I’m half fixed + random thoughts

One is better than none!

This morning I can twist to the right. Progress!!!

Random terrible fact: Every day 4 women in Colombia are murdered as the result of domestic violence. That’s not an estimate, it’s a death count by the country’s INML (coroner’s office.)

This year we did not have Christmas food. We had thai on the 24th and yesterday we had italian.  We also didn’t send Christmas cards, instead we sent emails with an update of everything that’s happened in our lives in the past year. We received lots of updates in return, which seems more sensible and meaningful than just a card.

Mike’s (our?) nephew got an amazing new job after having invented an app. Don’t ask me, I have no idea what it does, but an American company thinks it’s brilliant. It’s a wonderful moment when the children in a family start doing better than the adults. I suppose I should stop calling him a child at some point as he’s married, has his own home and an excellent job. 

His mother is living in Tokyo and despairing as a new building that’s going up right outside her window is removing her views of Mt. Fuji forevermore.

In Sotogrande not much has changed, at all. As usual, the talk this time of year is who’s having what party and who was or wasn’t invited. Well, to be honest that’s more or less the talk all year round, but anyway. It’s much more amusing to watch from a safe distance than actually being dragged into the social games and controversies.

The workers at the flats are off until after the new year. Mike decided to not waste this time and he’s there now, sanding walls. I get a pass because I’m half broken; But if my back allows it tomorrow, I think I’m going to start putting together the cabinets for the kitchen in the one bedroom.

In other news we recently went to a Moroccan restaurant that has vegetarian mezze. You don’t get to choose anything, they just keep bringing you one little dish after the other. It was spectacular. Except for Indian in India, I don’t think I’ve ever had vegetarian food that was as sophisticated. Layers on layers of complex flavours and spices. It takes some serious knowledge and experience to do what they do. Ever since I’ve been reading about it to see if I can reproduce some of what they do at home.

The weather continues to be excellent. Today it’s a lovely 18 degrees. The dogs are sunbathing outside. They’re saying temperatures will dip for the new year, but it’ll warm up again by the 5th.

In 26 months and 23 days I’ll be 40 years old. I’m quite surprised I’ve made it this far. When I was young I was somewhat angry that life wasn’t exactly what I wanted, expected or hoped for. In hindsight it doesn’t look nearly as bad as I thought it was at the time.