La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I began this post Sunday morning, but didn’t have time to finish it, as we were running late for our drive to Córdoba and San Geraldo’s cousins were waiting for us to pick them up in Málaga. It was a 2–hour drive with one stop for gas and treats (or was it treats and gas). San Geraldo can’t complete a driving trip without Oreo cookies. It used to be Oreos and Fig Newtons, but we can’t find those here, so we’ve been forced to rough it.
San Geraldo’s cousins (this is our first time to meet them in person and we are in love) had a plane connection in New York that they had to sprint to catch. They then missed their connection in Madrid Saturday morning and didn’t get in until about 5 hours later. They were happy to arrive and made us happy to see them.
We got home around 9 last night exhausted. No plans for us today. I slept until 10. Tomorrow we’ll take the train to Sevilla (we had planned to drive). After yesterday’s drive — our first time not taking the train to Córdoba — we decided the train is much more relaxing.
Every day, Dudo requires me to go out in the front hall with him. I’m expected to sit on the stairs with one arm hanging below the railing so he can rub his head and body against my hand before and between explorations. If I hang my arm in front of the railing where it’s more comfortable, he gets annoyed. So I do what I’m told. Dudo loves to run full-speed down the hall and jump up to chase ghosts. When he hears Moose coming, he hides around a corner so he can surprise him. Moose’s reaction is never what he hopes for. More like “Oh, it’s you again. Yawn.”
Our African Spear (Sansevieria cylindrica) is in bloom in the front hall and the aloe vera is sending out flower stems and buds. In the evening, the fragrance from the African spear is potent and sadly missed inside the house (but the plant grew so fast it overtook the living room). The aloe vera blooms take more than a month to open. The flower stems will be taller than me at that point. We’ve got that to look forward to… and Sevilla. Soon I’ll share photos of the Mesquita in Córdoba.
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Comencé este post el domingo por la mañana, pero no tuve tiempo de terminarlo, ya que llegábamos tarde a nuestro viaje a Córdoba y las primas de San Geraldo nos estaban esperando para recogerlos en Málaga. Fue un viaje de 2 horas con una parada para gasolina y golosinas (o fue golosinas y gasolina). San Geraldo no puede completar un viaje en coche sin Oreos. Solían ser Oreos y Fig Newtons, pero no podemos encontrarlos aquí, por lo que nos hemos visto obligados a pasarlo mal.
Las primas de San Geraldo (esta es la primera vez que los conocemos en persona y estamos enamorados) tenían una conexión de avión en Nueva York que tuvieron que correr para alcanzar. Luego perdieron su próxima conexión en Madrid y no llegaron hasta unas 5 horas después. Estaban felices de llegar y nos hizo felices verlos.
Llegamos a casa agotados alrededor de las 21:00 anoche. No hay planes para nosotros hoy. Dormí hasta las 10. Mañana tomaremos el tren a Sevilla (teníamos planeado conducir). Después del viaje de ayer, la primera vez que no tomamos el tren a Córdoba, decidimos que el tren es mucho más relajante.
Todos los días, Dudo me pide que salga al vestíbulo con él. Se espera que me siente en las escaleras con un brazo colgando debajo de la barandilla para que él pueda frotar su cabeza y cuerpo contra mi mano antes y entre exploraciones. Si cuelgo el brazo frente a la baranda donde es más cómodo, se enoja. Así que hago lo que me dicen. A Dudo le encanta correr a toda velocidad por el pasillo y saltar para perseguir fantasmas. Cuando oye venir a Moose, se esconde en una esquina para poder sorprenderlo. La reacción de Moose nunca es la que espera. Más como “Oh, eres tú otra vez. Bostezo”.
Nuestra Lanza Africana (Sansevieria cylindrica) está floreciendo en el vestíbulo y el aloe vera está produciendo tallos y capullos de flores. Por la noche, la fragancia de la lanza africana es potente y lamentablemente se extraña dentro de la casa (pero la planta creció tan rápido que se apoderó de la sala de estar). Las flores de aloe vera tardan más de un mes en abrirse. Los tallos de las flores serán más altos que yo en ese punto. Tenemos eso que esperar… y Sevilla. Pronto compartiré fotos de la Mesquita en Córdoba.
