Abdication can be a "good thing". I had a wonderful afternoon with KiKi yesterday and made him spaghetti and meatballs. There was no cheese, though, as I agreed to put him on a diet; that means no cheese, no cream sauces, no pate'. He's taken it in stride and is still the only dog I know who likes spinach. After lunch we played a hand of canasta. I think he tried to cloud me with a discussion of politics during it; KiKi said he thought The Balkans would always be a problem and, while I agreed to their tragic history of mischief, countered that now the real problem are the Chinese. KiKi reminded me of my jaded past of both Japanese and Chinese boyfriends and said that I was certainly not one to scream, "Yellow Peril"; at that point he won the game and I suggested we have a half hour power nap.

Later I just had to poke my face into The Palace; as a newly dowager it seemed not inappropriate. FernanDcute was absolutely marvelous as Donatella Versace. There were some snide comments about my abdication, the most important of which was, "Did you keep the jewels?" I gave him A Look. No dowager leaves without the jewels, even the ones they can't see. Even though Lake Okeechobee is down to about three feet, I have so many jewels sewn into my corsets that I'd sink and drown if pushed in.

I have made it a point (jewels aside) to have handed over to Juan Carlos I everything but one. He has been given titles, court jesters, food tasters, crowns, and enough hangers-on to sink the Bismark. The only little thing I kept was The Imperial Guard. I retain Ray's Latino "rear" guard and the remaining members of Jeremy's "top" guard. Carlos is too likable to need them; and, well, you never know...