La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, AS SAN GERALDO planned his trip to the supermarket, he asked if there was anything I needed. “I’m in serious need of chocolate,” I said. “Lindor truffles?” he asked. I said maybe just a small bar of dark chocolate this time, not a whole box of truffles. But a couple of hours later, as he walked out the door, I called out, “Or maybe something better!” He returned with a treasure trove of sweets: dark chocolate with orange bits; dark chocolate truffles covered in cocoa; and even a non-chocolate treat we both love, Dutch caramel waffle wafers (stroopwafels).
About a half hour before dinner, SG suggested I open the stroopwafels. I removed two from the package. SG said he’d have them both. So, I removed another two from the package for myself. What else could I do?
A little while later, the box of chocolate truffles (covered in cocoa) was begging to be opened. I obliged. I had one chocolate truffle. Because San Geraldo had just done a big grocery shop, he wasn’t much in the mood to cook. We decided to order pizza — one for each of us, as always. While SG was out picking up the pizza, I treated myself to a packet of Almax (liquid antacid) to ward off the reflux I was sure to have that night. The waffles and the pizza would be the culprits. Dark chocolate isn’t a problem.
We rounded out dinner with the second halves of our two pints of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. Don’t ask me why I did it. (Mine was Macadamia Nut Brittle, which I found disappointing.) I went to sleep after midnight and didn’t wake up until 3:44. A nice long stretch of uninterrupted sleep for me. I felt fine. The Almax had done the trick.
I went back to sleep and didn’t wake up again until 6:22, another unusually long stretch for me. That time, however, I woke up coughing. Reflux! I drank a can of ginger ale — and another packet of Almax. I was awake for a half hour before going back to bed for another 40 minutes.
So this morning on best behavior, I had my usual healthy breakfast and a cup of tea. And then a slab of San Geraldo’s chocolate chip banana bread. It’s now 1-1/2 hours later and San Geraldo just asked me if I wanted a stroopwafel. I said, “No.” I am capable of saying “no.”
NOTE: Since I’m really tired of every problem being attributed to age, I would like to point out that I’ve had reflux since I was in my 20s and it’s completely dependent on how and what I eat.
SECOND NOTE: If you use my blog to practice and improve your Spanish (heaven help you), reflujoxiones is not a word. Like refluxtions, which is a combination of reflux and reflections, reflujoxiones is a combination of reflujo and reflexiones.
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AYER POR LA TARDE, MIENTRAS SAN GERALDO planeaba su viaje al supermercado, me preguntó si había algo que necesitaba. “Tengo una gran necesidad de chocolate”, dije. “¿Trufas Lindor?” me preguntó. Dije que tal vez esta vez solo una pequeña barra de chocolate negro, no una caja entera de trufas. Pero unos horas después, cuando salió por la puerta, grité: “¡O tal vez algo mejor!” Regresó con un tesoro de dulces: chocolate negro con trocitos de naranja; trufas de chocolate negro cubiertas de cacao; e incluso una delicia sin chocolate que a los dos nos encanta, gofres de caramelo holandés (stroopwafels).
Aproximadamente media hora antes de la cena, SG sugirió que abriera los stroopwafels. Saqué dos del paquete. SG dijo que los tendría a ambos. Entonces, saqué otros dos del paquete para mí. ¿Qué más podía hacer?
Un rato después, la caja de trufas de chocolate (cubiertas de cacao) rogaba que la abrieran. Yo lo complací. Tomé una trufa de chocolate (cubierta en cacao). Como San Geraldo acababa de hacer una gran tienda de abarrotes, no tenía muchas ganas de cocinar. Decidimos pedir pizza, una para cada uno, como siempre. Mientras SG estaba recogiendo la pizza, me regalé un paquete de Almax (antiácido líquido) para evitar el reflujo que estaba seguro de tener esa noche. Los gofres y la pizza serían los culpables. El chocolate negro no es un problema.
