NST July 2024: A July jaunt around Madrid

Shrewbie

Today is Sunday, El Rastro day! I went IRL and the turtles were with me in spirit.

The Rastro is a historic market that takes place every Sunday in the La Latina district of Madrid, a short walk from our last stop, Plaza Mayor. 

It started in 1740 to sell produce from the nearby slaughterhouse, and that is apparently how it got its name, from the rastros trails of blood left on the ground from the animals. Lovely. I prefer to think of it as tracking history through the old photos and knick knacks you come across in the antique and junk shops. You can find pretty much anything at the Rastro. And you have to stop for Churros and chocolate! The caracoles are allegedly also good (snails)
Today I found about a bazillion art-deco style drinks cabinets (I want one even if I give up the booze!) 

f0xh0les

NSD 5 today. laundry wrestled, bedrooms cleaned, all beds changed and lots of hoovering. 

 All food from stores,  what odd weather we are having, bright this morning, then torrential downpours and cold for hours, now 17 degrees and sunny.  

There is a used school uniform sale at the school tomorrow, cash only, so looked in my cash tin and had £14 in there ! Hopefully I will get what I need for next term.  The amount of PE hoodies the boys have lost over the years in that place, I am not buying another one new.

apple_muncher

Fab news, Toni'sfriend! What a relief for you. And Happy Birthday to Himself 🎉🎂🎂🎂🎉

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for getting packed ready for tomorrow, for some friends dropping by, for cycling and tennis on the box, for dsd2 offering to do some shopping for us for when we arrive in Melbourne as well as picking us up from the airport very early in her morning, for being able to get to the airport on public transport instead of driving or getting a taxi.

I'll be dropping out of circulation for a few days but never fear, I'll be back 🤣😎🤣😎🤣

weenancyinAmerica

@Toni'sfriend - wonderful news! And Happy birthday to Himself.

@Shrewbie - I have always loved wandering through markets and boot sales - and such - you never know what it is you will find. 

mothernerd

Lots of good news for our turtles.

On Friday I went out to do errands. printed off a bank statement, called in at a fairly new solicitor's in town and had a chat with the 2 girls on reception. They don't deal with Capital Gains tax, I'd have to talk to an accountant (think they avoided any complicated areas in favour of straight conveyancing). However they listened sympathetically to my problems, made me feel a bit better and I felt like an expert on CGT compared to them. 

Continued on to the bus station office to pick up bus timetables (the library only had one of the ones I wanted) and pick the expert's advice on Saturday's marathon trek to Sale. He advised me to take the tram for the middle bit of the journey. I said I hadn't been on the tram before and wanted to know how I paid etc so he talked me through the process.  I asked about a year's ticket for the tram (£10 add on to pensioner's pass) but said mine was a disabled pass although I'd reached pension age in January. The good news is that my disabled pass already includes free tram travel within Greater Manchester. 

Came out of the bus station at the shops end facing my hairdresser's and thought I might  as well go in and make an appointment. However there was notice on the window saying drop in appointments were available that day so my hair is now properly cut (I told her not to worry about it being too short as it grows like wildfire). carried on to buy birthday cards and then into the market for pot herbs (and a £1 punnet of strawberries). Came out of the side entrance and straight across the road for B00ts meal deals - held off on other purchases as I have a raft of vouchers and now have some ideas for how to spend them (visits to B00ts are fairly infrequent now but I'm building up points).

I had considered going further up the high street but was glad I hadn't as I struggled getting home. Ate, put the washing in but hadn't the energy to hang the remains of the previous load. Went upstairs to rest my legs and sore feet and had a nana nap. Woke later but didn't feel up to going back downstairs and decided on an early night and an early start on Saturday.

Had a list of things I was taking to DS2's including a festive present for darling d-i-l (bought early, nestled carefully amongst my clothes to keep it safe and then couldn't find it when I needed it)and some bits for DS2. Changed my mind about which presents my grand-daughter was having (it was going to be a set of builder's vehicles - digger, roller etc but I'd asked if she had sand as well as her water table). She didn't so I was going to take a large round tray (largest size pot saucer) and a couple of bags of lentils. Decided it was too bulky and heavy to take so wrapped a doctor's set and a small workbench with screws and nails. Wapping was very messy because the first 2 attempts were so neat the present ripped a corner through the paper. Ds3 came down when I was struggling with the ribbon (I try to make presents so that she can undo them herself by pulling the end of the ribbon).

