Fiesta 2012 in San Antonio

Well, it is Fiesta time once again in San Antonio, TX.  All sorts of parties and celebrations are going on around the city.  Today is the Battle of Flowers parade so many kids and parents are off today, myself included.  The weather is not too hot so it should make for a great day to go out and have some fun.  We usually go to the Fiesta Garten at http://www.beethovenmaennerchor.com/ but it seems like many of my friends from UTSA have other plans so we will not be getting together.  Too bad as it is always a lot of fun.  We'll plan for next year or maybe for Oktoberfest in the fall.  Cooler temps and just as fun.  Happy Fiesta 2012 to all!!!

What sound, what presence…bellisima macchina

Let me build this story a bit to get in the appropriate frame of mind.  My route home takes me in front of the new Porsche dealership, which happens to be very modern and sleek yet sadly hidden behind the off ramp from the highway.  Someone must have gotten a great deal on the land because it is rather inaccessible and takes away from the experience.  I also happen to go by the Ferrari dealership, which in this case is rather ugly and is overshadowed by the much more attractive Audi dealership.  I guess that the Ferrari dealer can get away with the cars being the shining jewels in the rather ugly crown that is their building.  You don’t stable beautiful stallions in a shack.  I think that if I had the money I would fly to Italy to buy my car in Maranello just for the full experience.  But, I digress.  Back to the story.  As I am driving home yesterday on IH10 in San Antonio, TX I notice that right behind me is a 458 Italia.  Black on black with a menacing frown, wide, and very sleek.  My little MazdaSpeed 3 looks like a toy by comparison.  The weather is overcast and it is a fine temperature outside.  So, I turn off my radio as I want to hear this cavallino as it rolls down the road.  I roll down the windows and when the highway opens up he gives it a bit of gas and passes me on the right.  I have to admit that the black color is not as attractive as Ferrari Rosso but I like it nonetheless.  As he goes by I can see the yellow brake calipers.  They pop out and make the wheels look astonishing.  This is getting better by the minute.  I can hear a snarl coming from his trio of exhaust pipes coming out dead center in the back.  I am fully engaged now.  The sound, the presence, the angular and purposeful body lines, it all takes me to another place.  I don’t even try to catch up to him.  What for?  I have been in the presence of a God and being a mere mortal I can only smile knowing that such a beautiful sight is rare and should be filed away for future recollection.  

Back to work today but very excited because I have heard from a work colleague that the outdoor store REI will be opening here in San Antonio in the Fall of this year.  I am preparing for our family trek next year across Spain (Camino del Norte http://www.caminodesantiago.me) so I plan on buying all our gear this summer.  I might not buy all the equipment from them but I can certainly get some good advice and some items as well.  I have been carefully planning our trip, and I have the schedule written out and travel dates set.  I am still working out the infinite number of details that need to be looked at but all this activity it keeps me excited.  Now, I'll be honest, I have been daydreaming about winning the lotto (who doesn't?) and if we did win we would have enough money to go this year.  And we would be able to do the entire five week trip.  Next year I will only be able to do about two weeks of solid walking before we need to fly back to the US.  This will leave us with the task of coming back the following year to finish it out.  Not the way I want to do it but I don't have an option.  Thus, the daydream of winning the lotto.  I am on my way to but a ticket...or two.

Last post in 2007????

I can't believe that I have not posted since 2007!!!  Not that I lead such an interesting life but I should have kept up because it is always interesting to read old posts.  Sort of a snapshot in time of what goes on in my life as the years go by.   Well, I'll make it a point to write something at least once a week and maybe this will become a habit.  I am making some plans for summer of 2013 so maybe I'll start there.  I'll leave with a picture of our little Schnauzer and our boy's 15 year bday.  He is growing up and soon will be a college bound kiddo.  Wow!!!  More to come...

Sweet Bella left us.

Well, quite unexpectedly our liver-brown Dalmatian, Bella has moved on to a better place. She had been with us since she was a pup and estimate that she was about 13 or 14 years old. On Saturday September 15, 2007 she finally made the trip to doggie heaven. To say that it came as a huge shock to all of us is an understatement. All I can say is that we miss her greatly and the house feels quite empty without her company. Always sweet and always friendly to all.

After our trip to Spain in August we picked her up from the vet where she had been boarding and she looked a bit thin but very happy to see us. The first few days she seemed fine but as time went on she became lethargic and steadily lost her appetite. We started becoming worried and took her in to the vet. Three days later and over $700 in medical bills she came home. She was checked for multiple things and the main problem was that she had an infection on two teeth. These would have to come out after the initial infection which was being treated was cured. She came home and had a bit better appetite. She seemed somewhat recovered and we were just happy to see her again. How wrong we were.

A few days later we had to take her back to the vet again because she could hardly stand and seemed to be fading fast. No appetite and quite weak we feared the worst. The list of problems that were cropping up in her were hard to comprehend for a dog that had never been sick. Anyone reading this can probably sympathize with the litany of possible issues: "It can be cancer, or heart problems, her lungs are filled with fluid, so that has to be treated. She has several teeth that are infected and have to come out, etc, etc, etc." After two nights at the hospital and another $700 we realized that this was only prolonging her pain. She was better under 24/7 medical attention but at home we could see that she would only suffer. With her advanced age and weak condition we made that decision that breaks your heart and makes you doubt yourself. Could we have done more for her? Could we have poured more money into medical care? Was it fair to put her through painful procedures and doubtful recoveries? What do you do? What would you do?

