La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
THE OTHER EVENING, WHEN I was on my way back from a walk, I noticed the volleyball league was active on the beach a minute or two from home. The players tend to be very good (tend to be, not always). I love taking pictures and then sketching the individual players in action. After grabbing some photos of sporadic play (a lot of chasing errant balls), I noticed one double game with two exceptional players. So I decided to focus on them.
I was on the Paseo at quite a distance which required a lot of zoom, but I don’t need sharpness for sketching. After a point was scored, the best player — poetry in motion — saw me and waved. I thought maybe he liked that I was taking pictures. Then I realized it was Alexander, Tynan and Elena’s 21-year-old son. He’s the lifeguard / surfer / personal trainer (and all-round nice guy who laughs when he misses a shot) who plans to study physical therapy next year. Even from that distance I managed to get some good shots. I’ll have to get closer another evening.
There’s been a change in the weather. Although the rain still hasn’t reached our neighborhood, the temperatures have dropped and the winds continue intermittently. As you can see in the first photo, poor San Geraldo nearly froze Friday night when he went out for our take-away dinner. It was a frigid 16˚C/61˚F! But, hey, it could go down as low as 10C / 50F overnight. Brrr!!!
Nutrition and Fitness Report
Stretching: Three times Friday and Saturday. Once so far today.
Walking: 5.6 km / 3.5 miles Saturday.
Gym: Friday, arms and shoulders. Excellent workout.
Note: One beer and a small slice of cheesecake Saturday night at Pedro and Kathleen’s. The Levi’s are less snug at the waist. I’ve been afraid to put it in writing, but the sciatica has been significantly less problematic.
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LA OTRA TARDE, CUANDO REGRESABA de una caminata vespertina, noté que la liga de voleibol estaba activa en la playa a uno o dos minutos de casa. Los jugadores tienden a ser muy buenos (tienden a serlo, no siempre). Me encanta tomar fotografías y luego dibujar a los jugadores individuales en acción. Después de tomar algunas fotos de juegos esporádicos (muchas persiguiendo pelotas errantes), noté un juego doble con dos jugadores excepcionales. Entonces decidí concentrarme en ellos.
Estaba en el Paseo a una distancia considerable que requería mucho zoom, pero no necesito nitidez para dibujar. Después de anotar un punto, el mejor jugador, poesía en movimiento, me vio y saludó. Pensé que tal vez le gustaba que estuviera tomando fotos. Entonces me di cuenta de que era Alexander, el hijo de 21 años de Tynan y Elena. Es el salvavidas / surfista / entrenador personal (y un tipo agradable que se ríe cuando falla un tiro) que planea estudiar fisioterapia el próximo año. (Se ríe cuando falla un tiro.) Incluso desde esa distancia logré hacer algunos buenos tiros. Tendré que acercarme otra tarde.
Ha habido un cambio en el clima. Aunque la lluvia aún no ha llegado a nuestro barrio, las temperaturas han bajado y los vientos continúan de forma intermitente. Como se puede ver en la primera foto, el pobre San Geraldo casi se congela el viernes por la noche cuando salió a cenar. ¡Hacía un frío 16˚C / 61˚F! Pero bueno, podría bajar hasta 10 ° C / 50 ° F durante la noche. Brrr !!!
Informe de Nutrición y Estado Físico
Estiramiento: Tres veces viernes y sábado. Una vez hasta ahora hoy.
Caminando: 5,6 km el sábado.
Gimnasio: Viernes, brazos y hombros. Excelente ejercicio.
Nota: Una cerveza y un pequeño trozo de tarta de quesa anoche en la casa de Pedro y Kathleen. Los Levi’s son menos ajustados en la cintura. He tenido miedo de ponerlo por escrito, pero la ciática ha sido mucho menos problemática.
• ¡Buen servicio!
• En mi caminata de 8.5 km / 5.3 millas el otro día. A punto de cruzar la carretera.
• Nuestros hibiscos están brotando de nuevo. También lo son los pulgones. Por alguna razón, nunca molestan a esta planta en particular. No me he rendido con los demás.
• Añadiendo un poco de vara de oro de Maisons du Monde.
• También velas nuevas.
• Escuché aullidos el sábado por la mañana. Entré en el salón y vi a Moose con la mandíbula a punto de cerrarse en el cuello de Dudo. Los miré. Se volvieron y miraron hacia atrás. Moose relajó su mandíbula y comenzó a lamer amorosamente el cuello de Dudo. “¿¡¿Qué?!?” El angelito.
Nice to see some of your home. I like the golden cushions.
