tsunami relief

Oxfam America http://www.oxfamamerica.org/ American Red Cross International Response Fund www.redcross.org American Friends Service Committee (AFSC Crisis Fund) http://www.afsc.org Please consider giving as generously as you can to one of these organizations. Every dollar, euro, or pound makes a difference. mylifeinspain

culture shock

Hi there. Sorry so long without an entry, but this is truly one of the first quiet moments I have had in a week. All good stuff though. Fairly painless albeit slightly delayed flights. Managed to find a place to have a cigarette (yes, folks, mylifeinspain still smokes, although not for much longer) in Heathrow. The airport has these little U-shaped Plexiglas-enclosed spaces with heavy-duty air purifiers where people like me crowd around the few ashtrays that have been provided as the throngs of nonsmokers cast evil glances as they pass. Very strange experience. Spent the first five days of my US tour with my family in PA Dutch country. Family is all well, and it was great to see them all. Particularly enjoyed getting reacquainted with my two-year-old niece, who is not only beautiful but also has a wicked sense of humor already, and my brother's girlfriend's six-year-old son, who is hypersmart and tricky. I let a "bloody hell" slip while we were making eggs for breakfast the one morning, and he replied, "Where did you learn that word?" Oh well, I try my best, just not used to being around children on a regular basis....I enjoyed roaming the streets and supermarket of my hometown. I've been away for so long that no one recognizes me, but I still know most of the natives. I felt a bit spyish as I noted how they've changed, aged, etc. The weather there was chilly, and we even had a dusting of snow Sunday to my delight. Not so good for my brother, who arrived back in Cape Cod Monday evening to find they had been hit with the brunt of the storm, 6 to 18 inches in various spots...very unusual for this coastal area. Mr. James had a very nice holiday as well. It turns out his driver is Roman Catholic, which I suspect is rare in Pakistan. Nasir and his family invited Mr. James to midnight mass, an invitation he could not refuse. His highlight was the children singing the "Happy Birthday" song to Jesus. Christmas evening he was invited to the UN Club for a proper Christmas turkey dinner. Again, another interesting experience, great group of people, etc. Yesterday I traveled to Philadelphia to visit friends from my 11 years here pre-Spain. My hosts M. and T. have been fabulous. M. and I went for cocktails last evening; two Manhattans for me, two vodka martinis for M., and we were trashed. :-) The cost: $31.50, and this was in a dive bar, can't imagine the bill in one of the upscale places that seem to have taken over much of the Center City Philadelphia. Was also fascinated by our waiter's attentiveness to our water glasses. Actually, I was surprised to be given water without even asking for it. Had forgotten about this aspect of American service, having become completely accustomed to ordering and paying for water. Had fabulous sesame seed bagel for breakfast this morning, and then e-mailed and called friends to schedule visits. I'll be staying here until Friday AM, and then I'm taking the bus back to PA Dutchland, picking up my mother's car, and driving to my sister/brother-in-law's house in Maryland. It is very pretty country there, just over the PA border from Gettysburg and definitely south of the Mason-Dixon line. Children in their neighborhood refer to my sister as Miss Kathleen, for example, and the death of Dale Earnhardt was openly mourned by the masses. We are taking my niece to Chuckie Cheese for New Year's Eve. C.C. for those not in the know is a pizza/gaming place for children. Yes, my days of spending New Year's in sweaty bars watching bands, fighting for a spot in the bathroom line, etc. are officially over. And you know, I'm okay with that. That said, if Guided by Voices were playing their final show ever in Philadelphia this NYE, rather than in Chicago, I might have had a change of heart. :-) Had good fun today wondering around some of my old favorite spots. I immediately found myself having to physically restrain myself from saying hello to everyone I passed on the streets. In our village in Spain, this is considered completely normal and expected. The same behavior here would have me labeled a nutter. Went to Chinatown for lunch, to the only Burmese restaurant in the city, called Rangoon. If you should ever find yourself in Philadelphia, you must seek out this gem. I essentially had two meals, the spicy chicken salad and a bowl of Mandalay noodles. Including tip, I had an $18 lunch, but then again, how often do I get to Philadelphia. :-) Any excessive spending on my meal was offset by my post-Christmas shopping excursion to Strawbridges. Get there while you can folks; they are practically giving everything away. For just under $20 total, I purchased a really cool bandana-print cotton skirt and a new bra and panty set. I saw the same Calvin Klein bra at El Cortes Ingles in Malaga for 35 euros (~$50) a few weeks ago; at Strawbridges, $7.99. This department store has scanners scattered throughout the store so customers can check prices before they go to check out at a register. I had great fun just checking all sorts of items to see how far the prices had been marked down. If you live anywhere near a Strawbridges, my advice is go, go, go!!!! Next stopped off at the day spa in my old neighborhood. Had a good chat with my former massage therapist (and friend) and the owner. Also stocked up on my favorite Japanese incense and lip balm, which I'm finding a real need for here with all the dry central heat everywhere. And now I'm at M. and T.'s office in Northern Liberties. They are finishing off some work, and then we are off to meet up with our friend B. and some other folks. I cannot tell you what I great time I'm having. Just having a two-week break is such a luxury for me these days. My last similar sort of vacation was more than two years ago, and it just feels great not to worry about deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. It's always crazy trying to see everyone I would like to in just a couple weeks, but it looks like this trip the scheduling is working out pretty well. :-) Okay, must be off. Hope everyone had a happy Christmas and will have an even happier New Year. All the best, mylifeinspain

