I know I'm not the only one who loses things, especially umbrellas. Although I have a couple of 'normal' umbrellas, I like to have one of those foldable ones that I can slip into my bag just in case it rains. I had no idea this one I bought a year ago after having lost my last little umbrella had manga characters on it until I opened it up one rainy day. I only thought it would be a good idea to have one that promised to behave when it's windy, and this one promised that. Surely you'll have seen abandoned, turned upside down and broken umbrellas in the street and people flying like Mary Poppins without trying to.. And now you know what my windy rainy day umbrella looks like.
Rain was in the forecast for this weekend, and that's exactly what we have or had, because it's stopped for a while anyway. Early this morning I heard one of the neighbours hurriedly taking in her clothes that she'd left outside overnight. Once years ago, I almost didn't gather my clothes in at night even though they would have been dry. After I'd done it, I was glad, because not long afterwards someone fell out a window upstairs and broke all the clotheslines from the second floor on down. I have no idea the circumstances surrounding the fall, but one neighbour who knows everything that goes on said he was a friend of someone in the basement and was so drunk he thought he was going out the door. I think it could have been someone who intended breaking into one of the flats, but I don't know everything that happens in the building (unless I'm told).
I'm proud of myself for getting so many chores done this weekend. Yes, I de-frosted and cleaned my fridge and this was a weekend in which I had ironing to do. When I finish here, I'm going to prepare my lunch for tomorrow and make some banana nut bread. Might as well do as much baking as possible. Soon it'll be too hot to think about using the oven much.
Wednesday I went to the Chinese with Chris and another friend who we hadn't seen much of since Christmas. Chris said her cat Sami had had her last antibiotics injection that day and was jumping on the bed and her favourite place the radiator. I hope these are good signs, although one of Chris's friends sent me a couple of messages asking questions about Sami that I couldn't answer, and I suggested she ask Chris. I didn't say that to be nasty. I just didn't know the answers and had told her what Chris had told us.
Just like last Sunday (I think) the sun has decided to come out for a bit and the rain has stopped. My windows? Yes, they're streaked, but rain is good. I heard this past week that the reservoirs for the province of Madrid were over 90% full of water, which is good. I remember seeing a photo of the lake in our Retiro Park completely dry one year. I'm sure it was the same year that I had awful gastroenteritis.
The break in the rain is my cue to finish this and to get cookin'. Hope everyone has a good week.
I'm one of those millions and more people who don't like Mondays, and I think everything started going uphill after I finally received a whatsapp message that was sent early on Monday morning. As we don't get unlimited data or messages with our phones here, most of us (I have a couple of friends who refuse to have it) use whatsapp. There's even a name for the addiction to using this messaging service.
I don't know why but when I'm using wifi, which I always do at home, my mobile doesn't advise me when I get a message. I only realise I have messages when I 'wake up' the phone. And I'm not one of those persons who is always looking at my phone to see if I have a message. You see my friend Chris had sent me that early message asking if I could take her cat Sami to the vet's as she was ill. Luckily Chris was able to get another friend to take Sami when I didn't answer. The news on poor Sami isn't good, so I ask for your prayers and positive thoughts. I haven't heard from Chris since Friday when she said Sami had come out from under the bed.
I'm sure that having to go to the vet's wasn't a pleasant experience for the little girl. I know how my Zara used to hate going. I don't know if I ever mentioned a time when a lady saw me struggling with Zara to get her to walk and she offered to help. It was always the same. I had to pull on Zara to get her there, and after we'd finished at the vet's she'd run me home. By the way, my photo is from the park where we used to go. I loved living in the street where I lived for so many years because the park was right behind my house.
So Monday started out badly, possibly because I was worried about Sami and felt guilty about not getting the message about her sooner.. On my way to my last classes, I realised or hoped I'd left my phone at my previous student's house since I couldn't seem to find it in my handbag nor in my bookbag. Recently I read or heard that we women lose an average of 107 days of our lives trying to find things in our bags. The phone was where I'd left it and not in my bags or worse stolen: on the table in Ana's house, so her brother brought it to me. Then when I left my last class, I left my glasses case (without the glasses though). Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed or so they say.
This weekend has been one where I do all the usual things. I was going to defrost my fridge, but have decided to leave that until next weekend. For once my floors aren't dirty and I didn't want a mess to clean up. Instead I've decided to go through more old papers and old textbooks to throw out or give away.
Not much excitement in my week, but here you have it. Sure hope yours was better and that we all have a good week ahead of us.
As I've often mentioned, some of my friends and I get together round the first Saturday of every month for lunch. Yesterday was such a Saturday that we'd arranged to go to the place where we always have our Saturday lunches. Early in the week my friend Cathy called saying that the owners of the bar (a place we've been going to for years) had just retired and their son had decided not to continue the business, so they'd decided to rent it. None of us had any idea that they were thinking of retiring or that the son wouldn't continue the business.
To make a long story short, we finally decided on another place that has new owners too. Although the food was okay in general (Chris found part of her chicken that was still pink), the atmosphere wasn't the same and the coffee was rather disgusting. I like my coffee strong, but this was too strong and burnt tasting. Needless to say, I didn't finish it.
