La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
San Geraldo and I started hanging things on the walls. Not much yet because he lost interest pretty quickly. That’s usually how it goes. But we at least talked about some other things, so I can continue on my own if I feel like it which is also how it usually goes. Right now, I feel like writing to you.
Our great electrician, Jose, returned with no prompting to hang our new terrace light fixture (pictured above) and replace one last recessed light (of a different kind). We hung an antique mirror, antique sconce, and an embroidery done by my mother. No one has ever seen it without assuming it was a painting, SG included. You can see below the exquisite detail. It’s framed under glass and this is the best I’ve ever done with photographing it (still not brilliant).
We bought the sconce from a friend and neighbor when we lived in Georgetown in Washington D.C. She had an antique shop where we spent a lot of time. The sconce needs repair. I haven’t yet put in the candles and bobeches. I can’t remember where we bought the mirror. Maybe San Francisco when we lined the walls going up the stairs of our 3-story house with mirrors. We had more than a dozen and shipped just some of them to Spain.
My appointment with my public health doctor was a disappointment. I’m going to ask for a different doctor. She seems to be the type who says “I can’t” before deciding she can. But usually she can’t.
I hadn’t been able to find my [hot] private nephrologist’s email (he had told me it would be in my paperwork). I was concerned about going to New York in a month without connecting with him again. He emailed me! He spoke to his colleague who works privately and also for public health and that colleague said he’d be happy to see me as a patient. Unfortunately, he scheduled that appointment for 20 January which is the day I leave for New York. We’ll work it out. I’m grateful to have connected with such an excellent specialist who cares and follows through.
I did a bit of wandering around yesterday and stopped at El Corte Inglés department store to get sugar-free cookies at their supermarket. They have a great selection. While there I saw a tray of what I thought were bite-size pastries. But they were, oddly, in the seafood section. It turns out they were in fact seafood. Not very appetizing as far as I was concerned. See what you think. And then there’s Moose asleep in the dining room.
Oh, the hypotenuse!
SG and I were talking about hanging another antique sconce on the other side of the grandfather clock. He tried to describe where he thought it should go. “Maybe put it in the same relative area of the first one… from the middle… vertically… relative to the mirror… looking at the grandfather clock, perpendicular.” He didn’t actually get to the word ‘hypotenuse’ but he might have had I not stopped him and asked, “What the hell are you talking about? Do you mean it should be about the same distance from the clock as the first one is from the mirror, and aligned vertically?” “Yes!” he exclaimed. “See? You understood!”
San Geraldo y yo empezamos a colgar cosas en las paredes. No mucho todavía porque perdió el interés bastante rápido. Así es como suele pasar. Pero al menos hablamos de otras cosas, así que puedo continuar por mi cuenta si tengo ganas, que es también como suele pasar. Ahora mismo, tengo ganas de escribirte.
Nuestro gran electricista, José, regresó sin que se lo pidiéramos para colgar nuestra nueva lámpara de terraza (en la foto de arriba) y reemplazar una última luz empotrada (de un tipo diferente). Colgamos un espejo antiguo, un aplique antiguo y un bordado hecho por mi madre. Nadie lo ha visto nunca sin asumir que era un cuadro, SG incluido. Puedes ver a continuación el exquisito detalle. Está enmarcado bajo un cristal y esto es lo mejor que he hecho fotografiando (aún no es brillante).
Compramos el aplique de una amiga y vecina cuando vivíamos en Georgetown en Washington D.C. Ella tenía una tienda de antigüedades donde pasábamos mucho tiempo. El aplique necesita reparación. Todavía no he puesto las velas y los bobeches. No recuerdo dónde compramos el espejo. Quizás en San Francisco, cuando cubrimos las paredes que subían las escaleras de nuestra casa de 3 pisos con espejos. Teníamos más de una docena y enviamos solo algunos a España.
Mi cita con mi médico de salud pública fue una decepción. Voy a pedir que me cambie de médico. Parece ser del tipo que dice “no puedo” antes de decidir que sí puede. Pero por lo general no puede.