<1

day and counting....Still much to do, but I am not stressed or panicked. If I'm up all night, so be it. I have many hours to sleep on the planes tomorrow. Have to take the rubbage out to the basura in a little while. The garbage collectors have been sneaky lately and are taking the dumpsters away earlier than usual. Also have to drop off some cards with the neighbors and try to avoid being invited in for a drink; unfortunately my schedule will not allow this luxury. Then I'm off to pick up a couple more gifts at the shops in town. Was able to get most things yesterday when I took a trip to the coast, but want to pick some of the local olive oil and honey. Made dinner for M.A. last night. She's been a guest of ours for Christmas the past couple years, so it will seem strange not to have her around this year. We had a really fun time last night, and I will miss her while I'm away. Just spoke with Mr. James. He continues to be having an amazing experience and has many stories to tell. Today while working on the roof at one of the sites, suddenly a chair and table, complete with tablecloth, appeared, and the next thing he knew he was being served tea by a man in a green dinner jacket. He said it was totally surreal. The work on the sites is progressing nicely, and Mr. James says the workers are just great. T. gave Mr. James a copy of the Lonely Planet's guide to Pakistan before he left Frankfurt, and Mr. J says it has been a great help, lots of information on etiquette and so on. He's been reading the translated copy of the Qu'ran as well. Yesterday he left it on his bedside table, and when he returned from work, there was a rose lying beside it. He was very touched. The cough he had from the pollution and smoke has subsided for the most part. No tummy trouble at all, but then he has being using purification tablets and making sure he buys good bottled water. He learned his lesson in the republic of Georgia when he bought phony bottled water and came down with Crypto.... Okay, I'm signing off until I am stateside. Here's to a safe journey for me and everyone else out there traveling in the next couple days. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

4 days and counting...

