Easter 2002 in Cornwall, England


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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6877897304_be0f12d5bb_t.jpg" alt="Birthday Girl"/>
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It looks like Nora might finally be distinguishing wavelengths of light with her visual cortex. Several times this month, she has proclaimed that "That \[object over there\] is pink!" and been correct about it. And she spends a lot of time pointing at things and asking "What color is this?", but beyond pink she seems unable or unwilling to acknowledge that a green ball and a green shirt have anything in common. Oh well.  One of her favorite things to do is to make up funny sounding words. She will often come up to me and say, "You're a fifilomdo!", which is often followed by a proclamation that she is not a _fifilomdo_, but a _fifilomda_, properly changing the gender of the made up noun following Spanish grammar rules. Once after our visit to the zoo, she declared that "Poppy is a hippo, and I am a hippa!" Indeed.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6841306744_c698981b51_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Bedtime Swig">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6841306744_d3bb14587f_m.jpg" alt="Bedtime Swig"/>
</a>

Once this month, rather than open my door and say, "Poppy, I want to go downstairs have have some juice," as she usually initiates our waking days, I woke up on my own and heard a _BRAAAACK_ sound, like velcro being ripped apart, from the bathroom. Then it happened again, _BRAAACK_. I guessed what it was, and peeked in to confirm. She had managed to take off her blue outer pajamas (used to keep her warm when she inevitably kicks off her blankets) all by herself, and was undoing her diaper (the sound I'd heard) by herself, and was already up on the potty relieving her bladder. I was so proud and showered her with praise. This was especially nice since it came after a series of mornings where she would wake up crying and demand that all operations I described above be done for her while she sobbed. She has done this several times this month.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6837045624_9e01e1d0f6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Reaching for the elevator button">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6837045624_5b2bc5556c_m.jpg" alt="Reaching for the elevator button"/>
</a>

Nora continues to grow at a pace that can only be detected by her shrinking clothes and ability to reach things she previously was unable to reach. She can now easily see over tables and counters and sinks that were previously at forehead level. She can't quite reach the button for the elevator yet, although I make her try once a week.

One aspect of parenting that I suspect will only get more and more interesting over the coming years is noticing what my daughter's peers think is important and how she expresses these concerns to me. For instance, she is all the time performing some physical action and then announcing proudly, "I know how to do this, but you don't know how to do this!" Often these actions consist of some way of twisting her hands together or a bizarre walk or a facial expression. At her daycare she is now the senior class and <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6851291814_acfcd80ec0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Playground Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6851291814_6a04d943b9_m.jpg" alt="Playground Fun"/>
</a>

she and her classmates possess a physical agility and strength that is orders of magnitude above the drooling babies they are around. I'm convinced that they spend a great deal of time inventing new movements and sounds and expressions to one-up both their peers and the underclassmen half their age. The funniest episode of this was when she flicked her long blond locks like the women in shampoo commercials do and declared that "Poppy doesn't know how to do this!" She's got me there.

One day this month, when her mother went to get Nora from daycare, they had the following conversation:

> Mommy: Did you play with Rubén at daycare? Nora: No, he wasn't there. Mommy: And Jimena? Nora: No, she wasn't there. Mommy: And Mario? And \[several other kids\]? Nora: No, no one was at daycare today. Mommy: And \[daycare worker\] Maria? Or \[daycare worker\] Adela? Nora: No, I was all by myself. Mommy: So who prepared your [_merienda_](/2012/02/16/a-guide-to-spanish-meal-names/)? Nora: I made it and ate it all by myself. Mommy: And what did you do all alone at daycare? Nora: Nothing. Once, I crossed the street all by myself without holding anyone's hand and went to the candy store all by myself to buy candy.

Such a vivid imagination! When I told the daycare workers, they laughed at her creativity.

The other day, Nora announced that she had to go do pee-pee, so she headed off towards the bathroom. I asked if she needed any help, and she said, "No," and continued into the bathroom. She came out immediately, however, and walked over to me and said, "Thank you for asking!" before running back to do her business.

