Spanish Summer

 In October of 2020 an article about cheap airfare to Europe popped up on my apple news feed. I figured that COVID would certainly be long gone by summer of 2021 and therefore snatched up cheap tickets direct from Phoenix to London. Well, things didn’t go to plan, but we did manage to get you all overseas for your first European adventure.

I figured out about 2 months prior to departure that the UK was not going to open, all the signs were pointing towards it, so I decided to pivot to a country that said it was going to open, Spain. Well the opening in April turned to May, and May to June and June to June 7^th, and I had the joy of re-booking us 4 times. I am kind of surprised I didn’t get an ulcer from the stress of planning this vacation. I had my mind set to this trip, and my heart longing for adventure, and so I went boldly into possible financial folly and aggravation and a host of other bad possibilities. Yet in the end, we triumphed!

We arrived in Spain June 10^th, 3 days after they lifted restrictions on Americans. Until we departed on the 25^th we were some of the only English speakers in the country. Our Itinerary was 4 nights in Madrid (with two day trips to Toledo and Segovia) 2 nights in Cordoba, 2 nights in Sevilla, 3 nights in Estepona, and 3 nights in Granada, with our final night in Madrid near the airport. You three were so excited, especially you Cora- as you had the greatest understanding of what we were about to embark upon. I will say you all travel far better than your mother and I ever did as kids, we bought lounge passes as we had a long layover in Miami. Was pretty fun to see you all enjoying the comforts that brings…. cause it would come to an end on our Iberia Airlines flight. It wasn’t really that bad- but it was packed and since they want to nickel and dime you they split up our seats as I didn’t want to pay for selecting them. Cora and Deacon I sat with you, while mom took Quinn the seatmate kicker along with her. We may have been 5 of the 10 total Americans on the flight.

I don’t think I can recap the whole trip so I wanted to hit some of the highlights. Day one in Madrid was fun just to be with you all on an adventure in a foreign country. We toured the Royal Palace and it went just as I thought it would. Cora you enjoyed all of it, Deacon you perked up when there were weapons around, and Quinn you mostly wanted to find slippery floors, distract your brother, or try and get me to carry you/ find somewhere to sit. Later that day we went to Retiro Park, which was beautiful and expansive. Quinn you were dragging and pretending to be on deaths doorstep, but as a rose garden came into view you found new life and sprinted forward and preceded to run all round it smelling different varietals of roses. The park was this beautiful green oasis in the center of the city with a large lagoon, huge amounts of trees and rolling lawns, and a Crystal Palace that hosts various art displays. We made it to a very fancy dinner that night right before the sky opened up on us and had a wonderful dinner with a man I work with who is based in, and from Madrid.

We did a few day trips from Madrid, one to Segovia and then Toledo. Segovia had a beautiful castle and was surrounded by a small town perched above a river. We had a great time wandering around. Cora you bought a necklace and earrings and Deacon after being inspired by the cannons and swords in the Castle bought a toy crossbow. It was so fun seeing you guys shop and try and find things that would help you remember the places we were going to. Toledo was also a great day, we started by driving to an overlook of the city, which in this case is totally surrounded by a river and was built on the high ground in the middle. It must have been a great defensive position and I believe we read that the city was never captured by force. We walked up and down so many beautiful streets…. Also due to the fact I got us lost when trying to get out of the city and we went in circles a few times in the fun summer sun. Cora and Quinn you found some more jewelry, Deacon I got you a Toledo steel hunting knife that I hope you will keep until you are old enough to hand it down to your son or daughter. Cora we also did a zipline ride that went next to one of the bridges across the river to the other shore. It was an awesome way to see the city and I was so proud you were brave and did it. When we went to turn in our harnesses they let us ride again!

Leaving Madrid was a bit sad, but I was not going to miss parking in the smallest parking garage I ever imagined, I had nightmares about that damn thing. We headed to Cordoba next with some white washed homes and a large cathedral that began its life as a roman temple, then Muslim mosque. It was really beautiful inside and was certainly the highlight of the city. After Cordoba we went to Sevilla. I wanted to mix in some different adventures so I booked us a horseback riding trip outside the city. Deacon you got the tallest horse as usual, Quinn and I rode together. Quinn you spent most of the trip talking about how great of a horseback rider you were, telling me everything you knew about horses, and remarking how much our horse must love you. As usual the horse sensed I feared it, and decided at the end of our ride to simply lie down! I quickly stood up as it did and picked you up while stepping to the side, I wasn’t sure if the damn thing was about to roll over. The main wrangler came out as we were right by the stables and Quinn you actually rode it home as he walked it.

