TILTING AT WINDMILLS: YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD

Friday, October 3, 2008

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD

The ‘Casa de los Duques de Alba de Tormes’ is Spain’s most noble family. It can trace its roots back to the 14 th century and I believe that it is far more ‘royal’ than the British ‘House of Windsor’. In a quick glance through the family’s assets I see listed four palaces, two castles and a handful of houses and estates. I can see you connecting with them immediately!

The present head of the family is María del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva or Cayetana to her friends. By my calculation she is 82 years of age and by all accounts was a bit of a girl in her day.

Today as she is wheeled out for events my heart sinks. Because of her ‘royal’ status the media hoard crowd around her firing questions hoping that she’ll mutter a quotable gem. Believe me it is not a pretty sight.

There have been recent rumours that the Duquesa is seriously ill. So I was surprised when this week she came out fighting. She insists “I am in good health” and wait for it “don’t rule out my getting married.”

According to Cayetana in an interview with ‘Hola’ her legs are now a problem but that does not stop her leading a normal life, or what passes for normal in the ‘Casa de Alba’. She insists that she loves Alfonso Díez, the feelings are very intense, they have corresponded for over 30 years and wedding bells may well ring in the near future.

Which just goes to show you are never too old especially if you are a Duquesa.

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TILTING AT WINDMILLS

Sancho Panza is much less learned but a good deal saner than his master.

"At this point they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that are on that plain.

"Fortune," said Don Quixote to his squire, as soon as he had seen them, "is arranging matters for us better than we could have hoped. Look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or more monstrous giants rise up, all of whom I mean to engage in battle and slay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our fortunes. For this is righteous warfare, and it is God's good service to sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth."

"What giants?" said Sancho Panza.

"Those you see there," answered his master, "with the long arms, and some have them nearly two leagues long."

"Look, your worship,'' said Sancho. "What we see there are not giants but windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the vanes that turned by the wind make the millstone go."

"It is easy to see," replied Don Quixote, "that you are not used to this business of adventures. Those are giants, and if you are afraid, away with you out of here and betake yourself to prayer, while I engage them in fierce and unequal combat."”