Thankful for Good Friends

Oh course I'm greatful for my own friends, but what warmed my heart yesterday was the friendship Madison has with her friends. It was her birthday and I thought it would be fun if she could talk to some of her friends on Skype. So one friend got up especially early in order to talk to her before school here. Anyone who sacrifices sleep for a friend is tops in my book. And then I got the phone numbers of 2 of her other friends to see if they could get anyone to come over after their school was over. When 8 of them came over to help Madison have a happy birthday, I was overcome with how wonderful kids are. They talked all afternoon and I know it made Madison's day. These are all kids who live very busy lives and yet they took the time to be a good friend. Friends make such a difference in our lives. It makes me want to be a better one.

One week later

     Well, I'm doing better.  The DI  (give away) pile is growing in the garage and I'm doing some deep cleaning  which always makes me feel clean inside as well. Weston and I even put up the Christmas decorations which mainly consist of ones that the kids have grown accustomed to seeing year after year and yelp at the thought of tossing them.  I'm the first to admit that I'm no Martha Stewart or Margrett or Margo.  It's strange to think that Christmas is so close because I haven't made a single purchase nor feel the rush to do so.  There's a section of time that is missing in the chronological events of the year.  So it doesn't seem possible that we are up to Christmas when we never had Halloween.

    It's Madison's 17th birthday tomorrow so if you are reading, Madison, a huge happy birthday to you.  We'll be thinking about you all day. But that's not unusual because we think about you all the time anyways.

Life after Spain

I decided that I'm going to keep up this little blog for awhile because it's been fun. It's 6:30 am on a Sunday and I'm awake so it's the perfect time. I can't seem to stay awake past 9:30 pm yet, but at least I'm not falling asleep during the day. Jet lag was worse when we went to Spain for some reason. And culture shock coming home was worse than going. I have to admit my first few days back were depressing. I didn't want to do anything and the house and yard were overwhelming. McKenzie and Ladd did an awesome job taking care of everything, but I was still facing tasks to be done. Ugh! I realized that I'm the kind of person who likes living out of one suitcase and making do. I like backpacking and wearing the same clothes everyday. I know it might sound weird. And now I look at all this stuff all around me and I wonder how did all of this get here and how do I get rid of it. So that's where I am. I'll keep you posted on how I adjust.

Moroccan Camel Riders

Signing Off From Burgos

This could be my last post because our internet service is going to be disconnected. We may go to the hotel at some point, but just in case, I want to say adios to all my loyal readers out here. I am so glad we did this. It has been an awesome experience and it was just what I needed. Sometimes life gets to be too structured and this gave us all a break from the routine. A big thanks to Cory's partners who carried the load while he was away and hopefully they can do something like this later on. Also, a big thanks to McKenzie and Ladd who took care our of our house, yard and mainly the dog. Who else would do that? It'll be good to see everyone again.

Signing off, Lynette.

Marrakech, Morrocco

We just got back from a pretty exciting adventure in Marrakech. Marrakech is only a 1 1/2 hour plane ride from Madrid and yet it is completely different than Spain. The market there is very famous and we spent hours and hours just walking around the square as well as the many different little streets leading off the square where every square inch was taken up by very aggressive venders trying to get you to buy anything. The only difference between these guys and the ones in China was that these yelled "Hey, Madame" instead of "Hey, Lady".

One of the best things there was the vendors selling fresh squeezed OJ for $.35 a glass. It was incredible and I lost track on how many glasses we drank. The bartering is pretty fun too, especially when they start out at 250 DH and you offer 40 DH because that's what you are willing to pay. And you usually get what you want except for the time the guy just took the scarf right off Cory's head and told him to leave. That material must have been pretty special cuz he wanted a fortune for it. Yea, Cory is now wearing a Moroccan robe, a head scarf, and has a man purse that he never leaves the house without . This is not the man you knew 3 months ago. And he seems very comfortable with the change, too.

The other awesome thing we did was ride camels. How cool is that? I'm mesmerized by camels. I love to watch them walk and see their feet move and I think their faces are so great. But now I have a new profound appreciation for people who had to cross the dessert riding them for hours on end. We didn't have stir-ups and I don't know if you are supposed to have them. It would be a good idea. The saddle was very cushy, but also very wide and it was like doing the splits for 2 hours. It was a great experience, though.

