Life, Interrupted (and Restarted)

It’s been a minute since the last update as life caught up with us for a bit. A combination of dental surgery, major festivals, and a lovely family visit meant things were less about writing and more about just living.

Let’s catch up.

First up: I had dental surgery. Nothing glamorous, just the removal of a failing implant and a whole lot of rebuilding. The socket had been installed incorrectly years ago, so it had to come out. The dental clinic we’re using has been great so far. (Thanks to Ryan Reichert-Estes for the referral!)The dentist is precise, calm, and reassuring, which is important for a dental coward like me.

I’ve actually got quite a punch list of things that need doing, but this one was a top priority as it was causing some discomfort. The dentist removed the old socket, redrilled and reinstalled a new socket, added a bone graft, and anchored it with two pins.

By doing the new socket now, they were able to use it to support the bone graft. As a bonus, the healing and integration time is shortened by about six months. That’s a serious win when it comes to anything dental.

Luckily for me, anesthesia was available! I wasn’t actually unconscious during the surgery, but nothing hurt, and nothing really bothered me, even when they were hammering in the pins. And because they were pumping me with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories during the operation, the post-op recovery was a lot easier. I had minimal swelling and overall, it was much less painful than I feared it would be.

We also had a small but meaningful win on the everyday-life front: we saw our Spanish national health doctor for the first time and successfully got our prescriptions renewed. It might not sound glamorous, but it matters. Being in the public health system means significant discounts on medications. I’ll go into more depth on the health system later, but this is another box checked on the “living here, not just visiting” list.

The week of 9 October was supposed to be one of the highlights of fall in Valencia — the annual celebration of Valencia Day and St. Dionís (San Dionisio). It commemorates the final conquest of the city from Moorish rule, a moment that’s pivotal in the region’s history.

The city was first taken by El Cid (yes, that El Cid) in the 11th century, but the big turning point came in 1238, when King Jaume I successfully conquered the city and officially incorporated it into the kingdom of Aragon. That’s the moment this holiday remembers.

We were genuinely looking forward to it. We had actually experienced this years ago, on our first visit to Valencia. By serendipity, we just happened to be visiting a the right time, and our hotel balcony looked out over the big “Moors and Christians” parade route. It was a magical moment that we long dreamed of seeing again.

We got a taste of some events, just not the full meal. The main event got rained out. Just flat-out canceled due to weather. It was a tough hit for us, but an even tougher one for the communities who’d spent months preparing, rehearsing, and investing in it.

The medieval market? Honestly, nothing too exciting. It was mostly jewelry and tchotchkes, with a smattering of wooden swords and leather pouches. Pleasant to walk through, but not particularly unique.

Then came the parade of the bombardiers. A short parade of black powder musketeers firing old-style guns (loud) and a small cannon (even louder). Some of the costumes were fantastic, and the mood was definitely festive, but mostly, it was an assault on the eardrums. I kept waiting for something else to happen, but that was it. Guns, smoke, and a lot of startled babies.

The folk dancing in the plaza the next night was more our speed. Groups in gorgeous traditional costumes performed regional dances in the shadow of the Ayuntamiento. Some of the spectators were in full dress as well, which added to the festive vibe. We watched for about an hour and loved every minute. The music, the movement, and the intergenerational mix felt joyful and deeply rooted.

And then, on the day of the big parade… rain. Parade canceled. Just like that. Not postponed, not rescheduled; canceled.

Towns from all over the Valencian Community spend all year preparing for this event. When we saw it in the past, the parade lasted well over two hours, with rows and rows of groups in resplendent costumes marching arm in arm, plus musicians, horseback riders, and even a few floats. But there were some heavy thunderstorms, and after the catastrophic floods of last year no one was taking chances. I’ll grant that it was the smartest choice, but it was a major disappointment to a great many people.

Even in a place famous for sunshine, weather still wins.

The real highlight of the last few weeks was a visit from my older brother Steve and his girlfriend Saffire. They stayed with us for three nights before heading north to Bilbao and then starting a week-long walk along the Camino del Norte, from San Sebastián/Donostia westward. (Steve’s already done part of the Portuguese Camino, and this is clearly becoming a tradition.)

They were our first family visitors since we moved, and it felt great to share both our apartment and our new city. We gave them the standard highlights tour: Casa de les Roques, the City of Arts and Sciences, and of course the Central Market.

We also visited the Mediterranean for a quick sea view, and checked out the Roman ruins at L’Almoina. This is a genuinely cool site. From the outside, you can look down through shallow water over a glass floor to see the ruins beneath. Inside the center, you can trace the layers of Valencia’s past — Roman, Visigothic, and Moorish — all in one spot. It’s history underfoot.

As always, time moved too quickly. But it felt really good to share a little piece of our new life with family. Our next visitors will be Kristie’s younger brother and his family. They’re planning to visit at New Years, and we’re looking forward to that event!

So that’s life lately. Not exactly the post I expected to write this week, but maybe that’s fitting. Sometimes it’s not the big themes or deep dives. It’s the in-between stuff that makes up real life. Visits, setbacks, surprises. Smoke and dancing. Dental pins and Roman ruins. It all counts.

And now, we’re back at it; writing, exploring, photographing food (again), and figuring out what comes next.