These last few days have brought springtime to Madrid, the genuine item. Four or five days in a row of temperatures drifting up into the ‘70's, sunlight flooding the barrio's narrow streets. A long enough stretch that cold weather coats have all disappeared, apart from those worn by some older folks during the hours of morning chill. Around midday, the bars scattered around the plaza down the street from here set up row upon row of tables and chairs, the space filling up with people, the air filling with the murmur of many voices. The crowds remain through the afternoon, the evening and long into the early hours, until the table and chairs disappear and the soundtrack changes from conversation to sloppier, alcohol-fueled verbiage, more erratic as groups, waves of people pass through periodically, everything quieting down around 7 a.m.
It's a cycle I've lived with (and written about ad nauseum) for a long time now, and during the course of these last few months I've had the growing feeling that it may be time to make a change. I've been at this point before, or thought I was, but was not ready to let go of being here, could not make the move. Looks like it's for real this time around.
I've spent these last few weeks pondering that, prodded by the unrest you're now far too familiar with if you've waded through this journal's recent entries. Last weekend it felt like a decision had to be made -- the end of the month loomed, 30 days notice had to be given, as sweet as the weather has become, the prospect of living with the warm weather version of this barrio's nightlife did not bring much joy. Monday evening, I called the landlords to give notice. A couple I've known now since the summer of 2001. Her English, him American, both living here since the '70's. Good people, good landlords. Friends, even, for a while.
(What happened re: the "for a while" part of that last bit is a story for another day.)
Long story short: I made the move. Gave notice, will be out of this piso on the last day of April and back in northern Vermont on May 1. Will then begin the process of emptying out the house -- what that will mean re: the options of selling things, giving things away, dumping things and/or putting things in storage, I don't yet know -- and putting it on the market. Where I go from there, I have no idea. At least not yet. Like most humans, I tend to figure things out as I go along. No reason this should be any different. Right now, it feels like I'm getting ready to toss myself into the void. Or at least back onto a plane and off to points not yet known. Applications are now being accepted for the
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Above la Plaza de los Cubos, Madrid:
España, te quiero
rws 1:36 PM [+]
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