music

"Surprise!" "This is for you, I hope you'll enjoy it"
"Oh, great, thanks!" "I'll listen to it tonight"

And I did, it was a compilation of lovely soundtracks of old movies. And when I mean old, I mean at least thirty years ago, or so...

Last Summer I had to think of a present for an old friend, a teacher, and all I had to do was to copy my cd. Who could resist that music?

Today I turned the speakers volume up just to relax while I'm working and rediscovered the cd.

Kind thanks to my sister who gave me such wonderful present some years ago.

algo lindo

ahhhhhhhhhh, acá viene la babosa marchando...

les dije que las mariposas son un gran tema en la familia?

(lo que más me gustan son las antenas firuleteadas, le dan cierto aire romántico)

médicos

cosas que pasan cuando vas a la consulta del médico:

1) que te ausculte cuando acabás de subir 2 pisos por escalera
2) que te atienda una hora más tarde, y que claro, no te pida disculpas
3) que no te atienda si el que llega tarde sos vos
4) que te mande una serie de estudios que en realidad no necesitás, pero por las dudas
5) que te mande un estudio en el que tenés que recolectar durante 24 número 1
6) que te mande remedio para la presión, y como si fuera poco, te los mande a la mañana y a la noche, algo más deprimente que eso?
7) que encima te diga pero si estás fantástica!
8) que te pida que vuelvas en mes y medio para hacer otros controles, no alcanzó con esta visita?
9) que te diga "nada de gimnasio" cuando vos te pusiste todas las pilas para esas clases con nombres rarísimos (como pole dancing!) en el gym más cercano en donde dejaste todos tus ahorros por 365 días!
10) que insista con el tema de las vacunas que hay que ponerse para cuando llegue el momento (far far far away) de querer "embarazo", como si hablara del gusto del helado, haceme reír!
11) hay que volver realmente?!

dog stories

Some time ago a friend of mine had to prepare her house for a party. So, she called her mother to help her with the meal, being her mum a kind of caterer, it was the right person to call. She took care of the matter in no time at all, and cooked for everybody.

Taking into account the amount of time they needed to lay the tables in a very elaborate way, the mother decided that the dishes, meals already served in the plates, should arrive no more than three hours prior to the event. She used her SUV and asked my friend's brother to drive while she took notes of what she had to pick in the way to my friend's home. Up to that moment, everything seemed to be going smoothly...

They reached my friend's house, she opened the door to help the family to take the plates to the kitchen, and while ones were coming and going with the plates, others were in charge of opening the bottles, and so on... In the meantime, the family dog decided he wanted to take a bite and see how humans food tasted like. Let me tell you that it was an important event, with ambassadors, waiters, cocktails, unpronounceable wine labels, and so on, which meant everybody was very busy to even realize that the dog was actually eating the meals prepared for the guests...

Well, I really don't know how they managed, how the dog survived for having eaten like 50 people... the moral of the story is that I'd never leave my dog unwatched. She'd not only eat meals, but also help herself to dessert, drink some wine just in case, and even thank me for the excellent moment!

pets material entry

I've got some new pets material, but I need to focus on my work today, so my next entry will be about my friend's pets.
It's incredible to see that some people are crazier than this blogger about pets.
*sigh and smile*

family matters

Taking a look at my pictures, I found myself thinking about family matters, about the idea of a flock, deciding all toghether what to do next, where to go, how to face problems, how to solve them.

I think I'll pay more attention in the future to how animals behave, I might learn something useful, quack-quack.

question

Did I mention, by any chance, that it will rain the next three days? Which means I'll work from home, read, read, read, rent some movies, have some popcorn, rearrange my clothes, cook something nice to share, watch some tv, study, phone my friends, and do nothing else but relax?

What do you do in rainy days?

daggers look softened

So I told you that last weekend's bbq has been postponed. What I didn't mention was that, in fact, we all gathered for a ravioli meal.

I took the food, they brought the dessert. And the triplets, and the baby.

I couldn't be less and I took my dog with me (in fact my dog was ill and I had to take her to watch over her).

When they arrived, it was time to open the gifts. The kids were surprised to receive a wood pencil each. And they liked it. Besides there was chocolate and berries jam, a combination children can't resist.

