the rain in spain

Yesterday, the skies were open above bcn, but that made it no less beautiful - even more so, perhaps, and it was another day rich in company. And now as I grudgingly prepare to leave I am again taking with me much that is unforgettable. MUST jet back asap...

I *heart* BCN

Once again, I do not feel the written word can adequately express how much I have loved these past days. From scooting around the city on the back of GP's Vespa to family by association to cooking and clubs and hilarious conversation, it has been perfect. Complete with background Barbra Streisand soundtrack which made me laugh like I haven't in ages. I don't wanna go home... :.(

buenos noches do barcelona

Mmmmmm what a delicious day. Am too tired to elaborate. Will fill in the details in good time.Already sad to face leaving on Monday...

barca better and better

Ahhh the days continue unabated with fantastic-ness. My time is limited at the moment as I am due back in another plenary session on Patient Safety, yippee skippeee, but wanted to take advantage of the internet while I could (GP´s has been suffering some techinicaly difficulties, and besides, we haven´t gotten in before 1am yet, hardly the time to get on board the FIP web access boat).

In OTHER developments, have stumbled upon a potentially great contact from AZ. Hmmmm heel lekker, heel HEEL lekker. Have made the most of breakfasts and lunches and workshops in hopes of futher establishment. We´ll see what happens.

Tonight is the night we have our Noti date, GP and me, and although the last few have not exactly been low key, this is OUR night to do it up right. Crack the cava, we have the day off tomorrow! Lots to dish and discuss, will be most enjoyable.

Must jet, patient safety is waiting. WHOOP WHOOP *eye roll*

beautiful barcelona

Barely scratches the surface, that phrase, as this city seems to get more beautiful and warmly inviting each time I come. Could be the company I am keeping as well. Already have one smashingly fantastic evening chalked up, to be followed by many more.
Conference thus far, comme ci comme ca. More to follow.

blog envy

At both the suggestion of someone who knows good things when she sees it and on my own Google-searching accord I have begun to read several other Blogs, almost all of people I don't know, and have come to realise that mine is lacking on so many levels. I have no celebrity gossip or fashion reports, I seldom have a photo, and now that I think of it, the Blog is quite self-indulged. In my defense I must surmise that the purpose of a Blog is exactly that, to indulge those individuals who secretly thrive on the infamous notion that people other than themselves are actually interested in their daily lives. I mean really, has the past 9 months of blogging (9 months, can you believe it?) served any real purpose? Well, you're reading this aren't you?

The weekend was up, down, all around. Friday, however, saw what is most certainly the WORST dinner in the history of our bad dinners to grace our humble household. Oh don't worry, it involved no cooking, which although often thought the solution to the problem in truth is most likely the source. It consisted of (brace yourselves) baby carrots that had half frozen in the fridge, a veggie Turkish-pizza-gone-wrong (read: lettuce in a mini pita), a handful of pistachio nuts, and a frozen melon dessert monstrosity rivaling that had in the Hawker Centres of Singapore. I should have aborted mid-way and gone for the Dinner Default of cereal, but, there was no going back.

Tomorrow I go to Barcelona. I ache with happiness and anticipation of a fabulous week ahead of both work and play and going here there and everywhere with the best of friends! Some will be missing, quel domage at the Bob L'Eponge level, and we will miss them. But, I know there will be good food, good cava, good conversations, and good times.

In an hour and a half I can relieve myself from work and try to kick the nagging pull of all that I am leaving behind for the next week. Not completely of course, as I will try to make a valiant attempt to include SOME work time over the next days. OK, I can't promise I'll TRY, but I'll TRY to try. Kind of like packing light.

Mmmmmtonight I can dream of omelets...and trout....

3 countries, 5 days, 1 dessert party, and Alcazar

Original Posting: Sunday, 12th February, marred by troublesome Blogability

After an entire week of trying in vain to publish and republish and edit and create on the beloved Blog only to arrive at the presumptuous conclusion that some sort of technical mishap was thwarting my progress (the Blog gods were angry...) I am back on track to bring an excuse to waste ten minutes of the day to my masses of (*cough*, 2) fans. Ahhhh, it's good to be back. [although it has taken me more than one attempt to actually post this one...come ON Blog people...]

