Chi-town

We just came back from a few days visiting Chicago, a city not that far from our home, but far enough that we have never been there before. It was cold, colder than at home with the crazy wind coming from the lake. It was fun, and entertaining, tiring but a great trip. I just wanted to share a few shots from our little trip. Definitely, a place to go!

Acabamos de regresar de unos dias visitando Chicago, una ciudad no muy lejos de aqui, pero lo suficientemente lejos como para no haber ido nunca antes. Hacia frio, mas frio que en casa con el viento terrible que provenia del lago. Lo pasamos bien, fue entretenido, cansado pero un buen viaje. Solo queria compartir algunas fotos de nuestro viajecito. Definitivamente, tenemos que volver!

new one

Luca got me sidetracked with the quilt I was finally working on, and he got me to start a new one for him. He actually went ahead and designed it, told me how it had to look and what colors to use. I followed instructions as he even made a drawing for me, but since the colors were not my cup of tea, I decided to go crazy on the back. I have been using fabrics that I own and just bough one for the border. I still think that I need more fabric, but soon the back will be ready to be sewn...I'm excited!

Luca me ha distraido con la colcha que estaba cosiendo por fin, y me ha hecho empezar una nueva para el. Ademas fue y me la disenho, me dijo como tenia que verse y que colores usar. Segui sus instrucciones ya que hasta me lo dibujo, pero ya que los colores no son mis favoritos, decidi volverme loca con la parte de atras. He estado usando telas que tenia y solo compre una mas para el borde. Aun me falta tela, pero pronto podre empezar a coser la parte de atras...que emocionante!

The moon

Tonight the moon is supposed to be extremely big. It is raining right now so I can't think about even looking for it...but at least, yesterday when I saw it, I didn't waste a minute and took some shots. It was an amazing evening with clouds and a moonlight.

Esta noche se supone que la luna va a ser enorme. Esta lloviendo ahora asi que no pienso ni salir a uscarla...pero por lo menos ayer cuando la vi, no perdi el tiempo y le hice unas cuantas fotos. fue una noche increible de nubes y luz de luna.

And the flowers I bought for my neighbor opened to this amazing bunch. I enjoy irises so much, my favorite flower these days. My neighbors came back. She happens to be from Sendai, one of the cities mostly devastated by the earthquake/tsunami. Her family is safe, but I can just imagine how she must feel right now...

Y las flores que le compre a mi vecina se abrieron asi de bonitas. Me encantan los iris, son mi flor favorita ultimamente. Mis vecinos volvieron. Resulta que ella es de Sendai, una de las ciudades ams afectadas por el terremoto/maremoto. Su familia esta a salvo, pero no me puedo ni imaginar como se debe sentir en estos momentos...

And I am back to sewing! I got back to working in that quilt I started in Florida...a long time ago. I a happy to get it going and to get my sewing machine back to work!

Y estoy volviendo a coser! Volvi a ponerme con esa colcha que empece en Florida...hace mucho tiempo. Estoy contenta de seguir con eso y de poner mi maquina de coser a trabajar de nuevo!

Iris

I bought these flowers to give to my neighbor, who is Japanese, but she is not around here. I am not sure if they are out of town...but in the meantime, the irises opened and I am the one enjoying them, while my heart aches from all that is happening in Japan. I'm glad that all of my friends that I keep in touch with are safe...but they all face a big challenge ahead getting on with Japan's recovery. If you would like, you can help here.

Compre estas flores para darselas a mi vecina, que es japonesa, pero no esta por ningun lado. No se si se han ido unos dias...mientras, los iris se ha abierto y los estoy disfrutando yo, que me siento tan acongojada con lo que esta ocurriendo en Japon. Me alegro de que todos mis amigos con los que sigo en contacto estan a salvo...pero todos tienen un gran desafio frente a ellos para la recuperacion de Japon. Si quieres puedes ayudar aqui.

St Patrick's parade

Yesterday the town celebrated St Patrick's day with a walk/run and a parade. We went down there with some friends and it was so much fun. It is good to go out when the weather is starting to cooperate and enjoy the fresh air with lots of crazy people. The train ride to downtown reminded me of Japan in the "rashu" hour....we were squished good...but the return trip was so much better. The kids got to see out the window and enjoy the ride. It was a fun day.

Ayer nuestra ciudad celebro el dia de San Patricio con una caminata y con una cabalgata. Fuimos al centro con algunos amigos y lo pasamos super. Da gusto salir cuando el tiempo esta empezando a cooperar y da gusto respirar aire freco con mucha gente loca por la calle. El viaje en tren al centro me recordo a Japon en su hora "rashu"...nos aplastaron bien...pero el viaje de vuelta fue mucho mejor. Los ninhos pudieron disfrutar del viaje mirando por la ventana. Lo pasamos muy bien.

