La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I take pills daily for my kidneys. In general, they’re prescribed for people with transplants to keep them from rejecting their new organs. I don’t have new organs. Still, I shouldn’t miss a dose. I take them the moment I wake up because I can’t have breakfast for at least an hour after.
Well, when I was about to go to bed last night, I took out my box of pills and found it empty. I had meant to toss the old box in recycling yesterday but I instead tossed the new one. Amazingly, I didn’t panic, but I immediately processed what I had to do first thing this morning. The pills are seriously controlled, so unlike most meds here in Spain, I couldn’t buy a box without a prescription.
I thought I’d have to go to the health center and ask them to call my nephrologist to approve another box. First though I decided to walk next door to the pharmacy on the off chance I could buy a box. It turns out my refill is due Friday. So, she very kindly let me buy a box today as long as I promised to return Friday so she could remove the bar code and process it as usual, at which time she’ll give me a full refund. What a relief. I took the pills later than usual and finished breakfast at 10:45. Not too bad.
While I waited, I tried to do some online work with our new bank after San Geraldo had had no success. Neither did I. Is it us or is it the app? I need to go to the bank anyway, because my debit card arrived with no numbers front or back, no hologram on the back, nor even my name. Fortunately, the front hologram works. But I don’t know if I’m in the mood to go to the bank today. Right now, let’s just return for one more look at the Church of San Lorenzo. My focus today is on what I found a bit unusual.
Tomo pastillas a diario para mis riñones. Generalmente, se recetan a personas que han recibido un trasplante para evitar que su organismo rechace los nuevos órganos. Yo no tengo órganos nuevos; aun así, no debo saltarme ninguna dosis. Las tomo nada más despertarme, ya que no puedo desayunar hasta que haya pasado al menos una hora.
Pues bien, anoche, justo cuando me iba a acostar, saqué mi caja de pastillas y vi que estaba vacía. Resulta que ayer, al intentar tirar la caja vieja al contenedor de reciclaje, tiré por error la nueva. Sorprendentemente, no entré en pánico; simplemente, enseguida supe lo que tenía que hacer a primera hora de esta mañana. Como son medicamentos bajo un control muy estricto, a diferencia de la mayoría de los fármacos aquí en España, no podía comprar una caja sin receta.
Pensé que tendría que ir al centro de salud y pedirles que llamaran a mi nefrólogo para que autorizara otra caja. Aun así, decidí pasarme primero por la farmacia de al lado, por si acaso podía comprar una. Resulta que mi próxima dispensación no toca hasta el viernes. La farmacéutica, muy amablemente, me permitió llevarme una caja hoy, con la condición de que vuelva el viernes para que ella pueda retirar el código de barras y tramitarlo como de costumbre; en ese momento, me hará un reembolso completo. ¡Qué alivio! Tomé las pastillas más tarde de lo habitual y terminé de desayunar a las 10:45. No ha estado mal.
Mientras esperaba, intenté realizar algunas gestiones online con nuestro nuevo banco, después de que San Geraldo no lograra hacerlo. Yo tampoco tuve éxito. ¿Seremos nosotros o será la aplicación? De todos modos, tengo que ir al banco, porque mi tarjeta de débito llegó sin números —ni por delante ni por detrás—, sin el holograma en el reverso y ni siquiera con mi nombre. Por suerte, el holograma de la parte frontal sí funciona. Pero no sé si hoy tengo ganas de ir al banco. Por ahora, volvamos a echar un vistazo a la iglesia de San Lorenzo. Hoy me voy a centrar en algunos detalles que me han parecido un tanto inusuales.
• El arcángel Rafael, santo patrón de Córdoba. Él también se va de pesca. (Haz clic aquí.)
• I confess. Privacy for the priest if he wants it, but none for the kneeling sinners. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
• Confieso. Privacidad para el sacerdote, si así lo desea, pero ninguna para los pecadores arrodillados. ¿No anula eso el propósito?
• I was so annoyed. I thought she was on her smart phone.
• Estaba muy molesto. Pensé que ella estaba usando su smart phone.
• Una de las estrechas ventanas de vidrieras, vista desde el exterior.
• Nuestra Señora Madre de Dios en sus Tristezas. Siglo XVII. Me recordó a Giggling Gertie, de la atracción «Magic Carpet Funhouse» de Coney Island. No tengo ni idea de por qué.
• Giggling Gertie (Gertie, la risueña). Seguía riéndose dentro de su cabina de cristal cuando nos mudamos a Brooklyn en 1964, y siempre quise llevármela a casa. Se jubiló en 1980 (se fabricó más de una unidad). Este todavía se ríe y se balancea, y puede ser tuyo por solo 23 500 dólares estadounidenses.
Raphael has rouged knees — channeling a twenties flapper? I’m impressed that you kept calm about the empty box, and solved the problem, phew. Boud
Boud:
A number of people commented on the rouged knees. I noticed them, too, but decided to leave it to you. I’ll write today about what I learned.
