It´s raining, it´s pouring, the old man is snoring. . .

While I was passing my time in California for the holidays, here in Spain it was raining. Supposedly they have received in two weeks the amount of rain equls to what they normally receive for the whole year. And it´s still raining. Valdepeñas grape fields totally covered in water

As you can see by the grass on the rails, the day before this bridge was submerged by water

The river that runs by Valdepeñas on the right connected by a newly formed one on the left

When the sun comes out: double rainbow!

Gabriel at La Cimbara

Me down at the base of La Cimbara

the river that passes by La Puebla de Don Rodrigo

Gabriel and I enjoying it all and looking forward to this spring!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! from Amy

My Christmas vacation was filled with joy and fun. I was able to spend a few days with my friends in cold, winter-wonderland Chicago before going to Escondido and being with the family for about two weeks. Most of my days were occupied by my nieces and nephews who are growing up so fast! Some highlights was the friends reunion at Hannah´s house, day of climbing with Phil in Eagle Peak, and going to the beach with all the sobrinos :) Eagle Peak at sunset
Annette, Hannah, Graham, Lynda and me baby Graham decked out for Christmas:)

Megan, all smiles

Cooper, Erin, and Lisa at the beach

everybody happy to see the sea life at the tidal pools

Top fall destinations by Phillip

Gurkha, Reservoir Wall, Indian Creek

Besides driving around a bunch for work, this past month has seen two rock trips to Indian Creek, Utah and a trip to Yosemite Valley. Indian Creek is in southwestern Utah near Moab and is internationally renowned for crack climbing on red sandstone. The climbing is so good that you end up forgetting the 12 hour drives and dreaming of going back be it only for a weekend. Yosemite stands without introduction. I recommend watching the documentary Vertical Frontier if you are interested in the climbing history in this national park. Our Yosemite trip was spent trying to climb offwidth (awkward size) cracks and working on the Rostrum, a hard 800 foot route on the west end of the valley.

King Cat, Cat Wall, Indian Creek


Indian Creek overview

"It´s Grape Pickin´ Season. . . and guess what else" by Amy

Yes, we are coming to the ends of the vendimia or grape harvest here in Valdepeñas and all throughout the day there are tractors pulling trailers full of grapes to the many different wine cellars throughout the town. Andrea, the girl I nanny/teach english to, loves seeing the tractors when we go to the park. She says in english, "A tractor! grapes! mmmhhm" and then acts like she´s eating grapes. :) She´s starting to say a lot more phrases in english although she still isn´t close to talking fully yet.


In other news the deer are breeding. Yes, that´s right. In Spanish it´s called La Berrea. ´Berrear´ means to bellow and that it what the bucks do to call their mates. It is quite an impressive noise they make, especially when you can hear 5 or 6 calling one after the other. Gabriel and I had the opportunity to hear this when we were rockclimbing last Sat. in La Cimbarra. The next day we decided to drive on the back roads through an area in the country to see if we could see any animals. I guess it is somewhat ´popular´to do this during this time since you have a high chance of seeing deer. We saw lots of deer but unfortunately didn´t see any other animals such as the ´muflón´(a type of big-horned sheep). Muflón. It´s my new favorite word to say in Spanish:)

We saw much larger groups than these two but the others were too far away to be picture worthyLike the rock-climbers we are, whenever rock walls are seen from the car, it is a must to get out and hike over to check them out.

The azafran of Castilla la Mancha.

Alcornoque: cork oak. This one has already been de-barked to make corks for wine bottles.

So, it´s official: I have successively survived my first week of giving english classes. I have 78, or there about, students every week. Now some of those come once a week, some twice a week, and some five times a week. I have 6 adults: 1 a complete beginner, 3 very low intermediate (or high beginner), and 2 advanced level. One of these students is actually my medical doctor. Another is Nuria, my co-worker who tutors in all the other subjects except english. My average size class is about 6 students I´d say. My largest class is 12 and all of them are 3 years old! Thankfully that´s only a once a weeker. I do have a lot of students from the ages of 3-6. This year I have a lot more high school students who I enjoy helping. Now that I have one year under my belt I have lots of resources and it makes it easier to teach. The hardest parts this year will be more focused with coming up with material for 3 year olds, how to change some of my teaching methods/games for large classes, and how to deal with classes that are diverse in age (like the one I have with two 3 yr olds and three high schoolers). So far I feel pretty excited and energetic about all this (although when I get done at 9 or 10 I´m usually exhausted) so hopefully I can continue with that throughout the year.

This weekend is a puente: a long weekend. Monday is a holiday. I´ll most likely take the opportunity to go climbing and spend some more time than usual with Gabriel. Hope you all are doing well! Lots of love and kisses, Amy

The daily grind by Phil

Well, vacation is over, for now. I am still on the look out for accounting jobs, but I have been hired full time (despite being as noncommittal as possible) at Walter's Wholesale Electrical through the temp agency. I'm driving a 1 ton 12 foot stake bed delivery truck all over the county for them. It's down just into Vista and I start at 6am, which is good because I'm out by 3. I'm thankful to have a job even if it is something I don't plan on doing long term.

Friday night I went climbing at Woodson and ended up locking my keys in the trunk when I changed into shorts (I was tired). I ended up getting a ride home and leaving the car there until Saturday afternoon when I went climbing again. As we pulled up Saturday I saw a pile of glass next to the passenger side and I new I had been broken into. They stole the owner's manual binder which had my registration and insurance, took most of the loose change, stole my copy of Moby Dick (which I've been reading for a couple of years now), and popped the trunk and took my pants (with the key in the pocket), my climbing backpack with my camera and some of my less expensive climbing gear (fortunately the cams were at home). Just a bad series of events.

