La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
The sky is several shades of pale gray; the difference in grays barely discernible. The wind blows. The streets are wet, although it’s not raining at the moment. More rain is coming. The temperature remains around 15C/59F. Over the next 14 days, 2 days offer the possibility of a brief glimpse of sun at some point. Fuengirola is slightly warmer and there are more brief glimpses of sun predicted. The Fuengirola River overflowed and trees came down in our old neighborhood.
I just hung a load of laundry on the drying rack. There’s one more serving of apple cake for each of us. That makes the day better. Our three-blossom Christmas cactus has a few new buds.
Since our old electric tea kettle shorted out in November, I finally bought a new one. I wanted a cool-looking one, but the ones I liked weren’t large enough or were rated badly. There was one I loved but it was €169 and had a gazillion (maybe less) special features we had no need for. So I got a fairly cheap one that looked decent and was rated well. It came with an enormous fold-out informational sheet on heavy coated stock. One panel has a photo of the kettle with the parts listed in about 12 languages. The rest, add water, plug in, flip switch, unplug when finished, don’t use in bath, in all those languages, was bit of overkill. The water boils quickly and poors easily.
The Kid Brother has money. I asked if the office helped. He said “They didn’t do nothin’.” I asked how he got money. He said pleasantly, “Don’t worry! I took care of it!” I asked, “Did you go to the bank?” “You know me!” he replied, still happy. “I get things done.” I’ll let you know if I need bail money.
El cielo tiene varios tonos de gris pálido; la diferencia de grises apenas es perceptible. Sopla el viento. Las calles están mojadas, aunque no llueve en este momento. Se avecina más lluvia. La temperatura se mantiene alrededor de los 15 °C/59 °F. Durante los próximos 14 días, 2 días ofrecen la posibilidad de un breve atisbo de sol en algún momento. Fuengirola está un poco más cálida y se pronostican más atisbos de sol breves. El río Fuengirola se desbordó y se cayeron árboles en nuestro antiguo barrio.
Acabo de colgar una carga de ropa en el tendedero. Hay una porción más de pastel de manzana para cada uno de nosotros. Eso mejora el día. Nuestro cactus de Navidad de tres flores tiene algunos brotes nuevos.
Como nuestra vieja tetera eléctrica se estropeó en noviembre, finalmente compré una nueva. Quería una que se viera bien, pero las que me gustaban no eran lo suficientemente grandes o estaban mal calificadas. Había uno que me encantaba, pero costaba 169 € y tenía un montón de funciones especiales (quizás menos) que no necesitábamos. Así que conseguí uno bastante barato que parecía decente y tenía buenas valoraciones. Venía con una enorme hoja informativa desplegable en papel estucado grueso. Un panel tiene una foto del hervidor con las piezas listadas en unos 12 idiomas. El resto, añadir agua, enchufar, accionar el interruptor, desenchufar al terminar, no usar en el baño… en todos esos idiomas, era un poco exagerado. El agua hierve rápido y se derrama fácilmente.
El Hermanito tiene dinero. Pregunté si la oficina le ayudó. Dijo: “No hicieron nada”. Le pregunté cómo conseguía el dinero. Me dijo amablemente: “¡No te preocupes! ¡Yo me encargué!”. Le pregunté: “¿Fuiste al banco?”. “¡Ya me conoces!”, respondió, todavía contento. “Hago las cosas”. Te avisaré si necesito dinero para la fianza.
• Las primeras horas húmedas
• Add water. Plug in. Flip switch.
• Añada agua. Conecte. Encienda el interruptor.
• Flaco, pero contento, Dudo
• Universidad de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras.
• Encajes de piedra y hormigón. Me pregunto cuántos siglos hace que se plantó la palmera.
• Our morning barista, Joel, would like to learn foam art. Do you see a horse? Is it a whale? He said it was an accident.
• A nuestro barista matutino, Joel (he pronounces it joe-ELL), le gustaría aprender el arte de la espuma. ¿Ves un caballo? ¿Es una ballena? Dijo que fue un accidente.
• Arte accidental de mi propia autoría.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Orange Blossom. It is 12 F here, the sun is out.
David:
I dreamed this morning that the sun was shining and the sky was a brilliant blue. I thought it was real. It was not. Still, currently 50F and going up to around 57. At least there’s that.
Oy, the instructions!! This is why I don’t read them!! Plug it in and done!!
Love the sleeping Boys.
To me the foam looks like a spirit rising from an unmarked grave in an ancient cemetery. As you can see I’ve possibly had too much coffee this morning???
Bob:
Not only was that sheet of information ridiculous but what a waste of paper and ink. Usually they’re printed so small you can’t read them without a magnifying glass. This is so large I can read it without my glasses. And it’s almost as heavy as card stock. And glossy. Bizarre. I like your take on the coffee foam; the doctor will see you now.
I thought the foam art was an eagle looking over its left shoulder. Clearly Joel the Barista is an expert producer of Rorschach images. And speaking of experts, your brother is a master of indirect yet reassuring non-answers — he should have been a politician!
