La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I TOOK THE PHOTOS OF the candle/silo on our plaza three weeks ago. I can’t believe I forgot to share them. The flame atop the candle/silo was completely flattened by that awful wind storm (click here), but it was repaired and has been burning brightly since late November.
At 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, I texted the service agent from the glass curtain company to find out where they were. He had told me Monday they would be here Tuesday to do the repairs. At 6:04 p.m., he wrote back to tell me his guys “didn’t have time to get here today.” I told him I wasn’t happy to learn that after spending the entire day waiting for them. I asked, “When?” He promised they’d be here this morning. I didn’t thank him, just said I would see them “tomorrow morning.” It’s 10:15 and I’m waiting. So much for the gym today.
Onto better things, photos of trees around town at Christmas — so, Christmas trees. But the best of the better things is that Tynan and Elena won the huge basket of goodies raffled off at Mesón Salvador (click here)! For €3 euros, they selected five numbers and just see below what they brought home! A few years ago, they won an enormous gourmet “meat basket” Delicious ham and lots of other good things.
Meanwhile, their daughter, Paula, along with other university friends, was making beautiful (and profitable) music on Calle Conde de Gondomar* in Córdoba. I hope they bought a Christmas lottery ticket this year.
*Conde de Gondomar or the Count of Gondomar was Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, the Spanish ambassador to England from 1613 to 1622. He was apparently very clever and made sure King James was fond of him. I knew you were all wondering.
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TOMÉ LAS FOTOS DE LA vela / silo en nuestra plaza hace tres semanas. No puedo creer que me olvidé de compartirlos. La llama sobre la vela / silo fue completamente aplastada por esa terrible tormenta de viento (haz clic aquí), pero fue reparada y ha estado ardiendo intensamente desde fines de noviembre.
A las 17:15 el martes, le envié un mensaje de texto al agente de servicio de la compañía de cortinas de vidrio para averiguar dónde estaban. Me había dicho el lunes que estarían aquí el martes para hacer las reparaciones. A las 18:04, me respondió para decirme que sus “tipos no tenían tiempo para llegar aquí hoy.” Le dije que no estaba feliz de saber eso después de pasar todo el día esperándolos. Le pregunté: “¿Cuándo?” Prometió que estarían aquí esta mañana. No le di las gracias, solamente que nos vemos mañana. Son las 10:15 y estoy esperando.
Para mejores cosas, fotos de árboles alrededor de la ciudad en Navidad, entonces, árboles de Navidad. ¡Pero lo mejor de lo mejor es que Tynan y Elena ganaron la enorme canasta de golosinas rifada en Mesón Salvador (haz clic aquí)! Por € 3 euros, seleccionaron cinco números y ¡mira abajo lo que trajeron a casa! Hace unos años, ganaron la “canasta de carne”. Jamones gourmet y muchas otras cosas buenas.
Mientras tanto, su hija Paula, junto con otros amigos de la universidad, hacía música hermosa (y rentable) en la calle Conde de Gondomar* de Córdoba. Espero que hayan comprado un boleto de lotería de Navidad este año.
*El Conde de Gondomar era Don Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, el embajador de España en Inglaterra de 1613 a 1622. Al parecer, era muy inteligente y se aseguraba de que el rey James le tuviera cariño. Sabía que todos se estabais preguntando.
• The result of an ice storm in front of the public market.
• One of many local Christmas trees adorned with orange balls.
• Christmas garlands.
• Tynan’s big basket (really Elena’s).
• La gran cesta.
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• Paula es la segunda desde la derecha. Ella es primer oboe en la universidad. Recientemente tomó el saxofón y, así, es una experta.
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No hay the guy!? That’s terrible! I hope he has maybe gotten there by now?
Delightful photos. What a huge winning basket!
Judy C,
All’s well. Work is done. That basket is worth a small fortune. I hope it lasts!
Oh my that is huge! Your captions made me laugh.
David,
Nothing like a big basket.
That’s the biggest gift basket ever!!!!!!!!
I loved the icy branches….looked like one huge snowflake.
Mistress Borghese,
Meson Salvador raffles one off every year. Amazing. Right now they have one filled only with chocolate and a giant teddy bear. Those icy trees are scattered around town. Colored lights that cycle through the rainbow.
I love the post ice storm photo, and it’s nice to see the candle looking, um, candle-ish?
And the basket on the guy. I mean, if he’d turn a little and lift his shirt. But the prize is nice, too.
Bob,
I’ll ask Tynan to pose again. I’m not sure how he’ll phrase his response, but it will be in the negative.
Wow, what a winning haul! Holy moly! And the music video is wonderful too. I’d throw some money in their instrument case!
Debra,
I’m so glad that basket isn’t at our house! Paula is incredibly talented and is loving music school.
Yes, who needs fake ornaments anyway when you have all this natural beauty around you.
THAT gift basket is gigantic!
Jim,
I don’t know how they’ll get through all those goodies.
Really beautiful photos! the candle/silo is stunning.
Carole,
For a smallish city, they do a nice job.
The cable company here would give “five hour windows” about when they might arrive (i.e.g. 12pm-5pm) for service calls and then show up around 6pm. We ditched them permanently on Monday. Internet only now. Even that costs almost $100 a month–and nothing ultra fast about it. Our @sshat Republican county commissioners gave them a 20 year lease as the sole cable/internet provider, so no other option.
Mesón Salvador definitely follows the idea of “go big or go home” when it comes to prizes. Wow! Also a big wow for their daughter’s group–lovely music. Very talented.
Mary,
The work is done. And no charge!
Paula is truly musically gifted.
The holiday garlands in that photo are real! The silo is much better with lights. Can’t beat that return on a €3 investment!
Wilma,
I love those garlands. If there were soil below instead of road, they’d be growing everywhere.
Hey, the candle looks pretty good, considering the crazy wind damage! Love your local “decorations,” too.
Surely there are jokes to be made about big baskets (and big meat baskets) but I’m not going there. Any more than that, anyway.
Steve,
So many trees around town with those orange balls. I think the city of Sevilla has 1400. Not that many here. No need to make any comments about big baskets. They speak for themselves.
I’ll try to order that basket from Amazon….ha,ha,ha.
Frank,
There’s a local company that puts these together. But meson Salvador gets the biggest ones I’ve ever seen.
The Spanish “ do” decorations beautifully
John,
At least wherever we’ve been!
That is a silo no more — what fabulous lights! I love your shot from inside the candle. Given the huge size of that gift basket, your friends won’t have to buy groceries for the rest of the year — better invite yourself over to “help” them consume it, LOL!
Tundra Bunny,
The ham, fruit, and veg will be gone quickly. They’ll be living mostly on chocolate and liquor.
What an amazing prize to win! Maybe they’ll share some of it…
Walt the Fourth:
Oh, I’m sure they will.
once again I love all the beautiful color in the things you have around you.
Urspo:
It helps even on these gray days.