Back in Spain :)

My last days at home I just wasn't feeling inspired to blog.  After leaving Lucy at Sonoma the count-down really began and I was doing my best to get my things in the barn squared away, squeeze in a few more visits and of course enjoy my remaining days at home.  My mom and I never fit in another ride, just too much going on for her with my dad's Rotary, and in the evenings when we could have gone it seems I was always too tired.  Still, last night when a friend asked me what my favorite thing I did at home was, I answered without hesitation, "riding with my mom." :)

I arrived in Malaga yesterday, 19 hours after leaving Reno.  I did sleep a bit on the plane, but it's always such fitful sleep that I never arrive very rested.  Angelines met me at the airport--it was SO good to see her.  As I was waiting for my bags to come in I ran over to the glass partitions that separate baggage claim from the pick up area, and spotted my little Spaniard immediately. :)  She came running over and we had our first non-pixelated view of each other in two months.  Skype is great, don't get me wrong--I LOVE it!--but there's nothing that can substitute the real thing.  I gathered my luggage as quickly as possible an raced around to meet her.

We came home to a great, home-cooked meal at my mother-in-law's house.  Such a welcome relief from airplane food!  Even when it's not horrible, there's just something not satisfying about eating on long plane rides.  Especially when you haven't brought your own food (like me in this case), you tend to eat just to stave off hunger or because you know that they'll gouge you if you try to pick something up during your layover!  Needless to say I had quite an appetite for the sopa de picadillo,  tortilla de papas and filetes empana'os  all served with a great big green salad.  DELICIOUS.  "You haven't missed your mother-in-law's cooking, have you?" was Angelita's only comment as I devoured everything on my plate and helped myself to more. ;)

I'm sure you're all wondering about my dog, right?  Well, it turns out I'm not easy to forget, even for a now eight-month-old puppy. ;)  She was very happy to see me and, much to Angelines's disgust, now only has eyes for me.  She follows me around and doesn't pay much attention at all to the mother who's so diligently cared for her these two months.  Ungrateful little punk... 

Last night I ended up going out for tapas with a friend and in typical Spanish fashion, wasn't in bed until 3am!  Welcome home, Viola!! ;)  It was really great to be out seeing people though.  They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and while most of the time we don't need to be away to realize what we have, it's true that there's nothing like travel to make you appreciate home that much more.  My time in the States was great, and it really was just about the perfect amount of time; but still, nothing can substitute my own bed, my own house or my own dear wife.  

It's good to be back.  

My mom snaps a picture of the twinnie saunter through the Reno-Tahoe airport.