I called Mr. James early evening, his time, yesterday. I dialed the number of the Holiday Inn, and nothing seemed to be happening, just dead air. But, aha, after living in Spain now for almost three years, I have come to learn to just sit and wait because people do things in their own time. After about a minute, there was some static and I was connected. After Mr. James and I worked out the 4-second delay, he managed to tell me he's probably just going to stay in the hotel for the duration. It costs only a little more than a guesthouse, and he says the staff is just superb, and the hotel has excellent services, etc. Very Alan Partridge, I say (sorry Americans, English joke). He is simply loving the food. He and his driver had three-course lunch yesterday, including real Tandoori naan, for something like $1.20, for the two of them. DVDs cost $3.50, although I would question their origins. He found me a hand-embroidered head scarf to wear on my probable visit for $4.00. I have asked him to note where it is acceptable for women to go; I ask him this because when we went to Morocco, he wanted to take me to this tea house he had been to with T. and G. on an earlier trip. When we arrived, the place was filled with about 200 men, not one woman. Mr. James claimed not to have noticed this on his original visit. I later asked someone at the hotel about the absence of women in these places, and he responded that only "whores and prostitutes go to tea houses." I am slowly checking items off of my pretrip "to do" list. Still have some "work" work to do, but I do seem to have the laundry situation pretty much under control. Fortunately, the weather has been cooperating with sunny breezy days, ideal for clothes drying. C. popped around yesterday and surprised me with lunch. He made 5-spice pork and a shrimp, chicken, and tofu pad thai. I could not have been happier....I had been planning to make pan-fried noodles myself as I am trying to use up the last bits of vegetables in the house before I leave. Last night I had miso soup and cornflakes. A few things I plan to buy in the US:

• Bagels, of course, plenty so I can freeze some when I return
• Deorderant, I think I have tried them all here, and none of them work properly. The worst is creamy stuff made by Dove, that comes out of a small hole on top of a very phallic-looking dispenser. It's just wrong.
• A couple of new Kongs for the pups
• Broccoli rabe seeds, I was addicted to this vegetable before I came to Spain, and I have never seen it in any of the markets

The only thing Mr. James is missing, besides us, is beer. He's English, he likes a pint, what I can I say. He reports the closest "bar" to the hotel appears to be a brothel as well, and not really his kind of place. I told him there must be an Irish pub somewhere in the city....we visited the Guinness brewery on a trip to Ireland a few years ago, and I was amazed to find they had official pubs in places like Eritrea and Peru. I'm sure he'll find an O'Reillys or something similar eventually....

Hasta manana,

mylifeinspain

coming up for air

Still crazy busy here. I started an entry yesterday and never got around to finishing it....5 days until I leave for the US. :-) Spoke to Mr. James Tuesday night and received about eight e-mails from him yesterday. His is loving the adventure thus far. He wrote that besides meeting and marrying me, Pakistan is one of the most amazing experiences of his life. The job itself is exactly as he expected. He's been assigned 30 work sites around Islamabad and nearby Rawalpindi (sp?), and he basically needs to visit them regularly and report progress, as well as get things moving when projects stall. It is technically more complicated than this; he does need to know many things about erecting mobile phone masts, which he does. But one thing he realized in Amsterdam: he's not cut out to be a paper pusher, and this job is certainly not that. The Urdu phrase book has already come in handy, he reports. He wrote the Pakistanis on the work site really appreciated the effort he made in throwing out a few Urdu greetings and expressions. I always tell people visiting places where different languages are spoken that you certainly don't need to be fluent in the language. Just knowing 30 or so basic things will get you much further than if you just sit there and speak English in a loud voice. The only negative point Mr. James noted was the pollution. On a good day visibility is a couple kilometers at best. There is a good chance this project may be extended to six months; if so, I intend to take a trip there myself. :-) Can't imagine the hassles I'll get, though, when I next visit the US and have a Pakistan visa in my passport.... I've been busy with work this week and chasing delinquent invoices with two clients. One is just ridiculous. I haven't been paid $1400 for invoices going back to October because the department heads and the accounting department couldn't decide whether the St. Louis office or the Toronto office should pay me (I have done the work through the St. Louis office, but it's for a book to be published in Canada.) Just Tuesday, they decided I would have to be paid through Toronto, so now my invoices have been sent there. Who knows how long it will take for them to pay me, especially with the holidays, etc. The second client has a year-end cutoff date of December 5th for invoices, and then they begin cutting checks again the second week of January. I submitted an invoice November 18th, weeks before the cutoff, but the editor never processed it, so I haven't been paid again. I spent four hours corresponding with people about this Wednesday, and their final concession was to Fed Ex the check in January. Do these people not think I have bills to pay, that I would like to buy Christmas presents, etc? How would they like it if their paychecks were held inexplicably for two months?! In the case of the St. Louis/Toronto debacle, I cannot fault my editor. He has been great chasing the invoice and putting rushes on them; the decision was made above his head. But in the second case, I discussed with Mr. James, and I will be sending my resignation letter Monday. I have worked for this company in some capacity for more than 11 years, and this last event has been the straw that broke the camel's back. I accepted their paycuts last year because I had to, but now I have plenty other clients to make up the difference, and I can use the extra time I'll have to focus on my writing. I just cannot accept that there is no one in their accounting department who can write a check and mail it to me before January 6th, particularly because the mistake was the client's, not mine. Okay, enough rant. :-) C. came over last night and went on the dog walk with me and the pups. He and M.A. will be watching the dogs and C.K. while I'm in the US. I showed him all their favorite bathroom spots, and they have all bonded quite well. Honestly I think the dogs will be happier staying at home rather than in the kennel, even though they are well taken care of there. The last time we left them for two weeks in the kennel, poor little Mr. Beebs worried so that he gave himself a urinary tract infection.... My plan for the next few days is to work this weekend, do my shopping on the coast Monday (and early too, to avoid the chaos at the shops), tie up loose ends and pack Tuesday. I am having dinner with D. and U. tomorrow night, L. Sunday night, and M.A. is coming for dinner and instruction on using the DVD player Monday night. Will certainly need a vacation after the sendoffs. :-) I am so looking forward to seeing everyone. I was on the phone with my sister until 2am Wednesday. The last time I saw my niece, she was just starting to walk; now she is singing Jingle Bells to me on the phone and can count to 7 in Spanish. I told Cora not to worry; Mr. James still has trouble remembering 9, which can be a problem at self-serve gas stations. Nueve, Mr. James, nueve. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