Sevilla was another beautiful city, bigger than Cordoba but still filled with a lot of history. It actually used to be a big port city before the river was diverted, and was home to the Kings and Queens of Spain after the reconquesta when they retook the country from the Moors. The first evening we were in the city we did a paddle boarding trip on the river. Cora you got your own board while mom took Quinn and I took Deacon, you did a pretty good job keeping up with the adults on the tour. That night we ate along the river at 9:30PM like real Spaniards and were actually pretty chilly which was a nice change. The next day I almost made us late for our tour of the Cathedral and Palace by walking to the wrong tour office after finding the wrong location for the start- so the sprint across the city was great fun and the passing Spaniards got to hear some real American curse words!

After Sevilla we headed for one of our favorite stops, Estepona, which is right on a beautiful stretch of beach overlooking the Mediterranean sea with a view of Gibraltar and North Africa in the distance. On the way to Estepona we stopped in Zahara-de-la-Sierra and Rhonda. Our stop in Zahara was so wonderful, it’s a tiny white washed city on a hill overlooking olive groves and lakes. I drove our car through the city- including a square that they closed to traffic about 10min after I drove through it… up to a trail head for our morning adventure. We hiked to a stone watchtower and got some great pictures while the clouds swirled around us. We had the top to ourselves and it was just so peaceful and beautiful, it ended up being a perfect day. We also just barely made it down the hill to wait out a rainstorm in the car before having an amazing lunch in the town. Rhonda was a briefer stop with the highlight being a bridge that was built above a deep gorge to connect the two sides of the town. Beneath it we did a really fun hike through some low fig trees and followed a really chilly creek towards the river and some good overlooks.

Getting to Estepona was just a breath of fresh air, quite literally, as we had a beachfront condo. You guys were all so excited to explore the condo and get down to the beach. We spent a lot of time hunting for big seashells. Some of my favorite memories are walking along the beach in the morning with you Deacon as we hunted and found some great ones. It was quiet as the sun rose with a few locals doing their morning walk. Cora you and I did something similar one afternoon, and all of us were collecting unique rocks and bartering with one another. Quinn you set up quite the little rock store, but as usual were very kind in your pricing for me! One of the evenings mom and I just sat back keeping each other warm as the wind started blowing stronger- watching the 3 of you build and play in the sand together. It was so fun just to watch you enjoying your lives, this place so far from home, and most of all each other. 

We did a day drive to Gibraltar- and so in a way ended up getting to the UK after all. Our dolphin watching excursion was a blast, there must have been 20 of them dancing all through the water around the boat and we had a great spot near the bow to watch them. We took a pretty creepy steep cable car to the “top of the rock”, being up there was beautiful, and the views of Morocco and Spain incredible, but made your mom very nervous about any of you getting too close to the edge. We also did another horseback ride- this one turned out better with no horses laying down. Deacon you still got the tallest horse, and Quinn you got a very spirited Pony named Mattias. He had long flowing hair like yours, and we have a great picture with the wind blowing his hair across his face while yours was doing the same thing. You loved him and spoke about him for the rest of the trip, and these months later still do.

Leaving Estepona was difficult for many reasons, but one of the most beautiful cities in Spain was next, Granada. After mom and I managed a very stressful drive through some medieval roads more suited to those on foot or horseback than in a Volvo SUV we arrived at our condo. The view from its patio was magnificent, there in the distance dominating the town on the highest point around was the Alhambra. Part fortress, palace, and royal residency it belonged to Moorish Kings and sometimes Spanish ones. We spent most of the day there and saw almost all of it. One of our favorite parts was walking the walls and the gardens that surrounded them. At one point we accidently walked down a very steep path… only to realize it did not lead where we thought and so had to climb back up again. Quinn you might not have made it but I distracted you with a giant fig leaf which you then watered for the rest of the trip in hopes it would live.

