Stepped back into real life today, complete with errands, chores, and tasks that couldn't be completed because of opening hours, or rather non-opening hours. The biggest problem was the Canadian consulate who seemed to be taking the Spanish working hours rather further to heart than the Spanish do. Only the schools were out today, and the consulate. Most stores here are open from 10 - 1, so is the consulate, but the stores are also open in the evening, not so the consulate. Hmmmm.
I have also come to the calming conclusion that it doesn't matter if I pass or fail this d*mn Catalan exam, it matters most that I am learning the language, I was getting kind of stressed about it all.
The husband and I also kind of chickened out tonight, as part of the man's enormous Christmas hamper was an entire pig's leg and shoulder cured into a prosciutto like foodstuff. We are slightly intimidated about how to tackle the thing...most folks here have a special holder for these, the other alternative is to simply hang it by the ankle. This of course will lead Chuckster into ever greater feats of daring to try to eat it....
Oh, I failed to mention Chuck's fall from grace over Xmas...you see, the day after Xmas the turkey, complete with lots of meat, was left on the counter to warm before we eat it. Can you see where this is heading? You're right. There was a crash of breaking platter, we ran in thinking one of the children might be hurt and there was fuzzball noshing as fast as he could....BAD DOG! No turkey leftovers for us.
He also made off with a large block of stinky cheese, his personal favorite...this though, unlike the one he stole at our friend's house in Toronto, was wrapped so he was caught before he could so much as puncture the plastic. I think stinky cheese is his favorite thing in the world.
I met a man in the hills today who was walking his dog. I have met him before and he is a friend of a friend. Every day he traipses up and down all of these hills on the rough and rocky paths, at the age of 90. Let's hope I can do the same at his age. He even brings a saw and removes any branches or trees that have the temerity to grow or fall in the path. He was lovely.
Well, that was a stunningly random post, I think it is time for bed. The man and I haven't been sleeping too well the last couple of nights...all of a sudden in the middle of the night it gets hot...and no it isn't that, it happens to us both, also we have a small mosquito problem, actually kind of a big one, there are a bunch of them flying around and tormenting us at night. Could someone please mention to them that it is JANUARY! Maybe they are turning up the heat at night to hatch their eggs then flying around sucking blood in the torrid temperatures, before re-adjusting the thermostat and going dormant somewhere for the day.
Grrrr.
8 comments:
Wow, mosquitos. At least we don't have to deal with that here right now. Mind you some would prefer it to the cold and snow. Sometimes dogs can be pretty naughty. We have a problem with ours sneaking chocolate. At least yours favours healthy foods although ours might steal that given the opportunity. I hope you do well in your Catalan class.
ahhh Chuck!!! He would fit in with my dogs!!! They could gorge themselves together!
I'm glad you're back! Missed you.
and Mosquitos???!!!!! wow!
Chuck is just being himself - it's we humans who need the training when it comes to keeping dogs away from the food!
Mosquitoes. Ugh. There's a reason to love winter!
Much as I hate winter, I don't miss the bugs-especially mosquitoes. Ugh.
My puppy would be an accessory to the crime of food-snatching and chewing anything she sees, The other day, I made myself something to eat and was going to sit in the living room and watch some TV with it. The dog almost made off with my food as soon as I sat down. BAD DOG!! SO much to teach them, huh?
Hope you finally get to pass that exam. I would imagine you studied hard.
Poor Chuck. We had Gypsy. She was a terri-poo. We left our steaks on the coffee table for a moment and she decided to give it a go. Let me tell you, she never did it again!!
I hope I can be like that guy at age 90 too.
Wow. So you can really relate to the Movie A Christmas Story, can't you? You should have gone out for Chinese.
I strongly recommend that you invest in one of those ham-leg holders and a long sharp knife to really get the most out of your jamón. They´re not very expensive, and it's by far the easiest way to deal with it.
Dawn, I feel particularly bitter about the mosquitos considering that it is JANUARY, and really pretty cool out at night. I would never say cold to someone in Alberta, but darned cool for a 'skitter....
Beth, I think he would love to nosh down with your dogs, that would behis idea of heaven, if there were three dogs to chase off, he could grab some more mouthfuls while we were busy with someone else....
Beth, you are so so right, his immediate family here are pretty trained, my more distant relatives, not so much....
Shari, thanks for stopping by, we have actually been pretty with Chuck, he was an abandond dog we got from the pound and a lot fo training had already been done, some overdone, so we haven't had to house train him, so much as get him to come into the house...he's much calmer and happier now though. In some ways I was glad to see him start to act like a more normal dog. In other ways, not.
Sirdar, yep, trolling the trails at 90 with a handsaw would be a good run wouldn't it.
DD, one thing we don't have is Chinese here. In BCN itself yes, but here, no. I wonder if I ever saw A Christmas Story, I'll ask my husband, he's handy for these kind of facts.
Kate, they certainly seem the way to go, those leg hold traps, but that would leave it out on the counter for fuzzball the bad dog...we are probably going to leave it in that over the sink dish drying rack thingy....do I just slice off any side and not eat the skin????
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