Today, when I was walking with Nora around town, we had to take a particularly narrow sidewalk beside a road where the cars go pretty fast, so I moved around to take her other hand so I would be the one on the side of the sidewalk adjacent to the road. Nora said the following:

> Poppy, why did you move to that side? So Nora doesn't fall down into the road and get hit by a car? If that happened, you would be very sad because you wouldn't have Nora anymore, and then Mommy would come home from work and you would have to tell her that I went away. And you'd have to buy another Nora.

I told her she was right, but that it would be impossible to buy another Nora, and gave her a big hug.

The state of the offspring is strong!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6877898728_f1c079b23b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Birthday Girl">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-28-state-of-the-offspring-address-march-2012/6877898728_120798e929_c.jpg" alt="Birthday Girl"/>
</a>


State of the Offspring Address - March 2012


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7011315917_595194b062_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Taking pictures with new digital camera">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7011315917_5bbfcfe067_t.jpg" alt="Taking pictures with new digital camera"/>
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Nora turned three years old this weekend. We drove to her Spanish grandparents' house in Mondragón and had a party at their _Centro Extremeño_, a cultural center and social club for emigrants from the Extremadura province of southern Spain. Nora was quite wowed by all the presents and attention. She gets a lot of presents and attention throughout the year, but this was definitely a more special day. She got many dresses, and a doll, a wooden bowling set, and a Hello Kittyâ„¢ digital camera, which is iPhone-shaped, so she calls it her "mobile". The digital camera was her favorite gift, which I'm proud to say came from her loving parents (it was marked down from 70€ to 20€!!), but her second favorite gift, the bowling kit, was more fun to play with in the wide open space of the cultural center.  <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869449098_342b9e711a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora Bowling">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869449098_75e07e5b5e.jpg" alt="Nora Bowling"/>
</a>

Bowling is hard. Perhaps the rules should be revisited?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869456358_50b8dbe4a4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora Bowling">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869456358_d1b1d2754e.jpg" alt="Nora Bowling"/>
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Her first innovation to the game of bowling was realizing that a straight perpendicular line is much easier to hit than a triangle of pins.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015577131_1802fc38ae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora Bowling">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015577131_1074503822.jpg" alt="Nora Bowling"/>
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Her second innovation was to drastically reduce the length of the bowling lane.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015564947_c62f9aa5b9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's new dresses">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015564947_7ae69e4874.jpg" alt="Nora's new dresses"/>
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Dresses! That thing that says "RANO" is a set of individual chocolate bars with the letters of her name.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015586819_b6500359e2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Cake">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015586819_2ccc80697f.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Cake"/>
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Her birthday cake. _Zorionak_ is "congratulations" in Basque.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869479934_59c41f0996_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Cake">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869479934_a4c57b9a7a.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Cake"/>
</a>

I love cake photography. Even more than cake.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869519126_f2736b93e9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Cake">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869519126_4274c2c62c.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Cake"/>
</a>

I had been coaching her all morning about how she's going to have to blow out candles. The moment has arrived!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869524198_7bcab35b84_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Cake">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869524198_071867d972.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Cake"/>
</a>

Huff and puff and…

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869527452_6c5beaf09d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Cake">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/6869527452_9707e620ed.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Cake"/>
</a>

Blow!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015631807_cb4e43b74a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Cake">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015631807_a734773e10.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Cake"/>
</a>

Yay!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015657433_4805445aa6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's New Doll">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015657433_7fcfe4ac2e.jpg" alt="Nora's New Doll"/>
</a>

A doll and crib.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015667717_00565ef1b6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Party">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015667717_067c860dc2.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Party"/>
</a>

Feasting with family.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015670121_c7ddced72e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Third Birthday Cake">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7015670121_6cab7306c0.jpg" alt="Nora's Third Birthday Cake"/>
</a>

Here's your piece, dear blog reader! Enjoy!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7011315917_595194b062_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Taking pictures with new digital camera">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-25-nora-is-three/7011315917_5bbfcfe067.jpg" alt="Taking pictures with new digital camera"/>
</a>

Happy birthday, Nora! I love you more than I can put into words. It's kind of hard to believe that you didn't even exist just a few years ago. This last year has been my favorite year so far, and I feel as if I'm really getting to know you. I'm very much looking forward to continuing our lives together. Happy birthday, my love!