Although it is not as though the past week has offered much opportunity to Post, as it has been am electric-psychedelic European ride through 3 countries in 5 days. Granted one of the countries was that of residence, but seeing as how I have been playing tour guide I am including it in the mix. There is not much left to say regarding Copenhagen that has not already been reported. The event that will form the foundation of my memory of the city of Danes is that of my $100 scallops. OH and a most excellent addition to the wardrobe I was in desperate need of: a lovely black pleated skirt that will go ever so nicely with the new Massimo shirt.

The return to the homeland quickly brought on the evening that many were waiting for: the housewarming dessert party, where the snowcone of old life meets new life was shaken into a flurry of fun! SUCH good times and laughs were had by all! Despite the absence of some key players of team "Party Make Better", who were greatly missed, a fine night was had by all. BH90210 was in top form and came toting one of the most thoughtful gestures ever offered. I was most pleasantly surprised, despite the sharp recognition of that which is both sweet and bitter all at once. Meh, whatever...GOOD TIMES!

The past 36 hours have seen my Canadian counterpart JM and I on a superwoman mad dash through the City of Lights, where I tried to show her the best of the best of the city that exudes a vibe that captivates heart and mind more and more with each visit. And this visit was by far the best, highlighted by a SUPER fabulous night of dinner and music and drinks and shmoozing in one of Paris' most trendy nightspots. And, thanks to Jackie, who is as far from shy as one can POSSIBLY get, many interesting people peppered the night with conversation. tuesday-wednesday-thursday...tuesday-wednesday-thursday...hehehehehehehe. Best Parisienne night ever. When in Paris, do as the Parisiennes and go to Alcazar. You won't regret it.

And this morning had us jetting from Eiffel to Morrison to Paul in a mad dash to fit it all in before departure back to DH. And we did it. Granted, there were gaps in the cultural, geographical, and social Parisienne educaton of my Canadian friend, but we made a valiant effort, and this is but the first visit. Tomorrow, I delay work for another day and we tackle Amsterdam, in all its Red Light-Spacecake glory. After more than a week in Holland, it's probably about time for her to finally see the capital.

SUCCESS!

WOW these sucessful attempts are addictive....I'm officially strung-out on Blog...

well fancy that

Hmm, it seems as though the Blog Gods are in good humours today. Lucky me. Too bad ma petite histoire is laying in waiting at home to be posted. Will have to try later, or failing that send it to the work equipment for release, hopefully dodging the impeding technical difficulties like Bond on the run from [insert evil villain here].

The sun is shining when just an hour ago it was once again Les Miserables at the Tony Award winning level. Almost got blown away by wind and rain on the way to work this AM but pushed through at the thought of the lovely carafe of French Vanilla coffee waiting for me op de kantoor. Mmm het was heel lekker....although have switched to raspberry tea at the moment and can't say I'm entirely enjoying it. Not that I'm NOT enjoying it, but I've always been neutral about tea. The Switzerland of Tea, if you will.

Have not been happy these past 24 hours. Fab Friend Jackie left, quelle tristesse, have been preserving staunch neutrality in the face of varying levels of annoyance with regards to several aspects of daily life and associated daily life personalities (always mildly stressful...broke out in canker sores...), but most of all, my pet is sick. Beloved Golden Retriever Phoenix, at the significant canine age of 12, is unwell. No one is sure why, and all are awaiting to hear. Although no doubt well taken care of back in Place of Origin, I worry.

However, in less than 6 days I will be in one of my fave places in the presence of favourite company, and I have to force self to not think too much about it or will accomplish nothing save a mental compilation of what to see and do and pack and wear and eat and say and an overall glee glow at spending a week with GP. Trying to also fight the nagging notion that it could be months between visits next time... *quash quash*.

Well I am anxious to see if this post is posted as well. Wish I would have forwarded the saved brief for an office attempt. Ah well, keeps the fans wanting more, n'est pas?

3...2....1...POST!

marche, marche pas

I have no idea what's going on with the Blog. Sometimes it posts, sometimes not. I have this WONDERFUL little histoire to put online at home and yet EACH TIME thwarted.

