Wednesday, December 20, 2006

It's all about the Oil

Okay, so southern Spain isn't always hot. Sometimes it's cool, which it is right now. About 45F outside, warmer in the sun. Not bad for a few days before Christmas you say, but the problem is that's it's the same temperature inside the house. No central heating in these old places. All built to keep out the sweltering summer heat.

Took The Don and el gatito (his nickname for himself) out to look for a fleece jacket for me, but then chucked that idea and bought a space heater for everyone. Ojo in Spain, heaters are called Radiadores de Aceite. That would be "oil radiator". Visiting friends have thanked me six times in the last ten minutes.

Most of our lives here revolve around oil...the 'cheap' olive oil for cooking, the ecological olive oil for salads, oil and sugar on gatito's toast in the morning (normal child's breakfast), oily meats, oily fried fish. Luckily, to cut the grease, we have red wine and late nights. Speaking of which, the director of gatito's school (a very pretty young nun) called me last night at 10:30pm to ask me to come by the school today....wanted to give me a present for volunteering this last semester. 10:30pm seems a reasonable hour to make calls, doesn't it? Did I get a catholic trinket? A small jesus to hold? Some rosary beads? Nope. Wine. A Rioja Reserve. A 1994 thank you very much. One of her favorites, she says. And a bottle of champagne of course because she knows I have friends visiting. Said friends eyeing the bottles with desire....

Despite no central heating, Spain is not a bad place to be holed up with good friends for Christmas.

3 comments:

middlebrow said...

Excellent second post Sylvia. And we thank you for the extra heater.

It is good to be in Spain for Christmas.

Nik said...

Wow, you guys are making me so jealous. Wine and oil and late nights. OK, I'm not that good at the late nights but with company such as yours I'm sure I could make it until at least midnight.

Dr. Write said...

Yes. Gracias por el radiator del acete. Muy bien!