Make a lot of noise

And so that my brother and sisters always remember to make a lot of noise for Luca, I made them these bags...

Y para que mi hermano y mis hermanas siempre se acuerden de hacer mucho ruido a Luca, les hice estas bolsas...


That have these bells inside...

Que tienen estas campanas dentro...

Juana

Juana came to spend the week with us. She is part of the family since she has been working for my parents for almost 40 years. She usually doesn't travel anywhere so she was really enjoying herself in this trip. She knows a lot about agriculture so she was telling me what everything was around here, which I enjoyed a lot.

Juana vino a pasar la semana con nosotros. Es parte de la familia ya que ha estado trabajando para mis padres desde casi 40 años. Normalmente no viaja a ningun sitio asi que estaba pasandoselo muy bien en este viaje. Sabe mucho de agricultura asi que me estuvo contando lo que es cada cosa por aqui, lo que a me me encanta.

I decided to make her a bag when I went to Ikea, she helped me choose the fabric and yesterday while the two of us where enoying a few hours of quietness in this huge house alone, without children, I made her the bag I promised. I like it, and she liked it too. She said, no more plastic bags.

Decidi hacerle una bolsa cuando fuimos a Ikea, me ayudo a elegir las telas y ayer cuando las dos nos quedamos solas durante unas horas disfrutando de la tranquilidad de esta casa enorme sin niños, le hice la bolsa que le prometi. Me gusto, y a ella tambien. Me dijo ya no usare mas bolsas de plastico.


And it's hard to tell but there is a gingko tree in the memory of my husband in the back of that window. Today is 11 months after his accident, he is not here but we always find him somewhere around our lives.

Y no se ve facilmente pero hay un gingko en memoria de mi marido en la parte de atras de esta ventana. Hoy hace 11 meses de su accidente, ya no esta pero siempre le encontramos en algun lugar de nuestras vidas.

Trip to ikea

After a couple of relaxing days in this house...

Despues de un par de dias relajantes en esta casa...


And after giving some of the hand made presents using fabric from ikea...

Y despues de darles algunos regalitos hechos a mano usando tela de ikea...


We decided to spend the day at ikea. I found this crafting room and I envisioned it in my future house...

Decidimos pasar el dia en ikea. Encontre esta habitacion de manualidades y me la imagine en mi futura casa...

About being part of a big family

When I talked to the doctors last week they told me, just make sure you enjoy and rest in Spain and make sure he hears a lot of noise, taking about how to deal with Luca's limited hearing problem. I thought to myself, well this won't be a problem, we are a large family and there is usually more noise that one can handle. And here we are, 13 people hanging out for a week. Kind of crazy, but really fun and definetely lots of noise.

Cuando hable con los doctores la semana pasada me dijeron, solo asegurate de que disfrutas y descansas en casa y asegurate de que oiga mucho ruido, hablando de como asumir el problema de limitada audicion de Luca. Pense, bueno, no creo que eso sea un problema, somos muchos y suele haber mas ruido del que uno esta acostumbrado. Y aqui estamos, 13 personas conviviendo durante una semana. Un poco de locos, pero muy divertido y desde luego mucho ruido.

My sister built this house where we are and they moved in a day before we arrived. There are still many things missing and the ceilings are quite high. There are lots of windows, but no curtains, everybody in the town can see what's going on here, but that doesn't bother me. However, the fact that the noise of our multiple voices all happening at the same time has an eco is really disturbing. We can't even understand what we are all saying so it has been challenging having conversations. Nevertheless, since we are all quite expressive it's been amusing, plus we are all trying to do some body language and also sign language for Luca.

Mi hermana construyo esta casa donde estamos y se mudaron un dia antes de que llegasemos. Aun hay muchas cosas que faltan y los techos son bastante altos. Hay muchas ventanas, pero no hay cortinas, todo el pueblo nos puede ver, pero eso no me importa. Lo unico, es que el ruido de nuestras voces todas al mismo tiempo se oye con eco y eso si me molesta. No entendemos lo que decimos y es un desafio tener conversaciones. Aun asi, como somos muy expresivos es bastante entretenido, ademas estamos intentando comunicarnos con expresiones y con el lenguaje de os signos por Luca.

And here are some views of this house and from this house. I will tell my brother to continue taking pics, he has a good eye for it.

Y aqui van algunas vistas de esta cosas y desde esta casa. Le dire a mi hermano que continue haciendo fotos, tiene un bueno ojo.

Deja vu

It's been almost 9 years since the last time all my siblings and parents got together. The fact that we are spread all over the planet and that we had someone in our lives from a different country made it even harder to get together. In just 4 more days we will be back together again.

Han pasado casi 9 aNos desde la ultima vez de que mis hermanos y padres nos reunimos. El hecho de que estamos dispersos por todo el planeta y de que teniamos a alguien en nuestras vidas de otro pais hacia las cosas mas dificiles para reunirnos todos. En solo 4 dias mas nos volveremos a juntar.

