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Wednesday 22 October 2008
Tuesday 21 October 2008
As Promised.....
Pics from Spain...tho not many b/c I'm completely tired of uploading vacation memories and sending them all over the GD place. I'm on facebook. If you're on facebook...there is a more extensive collection there. It's time for bed.
not such a bad pic for using the old jittery left hand
dead guy in St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar
baby monkey butts and Cate's shoes...they were going after her for her slushy..it got a little hairy after I snapped this photo.
some beach.
Closing the book on Marbella. Adios.
not such a bad pic for using the old jittery left hand
dead guy in St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar
baby monkey butts and Cate's shoes...they were going after her for her slushy..it got a little hairy after I snapped this photo.
some beach.
Closing the book on Marbella. Adios.
Wednesday 15 October 2008
31.
Yesterday was my 31st. Which is very odd, because inside my head and I guess my heart, I still feel like I'm 16....without all the hateful things that come along with being 16...like high school, acne, and a string of terrible boyfriends minus one or two.
I should say this though...yesterday when we were running to catch our tour bus before it left us in Gibraltar...I was heaving like a fifty year old and having chest pains! WTF is that about? Not enough power yoga lately, that's what.
So we spent the day yesterday amongst the monkeys and regular folks of Gibraltar...a British territory across the street from Spain, known as "The End of Europe". I'm going to go into a bit of Gibraltar history here, b/c I knew noting about it except that John married Yoko there when the FBI announced him as a Communist/Terrorist threat to society. Poor guy wasn't allowed to travel back home to England to marry so he somehow made it to Gibraltar to get the deed done.
Right. So before Colombus sailed in 1492, everyone thought that the world ended at the Rock. It's also where the Atlantic meets the Med. It now has a population of 30,000...which consists of Jews, Muslims, Brits, Spaniards, and Italians. It has heavy Moorish influences since it's right across the way from Tangiers....mosques as well as churches and synagouges. (did i spell that right?) Not mention a family of 300 monkeys that live among the masses as neighbors. If you need to go to hospital for any reason, you may be sharing your room with a sick monkey seeing as the hospital on the Rock also cares for them as well.
Great shopping. Everything is tax free, so the folks on the tour were snatching up tobacco and booze like crazy people. The funny thing is, these booze hounds chewing on cancer sticks were all elderly. I think they hopped on the tour just for these goodies. Anyway, I snatched something shiny, myself. A nice little blingy, half priced Birthday gift from me to me.
All in all, Gibraltar is a mix of New Orleans and Bermuda. If I ever come back to this part of the Continent again, I would prefer to stay there than anywhere else in Spain...er Britain...whatever. Again, pics to follow soon...including one with a monkey reaching out and resting his leg on my shoulder and the skull of a neanderthal preserved inside the Rock. Pretty neat..as my dad would say.
I should say this though...yesterday when we were running to catch our tour bus before it left us in Gibraltar...I was heaving like a fifty year old and having chest pains! WTF is that about? Not enough power yoga lately, that's what.
So we spent the day yesterday amongst the monkeys and regular folks of Gibraltar...a British territory across the street from Spain, known as "The End of Europe". I'm going to go into a bit of Gibraltar history here, b/c I knew noting about it except that John married Yoko there when the FBI announced him as a Communist/Terrorist threat to society. Poor guy wasn't allowed to travel back home to England to marry so he somehow made it to Gibraltar to get the deed done.
Right. So before Colombus sailed in 1492, everyone thought that the world ended at the Rock. It's also where the Atlantic meets the Med. It now has a population of 30,000...which consists of Jews, Muslims, Brits, Spaniards, and Italians. It has heavy Moorish influences since it's right across the way from Tangiers....mosques as well as churches and synagouges. (did i spell that right?) Not mention a family of 300 monkeys that live among the masses as neighbors. If you need to go to hospital for any reason, you may be sharing your room with a sick monkey seeing as the hospital on the Rock also cares for them as well.
Great shopping. Everything is tax free, so the folks on the tour were snatching up tobacco and booze like crazy people. The funny thing is, these booze hounds chewing on cancer sticks were all elderly. I think they hopped on the tour just for these goodies. Anyway, I snatched something shiny, myself. A nice little blingy, half priced Birthday gift from me to me.
All in all, Gibraltar is a mix of New Orleans and Bermuda. If I ever come back to this part of the Continent again, I would prefer to stay there than anywhere else in Spain...er Britain...whatever. Again, pics to follow soon...including one with a monkey reaching out and resting his leg on my shoulder and the skull of a neanderthal preserved inside the Rock. Pretty neat..as my dad would say.