Friday the 13th

In Spain, Tuesday the 13th has a bad omen. So in October we had one of those. I never really worried about the date before. That is before our ride yesterday. We decided to go on a long ride. My idea of long and Cory's idea of long were 2 very different things. I was ready to turn around, but he kept wanting to go just a bit farther to see the sheep on the church lawn and then just a little farther to see the cows all over the road and then just to the next village. The cows here are so cute. I'm not kidding. They are a different breed and their faces are adorable, but they have horns. At one point I didn't think we were going to get past one of they. She just stood there in the middle of the road chewing her cud. I had to actually throw a rock at her rear end. I knew that would get her to move one direction or the other and I was hoping it wasn't going to be forward.

By the time we turned around, it was getting dark and it had taken us almost 3 hours to get to this point. So we started pedaling faster and the wind was at our back and we were flying until psshhhh, I got a flat. I never get flats. Really, in all the time I've ridden I have had only 2 flats. Cory, however, gets them constantly so he's fast at changing them. No problem. then not 5 minutes later, he gets a flat. This time we use our last CO2 and decide we'd better not throw away the old tube because we have 40 km to go and no one in sight. I'm rationing my food and water because I'm planning on having to stay out here while Cory rides back into town and gets the car to come rescue me. But no worries, we got home just before it was pitch black and all was well. It really was a beautiful ride. Oh, I left out the part when I was coming downhill, taking up both lanes cuz there had't been a car in over an hour, when bam, there was a car on the curve headed straight for me. I barely made the turn without plowing right into the side of it. Scared the driver to death I'm sure.

Seeking Permission

Jesus wants us to ride our bikes out to his village on Saturday. His family used to make wine out there and they would store it in these caves. They don't make wine anymore, but we can go down into these empty caves. It sounds fun. By the way, everyone in Burgos has a village to go to where their family has lived for generations. So anyway, Jesus told us to get permission from our church to be able to drink just a little wine just while we're in Spain. He said you cannot appreciate Spanish cuisine without wine. So he wants us to make an exception because we need this experience. So I told him we'd look into it.

Jesus is next to Cory.

Missionaries in Burgos

Well, we finally got together with Jesus to present the DVDs that were made of the Mormon Handcart Trek that his students participated in July 2008. We went to his English class and showed parts of the DVD as well as explained what the whole experience was about. We thought it would be even better if the missionaries came with us so that they could speak in Spanish if there was some interpreting to be done. The students loved seeing themselves and their friends in the DVD. The trek experience for these Spanish students was fantastic. And because we had 2 hours instead of the expected 1 hour, we opened it up to questions and English practice. This is where it became fun. The kids started asking the elders questions about being missionaries and what they did every day and who they talked to and why they wore suits, etc. They wanted to know about them and how they got to Spain. Jesus, who has spent lots of time in Utah, knew a lot already and he was pleased that the kids were asking questions in English. I thought he might be threatened a little since we were in a Catholic school. But to the contrary. Afterwards he invited all of us to his "house" for a huge lunch with his "community" of priests. Everyone was super nice and friendly to us and to our missionary friends. It was a really fun experience for us to participated in. A big thanks to the Pleasant Grove Stake for taking the Spaniards on a unforgetable journey.

I forgot to take pictures of us teaching, so you get a photo of the church in Lourdes, France. This is a pilgrimage where there is healing water coming from a natural spring. Saint Bernadette saw visions of Mary at this place. People come from all over the world to drink this water.

A Great Day

Sleeping in is always fun, but then we went to class and had the most annoying teacher ever. She taught once last week and thought she was a fill- in substitute. But it looks like she is going to be teaching on Mondays and that means I'm skipping the next 2 Mondays. She has the most grating voice I've ever ever heard and she taught us words that I really don't think I'll need to use. When I'm trying to learn basic Spanish is it really that necessary to know the name of my ring finger or each particular tooth in my mouth. What a crazy lady!

We were waiting for a break in the weather to go for a ride and we thought we had it until we got outside and it started to rain again. We decided to go anyways and ended up completely soaked and muddy and to top it off, Cory had a flat. That's when you get cold. Stopping and standing their. You got to laugh though, as you're peddling along these country roads in the pouring rain and covered in sloosh, people passing by in cars thinking you're completely nuts. It's the best!

The picture is not what I thought. It was taken at the Gaudi park in Barcelona. I just don't know how to remove photos yet.