Nora Is Three!


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862042826_678f0b1d59_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Piglet">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862042826_4872ddb83a_t.jpg" alt="Piglet"/>
</a>

When I lived in the US, I remember meat being something I picked up from the refrigerators of the supermarket, shrink-wrapped between plastic and styrofoam. Then, I started dating and eventually married a slaughterhouse veterinarian, and hung out with a group of Spanish slaughterhouse vets, none of which had even remotely considered the possibility of abstaining from meat, a practice relatively common in my homeland. Every American can name at least one vegetarian friend, and probably a vegan, too. These are, of course, luxuries that our rich country can afford us.

Contrary to life in the US, life in Spain consists of personally knowing your own butcher (mine is my neighbor, Bruno), seeing – and often choosing – the cut of meat that is fed into the meat grinder to produce the exact quantity of ground meat that you desire, or asking your butcher to slice the chicken breast _actually off the chicken_ and then into fillets for you. Today, my butcher and his family were proud to be planning to feast on some piglets this weekend. With no provocation whatsoever, he brought the little piggies out of the walk-in fridge to show my daughter and me how adorable they were, even in death.

Morally, my view is that [I would rather exist than not](/2007/09/07/existence/), which opens me up to eating a wide variety of animals, as long as they are killed humanely. If you wish to not see dead animals, look away now.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008163721_6e4f0cd9ec_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Five Piglets">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008163721_d822239aaf.jpg" alt="Five Piglets"/>
</a>

Oink! They look a bit like a barbershop quartet.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862042352_d4583b3def_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Five Piglets">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862042352_1b49938705.jpg" alt="Five Piglets"/>
</a>

Little piggy bottoms.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008159627_ef1fb25d9d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Five Piglets">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008159627_a0229af1e7.jpg" alt="Five Piglets"/>
</a>

Five snouts.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862044192_c7489da4a0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Five Piglets and Hachet">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862044192_e6fefdae6c.jpg" alt="Five Piglets and Hachet"/>
</a>

They looked awfully cute draped over the counter like this, as if they were awaiting drinks at a bar.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008160573_99a6b79062_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora and Five Piglets">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008160573_7e1cbda270.jpg" alt="Nora and Five Piglets"/>
</a>

Nora liked them.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008161151_bf64d85839_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora and Bruno and Five Piglets">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/7008161151_cc88838b99.jpg" alt="Nora and Bruno and Five Piglets"/>
</a>

This is only the second time she has allowed herself to be picked up by Bruno, our neighbor and butcher.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862046406_ff9ccda8e0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora and Bruno and Five Piglets">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862046406_959bc5c9e9.jpg" alt="Nora and Bruno and Five Piglets"/>
</a>

Cute little oinkers.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862046962_3b192f8862_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Five Piglets">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862046962_946a33f1a5.jpg" alt="Five Piglets"/>
</a>

While familiar with the phrase "not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", I never knew that piglets _actually have little whiskers on their chins_!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862048590_63f714b6c9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Five Piglets Legs">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-five-little-piggies-and-the-butcher/6862048590_75f03852d9.jpg" alt="Five Piglets Legs"/>
</a>

If Nora hadn't demanded my phone to snap pictures, I would never have noticed how interesting they look from her angle down at the ground.

