La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Saturday began with coffee at Mesón Salvador with Tynan. Always a great way to start a day. My first cup of coffee was my usual café con leche. My second cup was a three-layered work of art created with care by Adrian. I felt loved.
I spent the rest of the day at home being productive — doing laundry, making some repairs, watering and attending to plants. Dinner was at Restaurante Primavera where we’re treated like family.
I grew up in a household with parents who regularly asked, unkindly, “Who do you think you are?” One result is, if I don’t know for certain I’ll be able to do something perfectly from the outset, I usually won’t try at all. If I do try — preferably when nobody’s watching— my stress makes even a simple task seem complex. Like fast lock laces. I bought a pair in Norway and it took me weeks after I got home to try and assemble them. As if anyone would care if I knew what I was doing. Well, I didn’t do the greatest job, the slider on the right shoe was upside down, and one of the laces finally slipped out of the fast lock last week.
Yesterday, I sat down calmly and confidently and used a pair of plyers to open the lock and redo the lace. It took all of 30 seconds and, oddly, made my day even better. Who do I think I am? I’m a mostly good and kind person who continues to grow and who somehow manages to grab life by the balls — and who knows how to assemble, disassemble, and reassemble a fast lock shoe lace. That’s who I think I am.
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El sábado comenzó con café en Mesón Salvador con Tynan. Siempre es una excelente manera de comenzar un día. Mi primera taza de café fue mi habitual café con leche. Mi segunda taza fue una obra de arte de tres capas creada con cuidado por Adrian. Me sentí amado.
Pasé el resto del día en casa siendo productivo: lavando la ropa, haciendo algunas reparaciones, regando y cuidando las plantas. La cena fue en el Restaurante Primavera donde nos tratan como a una familia.
Crecí en un hogar con padres que preguntaban regularmente, sin amabilidad, “¿Quién te crees que eres?” Un resultado es, si no estoy seguro de que seré capaz de hacer algo perfectamente desde el principio, por lo general no lo intentaré en absoluto. Si lo intento, preferiblemente cuando nadie está mirando, mi estrés hace que incluso una tarea simple parezca compleja. Como cordones de cierre rápido. Compré un par en Noruega y tardé semanas después de llegar a casa en intentar montarlos. Como si a alguien le importara si yo sabía lo que estaba haciendo. Bueno, no hice el mejor trabajo, el deslizador del zapato derecho estaba al revés, y uno de los cordones finalmente se salió de la última traba rápida.
Ayer, me senté con calma y confianza y usé un par de alicates para abrir la cerradura y volver a hacer el encaje. Me tomó 30 segundos y, curiosamente, hizo que mi día fuera aún mejor. ¿Quién creo que soy? Soy una persona en su mayoría buena y amable que continúa creciendo y que de alguna manera se las arregla para agarrar la vida por las bolas — y que sabe cómo armar, desarmar, y volver a armar un cordón de zapato “fast lock.” Eso es lo que creo que soy.
• Mis raviolis de espinacas con ricota y champiñones en una salsa de setas y nata.
• Para San Geraldo, Pizza Setas: Crema de calabaza, mozzarella, setas salteados, y jamón Ibérico. Él comió la mitad y yo tomé el resto con el desayuno.
• Mi helado de turrón y canela. La próxima vez, solo canela (tal vez solo una bola).
• Las dos bolas de chocolate de San Geraldo. Su orden nunca cambiará.
You are good. You are talented. You can do it. Not just encouragement, truth.
David:
Believe it or not, I’ve gotten better at handling my “damage” over the years. It’s a lifelong journey.
Oh the unfortunate and untrue messages we absorb during childhood.
sillygirl:
I never thought I’d still have the scars at this age. It’s at least a hell of a lot better than it used to be. Some never find a way beyond the childhood damage.
We will always have the scars but realizing it is all a mirage is the miracle and just a few letters difference.
sillygirl:
I work all the time on making my own miracle.
As always your food photos are beautiful, makes me dream of the day we can return to Europe and the quality it offers. I also enjoys those recollections of your life at home way back when, family life is far from perfect and like you I wonder what my parents were trying to achieve or present as an image of their life to the world.
