My 100th Post

100 posts on blogger since I moved to Europe in December. It has been an amazing adventure so far and it feels as if it is just beginning. First off a thank you to my handful of readers who always have kind words to say. A thank you to the bloggers that have commented along the way, I never thought anyone else read this. Lastly, a thank you to Joan for making these experiences possible.

Before I tell you about the last couple of days, I want to say a few words about George Carlin,a man who went from social comic to cultural critic in his lifetime. I recently read his last interview he made just two weeks before he died. He said something that stopped my eyes from reading and slapped reality across my face. After telling a joke to his interviewer he said, "I have a long thing I'd like to write someday about language and the way we address each other."

George Carlin died of heart failure, unexpectedly. It is obvious he had many other things planned for his life, but just seeing the words in front of me makes it that more powerful. I'm sure two weeks ago I said I wanted to go on a trip or call a friend....but what if I didn't have that much time left to do all those things? It is a dark concept so I won't dwell on it, however it reminds me to live for today and not procrastinate because tomorrow isn't promised.

So, in other recent news I will tell you all about Sant Joan Day. Monday night, after Joan arrived from taking Starbuck back to Barcelona, we went to dinner at the restaurant Giorgio. There were 15 people at the table which made for a wonderful time. I sat next to Xevi and Albert and across from Joan and Xavi. We joked and laughed and talked the entire time and before I knew it the waiter was taking my pasta away as everyone else had finished and I had barely made a dent in mine! There was some excitement when the second course was served, a spider crawled across the table between Ana and Shabir. Someone knocked the spider off the table but just when everyone had forgotten about it, it appeared again on Ana's shoulder. That was cause for hysterics and Shabir gallantly swept him away. Finding a spider was suprising because Girogios is an upscale restaraunt but even those cannot keep out bugs entirely;especially when we were sitting at a table next to a plant and a window.

After dinner we went to the Irish Rover. I met Xevi's brother Pere and his girlfriend Rebekkah from Taiwan. She is a freelance translator now since she doesn't have her papers but she used to work for the U.N. Ana and I actually had good conversation, she is leaving in a month and the reality is hitting her that she will miss being in Spain quite a lot. Ana and Shabir will be in a long distance relationship, we shall see how it goes. I don't wish those on anyone.

Joan and I at the Rover

After the Irish Rover closed at 4, we walked to Tropics but that was very lame so we made our way to Disco Hollywood. We stayed there until 5:30 a.m.! I could not believe it. I hadn't drank much at all and neither had Joan so we were feeling good and surprisingly not tired when we went home.

The night of Sant Joan was the shortest of the year so at 5:30 it was already pretty light outside. We had to close the shutters so we could sleep! The next morning we woke up around 8:30 and lounged around until 1 when we went to the meatshop to pick up the food for the BBQ. We arrived at Xevi's around 2 and started grilling out.

This was where things went bad because someone ( I think Xevi's sister) bought wood for a fireplace. I don't know why she didn't buy coal....so when Joan placed the meat on the grill it burnt to a crisp. Luckily he had only cooked a few so there was still plenty left.

The day was a lot of fun. It was pretty surreal to be at Xevi's because I had heard so much about it and seen so many pictures of his pool etc that actually being there awas quite strange. It is a huge house, definetly made to host parties. Around 6:30 everyone left and Carlos and his girlfriend, along with Xavi came to see our flat. We introduced Carlos to facebook (he now has one) and he introduced us to an online game that I'm sure Joan will be addicted to.

Today (Wednesday) has been productive. I taught Jordi and after took the bus back to Lloret. What is normally a dull experience was an akward one when an Indian man sat next to me and told me "You are very beautiful, I like you."

I met Maribel at the meatshop and she told me we had a lunch date with this old man at his house. He is like family she said, someone they have known for ages. His house is in the city center, very close to the meatshop and is absolutely beautiful. Save for a flatscreen t.v and a computer from 1998, everything is antique. It has a victorian-esque look. An old victorola, antique birdcages and parasols hanging from the vautled ceilings designed with gorgeous crown molding. It is three stories tall and has a wonderful rooftop patio. The bedrooms are lovely as well. My favorite room was called The Suite and it was like out of a movie. Victorian furniture, a 1940s style phone and vanity. It had wooden stairs that led up to a loft with another bed and old photos of his family from the 1930s and 40s. Carlos (the older mans name) is a widower and lives alone. His daughter lives in Germany with her husband and children, but I was told she visits often. Maribel and I walked out into his garden and it is gorgeous also. It reminded me of something out of a book. It wasn't big but held many plants and fruit trees. Each morning Carlos hangs a few muffins out for the birds so every now and again you hear the faint sound of songs from among the trees.

Lunch was an array of fish. Sardines cooked two ways, Baccallo, and Rape. He made asparagus and fresh bread. We drank Catalan wine and listened to opera music. It was a wonderful experience.

Tomorrow Joan's friend Adam arrives from Hungary. He is here for four days. I must get his room ready and head out to the grocery store before Joan gets home.

Hope all is well in your corners of the world.