I got my baby back, baby back!

I forgot to announce that my husband has finally returned from holidays in Spain. I missed him so much! He had a wonderful time eating his mamas cooking and being fussed over..... He brought back my favorite soap from Asturias "Heno de Pravia"and my favorite sweets "marzipan" made by the nuns . He also brought a little pair of wooden shoes from a lengthy layover in Amsterdam.

This photo is of my husband when he was probably 2 or 3 years old in Europe.

DIA DE REYES

Christmas Eve in Spain is about one thing. Eating. New Years Eve in Spain is about 3 things, Eating, drinking & celebrating! January 5th in Spain is about the gifts.Today is Dia de Reyes or as known in my home in America, 3 Kings Day. Years ago Spanish children would leave their shoes by their beds at night and the 3 Kings would bring gifts while they slept. Maybe the kids still leave shoes as part of the custom. Baltasar, Gaspar & Melchor have had a very busy day and night with the parades and gift deliveries all over the Country. I just spoke to my friend Fernando and he confirmed that they were almost done in Spain and were soon heading west to the United States. I had better be a good hostess and leave out a bottle of red wine and some Spanish tortilla for a snack. Something tells me that The 3 Kings eat a lot better than Santa Claus does!

Wordless Wednesday

Eat this !

I have my regular job at a public school here and I work 2 or 3 days a month at a restaurant here in town. Yesterday being New years day I decided to pick up a shift. Wow HUGE MISTAKE! Hey people, I am happy that you all got gift cards this Christmas. Next year use your head why don't you. Is it really so necessary to run out and use it the very second you open it? Hmmmm if I went to a restaurant and they had an hour wait to be seated Id try another place, eat fast food or go home and try some other time. Your waitress (me) is paid an hourly wage of 2.13 per hour. I also have to tip out the bartenders and all hosts and hostess's. I am going to do anything in my power to make your visit and meal enjoyable , because I want a tip. I want a good tip people. Please don't scream at me that you had to wait an hour to be seated. Please don't scream at me that your food took so long to arrive. I have no control over the kitchen. Cooks can be damn scary people when they get asked for the millionth time "Is my order ready yet, I really need it" Let us remember they have knives! I would like to toss out this novel idea, What say you hold on to that gift card for another week or even a month? After the crowds die down just a bit your service in any restaurant will be so much better. Thanks for listening.

Lost in Asturias

Looking at this photo reminds me of two things.... How happy I was the day this photo was taken and how much I love my family in Spain. I don't even remember where this was taken besides the obvious. The mountains of Asturias. My cousin Lobo ( on the right) has got to be one of the coolest persons I have ever known. To get in a car with him is an adventure waiting to happen! Guaranteed, you know you will eat damn well, you will see places that very few others have dared to go before you, and you will be in the company of one of the kindest men in all of Spain! yo quiero mucho Viceen y Lobo

Spanish White Wine

My 2 favorite white wines are Albarino and Chardonnay. The Albarino grape is grown in a very small area of Northwest Spain and border of Portugal. Its not a cheap wine, because the grape is not abundant. The taste is slightly dry, floral and citrus. An average bottle in my part of the world is about 18.00 dollars. I have found this particular brand Salneval 2006 for 9.00 dollars a bottle. I guess I would give it a 85 or 86 rating. Its a decent wine.

I will show some of my favorite Chardonnays as well as my favorite Reds in a post soon. I warn you I have LOTS OF FAVORITES! I am sorry for the poor photo quality. My husband gave me this crappy digital camera, said something about it was the first digital camera ever made....

I like this man!

Kansas is a back ass ward Republican state. I know one of our state senators , he is a nice enough guy , he tried to run for President.... but he is still a Republican. I laugh at all the farmers here that proudly claim to be Republican but yet are some of the largest welfare recipients in the state. Anyhooo I have been giving the candidates a lot of thought. I even wanted to like 2 guys in the republican party. I have always admired John McCain. A lot. But his support of Bush goes against everything I believe in. I like Rudy Giuliani, but not so much to give him my one and only vote. I travel to Europe every year and its not my imagination that every year the USA is disliked more and more.World relations are an important issue for me. I think a totally fresh start is in order. I think this man can do a lot to mend how the world feels about me.(and You). I say whatever to the naysayers that scoff he has no experience, Bush has no intelligence, clue, idea , brains...... Sadly I always seem to back the guy that never wins.

Its snowing. Again.

Another day another snowstorm. Raphael is having a hard time these days. He hasn't slept in two nights and he paces the house growling and barking. I can only attribute his behavior to him missing his "dad". It curious that he is upset because everybody knows that Raphael loves me the most!

Ps Miguel, enjoy the beautiful weather butthead.