La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
JESICA AND I HAD MORE online English conversation today. It’s always so uplifting to spend time with her. Over the weekend, Jesica was in a playground with Sergio, his sister and her partner, and their young son. A woman looked at them a bit oddly when they arrived. When the woman saw how active Jesica and Sergio’s nephew was, she said to Jesica — in English without even giving a thought to the fact that she was in Spain and perhaps Jesica didn’t speak English (but I digress)…. Anyway, she said to Jesica (in English), “Now I understand why you need four adults for one child!” Jesica laughed. Sergio, confused, asked if she understood what the woman had said, and it dawned on Jesica that, yes, she had, as if the woman had been speaking Spanish. She said to Sergio, “And it wasn’t even Mitchell talking!” I am so proud! Today’s photos are just some things I’ve seen around town that made me go “Hmmm.”
.
JESICA Y YO TENEMOS MÁS conversación en inglés en línea hoy. Siempre es muy estimulante pasar tiempo con ella. Durante el fin de semana, Jesica estaba en un patio de recreo con Sergio, la hermana de Sergio y su pareja, y su hijo pequeño. Una mujer los miró con un poco de extrañeza cuando llegaron. Cuando la mujer vio lo activa que era el sobrinito de Sergio y Jesica, le dijo a Jesica — en inglés sin siquiera pensar en el hecho de que ella estaba en España y quizás Jesica no hablaba inglés (pero estoy divagando) …. De todos modos, le dijo a Jesica (en inglés), “¡Ahora entiendo por qué necesitas cuatro adultos para un niño!” Jesica se rió. Sergio, confundido, le preguntó si entendía lo que había dicho la mujer, y Jesica se dio cuenta de que sí, lo había hecho, como si la mujer hubiera estado hablando español. Ella le dijo a Sergio: “¡Y ni siquiera Mitchell estaba hablando!” ¡Estoy muy orgulloso! Las fotos de hoy son solo algunas de las cosas que he visto en la ciudad que me hicieron decir “Mmmm.”
• El bolso dice: “Colecciona momentos, no cosas.” ¿La cosa perfecta para comprar para guardar los momentos que coleccionas?
• ¿Un babero de plástico 100% natural?
• Común en la ciudad son los restaurantes de combinación mexicana, italiana e india. ¿Si no puedes hacer bien una cosa? Este es un nuevo giro.
• Buen uso del camuflaje. Lástima lo de la camiseta.
• Beckett en la playa el domingo mientras Pedro observa y Luke construye una presa para proteger su castillo. (Mira los pantalones cortos de Pedro).
.
Haven’t heard that in a while.
Pedro is the man to find out out what it all means…..if anything.
Blending in with camo……
Jim:
Pedro has no clue what the shorts thing means. His is accidental — although he does often pose for me!
Congrats to Jesica on her increasing English fluency! I love all your “hmmmm” photos. And that’s a fun video (not a fun subject but fun song and imagery).
Debra:
I wish the video lyrics were less … well… less male-hetero-sexist-etc. I love the delivery of the title line, and the video. I’ve used it a few times simply because I love the title line but I find I’m questioning my choice each time. This might be the last.
Camo like a green screen ~ that white T would be walking by itself ||L|OL
Ron:
I spotted that guy just before he reached that wall. It’s the only wall like it on the paseo. What timing.
that guy blends right in with the wall.
congrats to jesica!
what a restaurant combination of tastes! I’d try it.
beckett is a cutie.
anne marie:
I’ve found at those “combo” restaurants, everything tends to be purchased ready made and frozen. They heat it, add the packet of sauce, and voila. I could do that myself. Beckett is adorable and, as you can see, liked being the center of my attention. Luke was engrossed in his castle. I remember getting lost like that on the beach.
I’m a little scared of a restaurant that serves all different kinds of foods because it says to me that they cannot do any very well.
If plastic was 100% natural what does that mean for Cher??
Yes, that was blasphemous and I apologize before the Gay Mafia comes for me.
Bob:
I was going to say, “Cher is 100 percent Cher… but that’s obviously not true; although she IS one of a kind.” We’ve been to a few of those Mexican, Indian, Italian restaurants. They’ve never been very good. It all depends on how good the chef is at defrosting, re-heating, and adding the packets of sauce.
Oh I love the bag for its irony
Urspo:
It certainly caught my attention.
Is Pepperoni plural for pepper’s 🫑🫑?
JSSW:
Ask Tynan. He requests peperami (which is actually a thing — a salami sausage snack… just not here).