This time it will be different because our families have grown, we have our new little additions that will make the trip to Spain even more interesting. We are no longer brothers and sisters and parents, we are mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles and grandparents. We have shifted our "titles" thanks to the children.

Esta vez sera diferente porque nuestras familias han aumentado, tenemos nuestros pequeNines nuevos que haran el viaje a EspaNa aun mas interesante. Ya no somos hermanos, hermanas y padres, somos madres, padres, tias, tios y abuelos. Hemos cambiado nuestros "titulos" gracias a los niNos.

Now, I am unfortunately one who knows how life can change in just a matter of hours. It did for me, for us, a little over 10 months ago. And today again, our lives have changed, not in such a dramatic and terrible way, but not in a good one anyways. We have a new challenge that Luca and I need to deal with in the coming months, probably years and probably for life. Luca has a problem but at least we think there are some solutions. Fortunately we live in a college town where there is a very good hospital with the best specialists that we could run into for children with medical conditions. We are lucky after all to live in the present time where technology could really make a difference in the life of a person. It was hard to face once again another doctor today and put all my senses out there to try to comprehend and absorb all the news he was giving us. A deja vu in a way but at least my little man seems happy and lively.

Pues bien, yo soy por desgracia una persona que sabe como la vida te puede cambiar en cuestion de horas. Por lo menos me cambio a mi, a nosotros, hace un poco mas de 10 meses. Y hoy otra vez, nuestras vidas han cambiado, no de manera tan dramatica y terrible, pero no de buena manera de todos modos. Tenemos un nuevo desafio que Luca y yo tenemos que afrontar en los proximos meses, aNos, probablemente de por vida. Luca tiene un problema pero por lo menos pensamos que tiene algunas soluciones. Por suerte vivimos en una ciudad universitaria donde hay un muy buen hospital con los mejores especialistas que nos podiamos topar para niNos con problemas de salud. Tenemos suerte despues de todo de vivir en el momento en que vivimos donde la tecnologia puede marcar una gran diferencia en la vida de una persona. Fue dificil volver a estar cara a cara con otro medico hoy y poner todos mis sentidos ahi fuera para intentar comprender y absorber todas las noticias que nos estaba dando. Se repitio la misma situacion pero por lo menos mi hombrecito parece feliz y muy alegre.

Another quilt to remember someone we won't forget

The advantage of living in a college town is that you meet so many interesting people that you can relate to, with so many different cultural backgrounds that it is really enriching. I wouldn't trade this to being in my hometown all my life with the same things that I am used to just because I am not willing to take the risk to change my life for an uncertain one.

La ventaja de vivir en una ciudad universitaria es que encuentras a tanta gente interesante con los que te sientes identificada, de tantas culturas distintas que es muy enriquecedor. No lo cambiaria por quedarme en mi ciudad natal toda mi vida con las mismas cosas a las que estaba acostumbrada solo por no querer arriesgarme a cambiar mi vida por otra desconocida.

The disadvantage is that people come and go, the goodbyes are part of this life we live here. It was hard back when I was 15 years old and I had made "friends" after spending a month in a foreign country and I had to say goodbye after sharing so many exciting moments discovering an unknown place. Then it was harder when I was 18 years old because I really made some friends after spending 10 months in this country. And then again it was hard at 27 after sharing moments of not knowing what's going on constantly for 3 consecutive years in another country. The friendships became stronger as I got older, but every time it was easier to say goodbye. Maybe because I have already had the chance to meet some of my friends from when I was 18 and 27, so at the end you realize that this is not a goodbye, just a see you soon.

La desventaja es que la gente viene y se va, los adioses son parte de esta vida que vivimos aqui. Fue muy duro cuando tenia 15 aNos y habia hecho "amigos" despues de pasar un mes en un pais estrangero y tenia que decir adios despues de haber compartido tantos momentos excitantes descubriendo un lugar desconocido. Luego fue aun mas duro cuando tenia 18 porque ahi ya hice algunas amistades de verdad despues de pasar 10 meses en este pais. Y luego de nuevo a los 27 despues de haber compartido momentos de no saber lo que pasa constantemente durante 3 aNos consecutivos en otro pais. Las amistades fueron mas fuertes segun me iba haciendo mayor, pero cada vez se hacia mas facil decir adios. Quizas porque ya he tenido la oportunidad de encontrar a algunos de mis amigos de cuando tenia 18 y 27 aNos, asi que al final te das cuenta de que no es un adios, simplemente un hasta pronto.

I said see you soon to one of my friends from my department, that then became part of our quilting group. All of us, friends at Minerva's circle, made her a quilt for her to remember these special times we spent together. She was touched by our present, and we will not forget this night.

Le dije hasta pronto a una de mis amigas de mi departamento, que entonces se convirtio en parte de nuestro grupo de quilting. Todas nosotras,las amigas de Minerva's circle,le hicimos una quilt para que se acuerde de estos momentos especiales que pasamos juntas. A ella le emociono nuestro regalo, y nosotras no olvidaremos esta noche.