I'm taking Friday and Monday off work for the much anticipated climbing trip to Indian Creek, Utah. Trip update later.

A Trip to the other side of the Pond. . . by Amy

The first two weeks of September I was able to visit family and friends in the U.S. It was a short trip but definitely filled to the brim. Gabriel was able to come with me and experienced much since it was his first time in airplane, his first time to the U.S., his first time meeting my family. . . but he enjoyed it all and was able to see a lot of the country thanks to the roadtrip from Chicago to Escondido with my parents and Phil.

The first few days of our trip were spent in Chicago hanging out with Annette and seeing some of the sites. Unfortunately we only had two days in the area and I wasn´t able to see many of my friends in the area. The highlights were seeing baby Graham, staying in a hotel downtown with Annette, and taking the sunset boat tour of Chicago.

Then we hit the road in the camper! My parents and Phil had driven out for Josh and Caroline´s wedding so Gabriel and I took the opportunity to hitch a ride with them, spend more time with them, and see some of the country. Well, we stopped in Oskaloosa and got a tour of a farm there from Dad´s friend, visited the extended family in Denver and were able to climb also, stayed over with Andy and Kiara in Phoenix with a hike up Camelback Mt. and pancakes that are thrown at you in the morning, and then a climb up Suicide Rock in Idyllwild before arriving home 6 days after leaving Chitown.

Gabriel at the Black Canyon of the Gunnisen, Colorado

At the Grand Canyon

At home, the activities were packed in too. Monday was holiday and so all the fam plus some family friends came up for a BBQ. I was able to meet my new niece, Megan, what a cutie! Gabriel was a little over whelmed by the amount of people and his lack of English. . . thanks to Aunt Mary for chatting it up with him:) Andy and Kiara and kids came out for four days which was great cause we got spend more time together. We got together with Heather and kids to visit Balboa park, had a picnic there, Gabriel and I saw the expo of Body Works. We all went to the beach another day and enjoyed the nice temp of the water and then went for a great dinner at Jack and Cheryls beautiful house. Gabriel and I and Mom also went to the Wild Animal Park which is a must for any visitors to my house:) Dad took Gabriel on a tour of different constuction material stores since Gabriel works in one and was interested in the differences between the U.S. and Spain.

Watch out for the gorillas at the zoo, they might eat your finger!

What a lot of nieces and nephews, and Erin and Megan are missing!

That was our trip, before we knew it our time to leave had came and after a very looong day of traveling we were back in Valdepeñas. I will be starting my fulltime work this Thursday with a pretty full schedule of kids and also some adult classes. I´m excited to start and look forward to the new experiences and challenges that await me this year. I am going to try to be better at updates so if you don´t hear from me in a while don´t be afraid to give me a nudge.. . Also, I have set this up so that friends and family will receive an email when I make an entry. If you are reading this and did NOT receive email notice and would like to, contact me and give me your email address!

Lots of love to everyone I saw and didn´t get to see on my visit home!! Miss you guys,

Amy

Phil's return to the ranch

Walking the dogs (strays)

The Wild Side (Sella)

World travels have come to an end, for now. Funds are lacking, it's time to find a J. O. B.

Before heading for home I spent some time with Carlitos and Diana in Alicante. We deepwater soloed (no ropes) in the Mediteranean ocean, climbing from an inflatable boat over clear blue water. The best was climbing stalagtites in a sea cave, the downside was climbing with wet hands, humidity, and fear of jumping/falling into the water. We also checked out some other (drier) climbing spots, the highlight was climbing the Wild Side at Sella. Then it was back to Madrid to pack the bags and head for the States.

I spent some time first in Chicago for Nick and Melanie's wedding. I then came home for about a week before my parents and I loaded up the camper to drive back to Chicago for Josh and Carolyn's wedding. We made several stops on the way to visit people: Andy and Kiara in Phoenix, the Scholtens in El Paso, Mr. Bush in Missouri. We stayed one night at the Hueco Rock Ranch where I got my first taste of Hueco tanks, an international climbing destination known for bouldering (the V bouldering grade was developed here).

I spent a week in Chicago before the wedding, it was a good time hanging out with Josh and Carolyn before the wedding. I also went up to Michigan one day to taste some of Michigan's finest brew right from the source. Amy and Gabriel flew into Chicago and the long road called us west. We enjoyed the fields of corn and soybeans stopping in Oskaloosa, Iowa to see Dad's old aquaintances. Then we stopped in Longmont and Denver visiting relatives and quickly checking out El Dorado canyon (I must return to climb) and climbing a little in Boulder Canyon.

On the way to Phoenix to pick up my car we stopped at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison (no time for climbing) and the Grand Canyon (no time for hiking). Other highlights were lunch at the park in Gunnison with chainsaw carvings, pitching tent at a gas station in Indian country, and the scenic drive through eastern Colorado.

Before arriving home Amy, Gabriel and I stopped in Idylwild to climb Suicide Rock. Andy and Kiara and family showed up the next week and we had a busy week together with the nephews and neices taking full advantage of playtime with their cousins. Another highlight for me was taking Gabriel up to Tahquitz (where the Yosemite Decimal System rating system was developed) and doing El Whampo, a five pitch trad climb, we did it in true Spanish style, coffee at the cafe before and after.