first day back

It´s Tuesday and because of the heavy snow that fell on Sunday evening, it is our first day back at school. I am still shocked by the amount of snow I have seen this winter in Madrid. I really wasn´t expecting it, but I am pleasantly surprised.

Anyway, I have officially moved to Parla, one of the towns furthest south in the province of Madrid, with my "cousin" Veronica and her roommate Raquel. It´s only been a few days since I´ve been staying there but so far things are great. Parla is a rather ugly little working-class town, but it´s nice because it really has a city feel. My window looks out to a sea of other apartment windows, probably less than 20 yards away, and for whatever reason it feels good to be in such close proximity to strangers. There are two cats, which I was very excited about..but as it turns out, not all cats are as cool as a one JoJo Christensen. Their names are Curro and Kratos, and I believe they are quite young. The first is fatter than Garfield, with an embonpoint that screams luxury (Veronica came home the other day to find him draped over the laptop keyboard, as if waiting for someone to feed him grapes). But I like him...I think his obesity prohibits him from being so annoying. The latter, Kratos, likes plastic bags, and LOVES my pillow. Which is rather unfortunate, because this means I have to keep my door shut all the time. I hate to be antisocial when I am in my bedroom, but I really don´t feel like having cat dander all over my face. Literally the minute I crack open my door, he is in there humping the pillow. I am trying to teach him that my bed is off-limits, but how does that phrase go..? You can´t teach any cat, young or old, any tricks?

Anyway, I am excited about the prospect of living on my own, even though a part of me already misses my family in Getafe.. particularly Pilar. She is so wonderful. My new roommates are cool though. Veronica is a makeup artist for television series and the like, and Raquel is a teacher in a private school.

I have pictures of the apartment but of course I can´t figure out where to plug my camera into this computer. Will have to wait until later.