La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
The image at top is what we’ve waited 5-1/2 months for. A text message telling us that our registration in the province and city is done. It reads: “Statistics Unit (City Council of Córdoba). The application for registration in the Residents’ Registry, dated 10/12/2024, has been successfully submitted.” Maybe I should have phoned December 11. So, now we have to walk over to the office (less than 10 minutes) and receive whatever official document we need to do everything else regarding our move (change address, update our drivers licenses, switch banks, and more). All different bureaucracies. What fun.
Sarah and Evan arrived with gifts for us. Evan remembered us well. Knowing how much San Geraldo loves bread and jam, crackers and jam, and just jam by the spoonful, they brought a jar of marionberry jam from Oregon. They live in Washington State just across the border. Knowing my need for chocolate, they brought California’s favorite See’s chocolates. The company was founded in Los Angeles by transplanted Canadians in 1921. The 1-pound box is already history. SG and I shared it. And now there is the 4-pack of chocolate bars to enjoy. Let’s see how long they last. Any guesses?
Dudo has been spending a lot of time on the terrace sleeping on his rug and eying the birds as they fly by. I sprinkled catnip on the two chairs. Nothing. But the catnip wasn’t fresh. Now I moved Dudo’s rug onto one of the chairs. Maybe that will entice him. The view will be so much better from there. Then again. He still ducks when a bird swoops. Maybe he feels too exposed on the chair.
I’ve included a couple of views today of the living room and dining room (the salon, as it’s known here). Maybe we’ll go tomorrow or Thursday to get our official registration. The chocolate should give us the energy.
La imagen de arriba es lo que hemos esperado durante cinco meses y medio. Un mensaje de texto que nos avisa de que nuestro registro en la provincia y la ciudad está hecho. Quizás debería haber llamado el 11 de diciembre. Así que ahora tenemos que ir andando a la oficina (menos de 10 minutos) y recibir los documentos oficiales necesarios para hacer todo lo demás relacionado con nuestra mudanza (cambiar de domicilio, actualizar el carnet de conducir, cambiar de banco y más). Un montón de burocracias. ¡Qué divertido!
Sarah y Evan llegaron con regalos. Evan nos recordaba bien. Sabiendo lo mucho que le gusta a San Geraldo el pan con mermelada, las galletas con mermelada, e la mermelada a cucharadas, trajeron un tarro de mermelada de mora de Oregón. Viven en el estado de Washington, justo al otro lado de la frontera. Sabiendo que me encanta el chocolate, trajeron los chocolates See’s, los favoritos de California. La empresa fue fundada en Los Ángeles por canadienses trasplantados en 1921. La caja de 454 g ya es historia. SG y yo la compartimos. Y ahora está el paquete de 4 barras de chocolate para disfrutar. A ver cuánto duran. ¿Alguna idea?
Dudo ha estado pasando mucho tiempo en la terraza durmiendo en su alfombra y observando a los pájaros pasar. Espolvoreé hierba gatera en las dos sillas. Nada. Pero la hierba gatera no estaba fresca. Ahora moví la alfombra de Dudo a una de las sillas. Quizás eso lo tiente. La vista será mucho mejor desde allí. Aunque claro. Todavía se agacha cuando un pájaro vuela en picado. Quizás se siente demasiado expuesto en la silla.
Hoy he incluido un par de vistas de la sala y el comedor (el salón, como lo llamamos aquí). Quizás vayamos mañana o el jueves a hacer la matrícula oficial. El chocolate debería darnos energía.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Forbid the cats from getting on the chairs, that should assure that they hop right up.
David:
Great idea!
Officially registered and treats too? Life is sweet!
Debra,
Yes it is. Still 4 chocolate bars remaining. We we behaved yesterday.
Finally, the important piece of paper. It’s surprisingly complicated to move in Spain. Boud.
Boud,
I’ve heard it may be more complicated than some other places.
I think Dudo thinks this whole towel-on-the-chair and move-my-rug-by-the-chair is some kind of trick and he ain’t falling for it.
I wonder if you took treats to the bureaucrats your applications might have gone speedier??
Bob,
No bribes. They don’t even work on Dudo.
It all looks so lovely. Kudos. I’m curious: why do you want the cats on the chairs? Olivia
Olivia,
Funny! That’s a good question. Because I know they’d like the view. But I give up.
Una bellissima casa💜
Baba,
Grazie!