If only all days could be like this one...

Si todos los dias pudieran ser como este...


We had a wonderful visit with Julie this past week. We went to the beach, to the lake and enjoyed ourselves in parties around here and just at home or at the village. We are going to miss here around here. I made her a bag, worked on it just before she had to take the plane! but I finished it, custom made for her and her needs. Hope it's just what she had hoped for.

Tuvimos una visita muy buena de Julie esta semana pasada. Fuimos a la playa, al lago y disfrutamos en fiestas por aqui o en casa y en la villa. La vamos a echar de menos por aqui. Le hice una bolsa, en la que trabaje hasta horas antes de coger el avion! pero la acabe, hecha a su gusto y para sus necesidades. Espero que sea justo lo que ella queria.

Scones, faces and spontaneous parties

Since Julie my sister in law has been here visiting, I have been cooking like a mad woman. Yesterday I made an indian themed dinner for her, chicken tikka, garbanzo beans with garam masala, turmeric rice and cole slaw (that's just the only american touch). It was pretty good, and with leftovers, even better so we didn't have to cook for lunch today. I have also been perfecting the blueberry scones recipe I got on the village newsletter, with orange glaze...mmm they were pretty good. Here is the picture.

Desde que Julie mi cuNada ha estado aqui visitandonos, he estado cocinando como loca. Ayer hice una cena india para ella, pollo tikka, garbanzos con garam masala, arroz con turmeric y cole slaw (ensalada de col que es el toque americano). Estuvo muy rica, y con restos, aun mejor para no tener que cocinar hoy a la hora de comer. Tambien he estado perfeccionando mi receta de pastelitos de arandanos que saque del periodico de la villa donde vivo, con glaseado de naranja...mmm estaban muy buenas. Aqui va la foto

Luca is communicating a lot lately but only with expressions. Where does he get them? From me? Am I like that? I wonder many times if he is the way he is as a result of all the time he spends with me. Am I like that a bit? Interesting...

Luca se esta comunicando mucho ultimamente pero solo con gestos. De donde los saca? De mi? Soy asi yo? Me pregunto a menudo si es de la manera que es como resultado de todo el tiempo que pasa conmigo. Soy asi yo un poquito? Interesante...

And today it was such a wonderful day, morning at the lake...why don't I go there every day or at least once a week? it's a nice quiet place, it's free, there is a lake (with alligators) where one can swim, sand to play with and picnic tables, and millions of insects that don't bite. Overall peacefulness and beauty.

Y hoy aqui fue un dia estupendo, por la maNana en el lago...porque no voy alli todos los dias o al menos una vez a la semana? es un lugar tranquilo, gratis, hay un lago (con caimanes) donde uno puede nadar, arena para jugar y mesas de picnic, y millones de insectos que no pican. En resumen un luga pacifico y bonito.

But the best part of it was that I decided to make another of my already succesful paellas. It was supposed to be for the three of us, but then we started running into neighbours and when I realized there were 9 people in my home eating paella, salad and deserts. Wow! such and unexpected party, and we were all so happy! It's like when people are wondering how to spend the evening and then one starts making something and everybody else joins and then we wonder why we don't do this more often. Days like this make me love even more the place where we live and the people that live around us.

Pero la mejor parte de hoy fue que decidi hacer otra de mis ya exitosas paellas. Se suponia que era para los tres, pero empece a encontrarme con vecinos y cuando me quise dar cuentar eramos 9 en mi casa comiendo paella, ensaladas y postres. Wow! que fiesta mas inesperada, y estabamos todos tan contentos! Es como cuando la gente se pregunta que hacer una noche y entonces uno empieza a hacer algo y todo el mundo decide unirse y entonces nos acabamos preguntando porque no hacemos esto mas a menudo. Dias como este hacen que me encante mas el lugar donde vivimos y la gente que nos rodea.

Minerva's circle anniversary

I haven't had a minute to sit this week and tell you about our community group first anniversary. We had all the excitement of the anticipation of this important event all through the previous week. Some of us found a few minutes here and there to make something special for the raffle, like the stuffie below that I made and Luca happened to win, because it is always nice to get some little unexpected prize, and I am glad that most people that came to our meeting last Sunday did get something and who knows, maybe they will be excited about it and ready to come to our meetings and try. I even had an interview in the newspaper and it came out on Tuesday in the campus edition of the local paper. Of course they got some information wrong, as they always do, but important message went through: to reach others and encourage them to join us, the more the merrier, we think.