Stores? What are those? I haven’t been in a store now since last January. We went to the grocery store once or twice before the pandemic got real bad, then my daughter started having our groceries sent in. Since William is now gone, and I’m vaccinated, I may go back to do the shopping, now sure yet I want to go back out. It sure looks glorious weather wise there.
Agnes Goldberg-DeWoofs:
What an honor that you’ve dropped by. Although we don’t do a lot, the rules (laws) are at least very clear here and enforced as well as can be expected, so we feel much safer when do go out. The shops have limits on customers and USUALLY monitor things. In that shop the other day, I was the only customer.
I think the new Pepperoni Restaurant needs your translation skills. That is the best camouflage I have ever seen, but the wearer risks getting shot in the butt. Or feet.
Wilma:
I couldn’t believe my luck when I spotted that camouflage just as he crossed in front of the wall — the only one like it on the Paseo. I wanted to cross and tell him to take off the shoes and headphones, and tuck in the T-shirt.
Congrats to Jesica! That moment when you unconsciously understand another language is amazing. A great accomplishment.
I just love the combined shots of Beckett. Such a sweetie. Great sand castle, Luke!
Will give Pedro a pass on the rolled pants…mainly because I think they are long pants and not just shorts (a lot of fabric rolled up there). Sand castle building by the water is hazardous for long pants.
Mary:
Jesica and I were both elated when she told me the story. I love how she surprised herself. Luke was intent on that sand castle. He built dams on both ends to keep the water from encircling it. And he didn’t even pop a cork when Becket jumped on the dams. It’s not Pedro’s rolled pants but the fact that one leg was shorter than the other — ala Fuengirola style.
Those English lessons of yours are really paying off — congratulations to you and Jesica! Learning English as a second language is a significant achievement. I took 6 years of French in school and 1 year of German in University, and I’m lucky if I can remember how to say “hello, how much does that cost?, or where is the Ladies’ room?”, LOL!!
Tundra Bunny:
Jessica works really hard at it and is exceptional at processing the rules of grammar. Her two challenges: 1) Although her vocabulary is large, she has challenges with pronunciation, 2) She tries to make SENSE of English grammar.
Hmmmm…..
Deedles:
I wish they’d write a new rap for that song. I LOVE the line Things that make you go hmmm… and can listen to that forever.
Did they have the bib in bear size? Reaching understanding is a wonderful turning point.
David:
Didn’t you know? Bibs are one size fits all. I was so happy for Jessica. I remember the first time I got off the phone and realized I had just had a conversation entirely in Spanish and understood the other side without seeing their facial expressions or hand movements.
So great about Jessica. Maybe the baby who wears the bib is the product of 100% natural childbirth, something I did because I was nuts.
Love,
Janie
Janie:
Oh, I know someone who said natural all the way. She had a looooooong labor and finally agreed to an epidural. She told me, “If I had only known, I would have said to hell with it and started with the epidural.”
Ha! That’s funny, an English-speaking woman in Spain assuming everyone knows English, but it’s really not all that far-fetched. Thanks to, first, the British Empire of yore, and second, the current United States hegemony (in fact, I’ve read that the USA is sometimes referred to by non-residents as “the empire that dare not speak its name”), English is now the world’s most widespread language. Nevertheless, it’s kind of obnoxious to assume EVERYBODY speaks it.
All of which reminds me, ever see the 1950s French comedy Mr. Hulot’s Holiday? Shown on America TV, it’s French with English subtitles, which is how I saw it. However, there’s a scene where an English-speaking woman (from England) talks to the title character in English, which he can’t understand. I obviously understood what she was saying, though what she was saying was inconsequential as the joke was simply that she was speaking English at all, and not stopping to consider the native-speaking person couldn’t. Seems like you witnessed a real-life Mr. Hulot’s Holiday scene.
Kirk:
I loved that film! We see Mr. Hulot’s holiday scenes all the time. Not only do many people not appreciate that they’re in a country where English is not the primary language, but they don’t even ask or attempt to slow down and be understand. Oddly, it’s not just English. Many visiting Finns do the same thing, which is hilarious… Well everyone speaks Finnish don’t they?
An excellent assortment! The anti-thing bag is truly hilarious, as is the plastic “natural” bib. (I assume natural is referring to the baby, not the bib, but even in that case — who knows???)
Steve:
Yeah, the anti-thing bag was a bit ironic. As for the big, I hadn’t thought of the BABY being natural, I thought it was the watermelon printed on the plastic. You make more sense.