La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN want and need. In Spanish, to want is querer; to need is necesitar. I often say necesitar (need) when I should say querer (want). In English, they can be a bit more interchangeable. Sometimes, however, I mean it. Like when I say I need chocolate.
Lulu and two of her friends met us for coffee at Mesón Salvador Friday morning. San Geraldo and I had been to Lulu’s house last week to hang some art. It’s rare to find walls here that require only a hammer and nail for picture-hanging. So we brought the drill and supplies and, among us, decided where the latest art acquisitions should go. I then drilled, hammered, and screwed.
Lulu served us coffee and Finnish pastries. We didn’t need (or want) anything. Spending time with Lulu is reward enough. We thought the coffee and pastries were plenty. But Lulu arrived Friday with a gift bag. It was intended for wine, but she knows us well. She filled it with Finnish sweets — plus a box of Finnish gingerbread cookies.
I’m being slammed daily with some difficult depression. Chocolate helps and gingerbread can’t hurt. Lulu had no idea I’ve been lately craving gingerbread, too.
I’ve also been waking from awful anxiety dreams every morning. I wake up around 6 or 7 and, if I go back to sleep, that’s when the anxiety dreams occur. Maybe I should stop going back to sleep and opt for a siesta instead. Maybe I should start the day with hot chocolate instead of tea or coffee.
Speaking of which, I just made coffee for SG and tea for myself. The top of my hand is bleeding from a nasty scrape. No knives or sharp utensils were involved. I didn’t reach under anything. I have no idea what I did. Cooking is dangerous.
.
HAY UNA GRAN DIFERENCIA ENTRE el deseo y la necesidad. En español, a menudo digo necesitar cuando debería decir querer. En inglés, pueden ser un poco más intercambiables. A veces, sin embargo, lo digo en serio. Como cuando digo que necesito chocolate.
Lulu y dos de sus amigas se reunieron con nosotros para tomar un café en Mesón Salvador el viernes por la mañana. San Geraldo y yo habíamos estado en la casa de Lulu la semana pasada para colgar algunas obras de arte. Es raro encontrar paredes aquí que solo requieran un martillo y un clavo para colgar cuadros. Así que trajimos el taladro y los suministros y, entre nosotros, decidimos dónde deberían ir las últimas adquisiciones de arte. Luego taladré, martilleé y atornillé.
Lulu nos sirvió café y pasteles finlandeses. No necesitábamos (ni queríamos) nada. Pasar tiempo con Lulu es recompensa suficiente. Pensamos que el café y los pasteles estaban bien. Pero Lulu llegó el viernes con una bolsa de regalo. Estaba destinado al vino, pero ella nos conoce bien. Lo llenó de dulces finlandeses, además de una caja de galletas de jengibre finlandesas.
Todos los días me azotan una depresión difícil. El chocolate ayuda y el pan de jengibre no hace daño. Lulu no tenía idea de que últimamente también he estado deseando pan de jengibre.
También me he estado despertando de horribles sueños de ansiedad todas las mañanas. Me despierto alrededor de las 6 o 7 y, si me vuelvo a dormir, es cuando ocurren los sueños de ansiedad. Quizás debería dejar de volver a dormir y optar por la siesta. Tal vez debería empezar el día con chocolate caliente en lugar de té o café.
Hablando de eso, solo preparé café para SG y té para mí. La parte superior de mi mano está sangrando por un desagradable rasguño. No se utilizaron cuchillos ni utensilios afilados. No alcancé debajo de nada. No tengo ni idea de lo que hice. Cocinar es peligroso.
Lulu had texted before her arrival to say she was on her way but she was having a bad hair day. So, of course, the first thing I did was pull out the camera.
Lulu le había enviado un mensaje de texto antes de su llegada para decir que estaba en camino, pero que estaba teniendo un mal día con el cabello. Entonces, por supuesto, lo primero que hice fue sacar la cámara.