first impressions

Big Jim has safely arrived in Islamabad. He gives Gulf Air very high marks as an airline. He's settling in at the Holiday Inn until Friday, and then he plans to move into a private guesthouse. They are very reasonably priced, about $20 a day, and that includes an evening meal and laundry service. Big Jim, or as he's called in Pakistan, "Mr. James," said he felt as though he was back in Morocco as soon as he stepped into the airport...everyone trying to make a buck. Someone trying to take him in his cab, even though there was a driver waiting for him...the driver trying to get him to stay at a particular guesthouse, probably a friend's or relative's...the hotel waiter who assures Mr. James he has a very good curry spice connection, etc. Mr. James has also found US dollars are much more appreciated than euros, which seems odd given the dollar's continuing falling value. I'm sure he'll find out why that is. Everyone has been very friendly. In all of our reading, people say time and time again that Pakistan is just as safe as any Western city. The border with Afghanistan is dodgy, and he plans to avoid that area completely. Unfortunately, Pakistan gets a lot of bad press and is often lumped in with Afghanistan. He misses all of us at Calle Salares, but he is also very excited about the adventure. He's keeping a journal, which I'm hoping he turns into a blog as well. Here it continues to be chilly weather....lots of snow on Maroma. The Christmas decorations have been hung on Calle San Antonio, and pots of poinsettias line the streets. The pedestrianization of the streets still hasn't happened, although no one is surprised. Nothing happens per schedule here. The posts put in place to keep people from driving into the main plaza have been stolen, twice. I'm off to the post office and then to buy some Christmas cards. With all of the excitement in the past 10 days, I almost forgot there is a big holiday coming up, and I am woefully unprepared. And I leave for the US in 8 days! hasta manana, mylifeinspain

more later....