Larry:
I had so many years to better understand what created and drove my mother. The one major thing I learned about my father was that his father was apparently exactly the same.
((((Scoot)))). Sometimes you bring out my maternal instincts, the good kind. Weird, considering I’m so much younger than you *cough*.
Deedles:
It is strange considering the enormous difference in our ages. I mean, you could be my granddaughter!
I know very little about you since I haven’t been reading here long, but I do know you’re an interesting person who writes a blog I enjoy. I don’t believe anyone has ever asked me “who do you think you are?”, kindly or otherwise.
I can only imagine what injuries would ensue if I attempted to skimboard. Even running to the water could be dangerous.
Kelly:
Thanks for the kind words. I’m grateful. As for skimboarding, I had the same thought about running to the water.
You’re a better man than I; I’ve never hear of fast lock laces!
PS That pizza is making me hungry!
Bob:
The Ecco shoes came with those types of laces. They’re wonderful to use (especially on bad sciatica days) and are supposed to last for the life of the shoes. They didn’t. Now, the shoes are getting tired, but they’ve still got some life left.
It’s tragic how thoughtless things said in passing or in the heat of the moment can scar a child.
Debra:
Unfortunately, my father rarely said kind things. I still hear his voice in my head all these years later. He died at the age of 59 and I could see the regret in his face, but the damage had been done (it continued into my adult years). My mother was passive aggressive. She gaveth and tooketh away… without warning. The scars are deep. But I’ve done well, continue to do better, and I’m grateful for this life.
What Philip Larkin said about parents.
Kirk:
I’m glad Larkin wasn’t correct about all parents, but when the shoe fit…
Those two surfers/skimboard surfers know what they are doing! Make it look so easy.
I like what you guys eat.
Jim:
Like surfers, the skimboarders do a lot of watching and waiting. I found it even more fun than watching surfers… while they watch and wait. It takes a lot of strength and coordination.
I’ve never even heard of lock whatever shoe aces, Mitchell :)… that’s who I am.
GREAT job fighting the negativity monster.
Judy C:
I didn’t know about these laces until I bought a different pair of Ecco shoes that came with them. They are cool and so easy to tighten and loosen.
I would love to have a restaurant where I felt like family; you are a fortunate fellow to have such.
Urspo:
It’s what we look for in a restaurant. We usually find it in most places we live. Very easy here.
I encountered some equally high-tech (but different from yours) laces the last time I bought shoes, and had to get coaching from my 22 year old granddaughter to figure them out.
Chrissoup:
That’s my problem! I don’t have a grandchild or even a neighborhood 12-year-old to do these things. So I have to fake it til I make it.
Words can hurt more than fists, especially to a child. Silencing an inner critic is very liberating, but can take years to master sometimes!
I’ve never had cinnamon ice cream. Does it taste like a cinnamon bun? My favourite ice cream is Tiger Tiger (sometimes known as Tiger Tail) which is orange and black licorice swirled together… and only available in Canada!
Tundra Bunny:
Primavera make all their own ice creams. So everything is very natural in flavor (and perfection). So the cinnamon ice cream is refreshingly cinnamon without the sweetness of cinnamon buns. I would love that licorice ice cream. I’ve never seen that and will now be on the lookout.
You know that I believe that pizza is the most important food group. That one looks wonderful.
Walt the Fourth:
This is my current favorite of their pizzas. And you know I believe pizza is the most important food group, too.
When you need a pair of plyers to tie and wear a pair of sneakers, IM DONE!!!! lmao!!!
That ice cream looks sooo good. You’re trying to tempt me again to indulge, and the next thing you know my undies will cut my circulation!!! Or was my circulation being cut looking at those two skimboaders in very nice tight fitting wet suits!!!! That I may add, make their ass look great. I bet the front view didn’t leave much to the imagination either!!!!
Mistress Borghese:
Yeah, it’s not like lacing shoes the old-fashioned way, but once they’re in, they’re a breeze.
As long as circulation is being cut by the skimboarders, you might as well indulge in the ice cream. Besides, the ingredients are all natural (in the ice cream, too).