Thursday, 5 July 2018

Travel adventures

Last Wednesday there was a ladies' lunch at the lake in Treignac for a monthly get together and to give me a jolly send off. 



I started my journey to Spain on Friday and stayed the night in a hotel in Toulouse because the train and flight timetables clashed. I noticed a hairdressing salon opposite the hotel and had the brilliant idea of retouching my roots and having a trim. Three and a half hours later, I emerged looking like a cheap hooker with yellow hair on most of my head, with brown hair at the back. Was I furious? Yes, and didn't have time to correct the total disaster. The family was very nice and said I looked good (ha ha).

Julia, Ana, yours truly and Pili (Julio's wife)
As soon as the local salon opened, I was there like a shot. Now I'm a brunette again.



The journey itself went very well, without any incidents. I received a very warm welcome. I'm staying with my cousin Julia, who's 88 years old, but looks younger than me! She was a stunner when she was young. Julia made a delicious paella on Monday, and keeps feeding me all the time. It's a very Spanish thing... She has a wicked sense of humour and finally conceded that I looked like a hooker with the yellow hair. 


Cousin Josefina, my mom and Julia at a flamenco show. Two of them seem very emotional...



Paella!

We went to see an apartment on Monday afternoon. It's very well equipped, with top of the range appliances and comfortably furnished, with a/c and all that. The only snag is the old fashioned decor, with a lot of gold and horrendous pictures on the wall. The owner used to live there, so I kept quiet, not desiring to offend. I sent the link with photos to Billy and he agreed it looks like a museum, so we decided to call it a tourist attraction. Hey, if I have enough beds,a kitchen and somewhere to sit, the rest is immaterial. The rent is very reasonable for the location, a prime spot in Armilla. The building's entrance is spectacular, with marble floor, many beautiful potted plants and a modern elevator.









All I need to do now is register as a resident, open a bank account, transfer my pension and join the all-free, excellent Spanish health system. Julia's daughter is helping me navigate all the bureaucracy involved in the process. 

It's all very exciting and positive. Hasta la vista, amigos!

[I'm beginning to think in Spanish, a good sign.]

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

Happy Independence Day!

Today is the 4th of July. I still feel it is a day to celebrate despite the current political climate. So enjoy your day off, have fun with family and friends, and relax. The sun will rise tomorrow 😊






Apologies to my facebook friends, but I am using a Duncan post you have probably seen..



The calm before the 4th of July storm


This  is no big deal..



Wait, what was that sound?



Oh my goodness, 4th of July again!!


Have a great day!

Tuesday, 3 July 2018

Another Tuesday

It’s Tuesday once again. Sometimes words escape me. Everyone have a nice day!







Sunday, 1 July 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Our friend Shapeshifterbelly celebrated her birthday this week!  We send you our best wishes and look forward to sharing some goodies with you in honor of your special day. 😊











Cheers! Have a great day!

Saturday, 30 June 2018

A Walk On The Beach

I took some photos during my quick trip to Cape Cod.  Take off your shoes because we're going to the beach...

This is the road leading to the beach... 

Oh boy, it's low tide.


The tide goes way out here.  You can walk for a mile before getting to the water at low tide.  Lieutenant Island in Wellfleet is in the distance.

Let's walk back to shore, then continue north.


This is the Wellfleet Audubon Wildlife Sanctaury.  In the summer, the piping plovers nest here and the area is roped off.

Later that same day... 

We're back at our beach for the sunset.

Too many no-see-ums at the beach, so we are back at the cottage to watch the sun slowly fall into the Bay.

There you have it.  My happy place and my favorite place to walk.




Friday, 29 June 2018

Le Deseamos Vviajes Seguros! (We wish you safe travels)

Today is an exciting day for all of us here at WTIOC.  Our fearless leader is flying to her next grand adventure, Granada, Spain! 


We are so happy that you will be living in a beautiful city near your extended family.  Spending part of the year there, and part of the year in Miami with your sister seems like the perfect plan.  Please take lots of photos to share with us as you explore your new city. 

By all accounts, Granada seems like a very interesting place for the architecture, food, history. and culture.  Here's a taste of what you will experience.

View of the Alhambra with Sierra Nevada in the background

View from the Alhambra

Granada is a top destination for foodies.  I believe it from the seeing all the wonderful dishes.  Especially the tapas.  I am so jealous!! 



It wouldn't be right to enjoy the sites and the delicious food without some lovely Spanish wine.  Here's an article on the "5 Must-Try wine Bars In Granada" to get you started. 

¡buen viaje, Regina!





Thursday, 28 June 2018

An Afternoon At The Tip Of The Cape

Are you ready for an afternoon trip to Provincetown?  Apparently it's the day of the Portuguese Festival and Parade.  It's 2:00, which means it's 5:00 somewhere.  We end up at Tin Pan Alley, across from the Town Hall-- and got a great table at the window.

Beer on tap and the House Rum Punch.  The Punch was very tasty.

Someone likes oysters.  None for me, I had the Fish Tenders, which were so fresh and so yummy.

Here comes the parade!!







PTown is a great place for people-watching.  The most flamboyant characters are often in costume to promote a show in which they are performing.


And with that, I'll leave with a Moment of Zen.


Wednesday, 27 June 2018

Nostalgia

There was a lot of excitement at our house this weekend.

All the kids were here to celebrate the long St Jean Baptiste holiday weekend. This holiday marks the end of the school year in Quebec. It is a day eagerly awaited by teachers and students alike.

While the girls were rummaging around in the basement, they discovered a container full of their old Cabbage Patch Dolls. It was like old home week. Squeals and hilarity ensued.

My girls were obsessed with these dolls. When the dolls became the hot new toy in the early 80's they ended up at the top of my daughters' Christmas lists. Luckily, I bought their presents early that year,  because as it got closer to Christmas there were no Cabbage Patch dolls to be had anywhere. Parents were desperate to find dolls.

The two middle dolls were the ones Santa brought that Christmas. Next came the bald babies and then Mike's mom and dad got them the Russian baby and the Spanish matador on the far right.

My son-in-law thinks we should sell them all! One vintage doll in mint condition has a value of over $900.00.


These dolls are not mint condition! They were well loved.


Next discovery- Mike's old record player and a container full of old records. He won't give any of those away. Our son-in-law loves old records so Mike had an appreciative audience for his stories.



Kerri found the beautiful outfits that Mike's relatives sent from Poland when she was born.
Here she is at age 2 ready to go to her uncle's wedding. I can't find the photo that shows the whole outfit. 
And here she is today trying to get back into it! Adult beverages may have been involved.


It was fun to reminisce. Where did those years go?