Barcelonaaaahhhhhh

Just back from Barcelona. I love that city, but not when it's raining and I'm on top of a tour bus. And not when it's 7:45 p.m. and my son is whining that he's hungry, my husband is huffing and puffing because nowhere in my guidebook seems to exist, and my daughter is 12.

I nearly cried the first night. Our hotel room was a bit disappointing (and very, very hot). We stripped down to our underwear every time we went back there. My husband ordered an ice bucket. Room Service arrived with two styrofoam cups filled with ice. Well, that was funny.

We planned things all wrong, went on the tour bus the worst day of the week for weather, planned to shop on Good Friday when everything was closed. My son hated the Gaudi buildings when I thought he'd love them. You know what they liked? The tram and the playground we found quite by accident. Kids!!!

I had a scary moment. My daughter (who is gorgeous if I say so myself) and I were waiting to cross a road. A car roared past, honking, and the driver leaned out and blew a kiss. At my daughter.

Things started to look up our last night there. A busload of Germans arrived. I nudged my husband and said there's no way they'll tolerate the heat. And guess what? That night we had air conditioning. And I froze. From the sublime to the ridiculous.

Tomorrow is Easter. Usually, we have my dad and stepmom visiting. But this year they said they couldn't afford it. And my stepmother is in a lot of pain because she has osteoporosis and fell two years ago and fractured her spine. She also refuses to take the drug for osteoporosis because she says it has too many side effects. My mother-in-law takes it and doesn't seem to have any problems.

The kids are going to the grandparents for a few days starting Monday. I was going to stay here by myself but instead I'm going to London with my husband. I plan to see Menopause the Musical (by myself since my husband won't go with me) while I'm there. I need to find some humour in the situation I'm in. I keep thinking 47 is too young for menopause. I don't look menopausal, I think. I'll see what the other women in the audience look like.