I think the last big highlight of the trip was a Flamenco dance we attended just up the hill from our house in Granada. We had a nice dinner prior and then went in for the performance. Honestly my expectations were kind of low, but the show was a lot of fun, and riveted all our attention for the entire time. It was just great seeing the artistry and passion of the dancers and musicians. Quinn you obviously could not leave Spain without a Flamenco dress, and the night after Cora did your hair up with flowers and you performed a dance for us- that you completely made up on your own, you have quite a bit of confidence when it comes to singing and dancing.

We spent one more uneventful night in Madrid near the airport, happy to be heading home but nonetheless a bit sad that our great adventure was drawing to a close. For a trip that was so stressful to plan and pull off it sure did turn out perfectly. We got to enter the country, have it mostly tourist free and to ourselves, and we all stayed healthy. Most importantly we all bonded over a shared adventure which was full of discovery and beauty. Travel is really one of my favorite things, and it was so fun to share such a big trip with you, you guys are so lucky to have had such an experience so young. Mom and I are so lucky to have you to adventure with as well.

I look forward to a future full of watching you all grow and experience this world and all it holds in different ways. During COVID there was continual talk of putting things on “pause”, “on hold”, and a lot of other phrases to say we should wait to live our lives. Thing about time is, it doesn’t wait, it only knows progress, not retreat and its march forward can be brutal as often as it is beautiful. Had we paused we would have missed something that will enrich the rest of our lives. I would not have watched the moon rise and track the sky above the Alhambra, the sun rise over the Mediterranean from our balcony in Estepona, my children in awe of things built a thousand years ago, and watching the first hand experience of growing bolder as we step out from the familiar. 

First Family Ski Trip

Ok well in the interest of playing catchup I wanted to write about our first family ski trip. COVID has the whole world feeling cooped up, and especially me as someone who gets antsy staying in one place too long. With that I decided you were all old enough to try hitting the slopes. I was looking at Telluride but their restrictions were a bit harsh, so we decided on Purgatory ski resort- just north of Durango CO. The weeks prior we spent getting together gear, and adult sized helmets for your heads- Deacon and Quinn!, we rented a little condo which was perfect for our family.

Ok so here’s the deal- day one, and especially hours 1-3 were rough, kind of hellish really. Your mother and I were basically porters for all the heavy gear, and it took some adjusting to get you all dressed and walking in ski boots. Also the ski boots I last used 9 years ago had degraded to the point where the inside cushioning was like glue- which meant by the time I got them on I was burning up under all my layers, and from all my cursing.  Ski school wasn’t open on our first day- so we headed to the bunny slope with some instructions from your dear old dad. Quinn you were in moms care, and Cora and Deacon you were with me.

The bunny hill tapered quickly to a narrow tunnel under a bridge- very poor design, and after had a bit of an abrupt point where you had to go left or right- as going straight would lead over a very sharp and rocky drop off. Deacon and Quinn, I had gotten ski harnesses that went around your chests and over your shoulders with leashes so we could control your speed going down the mountain- or such was the intent. Well off we went. Cora you quickly found your comfort level in a style that involved leaning back until your bottom was resting on the back of your skis, and then dragging your hands to slow down. Deacon the leashes mostly just knocked you down, your skis came off, and due to the snow on your bindings were not going on easily. Quinn I lost you and mom behind us as you were making almost no progress.

Deacon and Cora, we stopped on the far side of the bridge to gather ourselves emotionally and prepare for the final downhill. I decided to quickly ski down, take the lift back up, and get mom and Quinn who were still out of sight while you two stayed and rested. The plan worked, I found mom struggling on the hill and helped bring Quinn down, then I came back and helped you down Deacon, Cora- you deployed your butt slide technique until we reached the bottom. Thus our first, and worst, run was behind us. After our very fun experience we resorted to walking a small way up hill and letting you two get the feel for coming down, working on your wedge and getting a feel for being on skis. I did some runs on my own up the mountain and later we got your courage up to do the bunny hill a few more times.

Day two was markedly better, classes in the morning helped, as well as the opening of another lift with a much better beginner hill. Deacon and Cora you both were gaining confidence and doing well getting to the bottom of the hill by yourself- with just a few falls each time. Quinn, while the older two were in lessons Mom and I took you up the main lift and did a nice long run with you. I actually found it best to keep you between my skis and occasionally lift you up as we went down the slopes. It was pretty tiring, but we had a lot of fun and the scenery was beautiful. You had told us you didn’t want to go on the big lift, but as usual you courage was up to the task.

