Peppermint

It's 9 PM and I'm sipping piping hot herbal mint tea, snuggled up in warm flannel pajamas and an overgrown knit sweater, eating Junior Mints with peppermint crunches. I don't think that I've ever fully appreciated the wonder of peppermint before. It tastes like home and Christmas: delicious. A wonderful way to unwind after my longest work day of the week. Out the door at 7:40, back in at 7:30. It's been a long day, yet a pleasant day. Hugs, kisses, "Happy New Years" and everything else that greets people returning to work after Christmas break. One of the girls hugged me tight when I came in the door (20 minutes late...thank-you broken down trains) and told me I was her favorite teacher. In English. Though quite possibly, she told the rest of the teachers that as well. I don't care. Today I feel loved and we'll leave it at that.

A la Vuelta

I've been back in Madrid for about a week now; today was to have been my first day back at work. However, due to snow last night and into the wee hours, the government cancelled classes in the public schools, though the kids still could go to school. Huh? I was one confused girl about 7:15 this morning, trying to decide whether I was supposed to go to work or not. Luckily, I was able to get ahold of Rosa and she told me to not bother coming in for the half day I work today. I suppose that tomorrow everything will be back to normal and I can give the books I got for my class to Rosa and the kids.

I know that I haven't written a lot about my trip home, or put up pictures. Mom has the pictures held ransom, so those will come later. (just kidding Mom) I do have some pictures of my adorable brother though!

Driving home from Lafayette


Same old, same old: stealing my money, taking up all of the relaxing room on the bed, stealing my pen, and teasing me about it. Did I say I minded? Well, he did give me the money back. And if he hadn't, I can always threaten to tickle him.

Here's a "quick" list of my almost 3 week stay at home:
-Christmas with the Vances (Rick, Pam, Shannon, and Brandon): Shannon played photographer and took this photo of us that Mom used for the Christmas cards.



-Sleepover with Arielle and the girls. Outdoor hot tub + snow = kind of crazy but fun. Arielle fell asleep and I ended up talking to her
husband, José, for awhile. Then pancakes, hot chocolate, and "The Office" in the morning
-Making Christmas cards
-Visit with Ana at Borders
-Shopping with Justine at Glenbrook Mall and a long talk about everything from A-Z over Sbarro's pizza. Spent a long time looking at calendars and gourmet food.
-Christmas Eve at church and then early to bed to wait for Santa Claus
-Christmas!! Cinnamon rolls, scavenger hunt with Colin, blindly guessing what the gifts were (I said a light-up Christmas sweater for teachers, but didn't get one. I think I'll live)
-Christmas in Michigan and visit with wonderful and brainy cousins (and with whom I share a slight eccentricity)
-Isma coming!!

-Lots of card games and Sequence. The new one for this year is Rook. Barely any euchre, which is odd.
-Tour of Fort Wayne for Isma's benefit
-Attempt to go skiing at Pokagon and subsequent fail when I got sick (or passed out would be more accurate)
-Sad farewell to parents at the airport and time relaxing before in the new airport
-First plane trip to Spain with company! (much better this way, I must say)

I've spent the last week trying to get over jet-lag and relaxing. The only time I went out was last Friday. Right now is the "rebajas," the sales in Spain that last from January - March. I went with Tamy and Sara, which was fun but not something I think I need to repeat soon. So many people!! We waited in one line to pay 30 minutes. At least. The best part was probably the conversations we had in that same line and eating supper with Sara's husband, Angel, when he joined us after
getting of work.

Painting

You know, the last time I tried to give plants as a gift, I think that they died less than a week after Christmas. Though this time they've survived three weeks out of my hands, before giving them away. I spent the Tuesday evening before I left to the US for Christmas painting. It's so relaxing, the stroke of the paintbrush and watching something ordinary transform into something more interesting.

During my last day of work before break, I went downtown to buy the paints and paint brushes at an art store downtown that Rosa told me about. The streets were decorated for Christmas, which I admired while peering into shop windows. The arts shop was a serious art shop...not kids paints or department store selection. I guess that's why the clerk didn't smile. Perhaps artists don't like clerks to smile. You know, the stereotypical starving artist that is preoccupied and wouldn't notice. Or the quality is so good there and the shop so famous that artists will go there even if the young shopkeeper is half dead. I must say that the man in the gallery connected with the art supply store was quite friendly, smiled, and gave good directions to their other location.