Playing Catch-Up - Parto Uno

Last week we had guests and the week before that we were in Barcelona.  So lots to write about but little time to write it.  Here is the first installment of me playing catch-up.  I think I can do one or two more before we leave for Marrakech on Friday.

Clio had another basketball game last week.  I cut together her highlights, the six points she made, including the first free-throws she's ever had to make in a game and the moment when not having a bathroom available to me came into very grand focus.

Tomorrow I turn 40.  And I know it should be a big deal, but it's not a big deal and I'm kind of looking forward to it because to me it means:

1) older and hopefully a bit wiser
2) a new decade where I try something new entirely
3) being that much further away from my 20s
4) being that much further away from giving a shit

Michael and the girls took me out Saturday night for dinner.  Among my very beautiful gifts was a ladybug - see below.  The restaurant was once a monastery. (Be careful when you come to Spain, you might trip over a converted monastery).  It's nice having kids who are old enough to eat out.  As long as we can keep the dinner conversation interesting (20 questions, I-spy, dirty jokes), eat before anyone else in Spain is eating, and order a pizza as an appetizer, things will go relatively smoothly.  Inevitably the two girls will start falling over in their chairs, limbs splayed, towards the end of the meal.  *And inevitably Willa will ask a little too loudly "Jeez, how long does it take to make a scoop of ice cream??"  **But for the most part we can get through a late Spanish dinner out.

*We try to avoid eating out actually.

** I cook almost every night at home.  

And although we are abroad, the Primary election still looms large in my daily routine here.  (I think upping my anti-anxiety/anti-depressant dosage through November 8th is a good idea, and I wish Donald would take some fucking Xanax before someone get killed, for crying out loud.)  We are 5 hours ahead of NY right now, but we still tune into the news on WNYC to hear the latest.  When it all gets to be too much, I pick up my book on the Spanish civil war and read about how Franco came to power and what he did to people who opposed him.  I have to remind myself, no joke, that I am reading about history and not Donald Trump.  When that gets to be too much I sit down for a couple of hours and study Spanish.  I'm getting better at reading it, slightly better at understanding it, and not at all better at speaking it.  But more on that tomorrow.  xoxoxo