That night we took you into Durango and rode the “Polar Express” it was a real steam train and you all got a kick out of it, Deacon and Quinn you were fairly convinced we were actually going to Santas workshop. We found a restraint to eat at- which we could not do inside- but could in their tent along with other diners- which made about as much sense as most of the other Covid restrictions did…. In any case as we drove back up the hill the snow had started to fall, I spend the last 6 miles of the drive happily behind a snow plow- as it was pitch dark and I hate driving on snow.

Day three was perfect. Lessons again in the morning so Cora you really got to work on your speed control and turns, Deacon you continued to gain confidence and started getting some small turns down as well. The good news was with that we all went up the big hill together! Deacon I kept you on the leashes, but you did most of the work and really did well on your turns. Cora you were on your own and didn’t fall at all on the way down. You were turning really well, controlling your speed- and even one time a slightly out of control snow boarder was behind you and put his hand on you, he fell but you didn’t. Quinn you and mom just glided down the hill, you with a big smile on your face and your long hair streaming behind you.

The mountains were so beautiful, and watching you all grow and conquer something new was beautiful as well. I loved seeing how your confidence grew with each day, how the accomplishment emboldened you to try even harder, and push yourself to take on more. You all fought some like usual, but you were also there for each other when needed, to carry some burden or offer encouragement and care after the falls. The last time I had been skiing was with mom in Telluride, Cora you were just a 1 year old so we left you with Mimi and Papa. Its strange how time can go by so quickly, that for 9 years we had not been on the mountain together, but it didn’t feel like we had been absent that long at all. I hope these trips can become an annual tradition, and that someday Mom and I can help watch your kids when you go to hit the slopes with your families.

 

Cora, you continue to become such a big girl, at only 10 you seem so confident and mature. It is great knowing I can count on you to help out with tasks, providing another set of hands for mom and I. Now that doesn’t mean you are always patient with your brother and sister…. But such is life as a sibling. When it matters you are there for Deacon and Quinn, and for Mom and I. It was fun watching you go down the ski hills again and again by yourself, working on different aspects each time and getting better. You also made friends two of the days and were skiing down with some other girls. I am very proud of the woman you are becoming.

 

Quinn, I think mom calls you a “fairly child” you rarely stop speaking, with your bright blue eyes, exuberance, and long flowing hair I guess she is right. Your disposition is 95% happy and cuddly, always giving mom and I the biggest hugs, telling us we are the best mommy and daddy, and just generally being sweet and kind. Lately you have been getting a kick out of making us laugh as well, it used to embarrass you, but now you enjoy the attention. Speaking of enjoying attention you have lately been singing a song you adapted from Frozen, with your own words to us- you have us all watch while you perform- its really cute. You were not so much a skier as a passenger on this trip, but I am sure that will change with each passing year.

Catching up on Covid Summer

 

Well, I guess it speaks to the world that was in 2020 that I had yet to write to you three about anything. That speaks to my distraction, but also I guess failure to stay on top of all the tasks and use my time diligently. This year has also proved something that most would want to forget.

It will go down in the history books, 2020, the year of COVID. Not since the 1918 Spanish Flu has something gripped so completely the entire world. This virus originated in China, and due to their lack of communication and secrecy that so defines authoritarian governments the virus spread around the globe in earnest beginning in March. I actually traveled to Asia in February, the virus was well known by then but it is not very deadly unless you have what are called co-morbidities, in this case age, weight, and heart issues seemed to be 3 big ones, the vast majority of deaths in those 70 years and older. It was strange to visit places normally packed with crowds and find them mostly empty. Hong Kong airport was a ghost town, I had the Cathay Pacific lounge virtually to myself. I had a drink with an employee at the top of the Marina Bay Sands (kind of famous building) it was great to have such a small crowd.

In any case shortly after my return the world began locking down, including you two finishing your school year from home. It was great at first, the weather was nice, the days were short, though we missed the quality of instruction and learning you received from in person learning. As I was employed in Aerospace, I was very worried about losing my job. My company did two massive layoffs, very secretly for that matter. In the first I found out on a Friday that my boss, an extremely gifted VP had been let go, I always saw her as a future President at the company. I also learned that I would have to fire all of my direct reports.