Exactly what I saw, Debra! Jx
Debra:
I see your eagle! I never thought about Chuck’s political speak. I don’t think he’s ever given me a straight answer. We need him. He thinks Trump is a jerk.
The foam looks to me, at least in the picture on the left, like a hawk with its head on backwards.
Kirk:
You and Debra are on a similar path. I can see what you’re seeing.
It’s a perching bald eagle.
Handsome Son has that approach to questions, too. Acts as if I’m the FBI grilling him.
You won’t be able to make a bento box with that orange peel. What were you thinking?? Boud
Boud:
I haven’t been able to find a ponderosa lemon! That’s three so far who see a hawk or an eagle. I think we’re on to something.
I love all of your photos. The coffee photos make me want to have another cup of coffee and your mandarin orange photo has a certain “je ne sais quoi” about it!
Michael:
I have a collection of mandarin orange peel photos. What to do with them…
The beauty of things being digital!
Ohhhh! I missed several days of posts! I got really engrossed in tracing back family history on my husband’s mother’s side… whew. It sucks you in, and takes so much concentration. He has a big, fat, gold signet ring that is from several generations back, but he is no longer sure which Silas it belonged to, because the letters are, you know, as signet rings go, all on top of each other. I think I traced it back to his great-great grandfather, born in 1821.
But, in the mean time…
• I LOVE that photo of sweet Moose in Jerry’s big hands… oh so sweet. I always want to bury my nose in that fur. I remember what my cat’s fur smelled like.
• I’m glad you bought a tea kettle that you like looking at… these kinds of little things in life, are good 🙂
• The instructions pages CRACK ME UP 🙂 (I just encountered something like this, too, though on a smaller scale.)
• The grey and fog are a drag… ouffff
• The Córdoba photos continue to delight and amaze me. You have brought Spain to life for me, Mitchell 🙂
• Oh! And, so glad that Chuck figured out some way… to “get things done!” 🙂
Judy C:
Chuck is excruciatingly honest, so I’m pretty sure he didn’t rob a bank. How cool to have that ring. All our heirlooms from our fathers and grandfathers’ times were lost when our house was broken into years ago. Nothing as old as that, though. SG is an avid genealogist with a fascinating family history. He is constantly lost in his research.
Oops… that was moi, of course… hit send too soon 🙂 Judy C
I keep going back to that palm tree. I’ve never seen anything like that.
Kelly:
I had never seen anything like that either.
Assorted comments:
— I’ll let you know if I need bail money. 👍👍👍
— whale
— love the orange; you seem to do everything artistically
David:
There’s art in just about everything… although I was offended and angered by the $6.2 million museum banana.
I’m in the hawk category. But hawks can turn their head pretty far around so I don’t see the head on backwards.
I was just thinking about eating a tangerine myself.
Oh, Kid Brother. We are all curious, I am sure.
I wish I could send you some sunshine. Very bright here and actually warmer today. It’s beautiful. But the temperatures are about to plunge again.
That palm tree is probably sacred and I mean that.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
Another bird of prey vision. That seems to be a trend. The palm tree fascinates me. I’ve never seen that before. As for KB, we will probably never know.
Could be for the best.
Ms. Moon:
Plausible deniability.
-10 C here and very sunny. Had a great walk around town.
I am imagining taking a philosophy degree there…………
Gotta LOVE KB!
Jim:
Oh, KB. I DO have to laugh. Minus 10, even sunny, would be tough for me. Still, sunny would sure be nice.
Don’t you just love “instruction” manuals? Page upon page of tripe, and a pictogram that’s always too small to see.
I’m rather taken with that concrete-made-to-look-like-rope basket for the palm tree! Jx
PS Eagle
Jon:
The birds of prey have it! I love the base of the palm tree. Had never seen anything like it.
Just catching up now, Scoot… that stone & concrete lacework around the palm tree is amazing. And incorporating Roman or other old columns into modern buildings is classic recycling (or up-cycling?).
Moose and Dudo photos are always a high point in your posts — their little pink noses and toe beans are just so damn adorable!
As for the coffee foam, I saw a dead eagle or raven on its back. Has this replaced inkblot tests in 2026? Just asking for a friend…
Tundra Bunny:
Birds of prey are in the majority. But no one saw a dead bird. I’ve made an appointment for you right after Bob Slatten’s.
The palm tree is fabulous (as is that patio)
I think the foam is a woman with long hair. No?
XOXO
Sixpence:
Isn’t the tree amazing? That’s a first for me. Yes! I see the long-haired woman.
If you can’t use the kettle in the bath, then what good is it? Did you know you would get so much rain in your new location, or is it an abnormal amount of rain? I have visions of Kid Brother as a smooth criminal––bank robber by day, cat burglar by night.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
I added that bit about the bath. I don’t know if it actually said that. So maybe it CAN be used in the bath. I love the idea of The Kid Brother being his altar ego. Like Clark Kent.
OMG — those instructions are hilarious. Too many lawyers!
€169 for a kettle?! It better vacuum the rugs and make dinner, too.
Steve:
You’re so right about that kettle. With all it’s bells and whistles, I only wanted it to boil water and turn off when it was done.