SG’s cousin Elin in Northern Norway loves to say “TTT” (Things Take Time) — especially when SG is waiting for photos or answers to genealogy questions. Lulu’s T-shirt read “RELAX These Things Take Time.” So we had more smiles thinking of Elin, who is always worth the wait.
A la prima de SG, Elin, en el norte de Noruega, le encanta decir “TTT” (las cosas toman tiempo — Things Take Time), especialmente cuando SG está esperando fotos o respuestas a preguntas de genealogía. La camiseta de Lulu decía “RELÁJATE, estas cosas toman tiempo”. Así que teníamos más sonrisas pensando en Elin, que siempre vale la pena esperar.
This is what happens when the need is too great to waste time finding my reading glasses for a close-up before I take a bite.
Esto es lo que sucede cuando la necesidad es demasiado grande como para perder el tiempo buscando mis gafas de lectura para un primer plano antes de dar un mordisco.
• San Geraldo ha sido el jardinero jefe aquí, pero últimamente se ha quedado sin trabajo debido a sus actividades de escritura de libros. Entonces, acordamos que me haré cargo. Mi primera tarea fue atacar, con un sistémico, las plagas que han estado atacando a los hibiscos. Una dosis y ya hay mejoría.
Good morning Mitchell! (Well, it’s morning here, anyway). I love the sound of all those special treats! I DON’T love the sound of your anxiety. I’m sending you a hug across the miles.
Jennifer:
Thanks for the hug. They always help. I know I’m not alone in my anxiety. That doesn’t make it easier to experience but it does make it easy to understand.
Stay safe in the kitchen. Yummy looking goodies. Try chocolate to chase away the scary bits of life, it might work, and what do you have to lose.
David:
I don’t know HOW to stay safe in the kitchen.
That’s exactly how I feel about chocolate. It actually does help… except for the fat and heartburn!
Mmmm mmm! In the hope that there’s plenty of DARK choc in there.
Raybeard:
There is! And it’s delicious.
sending you my love! hugs and kissing cousin kisses xoxoxox
Hola Sheree Lee! Sending them back to you!
I hope your depression and anxiety dreams ease up soon, Mitchell! I’m glad chocolate and ginger cookies help!
Debra:
Oh, I think it’ll be a while, but it’s not like my entire days and nights are in the sewer. And I’m certainly not the only one in experiencing this right now. Thanks!
Anxiety can be rough. We take CBD oil daily to help keep it to its minimum. It works well…..and no ‘high’. I know yours is chronic but it may assist in lowering it.
And doesn’t chocolate contain caffeine? Maybe don’t eat it before bed? Geez, I sound like someone’s mother!! lol
Or just watch that video. It will makes things not seem so bad!!
Your hibiscus look very well. Our small tree hibiscus is now in the basement for the winter but it is blooming like crazy as well.
Hope you have a better day.
Jim:
CBD oil sounds interesting. I’ll look into it. It would mean going off my other meds first; I’ll talk to my doc about it.
Don’t worry: I don’t eat chocolate before bedtime. Not only the caffeine, but nightmares AND reflux!
I called our pharmacist and had her check for contraindications with the meds we take. None.
I think pharmacists know more about the chemistry of medications than most doctors do. Besides, some doctors are biased when it comes to CBD/THC/marijuana because there is no scientific proof (as of yet) that it works But it does.
Jim,
Thanks. Our pharmacists are exceptionally helpful. I’ll check this out.
I think you should sit in a chocolate chair with the cats and et SG be the only one in the kitchen.
If I had any chocolate–which I don’t because, yes, I don’t care for the stuff–I’d send it your way!
Bob:
It looks like I don’t have to worry about running out of a local supply of chocolate.
I have to be in the kitchen at least to wash the dishes. A very dangerous activity. Sharp knives. Things that can break and cut me. Drawers that don’t close completely and I then walk into. Cabinet doors that I forget to close and then… You get the idea.