I saw Jesus, the owner of our old hangout, on my way to class on Wednesday, and he told they'd retired and rented out the bar. I already knew, of course, because his granddaughter is in Cathy's class. I understand perfectly that they're retiring. After all, he's 72 and his wife is 65. What we don't understand is why they didn't tell us in March when we went there for lunch. I told my students at the beginning of this course that it would be the last year that I'd be giving classes. This is one of the reasons I'm trying to get rid of old papers, books, etc.
We were so lucky to have had such lovely weather at Easter. I can't say it's freezing, but we're not having those nice temperatures like we had a couple of weeks ago. On Thursday morning when I went to get my hair cut, the wind was blowing cold and yes it was raining. I don't think my windows are too spotted though.
One thing that I find incredible in this day and age with internet everywhere is how so many people still think Spain is a tropical country. One of Cathy's students, who is going to Minnesota for a year, was asked in an interview if she would have problems with the winter there since she's from a tropical country. Okay I know Minnesota is freezing in the winter, but I've never worn shorts in January here either. Even now some heating is necessary at this time of year, even though years ago the central heating always went off on the first day of April no matter what the temperature outside was. It's because the buildings were heated with coal.
I don't have a photo for today, and I don't participate in Throwback Thursday or anything like that. I am sharing this photo of me in Rome from the early 80's. Two friends and I were there for Easter week when you could still get very close to Pope John Paul II. I don't have photos of him, but maybe the other two do. This super curly hairstyle was in fashion then. I never brushed it or combed it, just 'picked' it. I've seen that some people wear picks in their hair in the US. If I were brave enough, I'd have my hair pixilated.
Hope everyone has a good week ahead. April sure is rolling along.
I know this cloudy sky doesn't look like it deserves to be part of the best Easter holiday week we've had in many years, but it was just that: a bit cloudy sometimes with very mild temperatures, but mostly blue skies everywhere. The building on the right is a modern block of flats which is in the exact spot where I used to work all those years. I really can't pass this building without thinking about where my classroom was located. Recently I saw an attic flat with 4 bedrooms for rent here. I can only imagine what they're asking for it, and I wonder if there are any ghosts of teachers and students past inhabiting the space. After all, it was a language school for over 30 years. Its parent institute, which was in the centre of Madrid, was founded in 1949 and is one of the first language institutes in Madrid and in Spain for that matter. One of these days I'll take a photo of the new Briam (that was the name of the original institute) which has returned to the neighbourhood.
Despite all the lovely weather we've been having, I've been spending a good part of it indoors doing spring cleaning (yes, my windows are sparkling clean, so now it can rain) and again getting rid of old papers. I have a bag for the shredder but that can wait until I feel like feeding it. Between dusting and shredding documents, I don't know which I hate the most, but I did dust from top to bottom.
Today was my friend Cathy's birthday, and guess where we ended up having lunch? At our local Chinese restaurant. It was just the two of us as the rest of our gang are still on holiday or not available. Cathy is one of those people who it's difficult to get the appropriate gift for. She doesn't go in for jewellery or any of those girly things. So I gave her one of the things I got for myself this past summer in Bed Bath and Beyond (love that place) - a silicon lid for any smooth surface that can be used on pans on the cooker (stove) or in the microwave and an apron made by a friend. I use my lid all the time. As a matter of fact, I often use the gadgets I've got from there. Here's one of my favourite chicken casseroles called chicken cobbler that I've used the pastry blender on that I bought at the same time as the lids, so you know what's for lunch tomorrow:
I'm not ready for the holidays to end. However, for once the 'spring forward' hasn't bothered me too much as our clocks changed that first weekend of our holidays. Let's hope our new week is a good one. Have a good week everyone!
Why I hadn't thought to remove a white strip that was just above the manufacturers name of my phone before this week I can't say, except that it being there hadn't really bothered me. I don't look at the phone's back a lot anyway. Under the white sticker which I removed, there was no secret number or message, but taking it off left yucky residue that wouldn't wipe off. To the rescue comes homemade goo gone made with two non-toxic ingredients: baking soda and oil mixed into a paste. Compare what I made in that little plastic top and the real stuff.
Maybe what's in this bottle is biodegradable and 100% organic, but it's not necessary to put a danger warning on the homemade stuff, because someone would just think mine was yucky if they tried it. Anyway, I also used it on what I think was something that got stuck on my new washer and it came right off. So far, the homemade goo gone has worked on everything I've tried it on. Wish I'd known about it before.
Today is our first day of having 'sprung forward'. I suppose I can't complain too much since I'm officially on holiday. The weather is lovely, and the streets round my house are full of people and noise. I'm not sure why there are so many people out celebrating this Palm Sunday. I remember other past Easters when Madrid was practically empty. Once I found myself running down the street behind a friend's car. Despite her profession as a jeweller, she was always late. We had arranged to meet some other friends for lunch and she was very very late picking me up, so I was going to the underground and yes I finally caught her. I don't know about you, but I can't stand people who are constantly late. This person is no longer considered a friend either. Sadly not everyone is who they pretend to be.