Monday 13 October 2008
Spain: Day 4
Despite some run-ins with bad tempered weather, we seem to be having a great time when all is said and done. ....Cate in particular. What was originally planned as my birthday get-away, has turned into a three-year old's dream vacation. .....swimming, playgrounding, cartoons all day long when the weather is crappy. Sean still remains miserable most of the time. I've come to the conclusion, he's not fond of Spain....or it could be his molars....or possibly both.
Yesterday we taxied into the old town of Marbella. Very quaint. Until we wandered a little too much out of the old town and things had the possibility of getting hairy. I'm ethnic-looking enough. We blended.
Today is a bank holiday...Columbus day. Nothing is open so it seems I'll be getting a massage or something around nap time. Tomorrow is the big day. The day I join the 31 club. We'll be in Gibralter with the monkeys. Can't wait! And then possibly we'll be following in the footsteps of Picasso Wed or Thurs.
I wish I could upload some of the pictures we have taken so far, but uploading takes forever in the villa. Be on the look out for a Marbella montage once we get back home to Zurich.
Isn't that something? How I consider Zurich home? Even in Spain, I miss it. Rick says the same. I know going back to the States is going to a difficult time for all of us. I think we are Swiss forever, now....if they'll have us.
All this time, I thought I was a beach type person. Turns out nothing compares to the mountains of forrest I get to see everyday outside my living room window.
Yesterday we taxied into the old town of Marbella. Very quaint. Until we wandered a little too much out of the old town and things had the possibility of getting hairy. I'm ethnic-looking enough. We blended.
Today is a bank holiday...Columbus day. Nothing is open so it seems I'll be getting a massage or something around nap time. Tomorrow is the big day. The day I join the 31 club. We'll be in Gibralter with the monkeys. Can't wait! And then possibly we'll be following in the footsteps of Picasso Wed or Thurs.
I wish I could upload some of the pictures we have taken so far, but uploading takes forever in the villa. Be on the look out for a Marbella montage once we get back home to Zurich.
Isn't that something? How I consider Zurich home? Even in Spain, I miss it. Rick says the same. I know going back to the States is going to a difficult time for all of us. I think we are Swiss forever, now....if they'll have us.
All this time, I thought I was a beach type person. Turns out nothing compares to the mountains of forrest I get to see everyday outside my living room window.
Friday 10 October 2008
Spain: Day 1.5
Here we are....in Marbella for those of you not keeping up....or for those you who have better things to do...which I hope is the case.
So. (Europeans say this a lot. Pretty much before and after every sentence. I've begun doing the same.)
So...Day one went something like this: arrive in Spain...Cate announces to the entire plane once we land that "I'm never doing this again!" Apparently, she is tired of travelling abroad and not afraid to say something about it. Little does she know, we are not taking a cruise back to Zurich.
We check in at the hotel and it seems like paradise...no...it IS paradise. It's a freakin botanical-lost city of Atlantis-paradise...for about 2 hours. Then the sky darkens, the wind picks up...and I mean it picks up just about everything that is not nailed down to something...and the rain begins. This doesn't bother me. I love a good storm. Rick, on the other hand is dashing back and forth from the laptop to the window for play by play weather updates for the rest of the week.
Right...so skipping ahead to bedtime. We're thinking we have it in the bag. The kids are exhausted..or as Cate says "zausted" from travelling all day. They're sleeping for sure. What really happens is this: Cate begins her asthma attack promptly at the moment of our heads hitting our pillows. This lasts until about 4am when her meds finally begin to kick in. Meanwhile, on the other side of the villa, for reasons unknown, Sean is working up a very impressive fever. He's as hot as a hot pocket (I know that is not lost on some of you reading this....).
The night began with my husband and I in a fluffy king sized bed with too many pillows to count and visions of delicious sound sleep dancing in our heads. It ended with us both in seperate beds, each with a sick child. Not what we had in mind.
Right about now, (at this very moment, I mean) we have been awake far too long..we don't even know how long, exactly. But we managed to get in some ping pong, swimming (indoor pool, of course) and a windy walk on the beach.
Just some random crap: you would think that the market place inside the hotel would carry such essentials like a thermometer or maybe some baby tylenol. It doesn't. My fault for not bringing the thermometer, I know. But a kind stranger overheard us asking for one and demanded that I let her take me to the pharmacy down the road. Sure...I was worried for a second that I might end up on the black market somewhere...but my love and concern for Sean helped me to look beyond that possibility.