Just a quick message for now, and I'll fill in more details later today or tomorrow. Big Jim got his visa Thursday, but not without having to fork over a bit of payola. The woman I spoke with Tuesday quoted 42 euros as the cost; she was conveniently out sick Thursday. "Mr C." charged Big Jim 128 euros. There was also the man who charged 50 centimos for the use of his glue stick to those having no way to attach their photos to visa applications. That's just the beginning....and also for those who travel to the Pakistan consulate in Barcelona, don't bother. There isn't one there either, even though the official web sites say there is. The wedding was lovely, as was our visit with T., albeit too short. More details to follow.... Big Jim left yesterday afternoon to Frankfurt, and this morning he flies to Bahrain, then to Kuwait, and then to Islamabad, arriving 2am Tuesday CET....very long flight. The good-bye was a little easier this time around. Even little Mr. Beebs didn't cry too much. I suppose Amsterdam was good practice for all of us. And now I have so much to do in the next week because I leave for the US in nine days! Hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

the missing consulate

I spoke too soon yesterday. About an hour after I posted the blog, Big Jim called. There apparently is no Pakistan consulate in Seville. According to the chair of the consulates in Seville, who Big Jim happened to run into as he searched the row of embassies, there never was one. This despite several sources we found to the contrary, which included the address and even the name of the consulate general and his phone number. When Big Jim called the number, it was a fax machine. I then called the embassy in Madrid; the woman who answered actually giggled as she confirmed, "Oh no, there's no consulate there." So who is this mysterious guy then, who appears to be posing as a consulate general? Big Jim is going to take printouts with the details to the embassy in Madrid tomorrow. Of course, today is the second national holiday of the week. It's a pity the double-holiday whammy is occurring this week. Otherwise, the woman in the embassy told me we could have sent the documents by courier, but that would take two or three days to process, two or three days we just don't have. Therefore, Big Jim is going to have to leave in the middle of the night, so that he arrives in Madrid early tomorrow morning. He needs to get his visa and then drive directly to Gibraltar for the wedding Friday. I will be traveling there with J. and M. and M.A., and we all plan to meet up Thursday afternoon. Crazy, crazy. I also called the dogs' regular kennel yesterday to book them in for the holidays. Turns out Kosydale has been full for Christmas and New Years since July. Major panic. But then I remembered our friend C. had offered to dogwalk for us in the past, so I gave him a ring. He stopped by last night to discuss, and he's going to walk and feed them twice a day while I'm in the US. He may stay over a couple of nights as well, to keep them company, and I'm going to ask M.A. if she'll do the same. I am quite happy with this arrangement actually. I think the dogs will be happiest in their own home, and C. is completely trustworthy and really good with animals. And they love M.A. So another item checked off the long very "to do" list. Somehow we are managing to get everything done. But I must press on with my work, deadline before I leave tomorrow for Gib. Hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

notimetothinkoftitle

We are somehow managing to get everything ready for Big Jim's departure Sunday. He set off this morning at 6am for Seville, where the closest Pakistani consulate is located, to get his travel visa. Thank goodness there is a consulate there; otherwise, he would have had to travel to Madrid. I am assuming all is going well there, or I would have heard from him by now. Our efforts are being complicated by the fact there are two Spanish national holidays this week. Yesterday was Constitution Day, in celebration of, well obviously, the post-Franco constitution. ETA celebrated by setting off seven small bombs across the country, including one in Malaga city. Today is technically not a holiday, but the schools are still closed in the village. No sense in making them go back for one day, I suppose, because tomorrow is the second holiday, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. I ordered Big Jim some books from amazon.co.uk: a good translation of the Qur'an, which he is interested in reading in his spare time, and an Urdu/English dictionary and phrasebook, which I'm sure will come in handy. I had them shipped to our friend T.'s house in Frankfurt because with the aforementioned holidays here added to the completely erratic post delivery, I reckoned they had no chance of arriving before Big Jim left. Big Jim flies to Frankfurt Sunday and will stay with T. until his second flight leaves Monday morning. He will arrive in Islamabad Tuesday morning at 6am....yes, it is a lot of travel to Pakistan. After the visa is sorted, Big Jim only really needs to worry about packing. That shouldn't be too difficult....only one suit required for the odd occasional when he meets with clients. Most of the time, he will be in jeans, traveling from work site to work site, monitoring and reporting on progress. He had a similar job a few years ago in Frankfurt for a company that was building a large data hotel from the ground up....he loves this kind of work. We continue to read up on Pakistan. The weather is almost identical to that here (it has turned more chilly here in the past couple days, including snow on top of Maroma), as is the vegetation: jacaranda, bougainvillea, and jasmine. There are a few good English language bookstores in Islamabad, free Internet cafes in post offices, and carpet shops galore. On one info site we found, a stereotypical American visitor lamented, however, there are no McDonald's in Islamabad. There are KFCs and, believe it or not, a Subway sandwich shop. I suspect Big Jim will stay clear of those and just focus on the curries. :-) More later..... hasta luego, mylifeinspain