It's been a tiring and sad week for me. Tiring because I had extra classes and sad because of the plane crash. Although I didn't know any of the passengers on the Germanwings flight, I felt especially bad for the families of those on that flight and the German students who were on the exchange programme here in Madrid. Two of my students had a German student in their house, and these students were flying back the day after the crash. Thankfully they got off okay. In April, the Spanish students will return the visit. However, I can't imagine the students from Barcelona will be going as the German students who visited them were on that fated flight. So much heartache for so many!
I've just discovered that all the people in the street are for a bullfight. I want to go out and throw some paper away but will wait until the 'bulls' go in. Have a good Easter week.
Recently my friend Kathy posted a link to a recipe on the pioneer woman's website. Now some of the best recipes I've tried have come from the pioneer woman (for example, her crash hot potatoes), so I thought I'd try this recipe called 'crazy coffee'. I think I've seen recipes where butter was added to coffee, but not butter and coconut oil. After putting the coffee, butter and oil in the blender, I got a creamy creamy cup of something. As I've just seen that Kathy agrees with the pioneer woman that the coffee is delicious, I sadly had to disagree. Although I drank the mixture, I didn't enjoy it and won't repeat the experience. There was no coffee taste.
The only flavour coffee I like is white coffee (café con leche), which I usually have for breakfast. In restaurants, I generally ask for black coffee. I'm a lover of coffee, and for many years would never have it in restaurants and people's homes in the US, because it wasn't coffee they served but coloured water. With places like Starbuck's the quality of the coffee has improved, and I'm not saying Starbuck's is the best - too overpriced for one thing. However, I still don't like any flavoured sweetened version of it. Since the pioneer woman's recipe didn't call for any type of sweetener, I thought I'd try. Oh well, you don't know if you like something until you try it. If any of you, besides Kathy, make this crazy coffee and like it, let me know. After all, we have different tastes in many things like religion, politics, food etc.
I'm always reminded of the journal entry beginning from my windows... This is my view. Of course, I could have taken a few photos of the almond trees in bloom in the park near my house, but this is a tree I see every day. Unlike the almond trees that are in full bloom, this tree is slowly showing its blooms. There are lots of buds that should be opening soon.
We've had torrential rain the past few days, though they've probably had more in southern Spain. It rains like that when I'm out or thinking about going out. Just as I was taking the photo of our little tree, it started sprinkling. Cloud cover stopped us from viewing the eclipse earlier this week. I had to laugh on Wednesday because I saw sunny and 16º C in Paris, 12º C in Helsinki, 10º C in London and 8º C in Madrid. Finally my phone is out of the cloud to say it's mostly cloudy, because it's been saying partly sunny most of the day. I feel really sorry for the group of German students who are visiting a school in my area and staying with the students' families. I'm certain they haven't had any good weather since they arrived. One of my students is one who'll be going to Germany in April to visit his German guest. See if he has better luck with the weather. Oh, now the sun has made an appearance!
That's about all I have to say for this mostly dark day. Hope everyone has a good week. Next week brings holidays for some of us.
As Chris and I were leaving the Chinese restaurant last Thursday evening, we each were presented with a white rose by Pepe, the owner. I don't know about other countries, but in Spain they tend to take Spanish names. I remember a Chinese restaurant that we used to go to where the little boy there was called Juanito (Johnny), and his name was constantly being called, because he was quite naughty. I suppose though having to be in your parents' restaurant for hours must be tiresome for a child alone. It's quite normal to see Chinese children in shops too since the parents work long hours and don't hire babysitters for their children.
This week we'll be celebrating our friend Jenny's birthday in the Chinese. She's someone we haven't seen for quite a while. I sent her a message earlier, except instead of 'birthday' I typed 'burthday', and, naturally, my finger had to hit the send button instead of the 'x' to correct. Here's one of the things I have for her: a dragonfly. Only hope I didn't give her one last year. And no, I didn't make the dragonfly, but will be making some banana nut bread to share with her, and she's asked for peanut butter, so I got her a jar of Jiff (made in Kentucky, you know). I'm sure the peanut butter costs twice as much here though.
This weekend has been a working one for me - in the house that is. Apart from the normal chores I do on Saturdays, I cleaned the bathroom top to bottom. Remember tiles go up to the ceiling in bathrooms and kitchens in Spain. There's not usually a lot to clean at the top in the kitchen because of the cupboards. Then I cleaned all the doors of the cupboards in the kitchen. The insides of those I'll clean during the holidays, and the rest I won't bore you with. I might add that I'll probably be sorting through more old papers today.
Well, I think that's the last of our nice mild weather for now. Last night we got to below freezing in Madrid, and snow has been predicted for the mountains this week. I think we'll get some rain. Today we have clouds, and I miss the sun already.
I think this is the last of what I have to say on this the Ides of March and also Mother's Day in Britain. Happy Mother's Day and happy week all.