No he tenido ni un minuto de sentarme y de contaros sobre el primer aniversario de nuestro grupo de nuestra comunidad. Estabamos emocionadas por la anticipacion al evento todas la semana anterior. Algunas de nosotras encontramos un momento para hacer algo especial para la rifa, como el muNeco de abajo que hice y Luca gano, porque siempre es agradable recibir pequeNos premios inesperados, y me alegro de que la mayoria de la gente que vino a nuestra reunion el Domingo pasado consiguiera algo y quien sabe, quizas se animaran y empezaran a venir a nuestras reuniones y probar. Incluso me hicieron una entrevista en el periodico y salio el martes en la seccion del campus del periodico local. Claro esta, pusieron algunos datos equivocados, como siempre, pero lo importante es que el mensaje salio: llegar a otros y animarles a que vengan, cuantos mas mejor, pensamos.



Claudia described it all very well and with few words in her blog.

Claudia lo describio todo muy bien y con pocas palabras en su blog.

I hope to be around to celebrate many more and carry our friendship, inspiration, support, and skills for a long long time.

Espero estar por aqui para celebrar muchos mas y llevar adelante la amistad, inspiracion, apoyo y habilidades durante mucho mucho tiempo.

What language should you learn?

I saw this in Gisele's blog. I thought I should do it too since I enjoy learning different languages so much. And this is what I got, a language I don't know other than a few words. Interesting...

Vi esto en el blog de Gisele. Pense que debia hacerlo tambien puesto que a mi me encanta aprender otros idiomas. Y esto es lo que saque, una lengua que no conozco mas que algunas palabras. Interesante...

You Should Learn Chinese

Surprised? You shouldn't be - Chinese is perfect for an ambitious person like you. You're a natural entrepreneur, and a billion people are waiting to do business with you!

What Language Should You Learn?

And since I have been translating my blog for a while from English to Spanish, I have been using a part of my brain that I wouldn't use otherwise. I haven't used Spanish in a regular basis for so long that sometimes I realize that my translations are literal...not very real...specially because I usually talk to Spanish speakers from all different countries. But I have decided that I could use this translating skill I have in a professional environment. And therefore I have decided to get better at it and make a living out of it. That means, I have a lot of plans for my near future, exciting.

Y como he estado traduciendo mi blog durante un tiempo del ingles al espaNol, he estado usando una parte de mi cerebro que no la usaria de otro modo. No uso el EspaNol a menudo desde hace tanto que a veces me doy cuenta de que mis traducciones son literales...no muy realistas...sobretodo porque suelo hablar con personas de habla hispana de muchos paises distintos. Pero he decidido que puedo usar esta habilidad que tengo para traducir en un ambito profesional. Y por eso he decidido mejorar en este campo y vivir de ello. Eso quiere decir que tengo muchos planes de futuro, que emocionante.

And an update on my pictures. Good and bad. I got the software, I found the lost pictures but I was able to recover only some of them, maybe more than 70%. So I am happy and sad, because I can see what I have lost, which I wasn't able to see before, I couldn't believe I had so many pictures! But I least I recovered many images of fond memories of these recent years.

Y un adelanto sobre mis fotos. Bueno y malo. He conseguido el software, encontre las fotos perdidas pero solo pude recuperar algunas, quizas mas del 70%. Asi que estoy contenta y triste, porque puedo ver lo que he perdido, lo cual no podia verlo antes, no me podia creer que tuviese tantas fotos! Pero por lo menos recuperes muchas imagenes de buenos recuerdos que de estos ultimos aNos.

And this is an image of me with a shirt I made when I first started sewing, when I really had no clue how to sew. I recovered this picture. I like seeing my yellow wall from my previous apartment. It was like the sun coming into my living room.

Y esta es una imagen mia con una camisa que me hice cuando empece a coser, cuando no tenia ni idea de como hacerlo. Recupere esta foto. Me gusta ver el fondo amarillo de la pared de mi apartamento de antes. Era como el sol entrando en mi sala de estar.

Little presents

We have a very busy social life lately. How is it possible that all in one weekend we have 6 parties, at least we have been invited to 6 and we have a special visitor with us, Luca's aunt. She is going to think that all we do is party around here! Anyways, we decided to move one of the dinners for sometime later this week and we will not go to another gathering. But all the others, including Minerva's circle first anniversary celebration, are in our schedule. So far we have been to 2 parties and we have eaten for like a week. It's all about food and friends. And of course I had to make some presents for some of these events. A tiny happy bag, for a tiny birthday girl, and some tissue holders for the anniversary raffle. I am still going to make more things for that raffle.

Tenemos una vida social muy ocupada. Como es posible que en un solo fin de semana tengamos 6 fiestas, por lo menos hemos sido invitados a 6 y tenemos una visita especial con nosotros, la tia de Luca. Va a pensar que todo lo que hacemos por aqui es irnos de fiesta! De todos modos, hemos decidido cambiar una cena de dia para esta semana que entra y no iremos a otra reunion. Pero a todas las demas, incluido el primer aniversario de Minerva's circle, estan en nuestro calendario. Todo tiene que ver con amigos y comida. Y claro tengo que hacer algunos regalitos para estas fiestas. Una bolsita de tiny happy, para una ninha en su cumpleanhos, y unas fundas de clinex para la rifa del aniversario. Voy a seguir haciendo mas cosas para la rifa.