saturday shopping

Amidst the craziness of preparing for Big Jim's trip to Islamabad next Sunday, we also have to go to a wedding Thursday and Friday this week in Gibraltar. And our friend T. is visiting at the same time, so it's a bit busy here to say the least. We decided to head into Malaga yesterday, to the Spain mega-department store chain El Corte Ingles. This was a first for me. I have been in El Corte Ingles stores before, but that was years ago and in Seville. At that time, I thought ECI was the DB. Yesterday, though, what a letdown. We first had a pitstop in the house and home store. That bit was okay. Big Jim amused himself in the computer section while I perused the shelves of DVDs. Very good selection, and probably worth a return trip. However, we then went to the clothing floors. We stepped off the escalator at the women's department. Before us were signs for Liz Claiborne, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren. I might as well have been at the Strawbridge's at 8th & Market in Philadelphia. The floor layout was practically identical. So surreal. We decided instead to find the shoe department...again major disappointment. For a country so well respected for their shoes (ie, Manolo Blahnik), the sparse selection included DKNY pumps and not much more. In the end I did manage to find a hand-embroidered wrap from Seville, and we did have a good turn around the food hall, which may be my favorite section of any department store. Many tempting items, including miso soup, which I could not pass up. :-) We headed east out of the city along the coast road. Malaga has been a bit of a hellhole and more than a little rundown for awhile. But there have been major improvements, huge revitalization efforts particularly in the center and along the waterfront, and the results thus far are very positive. The train station is currently being redone, as are many of the historic buildings, both public and private. The Picasso museum opened finally last year (he was born in Malaga), and it seems that Malaga is finally beginning to realize its potential. Big Jim and I even spotted a sushi restaurant near the port that we have decided to visit when he returns in mid-February. The word in getting out in the village about Big Jim's upcoming adventure. Most people initially react with concern, which is logical. But we've been doing a crash course, reading everything we can find about Islamabad and Pakistan in general, and despite all the fears that have been put into our heads, it seems to be a cosmopolitan and fascinating place. It's probably not the place for everyone, but Big Jim is a very well-traveled and cultured person who knows how to handle himself wherever he is. He doesn't shy away from new experiences; as I mentioned previously, he worked in Zagreb just after the war ended, and he has also hiked in the Caucasus Mountains when tensions were still pretty high in the Republic of Georgia. That is not to say I won't worry about him. I always worry about him when he's not sitting across from me in the office. But if you haven't gathered by now, Big Jim and I are not the sort of people destined to always follow the "rules" and play life completely safe. Always playing safe guarantees no security in life anyway. After our trip to Malaga, we stopped at the shopping center in Torre del Mar to do some grocery shopping. Wow, have the Spanish begun to embrace malls and Christmas shopping. The line into the parking lot was backed up to the highway roundabout, and it took us almost twenty minutes to find a spot for the Peugeot. I have never seen the place so busy. Spanish were pushing carts loaded down with Christmas trees and ham legs and Barbie dolls and boxes of chocolates and cases of wine---the spirit of American consumerism continues its race around the world. I have purchased my ticket for my trip to the US. I leave on the 22nd and arrive back on the 6th. It's been sixteen months since my last visit, and I am going to make all my friends promise not to make fun of the way I now talk, my odd mix of British and American English with some Spanish thrown in for good measure. That said, usually after a few days in PA Dutch country I have trouble with my Vs and Ws. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone again and catching up, and being with those I love will make being away from Big Jim at the holidays a bit easier to bear. We have been wondering what he'll be eating for Christmas dinner this year.....as you can imagine, Big Jim is already excited about all the curries and spice shops in Pakistan. Must be off, lots to do today and every day this week. hasta luego, mylifeinspain

pakistan!

