Just Living Life....

I am doing everything I love most in the world here...jump roping, designing, sewing, shopping (for inspiration....not always buying) playing like I am a kid, and spending time with wonderful people.  Being here is the perfect balance of work and play....I haven't felt like this since my 6 weeks in London (Richmond to be more specific).  Oh and speaking of Richmond I have to add in this little note here...I spoke (via Skype...my lifeline to the world) with the family I lived with while there this week and is was so great to see them.  Rudi who I am sure you all remember from my posts has grown so much in the few months I have been gone.  The entire time we were Skyping he would climb up on his Mums lap then onto the front part of the desk and fling his leg towards the computer screen then his arm almost smashing into it.  We asked him what he was doing and he said " I want to visit Sara....Visit Sara Please!"  Cutest thing ever!  Little man was so determined to be with me he was literally trying to climbing into the computer to get to me.  Belinda answered him by saying "Oh Rudi, if it was only that easy I would be in Spain with Sara too."  I so miss that family...can't wait to see them again at some point in the future!  But back to perfect

Jump...Jump...Jump!

life in Spain.  This crew here is very active and sporty.  They have really taken to skipping.  We even went and bought new ropes for Michael (Dad), Diana (Mum), and Christian(family friend who works out with them) so they could incorporate it into their workouts.  I have given a few lessons and encouraged with constructive criticism as they have been jumping after they go running.  Michael is doing quite well (30 without a miss in his first week) once he gets rid of is high right arm that likes to kinda raise up to high which I call "bird arm" he will be getting hundreds with out a miss.  I have also found his daughter does this same right arm raise....who knew skipping style was genetic.    They are all doing so well though.  Maxime and I have also spent some time working on her skills.  She has done 3 single bounces in a row which is great for a 6 year old who has just learned.  When jumping with me in the rope like the photo above she can do over 20!  San Diego San Skippers I miss you!  I wish you guys could be here with me jumping!  You would all love it.

Maxime in her new dress

So now lets move to one of my other loves...designing!!!  I have been able to create here and it has been so amazing.  Like I mentioned in a prior posts we found a fabric store and got some fabric.  My sitting room transformed into my sewing room.  Sewing machine on the desk, striped floor became a cutting surface and metal bookshelf transformed into a hanging rack.  With my iTunes streaming music I slip into a world of patterns and fabric that makes me feel like the person I am supposed to be.  I know it is hard to understand if you have never felt this feeling of loosing yourself into something that makes you feel complete but when I am designing and sewing it is like I am completely centered.  It really doesn't matter what I am making...It could be a pillow cover or a pair of pants and I would feel the same.  So back to what I am making here.  Once Maxime (AKA Mimi, or Mims) learned I knew how to sew and had a dress pattern with me she wanted a dress.  So, I decided to make one for here and a matching one for little Olivia.    When we were first talking about making the dress and I was taking her measurements and showing here how the

Maxime...So sweet.

pattern would fit on here as a dress she looked at it and had her own little adjustments she wanted to make.  It was so neat to see her looking at a pattern I was holding up on her and to see her little mind working out that she wanted one part of it to end higher and one part lower.  As she explained what she wanted I completely agreed with her.  They were adjustments I was wanting to make to the pattern anyway but it was cool that she noticed them for herself.  Maxime also wanted to be a part of the sewing process so she got to help sew the buttons on her dress (she sewed the last pink 

one on herself)  and she watched and asked a lot of questions so she could learn while I sewed