Enjoy the visitors, it sounds like a busy agenda. Such a sweet cat, he has you well trained.
David:
We’re all a bit tired. Yeah, Dudo has us both trained.
Now THOSE are healthy and happy plants! Enjoy.
Jim:
Speaking of which, they’re all overdue for water, food, and conversation.
Funny how cats have their little daily rituals and train their humans to take part in them.
Debra:
We’d never been trained so well or forced to keep to so many routines by our former cats. But we were working, so thery got used to being on their own. These two are so used to us being around most of the time. Oh, excuse me, Dudo just told me he wants to go in the hall. I’m off.
Fascinating to see flowers on either of those two plants – I had no idea that Sansevieria (now reclassified as Dracaena angolensis, apparently) was scented.
Looking forward to seeing pics of the fabulous Mesquite (we went – once – years ago and loved it). It is much easier to go by train. Saves all that stress, and you can eat more Oreos! Jx
PS I found you can buy McVities Fig Rolls (probably the closest you’ll get to “Fig Newtons”) in a shop based in Torrox Costa; they do delivery as well.
Jon:
I had completely forgotten that the African spear was reclassifed. I found that last time I wrote about it a couple of years ago. The fragrance in the evening is almost overpowering. Well, I don’t think fig cakes are worth the one-hour drive. Besides we couldn’t then sing “You’re darn tootin’, we like Fig Newtons.”
I had a huge aloe vera plant for years and it never bloomed! I wonder if that was my fault or if it was some different variety of aloe?
Kelly:
We’ve had plenty of aloe vera over the years but never to this sizer. These are about 4-feet tall and in two long planters. Before these, ours never flowered.
I now feel an urgent need to get Oreos and Fig Newtons! Thanks a lot, Scoot! Dudo made me smile.
Deedles:
You’re very welcome!
Your plants are healthy you must have quite the green thumb.
Laurent:
Right now, I’m mostly lucky. I’ve been a bit inconsistent in their care.
Oreos and fig newtons my least two favorite cookies. I hate eating them because I feel like I have crumbs all throughout my teeth. And if I can take a train somewhere I definitely do, that way I can either sit and read, blog or have eats and drinks.
Mistress Borghese:
I hated Fig Newtons when I was a kid, considering them “adult cookies.” Buyt I agree with you about the crumbs throughout my teeth with Oreos. Blech!
FABULOUS FABULOUS FABULOUS photos of your plants ! Beautiful close ups.
cheers
Parsnip:
Thanks. More updates to come.
I don’t eat Oreos very often. If I have even one, then I’ll end up eating the package and having the black stuff all over my teeth. Fig Newtons? Yuck! It’s a good thing Dudo has you trained. So nice that you like the cousins.
Love,
Janie
Janiejunebug:
Maddie complained about the same teeth problem. I agree. Don’t do it very often and spend a while looking in the car mirror after I’ve done so. Now, I take selfies. The cousins are amazing. Such a beautiful connection.
Beautiful succulents! I miss dry-climate plants. Listening to the news lately, about how were in a serious drought and it’s killing off trees and other temperate-climate plants, it may be time to get some!
Walt the Fourth:
Is in in the Alps where some kindsof cactus is now growing?
If Dudo was a human, he’d be diagnosed with OCD. However, I can empathize with him as I’ve battled a bad head cold, cabin fever and late winter ennui all in the last two weeks… I don’t need Oreos, I need spring, LOL!
Tundra Bunny:
You’re so right about Dudo. So sorry about your physical and mental ennui!
I didn’t hate Fig Newtons growing up, but I always viewed them as kind of B-list cookies, whereas Oreos was A-list. If my mother came home from the store with a B-list cookie, I was always a bit disappointed.
Kirk:
For me, Fig Newtons were an adult cookie I’ve always like Oreos except for how they get between my teeth.