La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I haven’t had much of a day today. Well, it’s been a total day, but I haven’t done much with it. I had my usual yogurt, cereal, and fruit breakfast at home. Today’s cut-up fruit were a plum and a Canary Island banana. The first time I ever had one, in the first months after we moved to Spain. I said, “This is the best banana I’ve ever had.” I thought it was simply my obsession with everything Spanish, but it turns out they’re sweeter and have a more intense aroma, lower starch, higher sugar content (but still fine for diabetics), and a juicier, firmer pulp.
We had “melts” for lunch: open-faced sandwiches of ham, gouda, and sliced apples. Inés Rosales for dessert. You can see yesterday’s second breakfast above. We were at La Bandera while Merchi worked and both had tostadas with scrambled eggs and Iberian ham.
San Geraldo did his daily work on his aquarium. We watched the zebra nerite snail work his way around the glass of the entire aquarium. San Geraldo saw one of the red shrimp doing its thing. We haven’t seen Claude today. I’ve been surprised that SG has remembered his name, although he pronounces Claude the French way (I have no idea why, especially considering his mastery of French is at the level of “moan doo” for mon dieu). Anyway, there’s plenty for the shrimp to feed on hidden from our view.
A few minutes ago, I paid the tank a visit to see if I could spot a shrimp. I did not, but I did discover a tiny zebra nerite snail (like the bigger one). I excitedly pointed it out to SG who wondered if we should call it Claude Jr. or Claude II. I reminded him that Claude was a shrimp. Speaking of which, we just saw another red one and it’s looking quite robust.
Hoy no ha sido un día. Bueno, ha sido un día completo, pero no he hecho gran cosa. En casa, desayuné lo de siempre: yogur, cereales y fruta. Hoy, la fruta troceada consistía en una ciruela y un plátano de Canarias. La primera vez que probé uno fue durante los primeros meses tras nuestra mudanza a España; recuerdo haber dicho: «Es el mejor plátano que he comido nunca». Pensé que era simplemente mi obsesión por todo lo español, pero resulta que son más dulces, tienen un aroma más intenso, menos almidón, un mayor contenido de azúcar (aunque siguen siendo aptos para diabéticos) y una pulpa más jugosa y firme.
Para almorzar comimos «melts»: sándwiches abiertos de jamón, queso gouda y láminas de manzana. De postre, Inés Rosales. Arriba podéis ver el segundo desayuno de ayer. Estuvimos en La Bandera mientras Merchi trabajaba, y ambos tomamos tostadas con huevos revueltos y jamón ibérico.
San Geraldo dedicó un rato a las tareas diarias en su acuario. Observamos cómo un caracol cebra recorría todo el cristal del acuario. San Geraldo vio a una de las gambas rojas haciendo de las suyas. Hoy no hemos visto a Claude. Me ha sorprendido que SG recuerde su nombre, aunque lo pronuncia a la francesa (no sé por qué, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que su dominio del francés se limita a un «moan doo» para decir mon dieu). En fin, dentro del acuario hay alimento de sobra para las gambas, aunque esté oculto a nuestra vista.
Hace unos minutos, me acerqué al acuario para ver si lograba divisar algún camarón. No vi ninguno, pero descubrí un diminuto caracol nerita cebra (parecido al más grande). Con mucha emoción, se lo señalé a SG, quien se preguntó si deberíamos llamarlo Claude Jr. o Claude II. Le recordé que Claude era un camarón. Hablando de eso, acabamos de ver otro de color rojo, y se ve bastante robusto.
• Un toque de magia de acuario para nuestras tallas de bambú de 60 años de antigüedad. Mi madre nos regaló dinero con motivo de nuestra mudanza a San Francisco. Fuimos con ella al barrio chino y encontramos estas piezas.
• Caminando a la dentista ayer.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
That aquarium will provide you with endless hours of amusement one way or the other, it is now clear. Moan Doo!
