Book Hauls

A few weeks ago, I ordered some books that I thought I needed. They got here on Monday, to my surprise and delight. I love getting books in the mail.

I didn´t think to take a picture, but you should have seen my mailbox! It was so crammed with books that not a letter more could have fit in! Makes me wonder why the postman didn´t just ring the doorbell to give them to us, actually. Fortunately, it didn´t rain, and we usually pick up our mail right after the postman comes by, so they didn´t get even a drop of water on them.

To tell you the truth, I have our postman´s routes timed and calculated to a tee. He always comes by our house at 11am on the dot. For bigger packages, they (another pair of postmen in a truck instead of on a motorcycle) come by at 1pm or so. ^_^ You can´t tell at all that I love getting mail and/or packages, right? Hahaha.

I get along so well with one of our postmen that he even caught a package that had been mislabeled once (my house number is 36, and the label said 3). Showed up at my door with the package and said "This says three on it, not thirty-six, but I knew this one was yours, it´s from Japan!".

So, pictures of my books!!

 These 4 are from my "I-want-to-be-a-better-teacher" part of the haul. Almost exclusively for my Proficiency class: I want them to write better, as well as have extra grammar exercises for them. The last one, "Grammar for English Language Teachers" was recommended to me by two other teacher-friends. So I bought it, and it is admittedly quite thorough. Being more of an instinctive-english girl than a grammarian, I know that this will really help me explain in those lessons where I need to teach direct grammar. I´ve already used it for one class (yesterday); it was quite useful.

 

These other two books are from my "I want to enjoy life and hobbies somehow" section of the book haul. I couldn´t resist the "Dressmaker´s technique bible". I´ve only skimmed through a few pages, and I can already tell that it´ll be essential. It shows you from how to do seams  to how to distinguish cloth types. As for the "Historic costumes" book, it was on sale (nearly 50% discount!) and I thought it might be useful for the Three Musketeers clothes. So far, it looks like it focuses on English outfits and is a bit confusing.....but I´m sure that something can be salvaged from it as soon as I actually read it. There are a lot of dress patterns, so I might actually end up making myself a medieval dress sometime!

All in all, I´m really happy with my haul. The only problem now will be finding where to put them! I have entirely too many books on my shelves......

Of raincoats and rain

With the two whole days of almost nonstop raining, I´ve started wondering about how to protect oneself from rain. I mean, who likes to get cold and wet? Going out to dance in the rain is all good and well, but only if you´ve got the assurace that, as soon as it´s over, you can rush inside and take a warm shower, put on flannel pajamas and wrap yourself up in a blanket while sipping a hot beverage (preferably tea or cocoa).

When faced with the prospect of getting wet on the way to someplace, and actually have to go there and stay wet, my mind just insists on coming up with avoidance policies. Any way I can is valid, there is nothing quite as disgusting, in my opinion, as dirty and wet boots that squelch every time you take a step. My perpetually cold toes shiver even thinking about it, let alone living it. Thank you (not) Ireland for showing me this (not at all) delightful feeling.

So....what are ways to avoid getting wet? Perhaps I should just straight-out ask a cat, but instead I thought up a list:

1. The traditional method when you have nothing else: running into a store/other random place for shelter and wait for the rain to pass. Hey, at least it keeps your nice clothes from getting ruined.

 Whatever works. Bus shelters are so convenient in times like these.

 
2. A handy-dandy newspaper. Though of course, it´s only a temporary shield. You don´t want to end up with wet paper in your hair!

3. Rain boots. They keep your feet nice and dry!! They used to be available in only one color: ugly. Now that they´ve become fashionable, you can get yours in any size and/or shape! (even high-heeled water boots, to my surprise).

4. Rain bonnets. I first came across these in Ireland. They won´t keep your clothes dry, but at least your hair won´t be wet!!

5. Level up! Rain ponchos: widely regarded as an item that should only be limited to water rides in theme parks, this evolved version of the rain bonnet actually keeps you (pretty much) dry.

The invisible man never goes anywhere without his bright yellow poncho, as you can see.

6. Raincoats. While not (necessarily) a level up in coverage from rain, your average raincoat is a level up from a poncho in the sense of style. Raincoats actually have a shape and can evern boast a nice design.

These are some seriously cute raincoats.