Frances:
Thanks. I’ll share some more interior photos again soon. Not easy to get good daylight shots with all that sun outside. A great problem to have.
Hola. I really admire that print of yours on the wall of the green woodpecker. Often called the rain bird because when it appears it is forecast to rain. If we get it on our lawn it is 90% right.
Love the colour of the cushions and the matching candles. Are they beeswax?
Karen:
That print is one of a set of 6 old prints from Japan that we found at an antique shop outside Cleveland. I’ll do another post on all of them. We’ve had them since the ’80s.
Karen:
Oh… candles are plain old, unfortunately. Not beeswax. I couldn’t find beeswax in the color I wanted.
Your health/exercise report makes me feel guilty and lazy…I have had knee pain and a swollen left knee for more than a few weeks. Prednisone has helped and I will be going for PT next week. Keep up the routine…it has to be a good thing.
Frank:
I used to be very diligent about working out and going to the gym. It feels great to be back in the swing. A painful swollen knee would challenge that determination. Hope the PT helps!
Love the lift off of the volleyball player.
Love the splashes of goldenrod around the room.
Dying over Moose going from biter to kisser as soon as he sees Daddy!
Bob:
I couldn’t believe Moose. And we used to say he was cut but not very bright. Alexander flew when he played. Amazing to watch. I might be able to fly but I would have no idea where the ball was.
I read the title. Arctic Volleyball and my immediate thought was “they better be careful their balls will freeze.” Maybe that explains why some of them are errant.
David:
Have you ever seen snow volleyball? They usually wear clothes to keep the balls warm.
That hibiscus is perfectly lit! It would make a nice painting.
Debra:
I had taken photos earlier in the day that I was going to share. But when I went back out and saw how perfectly lit the flower was, I took new ones.
I love that photo of the volleyball player! I am trying to exercise more myself. My apple watch always reminds me when I need to move, and I guess that’s a good thing.
mcpersonalspace54:
If you listen to your Apple watch, it’s a very good thing.
The gold pillows and candles do add a nice glow to the room. I bet it looks especially welcoming and mellow when you have the newly refurbished lamp on.
Does SG have some heavier coats in reserve for January? The weather here has been fabulous – cool, but not requiring arctic gear. I was able to go kayaking 3 times in the last week on magically calm water. The PT and NSAIDs have worked so well with my shoulder – it is good to get back to some other activities besides running. The yoga is helping, too. I have managed to lose 7 of the 17 pounds I gained while I was incapacitated for more than a year. Too bad my EATING wasn’t incapacitated!
Great shots of the volleyball serve. I do love to see athleticism in action. And, no, Moose and Dudo do not count as athletes, although I love to see them too.
Wilma:
Oh, SG has heavier coats, hooded sweatshirts, scarves, and long underwear in reserve. I don’t think he’ll wait for January. (As a matter of fact, a hooded sweatshirt was added yesterday. That is great that your shoulder has improved. Good work! 7 pounds, that’s half a stone! (Was telling a friend how much I weighed in pounds, but he had no clue what that meant, so I had to convert to stones and pounds for him, which seems so much more complicated.)
Those are great shots of Alexander. I’ve played volleyball here and there but I certainly never took to the air like that! Your house looks so CLEAN. As for the cats, there always seems to be a fine line between affection and attack.
Steve:
Clean house? Photos taken after Isabel was here!
Wow, 16 degrees C is frigid, arctic weather in Spain? My windows are still open all night at -5 Celsius and during the daytime, I’ll open windows for fresh air at -20 Celsius! Guess I’m too hot-blooded for my own good, LOL!
Tundra Bunny:
Frigid for us here on the beach on the Costa del Sol. People in other parts of Spain would call it balmy. There’s a range of climates. Plenty of cold places with lots of snow and skiing. SG’s mother, who lived in South Dakota, always slept with a window open. Like you, minus 20? Fresh air!
Oh don’t get me started on that ‘Arctic’ weather you are experiencing!! lol
Great sport shots!
Stunning blossom.
Sneaky Moose.
Jim:
And we used to think Moose wasn’t very smart. It’s supposed to get up to 22C today, but it’s currently an invigorating 14!
Ahhh, what delightful photos!
I hope SG enjoys the extra warmth that the masks give.
Moose and Dudo… cracking me up again.
Judy C:
He DOES like the mask. He hates breathing cold air.
San Geraldo and Sweet Cheeks should get together on a tropical island where it never drops below 80 degrees because Sweet Cheeks is a self-described lizard who is miserable in cooler weather. Alexander earns a WOW from me.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
If SG lived on a tropical island, he’d complain about the heat!