Completamos la cena con las segundas mitades de nuestras dos pintas de helado Häagen-Dazs. No me preguntes por qué lo hice. (El mío era Macadamia Nut Brittle, que me pareció decepcionante). Me fui a dormir después de la medianoche y no me desperté hasta las 3:44. Un buen rato de sueño ininterrumpido para mí. Me sentí bien. El Almax había hecho el truco.
Me volví a dormir y no me desperté de nuevo hasta las 6:22, otro período inusualmente largo para mí. Esa vez, sin embargo, me desperté tosiendo. ¡Reflujo! Bebí una lata de ginger ale y otro paquete de Almax. Estuve despierto media hora antes de volver a la cama durante otros 40 minutos.
Así que esta mañana, con mi mejor comportamiento, tomé mi desayuno saludable habitual y una taza de té. Y luego un trozo de pan de plátano con chispas de chocolate de San Geraldo. Ahora es una hora y media más tarde y San Geraldo me acaba de preguntar si quería un stroopwafel. Dije “no.” Soy capaz de decir “no”.
NOTA: Ya que estoy realmente cansado de que todos los problemas se atribuyan a la edad, me gustaría señalar que he tenido reflujo desde que tenía 20 años y depende completamente de cómo y qué como.
SEGUNDA NOTA: Si usas mi blog para practicar y mejorar tu inglés (que el cielo te ayude), refluxtions no es una palabra. Al igual que reflujoxiones, que es una combinación de reflujo y reflexiones, refluxtions es una combinación de reflux y reflections.
• Stroopwafel — Gofre de caramelo holandés.
• Dudo espera su aperitivo de las 9:30 … ¡a las 7:48!
• Moose, anoche antes de la pizza, otra vez dice “Periscopio arriba”. (haz clic aquí)
• Vi esta paloma el otro día y me recordó al abuelo de 22 tatarabuelos de San Geraldo, Fernando III, con su capa de armiño.
• Bisabuelo en armiño en el Día de San Fernando.
• Mi palomita en el armiño del bisabuelo, 2a cuadrienal Día de San Geraldo, 2016 (haz clic aquí).
I am waiting for Carlos to make pancakes for breakfast but now, after reading this post, I think I’m full.
Even Dudo seems stunned by the consumption.
Bob:
Yeah, Dudo doesn’t pig out like the rest of the members of this family. Moose often eats just because we’re in the kitchen. And he regularly drags me into the kitchen to sit with him while he eats, as well. He’s more picky than we are, but he’ll eat at the drop of a … cat.
I guess Dudo figures that if you guys can splurge any time of day on treats then why not he?
Moose looks totally bored with it all! lol
Jim:
Moose knows how to bliss out. Dudo knows what he wants and when he wants it.
Goodies, reflux, royal pigeons and SG in full ancestral splendour — today’s post really runs the gamut!
Debra:
Kind of like my brain. Bing bing boing.
you could tell moose was in the basket cause it was drooping. I have seen stroopwafels in my grocery store. did the guy on the pizza box come with the pizza? and a wonderful selection of chocolate goodies. dear dudo face…and SG’s face on the statue looks great!
anne marie:
Yep! He gives that basket a pronounced tilt. There’s something seriously wrong with that illustration on the pizza box. Look under the box. It’s as if they merged two drawings.
You are so good for one another, and the kitties,
David:
I’ve pretty much decided that San Geraldo is a keeper.
A marathon of eating! Moose is adorable and I think Dudo (also adorable) is plainly astounded by your marathon.
Wilma:
Dudo studies everything I do. So, I give him a sniff of the sweets. He usually snaps his head back in disgust. Sometimes he runs away.
Cats look so comfortable when they sleep, no matter how contorted their bodies.
Kirk:
Don’t you wish you could sleep in all those positions. I think I have two… maybe three positions for sleep.
