T.G.I.F.

You probably know I don't usually work on Fridays (except for two hours in the afternoon), but since my trip to MA, I've had to do some make up at the school in Casariche, thus a Friday morning post.

Oatmeal sweetened with maple syrup and accompanied by red tea is on the menu this morning.

Last night I made lentils for today's lunch and the house smells like lentils and bay leaves (used to season them).

The sun is shining beautifully today, although it rained all night. I think we're nearing 1,000 liters per square meter now since the beginning of December. Normal rainfall here is on average 500... so we've literally got two years of rain in three and a half months.

People are desperate for the sun. This isn't Portland, after all, and Andalusians are completely solar powered. Everyone's getting crabby from the cold, wet, cloudy (Portland) weather. Antonio's little niece (3 1/2 years old) was asking the other day, "Donde esta el sol??". That's what everyone's asking themselves around here: Where is the sun?!

The water is much needed. We've been in a drought for a long time. Now I think all of the reservoirs are at 90% capacity at least. Many of them are having to release water because they're just brimming full. There have been numerous floods all over the state. For a while the city of Jerez was an island... there was no way of getting in or out of the city because all the roads and even major freeways were flooded; they looked like aqueducts on the news.

This is the house in front of mine. I woke up the other morning to find the rain had collapsed the roof! Can you believe it? Frankly, it made me nervous, but I think our own roof is in pretty good condition... I guess I shouldn't complain about the humidity seeping through the walls so long as there aren't any total cave ins, right?

A sunny Friday is just what I need to feel good about going to work today. That's not sarcasm, actually. Waking up to the early morning sun is a joy. I love the way my kitchen looks when the sun slants in through the windows. It just seems to glow. Somehow that cold semi-winter, dawn light softens in my orange kitchen and I feel cozy and quite at home.

Love from sopping Spain