Day 46

I got up early and left before the family was awake intending to go to Segovia. I got to the train station, took a number, waited in line, and finally got ‘helped’ by one of those guys who gets whatever he wants in life by being ridiculously good-looking. After taking his time selecting the time slots I wanted, asking for and examining multiple IDs, he tells me that I need to take a later train and go to the other station in Madrid. I conveyed in the best Spanish I could, a ‘seriously, after all that, you can’t even sell me the ticket?’ He just smiled, winked and told me to buy it at the other station, “corre.” I wanted to smack this guy, but that would be sinking to Hugo’s level. I would have had to time to board the train I wanted once I got to the station, had I had the ticket already. Whatever, I decided the next train wouldn’t give me enough time there, so I will go another day. I sat in the station deciding what to do with the day when a sweet, elderly lady sits next to me very distraught about finding her friends and the right platform and all that jazz. I explained things to her, and since she was so nervous, decided to stay with her until her friend arrived, almost an hour later. She was very uplifting. I live for these random inspiring encounters with strangers.

I finally left the station and visited the temple grounds and then ended up at Museo Lazaro Galdiano. This is a most excellent museum. It has a good variety of paintings, sculptures, weapons, dinnerware, coins, jewelry, etc. all in a beautiful building—former home to Lazaro—with elaborately painted ceilings. This is so cool, I love this.

Work went well, it was good day. I had fun playing with Hugo, and then we went with the girls to their horseback-riding classes. Elena is such a crazy driver. She does things that would upset me as another driver, and suffers from some road rage towards other drivers who aren't doing anything wrong. I had a hard time not laughing out loud in the car, thinking of the times me or the girls have taken heat from Elena without much if any reason for the solicitation. Driving back we found Elena’s friend who will be staying with us for the weekend. She and Elena went for a night out while I fed and bathed the kids, and stayed talking with the girls. Fun stuff. Elena seemed very happy to have her friend in town. She deserves some time to enjoy herself. Seeing her countenance change made me excited for how happy I will be to be reunited with my favorite people and to dance again. Two weeks.