Debra:
Yep. It’s already happening.
This aquarium will replace a lot of streaming. NADM in the tank.
Moan doo indeed. Boud
Boud:
What’s NADM? I don’t think you mean National Association of Diesel Motorsports.
Never a dull moment
Boud
Oh you kids with your slang!
When I think that at one time in Spain we were only 134 KM from your home. Had we had the time we would have dropped by. Lovely pictures of Spain again and those snails look beautiful.
larrymuffin:
I thought about that when you were here. So near and yet so far!
What a fancy snail! I hope Snail II survives and thrives.
Of course you can’t see Claude. Geez, y’all. He’s invisible.
Mary Moon:
Duh!!! Then again, Claude and a friend made their presence known after this post. They were very busy and sure look happy.
Oh my!
The mummy snail is making a break for the exit! I read up on them, and they have a habit of climbing out of their tanks, so I wouldn’t be surprised. Is that just the first of several “surprise” baby snails, I wonder?
Those bamboo figurines are hilarious! Did you decide at the time that you would one day grow into them? The one on the right does bear a passing resemblance to SG. 🤣 Jx
Jon:
Mummy snail? But, yeah, I too was reading about the nerite snail’s penchant for climbing out of the tank. I watched closely. So far so good. But I suppose we should watch where we step.
No one’s ever described our Chinese bamboo carvings as hilarious. They represent two of the five elemental deities (the five emperors). They have powers, so you’d better watch how you talk about them.
“Mummy” as in mother – it’s evidently given birth… Jx
The snails are quite glamorous, all done up in their finery and such.
And I love the carvings; those are keepers!
Bob:
The zebra snail sure is a beauty, and they’re both already doing good work. I, too, love the carvings. They’ve traveled quite a bit.
The zebra snail is gorgeous! As is the shot of the town on the way to the dentist.
Mistress Maddie:
The plaza pictured is where an old mill used to stand. All that remains is the chimney. Very nice places for a drink just a few minutes from home.
Sure none of those fish are dining on each other?
Kirk:
So far, so good. SG is choosing carefully.
Could watch those snails explore all day! And the wise carvings appear to approve of this new venture.
Jim,
I’m already mesmerized.
I bet there are ferries from Malaga to the Canary Islands, a rather pretty place.
David:
You’d first have to get to the west. Ferries go from Cádiz and Huelva to the Canary Islands.
You’ll probably never see those shrimp again. But, baby snail.
ellen abbott:
Oh, the shrimp were out feasting and swimming all over after I posted yesterday.
A baby snail?! I wonder where that came from. Did the big snail arrive pregnant? Or were there eggs on some of the aquarium plants? So many possibilities.
Steve:
The big snail is male, so we were told by José. He did throw in a couple of extras. So that may be the beautiful little zebra snail. However, we found a tiny snail the day before we brought home our own. SG said they often come from the plants (eggs or snails hidden in the roots). He’s been scooping those out whenever he sees them since he has no idea what kind they are and he doesn’t want the tank taken over by snails. (From what I understand, that’s a losing battle.)
What a walk to the dentist! Oooh! And, what a yummy open face sandwich 🙂 Yumm.
I’m so sorry to hear about the water on the floor… so so so funny that the mop and bucket were in your way, instead of in use —awwwww…. ha! But, towels work faster and take up more water at once, anyway.
Welcome to Claude, and all the other little living guys in your tank! Woo hoo! (Lunch with the ladies was yummy… Mediterranean again, lots of good conversation. I finished Tip Toe… oh my …. hard to watch the end of that one, alone, in the dark… tough one.)
Judy C:
And that part of the walk was right after I passed the 13th-century Torre de La Malmuerta.
SG can cook!
So glad you had another great lunch. I missed you!
Yes, Tip Toe. I cried on that one.
Sounds a good day, a good life.
Urspo:
It IS a good life. Sometimes, I forget.