Dogs and Schools

I didn't have time to post yesterday about my walk with the dog in the hills. We were contentedly trotting along with a nice strong cool headwind...Chuck was very interested in something he could smell further up ahead of us...on we went. My human and less astute senses finally found out what it was...three astoundingly enormous German shepherds. Loose. They came up to my waist with heads three times the size of mine easily.

Fun wow.

We went on, no problem, but then a bunch further down the road they appeared when Chuck was a bit behind me. I could hear him doing his whiney whiney let's make friends thing...the next thing I hear is the sounds of a raging dog fight.

Nasty words were spoken at this point, and it flashed through my mind that this would be a damn stupid way to die. Fortunately the dogs took off when I bellowed at them. I can sound pretty wildly aggressive when I want to, and I was fairly angry.

Chuck came running to me like I was the only thing between him and the devil, which isn't that far off....

He was basically OK, although there are a few spots on him he doesn't really want us to touch.

I am going to be getting myself a nice solid walking stick with an enormous spiky handle to it...a good underarm swing and that should rid me of most canine difficulties. I believe they were historically called a mace.

The other big news on this front is that I went into Barcelona to sign up for my Catalan lessons. I was slotted in level 2, which is great, and so I headed off extra early...waiting for the bus before the sun came up as it was a first come first serve situation....and there were only 20 spaces for my class. I arrived on sight 45 minutes early, figuring I was in for a good thing.

There were easily 350 people in line.

Easily.

I asked the guys in the front of the cue when they had gotten there. 9pm the night before. Holy cow...for Catalan lessons!

I nearly left right then, but the lovely ladies in the line around me said, "No, stay with us, we'll chat and have fun, and who knows...maybe you'll make it." I figured, what the heck, I can only not get in, so I waited and waited. An hour and a half later I was able to see the doorway in.

Guess what? Go on....

I GOT IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So now every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning I have to head off to study....I will try not to post too much grammar. I promise I'll try. The course is an intensive, every day of the week, but I have to teach Tuesdays and Thursdays so it is going to be a struggle to keep up, but if the teacher is willing and lets me know what she is going to cover the next day I can ask around here about it.

*huge sigh of relief*

*gasp or horror at the work*

It'll be good.

We're having a fancy dinner tonight, it is our friends' last night and they are cooking up a storm. How good is that? Plus we invited a friend from town over and she is making desert! I'm having a dinner party and I don't have to cook!!!!

I am not quite sure how that happened, but I cannot say I mind.

Plus our delightful guests found us a knife sharpener, which we desperately needed, and look what they made for us................




We had no light over the dinner table, so this is what he put together for us! He got the fixture and wires and hooked it up, and made a shade for us with the kids for the time being. It is made from an old olive oil bottle tastefully decorated by youngest. I have thoughts for another shade. Plans plans plans.....