7. Umbrellas. Who doesn´t own one? Or two? Or three? Portable or not-so-portable; sober black to wacky rainbow shades; one-person or multiple-person.....there are umbrellas for all kinds of people and situations. Well, no. Just one situation: rain. They´re great, but if it´s rainy and more than just a bit windy, you´ve got a problem.

 This umbrella is lovely; it´s printed with one of my favorite paintings: "Starry Night" by Van Gogh.


Out of all the choices, I personally prefer the raincoat (one with a hood) and rainboots to keep myself nice and dry. However, this is the Age of the Umbrella. You barely see any raincoats anymore (at least in Spain), which is kinda sad. Perhaps now that rainboots are back in style--I´ve seen several of my students wearing some today alone, when two years ago I wouldn´t have--the raincoat, its natural companion, will also return.

All I know is that I own a yellow raincoat (My school gave it to me on a sailing trip as part of the school uniform, hahaha) and am planning on buying some yellow rainboots to match--and I want to wear them soon. Will I have a chance? Probably. Even though I live in sunny Spain, we do get rain. Occasionally. Eventually. Hey, clouds, come back here!! Don´t leave now that I´ve started considering taking out the rain gear!!

Does it rain a lot in your country? What´s your preferred method of keeping the rain off you?

Finally, it´s time....

November 1st apparently signalled the end of "summer" in Spain. Our respite from cool weather and the rains that keep out country from droughts in summer (most years it´s a close thing) has officially ended. Today it has not stopped raining at all, past midday.

Let the rain and universal deluge begin!

November 1st: Dia de los Difuntos

 Halloween has become popular in Spain in more recent years....though it´s still very rare to see children trrick-or-treating or Halloween decorations in the US. Mostly, it´s an occasion for the kiddies to have fun dressing up and going to school and eating candy......and of course, older people nearer to my age (and that of my friends) consider this an opportunity in which to dress up (usually girls in skimpy outfits) and party.

I like Halloween, I really do. I still think it´s a shame that a lot of people are losing our own tradition from these days, though. You see, in Spain on November 1st we celebrate "El Dia de Todos los Santos" or "El Dia de los Difuntos" (All Saints Day or The Day of our Dead).

It´s a day which has traditionally been reserved to celebrate and honor our ancestors, visit their graves and lay flowers on them....generally, a day of quiet contemplation and reflection, remembering those who have passed. Sadly, year by year, there are more people here who forget this holiday in favor of Halloween. Silly when you think about it--the day we actually get the holiday on (it´s a National Holiday, in fact) is on November 1st, not October 31st.

This year I haven´t been able to visit my family´s graves. I can never visit all of them, of course--since I have relative buried both in Valencia and in Tarragona, and both places are quite apart--but I usually visit at least one of the cemeteries. This year, we didn´t go to Tarragona--my relatives from Tarragona came over to spend the long weekend. I thought I wouldn´t really mind not going, but somehow....I really missed it. I missed visiting the graves and wandering through the graveyard. Don´t get me wrong, I´m not a creepy person--but who can deny that a cemetery isn´t a peaceful place?

I still dedicated a while today to reflecting upon and remembering everyone.....especially my grandfather, who passed away before this summer (may he rest in peace).....but I really felt like I should be over there, cleaning the gravestones and laying flowers and maybe breaking some off from the bouquet and putting them on some of the really old graves that people don´t seem to visit. Just to show that someone remembers, even though I haven´t met or heard of them before.

My cousin said "It doesn´t have to be November 1st for you to visit their tombstones." But it does. because we´re so far away from the rest of the family that we don´t get to travel to visit whenever we want to--and graveyards have very strict opening times. In our small town, it only opens two days a week: wednesdays and sundays, for 3 hours each. They might be able to pop on down.....but we can´t. It always opens on the 1st of November, no matter what day of the week it is. We can visit.

Besides, it´s called "Dia de los Difuntos". It´s a day dedicated specifically to the dead. If that isn´t reason enough to pay them a visit, then what is?

Next year I´m definitely going, even if I have to take a train for 3 and a half hours. I´ve realized that I somewhat need to find that peace there to be at peace with myself. Some things are truly ingrained, I believe. My parents taught me this tradition, and I will honor it--and teach it to my children, and to my students. There are some things which should not be lost to the flow of time.