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I’m Finally Working on My Audiobook

I’ve been wanting to make an audiobook of Rare Steak, Red Wine, Hot Tango for a while. It’s apparently the fastest growing segment of the book market, and soon it will be expected that most books have audio versions.

A couple of days ago, I listened to a webinar where the guest was someone who specializes in teaching authors to record their own audiobooks, and it was very good. I decided I’d buy his program if it wasn’t too expensive. But when he got to the part where he was pitching the program, it looked familiar. Yep, you guessed it — I already had it! A year ago I heard the same guy do someone else’s webinar and I bought the program then. I knew I wasn’t ready at that time, but would be at some point. Then I promptly forgot all about it.

Anyway, I’ve now started watching it. I have pretty much all the equipment I need to do the recording, and I expect to start it in the next few days. Stay tuned.

I also want to let you know that I am about to release a second edition of the book, because it’s been a couple of years since it came out and I’d like to give it a boost in sales. Amazon’s rules say you have to make substantial changes to justify a new edition, so I first updated the information to reflect the fact that I now live here. Then I added two new chapters: one about my stay in hospital last year, and another tango one, this time about the clothes — with photos!

I’ll be publishing the new edition this week, so if you haven’t read it yet, this might be a good time to order. I’ll let you know when it’s done, and also when the audiobook is available.

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I Believe the Terrorist lLook Is Trending!

At first I believed what I heard — that masks weren’t really helpful. I was told they were for people who were sick, so that they wouldn’t spread the virus to others, but didn’t do any good otherwise. Of course, now that has been shown to be wrong, so I decided to get with the program.

However, there are no masks available, so I decided to make my own. I saw videos on how to make masks out of a bra, but mine are the wrong shape. I had tried a scarf, but apparently that is the least effective, probably not helped by the fact that it kept slipping off. I then read that one of the best things to use was old t-shirt material. The only t-shirt I was willing to sacrifice was black — hence the terrorist look! Like it?

 

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This is my currently nightly schedule!

Well I think we all know about the nightly applause in appreciation of the emergency workers, which has now spread around the world. In Buenos Aires, that’s at 9 pm.

A couple of days ago, I received notification about another initiative, and I’m sorry but I can’t remember the name of the organization that set this up. But the plan is at a certain time, people around the world join in prayer, or meditation or contemplation as their belief systems allow. They provided the time in various zones, and in Buenos Aires, that’s at 5 pm.

Last night at around 9.30 pm, I heard this raucous noise coming from all around, from the other buildings. I suspect what it was, and it turned out I was right. In Buenos Aires there is a custom for people to protest injustice or inequity by gathering in the streets and banging pots with spoons and other kitchen implements. It’s called a cacerolazo. This morning I found out it was a protest because people think politicians are paid way too much money and their salaries should be reduced. So pots will be banged every night at 9.30 pm — not sure how long this will go on.

So now I have all these alarms set on my iPhone: praying at 5 pm, clapping at 9 pm and banging pots at 9.30 pm!

And now my friend Venetia is setting up a group for a virtual glass of Malbec at 8 pm — I thought I was fully booked, but I think I can fit that in!What times we’re living in, eh?

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More things I’ve accomplished during lockdown

  • In the absence of my cleaning lady, cleaned my apartment. Most of us will be giving these worthy ladies a bonus when they come back, but in the meantime since I’m doing the work I feel I should be paid. So I’m putting away what I pay her every week, and “when all this is over” I’m going to spend it on something I’m not allowed to do now — I hope it won’t be tango shoes, as that would mean we’ll have had a very long quarantine!
  • Continued to experiment with cooking. Can I now say I love cooking? Not yet, but maybe one day. But I am eating well, and I’m saving quite a bit of money I usually spend on eating out.
  • Held an online creative writing time with three of my writer friends. We used to be in the same writers’ group here, but now one is in Chicago, one in London and two of us still here. It was so successful, and so nice to reconnect, that we’ve decided to do it every Friday at least until we are released from captivity.

Have you done anything you’d like to share? Put it in the comments.

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Fresh Banana Bread for Lunch!

I’m using this enforced isolation to work on my cooking skills. If you know me well you are probably laughing, but it’s true.

This morning I made this banana bread, and I’m having some for lunch. You may think that’s not a very nutritious lunch, but think about it. It has fibre and potassium from the bananas, and a hearty doze of yumminess. What’s wrong with that??