Also, after being the in the villa about five minutes, Cate was already using the (how do you spell it) toilet to wash your bum as her own sink. She was very proud of herself and showed me her exact technique.
More updates and photos to follow...as if there were any doubts.
So. (Europeans say this a lot. Pretty much before and after every sentence. I've begun doing the same.)
So...Day one went something like this: arrive in Spain...Cate announces to the entire plane once we land that "I'm never doing this again!" Apparently, she is tired of travelling abroad and not afraid to say something about it. Little does she know, we are not taking a cruise back to Zurich.
We check in at the hotel and it seems like paradise...no...it IS paradise. It's a freakin botanical-lost city of Atlantis-paradise...for about 2 hours. Then the sky darkens, the wind picks up...and I mean it picks up just about everything that is not nailed down to something...and the rain begins. This doesn't bother me. I love a good storm. Rick, on the other hand is dashing back and forth from the laptop to the window for play by play weather updates for the rest of the week.
Right...so skipping ahead to bedtime. We're thinking we have it in the bag. The kids are exhausted..or as Cate says "zausted" from travelling all day. They're sleeping for sure. What really happens is this: Cate begins her asthma attack promptly at the moment of our heads hitting our pillows. This lasts until about 4am when her meds finally begin to kick in. Meanwhile, on the other side of the villa, for reasons unknown, Sean is working up a very impressive fever. He's as hot as a hot pocket (I know that is not lost on some of you reading this....).
The night began with my husband and I in a fluffy king sized bed with too many pillows to count and visions of delicious sound sleep dancing in our heads. It ended with us both in seperate beds, each with a sick child. Not what we had in mind.
Right about now, (at this very moment, I mean) we have been awake far too long..we don't even know how long, exactly. But we managed to get in some ping pong, swimming (indoor pool, of course) and a windy walk on the beach.
Just some random crap: you would think that the market place inside the hotel would carry such essentials like a thermometer or maybe some baby tylenol. It doesn't. My fault for not bringing the thermometer, I know. But a kind stranger overheard us asking for one and demanded that I let her take me to the pharmacy down the road. Sure...I was worried for a second that I might end up on the black market somewhere...but my love and concern for Sean helped me to look beyond that possibility.
Also, after being the in the villa about five minutes, Cate was already using the (how do you spell it) toilet to wash your bum as her own sink. She was very proud of herself and showed me her exact technique.
More updates and photos to follow...as if there were any doubts.
Tuesday 30 September 2008
Forward
It's Monday night and I have nothing else to do except take some great Swiss drugs for my migraine right after I finish this blog. So here goes: (this originated from my sister's blog btw)
Ten things you wish you could say....no names
1. I'm going to be 31 and am still waiting for that apology you owe me.
2. You'll never know how lonely it was without you, how long I waited for you, and how much it hurts being so far away from you.
3. I'm glad you finally got an idea that something was up after four years of me waiting around for the light bulb to go off. I fell in love in slow motion just like the movies. I think there were even fireworks.
4. I can't believe how stupid I was, even though a teenager. It still haunts me, just as you do.
5. No offense, I think you were always gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I just wish you would come out of the closet, already.
6. I'm sorry, in advance, for anyway that I may be effing you up right now.
7. I've asked around, and apologizing via email or voicemail does not count.
8. How can I possibly show my gratitude and love for you and your family over so many years..... and stupid boyfriends, 3 kids, one divorce, and too many garage parties to count?
9. You always were (and still are) the light at the end of my tunnel.
10. I hope someday, before it's too late, you will understand me.
Nine Things About Me
1. I'm lazy most of the time
2. That's b/c I love to work under the gun
3. I'm in love with Walt Whitman (like you didn't already know)
4. I wish I wrote just about every Bob Dylan song, myself
5. I've had clinical depression and post partum depression and I'm still here
6. I take drugs for both of these, and I'm ok with that (up yours Tom Cruise)
7. I cannot stand Oprah Winfrey and her stupid book club. I wouldn't be caught dead on that list.
8. I've been writing since the third grade and still have my first notebook of short stories from 1985
9. I'm going to be famous after I'm dead.
Eight Ways to Win My Heart
1. Be funny..mostly about yourself
2. Have some manners, for god's sake
3. Love Walt Whitman and Bob Dylan (or else don't even bother)
4. Don't talk to me about Conrad's Heart of Darkness
5. Send Oprah some hate mail
7. Bring me Chinese without me having to ask for it
8. Let me sleep in
Seven Things That Cross My Mind Alot
1. Dick Cheney is the devil
2. Am I cutting it as a mom?
3. Am I cutting it as a wife?
4. Why does Cate hate me already?
5. AP
6. These circles under my eyes aren't going anywhere
7. When can I go back to school?
Six Things I'm Afraid Of
1. The GRE
2. cockroaches (like you would not believe...hyperventilation will take place)
3. Losing one of my kids at the mall or something
4. "growing up undone"
5. another republican president
6. Dick Cheney
One Confession:
ok ok, I'm really in love with Oprah. I'm just so jealous!