No había podido encontrar el correo electrónico de mi [caliente] nefrólogo privado (me había dicho que estaría en mi papeleo). Me preocupaba ir a Nueva York en un mes sin conectarme con él nuevamente. ¡Me envió un correo electrónico! Habló con su colega que trabaja en el sector privado y también en salud pública y ese colega dijo que estaría feliz de verme como paciente. Desafortunadamente, programó esa cita para el 20 de enero, que es el día en que me voy a Nueva York. Lo resolveremos. Estoy agradecido de haberme conectado con un especialista tan excelente que se preocupa y cumple con su tarea.
Ayer caminé un poco por ahí y me detuve en el gran almacén El Corte Inglés para comprar galletas sin azúcar en su supermercado. Tienen una gran selección. Mientras estaba allí vi una bandeja de lo que pensé que eran pasteles del tamaño de un bocado. Pero estaban, curiosamente, en la sección de mariscos. Resulta que, de hecho, eran mariscos. No muy apetitosos en lo que a mí respecta. A ver qué os parece. Y luego está Moose durmiendo en el comedor.
¡Oh, la hipotenusa!
SG y yo estábamos hablando de colgar otro aplique antiguo en el otro lado del reloj de pie. Trató de describir dónde pensaba que debería ir. — Tal vez ponerlo en la misma área relativa del otro… desde el medio… verticalmente… en relación con el espejo y el reloj de pie, perpendicular. — En realidad no llegó a la palabra ‘hipotenusa’, pero podría haberlo hecho si no lo detuve y le pregunté: — ¿De qué diablos estás hablando? ¿Quieres decir que debería estar aproximadamente a la misma distancia del reloj que la primera del espejo, y alineada verticalmente? —¡Sí! ¿Ves? ¡Lo entendiste!—
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Ha! Moose is adorable… I imagine he’d like those “fish canapes”.
Good to see the apartment gradually coming together so well! Keep up the good work, and you’ll be in House Beautiful before you know it. Jx
Jon:
I wonder about Moose and the canapes. I won’t try it. The apartment finally feels like we live here!
That is a remarkable embroidery! And the seafood is very…artistic. I might try it if I were at a party.
Getting things on the walls always makes a new abode seem more like home.
Steve:
My mother was truly skilled (and gifted). We’ve got some other of her works I’ll soon share again. That seafood made me a bit nervous. I don’t think I’d take a chance on it at a party.
I scrolled down and saw the first picture and exclaimed, out loud, “Oh! Isn’t that lovely!” It looks wonderful so far! And yes, your mom‘s work is amazing. No surprise, considering the quality of yours. 🙂 Glad to hear your electrician is a good guy, moose is still the sweetest thing in the world, and things will work out with these doctors you are getting connected with!
J Chabot:
Last night, Moose was being bossy and whiney that I actually picked him up, held him in my arms, and cuddled him for about a minute. And he didn’t screech and scratch. A first in the 12+ years we’ve been together. It made me so happy. My mother’s talents and skills were impressive.
Your mother’s embroidery work is gorgeous! Yes, it’s always so hard to photograph anything behind glass, but you did it well. I would have mistaken those seafood tidbits for desserts too. And the photos of Moose made me laugh, especially the second one — “What YOU lookin’ at, bud?”
Debra:
I cracked up when Moose opened his eyes slightly to make his statement.
Moose…you rock! How relaxed does he look!?
That fish tray….mmmm…..does not look inviting.
Your mother’s work is simply incredible. I see the ‘apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’.
Jim:
My mother had a lot of gifts and skills.
WOW!!!!! The dining room looks great!!!!! I’m sure you two will have that place looking more chic then it ever did!!!! Sometimes is just takes Queens!!!! And I agree with you, the “seafood pastries” look horrid.
I have no words for your mother’s work. Except stunning! I have never even seen that subject matter in a
embroidery needlepoint.
Mistress Borghese:
We’re more and more happy with the space. More photos to come soon. My mother did some truly exceptional work. I’ll share more.
Boud here, to say your mother was so talented a stitcher. Art runs in your family, definitely.
I would never have understood what sg meant. He’d have had to hold the piece up to demonstrate!
I hope you can work out an appointment with your good doctor.
