Madrid Standard Time

Kelly: We arrived back from Madrid at about 1:oo AM this morning. It would've been worse if we hadn't experienced Madrid Standard Time (MST). MST meant leaving for drinks at 9:00 PM, finding a restaurant maybe by 10-10:30...putting food in my mouth by 11:30, 12:00 and returning to our hotel by 1:00AM. So, you can see why this morning's early arrival wasn't too unsettling. What is more unsettling is that it it now 10:18, and I am not sleepy, despite the fact that I have to work tomorrow and have to sound perky for a radio interview.

Madrid was interesting. It was great to see friends from home. It made me miss being able to see them without three months of coordination and a hit to my bank account. It also made me appreciate being able to hop on a plane in the afternoon and be in Madrid by evening. Madrid was messy. Graffiti, trash, dirt, no sense of order (i.e., waiting in lines was futile). The people were not that friendly. In Germany, there isn't much customer service. Germans don't go out of their way to smile or be polite or make smalltalk. My experience of customer service in Madrid was that they went out of their way to be rude....eye rolls when we struggled with the language, ignoring us when we tried to ask for reservations, etc. The food (excepting the Sangria) was underwhelming which could explain why Matt and I both ate a house tonight.

Okay, time for bed. This girl won't have a chance for siesta tomorrow!

Madrid...Really

Kelly: Matt and I are going to Madrid Friday. We are meeting our friends there for a fun-filled weekend. For some reason, it doesn't seem real. Maybe we are getting used to traveling or maybe this week has been a chaotic mess. OR maybe it is because I haven't packed anything and know nothing about Spain or Madrid in particular. Oh well. We are both ready for a break. Matt's job prospects have been questionable at best, but he just found out that his old organization or unit or whatever they call it has been dissolved into nothing, and it appears that he wouldn't have a job when he went back. As it stands now, he's not sure how much longer he will have the little bit of work that he currently has. So, I guess all of the stress related to that is the reason for needing a break! Neither of us has been sleeping much, either. Everything has seemed difficult this week...even the little things. I feel like staying in bed all day...when has that ever happened?

We did have an intersting experience today....I wanted to buy Matt a watch for his birthday, and I wanted to get him a European-made watch (when in Rome...). So, we went to our local (2 seconds down the street) watch shop (yes, they really do exist), and he picked out the one that he liked. The couple who owns the shop started chatting with us. The husband in particular was so so friendly. It really made me feel happy to be a temporary resident of his country. Interesting how my views on living in Europe seem to change with the breeze (a cold breeze...the weather has been unforgiving).

Moday Blahs

Kelly: Ugh. Today was a struggle. I think I got up on the wrong side of the bed. The little things were difficult. The difficult things were more difficult, and I have no motivation to prepare myself for tomorrow. Ugh. The rain and cold weather didn't help. I thought that spring was here. I was singing the praises of bikerides, beanbags, and outdoor eating. Now it is back to sweaters, umbrellas, and a hot beverage glued to my hand. I'm trying to find the good in this, and I think that perhaps I needed a reminder of the contrast...I realize how good the good is when I've dipped a toe back into the blah.

A Wash

Kelly: This weekend was a bit of a wash, metaphorically and physically. I was supposed to be in Garmisch for training this weekend, with a side trip to Munich on the way home with Matt. The training was cancelled for a myriad of questionable reasons, so we were left with a free weekend. We decided to Volksmarch on Saturday in France, because everything in Germany was closed due to the May 1st holiday. So, we packed our backpack and headed west. The skies grew darker and darker, but we pressed on, knowing that the German weather is as fickle and changeable as a moody sister (not that mine are moody :)) When the rain was coming down so hard that we could no longer see the road, we knew that there would be no Volksmarching for us. So, we listened to a series of British-accented "Recalculating...recalculating" as our GPS set a course for Cora...a French department store with a knock-your-socks-off selection of cheese, great bread, and hard cider. We arrived at 11:00 to find a completely empty parking lot. Apparently, Germany isn't the only country who celebrates May 1 by closing down all shopping centers. Frustrated and caffeine-less, we returned home. Mialley barely opened her eyes as we trudged through the door and unpacked. We spent the day completing chores and looking at real estate...the latter more fun than the former. A friend had suggested the movie "Date Night." Matt and I hadn't been to a movie since we lived in the states, so we thought we'd try seeing a movie in the German theaters. The theater, which was less than 10 minutes from our house, was modern and clean, and served alcohol (of course). The movie was cute...a cross between Mr. and Mrs. Smith and American Pie. I finished the second book my Jeanette Wells...staying up way too late.

We went to the commissary early today to avoid the lines and hoards of screaming children. We left just as the masses began to flock in. As we were leaving, we spotted a Starbuck's to-go cup...Matt was convinced it was a mirage. We set out to investigate and stumbled on a coffee shop on base that was open on Sunday and sold Starbuck's to-go coffee. My hubby was a happy camper, which might have been why he volunteered to cook brunch :) Soon after, we left for our local pre-Volksmarch walk. The club leaders of the Ramstein Roadrunners (our local Volksmarching club) take this really seriously. They returned to Europe for the sole purpose of running this club! We ventured out with about a dozen others on the 6K trail to ensure that the markings were sufficient for next weekend's big event. The rains let up just as we left for the walk. We were surprised to see the inter-connecting trails in our own neighborhood! I can't wait to try them at our own (slightly faster) pace. I love being more active as the weather has improved. We returned home and made gluten-free chocolate chip cookies as the rain fell in quater-sized drops.

This week is going to be a busy one! Work picked up a lot last week, and I have articles to write and notes to finish. I have to give an evening training Tuesday. Matt will get our volunteer assignments at the Roadrunners club meeting Tuesday. Matt is going to help a friend assemble furniture one night this week. I have a TDY to a local base about one hour away on Friday...and hopefully some walks and bike rides in between!