple of other things on my to-do list and thought I’d get those out of the way first, and so I popped over to take a wine photo for one of my social media clients and then planned to pick up a new dish draining rack on the way home and get back to work. But first…
28 Saturday Jan 2012
Looks like I’m going to Florence!!!
My friend Nicky, who I met during the trip to London for the SimonSeeks meeting (she was the Florence expert), has been telling me for ages that I am welcome to come and stay at their holiday rental apartment in low season when they don’t have so many bookings. And it turns out that RyanAir has a direct flight Sevilla-Pisa, and from there you just catch a train from the airport to Florence. It also turns out that my friend Pablo would love to come with me, which is great because I didn’t really fancy going on my own, even though Nicky and her husband Luca will be there. So if all goes well I should be in Florence the last week of February.
I’m still waiting to hear when my next PET scan will be, which of course could change everthing. But fingers crossed that I get another clean scan and also a few more tapas tours to help pay my way.
I’ve never been to Italy before – people often say that Florence is the Italian Sevilla. Very very excited!
05 Thursday Jan 2012
This year Peter and I didn’t “do” gifts, preferring to go out for a couple of nice meals during Christmas week instead, and then go to Málaga earlier this week to celebrate my upcoming 55th birthday. But I also got some lovely surprise prezzies from friends… a third Binky book to add to my collection, two DVDs from my Amazon wishlist and a box of Christmas goodies and cat toys (the cosmic catnip banana is a hit!) from Sweden.
Tonight is the Cabalgata, a parade featuring the Three Kings and hoards of shrieking children, which I will try to avoid. But I still want to see the “mapping” Christmas light show on in the Plaza San Francisco (last night tonight). If I manage to get there I’ll take a video of it. But first some grocery shopping as it’s a bank holiday tomorrow and have been away all week. Hope I don’t get swept up in the crowds!
What did you get for Christmas?
24 Saturday Dec 2011
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This has been one of the most relaxed and pleasant Christmas Eves I can remember. Got up a bit later than usual and had some coffee and breakfast. Luckily I got all the supermarket shopping out of the way yesterday, so today just had to pop over to the market for the fish and veg. I couldn’t believe my flatmate Peter! He was Feliz Navidad-ing everyone and being all chatty. I think maybe my delight of Christmas has rubbed off a little…
After getting back from the market I wrote a few Christmas cards and we went out again, this time to just stop by a few places – well okay, tapas bars – and say Merry Christmas to everyone. Of course we stopped for tapas at some of them, and I also got to pick up some amazing blue goat’s cheese (cabrales) and a strong cured sheep’s cheese at our second stop, to go with my Victoria Nº2. And then we took a walk through the Christmas Market. My friend Pablo showed up at our last stop and we went next door with him for yet another drink while he had a tapita. And then the owner Carlos invited us to a glass of cava…
So just got home about an hour ago. Have been getting things ready little by little. Going to roast some small potatoes in garlic and olive oil to go with the salmon steaks with jamón and cava sauce. Some simple steamed broccoli to go with that. As a starter I’m going to deep-fry some gorgeous langoustine tails we got at the market today and serve them with alioli. For afters Peter has his chocolate cake and I’m sure he’ll also partake of the three cheeses (the two bought today and also the famous and fabulous cranberry wensleydale). And then we’ll get cosy with the cats and watch a Christmas movie or two…
I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas Eve too!
