The Great Escape

Ever since I can remember my dad has wanted a sailboat. Every time we'd see one his eyes would light up and he'd say, "Court, I'm gonna get a sailboat one of these days." He's got the passion...he just lacks the boat and well, sailing lessons.

There's just something about the open ocean that attracts us. I have the same passion my dad has. It's not so much the actual boat, rather the greatness of the ocean that I love. I love everything about it...it's beauty, it's mystery, the life it contains, it's expansion, it's powerfulness. Something so amazing could only be the work of God. One minute it's as calm as a bathtub and the next it's strength and fury explode. The ocean's a world that's bigger and more complex than the land and over half of it has yet to be explored.

That's why I chose to study biology and oceanography. That's why Jacques Cousteau was always my hero. And that's why I take pictures of boats. Boats are our outlet to sea...our great escape.

Thanksgiving Volume 2

So I was feeling a little down about not being able to make Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. I realized I had to do something. It would have been my first Thanksgiving EVER not doing something. So I went out today and bought some turkey breast. Nothing special, but Jose and I sat down and celebrated together.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is not a big event over here in Spain. I wonder why?? Hmmm. Normally I buy a big turkey which I have to actually order at the grocery store, because there's not much of a demand for them. I cook my big Thanksgiving dinner and have friends over. I've done this every year since I've been here. Some years have turned out better than others...I have yet to find the right potatoes to make mashed potatoes that don't look and feel like paper paste!

This year I'm not making the bird, though. My parents are coming for Christmas and in order to take off from work, I have to make up all the classes I'll miss before they come. So that means no time to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year. I could do it on Saturday, but then it wouldn't be the same...not like anyone over here would notice, though!

I just talked to my sister, Ashley, on the phone. She's fixing Thanksgiving dinner for my parents this year. The bird is in the oven, she's peeling potatoes, my dad made pumpkin french toast for my neices and nephew and my mom is just relaxing playing with the grandkids...which feels sort of strange for her.

I love Thanksgiving. It's makes my mouth water just thinking aobut it! Mmmm. It's not just the food, though. I have great memories of being with my dad and sister, playing football in the yard...well passing the football..."playing" is a strong word. Watching the Redskins on TV. Having my brother, Brian, practice all his Walker Texas Ranger moves on me. Watching my mom do whatever it is she did with that nasty little bag of giblits. Helping make the relish tray. Pulling the wishbone...which never broke because it was too moist. Taking the picture of what always looked like the Adams Family. The day I got promoted to the big persons table! I always felt like a reject sitting on the little stool at the munchkin table. And sitting by the fire eating leftover turkey sandwiches.

I do have a can of pumpkin left over from last year...maybe I'll make a pie on Saturday and buy some cold cut turkey to make sandwiches. Oh well. Here's a picture of my sister and I many Thanksgivings ago.

The Two Marías

Years ago there were two little old ladies here in Santiago. Both named María. Even though they weren't totally with it, the town loved them. You see, the two Marías were in their 80s but they thought they were in their 20s...really. Everyday they would wake up, put on their make-up, do their hair and head out on the town. They usually went to the Alameda to strut their stuff and try to pick up men! They would whistle at cute college passer-bys and every once in awhile give a little wink. Well the whole town knew about the two Marías and so the college boys would play along. Their response to the whistles and winks would be a smile along with a "Guapa!" Which means beautiful. These two spunky ladies passed away before I got the chance to meet them, but at least I got to take my picture with them!

Un Domingo Cualquiera

I know it must seem like we're lazy over here, but when you think about it's the way it should be! All the stores are closed on Sundays. It's a true day to rest. Jose and I were talking about it over an Estrella Galicia in a bar given the name "42".




About a month ago all of the small businesses were faced with a decision...whether or not stores should open on Sundays. The answer was immediate...NO. Everyone decided against it. No making a quick run to the grocery store for milk or spending the afternoon Christmas shopping at the mall, no noisy jackhammers or cars honking in a hurry. Just the sound of chatter and laughter. A meeting was called and the decision was unanimous...Sunday is a day to rest.




