Saturday, June 28, 2025

Morning #2 in Madrid.

Yesterday was okay but difficult for SIL. She has barely been eating crackers due to a medication she was on until a couple of days ago so in addition to her aches and pains she has no stamina. We did do the private "bus" tour - it was more like an elongated golf cart (see picture below). She almost passed out when we got off. It was hot, but more than that for her. My other SIL had to go find a cab at the end and have him drive over to us because she couldn't walk even 5 minutes to where they were. Some nice Spanish ladies stopped to make sure she was ok (she was and she wasn't). When we got home I went to the local market and got her a sandwich and some yogurt which she ate part of. It definitely revived her quite a but. DSD arrived yesterday afternoon so she came over in the afternoon and we went to dinner at a cute little tapas place just at the end of our street. SIL ate some more real food - not much but more than she had been. She was much better last night. DSD is taking responsibility for figuring out how to arrange for a wheelchair at the palace and the Prado museum, which we want to view while we are here.

So along with the nice Spanish people (they are generally friendly around here and it is a nice neighborhood), someone wrote "F--k AirBnb" on the door to this place during out first night. Expressing their frustration at the lack of affordable housing. So we are being careful about locking the door.

Today my healthy SIL and I have to walk to the Apple Store to get her iPhone fixed. We don't know what happened but it is all confused. It talks when she tries to unlock it and won't accept her unlock code. A forced restart doesn't fix it so we need some professional help. Yesterday it actually dialed emergency and contacted her children as if she had an emergency at one point. She was able to assure the emergency people that it was due to a faulty phone and we had her text her children immediately on the iPad. Needless to say, they were concerned. Not sure what else we will do today. All is based on less healthy SIL's stamina. Right now it is almost 9:30 and neither of them are up. And I thought I was late getting up at 8:30!

Have a super Saturday!

I meant to mention that we had an interesting interchange with our tour driver: She was telling us that there would be a pride parade next week and I mentioned that Boston had one last week. She asked what we thought about what was going on in America, and we said that having a pride parade was good, but we are very unhappy about a lot of other things going on. Just generalities but obviously even tour operators are hearing about American politics.

Also, DH lost another 4.4 pounds. He is in his goal range now!

I started a post yesterday, but never finished. By the time I got back to it... Well, it was late, I was tired, so it went bye bye!

204 on the nose this morning. So it does look like I was holding on to some water. This is only 3.2 pounds over my pre-cruise weigh in. I am very okay with this. I had a good session with the NUT yesterday. We agreed I don't need to "diet" these extra pounds off. They will come off as I get back into my regular eating groove.

Yesterday I went to the funeral of a former student (only 17 years old). A funeral for such a young person is hard. I was honored to be mentioned by the mother during her eulogy to her son as having made an impact on his life. I was impressed by her strength and by the stoic comportment of her remaining children. They all took part in the funeral rites, the daughter even doing a reading. I don't know if I would have been able to manage that. Yes, I did it for my mom, but losing a parent is far, far different from losing a child. Observation tells me there is no worse loss that one can suffer.

A cheerful note was getting to see many former students and their parents. One of the moms gathered a few of boys that had been in the same class with the deceased and took a photo of the boys with me. They will start senior year of HS in August. Oh, and they all tower over me. The height difference made me laugh! I'll post on TT.

I am toying with the idea of going to the gym today. Time to get back into my fitness routine. Speaking of which, I am extremely happy (and proud) to report that other than one man on the cruise in his late 40s, I was the most visually fit person on the boat. That was pretty damn eye opening. I compare myself to men at the gym (most of whom are at least 10-15 years younger). I don't generally find myself in groups where I see a lot of men my age. (Remember teaching is predominantly a female profession.)

Home is good. While I immensely enjoyed my travels, I am happy to be home and in my own bed. I was just thinking that I don't know if I could keep Liz's travel schedule, but realized with the road trips I have planned with the dogs the next few months, my travels will be just as packed as hers! LOL! I guess I don't think of road trips as travel.

CC, when will you leave for Michigan?

Even among the much younger crowd at the gym, I'm sure you stand out as strong and fit. How wonderful to use that fitness on your spectacular trip.

I attended a funeral for a former student last year ( he died by suicide his sophomore year). It's beyond sad. But I did love the picture of you and your former students in my mind. I'll look forward to it on TT.

The former student was murdered by a home intruder. Absolutely no rhyme or reason. The intruder took nothing - just killed the boy and ran.

Oh my God. What a horrific thing. So senseless and unthinkable!

I just can't like this - we need other options. Just horrifying.

What a terrible, terrible thing to have happen.

Horrific! Random violence is terrible for victims, survivors and mourners alike.

There really is no greater loss than losing a child. I lost both my parents, a sibling, and a husband but there is no comparison to the loss of my daughter. You must have meant a lot to this young man which in turn would mean a lot to his family. I love when someone who was important in my daughter's life reaches out to me.