Oh, that’s a lot of sweets, even for me. I also have reflux from certain foods – not dark chocolate, though. Have to take antacid before any Italian or Chinese food. I didn’t have this until about 8 years ago, so I guess mine is to be blamed on aging.
Carole:
Jerry finished the stroopwafels. I’m enjoying the truffles with no side effects.
Dark chocolate with orange is one of the loveliest treats in the world. Acid reflux sucks. I had problems with it for a while and a doctor told me to drink Metamucil every day. I tried the Metamucil once. The rest of it went in the garbage. Somehow I recovered without Metamucil. You seem to know how to keep the reflux under control.
Love,
Janie
Janie:
I know exactly what causes my reflux. It’s completely diet related, so I’m completely to blame when I have a problem. And, yes, I love dark chocolate with orange and SG knows it. Have you had a Terry’s chocolate orange? They used to say “tap it and unwrap it.” They even have a sculpture of a chocolate orange at the original Chocolate Works Site in York, England. It looks delicious.
I have not had a Terry’s. It sounds heavenly.
janie:
I haven’t had one for years. But I remember loving it.
What a sweetie he is.
If I asked for such I’d hear why this is not a good idea
Thank you for clarifying the second point; my eyes widened with the possible new word to learn.
Urspo:
I was worried you’d start using reflujoxiones and I’d be to blame. SG and I try hard to not act as each other’s consciences.
No pizza for me after 6pm or within a minimum of 4 hours of bedtime. Even then, chances of reflux are pretty good until 2am. TUMS, Brioschi help. Less chance of reflux if it’s homemade. And no chocolate before bedtime…too much caffeine, but that doesn’t seem to bother you, you’re lucky.
Frank:
The pizza we do as take-out has a very thin crust, so doesn’t do much damage to me unless I’ve over-indulged along with it. Our favorite restaurant for pizza is very gourmet and organic. Not that organic would stop indigestion, but they use the most delicious whole-grain flour that has never given me reflux. You need to move to Fuengirola and your problems would be solved.
Wow, even the pigeons in Spain are exotic and beautiful! I share your love of Stroopwafels (I’d drink caramel if I could, LOL!), though they are hard to find outside of imported food shops in the larger Canadian cities. Thank Jeebus Toblerone, Lindt and Werther’s are widely available here, LOL!
Perhaps Moose’s ” up periscope” mode indicates he’s having a good dream? And Dudo has definitely mastered the art of the stare, LOL!
Tundra Bunny:
SG and I both love caramel. Stroopwafels are easy to find here because we have so many international markets. We even have a completely Dutch food shop nearby. I’ve avoided going in because I know they have stroopwafels and I know what they do to me! Yes, Dudo has definitely mastered the art of the stare. I think he sat there for 15 minutes, in that exact position. Moose paces and whines.
Ooh, pizza! My favorite food group. You guys know how to “dessert.”
Walt the Fourth:
This pizza doesn’t compare to yours, but it’s got a thin crust, which is not so bad on my digestion. Primavera Restaurant’s pizza is YOUR kind of pizza. And, yes, we do know how to dessert.
Before reading your latest blog entry I submitted my online grocery order – which includes a packet of Stroopwafels! I was introduced to them back in 1987 while on a Contiki tour around Europe – then a naive 22 year old. I will have each by first resting it over a hot mug of coffee – the toffee filling goes all soft and extra gooey. Take care and keep safe, Michelle in Wellington, New Zealand, xx
Michelle:
Ooh, I’ve never “cooked” my stroopwafels over a hot mug of coffee. That sounds very gourmet. A Dutch woman we know from our local café would often bring us mini stroopwafels for our morning coffee. If I had two of those, I didn’t get heartburn. I’ll have to hold them over my coffee… if we ever see her again!
I think the word is Reflujo Acido, but inventing words is great too. I am sure the spaniards would smile at your inventiveness. Great statue of SG, who knew.
larrymuffin:
I miss the days of seeing San Geraldo paraded through the streets of Sevilla.