Then, she opened her little present (ok, I had to fix the original torn package). It was a candle I brought from the South for myself, but well, I had to decide whether to find one similar, or to lose a little to gain a little. Anyway, she said she liked it and that she'd put it on her bedside table.

At that moment I tried not to smile at my mum. I thought "I told you", but what I was really really thinking was that the candle had been bought in a shop called the "black sheep". Now I understand the meaning...

What would happen if I'd ask her to light the candle whenever an exam is around the corner? Can you imagine her face?!

cats and dogs, reloaded

Bearing in mind:
1) the heavy rain
2) the fact that subway services were interrupted (and I was in the subway when it happened)
3) the bus was packed (and I had to take it)
4) I had to come back home and meet a friend half way (impossible! I had to walk twenty blocks just to find her, I was even videotaped while walking, so hey! I was supposedly in the 12 AM news! The one with the green Benetton umbrella?!)
5) Buenos Aires was flooded and some cars were swept away by the current (not mine TG!)
6) My friend got stuck in the mud, well, actually, not mud, but in the traffic chaos (almost the same)
7) My dog was still at the walker's place waiting to be fetched! (which my friend did for me)

It was almost a miracle to get home a few hours later (I did get home, but some people didn't have the same possibility, they had to wait until the water level fell), not even remotedly wet, to have dinner with my friend and stay chatting.
Good things happen even in complicated days, at least that was my case

cats and dogs

It poured yesterday, and it was a complicated day.

(to be continued)

interpretation

Call me a fan, or even a perfectionist, but two years ago when attending Robbie Williams press conference, I couldn't believe that the translator/ interpreter was so bad.

I was taking down notes for a newspaper, and my role was just to listen to his words being translated. But after several mistakes she made, I stopped writing and stared down at her. I mean, you can make a tiny little mistake, but several in a matter of an hour?

Robbie was getting impatient, though he didn't understand a word of what she had translated into Spanish. And the fact that she'd been hired to interpret several tv shows interviews, made me mad. I mean, most probably she was nervous, I got that, but in several shows? Even my sister pointed out all the mistakes she listened to after watching some tv interviews!

Today I found the press conference recording, and believe me, I'll listen to that again soon, just to laugh about the whole thing. I should advise the record company to hire more than a bilingual person when international singers come to visit in the future.

disclaimer

I was thinking that I should add a disclaimer just in case...

Or I should say, at least, that you're reading fiction mixed with real facts, or viceversa.

I found a disclaimer in Spanish for those who follow my Spanish entries: ADVERTENCIA:TODOS LOS PERSONAJES Y ASUNTOS RELATADOS EN ESTE BLOG, INCLUSO LOS QUE ESTÁN BASADOS EN PERSONAS Y HECHOS REALES, SON FICTICIOS.

differences

from cloudy to foggy in a matter of hours

(can you see the red building?)

It was really strange to wake up this morning. When rolling up the shades, I couldn't believe my eyes, it was London in Buenos Aires! (bearing in mind the differences). I turned the radio on to listen to the morning news, and of course there have been several crashes in the last few hours.

Now I can officially say that Autumn has landed in Buenos Aires. And yesterday's bbq has been postponed due to weather conditions...

pretending

In taking my souvenirs to my relatives and friends, I remembered that I didn't buy anything for those not so kind with me during the past months.

Now I'm worried, as a bbq (not asado again!) has been scheduled for next Sunday, and I cannot free myself from the fact that everybody will be opening their souvenirs (and eating chocolate), except for those who'll be watching the others. Is it too bad to go and get some candles, wrap them up, and pretend I bought them down in the South?

It's not guilt what drives me, but the fact they'll look daggers at me, and believe me, I don't like those looks. May be, and just may be, candles can save my back.

bowls and roses

When he opened the door, still carrying my luggage, I saw a nice decorated place. It was strange, if you think of a man living in a new country for a short period.

Then, I saw them, some floating candles in a bowl of water. And I thought, that couldn't be him. He wasn't the person I used to know. He took care of details, he was charming and thoughtful, but floating candles? Very suspicious.

The second thing I discovered was a potpourry bowl... man, he had changed, and I couldn't distinguish between the old nice guy and the new guy. I was more than surprised. You can imagine my face when he told me he had made some space in the wardrobe for my clothes and emptied a drawer for my belongings. Who could resist a man like that?

