January 31, 2008. I’ve had a nasty something that seems like a sinus infection for 11 days and I’m sick of it. Green flem, sinus pressure, etc… I wanted to see if I could get rid of it without drugs (antibiotics) and make sure it wasn’t a virus. No such luck. So off I went to the pharmacy on skier’s left from our house and asked for Amoxicillin, she asked for how many days, I said 10, and she handed me a package telling me they are 500 mg, which is the most common dosage. That’s three Euros, she said, I paid and went to Starbucks to celebrate with a five Euro coffee and banana bread. No prescription needed.
February 1, 2008. We’re trying to put a list of places to go and things to see before we are out of here. They include the Balearic Islands, Madrid, Paris (haven’t been there for a while). We’re off to Chamonix next week and then I’m thinking about doing the Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt on skis, climbing and skiing from hut to hut) and a week of driving during Semana Santa to France (our chance to go to Paris by car).
One observation about life in Spain and Europe. Anne tried to buy an electric pencil sharpener. No store had it. This isn’t exactly new rocket technology, but you’d think it was. At the three or four stationery stores she visited, no person offered to order it and have it delivered for free the next day. Americans take it for granted since we’re a consumer oriented society. Here it’s more the Russian model or maybe the New York City model, I’ll get it for you if I want to. I’m amazed that a category killer like Staples hasn’t decided to come here, like Starbucks, and take the business which is available for the picking.
February 2, 2008. David had an earache last night and Anne, I and David were up until after 2:00 a.m. We all really need our sleep, especially Anne. Oh, well. We couldn’t do much for David but he was crying and wailing and it must have hurt a lot. He’s had a cold and threw up at school yesterday (I picked him up with a taxi and the driver was a total jerk). Rocket also threw up right in front of me yesterday. Good eats. In a week we are planning (not with Rocket) to go to Chamonix!
I went to the market to shop for food. Lots of people were in costume for Carnivale. I saw the usual — men dressed as women, strangely no women dressed as hookers but some as men, and lots of painted faces. It took 1 hour and 40 minutes to do all the shopping because it was crowded and I had to wait for bread and for fruit and vegetables. The fruit and vegetables line took so long (close to 30 minutes) that I sat at the booth next door and had a coffee served by a very nice man/woman.
Anne managed, through a friend, to find a doctor who actually came by our apartment and made a house call! The whole medical thing here is much easier. She looked at both boys, gave us a prescription for antibiotics since we’re travelling soon, and will charge our health insurance. No deductible, no copay. Seems good to me.
February 3, 2008. A rainy day here, the first in months. I finally dragged myself out to walk around and took dragged, literally, Rocket along. I went to find the theatre near here where they have English movies (Spanish subtitles) otherwise everything is dubbed. We hate dubbed moves, tv, etc…
February 4, 2008. Anne and I had our separate Spanish classes. I’m getting pretty disgusted with my lack of seeming progress, although I know there is some. What is distressing is not being able to utter a sentence without making a mistake. Yuck.
I’m also considering what to do upon return from our excile here. I’ve always wanted to work for the betterment of mankind, help the poor, make the world a better place so I was thinking about high-end real estate rentals in Aspen and Snowmass for a start. I’m working on a business plan (well, will work on one).
February 5, 2008. I watched some of the Superbowl commercials on Youtube.com — there were some really funny ones. My favorites were the one for Planters Nuts with the woman who everyone coveted http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZuMhZGCPrs and the FedEx one with carrier pidgeons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaNQSwR7F4o.
February 6, 2008. Everyone here pretty much supports Obama, as far as we can tell. My thinking is the Republicans support Hillary with the thinking that she is unelectable. I think the Democrats will surely snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by nominating Hillary. In that case, McCain will win. In the last day or so, I’ve had one call each from Bill and Hillary and one call from a volunteer for Obama.
I went on my usual bike ride to Molins de Rei, first time in over three weeks due to leading ski trip in Andorra and sinus infection/cold. I went really hard on the ride I do, which has some nice turns. Then back and took David to soccer practice.