La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. At around 3 p.m. I had just rolled over for a siesta. I was feeling so much better. I had no IVs in my arm and could really get comfortable. I knew it wouldn’t be a long nap because my doctor had visited in the morning while San Geraldo was here and gave me a strong diuretic injection that had me off to the races every 5-or-so minutes. But before I could take my quick catnap, my doctor returned. Have I told you how much I like and trust my doctor? I need to remind myself. She said she was concerned that I wasn’t “draining” fast enough ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. Another quick post before I settle in for a good night’s sleep. In my hospital bed. I’m doing fine. Just an infection. And heart failure. That’s right. I spent 6 hours at Urgent Care today, during which I had a series of tests and finally learned the disappointing truth. When the doctor left after telling me I would have to be admitted and begin some IVs to resolve the current problems — the infection and the water retention (which has reached my arms) — I had to confirm with San Geraldo that she had in fact said “heart failure.” Yes ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. I had the abdominal ultrasound this morning. The medical center was busy. I waited 10 minutes to check in at Radiology and then 40 minutes to have the exam. I asked the radiologist if she thought I could wait until next Wednesday to see my doctor and she said, yes. In any case, when I went back upstairs, the main check-in was a mob scene. Guaranteed another 40-minute wait minimum. So, I instead walked across the grounds to the cafeteria where San Geraldo waited. Even that was too busy for me to want to get anything to eat. Fortunately ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. I thought I’d send greetings before I head off for an afternoon siesta. The great news (to me) is that I didn’t feel the need for a morning siesta. But gravity isn’t good for “the parts,” so I’m going to give them a rest. After all these years, I thought I had scanned and stored all my old photos, but I keep coming across others that never got done. When The Kid Brother was very young (starting around the age of 3), our sister, Dale, started calling him “Monkey” because he would shimmy up every tree in sight without a moment of hesita ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. Around 1983, San Geraldo bought an exceptional quality nylon trench coat by Japanese designer Yumiko Tamura. We were at a Bloomingdale’s (department store) outside Washington D.C. We both loved it; I wanted it, too, but he saw it first. Besides, it was retail. We still have the trench coat 41 years later and, except for needing to be pressed, it still looks like new. When he wore it this past season, he commented that he needed a stylish hat or cap to go with it. I began to describe a flat cap and he said, “That’s it. Like the ones fr ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. We don’t seem to be experiencing a calima (Saharan sand) anymore but the surf at the shoreline is still a different color. On my walk the other day, I noticed a big hose draining the muddy water out of the deep trench in the road. As I continued my walk however, I noticed more dirty water along the shoreline and, given the tides, I knew it wasn’t coming from the same source. Then I hit another project. The City has been hauling in dirt (not sand, dirt) to raise the profile of the beach near a long retaining wall. I’m not clear on the ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. In Andalusian dialect, it’s very common to drop certain consonants from words. For example, the word “cuñado” [coon-YAH-dough] means brother-in-law. In local dialect, that’s pronounced “cuñao” [coon-YAH-oh]. I’ve been corrected (half jokingly) for pronouncing the “d” like someone from the north. But I still do it. There used to be a restaurant nearby named “Abrevaero.” I couldn’t find it in the dictionary. It took me a while to figure out that the word was really “abrevadero” which means feeding trough. Although Fuengirola beaches run ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been spending a lot of time in bed during the day. It’s not as bad as it was last week, but I still run out of steam quickly and need to lie down. During one of those lie-downs, I had an intense dream that I was going to see my sister Dale’s best childhood friend whom I hadn’t seen since 1964. [That wasn’t actually true; in reality, I had seen her once in the ’70s.] In the dream we had a devastatingly emotional reunion where we both hugged and sobbed about Dale because she had been gone 43 years. When I woke up ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. San Geraldo used that cat pheromone spray (Feliway Classic) a second time and we are now truly convinced it works. Dudo was a bit insane and completely uncooperative. SG sprayed his office (where Dudo had stationed himself) and the cat carrier, and closed the door. Fifteen minutes later, he was able to walk in, lift Dudo off the cat tree, and place him in the travel cage. Not one aggressive move from Dudo. Not one mew. He didn’t make a sound the entire 2-minute walk to the vet’s office. The vet took one look at Dudo and said, “Beautif ..read more

La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés. It’s a beautiful day today after our 40 days and 40 nights of rain (or 7). I even went for a walk in an entire pair of sneakers this morning — no special shoe. I walked for an hour and went less than half my usual distance, but it sure was great to be out. That hour took it out of me. It was the first morning in a long time that I didn’t spend back in bed which is where you’ll find me shortly (if you should be so lucky). Dudo, the jerk, figured out how to remove his cone last night. We haven’t been able to get a good look at his wound ..read more