Susan and I discussed it and agreed that it would be terribly selfish of us to keep her going. All the procedures in the world were not going to make her young and strong again. Nor give her any quality of life in her old age. We needed to let her go with dignity. She would be remembered as she had been all these years. Sweet, friendly, noble, loyal, loving, beautiful. Susan was with her 'till the end because we agreed not to take Juan Andres to the hospital. It is too much for a young boy to see his loving dog as she was in the end. It was a such a tough decision.

Well, this coming week Bella will be coming home for good. Her ashes should be ready for us to pick up. My best memories of her are many but in particular she loved to go running with me. We put a lot of miles together and it made quite a difference to have her keeping me company. I try not to think too much of how much I miss her but inevitably, on my morning runs I think of her...I bet you are with Quiche laying in a warm spot, with the sun keeping you comfortable, lots of treats and a cool pool nearby to get yourself wet as you loved to do when you were younger. We all hope to see you again. :)

Adios sweet Bella Bella.

Back home once again

Well, it has been one month since we returned from our trip to Spain and we had a great time. It always seems like it is never enough but I think that has to do more with my personality (too much of a good thing is never too much) than with the length of any vacation. For the most part it felt great to be back home but I still miss the rhythm of the city, Gijon, versus the lifestyle here in San Antonio where you basically have to drive everywhere. I really enjoy the freedom to be able to walk anywhere and blend in with other Gijoneses. The question has been brought up at work as to wether I would live in Spain if I had the chance and I believe that I would. At least for a year or two. There is so much to see and I think that being in the European continent I would get to travel with the family (wifey and kiddo) whenever there was a long weekend. You can easily fly to any other European country, travel throughout Spain, or even in the Principado de Asturias. I am up for that kind of experience and I hope to make it happen one day.

Back at work things seem the same if not a bit worse. All I can say is that the best thing about work is the great friendships I have made. I honestly believe that this is the best group of guys I have ever had the chance to spend some time with working. At least most of the guys....

We are changing, adding some new people to some of the teams and moving together under one roof pretty soon. How will that go? No se. Until we are there and working together for awhile I won't be able to tell.

It does seem that for some reason that I do not understand we are constantly in a flux that keeps people off balance. Morale fluctuates as the days go by and right now people just seem overworked, tired, and weary. We just can't seem to get in an upbeat. I surely feel overwhelmed. I better not say more since this is public and we all know that it could be used against me.

Anyhow, I'll write more soon and will try to make it a bit more light hearted.

Fiestas de Begona

I have not been able to update my blog as much as I have wanted to due to technical
issues but next time I will bring my own MacBook. Of course, I will have to buy one first ;)
This in no way reflects badly on my niece Andrea since she has been more than willing
to lend me her notebook and put up with my endless requests for borrowing her system.
Now, if you do not smoke Spain might be a challenge. Ventilation is not any restaurants
stronghold. People in northern Spain do not favor AC, so eating at a place without
moving air and lots of people smoking can choke the hardiest smoker so you can draw
your own conclusions if you cringe at the sight of a cigarrette....buena suerte.The country has been tightening smoking in public places but they have not reached
Gestapo-like control levels like in California and some other blessed states in the Land
of the Wii. Advice for anyone coming to Europe: bring your allergy meds.
Tonight is the big night for Gijon. It is officially known as Las Fiestas de Begona. There
will be fireworks at midnight over the bay (El Muro) and it promises to be quite a party.
Tomorrow the town closes down and everyone has the day off. People will be out
frolicking tonight until the sun comes up. The celebration has pretty much been going on
most of the month of August. Spain is a country where ocio is a national sport. It is
funny because people, especially the younger generation over indulges when it comes
to going out. I ususally go running in the mornings at about the same time, 8:30am to
9:00am and I see the effects of people's craziness. The town is littered with papers,
cigarrette butts, empty drinks, broken bottles, and someone's dinner spilt on the
sidewalk. To add to the ambiance there is a bar right across the hotel (Discoteca
Otto/Bar El Nautico) that is open until 11:00am (or later I think) and people are still out in
the front terraza sitting, drunk/high or both looking worse for the wear watching me as I
jog by as if I'm from Mars. I can't help but to laugh to myself thinking the same thing
about them. Nothing funnier than seeing a drunk girl in heels that as been up all night
trying to eat a bocata (and walk/waddle) while her boyfriend is trying to light up a smoke
and look as if they are sober. Funny indeed!!!!!!Of course, as they see me running by they crack up thinking what a fool I am to be
exercising way too early in the morning while I could be disfrutando de unas copas con
los amigotes like they are. I would advice anyone that wants to go to sleep at a sane
time to get a room in a hotel that faces the inside of the hotel. If not, all the sleeping you
will be doing will be in la playa the next morning.
It is sad to say but it seems like my vacation has almost come to an end. We have a
few more days left and some shopping to finish but it has been a good time. I think we
are ready to go back home, but not ready to go to work. I have already started to think
about the next vacation and where I would like to go. Spain for sure but I would love to
also go to an area in Mexico called Merida in the Peninsula de Yucatan. That will be in
another blog. I think that I might have found something that I could do as an occupation.
I do enjoy travelling and comedy is something I also like so if I marry both together I
could have a show on the Travel Channel called "Travel con Juan" or "Juan's Travels".
I'll work on the concept and the title. More to come at another date. I hope.
Ciao.