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Wedding on the Beach

A couple of weeks ago, I went with Cecilia and three other women friends to Pinamar, where we celebrated the wedding of Cecilia’s daughter Pia — on the beach! I was so excited looking forward to this, as it’s such a romantic idea. And it didn’t disappoint!

We left on Friday and stayed until Sunday around noon. We had rented a full apartment through Air BnB, and it was amazing. So new you could still smell the newness. Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, kitchen and breakfast room, one balcony with built-in asado and an ocean view, one with a view of the hills behind the town. And a pool on the roof deck.

There were eight women — seven Argentines and me! You can only imagine. Seven women speaking rapid colloquial Spanish, all at the same time, all weekend! I actually understood more than I thought I would, but I have to admit from time to time I simply tuned out in the interests of my sanity.

Pizza Night

On the Friday night Pia and Valentin had organized a pizza party at a local bar, imaginatively called The Bar. There were about fifty people there and it was fun, but it was really quite cold. We were a bit concerned about how cold it was going to be on the beach. In fact, many people had warned me to take warm clothes as it can be very windy and cold on the Argentine coast.

The Big Day

Fortunately, the warm clothes stayed in the suitcases as the weather was hot, sunny and beautiful. We went up to the roof after breakfast and enjoyed swimming in the pool. Then we brought up a bottle of champagne from the kitchen and got started early on the celebration — this was 11 am! Cecilia sent a photo to Pia, who then begged us not to drink as there would be lots of booze at the wedding. Too late!

We had snacks for lunch, and then all the other ladies went to get their hair and makeup done. I chose to do my own, which gave me a blissful two hours alone in the apartment to get ready and give my head a rest!

Obligatory Panic

Pia’s sister, Macarena, was the bridesmaid. She had chosen a cool little dress in a fabulous shade of jade green. Unfortunately, before coming to Pinamar she hadn’t been able to find shoes to go with it! So Saturday morning was spent with her partner, Daniela, running around Pinamar and neighbouring towns frantically trying on shoes! Eventually, she found what she liked and the panic was over.

What we didn’t know until later was that Pia’s brother, Joaquin, had forgotten his suit, shirt and tie! Carefully chosen and assembled for the wedding, it had inadvertently been left behind. So he and his partner, Corinna, were running around at the same time as Macarena and Daniela! Joaquin ended up renting an outfit, which solved the whole problem.

Dressed to Kill

We had planned to leave at 6.30 pm, and by that designated time we were all dressed up in our wedding finery. We all looked pretty good and couldn’t wait to get to the venue!

I have to say it was what we call in Scotland a “well dressed wedding”! There were eighty guests, many of whom were friends of the bride and groom. What a group of beautiful young people, both chicos and chicas! The range of styles was wide, but all chosen with care and they all looked happy and lovely!

The Wedding

Apparently there had been a disagreement between the bride and groom as to whether the wedding would be actually on the beach or in a restaurant right on the beach. Naturally the bride won, so it was in the restaurant. I think she was probably thinking of all the ladies’ shoes sinking into the sand. Anyway, it was a fabulous venue, with lots of space both indoors and out, and the best party I’ve been to in a long time!

They had hired a well known Argentine celebrity MC, and he was hilarious. He had obviously done his homework about the couple and their friends and added immensely to the fun.

They also had a DJ and the music was non-stop. It was the kind of dancing where you just dance with whoever is in front of you, or even several people! I barely sat down except to have a sip or two of wine! Eventually Maria Luisa, my roomie, and I got a taxi and went home at 2.30 am. Cecilia and the family were still dancing up a storm, and they eventually got home at 6.30 am!

Next morning we had brunch at a cafe on the beach — nobody talked much, just drank a lot of coffee.

All in all, it was a great weekend, a happy occasion and a GREAT party! Here’s a selection of photos of the event.

Champagne by the pool

One of our balconies, this one with a barbecue and a view of the beach

The ladies’ table — which Cecilia and I promptly left to go walkabout!

First we found a table full of men — a good place to start!

Ready for the party with Cecilia!

With Macarena and Daniela — las chicas!

With the bride

Cecilia’s tribute to her daughter

Pia with the MC

Valentin pays tribute to his bride

Happy Bride and Groom

Bride and groom in the sea — no, not at sunset, at sunrise!

The morning after the night before

Too cold to go all the way in, but at least I got my feet wet!