Saying goodbye to my team was the worst professional day of my career. I dreaded it all weekend, I felt awful knowing what was to come, and that they did not. They were all great employees, diligent and skilled at their work, none of them was in any was deserving of what was coming. Costs have to be cut, but I would have preferred a kinder way, and better benefits than 1 week paid for every year of service. I cried after my first call, the knowledge I could not protect them, and now they had to worry about providing for their families, weighed really heavily on me. I keep in touch with all of them, and immediately offered to help in any way I could.

Seeing how my company was treating their employees, and having already seen the trend of cutting cost and not investing in products or people solidified my decision to find alternative employment- Ill write about that another time, but thankfully God blessed us with a great opportunity.

Summer vacations- well that was complicated this year. Quinn we wanted to take you to LEGOLAND but California shut down everything they could- as of November its still not open… Thank God for Las Vegas…. Never thought id say that! We did a quick 2 night trip to Circus Circus and had a blast. The first day we hit the pool- main reason for staying there, and rode all the water slides and had a ton of fun. That night we explored some of the hotels and had some great pizza. You guys all loved the fountains at Bellagio, we watched them twice. The next day was the Adventuredome! Its this giant pink dome that has a ton of rollercoasters, rides and attractions inside. You guys were all really brave, Deacon I think you were particularly brave on the rollercoasters- you did canyon blaster like 4 times. Cora you loved one that almost made us sick at first, called the inverter. We thought it was just going to spin around, then the whole seats we were strapped into started spinning, you and Deacon were scared at first but then liked it. Actually, I don’t think Deacon rode it again but you did it about 6 times. Quinn you loved the bumper cars, airplane ride, and carousel. Deacon you also really liked laser tag, it brought back memories for me because my mom had taken me there when I was a kid. I remember how excited I was, you were the same way!

Next up was Lake Tahoe. We made the journey again, to a different better house this time. It was great as always, beautiful weather, bike rides, hot tub at night and in the morning, and some fun hikes. We rented a boat and hung out with the Barretts while we were there, in fact they bought a house this year so that was pretty amazing. The hike to Emerald Bay that you all struggled with last year you did awesome on this year, those legs are getting stronger, as is your belief in your abilities. Quinn I didn’t have to carry you up very much of it at all this time. This year we also rented a little condo in a place called Kirkwood. It is a ski resort in the winter, those slopes looked steep! But in the summer it’s a great place for hiking and to use as basecamp. Cora I don’t know if you will remember but you and I swam out to this cool rock in the middle of a lake and got to the top- it was tricky, we stood up there and celebrated and then jumped off, into some freezing but beautiful clear water. One evening we all went for a walk on the ski slopes, it was magical. The ski runs become meadows in the summer, filled with flowers with little streams flowing everywhere from the melting snow on the mountain. All kinds of beautiful trees line the meadows and it was like we were in heaven. We took a bunch of pictures and Cora you kept remarking on how beautiful it was and how you didn’t want to go home, I was so happy you could enjoy it like mom and I did.

All in all the summer went by quickly…. So quickly I am writing this in January of 2021…. So I have another entry to make, there were birthdays and a ski trip to still write about, next time- but before 2022!

Cora- this summer it was so nice seeing how grown up and confident you have become. You take on new challenges and situations so well, and love to travel. It is such a change from the shy reserved little girl you were. You have also been enjoying volleyball and really improved your serves and play on the court. You are as fine a student in lockdown as you were when school was in person, always organized, on time, and getting good grades, you even helped me out with Deacons schedule. You make life easy on us parents, and do a good job all the time of reminding me that I am “and old man”.

Quinn, you give the best hugs! You are always telling me what a good daddy I am and laughing and playing with your sister and brother, but especially your brother. You guys make up all kinds of games, and though you don’t quite get it- you try and play Pokemon with him. You always say your favorite card is one that sounds like Suck A Lego, but its some other name. You just started dance classes and Mimi has been taking you to ride horses a lot, you always tell me how you ride them alone, “like a big girl”. You are so kind and smart and generous with your affections, you also can naturally manipulate people into getting what you want- less effective on mom and I, but it doesn’t mean you don’t try. You turned 4 on our trip to Tahoe, which you were very excited about. Our baby of the family is growing quickly, its fun- but makes us all feel older at the same time.