And something else I wanted to share. Presents I've been getting these past couple of days. Flowers, the roses were picked from a nursery at the University where we will get some plants for the memorial garden of my husband and the stones have words written on them, to hold on to them every day. This are from my mother in law, what a nice gesture.

Y algo mas uqe queria compartir. Regalos que he recibido en estos ultimos dias. Flores, las rosas fueron cortadas del vivero de la Universidad donde vamos a conseguir las plantas del jardin en memoria de mi marido y las piedras llevan inscritas palabras, para aferrarme a ellas cada dia. Estas son de parte de mi suegra, que gesto mas bonito.

Ten months

Thinking of you everyday in these past 10 months. Missing you every day too.

Pensando en ti todos los dias de estos ultimos 10 meses. Echandote de menos tambien cada dia.

Too many farewells

In our local group, Minerva's circle, we have decided that we really need to get together and celebrate such a wondeful year we have spent together since we started this. It has meant a lot to all of us, crafting, sewing, quilting, learning and respecting other cultures, socializing, support, big support, eating, cooking, making new friends, having some special time every week, sharing, and so much more...Recently we made a wall hanging for one of our members, Clara, who is leaving to another state in a short time. We made her this wall hanging for her to remember all these special moments and some of her friends from Gainesville:

En nuestro grupo local, Minerva's circle, hemos decidido que necesitamos juntarnos para celebrar un aNo tan maravilloso que hemos pasado juntas desde que lo empezamos. Ha significado mucho para todas nosotras, haciendo manualidades, cosiendo, haciendo colchas, aprendiendo y respetando otras culturas, socializando, apoyandonos, gran apoyo, comiendo, cocinando, haciendo nuevas amistades, teniendo un ratito especial cada semana, compartiendo, y mucho mas...Hace poco hicimos una quilt de pared para una de nuestros miembros, Clara, que se va a otro estado dentro de poco. Le hicimos esta quilt de pared para que se acuerde de todos estos momentos especiales y de algunas de sus amigas de Gainesville:


This is the block I made for her:

Este es el bloque que le hice yo:


More farewells for us. My husband had a very close friend and colleague in his lab from Korea. Him and his wife were really good friends and we have been this way ever since we got here. They are also leaving to where they found a new job, and yesterday we said goodbye. I made them this bag for them to remember the three of us.

Mas adioses para nosotros. Mi marido tenia un muy buen amigo y colega en su laboratorio de Corea. El y su mujer fueron muy buenos amigos nuestros desde que llegamos. Tambien se van a donde el trabajo les lleva, y ayer les dijimos adios. Les hice esta bolsa para que se acuerden de nosotros tres.


And some more friends are leaving. My friends from Colombia and Lebanon will go to another part of this same state. At least it won't be hard to go there and visit. She is a designer and makes wonderful books for children with beautiful illustrations. She offered one of her designs to Luca for his new t-shirt that we made him:

Y mas amigos que se van. Mis amigos de colombia y Libano se iran a otra parte de este mismo estado. Por lo menos no sera dificil ir alli y visitarles. Ella es diseNadora y hace unos cuentos maravillosos para niNos con imagenes preciosas. Ella le ofrecio uno de sus diseNos a Luca para su nueva camiseta que le hicimos:


And no new developments in the rescue of my pictures yet, but a software to recover them is coming today :)

Y no hay nada nuevo en el rescate de mis fotos aun, pero un software para recuperarlos esta en camino hoy:)

I demo deko

Thank you so much for the very many encouraging comments about my lost pictures from my computer. So far I have done two things, one, I installed a program to rescue files and second, I have chickened out and turned the computer off because I don't trust myself and I am worried that I will make them dissapear for good in case they are still there. But I have also contacted my neighbor and former computer guy in my departrment and he will bring me the appropriate tool to try to rescue those pictures...I will keep you posted.

Muchisimas gracias por los montones de comentarios dandome animos para recuperar las fotos de mi ordenador. De momento he hecho dos cosas, una, he instalado un programa para rescatar archivos y lo segundo, me he acochinado y he apagado el ordenador porque no me fio de mi misma y me preocupa que vaya a hacerlas desaparecer para siempre en caso de que aun sigan ahi. Pero tambien me he puesto en contacto con uno de mi departamento que me va a traer los programas adecuados para salvar esas fotos...ya os contare.

My neighbor upstairs had her grandfather visitng for several months. He became a close friend to me and Luca. He played with him and took care of my garden, and he brought us vegetables from his vegetable garden. We didn't speak the same language but somehow we communicated well. It was fun spending this time with him. He became a widower the same week I became a widow. We have that in common. He just left a few days back to spend some months in Europe. He told me not to be angry, because he was going to come back. I hope so, deko is a very nice friend. I gave him this bag to say thanks for everything and so he can use it in the market of fresh vegetables in Servia. I think he liked it.

