La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Thursday afternoon felt like ice cream. We had just finished lunch at Primavera. San Geraldo is always the one who suggests ice cream. We had both had large lunches and were kind of full, but I said I thought we could manage small cups. San Geraldo, who has only recently switched from large to medium, said, “I’m not going all that way for a tiny, little cup.”
We walked all that way — an extra minute — to our favorite ice cream shop. The last few times we’ve been there, we’ve been waited on by a very pleasant young guy. When he saw us this time, he just about exploded with joy. It gave us such a warm feeling. We told him we really didn’t have room and he said it wasn’t a problem because, “A meal goes to the stomach. Ice cream goes to the heart.” Of course, I commented about a heart attack and he said, “But you’d die happy.” We chatted a bit and I learned his name is Valentin. A new friend just in time for our departure. I guess we’ll have to have a lot of ice cream before we go.
Speaking of going, it looks like we’re on track. The agent’s boss reviewed our updates to the contract and only had one question. Nothing important. After that, I was told the contract would be updated with our changes. But I was told that by the agent. So, we’ll see. We’re training up to Córdoba Monday to sign the papers and get the keys. We’ll stay overnight at a nearby hotel and come home Tuesday afternoon.
Our wonderful friend Santi and his equally wonderful son Yoshua were here yesterday to begin to haul away the plants. Santi has a painting and contracting business. They loaded up the van with all the plants from the terrace until they ran out of room. I don’t know how it happened, but we ended up with an army of attack plants. Only one of our plants did not have thorns. I wish I had caught the guys’ howls every time one of the plants attacked. I had to warn them about the sap, as well. But neither appeared to be sensitive to it. I patched them up with a bit of aloe vera, which they’ll return for Wednesday. They’re also taking the pots we don’t want and the open bags of soil. We could have opened a garden centre. The terrace is getting bare. I find it exciting and am especially happy such good people can enjoy our plants and think of us. The cats are wondering what in hell is going on.
El jueves por la tarde nos apetecía tomar un helado. Acabábamos de comer en Primavera. San Geraldo es siempre el que sugiere helado. Ambos habíamos comido mucho y estábamos bastante llenos, pero le dije que creía que podíamos comer tazas pequeñas. San Geraldo, que hace poco ha pasado de una taza grande a una mediana, me dijo: “No voy a ir tan lejos por una taza pequeña”.
Caminamos tan lejos, un minuto más, hasta nuestra heladería favorita. Las últimas veces que estuvimos allí, nos atendió un tipo muy agradable. Cuando nos vio esta vez, casi explotó de alegría. Nos dio una sensación muy cálida. Le dijimos que realmente no teníamos espacio y él dijo que no era un problema porque, “Una comida va al estómago. El helado va al corazón”. Por supuesto, comenté sobre un ataque al corazón y él dijo: “Pero morirías feliz”. Charlamos un poco y me enteré de que su nombre es Valentín. Un nuevo amigo justo a tiempo para nuestra partida. Supongo que tendremos que tomar mucho helado antes de irnos.
Hablando de ir, parece que vamos por buen camino. El jefe del agente revisó nuestras actualizaciones del contrato y solo tenía una pregunta. Nada importante. Después de eso, me dijeron que el contrato se actualizaría con nuestros cambios. Pero el agente me lo dijo. Así que ya veremos. Tomaremos el tren hasta Córdoba el lunes para firmar los papeles y recibir las llaves. Pasaremos la noche en un hotel cercano y volveremos a casa el martes por la tarde.
Nuestro maravilloso amigo Santi y su igualmente maravilloso hijo Yoshua estuvieron aquí ayer para empezar a llevarse las plantas. Santi tiene un negocio de pintura y construcción. Cargaron la furgoneta con todas las plantas de la terraza hasta que se quedaron sin espacio. No sé cómo sucedió, pero terminamos con un ejército de plantas de ataque. Solo una de nuestras plantas no tenía espinas. Ojalá hubiera captado los aullidos de los chicos cada vez que una de las plantas atacaba. También tuve que advertirles sobre la savia, pero ninguno parecía ser sensible a ella. Los curé con un poco de aloe vera, que devolverán el miércoles. También se están llevando las macetas que no queremos y las bolsas abiertas de tierra. Podríamos haber abierto un centro de jardinería. La terraza se está quedando vacía. Me parece emocionante y estoy especialmente feliz de que gente tan buena pueda disfrutar de nuestras plantas y pensar en nosotros. Los gatos se preguntan qué demonios está pasando.
• Clase de vela.
• Santi tuvo que estabilizar la euforbia mientras salía del edificio. La atacó. Santi gritó. Yoshua no podía parar de reír. Luego, lo atacó la primera vez que intentaron cargarlo en el camión.