Now this of course does leave out the cafès, bars and restaurants. But they close on Mondays, so that the rest of the town can enjoy time together with family and friends and have a place to reunite on Sundays. Whether at home, in the park, or in a bar (here bars are actually family places...they're not pool halls or anything like that!)

I saw the most amazing thing while we were sitting in bar "42". All of the tables were full and a young couple didn't have anywhere to sit, so an elderly couple invited them to sit down at their table. Complete strangers sat and talked for 30 minutes. I'm sure that if it were the hustle and bustle of a Monday or Tuesday, the young couple wouldn't have had time to sit and chat. But they had no stores to visit or chores to do, so they slowed down and enjoyed the company.




Come Monday everything changes. The jackhammer starts up again, the cars honk away, people push and shove on their way to work, and it's back to the daily grind. But I think everyone should take time to just slow down and enjoy the people and things you're thankful for.

Childlike Joy

One of the things I enjoy most about being an adult is, of course, the independance. And with that independance comes the freedom of setting up Christmas decorations as early as I desire...




It had always been the "rule" that the Christmas tree would go up after Thanksgiving. I guess the lifespan of a real cut tree had a lot to do with that. But due to the lack of trees here in Galicia as a result of forest fires every summer, buying a real tree is looked down upon. So that means my fake tree can live for many years and I can put it up in July if I feel like it!

OK, so July is a little too early, even for me. But I love Christmas. I feel like a little girl everytime I see the decorations in the store windows. I just get this real childlike joy everytime the holidays come around.



My way of seeing it is that if the stores have their Christmas decorations up, why can't I?? So yesterday I let the child in me take over. I turned on my Christmas music and went to work decorating and singing. Little things make me happy. Christmas lights is one of those things. If it were up to me I'd probably have little lights twinkling all throughout the year. Just seeing them puts a smile on my face. You can imagine the thrill when I discovered that they have 8 twinkle settings! 8 times the pleasure!




I'm sure my neighbors think I'm crazy, but oh well. I think it's silly to have to follow social standards like that. I always wore white sandals after labor day. So now I can add to the list of NO NOs...decorates for Christmas mid-November.





Now if I can just figure out where I'm going to hang my stash of colored twinkling lights...

Black Thumb

That's right. You heard me. I'm lacking a green thumb. Mine is putrid and black. Why is it that I always kill my plants. I bet all the little plants and bulbs scream little screams when I walk in the plant shop. "Oh no, not her! Did you hear what happened to Gardenia? She's merciless." "Yeah, well I heard she drowned Myrtle!" "I won't even mention what she did to Rose...it's despicable." I'm so ashamed!!! Here's a picture of my lovely little green friends just ONE week ago...



Well this is what they're looking like as of yesterday....





...it's depressing. I never wanted to hurt them!!! What have I done?? SOS!!

Pathetic Postal Service

It's been proven...postal services suck anywhere you go in the world! I thought it was just in the USA, but no...Spain has proven to be just as bad. I bought presents for my neices for their birthdays, which are all quite close together. The presents were all pretty much the same...little figurine fairies...with more or less the same weight. I put them all in the same type of envelope. Can you believe that all three had a major difference in price?

The first fairy took flight at the end of August. I was a little late in getting it to the post office so i decided to send it super urgent. The lady told me "2 Days, 2 Days!" I thought "GREAT! it'll be there in 2 days!" I was wrong. They charged me 30 euros to send a package super urgent that got there in 2 weeks...not the 2 days I was expecting. I felt like Tom Hanks on the Money Mit when the guy said "2 weeks, 2 weeks!" and it was really "6 months, 6 months!"

