I'm Such A Fatty

In my family we grew up playfully using the word "fatty" as in saying "I'm such a fatty" after eating Thanksgiving dinner. Well after my lunch on Friday, I can definately say "I'm such a fatty" and I know that my family will agree with me.

I aimlessly wondered around Madrid for a few hours on Friday in between meetings. I decided to start my time in the city with a typical Spanish lunch. Lunch here is usually a menú which typically means :

Appetizer, Bread and Drink


First Course, (Paella Mixta)


Second Course, (Pollo Asado)


and Dessert (Natilla with cinnamon)

I honestly don't know how Spaniards eat that much food and yet stay so thin. I ate most of it and could have stopped halfway through the paella. Its not the first time in this country that I make myself eat more than I would like and it probably wont be the last. My supervisor jokes around that I don't like the food in thier house because I don't take seconds, he even says it about the coffee, dessert, and fruit. I tell him I save overstuffing myself for when I really have to. After lunch I walked around Madrid for several hours and then didn't eat until lunch the next day.

The Hole In My Wall or How to Meet Your Neighbors

I like to start off my Mondays slowly and quietly. Wake up, eat breakfast, read. I take my time. And then I do errands and whatever else is on my schedule.
Well today there were two people in the building pounding away. The ground floor of my building is being remodeled and everyday I hear and see the people responsible for the noise. And today my neighbor decided to do who knows what and was pounding at the wall in the foyer.
I quickly gave up any hopes for a peaceful morning and decided to go shower and then see what the noise level was. Through closed doors and running water I could still hear the pounding. In fact, it seemed to be getting louder and louder. So much that it felt that I would see someone when I opened the door to my bathroom. I open the door, draped in my huge yellow towel and I hear my neighbor's voice louder than I have ever heard it before. The walls are thin but now I could hear him clearly. I tiptoed towards the foyer, gently kicking off my sandals to avoid making any noise. I knew that something was different or perhaps living alone has made me a bit paranoid. I walk down my hallway and I see a hole in the wall!
I could leave it to your imagination the size of the hole but that would be misleading. He didn't see me and I went into my room unsure of what to do. Surely he thought I wasn't home. It would be weird for me to be home and not address the issue of the hole in my wall. So now I am getting dressed, there is a hole in the foyer, and my neighbor thinks I am not home. Its an awkward situation, particularly because I rarely see my neighbors. After I am all dry and clothed I open my front door just to see if there is a note or something. I close it and a few seconds later he is ringing my bell and apologizing. He had already called my landlord and we made plans for when we could get it fixed. He insists on sweeping up the mess and then heads back home where I hear him arguing with his wife.
To summarize, I had no peace and quiet, there is a hole in my wall that the handyman is currently fixing, and my neighbor stepped inside my apartment for the first time.

From Un paso a la vez

From Un paso a la vez