CHOCOLATE ANYTHING is my weakness! looks like strawberry filled and caramel filled. and HOW the hell did you injure yourself making coffee? better stick to making my balls.
anne marie:
The first was a strawberry marshmallow with a cookie bottom. Kind of like a mallomar … only better. And, yes, the second was caramel filled. I wish I knew how I cut myself making coffee. I can understand scalding myself, which I’ve managed NOT to do. But no clue how I scraped my hand. I should get back to your balls. They’ve been safe.
Lulu’s got your number, Mitchell! I love taking a siesta, although sometimes I just “rest” rather than nap. Sorry that the unsettling dreams intrude upon your waking hours. Why is it that the joyous dreams don’t seem to do that as effectively?
Wilma:
I actually had a siesta the other day that was nothing more than a lie-down. Those are my favourite. I can’t remember a single good dream and I try really hard to forget the bad ones.
Scoot, sweetie, chocolate is always a need! I hope creepy video guy helps with easing your depression and anxiety. He made mine worse 😀
You are not alone. I’ve just gotten my first shin injury from my new dishwasher. It jumped out at me when I wasn’t looking. Well at least the bruise matches up with the other injuries from unknown sources. Chin up! You have the best of friends in Lulu and the others.
Deedles:
I’m so sorry to creep you out again with Luciano Rosso. I love the guy! Very grateful for the few good friends… and chocolate. And medicated ointment and band aids.
Could not watch that video for more than 3 seconds…this is fame in 2020?
European chocolate is so much better than American…enjoy every bite. I know that waking with anxiety is very disturbing and my doctor seems to think it is related to low oxygen levels and resulting higher blood pressure. In lieu of an official apnea diagnosis, I’m taking a beta blocker. Seems to help, or maybe it’s a placebo effect?
Frank:
I love Luciano Rosso. Sorry you don’t share the feeling! We have so many unbelievably good chocolate options right here in town. Even at the supermarket. Valor is exceptional. I sometimes treat us to very small dark chocolate bars. I hope the beta blocker is not just the placebo effect. I’ve been sleeping mostly well recently. It’s that last hour and a half that destroys it all. This morning wasn’t TOO bad.
Chocolate and flowers…and friends. All my flowers are done for the year except my little African violet doesn’t give up – just keeps on budding, thank goodness. Hugs
Cheapchick:
We have flowers blooming throughout the year. Not as many in winter but still always something to see. I love African violets. We lived near an incredible violet nursery in Connecticut and would stock up. I had a table with grow lamps in the basement and would circulate the violets up and downstairs throughout the year. What a joy!
Chocolate makes everything better like ABBA or sex. And since Im not having any sex at the moment, thank the goddess for chocolate and ABBA.
Mistress Maddie:
Yes. Thank the goddess for chocolate and ABBA!
For many many years I never went back to sleep after waking up. Massive migraines, I was told to move around change my breathing then go back to sleep, if I wanted too. Now when I sleep I use a breathing machine to help regulate the oxygen because if not I wake up with a massive headache, and brain fuzz all day plus speech and memory problems, There is more to this but a quick idea. of what I have been dealing with.
I hope this gives you an idea?
cheers, parsnip
Parsnip:
I’m so sorry for what you go through for a simple, safe night’s sleep. I’ve always had bouts of insomnia but have actually been sleeping fairly well most nights now… except for the anxiety dreams. But, then, they’re really no surprise given what’s going on around us. I hope the breathing machine isn’t too unsettling and still allows you to sleep comfortably.
Mmmmmm, those chocolates look great! And the hibiscus (hibisci?) are looking good too.
I think it’s natural to feel some depression at this darkening time of year, especially in the middle of all this viral nonsense. I’m feeling it too. Solidarity!
Steve:
The chocolates are so good. I can’t believe I haven’t finished them all off. I looked up the plural of hibiscus a while back because I always wrote hibiscus for one or more. It turns out it’s hibiscuses. I like hibisci better. I’m absolutely not alone in my recent mood dips. Tough times and always a challenging time of year for many anyway.
queiro vs. queisera – please explain the difference.
Urspo:
Quiero = I want. Quisiera = I would like.