La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Isabel is on vacation this week. She’s how we keep track of time. Last night I reminded San Geraldo that we didn’t have to be up early to get out of Isabel’s way today and he told me I was a day off; we would be waking up to Wednesday. I believed him. I’m glad my computer doesn’t lie.
San Geraldo had his teeth cleaned Tuesday. He considers it torture. I feel for his poor dentist — although SG is at least entertaining. Click here for the story of SG’s first teeth cleaning in Spain.
We returned to Tapa y Tai (click here) for dinner the other night, because it’s that good. Instead of one large dish, I had a selection of three: Duck spring rolls, satay, and edamame. Perfection. SG tried one of my edamame and said, “It’s good but it tastes too healthy.” He had pad Thai.
I walked for an hour and a half yesterday morning. In the afternoon, I walked 50 minutes roundtrip to have my beard trimmed. In the end I was worn out. I went to bed when I got home and I went back to bed this morning after breakfast. I plan to be active this afternoon. Along with my beard trimming and shaping, Nico gave me a basic facial. I may still look my age, but it sure felt good. Nico’s birthday is coming up. I asked him how old he would be and when he told me 23 (twenty-effin-three!!!) I told him a whole string of English words came to mind but I wouldn’t say any of them. My father, when he was in a good mood and being sarcastic, would say “I’ve got two words for you. And they’re not ‘happy birthday.’” Twenty-three!!!
I bought a jar of beard balm. One of the other barbers recommended melon-scented but, although I like fresh melon, melon-scented cosmetics do nothing for me. I have a container of melon-scented hand sanitizer that makes me want to wash my hands after I use it. Instead, my beard will smell like fresh mint and, I thought, balsam. The product is called bálsamo in Spanish, which I thought meant “balsam.” But it also means simply “balm.” So, maybe I’ll just smell minty fresh. Like mouthwash. Or toothpaste. Or that drag queen, Minty Fresh, from RuPaul’s drag race.
Isabel está de vacaciones esta semana. Ella es cómo llevamos la noción del tiempo. Anoche le recordé a San Geraldo que hoy no teníamos que madrugar para quitarnos de en medio a Isabel y me dijo que tenía el día libre; estaríamos despertando el miércoles. Le creí. Me alegro de que mi computadora no mienta.
San Geraldo se limpió los dientes el martes. Lo considera una tortura. Lo siento por su pobre dentista, aunque SG es al menos entretenido. Haz clic aquí para conocer la historia de la primera limpieza dental de SG en España.
Volvimos a cenar a Tapa y Tai (haz clic aquí) la otra noche, porque es así de bueno. En lugar de un plato grande, tenía una selección de tres: rollitos de primavera de pato, satay y edamame. Perfección. SG probó uno de mis edamame y dijo: “Es bueno pero sabe demasiado saludable”. Tenía pad thai.
Caminé durante una hora y media ayer por la mañana. Por la tarde, caminé 50 minutos ida y vuelta para que me cortaran la barba. Al final me cansé. Volví a la cama esta mañana después del desayuno. Planeo estar activo esta tarde. Además de recortar y dar forma a mi barba, Nico me hizo un tratamiento facial básico. Todavía puedo parecer de mi edad, pero seguro que se sentía bien. Se acerca el cumpleaños de Nico. Le pregunté cuántos años tendría y cuando me dijo 23 le dije que me venían a la mente una serie de palabras en inglés, pero no diría ninguna. Mi padre, cuando estaba de buen humor y era sarcástico, decía: “Tengo dos palabras para ti. Y no son ‘feliz cumpleaños’”. ¡¡¡Veintitrés!!!
Compré un bote de bálsamo para la barba. Uno de los otros peluqueros me recomendó los que tienen olor a melón pero, aunque me gusta el melón fresco, los cosméticos con olor a melón no me hacen nada. Tengo un envase de desinfectante para manos con aroma a melón que me da ganas de lavarme las manos después de usarlo. En cambio, mi barba olerá a menta fresca y, pensé, a bálsamo. El producto se llama bálsamo en español, que pensé que significaba “bálsamo”. Pero también significa simplemente “bálsamo”. Entonces, tal vez solo oleré a menta fresca. Como enjuague bucal. O pasta de dientes. O esa drag queen de RuPaul’s Drag Race.
• Antes del recorte de barba.
• The original Fresh Mint. Soon, you won’t be able to tell us apart.
• La Menta Fresca (Fresh Mint) original. Pronto, no podrás distinguirlos.
Love edamame!
I think I remember when I was 23?!
Jim:
I told Nico I couldn’t at that moment remember 23.
I haven’t had any nice edamame with salt in a long time. I should go for Japanese food one evening soon and order some.
Debra:
The edamame were perfect. I couldn’t remember the last time I had them.
I like edamame as long as they’ve (it’s?) been shelled for me. Edamame makes a nice hummus, too.
