got fired, saved a life

It is unofficially the start of summer.  School is out, families are hitting the road, and here in southern Spain where great guy and I are spending a few beautiful, sun-kissed days, the tourists and teenagers are hitting the beaches in full force.

This morning we woke too early, yet again, to the heat of the Levante wind and the crowing of the neighbour’s insanely, irritating rooster.  Most of the folks here, who live out on the land either have a donkey or a rooster along with about 18 dogs.  The bauer (farmer) who farms his small plot of land across the narrow street from us tries fervently each day to communicate with great guy.  I can’t help but chuckle as I hear the bauer’s thick Andalusian accent and great guy’s choppy Spanish…two people who do not understand a single thing the other is saying, but each smiling hugely and gesturing wildly.  The bauer brings us to his abundant garden, where he pulls off plump, red tomatoes.  ‘Tomat, tomat’, yes tomatoes, we understand that!  But, we’re flying home tomorrow we try to explain to him, with arms spread out, flapping our ‘wings’.  He thinks we’re crazy.  Great guy and I just look at each other and laugh, and think we really need to learn a couple of Spanish words…relevant words!

After we finish our coffee outside on the front terrace of the Father’s and maid marion’s winter home, we head out to explore the beaches, finding new places to beat the heat and play in the waves.  We drive along dry fields and dilapidated houses, a horse here and there standing in the blazing sun, resigned to being hot.  The low, stone walls hiding dry gardens, are overflowing with blooming azaleas and bougainvillea in all colours of the rainbow.  We like this place, filled with Spaniards and not so many tourists, and totally enjoy this alone-time together on the Atlantic coast.  We have spent each day, hitting the sandy, wave-crashing, cliffy beaches where we read, lie, play and wave jump.  Then, to the various harbours, up and down the coast, watching weathered, leathered fishermen coasting into dock with their festive-looking fisher boats, all bright with balloon-like fenders hanging out from all sides.  We are brown, relaxed, happy (after watching jubilant Spaniards win the Europa Cup!) and thankful for the familiar and new experiences of this get-away.

A quote:

 Live life to the full. All around you people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But, dear children and grandchildren, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don't tiptoe.
-from an anonymous old guy (who I think is really cool)

Using this as inspiration, and as it is summertime now, I want to challenge myself and you all (if you’re up for it) to experience something new each week.  A new place, a new thing, a new friend, a new story about someone you know or wish you did, or just a new way home from work.  I will share with you, and please feel free to share with me.  I would love that!

To get things started, two new experiences from the past week, which impacted me in more ways that I care to admit. 

1)      I got fired.  Yup, that’s new, has never happened to me before.  Honestly, I am still surprised and still don’t understand why.  But, oh well, I’m going looking forward and be excited.  Now, is my chance to have only one job; a good job working for Ms. Potter who just wants to give me more and more work, with people who are positive and creative and fun!  Maybe, I’ll even write more now.

2)      I saved a life.  Well, I noticed the woman who was in great distress, crashing about in the waves and getting swept out to sea, and yelled at great guy who was closer and was wearing flippers, to help her.  He then, did the actual saving, but man oh man was it difficult.  I nearly started to panic as I realized that I wasn’t getting closer to shore either.  But, then I said to myself, ‘calm down, you’re strong, just swim!’  The three of us made it to shore, exhausted and thankful with the realization that it could have very quickly turned out differently.

Life is fast and strange and confusing sometimes, but all you can do is go with it, and go for it, and try to be kind along the way.

Here’s another quote, which just makes me laugh.  Happy summer…hope to hear from you!!

I sometimes wish you were a mermaid
I could raise you in the tub at home
We could take a swim together
On weekly day trips to the bay
-Milow, You and me