Packed everything and then waited until it was time to set out for the bus station (mum and I turned up an hour early the first time we went to DS1's and I've been told about it ever since) and met mum's cousin before I got to the traffic lights. Had a good catch-up but I was late getting to the bus station (the bus was there but he shut his doors as I approached and pulled all of three inches away from the kerb - they don't let anyone on if they have 'left the stop').

Next bus arrived swiftly but the driver wouldn't let us on - it was change over and we had to wait for the new driver to come. Smooth journey once we started and I read my book. Got off by the town hall and crossed to the tram station. I found the system fairly easy to understand (fretted about whether I was supposed to buy a ticket in addition to logging on and off at the start and end of my journey). Spent the journey standing (had a little ledge to rest on) but it was interesting (seeing bits I already knew from a different angle and then parts unknown).

I thought I was supposed to get another tram from there (final 7 minutes of my journey) but bus stops with a recognizable number were just at the end of the platform. First bus came nearly straight away but the driver claimed he'd never heard of the stop I wanted and was just going straight down (I later found out he must have passed the stop 5 minutes previously). I checked all the information on the bus shelter and waited for the next bus (with a phone call to DS2 which went to voicemail). The bus arrived I got on and swiftly realised I was going the wrong way. Got off, crossed the road and went to the stop on the other side of the road. Recognised some shops, pressed the button to get off and then back tracked a little bit. If I'd known exactly which way I was going (I'd decided against taking my old A-Z) I could have walked from the tram stop to DS2's easily.

However I got there, spent a very pleasant afternoon (less physical than usual). GD was a bit shy but came to sit on my knee when I produced the activity book with Bluey stickers. She and DS2 were going to watch football (live, local) with some friends and to meet their new baby so we all left around 5 pm. DS1 and darling d-i-l were going to a restaurant in Portland Street so I went with them in the uber. I was going to call in at one of the mini SM for salady bits but the bus was waiting at the stop so I just got straight on. 

Yesterday I slept. I did make it downstairs, put something in the oven and something in the microwave, took a bag of cans to the bin, went on to the carpark to retrieve my garden chair (our summer gnomes are in residence, building a little nest in the corner of the car park under a tree, but their music is quiet and inoffensive, so I'm not complaining).

I ate, went back upstairs, slept, then slept some more. My niece was due to come and I really didn't want to deal with her but she messaged late on to say she wasn't well. I still slept well overnight and feel so much better.

Grateful for family, my bed, the couch, public transport (and most of the drivers), eating fairly well and not as much (it's about time), books and getting rid of 2 heavy bags of presents and other people's bits.

lcc86

Ended up with a migraine yesterday so today has been about recovery. No spends, nothing achieved, but that's ok.

ditty1234

Hi just caught up on reading. What a weekend it's been for everybody - with difficult and great news all around. I'm keeping busy, living, not achieving much except eating and sleeping and connecting with people but that is the most important anyways. 
Ds2 started his new job and is already ready to throw his planned professional masters plan out of the window. But alas, he has a job, and he will need to keep it until he comes up with something else as he is flat broke. So basically told him to take a chill pill. 
Ds1 magically caught the train to his new uni town and spent all day there meeting new study/potential flat mates and viewed a student property. Beat that. That is the lad who insisted he could not take a bus to town last year. Rebuilding trust in oneself after a brain injury is such a long process. 
And I am grateful I managed a day of cover yesterday, just 4 more days to go before I break even on the car repair last week. But that is basically what these 2 weeks are for, to boost my reserves. It just happened I spent them, before they got replenished. 
So all in all a good start to the week. 
Tallyho, off to continue Emdr therapy in a moment. It is quite surreal, but I am trusting the guy supporting it, so that is a good start.  

thriftylass

Good morning,

Not much to report here, I keep reading your updates though. Hugs to those who need them.

Went and harvested some more raspberries this morning. This is a strange summer, I think it's too cold and humid as the berries barely ripen before they turn moldy. They just get chucked in the freezer for jam and smoothies. Also my eyes are so itchy this year. 

Budgets still looking good. 

f0xh0les

Today will be NSD 6. 

Filled the car with petrol yesterday, spent £10 at the school sale, bought some food.

Did my training day, so will get paid for that, and lots finalised for work next week.