Mi vecina de arriba tenia aqui a su abuelo durante varios meses. Se convirtio en amigo cercano mio y de Luca. Jugaba con el y se ocupaba de mi jardin, y nos trai verduras de su campo en la Universidad. No hablabamos la misma lengua pero de alguna manera nos comunicabamos bien. Fue divertido pasar tiempo con el. Se quedo viudo la misma semana que yo me quede viuda. Tenemos eso en comun. Se acaba de ir hace unos dias a pasar unos meses en Europa. Me dijo que no me enfadara, que iba a volver. Espero que si, deko es muy buen amigo. Le di esta bolsa para darle las gracias por todo y para que la use en el mercado de frutas y verduras de Servia. Creo que le gusto.

Against adversity make something good

I have mentioned earlier that I have been anxious lately. I keep on having dreams and nightmares that wake me up wondering if they actually mean something. Dreaming about jobs and about how to properly take care of my son. Things that worry me I guess, at least worry my sub conscience. Anyways, I temporally cure my anxieties by cooking things that at least make me happy for a while. And following one of Martha Stewart's magazine cakes, I baked one on father's day. It was bloody looking but it tasted pretty good. I also made it at my friend's house and that made it more fun. And we ate it with the girls at Minerva's circle, so it couldn't have been better.

Ya he dicho antes que he estado con un poco de ansiedad ultimamente. Tengo a menudo sueNos y pesadilas que me despiertan y mehacen preguntarme si de hecho significan algo. SueNo sobre trabajos y sobre como cuidar de manera apropiada a mi hijo. Cosas que me me preocupan supongo, por lo menos preocupan a mi subconsciente. De todos modos, temporalmente curo mis ansiedades cocinando cosas que por lo menos me hacen feliz de momento. Y siguiendo una de las recetas de tartas de la revista de Martha Stewart, hice una para el dia del padre. Tenia aspecto sangriento pero estaba bastante buena. Tambien la hice en casa de mi amiga y eso lo hizo aun mas divertido. Y la comimos con las chicas de Minerva's circle, asi que no podia haber sido mejor.




I have done something really stupid that caused me to loose almost all my pictures in this computer from 2001-2006. I cannot tell you how that makes me feel, that includes my life with my husband, wedding pictures, honeymoon, everything of these past years. If I didn't have reasons to feel miserable now I do. I have to think that those moments will always be in my memories, but it's just hard to accept. Fortunately, my sister in law backed up all the pictures of my husband, so I still have those important ones. And I hope to recover some more from my emails. I'll cross my fingers. Now I'm going to have to make something really good to get over this one.

He hecho algo realmetne estupido que ha hecho que pierda casi todas las fotos de este ordenador desde el aNo 2001-2006. No te puede explicar como eso me hace sentir, porque incluye mi vida con mi marido, fotos de mi boda, luna de miel, todo lo que paso en estos ultimos aNos. Si no tenia suficientes razones como para sentirme mal ahora ya si las tengo. Tengo que pensar que esos momentos siempre estaran en mis recuerdos, pero es dificil aceptarlo. Por suerte, mi cuNada guardo todas las de mi marido, asi que aun tengo esas fotos importantes. Y espero recuperar mas de mis emails. Crucemos los dedos. Ahora voy a tener que cocinar algo muy rico para superar esta.

Paella with friends

I had a proud moment today. A big deal for me, I did something that only my husband was famous for being good at making, Spanish paella. Back at home we cook it a lot, this is my mom's and brother's recipe, although I remember many years ago when my dad started trying to make paella, he would try all kinds of things and he seemed to never be satisfied with something about it although we all thought it was pretty good. My husband used to say that in Spain the paellas in restaurants were no good and the ones at home were way better. Maybe we never got lucky at restaurants but for sure the ones at home are always good.

Hoy tuve un momento de orgullo. Una gran cosa para mi, hice algo que solo mi marido era famoso por darsele muy bien, paella de EspaNa. En casa la cocinamos a menudo, esta es la receta de mi madre y de mi hermano, aunque recuerdo hace muchisimos aNos a mi padre intentando hacer paella, intentaba todo tipo de cosas cada vez y parecia nunca estar satisfecho aunque nosotros siempre pensabamos que estaba muy rica. Mi marido solia decir que en EspaNa las paellas de los restaurantes no eran buenas y que las de casa eran muchisimo mas ricas. Quizas nunca tuvimos suerte con los restaurantes pero lo que esta claro es que en casa siempre estan buenisimas.

My neighbor works at a brazilian restaurant and he enjoys cooking, so when I told him about making paella together he was very excited and decided to ask for a day off to do it. He worked like crazy yesterday because of father's day, so today he just stayed at home waiting for that paella. He went shopping and bought all kinds of delicious seafood and chicken, some rice and clam juice. The rest of ingredients were here already. I followed my mom's recipe and we cooked it outside in the gas burner. I was worried about it because I have never used it but with my neighbor's help it worked perfectly and the results were really good. We all enjoyed it so much, I really think I should make this once a week, or at least every time my neighbor takes a day off. What a nice evening, good food and good friendship.

