Sunday, September 19, 2010

Looking through the Tunnel

I swear some weeks fly by and others just creep.  This was a strange one for sure.  We’re not yet settled, but we’re not new to Madrid.  We have been here long enough that it’s embarrassing to say “no hablo espanol” but many aspects of the city and living still seem mysteries.

It was a rough 40 hours or so from Sunday night through Tuesday morning at 1:30am when our building’s water was shut off.  This summer we have had more water issues than I can remember ever having.  It started in Chicago where we lost water to our condo for the better part of a week.  It was incredibly frustrating and as close as I have seen to a riot in some time.  With hundreds of people living together and no water things got very tense very quickly. 

Dorothy has been battling a nasty cold since Thursday night.  She’s been a trooper with it but we don’t yet have a permanent doctor here so we are very anxious to see her get better.  Even though we have found lists of English-speaking doctors, when calling their offices are not as English-friendly thus far.  Dorothy’s new nanny starts on Monday so hoping we don’t have to go to the doctor before that time and we can go with someone who speaks some Spanish (although little English).

We have our new apartment.  Things got signed on Thursday night.  It is quite exciting if still a bit surreal.  The only things that occupy this apartment until our shipment from the U.S. arrives next week are a few random bottles of water and a nearly finished room for the new nanny.  Since she’ll be living with us we had to get everything set for her even if we aren’t there full-time yet.  Closing on the apartment was significantly more stressful than either of the homes we have owned previously but I think I’ll leave that for another post.

I have a call with my brothers in a few hours.  Will be good to catch up with them.  We started doing three-way calls which is kind of fun.  Seems to be a lot more like we are all together than when just talking one-on-one.

So, lots of adventures this week.  Several marathons I could have cared to do without but all and all still a good week.  I think we see the light at the end of the tunnel that is flashing “settled” and I hope we make it there soon.  Vagabond life can be exhausting.  

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