Happy Easter!

So although Semana Santa wasn't what it usually is, this year I celebrated Easter my way! ;) That is to say, the American way. On Tuesday my little cousins came over and painted eggs. We used water color...not the best, because it takes a long time to dry I found, but it seemed like the least toxic option given that I didn't have normal egg dye. The other trick is that Spanish eggs aren't white. They're all brown, so I'm not sure how all the dye would have taken in any case.

As you can see, the eggs came out pretty good. I think in the end the moms and I had more fun painting them than the kids. Most of them lost patience pretty quickly. ;) Our patio's just too much fun to stay sitting at a table painting eggs!

Sunday afternoon (couldn't be too American about it now, could I?) they came over and sure enough, the Easter Bunny had come and hid their eggs along with some chocolates! They were super excited to hunt around the patio and found all the eggs pretty fast. I made pancakes for an afternoon merienda, but the kids, once again, were having too much fun running around the patio, kicking balls, swinging and hunting snails! And, once again, the moms were the ones who really enjoyed my American treat, complete with maple syrup.

Happy Easter, all!

Miercoles Santo--Silencio

Semana Santa was atypical this year. It rained almost all week. Very few of the processions in Sevilla were able to go out because of the weather, and here in La Roda only our Wednesday night procession was able to go out as planned. Thursday's procession went out, but had to cut the procession short and at the last minute was scrambling to get back to the church before it poured. Friday and Saturday's processions were cancelled all together. It really didn't feel like Semana Santa at all...

For those of you who like Semana Santa, or are curious, here's a video I took of the Wed. procession that comes out at twelve o'clock midnight (I supposed it's technically Thursday). This one is a silent procession. Any of you who are familiar know that silence is not something easy to come by in this country. When you watch the video, keep in mind there are a couple hundred people outside the church... This may be the only time EVER that so many people are so quiet! It's quite impressive.

The town hall cuts the power along the streets where the procession goes, that's why it's so dark. Of course the flashes from people's cameras help light things up a bit--honestly, they're a bit distracting, but do add to the eerie effect of things. The Romans come up the street with their drums, knock on the church door and ask for the "Nazareno". The church doors then open and Jesus the captive is taken out of the church.

The haunting song you hear once he's out the doors is called a saeta. They're traditional songs at Semana Santa sung to the imagenes when the come out of the church and sometimes along the route of the procession. Traditionally they were spontaneous cries from the devout followers of the different pasos, but nowadays many times the brotherhoods hire saeteros to sing for them.

For me, this is the most beautiful procession here in La Roda. It's much more of the people's procession--striped of the pomp of other Semana Santa processions. Pay special attention to the shadow that climbs the church facade as the Nazareno is carried out the doors. It makes my hair stand on end every year.

My kind of afternoon

That's right, this afternoon was perfect: in the kitchen with my favorite sous chef. ;) And yeah, sorry mom...I found your B-day present early. But this really was the best way to estrenarlo.

In one hour (from 9-10pm!) we made lentils, spaghetti sauce, filetes empanados and san jacobos! In part, we're getting ready for Semana Santa--it's always good to have food on hand. Most of what we made is to be frozen (a full freezer is my idea of heaven). And in part we were just restocking. Between visits and exams, there hasn't been a lot of time for staying on top of the cooking. So today we made up the menu for the rest of the week and brainstormed some food to freeze for next week--voila! The best part is, the kitchen is cleaner than when we started. That's the upside to living/cooking with a semi-OCD Spaniard. ;)

I can't wait to eat all the goodies we cooked up!

(There's a definite relationship between my love for cooking and my love for eating.) ;)

Delicious

The scent of spring

This is one of the many reasons I couldn't wait for spring to arrive: blooming jasmine in the patio. There is a thick blanket of small, white flowers covering the entire wall. The smell is deliciously overwhelming--if I leave the back door open you can smell it in the house; it's the first thing you notice when you step out of the garage into the patio.

Suddenly there are a lot of things I need to go out back for, and I can't help but take huge, deep breaths every time I have to cross the patio for one thing or another. :)

Overcoming Perfectionism

I've gotten all the test scores back...

The good news first: I passed them all.

The not so good news: I did much worse than I thought...even on the ones I felt good about.

Of my five tests the highest score I got was an 8,8 out of 10. The lowest was 5,25 (a five is passing). The night after I found out about the 5,25 I actually dreamed about it all night. Obsessing? Maybe just a little. The next morning I woke up with a cold sore. :(

Despite the exam scores, I passed all my classes with good grades. I got notable in all but one, which was a sobresaliente. That's roughly equivalent to all B's and an A. So I can't be too disappointed, but it's frustrating to know that I could have done much better...quite possibly straight sobresaliente had I only done better on the exams. I've only got myself to blame...which really only makes things worse!

But it is true that this is just the first semester. Now I know what all this distance learning is about. I know what the exams are like and I know how to study (or how NOT to study, as the case may be). This coming semester I can juggle things better so as not to be so unprepared at the last min.

In any case, I'm taking this as an opportunity to overcome my perfectionism. I could have studied more and I could have gotten better grades, but at what price? Aside from studies, I am working and like to have time to spend with my friends, with Angelines and blogging to all of you! So would straight sobresaliente compensate for less of a social life, less time enjoying my wife and fewer blog posts?

Although, I say, "Not by a long shot," it's harder to actually walk the talk.

Settling for less than my best isn't something I'm used to, but unfortunately I believe it's a valuable lesson to learn. Sometimes the trade-offs just aren't worth it; and running myself ragged to do it effects more than just me and my own mental/physical health.