Mi vecino trabaja en un restaurante BrasileNo y le encanta cocinar, asi que cuando le dije que hicieramos paella juntos se emociono y decidio pedir un dia libre para hacerlo. Trabajo como un loco ayer por ser el dia del padre, asi que hoy se quedo en casa esperando a la paella. Se fue de compras y compro todo tipo de mariscos buenisimos y pollo, algo de arroz y jugo de almejas. El resto de los ingredientes estaban aqui ya. Segui la receta de mi madre y la cocinamos fuera en el fogon de gas. Me tenia preocupada porque nunca lo habia usado pero con la ayuda de mi vecino funciono perfectamente y los resultados fueron excelentes. La disfrutamos muchisim, creo que deberia hacerla una vez a la semana, o por lo menos cada vez que mi vecino tenga un dia libre. Que velada mas agradable, buena comida y buenas amistades.

Bleeding heart

We celebrated our first and last father's day within our family a year ago. I had seen this vine growing at a neighbor's yard and I loved it. I found out it was a bleeding heart vine because the flowers of these vines are red encapsulated in a white bract that is heart shaped. I thought it was so beautiful that I bought it for my husband on his special day. Now is growing stronger and it also has flowers, it is very beautiful and I don't get tired of looking at it while I seat in my porch.

Celebramos nuestro primero y ultimo dia del padre en nuestra familia hace un aNo. Habia visto esta planta en casa de un vecino y me encanto. Descubri que se trataba de una planta que se llama corazon sangrante porque las flores son rojas y estan encapsuladas en una bractea de color blanco en forma de corazon. Pense que era tan bonita que se la compre a mi marido en su dia del padre. Ahora esta creciendo fuerte y tambien tiene flores, es muy bonita y no me canso de mirarla mientras me siento en mi porche.

Happy father's day to all the wonderful fathers in the world.

Feliz dia del padre a todos los padres maravillosos del mundo.

What's good about chikpeas

I often think that my son being so blond and having such nice features in his face, reminds me of a chickpea. It's a bean I never really liked to eat as a kid, but that I have learned how to like trying different recipes with it. Now I appreciate much more the cocido madrileño that my mom prepares when I go to Spain. The other thing about chickpeas is that they remind me of the times I spent during college looking at my sister going to competitions playing "mus" a card game in which you bid using chickpeas. It's the perfect "coin" for this kind of game.
I have these friends from Colombia and Lebanon. They just became my friends a month or so ago and they have been so nice to us. They invite us over very often and I am learning a lot about Middle Eastern food. I am all into baba ganush, humus and pita bread as long as cilantro is not involved. I bought tahini the other day, some paste made out of sesame seeds to make these and by itself it tastes pretty bad but mixed with chickpeas or eggplants it's pretty good. It's interesting to cook with ingredients that I had never used before, I enjoy it. I hope Luca does too...

Suelo pensa que mi hijo es tan rubito y tiene una forma de la cara tan bonita que me recuerda a un garbancito. Los garbanzos nunca me han gustado cuando era niña, pero he aprendido a cogerles el gustillo probando diferentes recetas con ellos. Ahora aprecio mucho mas el cocido madrileño que mi madre prepara cuando voy a España. La otra cosa sobre los garbanzos es que me recuerdan a la epoca que pase en la Universidad viendo a mi hermana participar en cometiciones de “mus”, un juego de cartas en el que se apuesta usando garbanzos. Es la “moneda” perfecta para apostar para este tipo de juego.
Tengo estos amigos que son de Colombia y de Libano. Se han convertido en amigos mios desde hace a penas un mes pero han sido tan amables con nosotros…Nos invitan a menudo y estoy aprendiendo mucho de comida de Oriente Medio. Estoy enganchada a baba ganush, humus y al pan de pita, simpre que el cilantro no este involucrado. Compre tahini el otro dia, una pasta hecha de semillas de sesamo para hacerlos y solo, sin nada sabe bastante malo pero cuando lo mezclas con garbanzos o con berenjena esta rico. Es interesante cocinar con ingredientes que nunca he usado antes, me gusta. Espero que a Luca tambien…

My husband used to say that we should have protein, green vegetables and some starch for dinner every night. I used to make fun of him because he was so serious about it. But the thing is that of course I got used to it, I ended up having that in my mind and now that I cook for myself most of the time I just don’t have the same incentive to make it that way. And that makes me feel bad and makes me miss him so much. He put some guidelines in my life that I got used to and now I don’t have them, other than in my memories. I guess I have to get used to making my own decisions alone. Here was the cook, when we used to eat Japanese style on the tatami and the low table. I should set a tatami room when I have a house.