Needless to say, when the second fairy took flight, I was thinking about the predicament with the first fairy and said to myself, "Heck, I'm not spending 30 bucks to send a 15 euro fairy and have it get there late anyway." So I just sent her off like a normal envelope. They charged me 4.35 Euros. WooHoo! I was excited. And you know what? That sucker was in the hands of my neice Peyton in 4 days! She must have had a rocket attached to her butt to make it to the States at such great speed.

So yesterday I sent the third fairy on her way. I went to the post office with only 6 Euros in my pocket thinking...fairy number 2 only cost 4.35 Euros. I take my ticket and wait my turn. They were on number 478 when I came in...I was number 500! After about 45 minutes of waiting, listening to the electronic "BEEP", the smell of stamp glue, and the little old ladies who always try to jump their turn...it was finally my turn. I step up to the counter, she takes my envelope and says..."Ocho con setenta." That's 8.70 Euros, for you non-spanish speakers. I said, "I only have 6 Euros. Last time it was only 4.35 Euros." She explained that the price is in intervals. For example, 0-500 grams is 4.35 and 501-1000 grams is 8.70. I wanted to scream. Obviously fairy number three had eaten one twinkie too many! I was already running late for class so I ran to Jose's office which is next door and gave hime the package to mail.

That reminds of a few funny stories about the US Postal Service. The time when my friend's mom sent her a package to Spain and when it arrived at Christmas it had Chinese writing all over the box and had halloween treats inside which were stale! She saved the Chinese stamps though. The time my parents sent Jose and I our Christmas gifts and we didn't open them until ONE YEAR later...the pecans weren't that tasty after a year. And the time I received a HUGE care package at camp full of decorative pillows, curtains, candles and a trash can. My grandma really enjoyed eating all the goodies she recieved in Maryland...chocolate, beef jerky, cheese balls and jolly ranchers! But man! Cabin Norway was tastfully decorated that summer with curtains and all...Marth Stewart would have been proud!!

Sunday with Friends

Every Sunday Jose and I normally get together with our friends Jose and Montse...and now their new addition to the family...Antón.



We normally just go for a walk around the old city and chat. The two Joses are always about a half a mile ahead of Montse and I talking about politics. Both Joses love to talk about politics. Which is good for me...that way they can talk about the latest towncouncil scandal while Montse and I enjoy each others company. Montse's a talker, which is great for me because...well...I'm not. I've always been a really good listener, but talking is just not my strong area. That's why I like Montse so much. She can talk about anything for any amount of time. Today the topic was about how her Jose fussed about having to wake up in the middle of the night to hold 1 month old Antón while she went to the bathroom...whooo...she went on and on about that one!




It was an absolutely beautiful day...still no rain! After walking for about 30 minutes we decided on a café (there are about 1000 cafés in Santiago...not kidding!) We were quite shocked to see a transvestite walk in the door with a miniskirt, knee high boots and 5 o'clock shadow!! We wanted to take a picture but decided against it.





I really enjoy our Sunday get togethers.



I spent the rest of the afternoon curled up on the couch with my fishfarming notes and a hot cup of tea studying the environmental effects salmon have on the marine community...oooo fun.

"Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting..."

Do you ever just get the urge to break out a kung fu or karate move? I did the other night. I don't know what came over me, but I wanted to be like Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee all of a sudden. It was 10 PM and I'd just gotten home from teaching my last class of the day and I noticed that Jose's Aikido robe had arrived. Jose does Aikido, by the way. So I put it on and busted out my best moves. I really wanted to be able to fly like they do in the movies, but oh well...I settled for this...




Ok, the urge is now over...I can continue with my day now...

Depth and Texture

ALLEY


These are some photographs that I took in my photography class awhile back. I mixed two themes together...depth and texture.

ARCHWAYS

METAL SWIRLY BENCH

WOODEN BENCH

DOCK

STONE CATHEDRAL

STONE CHURCH

IVY

METAL RAILING

THE SHORE