January 20 is a day most people would rather be departing than arriving, sigh.
Boud:
I couldn’t wait for you to see this one. More to come. My mother was an incredible talent. Airfare and hotel prices have gotten so out of control that I won’t consider visiting in spring or summer anymore. It’s a shame, but I pay about 25% on hotel and half or less on airfare by coming in January.
Glad you’re not sticking with a doctor you don’t like. You gotta click with your healthcare providers!
Sassybear:
Absolutely. And staff have been so great there, no reason to put up with a doctor like that.
I love those seafood pastries and I am sure your sweet little kittens would to. They need a special treat for the Holidays, tell them nothing is too good for Dudo and Moose. Indeed that looks like a painting, expert work for sure.
Laurent:
Oh, I am not opening the door to people food for the boys. We’d never hear the end of it.
Moose is the star of the show today and seems like he doesn’t even care!
That embroidery is wonderful; your mother was quite talented.
Bob:
My mother was extremely talented. Moose is the star of every show.
I would be highly suspicious of those little seafood bites. Who knows how long they have been there!
Anon:
I’m sure they were fresh there. But I wouldn’t want to take them home.
That’s embroidery? Wow! So glad about the electrician. We’re trying to line up one, along with a plumber. Time to get EVERYTHING done. Well, that’s my hope. Olivia
Olivia:
If you find a good plumber, send him our way. I’m sure our electrician would enjoy a trip.
You were absolutely right to be suspicious of those “seafood pastries”. As an aquatic ecologist, I wouldn’t eat raw fish/sushi or seafood at gunpoint!
Moose is sooooo adorable! Please email me that first photo of him sleeping in the chair if you get a chance — I’d love to turn him into a screen saver, LOL!
Your mom’s embroidery is so beautiful, I thought it was a painting in the first wall gallery shot! It must have taken her months or possibly years to make it…
Tundra Bunny:
My mother always had multiple needlework projects going. She would have spent some months on that I would guess, but not many. She never stopped working. Yeah, that seafood made me nervous. Besides, I wanted pastries. Moose photo is on its way!
Another yes vote for your mother’s artwork.
Hanging something perpendicular really is overthinking it.
Kirk:
And perpendicular would be so much work, don’t you think?
If you know ….. how long did it take your mom to complete that work of art?
Shirley:
Unfortunately, I don’t know. Perhaps a few months. But she was always working on more than one project at a time. And when she was home, she spent a lot of time on her embroidery, crocheting, and knitting… AND painting!
I bet Moose, Dudo and I, would be able to polish off the seafood selection. It looks delightful. The new space looks amazing, bright light, and a great place to see mom’s master pieces.
David:
I think Dudo and Moose would be too picky, if you can believe it. And they’ve never had people food. They turned town people tuna more than once. Now if there were chicken on a plate, I think they’d both grab some.
That embroidery is amazing, so beautiful! Fun Fact: I forgot what a bobeche was and right-clicked to get a quick definition. For some reason, I was also offered a translation into Greek. How could I resist? Bobeche in modern Greek is apparently μπετόειγια (betoāgia). Now didn’t that just make your day…
wickedhamster:
I’ve been wondering all day how to say bobeche in Greek.
I, too, had to google bobeche. Now I know. And soon I will forget.
There is really no need to repeat the obvious, but yes, your mother was a master embroiderer. And also, it is only stating the obvious that your nephrologist is a stellar example of what a doctor should be.
Your apartment is truly becoming a home. It’s a long slow process, isn’t it? But what a worthy one.
Moose really needs to learn how to relax. I mean- look at that cat. You can see the stress he’s holding in his muscles. Poor thing.
Moonsigh
Ms. Moonsigh:
Ah, Moose. You should hear him at night trying to herd everyone into the bedroom. THEN he’s not relaxed. But he’s a sweetheart. We hung more pictures today and are really loving the place. Can’t believe we have to wait 20 days for our sofa covers to arrive.
I’ve done enough needlework in the past to know that your mother’s is exquisite and way beyond my skill level. I am really impressed.
Kelly:
I really had never seen any better, and her walls and furniture (pillows) were covered with her work.