Time the final currency

 An article in the NYT the other day gave a list of good advice the columnist had solicited from readers. This one resonated with me, especially in the year we both turned 70. 

"Retire as soon as you can. Time will always be your most valuable asset. — Julie Drew, Akron, Ohio". 

I have been retired since June 2010 and I am so grateful for all the moments since then that I might have never had if I had continued working. Would I have more money?  Of course, but my memories of all the people and places I have come to know in those fourteen plus years are truly worth more than the money I "left on the table" by retiring young enough and in good enough health to enjoy the TIME that I "purchased". 

All who know my "travel jones" also know my mantra GO NOW. Whatever you think you want to do.... Don't wait - time is the final currency. 

"Don’t waste time. Time is the final currency, man. Not money, not power – it’s time." — David Crosby

so as 2025 comes rolling toward us- time to reflect on what we may want to change in our lives given that the runway is getting shorter with each passing year- as the beloved Steve Goodman said "from the cradle to the crypt it's a mighty short trip - better get it while you can."

Looking back on 2024- it was a very good year all around!

And to commemorate I have chosen my ten photos of year 2024...

So on to 2025 and more adventures!

Chris-anukkah or Chrismukkah

 So Christmas-Hanukkah week started with traditional Chinese LOL- 

this menu item seemed designed to ensure the chef never had to prepare the dish !

From the internet:

What is in Mao Xue Wang?

Mao Xue Wang is a spicy stew with origins in southwestern China's megacity. Made of duck blood curd, tripe, chicken gizzard and other organ parts simmered in a broth that is made of peppercorn and chili.

well- there you have it- 

Then we made a stop at our most frequented restaurant since our arrival in February 2023.... Casapuerta.  Tuesday night is the big holiday celebration for families - Christmas Eve. Noche Buena.Though Christians believe Christ was born on Christmas Day, commonly celebrated with a mass, Hispanic cultures that celebrate Noche Buena focus on the night before Christ's birth, or Christmas Eve. It's an anticipatory celebration where families gather to eat and often exchange gifts. Then the children get their gifts on Reyes. 

As the holiday season rolls to a close for most of Europe, in Spain January 6th marks one of the most long-awaited days of the year. The Three Kings Day, (Reyes) is a vibrant and joyous fiesta celebrated by families across the entire Iberian Peninsula and Spanish islands. The three kings travel from the East bringing with them desired gifts delivered to households across Spain on the night of January 5th. The day after, the 6th, is a day for spending with loved ones and sharing gifts. 

So for our last dinner out until after Christmas day.  We chose Casapuerta, because the folks there feel like family to us.💕 

We had HOT soup (very unusual for Andalusian restaurants) as starters. Then we shared the red tuna carpaccio. Phil had steak and I had salad. We split a piece of their excellent tarta de queso.  

While there were plenty of folks out, it wasn't crazy like it was over the weekend. A few days of quiet will be nice. I made some chili for the chilly weather. Not being religious, we will celebrate at home by relaxing, sleeping late, and catching up on mundane tasks like gathering documents for taxes 😂. Feliz Navidad!

We split the cheesecake so we could stop for gelato on the way home LOL

Two days and nights of dining at home... then out for a special dinner at AMARA...  

An excellent meal... two more meals for christmas-hanukkah week... Tradevo and Acento... then into the new year's week. 

our walk home across town - via Plaza San Francisco

Acento on Saturday night - rounded out our Christmas - Hanukkah week...

So the bartender at Acento, one of our local haunts, made a new creation for us to try. I didn't get everything that's it in but we recommended to the owner that he add it to his cocktail list. It has vodka and some citrus flavors and something spicy and some sweet (a bit of peach liqueur perhaps) rimmed in salt I think this would please any taste preferences. It was all over the map but no one thing dominated. It just tasted really good. She's calling it The Liar. So if it does make it to the list I'll fill you in on the actual ingredients. Meanwhile the slow cooked beef ribs were excellent as our main. The rest of our food was also but I especially liked the burrata salad tonight with the light pesto dressing. Phil had the tuna tataki. We wished all the staff and owner a happy new year. We'll see them in late January when we get back from our "winter break".

so now - on to the New Year's week!  another quiet one - we always stay home on new year's eve... we have already laid in supplies of goodies and assorted beverages.