Ten things you wish you could say....no names
1. I'm going to be 31 and am still waiting for that apology you owe me.
2. You'll never know how lonely it was without you, how long I waited for you, and how much it hurts being so far away from you.
3. I'm glad you finally got an idea that something was up after four years of me waiting around for the light bulb to go off. I fell in love in slow motion just like the movies. I think there were even fireworks.
4. I can't believe how stupid I was, even though a teenager. It still haunts me, just as you do.
5. No offense, I think you were always gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I just wish you would come out of the closet, already.
6. I'm sorry, in advance, for anyway that I may be effing you up right now.
7. I've asked around, and apologizing via email or voicemail does not count.
8. How can I possibly show my gratitude and love for you and your family over so many years..... and stupid boyfriends, 3 kids, one divorce, and too many garage parties to count?
9. You always were (and still are) the light at the end of my tunnel.
10. I hope someday, before it's too late, you will understand me.
Nine Things About Me
1. I'm lazy most of the time
2. That's b/c I love to work under the gun
3. I'm in love with Walt Whitman (like you didn't already know)
4. I wish I wrote just about every Bob Dylan song, myself
5. I've had clinical depression and post partum depression and I'm still here
6. I take drugs for both of these, and I'm ok with that (up yours Tom Cruise)
7. I cannot stand Oprah Winfrey and her stupid book club. I wouldn't be caught dead on that list.
8. I've been writing since the third grade and still have my first notebook of short stories from 1985
9. I'm going to be famous after I'm dead.
Eight Ways to Win My Heart
1. Be funny..mostly about yourself
2. Have some manners, for god's sake
3. Love Walt Whitman and Bob Dylan (or else don't even bother)
4. Don't talk to me about Conrad's Heart of Darkness
5. Send Oprah some hate mail
7. Bring me Chinese without me having to ask for it
8. Let me sleep in
Seven Things That Cross My Mind Alot
1. Dick Cheney is the devil
2. Am I cutting it as a mom?
3. Am I cutting it as a wife?
4. Why does Cate hate me already?
5. AP
6. These circles under my eyes aren't going anywhere
7. When can I go back to school?
Six Things I'm Afraid Of
1. The GRE
2. cockroaches (like you would not believe...hyperventilation will take place)
3. Losing one of my kids at the mall or something
4. "growing up undone"
5. another republican president
6. Dick Cheney
One Confession:
ok ok, I'm really in love with Oprah. I'm just so jealous!
Wednesday 24 September 2008
In a Rut
Is it possible to be stuck in a rut in the middle of Europe with so much to see and do? Yes.
I view ruts as very dangerous things. It makes it possible for one to seek out opportunites to really mess things up. These things can run the spectrum of getting another stupid tattoo, dying your hair the wrong color, or something much more serious. Like personal sabotage to shake things up a bit....which is my M.O.
The moral of this story: everywhere is the same. Six months in one place and you're bound to be like: "yeah...that's an alp...so what?" or "been to Austria, France, Germany, Italy...big effing deal." The more things change the more they stay the same.
Glad I came to this conclusion. I was always looking over the fence at the bright green perfectly manicured lawn of another....thinking how much cooler it must be over there rather than wherever I happened to be.
It's way cooler over here, but that gets to be boring too. So...looking forward to Spain and some sun and some beach. And uh, that's about it.
I view ruts as very dangerous things. It makes it possible for one to seek out opportunites to really mess things up. These things can run the spectrum of getting another stupid tattoo, dying your hair the wrong color, or something much more serious. Like personal sabotage to shake things up a bit....which is my M.O.
The moral of this story: everywhere is the same. Six months in one place and you're bound to be like: "yeah...that's an alp...so what?" or "been to Austria, France, Germany, Italy...big effing deal." The more things change the more they stay the same.
Glad I came to this conclusion. I was always looking over the fence at the bright green perfectly manicured lawn of another....thinking how much cooler it must be over there rather than wherever I happened to be.
It's way cooler over here, but that gets to be boring too. So...looking forward to Spain and some sun and some beach. And uh, that's about it.
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