Finally, Introducing the Campers

Finally, with Jessica's help, I've learned how to download and then upload an image. DO NOT LAUGH. I know I'm 10 years behind the times, but hey, I've got Campers.

Note: the high heeled pair are "twins" and fraternal at that.

the academic's son

Gatito's second cousin arrives with a jumbo size bag of M&Ms (which I'm allowed to eat, but ONLY IF I ASK PERMISSION).

Gatito opens the bag and spills some onto the table in front of us. They roll, spin, twirl and stop. I grab a yellow (where did light brown go?).

Gatito pops one in his mouth and says: I'm going to write a grant to the government to do some research and start making m&ms.

(I sense something good is coming, or is it a didactic monologue like The Don provides from time-to-time? I'm unsure and so I do an un-scorpion-tail-thing and keep quiet).

I'm going to get a grant to make new m&ms. M&Ms with caramel inside, and good ones too. With ham and cheese, with (he glances at me) with WINE, with all kinds of stuff.

Now you tell me. What is more amazing? An 8 year old already thinking of getting grants from the government or the making of M&M with wine?
(hope it's red wine)

Three Hams

So we're walking down Reyes Catolicos on our way to Musgo to look for summer dresses (didn't find any without gold or silver sparkles), when Gatito has another one of his "good ideas" (this is what he calls them).
"I know what you can do for a job!" (poor thing has internalized my need for work). "You can open a Spanish bar in Salt Lake!"
Laughter.
"Seriously. We'll buy three hams and hang two of them up. The third one we'll cut and use to serve people. El Don knows how to cook gambas alajillo and espinacas con garbanzos and all our friends will come to eat. You'll make lots of money."

But there forms the idea for a fall party....All our friends...El Don cooking our Spanish favorites, perhaps a few paper mache hams hanging above. Maybe we can even make jamon-shaped pinatas and the kids can beat them to death.

NO EXISTE

The up-side of sending gatito off to the field with El Don for two days where he got to stay in El Palacio and collect dead ants and video tape dung beetles rolling horse manure into little balls was the time to write and think and of course, the excitement he showed upon return and the amazing things I know he's seeing and experiencing (like calling me to describe what every bird species looks like and I'm supposed to look them up in the bird guide (which I unfortunately left in Salt Lake City) and tell him what they're called.

The downside??? the exhaustion he obviously feels on return and of course, it's taken out on ME. The MOTHER. Who else? I got one: "Sylvia, you've used up all my patience." (Now where did he hear THAT?). The throwing away of my mother's day presents (shells from the beach), the writing of NO EXISTE! on the Feliz Dia del Madre card.

What more can I say? It's mother's day in Spain, which I find to be an "intellectually interesting coincidence: with Labor Day.......
But then again, NO EXISTE!!!!!!