Poor SG. I feel for him.
Kelly:
I normally like things shelled or peeled, but I don’t mind with edamame. I’ve never had edamame hummus. That does sound interesting.
Looks to healthy to taste good. I can’t even remember being 23, I have clothes older than that.
I have underpants older than that! Jx
PS I haven’t had edamame peas since The Madam worked at Wagamama – and that’s more than a decade ago…
Jon:
It was probably as long or longer than that for me with edamame, as well (nothing to do with The Madam working at Wagamama, but more than a decade ago). I so wish I had thought to say that about underpants. I couldn’t think of anything clever at the moment.
David:
I wish I had thought of saying that to Nico. I couldn’t think of what I had that was older than that.
I so want some of that balm ……I love to smell nice
Going Gently:
I do, too. And this isn’t overpowering. I have a Gillette beard balm I currently use, which does nothing but make me smell like Gillette beard balm.
And what does the beard balm do besides smell good? Maybe it replaces aftershave…since that’s not happening?
And does the beard keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer?
So many beard questions…
Jssw:
It softens the beard. Like using hair conditioner. I haven’t noticed the beard keeping me warm or cool. Hair atop the head used to keep me warm in winter… never kept me cool though, but did keep the sun from burning the top of my head.
I can just about smell the lovely scent of mint!!!! And edamame with salt is one of my favorites. I can make a meal of just it. I got a lovely bottle of cologne while in Budapest that I got lots of compliments on already. Has many on my favorite notes. A shop did custom scents…we came up with-
Top notes: Sweet Pomelo, Rhubarb, Black Pepper, Saffron
Mid notes: Earthy Cannabis Leaves, Incense, Coffee
Dry notes: Oud, Palo Santo, Vetiver, Papyrus, Agarwood Heavenly smelling!!!!
And I missed you guys too!!!!!
Mistress Borghese:
Your new fragrance sounds so good. I need something new. I used to use Royal Copenhagen musk. It was a perfect blend for me. Everyone commented on it and when they bought it for themselves or someone else it was never the same. Royal Copenhagen stopped making it and I’ve never found anything that works as well. I was thinking of trying a custom fragrance but never know which shop to trust. The “notes” you list are all ones I like (of the ones I even recognize).
Have you heard of this colonge company called Royall. I have three of their colonges and they all work well and smell heavenly. The BayRhum is my favorite. They also have a lime citrus one and a beach scented one good for summer. Their a old company…one my light uncle told me about and he wore. I also tend to enjoy the notes of Hermes Eau d’orange verte . I’ve been wearing it for years.
Mads:
Thanks! I’d never heard of them. I’ll check them out and see if I can order something here.
Here you go…..they are all great!!!!
https://royall-bermuda.com
Mistress Borghese:
Thanks. These sound so good. Unfortunately, they only ship within the USA. Maybe I’ll have some delivered to my hotel the next time I’m in New York.
Oh, that food looks yummy. I didn’t know people scented their facial hair. Ya larn sumpin’ new ever day.
Walt the Fourth:
The balm is more importantly a conditioner. The scent doesn’t last long. Imagine walking around all day smelling like a melon.
I like the scent of mint. I don’t know how old you are, but you look younger than I feel.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
I’m older than you and have no idea when it happened.
I guess because I never married and raised a family, I still feel much like I did at 23. Of course, the mirror tells me otherwise.
Kirk:
Responsibility for my brother and all the other life experiences take their toll, but I still am sometimes shocked when I look in the mirror. When did THAT happen?
I have underwear older than 23!!!
Not really, but that’s what I tell these whippersnappers!
Bob:
I do wish I had thought of that at the time. I do have underwear more than half his age.
The sweatshirt I am wearing right now is older than Nico.
For some reason our Internet filter at work has decided that your blog must be blocked. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s because you referenced drag queens. 🙂 Anyway, that’s why I’m behind on reading it!
Steve:
I also say fuck sometimes.
I have a lot of clothes older than Nico.
I’m a few days behind in reading, but, oh my my my, how yummy that food looks! Your beard looks minty fresh, too.
Judy C:
I do like this balm. My beard FEELS minty fresh.
I need help managing my scraggly beard/goatee (alternate.) A facial sounds wonderful (and I mean that in every sense of the word.)
That was supposed to say “A facial from a 23 year old sounds wonderful (and I mean that in every sense of the word.)” Either way, it works.
Sassybear:
Oh, yeah, I knew exactly what you meant.
Sassybear:
Ahhhhhh facial. My beard is very wavy and in all different directions, which makes it difficult to control. Even the barber doesn’t make it magically settle.
Santa’s whiskers need no trimmin’
he kisses kids and not the wimmin.
Urspo:
Q: Why isn’t Santa allowed to shave his beard?
A: It’s in his Clause.