Hmmm let's see if this one even works...

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

My Blog is defunct...

theories of relativity

They (Einstein, Hawking, Jung?) say that extremes cannot be judged without a point of reference. What is cold if you don't know hot? What is far compared to close? What is fast if you don't know slow? (If a tree falls in the forrest, does anybody hear? How do I know, this sounds like nature...). AND not only that but the exact point of reference changes with each situation, and therefore the differences between hot/cold/fast/slow etc etc are blurred into a vagueness that is impossible to explain. One would say a plane is fast. One would also say a hot little pink Vespa is fast. They clearly are not even remotely similar in their capabilities, and yet we would describe them both as fast. What is my point in all this useless drivel? If January is my reference, then February is moving at warp speed.

Tonight, however, I am moving quite sloooowwwww, ie the pace of a slug hepped up on benzos, but am sensing the arrival of an unwelcome cold and have been fighting fatigue all day. MUST NOT get sick, MUST NOT! As of 11am tomorrow my fabulous month begins with a trip to Il Mondo where I will be coiffed to the max with new hair followed by a trip to work on that healthy winter glow only achieved under the best sunbeds. That will be followed by an afternoon of shopping to stock up on necessities for a week of guest and travel and replacement essentials that have fallen victim to household accidents this week (do you stil have 7 years of bad luck if a mirror falls off the wall on its own free will? Or insufficient nail?)

The spelling incongruency putting a damper on my week has reverted back to usual, for the most part, and I know better than to worry. Sometimes time constraints cause these things to happen...I am thinking. It's not me...(or is it?). Nee.

I foresee this being one of the best weeks in the history of, well, EVER! There is such a rush surrounding the merging of my two worlds, I hope it keeps happening and happening. And just this week there was another example of how crazy small the world is - it turns out a fellow Canadian from Montreal who I have yet to meet but have emailed online is working in Leiden right next to a friend of mine I have known for years who I met in Strasbourg forever ago. Ms. Montreal happened to mention she was going to meet someone from Winnipeg next week who now lives in The Hague, and Mr. Leiden is like...MYRIAH? And she's all, OMG. Crazy. Small. I think I need to get back to my cosy place on the couch. Stock up on sleep now, fight germs, feel fantistic, look fabulous. Done and done. And done.

3...2..1...FEBRUARY!

**AND THE PEASANTS REJOICED**

Ahhh, by the time this goes to post the month that has seemed like years will be OVER.

O-V-E-R! My wonderful New Year's Eve seems a lifetime ago, as does the last time I have seen all who were there. *sigh* sadness...BUT NOT TOO MUCH as this Sunday, a mere 5 days from right now, will be the real kick off to the year, or at least what the year should be.
In other news, for some completely unexplainable reason I am all but de-commissioned from my Tae-Bo workout this morning. It started as mild, oh, shall we say, discomfort, in the lower back region around 3pm, and now, I can barely hobble about the flat and merely lying here in a half reclined position is causing every muscle below L5 to throb in pain. I have done nothing different than the other millions of times I have done this, it was only the second day in a row, and I didn't even feel I was over exerting myself at the time. And yet...I hurt. Ache. Throb. All of the above.
They say that the female genre of the species tends to over think things. Yes I know there was absolutely no segue into this comment, but it mildly fits, trust me without asking an explanation. One slight change in tone or content or perception or the spelling of a word (this may seem insignificant, but it would depend on the work, n'est pas?) and we are launched into a spinning orbit of scrutiny, examination and doubt. And I believe this transcends all work, play, friend, neighbour, colleague, and cohabitant. But I suppose that's the price we pay for being able to simultaneously juggle upwards of 7 jobs in a multi-tasking frenzy when required. MSN was made for chicks....hehehehehe.
By my watch it is now 24 minutes into the month. Hmmm. Painful start. BUT I will hardly allow some unwarranted myopathy and rhabdomyolysis to quash my optimism for the coming weeks.

IN THE NAME OF FABULOUSNESS, BRING ON FEBRUARY!

(Editors Note: Due to techinical difficulties the posting of the above was approximately 6 hours in the making, but was written in real time as January 2006 went away forever!)