I'm listening to a New Dimensions radio podcast on my iTunes, sitting in my new bed, in my new room, in the apartment I have moved to this week. It is almost 1am and my upstairs neighbor is listening to a movie rather loudly. Welcome to Spanish apartments. I am renting from a different person now. She seems nice. I'm happy to be my own cook and be closer to school in a better-feeling neighborhood and closer to Karen and Jeremy and Damon, even though they are leaving me next Wednesday.
I haven't finished with my Virginia application yet. Going to take it easier academics-wise this semester. Might have to take a summer class. No worries.
Reading a book that Erin recommended to me over break - "Life is So Good". Very inspiring. Gives you good perspective on life.
Break was fantastic. Saw Bo and his family and new baby, Thor, for Christmas Eve. Spent Christmas Day with Karen and family - didn't get to stay long for the wonderful Chinese food but I was oh so very sick. Mom and Dad came and I exhausted them showing them around. I think that I went through all of the kleenex that they had brought with them and then some. My impish mother took many pictures of me blowing my nose and/or looking perplexed with map in hand trying to figure out how to get us from point A to point B in any given city (especially Toledo). Dad was brave and drove around in a car we rented - thank the lord for GPS, for without it, we would have been in a real big ole mess. I swear it would get mad at us. Each time it said "Recalculating" the tone of the GPS computer voice would become more and more agitated. Just ask Dad - he heard it too. Saw the prettiest medieval town in the middle of Castilla-Leon called Pedraza. Pictures are forthcoming. Took them to El Escorial, Toledo and Segovia too, and showed them around Madrid a bit. Then I went to Germany to see Simone and her family for New Years. We had fun and I drank more than normal but it was necessary because I needed to keep warm because it was insanely cold. We saw snow and drank Gluhwein in Munich (after drinking a liter of beer each at the Hofbrauhaus), and explored around Ulm on New Years Eve dodging firecrackers and fireworks being thrown around in the streets. We knitted together n had good catch-up quality time which we both needed. Then I went HOME. It was GOOD. I played hermit because I needed to have some quality me-enjoying-home-time and because I was still getting over being sick, and I am sorry if I did not see you this time around, but I will be back states-side in May for good so I promise to see everyone then. I worked out almost every day with my workout buddy, Windy, cooked for mom and dad, enjoyed family and Brian time and was overjoyed for the warm weather and speecy-spicy food. My sinuses got an Indian-Thai-Mexican-Wasabi-workout that will hopefully last them til May. And my aunt and uncle made me turnip greens, cornbread and banana pudding. What more could a southern girl ask for?
I haven't finished with my Virginia application yet. Going to take it easier academics-wise this semester. Might have to take a summer class. No worries.
Reading a book that Erin recommended to me over break - "Life is So Good". Very inspiring. Gives you good perspective on life.
Break was fantastic. Saw Bo and his family and new baby, Thor, for Christmas Eve. Spent Christmas Day with Karen and family - didn't get to stay long for the wonderful Chinese food but I was oh so very sick. Mom and Dad came and I exhausted them showing them around. I think that I went through all of the kleenex that they had brought with them and then some. My impish mother took many pictures of me blowing my nose and/or looking perplexed with map in hand trying to figure out how to get us from point A to point B in any given city (especially Toledo). Dad was brave and drove around in a car we rented - thank the lord for GPS, for without it, we would have been in a real big ole mess. I swear it would get mad at us. Each time it said "Recalculating" the tone of the GPS computer voice would become more and more agitated. Just ask Dad - he heard it too. Saw the prettiest medieval town in the middle of Castilla-Leon called Pedraza. Pictures are forthcoming. Took them to El Escorial, Toledo and Segovia too, and showed them around Madrid a bit. Then I went to Germany to see Simone and her family for New Years. We had fun and I drank more than normal but it was necessary because I needed to keep warm because it was insanely cold. We saw snow and drank Gluhwein in Munich (after drinking a liter of beer each at the Hofbrauhaus), and explored around Ulm on New Years Eve dodging firecrackers and fireworks being thrown around in the streets. We knitted together n had good catch-up quality time which we both needed. Then I went HOME. It was GOOD. I played hermit because I needed to have some quality me-enjoying-home-time and because I was still getting over being sick, and I am sorry if I did not see you this time around, but I will be back states-side in May for good so I promise to see everyone then. I worked out almost every day with my workout buddy, Windy, cooked for mom and dad, enjoyed family and Brian time and was overjoyed for the warm weather and speecy-spicy food. My sinuses got an Indian-Thai-Mexican-Wasabi-workout that will hopefully last them til May. And my aunt and uncle made me turnip greens, cornbread and banana pudding. What more could a southern girl ask for?
Made it back to Madrid this past Monday. Didn't have jet lag too bad. Got my schedule straightened out, semi-settled in to my new place, got my bearings and spent lots o time with Karen, Jeremy and Damon. I'm cooking for them tonight and we're going to the Rastro and hangin out on Sunday. Tomorrow I would like to finish my Virginia essay. My heart isn't much in it right now because even if I get in, it's still very far away from home and family and AL friends and Brian. I'll finish it and send it in and make decisions whenever they need to be made. My goal this semester is to stop worrying and let go and take it easier on myself.
I found a gym 3 blocks away that I will start going to after Brian leaves and I will start volunteer work again then too. I have a part-time job as the assistant to the human resources person at the university. She's nice and I had my first day there yesterday - mainly filing and data entry. It's good for keeping my overly-worrying-and-active-brain occupied in meditative-repetitive office work stuff. Brian comes next Saturday for two weeks :) All is confirmed and we are going to Ireland for the weekend in between and I get to show him around the other side of the ocean for a bit :)
Okay so now it's the next day. I made cornbread and chocolate chip cookies and taco soup for Karen and family. If I do say so myself, everything was really good. It helps if you have an oven with temperature control that isn't 50 years old. And an American store nearby to buy taco and ranch seasoning. And cookie and bread mix. Anyway, we ate and Damon and Karen are under the weather so we watched part of a movie, Once (thanks for the rec Ryan and mom) and ate some popcorn and then burst from eating too much. But I left early so the Deroches could sleep and so that I could come back home and ignore my Virginia essay and finish my blog instead. Priorities are a must in life, right? I actually need to organize my stuff in my room - Diane (the woman who stayed here last semester who was crashing here for a week this semester until she found an apartment) moved her stuff out so now I can spread my things out and settle in better.
Will post pictures in a bit. Send good Virginia essay-writing energy if you would :) Lots and lots and lots of love and hugs to everyone :)
Martha
Okay so now it's the next day. I made cornbread and chocolate chip cookies and taco soup for Karen and family. If I do say so myself, everything was really good. It helps if you have an oven with temperature control that isn't 50 years old. And an American store nearby to buy taco and ranch seasoning. And cookie and bread mix. Anyway, we ate and Damon and Karen are under the weather so we watched part of a movie, Once (thanks for the rec Ryan and mom) and ate some popcorn and then burst from eating too much. But I left early so the Deroches could sleep and so that I could come back home and ignore my Virginia essay and finish my blog instead. Priorities are a must in life, right? I actually need to organize my stuff in my room - Diane (the woman who stayed here last semester who was crashing here for a week this semester until she found an apartment) moved her stuff out so now I can spread my things out and settle in better.
Will post pictures in a bit. Send good Virginia essay-writing energy if you would :) Lots and lots and lots of love and hugs to everyone :)
Martha
No comments:
Post a Comment