Mi marido solia decir que deberiamos comer proteinas, verduras verdes y algo de almidon para cenar cada noche. Yo solia bromear porque se lo tomaba tan en serio. Pero la cosa es que claro, me acostumbre a eso, y acabe teniendo todo eso en mi cabeza y ahora que cocino para mi sola casi siempre no tengo el incentivo de hacerlo asi. Y eso me hace sentirme mal y me hace echarle mucho de menos. El ponia reglas en mi vida a las que me acostumbre y ahora ya no las tengo, mas que en mis recuerdos. Supongo que me tengo que acostumbrar a tomar mis propias decisiones sola. Aqui estaba el cocinero, cuando soliamos comer al estilo Japones encima del tatami y con una mesa baja. Deberia montarme una habitacion de tatami cuando tenga una casa.


And this is me in a week of clam eating frenzy.

Y esta soy yo en una semana de comer almejas como locos.

Red barn

When I came to the US I discovered that here barns are red. How cool is that? If you had to choose a color for a building why not red? Specially when you have to contrast with the yellow fields and green forests. Perfect for what I'm making now...

Cuando llegue a los EEUU descubri que los graneros son rojos. Que chulada! Si tienes que escoger un color para un edificio porque no el rojo? Sobretodo cuando tienen que contrastar con campos amarillos y verdes bosques. Perfecto para lo que estoy haciendo ahora...

Less is more

There is too much uncertainty in my life at this point to know or even have an idea of what’s to come for us in just a few months. I will have to move out of this place where I love to be and I will have to make important decisions about my career or just my way of living. All this taking into account my little prince who deserves and requires at least 90% of my attention daily (the other 10 % is sleeping time). So needless to say I have some anxiety inside of me, I am not the kind of person that likes to plan stuff, but a little bit of knowing what’s going to happen leaves me at ease.

Hay demasiada incertidumbre en mi vida en este momento para saber o siquiera tener una idea de lo que nos va a tocar en unos meses. Tendre que mudarme de este lugar donde me encanta vivir y tender que tomar muchas decisions importantes sobre mi carrera o simplemente mi modo de vivir. Todo esto teniendo en cuenta mi principito quien se merece y requiere por lo menos el 90% de mi atencion a diario (el otro 10% es tiempo para dormir). Asi que ni hace falta que lo diga, tengo algo de ansiedad, no soy el tipo de persona a la que le gusta planear las cosas, pero por lo menos un poco de conocimiento de lo que va a pasar me relaja un poco.

Same thing happens with crafts. I like to know what I’m going to make but I really make it as I go, because I don’t really plan much ahead and I like the surprise factor too. I have realized after making so many things through the years that most of the time less is more. Simple is better. When I try to do too many things at once, I usually don’t success in most, but if I just select the important things in my list, I can focus on them and usually the results make me happy.

Lo mismo me pasa con los trabajos manuales. Me gusta saber lo que voy a hacer pero la verdad es que lo voy haciendo segun voy avanzando, porque no planeo mucho por adelantado y me gusta el factor sorpresa. Me he dado cuenta despues de hacer tantas cosas durante muchos años que la mayoria del tiempo menos es mas. Lo sencillo es major. Cuando intento hacer demasiadas cosas a la vez, normalmente no me salen bien la mayoria, pero si selecciono las cosas importantes en mi lista, me puedo centrar en ellas y los resultados suelen alegrarme.

I got a book from the library that I have enjoyed a lot. It is about Japan. It’s called A Year in Japan. It’s about a woman who spent a year in Kyoto and observes about its culture. She writes about uncommon things that are not usually told when you talk about Japan, the little stuff that makes Japan such a unique place. She talks about things and made illustrations about everything she talked about. I loved it. It brought back so many memories that I had forgotten already. And this book made me remember that in Japanese culture, nature, beauty, art and simplicity are all connected. And I want some of that in my life. I should keep this fresh in my mind when I start getting motivated to move on and make the important decisions that are ahead of me.

He sacado un libro de la biblioteca que lo he disfrutado mucho leyendo. Es sobre Japon. Se llama Un Año en Japon. Es sobre una mujer que se pasa un año en Kyoto y hace observaciones sobre su cultura. Escribe sobre cosas ineditas que no se suelen contra cuando hablas de Japon, los detalles que hacen que Japon sea un lugar tan unico. Habla sobre etas cosasy hace ilustraciones de todo lo que habla. Me encanto. Me ha traido tantos recuerdos que ya se me habian olvidado. Y este libro me hizo recorder que en la cultura Japonesa, la naturaleza, la belleza, el arte y la simplicidad estan muy unidos. Y quiero algo asi en mi vida, deberia mantener este penamiento fresco en mi mente cuando me empiece a motivar para seguir adelante y tomar las decisions importantes que estan pendientes en mi vida.

And another simple bag, just like the one I made for my neighbor, this time for me. I’m enjoying it already.

Y otra bolsa sencilla, una como la que le hice a mi vecina, esta vez para mi. Ya la estoy usando.