Olivia in her Party Dress

 parts of the dress.  Once it was finished she wanted to put it on immediately (which is kind of a big deal because she doesn't wear clothing around the house much) and didn't want to take it off!  She wore it when we went out to dinner that night and kept telling everyone I made it.  It was really cute.  I think I have a very satisfied customer.  Olivia got her dress the next day and also wanted to put it on immediately.  She was intrigued with the buttons at first but didn't try and pull them off...just played with them a bit to see what they were.  She kept looking down at the dress, running her hands down the front to straighten it then smiling and laughing.  I couldn't get a photo of it but it was adorable.  When I see these little girls running around in the dresses I made my heart feels so full.  I love making things and seeing people enjoy them.  Now,  I couldn't leave the little man of the house out...plus there is no way he would allow himself to be left out.  So let me tell you a little something about Luis...He loves his food!  Not in a I want to eat a bunch of junk food way.  This kid loves salad, pasta, bread, the super good for you bran cereals and just about

Squishy Loud Kiss!

   any fruit you can throw his way.  He loves to be in the kitchen when meals are being made and help.  There was one day I walked into the kitchen and saw Luis wearing nothing but a pair of hot pink swim goggles chopping up onions for our dinner.  It was quite a sight to see.  So in honor of his love for the kitchen I made him his very own apron.  He was so excited about it when I gave it to him he had to give me what he calls a "loud squishy kiss"
He loved his apron and wore it all day long.  He stored all sorts of things in the pocket and only took it off when some of his pasta lunch made contact with it requiring it to be placed in the dirty laundry.  If anyone is looking for a chef I have got your man right here...You might have to wait a

Wanna Cook?

 couple of years but I am pretty sure he is going to be a whiz in the kitchen.
I have done quite a bit more wondering around town and exploring.  I love taking the bus in and not having to mess with all the crazy drivers and parking spaces that are only made for cars that are about the size of a smart car or maybe a bit smaller.  I let myself get lost the other day and wound up finding a really interesting English bookstore. The owner is literally from England so it is a true English bookstore not just in reference to the language.  It was kinda like walking into my Grandmas Antique store during the months when she wasn't open and had all sorts of boxes and piles of new (old) stuff to go through and put on display.  Difference being this guy was open in this state.  I didn't mind though...I just looked through piles of books and old letters to see what treasure I could find. It was in a interesting old building that had all sorts or hidden nooks and levels to explore.  There also were other random items in there like framed drawings of Japanese women and some porcelain dolls. I didn't ask about those things...I was ok living with the mystery of the items.  Anyway, I didn't buy anything on this trip in but I will be going back to see what other treasures I can discover.  After leaving the ally with the book shop I continued in the general direction of the beach and ran into the famous cathedral.  As I rounded one of the corners I was struck

View to Palma Beach

by this cool view.  There was this diamond patterned cover that guided your eye to the view of the Sea.  I just thought it made for a really interesting combination of items guiding your eye in the direction you were supposed to look for the best view.  I don't really know too much about the diamonds and if they were intended to have any function or if they are just art but I really liked it.  I had not really planned on ending up here on this day and my time was running short so I wasn't able to explore it fully.  I will return on another day when I can go inside the cathedral and also walk over to the beach and spend some time there.

I heart water!

The last big event of the week was a dinner out with the whole family and also the family that Diana and Michae are good friends with.  The restaurant was really nice...located up on a hill with a gorgeous view of Palma.  I am sorry I didn't get a better photo of the view but I was so consumed by the wonderful food.  Apptetizers where plates of bread, whole tomatoes, an aioli type spread and oil and vinegar.  I was not really sure how all these things were to be properly combined but Christian came to the rescue and made me this amazing slice of bread with tomatoes squished and spread on there with everything else in perfect proportion.  It was like nothing I had ever eaten...I had him make me another and then had to force myself to stop so I could enjoy my perfectly prepared fish.  It was a great night of food with a view to go with it.
Funny moment of the night was when Luis decided he was done with cups so I passed him a bottle to drink out of.  Water of course...he finished off what was left in 3 bottles of water and then just thought he was hysterical.  I swear there


was only water in the bottle but by his crazy look

I might be crazy...watch out!

after you had to wonder.

I will leave you now but will be back soon...Tomorrow I am taking this crazy man Luis for his first bus ride into town.  Should be an adventure.
More to come from Spain.....