Regardless of our fun moments, as the hours go by after the earthquake/tsunami that hit Japan, the images that we see are so hopeless and terrifying that my heart is with Japan and all the people that are affected by this tragedy.

A pesar de nuestros momentos de diversion, segun van pasando las horas despues del terremoto/maremoto de Japon, las imagenes que nos llegan son tan desoladoras y angustiosas que sigo pensando en el pueblo Japones y en toda la gente que se ha visto afectada por este desastre.

Japan

Oh my dear Japan. Today I put this ring on without knowing what was happening on that side of the world. I am sad to know that the big earthquake that was always expected arrived and with a tsunami, and that there are so many lives lost and so much destruction.

Uy querido Japon. Hoy me puse este anillo sin saber lo que estaba pasando por aquel lado del mundo. Me da pensa penar que el gran terremoto que siempre se espero, llego, y con un tsunami, y que hay tantas vidas perdidas y tanta destruccion.

Pienso en mis amigos y sus familias y espero que esten todos a salvo.

I think about my friends and their families and I hope they are all safe.

kindle cover

And this time I did take pictures. This is the 4th kindle that arrives to my home, and I don't even own one myself! but I do enjoy making covers for them. It was very easy to make and I didn't follow any pattern, I just took the kindle as model and made it around it. I like it because the colors are great and I love that you can see the dragon in both sides. I hope the new owner likes it too!

Y esta vez si que hice fotos. Este es el cuarto lector electronico que llega a mi casa, y ni siquiera tengo uno yo! pero me gusta hacerles las fundas. Fue muy facil y no segui ningun patron, simplemente cogi el kindle como modelo y lo hice alreadedor de el. Me gusta porque los colores estan muy bien y me encanta que se ve bien al dragon por los dos lados. Espero que a su nuevo propiertario le guste!

And I got back to sewing!!! that's is major!

Y volvi a coser! Eso es mucho!

Photographs

I have signed up for 2 photography courses. I will be doing them in May, so in the meantime, I am just doing what feels best with my camera...really having no idea about what I'm doing. I don't know how many pics I took today of my beautiful blooming orchids, and this is the best I could get. Really, I need to read the camera manual at least...

Me he apuntado a dos cursos de fotografia. Los hare en Mayo, asi que mientras tanto, estoy haciendo lo que me parece que esta bien con la camara...sin tener idea de lo que estoy haciendo realmente. No se cuantas fotos hice hoy de mis orquideas con flores que estan tan bonitas, y esto es lo mejor que saque. La verdad, me tengo que poner a leer el manual de mi camara por lo menos...

Today Luca and I went grocery shopping. I asked him do you want steak for dinner? and he answered: United steaks....so I put this face like what??? and he said, you know...where we live! and then I tried to convince him that it was States not steaks, but he repeated United Steaks a million more times, so now is hard to change it ha!

Hoy fui al supermercado con Luca. Le pregunte si queria filete (steak) para cenar. y me contesto : United Stakes...y le puse una cara de queee??? y me dijo, ya sabes, donde vivimos! y luego le intente corregir pero no hubo manera, repitio United Stakes un millon de veces asi que ya lo debe tener grabado en su memoria ja!

I am going to sew now. Maybe I will have something to show next time.

Voy a ponerme a coser ahora. Quizas tenga algo que ensenhar el proximo dia.

a little creativity?

Well, I guess writing is creative too, it takes me a lot of time to translate what I write and that makes my posts sometimes to take a loooong time to come out of my computer. Tonight, I had a broken blind in my living room, and since I have already opened them in the past, I decided to see if I can order the part that is broken to fix it. I didn't find the same part, but I put this beautiful marimeko fabric in its place and it already inspires me :) maybe when I feel under creative I should just change my environment a bit...well I haven't made anything, only taken the picture, but it inspires me and that is the first step.

Bueno, escribir es algo creativo, me lleva mucho tiempo traducir lo que escribo y eso hace que mis posts se retrasen mucho a veces. Esta noche, tenia una persiana rota en mi casa y como ya las he bajado en otras ocasiones, decidi bajarla para buscar la pieza rota en internet y comprarla y arreglarla. No he encontrado la misma pieza, pero he puesto esta tela de marimeko para tapar la ventana y ya me siento inspirada :) quizas cuando me sienta con poca cretividad deberia cambiar algo de mi ambiente...bueno aun no he hecho nada, solo la foto, pero me inspira y ese es el primer paso.

And this is the book that Luca brought from school. They make the best books, many times with the kids pictures, but always with all of the kids participation. In this case, it was a mail truck, with alphabet letter in it, and Luca's page, of course, has to have the batman logo on it. He can't help it.

Y este es el libro que Luca trajo del cole. Hacen unos libros mas chulos, muchas veces con las fotos de los ninhos en el, pero siempre con la participacion de todos ellos. En este caso, era un camion de correos, con las letras del alfabeto, y la pagina de Luca, por supuesto, con el logo de batman. No lo puede evitar.