(so this was suppose to go out 3 weeks ago - sorry!)
Here we go - any risk of ‘bad weather’ here is gone and it’s been perfect for weeks. Windows open, sunny all day, crisp nights and mornings, and just a great time to be in Barcelona.
Updates!
I booked an overnight with Ashley - needed. An amazing restaurant, great vineyard with views, and overall a relaxing 30 hours. Can’t wait to do another!
Calcotada season is finished! Giant mountain onions dipped in romesco sauce - I wrote about this last year I think. They are good January - mid-March and it’s a long 3-4 hour lunch with close friends, where you dine on onions, salads, and meat. And more wine than you need for a week. I had friends brag this year that they didn’t ‘have to do any’ calcotadas this year - I enjoyed them but maybe next year …. 1 is ok vs 2 or 3.
My collarbone is healed. 7 weeks. Docs said 12 weeks to get back from 9 screws and a large plate. I don’t mess around!
It was a ton of time and I was (still in Physio and Cryo) at appointments or conducting therapy on my own it feels like hours a day (not getting a ton of direction from the surgeon). Heavy Magno and Physio, Cryo and PrP, ice therapy machines, drugs, supplements, consults, and exercises was just taking too much of my day - but it was worth all the investment I made. I’m over it, but knew it was a process that had to happen (ps I landed the jump!)
The physical pain is gone but the mental pain of not being able to ride a bike with Hayes or play rough with them for almost 2 months or even get a bin out of the storage here (it’s overhead!) was torture for an active person like me!
I’m able to brush my teeth with my right now, but continue to do it with my left hand. I’m back to cooking but still can’t all get the pressure to cut that damn squash! But I can cut the eggplant and flip my eggs!
I’ve involved the kids! Ellory is responsible for reminding me to put a special oil on the scar twice a day and Hayes helped by counting my exercises and weighing out some of my supplements. I think all are learning from this setback….hayes and I can’t wait to get back to that same slope first trip up.
I’ve been told to write a book from my physio and physician, but I’ll not be doing that.
Because of all the above, I’ve not started back up with my Spanish instructor. We were supposed to start again 4 weeks ago but I haven’t been able to make one of the sessions work yet. I would love to do an intense 3-4 hours a day for a month but I’m unsure when I would find the time.
I did a quick overnight to London to meet with some people that flew from Dallas and New York to meet me (had to do with my work). I still do not like London, but was a nice getaway to meet some super-smart people. It is very interesting how It’s become strange to have everyone speaking English!
Semana Santa
So for Spring Break (Semana Santa or Holy Week (Easter)) our hiking/surfing/desert trip to Morroco was not going to work (Ashley’s knee and then my shoulder) so we took the train to Madrid for 3 days (amazing city - very much different than Barcelona) and a day trip to Toledo (amazing history - look it up!). We then landed in Seville for Semana Santa. You have to look this one online up as my pictures are good but the story is amazing - see below but more interesting are MY VIDEOS (links below)
The processions we watched took about 60-80 minutes each and there were countless per day, and even at the same time. They never overlapped with each other but the process (I am not religious) was just amazing to watch. Watching the local families participate, the pure silence of a 5000-person crowd gathered in the streets, and the timing of it all was fascinating. They marched and played all night long one night - you could hear them all day long in the city. It would be a 4-minute walk to dinner via google and yet would take 60 minutes as we had to detour and find ways around closed streets and crowds. We took it all in as well as a scooter tour, horse carriage ride, and even a flamenco show. The food was amazing - but the vibe in the city was memorable. I really loved Seville and can’t wait to get back soon when the city hasn’t transformed like it did for Semana Santa. It was something Team Appino will never forget (plus I took about 5,000 photos!).
Next month…
Next month is going to be full…Dad and Vicki get in today (only 4 days wtf?) and my buddy Kris on Saturday. Ashley’s auntie Traci comes in with Avery for a few days the week after and then Jan and her family get in (wahooo!). In early June, Team Patrick comes with their two boys from South Dakota and we will do a weekend in Paris with them (Hayes and Ells never been!). I can’t wait to see everyone but spending time with my great friends that have never been to Europe before is really special (talking about you Jan and Team Patrick) watching them take it all in. Life is ‘full’ of things to do and hosting so many people is really not easy with balancing kids, friends, work, and typical routines (gym, kids school and activities, reading, Spanish, etc) but the big investment I make into helping people plan and coordinate and then playing tour-guide-Jon is worth it - it really brings me joy.
After constant visitors, we will welcome summer. It’ll be solid for sure. The kids are out of school on 23 June, the next week they both have sleep-away camps. I found an amazing mountain biking camp for Hayes that I really wish I could go to it looks so fun! 7 days in the woods, riding, learning maintenance, riding skills of all types, and getting along without the city’s luxuries (screens are forbidden!). He will be with all Spanish speaking local kids, so they will be there to work on their English and he will have plenty of time to work on his Spanish (he is amazing already!). Ellory is in the ASB camp, then going away with Hayes back to the Pyrenees for a hiking/camp-building sleep-away. They will learn so much from these two camps - I am super excited (and Ashley and I will have 2 weeks (split by a week with them) to travel and relax! (I probably need to start planning that….)
I’ll write next time not much about our visitors but about some of the nuances I’m appreciating here in Spain after we approach a year and a half. Some of the factors that inspired us to do the move, and why I’m nervous to return for 3 weeks to the States in August. If you are around and want to connect let us know! We will be in KC as a base but visit family in Wichita and South Dakota and spend a week at our cabin in the Black Hills as well.
Onward and UPWARD!!!