Odd confessional, though I must confess–see what I did there–I am unfamiliar with them.
Good move with the medication, and thanks to the kind pharmacist.
But then a nameless, numberless debit card? Oy.
Bob:
Once I finish reading and replying to comments, I’ll head to the bank. I’m already tired!
First of all, Archangel Raphael must spend a lot of time of his knees, judging from their suspicious redness. Hmmmm, that’s all I’m going to say about that.
The real mystery here is the statue of the nun holding the crossbow, with a clear crossbow bolt wound right between her eyes. It’s common for Christian martyrs to be depicted holding their instruments of torture/death so I assume that’s what’s being portrayed here. But even Mighty Google AI could not tell me who she is.
Glad the pharmacist was able to help out with the kidney pills! That should qualify her for modern sainthood, I think.
Boud chipping in: it looks like a crucifix and a couple of saints had that forehead wound, like the stigmata. I found their names but they’re pretty obscure.
Boud:
Yes, it’s a crucifix with a very realistic Christ, which looks odd in the nun’s hand… like she’s a giant.
Are you sure that’s a crossbow she’s holding? To me, it looks like a crucifix bearing a carving of Christ on it that she’s gazing at lovingly. Crossbows would have been as wide as the nun’s shoulders.
Tundra Bunny:
It does look like a crossbow and Debra’s not the only one who sees it. But I thought she was joking. It IS a crucifix with Jesus and he’s very realistically depicted. So it looks like a giant nun is holding Jesus on the cross in her hand.
I am so pleased I am not the only one to see “crazy saint with crossbow” in that photo, Debra! I was also curious why a nun would have a bindi…
Jx
Jon:
This is just too funny. I can’t NOT see the crossbow now. So much better than my smart phone.
Debra, I did an image reverse search on Google and this is what it said:
“The image shows a statue of Saint Rita of Cascia (Margherita Lotti) holding a crucifix and rosary beads. She was an Italian Augustinian nun who lived from 1381 to 1457. She bears a stigmatized wound (thorn mark) on her forehead. She is traditionally recognized as the patron saint of impossible or hopeless causes due to the severe hardships she endured in her marriage and religious life before experiencing miraculous answers to prayer.”
TexasTrailerParkTrash:
Thanks for doing that! I was too lazy. It’s always nice to know a bit more.
Debra:
Oh, so much to think about. I’ll share today what I learned about the rosy knees
I had some inappropriate thoughts about those. Your vision of a crossbow is so much better than mine of a smart phone! Hilarious.
Our pharmacy is truly wonderful. They know me by name (must be all the drugs) and are helpful, knowledgable, and so warm and friendly.
I hope the rest of your week goes much more smoothly.
David:
Not likely. It’s already scheduled to be one of those weeks. But I plan to get some things done today.
Raphael looks pretty realistic as these things go.
Man. Catholics are so into suffering. Sorrows and sufferings. I’d much rather hang out with Gertie. She looks like a good time gal.
Mary Moon:
The first time I saw Gertie, I was very, very young. My parents took us to Coney Island when we still lived on Long Island. I remember just standing and staring at Gertie as she rocked and laughed. I was in love with her. I had to be dragged away. When we moved to Brooklyn, the first time I walked to Coney Island I had to go find Gertie.
I think I would have been the same if I’d seen her as a child. What a wonderment!
Oh, geeeeee…. I’m very glad that you were able to get a new box of your pills. Yikes.
I’ve never been to Coney Island!
Judy C:
Coney Island is worth a visit. The NY Aquarium is there, too, right on the boardwalk. Great to go in late June to see the Mermaid Parade.
Is that a nun holding a crossbow with a halo? They tried to erase the Goddess but She reemerged as Mary. The Goddess as Mary was safe to worship in the time of kill ’em or convert ’em.
ellen abbott:
Ha ha! You’re not the only one who saw a crossbow. I didn’t but, you sure are right. It’s a crucifix with a very realistic Jesus on it and that is very strange to see in the hand of a giant nun.
That must be the gayest Raphael I have ever seen!
“Our Lady” on the other hand, looks downright miserable, and I prefer Gertie… Jx
Jon:
I would love to have Gertie for my very own. Only $23,500! Should I do a Go-Fund-Me or just get the money out of the bank?
That confessional would have made the whole process SO much more difficult than it already was for the person confessing. Geez, the Roman Catholic church had cruelty down to an art.
Jim:
Another one of the churches have even more exposed confessionals. I’ll share those soon.
Just read the abundant comments on this one. Yep, definitely St Rita, as TX Trailer so correctly observed. The “open” confessional was the early model, after a screen between priest and penitent became required. They’re common in old, especially European, churches which could not otherwise be retrofitted.
Wickedhamster,
I’ve seen some confessionals even more sparse and exposed. Wow.