I love the picture of Dudo looking at the camera as if to say, “What? Can’t I nap in peace?”
Candy and jam. Sweets for the sweet.
The apartment is looking great and now you are official.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon,
We get a lot of those looks from Dudo.
Your place looks wonderful!
And the chocolate!!!
Dudo knows what he is doing……..needs a little more time.
Jim,
Dudo does know what he’s doing. I’ll leave it to him!
That box of See’s was the first thing that popped up when I opened your blog and, complete junky that I am, I went Ooooooooh! That’s some nice gifting, and a reminder my supply in the fridge is getting low, time to restock.
Shirley,
I thought of you when I saw the See’s labels.
Yay!
It seems like a little thing, but having that kind of paperwork done is soooo good!
And yay for chocolate!!
XOXO
Sixpence Notthewiser,
Always yay for chocolate.
You sent me on a Google search to investigate what a “Marionberry” is – it’s a blackberry, common as anything over here. I remember fondly as kids, going “blackberrying” with parents or grandparents, and coming back with tubs and tubs of them (the ones we didn’t eat off the bush, of course)! I don’t remember anyone in our family making jam, but blackberry and apple pie (with vanilla ice cream or custard) was a treat.
Of course, you mustn’t pick them after Michaelmas, because the devil will have pissed on them! Jx
PS Congratulations on becoming citizens of Cordoba!
Jon,
Thanks!
Jon,
Blackberry and apple pie sounds so good right now.
Jon:
Was writing from the cafe and having trouble with my iPad. I wanted to add that marionberry is a cultivar from Oregon,
a cross between the ‘Chehalem’ and ‘Olallie’ varieties of blackberries. Different taste and texture than the blackberries you’re used to, I think. Almost all of them, I think 90%, come from Oregon.
I bet we kids wouldn’t have thought there was a difference – except one would have had to be flown all the way from from America, and the other would have been eaten straight from a bush in Wales 😍 Jx
Jon:
I sure wouldn’t know the difference.
Someone gave me a box of See’s years ago and I remember it was very good chocolate.
Congratulations on being official residents of Cordoba! I hope the rest of your “new city” paperwork goes smoothly (and quickly).
Kelly,
I do like See’s. I used to treat myself to a a truffle or three after an evening of shopping in Santa Barbara.
I exclaimed, “Oh! isn’t that nice!” When I saw the views of your salón 🙂
I chuckled when I read that Dudo ducks when the birds fly by!
Does Spain invert the placement of day and month in abbreviated dates, like this (compared to U.S.)?
Judy C
Judy C,
Yes, day/month/year is pretty standard in much of the world. It gets confusing when dealing with the States.
I’ve never seen that brand of chocolate before 🍫
-Adam
NEKORANDOM.COM
Adam,
I had never heard of See’s until we moved to California in 1993. It’s a staple there.
Congratulations on getting your registration done! One hassle over. Your apartment looks so good!
Michael,
Yippe! Thanks. We’re really enjoying the new apartment.
Do marionberries taste like blackberries? And thanks for not torturing us with a photo of an opened box of chocolates, Scoot!
Tundra Bunny,
Marionberries are only from Oregon, a cultivar of Barack berrie, a cross between Chehalem and Olallie berries. Both blackberries. Delicious. I was kind wasn’t I? But it was an oversight and now there are no boxed chocolates left!
Will something bad happen if you don’t register?
Kirk,
The law does require us to register, but we wouldn’t go to jail. It affects central government funding for the province and cities. Plus, we can’t do anything else without it. Our identity cards have our old address, drivers licenses, banks.
You were lucky to get the jam….your friends must have carried it in their hold luggage! When we came home from our son’s wedding in Slovenia, Ana’s Mum gave me a jar of home made jam, but thinking it would be safer from getting broken I packed it in my carry on bag……it was confiscated !! Never considered that it would count as liquid! Damn.
I can see the edge of a cabinet with glasses in it…….I wonder how big it is? I will send you a pic of our large ” bookcase”, that holds anything but books!!
Frances
Frances:
I never know what they’ll consider liquid, so it all ends up in my suitcase. I’m sure that’s what they did. Also, I wouldn’t even travel with homemade jams in my suitcase, thinking if it’s not labeled and approved it would not be allowed. I’ll share another photo of the cabinet. We found it Gloucester, Massachusetts, at an antique shop. It was part of a library in an old mansion. Imagine having more of that! It traveled with us since 1981, first all around the US and now three homes in Spain.