After much consideration, we are 95% sure Big Jim is taking the short-term contract in Islamabad. He has the contract and is just working on booking a flight for around the 13th or 14th. He'll be there for two months, which means I am traveling to the US for Christmas and New Years after all. More details, etc., etc. to follow. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

pakistan?

Big Jim received an offer for a short-term (approximately 6--8 weeks) work contract in Pakistan this morning. Money would be very good, but travel advisories are a bit daunting. But that said, the current travel warnings for Spain and just about anywhere are also on the scary side. The job would be working for Nokia, so one would hope they would be careful about security measures, etc. And Big Jim has worked in interesting environments before, like Zagreb, where his driver kept a loaded gun on the passenger seat at all times. Much to think about..... Had very nice dinner with M.A. last night....steak, sweet potato puffs, creamed spinach, Waldorf salad, and a caramelly pudding for dessert. Lovely evening all around. Still rainy here, but no power cuts today (so far). Hopefully weather will clear for next week, as our friend T. is coming for a short visit. Will keep everyone posted on this latest job development...Big Jim has requested more details, so we are just waiting for the agent's response and will have to do some serious thinking in the next couple of days. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain

less blah

....although I am disappointed there is a rain this morning that only could be described as driving. I am not disappointed by the rain per se. The village is quite cosy in the rain, as long as you are indoors, which I plan to be. That said, living with an English person, one's attitude about rain shifts slightly. It is not that it rains a lot in England, it's just that the rest of us are not properly prepared with adequate raingear. Although I might have read that in guide book for Ireland....but also a rainy place. Anyway, Big Jim has this lovely rain coat and pants that are a bit big on me, which I can just throw on over my pjs to walk the dogs. And because wearing slippers in public is a fashion norm in the village, rather than a faux pas, I do not have to change out of my bedclothes until lunch time if I choose. The reason I wish it wasn't rainy is a bit devilish on my part. Today is, theoretically, the first day of the new pedestrianization of our "main" streets, Calle San Antonio and very appropriately named Calle Rampa, and the main plaza. (Quotes because c/ S.A. is just wide enough in spots for our Peugeot to squeeze through.) A small announcement was made a few weeks ago in the village newsletter, and retractable posts at key locations were installed secretly under the cover of night. I was looking forward to watching the ensuing chaos this morning as delivery trucks and parents dropping off their children at the colegio found their normal paths in and out of the village blocked. I'm sure the four taxi drivers, who, between jobs, parked their cabs in the square as they had a brandy and played a few rounds of cards in the bar with members of the village Mafia, have found the change to be quite an upheaval as well. (Crap, power just went off....will work on battery for I hope not too long...) So far, I've heard no car horns or people yelling, but that could be just because most have stayed in today. I reckon post-rain, the mayor will get so many complaints that the roads will be reopened in two months. Or vigilantes will remove the posts. Personally, I think the pedestrianization is a good idea, even though it means we are going to have to lug our groceries a greater distance and up a very steep hill. And I'm not sure how the village council intends to keep mopeds and motorcycles off the streets because the kids will most likely see the posts as exciting new driving challenges, great fun for weaving in and out of when leaving the disco at 5am Sunday morning....we shall see. Okay, power is back on, so I best get to work. Big Jim did a huge mass mailing of CVs yesterday and so far has received a pretty good response. He had more phone calls Tuesday than during the entire past month. Last week's numbers were jobs applied, 124; phone calls, 0; interviews, 0....hence my dour mood earlier. (Bugger, power off again....it's going to be one of those days.) M.A. is making us dinner tonight. Very much looking forward to her cooking and her company. :-) hasta manana, mylifeinspain