• Josué le saca una espina del cabello a su padre. ¡Qué devoción!
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Can’t wait to see the new place, new vistas, exciting places to eat.
David:
Yes! I have a list of restaurants from a restaurant owner here who was born and raised in Córdoba.
Valentin and his large portions of creamy delight? Joshua getting pricked? Mitchell, you are spoiling us! Jx
PS I hope you’re keeping the desert rose!
Ha! I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Jon:
Yes, I had some different ideas for titles but reigned it in. Sadly, the desert rose would not enjoy the move. It loves heat and full sun. On our terrace in the corner with the glass curtain it gets both the entire day. We won’t have the same exposure in Córdoba. Santi and Marisa had admired our desert roses in the past, so they were delighted to get them.
Valentin is adorable, especially with his little sayings.
Your friends are angels for carting away those violent plants!!!
The Boys will be wary ….
Bob:
The first time we saw Valentin we thought he was a cocky young surfer dude. Nothing of the sort. An absolute sweetheart. And, yes, Santi and Yoshua ARE angels.
One of my favorite ice cream places was destroyed in Chimney Rock NC from the Hurricane Helene fallout 😔
Adam:
Sad to learn. The devastation in NC has been heartbreaking.
New horizons just ahead…….things are getting exciting!
Jim:
Yes, they are! And my office is a mess as I clean things up. Odd how that works.
Boud here. You find the cutest guys! I think I’d be dropping in on Valentin often. And what a great feeling to rehome your plants so happily, despite the hand to hand combat it entailed. I’m starting to get quite excited, too. Also impressed that you’re blogging still, midst shot and shell.
Boud:
We DO find the cutest guys, don’t we? So grateful to be able to make personal connections with people who could be our grandchildren! We’re paying for paying. All I’m doing right now is culling what we have no need for. Whatever I don’t get done will simply get packed and moved. (I hope to get most if not all done).
Looks like Carlos Alcaraz’s twin. Yes euphorbias are dangerous with thorns and sap. We were gifted a Crown of Thorns last month so I check myself every time I drop the shade to ward off the glaring light. So far so good, no punctures yet!
Ron:
LOL. In the photo he does sort of look like Alcaraz. In real life, much cuter. One of the euphorbias had gotten so big (tall and armed) it was impossible to pass without getting attacked. I had planned to repot it and move it to the front hall in the corner, but hadn’t gotten around to it (because it was so deadly). That one gouged a whole in Santi’s arm. Our crown of thorns, in two large, long planters — had gotten some sort of bug and were completely cut back as part of treatment. Much easier to move.
It seems like everything is coming together! I am looking forward to reading about your new adventures, though I will miss your photos of the sea.
Michael:
I’m going to have to work really hard to compensate for the loss of sea views.
Wow, so much progress!
How did the piano end up in the contract? Will you be allowed to get rid of it, if you can manage?
Judy C:
Regarding the piano, we were more angry that the agent didn’t know what she was talking about when she said it would be removed and then insisted I said we wanted it. The burden was on the owner to remove it and it would be a large expense, so we decided to be big about. SG had inspected the works while we were there (I didn’t know that) and he said it had been refurbished. So we’ll fix up the exterior somehow. Maybe decorative painting? Maybe just a good clean and polish. At least we’ll have a place for the candelabra and our bust of Beethoven (I mean Liberace).
You’re lucky that anyone wanted those killer plants. Someone could, however, plant them beneath their bedroom windows to prevent anyone from spying or trying to gain entrance.
I bet your cats are so worried.
Are ALL the men in Spain beautiful?
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
A true plant lover with lots of space was the only option. Santi and Marisa just bought a huge property in the mountains. The plants are going in the ground and will be so happy. Dudo clearly knows something is going on. I dread getting them in their travel cages. Although they’re not ALL beautiful there ARE a lot of beautiful men here.
Ice cream is the PERFECT dessert when you are full, because it melts on the way down the esophagus and just fills in all the little nooks and crannies available among the meal in your stomach. You can ALWAYS fit in ice cream!
Debra:
You think like SG! He always talks about the nooks and crannies that remain to be filled.
I was amused at the video of them trying to lift that big plant up without getting pricked. It couldn’t have been easy.
As for that ice cream shop, it’s not just ice cream but candy, too–eye candy, that is.
Kirk:
I wish I had started recording sooner. The first attempt was hilarious (and loud). Yep, we all scream for… ice cream.
Valentin is a young cutie! Maybe you can figure out a way to take him with you.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
We need another truck for all the young cuties!
how exciting it sounds!
Urspo:
I agree.
Urspo:
It is very!