 

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Siege Mentality Setting In

Today I went to the supermarket, and the first thing I saw was that there were no carts available, as there were so many people shopping. I had to take a basket, which meant I couldn’t take everything I planned to buy. As I walked around the aisles I saw that the shelves, while not empty, were rapidly thinning out. The people who had managed to get carts had loaded them up mountain high, and it took forever to check out.

This struck me as an indication that siege mentality has set in. And you should know that so far we have a total of 40 cases of coronavirus in the whole country!

Other signs

Most public events have been cancelled, including football matches – gasp! Now that is really serious in this football mad country. An annual gaucho fair we were going to attend today was cancelled. All events of the expat organization I belong to have been cancelled until further notice. Concerts some of us attend at the Kirchner Center cancelled until further notice.

Yesterday I had lunch with four women friends, only a couple of whom did the usual Argentine hug and kiss when we met. That’s part of the national culture here and it’s hard to see it go. I hope it comes back when the virus goes away. There was to be a fifth friend at our lunch, but just yesterday the government decreed that anyone arriving in the country in the last eight days had to self-quarantine for fourteen days, and Joanna had arrived from the US seven days before.

And in a move that devastated those of us who dance tango, all the milongas have been closed until further notice! Mind you, I have to admit that with all that close contact and the fact that at this time of year many of the dancers are visiting from other countries, it was probably a wise move. Thank goodness I still have my lesson with Alejandro so I can get my tango fix at least once a week!

It’s very strange to look at my social calendar for next week and see it empty. Still, it’s worse in many other countries, and I hope that by taking these measures this early, we can avoid a major outbreak.

Wherever you are as you read this, I hope you are managing to live as normally as possible through the crisis and taking care of yourself as much as possible. This too shall pass.

Self-isolating Argentine style

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Drip…drip…drip…

I woke up at 3 am to the sound of dripping, and I found water leaking through the bathroom ceiling. I didn’t want to wake the portero at that time, so I stuck a bucket under it and went back to bed.

I told him in the morning, and when he checked he found the people upstairs had gone away for the weekend and left a tap running! He stopped the problem upstairs, but it will take some time for all the built up water to come through, and the mark on the ceiling is still spreading!

I’ve told my landlady. Over the years I’ve learned that a perk of renting is you don’t have to bother about stuff like this — it’s up to the owner to deal with it. I hope it stops soon though as the sound is getting on my nerves!

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Pia and Valentin’s wedding

Pia is Cecilia’s daughter, so as a “member of the family” I was invited to her wedding on Friday. What a lovely, happy day it was!

This was the civil ceremony at the registry office, with about forty guests who all then went back to Cecilia’s place for the party. There had been rain in the forecast and that was a concern because the meal was to be an asado, and they were counting on people being able to sit outside. Anyway, it turned out to be a hot, sunny day and the rain didn’t come until late in the evening when it was all over. The meal was fantastic — lomo (fillet mignon) on the barbecue, great sausages and all the other components of an Argentine asado. And lots of champagne to go with it!

These photos are at the ceremony and afterwards. I didn’t take any at the house, but when I get a link to the official ones I’ll pick out a few and post them.

Now here’s the fun part. They are having another ceremony at the end of this month — on the beach! I’ve never been to a beach wedding and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll definitely post more photos then.

It’s official!

Cecilia and I and her sister had already left for the car, so we missed out on getting into this one!

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Surprise Visitor

On Friday just before 3 pm I was at my desk in the bedroom, preparing for a Zoom call with a client in Canada. As I sat reviewing my notes, I thought I heard a noise from the living room, but when I looked I didn’t see anything amiss.

When I went to the washroom just before the appointed time for the call, I found a baby pigeon had found its way in, probably through the kitchen window, and was now frantically flying all around the washroom! I don’t mind birds, but I don’t want to share my space with them and they unnerve me when they are fluttering around in close confines.

I opened the window, but the bird was so panicked it couldn’t find its way there, and instead hid behind the toilet bowl and the bidet. Someone else might have picked it up gently and helped it out the window, but I was not interested in doing that. I banged about making noise in the vicinity but it wouldn’t come out. I decided I’d better stop before the poor thing had a heart attack — besides, it was past time for my call!

So I left the window open, gently closed the door and left. An hour later when my call was over, I gingerly opened the door to investigate — and it had gone! Thank goodness. That kind of visitor I don’t need!