The third thing I couldn't believe were the plants he had placed in the living room, looking great, that he never forgot to water while I was there. I must admit now that I felt those butterflies I've talked about some time ago here. They were persistent, like an illness you need to get rid of, even if I tried to think that I wasn't in a bed of roses.

Some time later I discovered, and I still don't know whether I was happy at that moment or not, that he was a romantic person. Not that I don't like romantic men in my life, though I've to admit I'm more practical than romantic these days. The fact that we were no longer together made feel in an awkward situation, as if not belonging there, that I was taking a look at somebody meant to be with someone else. And I felt it wasn't fair, it wasn't fair at all.

spanglish

While in San Martín de los Andes, I discovered a few signs translated into English that I found appalling, as I can't think of any other word to discribe them.

Be my guests and take a look...

And I thought I had problems...

angle

When taking photographs, I think of having the right light and angle to produce a nice picture. I don't want to miss any detail of those great moments.

This is one of those moments, but, hey, I'm sorry if this isn't my best shot.

long list

Wow, it's difficult to believe I spent so much money in so many souvenirs, but it's just a part of what I brought. I should have brought a basket for my significant ones, I mean, it's easier to put things in a basket than in a paper bag (doomed to tear)!

Yesterday I phoned some of my friends, and all of them invited me to have tea/coffee/ a drink, and it surprised me, everybody said I sounded relaxed and happy. I thought it was good, as I felt like that, but deep down inside I knew it wouldn't last that much.

And I was right: now I'm under a pile of papers to read, other papers to be translated, classes to attend, people to see, birthdays to celebrate, souvenirs to be delivered, plus bags to be unpacked, laundry to be washed, cleaning lady to be warned about delicate sweaters, jacket to be changed/returned (remember this issue?), dog to be taken a bath.

It's not that I distress easily, but things must be taken care of. I think I'm gonna wait ten days to see if I still have this smile on my face...

abracadabra

It's time to unpack, any magician in the audience? any magic wands available, please?

(Easter) Pagan feast

Some years ago I used to take my second-cousin's daughters to the theater in Easter. It seemed it was the best time of the year to share with the girls, as there were many things to do in our four-day break.

For quite some time now I take Easter as some possible time off, and share the moment when I'm back. And it works just fine: bunnies, eggs, chocolate and other things are eaten one week later, when everything is back to normality.

Now, after purchasing many, many souvenirs in San Martin de los Andes for adults and children, I need to reconsider this celebration... may be I should stay at home for this pagan feast and eat the bunny at the right time...

in the lake

Finally I plunged into the lake, and felt the cold water invading my body. My ears started to hurt, and that was the moment when I had to decide whether to have a bad dive (I didn' t think that was possible, following my friends' advice) or to enjoy a day in the lake beach.

I took the second option, it was the right decision to make. I hung my mask, placed my fins in the trunk of the car, and did smile. Sometimes things change, and going with the flow is the best option.

I've been having this ache since I arrived in town, but chose to accept the fact that my ears have their own will, and they never do what I want them to do. I had some drops to ease the pain, plus alcohol mixed with boric acid (what I usually do after scubadiving). Nothing changed.

Anyway, being with good friends who understand how I feel, and being surrounded by a magnificent view made me enjoy every bit of the day.

activities

Being in the South of Argentina is wonderful, there are many interesting things to do: visit different interesting places (mountain, lakes, ponds, etc.), trekking, biking, scubadiving, bird watching, climbing. Which are translated into many different kind of shops that offer all the gadgets for those sports.

One shop I can´t find (or I´m not capable of finding) is a book store. Get your own conclusions, isn´t it a relaxing activity to do while on holls?

Give me a break, I need to read something interesting! (apart from shallow magazines and newspapers). I don´t think that a cheap, second-hand version of Macbeth in Spanish found in the supermarket could count as one.

dear deer

While in the route a deer decided to cross it, stay in the middle and take us a good look.

I found it incredible and these are the pics I took half astonished and very tired (that´s the reason why I forgot to zoom!).

Then when we arrived in town, I discovered that venison is included in almost all the main courses. I still can't believe that this sweet, nice animal is killed to feed humans. I know it's served everywhere around the world, but I still feel it shouldn't.