Wednesday, February 7, 2024

I ❤️ Pedro Almodovar

The best part of Monday was dinner with Eoin, François and Jay. The four of us have become great friends. The dinner was a blast. We had a great time, and Jay was in good form. He has finally received help with his Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). During our evening together, he hardly ever coughed. In the past, he has been unable to stop. And soon he will have an oxygen pump to wear. It will vastly improve his endurance, the poor guy.

Tuesday began with a visit to the groomer for Sheba, and I had domestic chores to do while she was made beautiful. It was a glorious day, and we reached a mild 8° in the afternoon. I spent much of the day cleaning, tidying and cooking, but the evening was all relaxation.  

It’s been wonderful these past several sunny days because it is bright outside until almost 6:00. Monday night, driving to Eoin and François’ place, I drove under a blazing pink sky. It was spectacular and bright at 5:30. Daylight Savings time begins on March 10. I can hardly wait.

Everyone and their dog were out trail walking in the afternoon. And everyone was in great spirits; every encounter with walkers asking, “Isn’t it a gorgeous afternoon?” Sheba impressed everyone because she was almost glistening after her wash and cut. She looks spectacular. 

When we got home, I made my third batch of Thai Shrimp soup. With each batch, I change the recipe and now I have a flavour that I like. Now it’s time to move onto a new dish. I love concocting new dishes to serve my guests. I’m going to have Eoin, François and Jay ovcr for dinner soon, and I’ll serve the Thai Shrimp dish now that I have a final formula.

I watched a Pedro Almodovar film last night. I really like his films. I love how he uses colour and overdubs sound.

When I was in my late thirties, I had a heart attack. When I was discharged, I had to spend a lot of time at home, sitting lying down for a couple of weeks. The girl next door, Stephanie, who was very young, came in to check on me every day once school was out. And one thing she did for me, was fetch videos.

One day, I asked her to get me an Almodovar film. I had heard of him, but never seen one of his films. Steph came home with six of his films. I phoned the library, told them I was an invalid, and asked if they could help me put the six film titles in chronological order. I popped in the first one, and when the credits finished, the first scene was Antonio Banderas—a young, brooding, phenomenally handsome Antonio Banderas—going into the bedroom of someone very rich, taking off all his clothes, and masturbating in the bed. 

I was hooked. I watched all those films. Then I watched them all again with the sound off, just studying the details of the sets. The guy is a visual artist in film. He has a wonderful way of telling his stories. I absolutely loved the film I watched last night—Pain and Glory (2019). It, too, featured Antonia Banderas as a gay man.

I am fluent with people on the trails, as long as someone doesn’t make a move to engage. I’m just fine when it’s a light short chat in passing. And that’s shitty, because my true friends get a pretty broken speaker, for the first half hour or so. Then I get better if we are in a home and it’s devoid of other activity. It’s brutally hard to speak with Dr. S. And impossible with clerks and servers, etc. On April 9, my poor speech will have been part of my for 8 years.

When I think about myself living in care somewhere, I see myself being completely non-verbal.

It’s cloudy today, and cool, but hey, it’s ain’t Nova Scotia or California. The photos that I’ve seen in both places are unbelievable. I got some mild yard work done yesterday, but I won’t be out there today. It’s an indoor day for me today. I love these days with no appointments, no pressure to do anything and when I can do whatever I want to do. 
















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