This is a picture of a Roman aqueduct in Segovia.

Car

Having a car makes me feel kind of wimpy. After riding our bikes everywhere and anywhere in any weather, we now have rented a car. I know, we sold out. But the weather is exactly how they told us it would be. When they said it was the coldest city in Spain, we just assumed they were exagerating. But when the wind blows (every day) it is bitter cold even though the thermometer doesn't reflect how cold it feels. When Martin and Emilio were in town, I was wearing capris and sandals. Now I want my wool coat and scarves. Hopefully it'll warm up one more time.

This is a statue of a leper. His skin is all falling off.

Halloween in España

The missionaries did an awesome job putting on a Halloween party for our branch. This type party might have been a first. We helped and were in charge of the fishing booth. Of course, Cory had to buy a real fishing pole to play the game and we ended up giving that away to a boy at the end. We couldn't find any small toys ( the kinds that fill our homes) so we used a lot of candy and tangarines, and a can of sardines for the branch president. Dressing up is kind of novel to them and not a lot of adults dressed up, but I think next year they will after they saw how much fun it is. The kids say that none of their friends have ever gone trick or treating. What??!!!

Words can be Sharper than Swords

Madison just learned the hard way that electronic media is out there for the world to see and to do with it what they want. It's a good lesson to remember as we communicate through the internet. Everything we write is out there for others to interpret how they want. Things said can be used not as intended and that can be hurtful.

Talking about things that can hurt, Weston and Cory are out looking for weapons and armor. What could be more fun for two guys to do on a very cold night in Burgos. Last week we were riding in shorts and sleeves and today it just keeps getting colder and more windy. (Is windier a word?) Do you think I could get through airport security wearing a suit of armor. that's what I really want to bring home as my souvenior. Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to put a suit or armor on and walk around. I think they are the coolest things ever! Those two have looking in every town we've been to in order to find the perfect sword. I wonder what they'll come home with?

P.S. This is a real taxidermied horse!

Lost in Portugal

We went to Portugal last Thursday because the kids had Friday and Monday off from school. Porto was this really charming beautiful city with absolutely no sense of a lay out at all. Freeways went every which direction and if you took the wrong one, good luck turning around. It literally took us 3 hours to find our hotel. I'm sure Cory already talked about it in his blog, but let me just say that it was worse than he said. We finally found a hotel (not ours) and we sere so excited. I went in and got directions and off we went. We ended up so lost that we couldn't even find our way back to civilization. So we stopped in at the neighborhood pasteleria and asked again for directions. This time there were 3 men in there and they couldn't decide what to tell us, so the owner told us to get into our car and follow him. Weston was already car sick and so he was hanging out the window throwing up as we tried to stay close to our escort. His head came a little too close to a few parked cars. After 15 minutes we ended up right back at that first hotel. We couldn't tell him the kind man, so we just thanked him profusely, waited until he was gone and went back in to talk to the very nice hotel staff. they again told us how to get to our hotel. But we were lost within minutes. I don't know how Cory eventually found it, but it was a nice sight to see. My idea was to stop at the telepizza, order a pizza to be delivered to our hotel, and then follow the scooter. I know, I'm brillant!

The next day we took the On and Off Tourist bus and it was wonderful. I love the colors of Portugal and all the amazing tile that covers the exteriors of the building. Very different than Spain.

Posting Pictures

I know how to do this now, so I'm going to go back and put in some pictures. I feel so technologically savvy!

Hanging with Emilio and Martin

You never know who's going to show up in Burgos. We went to go say hi to our friends who run the Velada hotel, which is this little hotel on this tiny pedestrian street. It used to be part of a castle at one point in time. But anyway, they said they were completely full for the week which is always good. They said the movie people were here with the actors and the director, etc. So we asked who they were thinking that they were a spanish crew. But, oh no they weren't. It was Martin Sheen who is making a movie about the Camino de Santiago. His son, Emilio Estevez, is the director. We saw Emilio in the car, but with a full beard I couldn't be sure he was the Mighty Ducks coach or not. And then here came Martin going through the little lobby to the car and then back through to the banquet room looking for a sandwich he could give Emilio, and then back to the car. Once the car left, we were the only ones there along with our friends and so we started talking to Martin. We got video to prove it.

Today they were shooting a scene near the cathedral and so we went over after our Spanish class to check it out and there was everyone. I had to actually ask him if he was Emilio and then I told him how my kids grew up watching The Mighty Ducks and how much they loved those movies. I even repeated our favorite line that says, "He ate ice cream with the enemy". Whitney you'd be proud. It took him a second to remember saying that line.

It was kind of cool because no one else knew who he was and he was just hanging out. I got a picture with him. And then later in the afternoon, on our way to seminary, we took Weston by the shoot and we talked to him again. Weston got a picture with him. Wait till we go by again with Madison. Jessica knows the other actors in it, but I have no clue. So I don't think we'll be taking pics of them.

Do I really want to be an extra? I don't think so. I'm too impatient to film the same scene 20 times. I don't know how they do it.

Pictures from Toledo

Red Tape

I've decided it's next to impossible to study here just because of all the stupid rules and paperwork necessary to make everything "official". They are really into it"being official" and love stamps and seals, etc. They insist we needed Madi's 8th grade transcripts and when we tell them that 8th grade isn't official here, they can't understand. OCJH refused to give us anything before 9th grade. But the offficails here say that Madi has to have the 3 previous years transcripts. What the heck! Do they think she fell from the sky and just landed in 9th grade with straight A's? You can come to study as a 12th grader, because then you'd have your 3 years of transcripts. It's retarded to say the least and not a soul in any government building speaks a word of English. Maybe that's where they employ all the slow learners. So right now, Pachi (Madi's host dad), has petitioned the govt for an exception and we'll hear in 3 weeks. Crazy stuff. We thought everything was going to be fine before we got here, but every time we pay for more paperwork, they come up with something else. Are we on Candid Camera or something? Maybe we're in some kind of study to see how much we can take before going bizerk. Now I know why they have metal detectors in their buildings.

The Madrid Temple

We went to a session at the Madrid temple and Weston did baptisms. People here tell us that this was President Hinkley's favorite temple. After being inside, I can see why. The final room is spectacular with an olivie green dome ceiling and is covered with a gold relief (3D) of flowers and vines and is incredibly gorgeous. It knocks you over. We had a great experience in the temple.

And then we went to the zoo and aquarium. It was kind of cold and overcast and we pretty much and the whole place to ourselves. It's huge! McKenzie, we saw 2 pandas. No lines, no crowds, no other people. All the show were cancelled, which would have been fun, but that was the trade-off. The chimps and the baboons put on their own shows for us. They were hilarious. And in the aquarium there was a shart tank that you could right up next to and see the sharks swimming right above your head. You could see every sharp pointy tooth they had just inches from you. It was so gross and so thrilling at the same time. We had a good time even when we had to walk back through the rain to the metro.

Which one do you think is ours? One of the kids at Maristas (the school Madi attends) said she didn't really like the inside of the White House when she visited. She said it was just like a house; kind of plain. I had to laugh. They are used to palaces and grandiose buildings because that is what they are surrounded by.

Madrid

We had to take Margrett to the Madrid airport so we made a whole trip out of it. Madrid is about 2 hours south of us. We left on Monday so she could have a day there before flying to New York where she was going to meet Candace for a few days before flying home. We took another On and Off City Tour bus like we did in Barcelona and saw all around the historic area of the city which is pretty amazing. Lots and lots of palaces and other beautiful buildings. Cory saw a crazy patchwork of a suit coat that really caught his eye so we got off on another stop and tracked down the store. Luckily, he couldn't buy it because it was just an example of the different colors customers could order. Mom, it was like the rugby "uglies" you brought back for him from New Zealand. The man was adament about not selling it and I feel fortunate because it cost 500 E. You thought the red jacket was loud. This was even more eyecatching.

It was hard to say goodbye to Margrett and see her go off on her own all by herself through that enormous airport. We had a lot of fun while she was here.

I dragged the boys to the Prado National Museum. It's supposed to have the world's largest collection of paintings (8600) with 2000 on display at once. A lot of religious art and no impressionist art. Although I don't particularly enjoy the religious art, I do understand that these artists loved the saviour and painted him in the best way they knew how. Their level of devotion can be seen through their works and I can appreciate that. The roman sculptures were impressive. Weston hated them cuz they're all naked, but I've never seen so many in one place. They were amazing! He wants to know what the difference is between this art and porn. Good question actually. Although we were completely dead on our feet, I'm glad we went. There were several masterpieces shown that you study in art history and here we got to see them in person. I feel very lucky to be here.