I wish my supermarket friends a marvelous spit-roasted porcine feast this weekend. _¡Que aprovechen!_


Five Little Piggies and the Butcher


[![Singing in Basque (thumbnail)](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-23-singing-in-basque/7008933271_7307c9482b_t.jpg "Singing in Basque (thumbnail)")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/7008933271 "View 'Singing in Basque (thumbnail)' on Flickr.com")Several weeks ago, when we were on our way to run some errands, Nora started singing something. It sounded like gibberish to me – and she does often sing and talk gibberish – but it was slightly more structured than her normal babble. Also, she repeated it verbatim a few times. I inquired as to what she was singing, and she told me that it was a song that her Tí­a Belén had taught her. At this point I realized it must be a song in Basque.  I asked my wife what it meant, as she understands but really no longer speaks Basque, the language she was taught with at school as a child. Roughly it's along the lines of "I'm a little girl, and I'm walking through the forest to go see my sick grandmother". I remarked that that sounds a lot like the plot of a certain story that is Nora's favorite tale of all, and Nora confirmed, "Yes, it's about _Little Red Riding Hood_!"

Enjoy…it's all _Euskera_ to me.

<iframe width="505" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z733gzKoDjk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Singing in Basque


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-meeting-la-tortuga-viajera/6996542073_34942586ae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Erin, Nora and Erik">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-meeting-la-tortuga-viajera/6996542073_53d3a8989e_t.jpg" alt="Erin, Nora and Erik"/>
</a>

On Saturday I was contacted, via Twitter, by an American blogger I have been following for over a year now. Her name is Erin, and she lives in Madrid and regularly takes me on fantastic vicarious voyages around Spain and Europe with her blog, [_La Tortuga Viajera_](http://www.latortugaviajera.com/) (The Traveling Turtle). Since discovering her blog, I have been impressed by its professional look, and I have copied several of its features onto my own blog. She mentioned, in [her Spanglish tweet](https://twitter.com/#!/tortugaviajera/status/180977320138518528), that she was spending the weekend very close to where I live. So close, in fact, that _not_ getting together for a chat was off the table. Her weekend was fully booked, but she and her husband found time to stop by my humble burg of Colindres for an iced coffee this morning.  This was the third time I have gotten to know someone over the internet via blogging and then met them in person. The first was [a guy named Scott](/2008/01/11/the-world-is-a-handkerchief/) who was living locally, and the second was [Mother Theresa](/2011/03/14/lunch-with-mother-theresa/) who blogs from [rainy Pamplona](http://rainypamplona.blogspot.com/). So far every time I have met someone, I have gotten along with them splendidly. After all, Erin and I do share the same birthday, initials and 75% of our first names. She and her husband were great company. It was fascinating to share and compare our stories of transcontinental romance and a bit about our careers. Nora behaved very well, focusing her attention on my iPhone and letting the adults talk. The only thing Nora was missing was a press pass around her neck, because she was shooting photos of our conversation like we were heads of state at a G8 summit.

[![Erik (photo by Nora)](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-meeting-la-tortuga-viajera/6996540427_1e0979ebb6_n.jpg "Erik (photo by Nora)")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/6996540427 "View 'Erik (photo by Nora)' on Flickr.com")[![Erin (photo by Nora)](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-meeting-la-tortuga-viajera/6850414900_3d2db2bc02_n.jpg "Erin (photo by Nora)")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/6850414900 "View 'Erin (photo by Nora)' on Flickr.com")

Two of the least unflattering candid photos Nora took.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-meeting-la-tortuga-viajera/6996542073_34942586ae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Erin, Nora and Erik">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-meeting-la-tortuga-viajera/6996542073_53d3a8989e.jpg" alt="Erin, Nora and Erik"/>
</a>

Bloggers united! Don't be a stranger, _Tortuga_!


Meeting La Tortuga Viajera


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6850972394_eb3b3cba86_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Sloppy Joe">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6850972394_90d26520fc_t.jpg" alt="Sloppy Joe"/>
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I've invented a new American in Spain tradition! It's a little similar to my Fourth of July Hamburgerfest. Today, you see, is _San José_, Saint Joseph's Day. All the days have saints assigned to them here in Catholic Spain, and March 19 happens to be assigned to Saint Joseph, the poor old shepherd who, according to dogma, never got to have sex with his wife and still had to raise a son that was not his own. That's rough.  When we were watching a silly American movie recently, my wife saw some kids in the film eating sloppy joes and commented that it's been years and years since we've had any, and that we should eat some soon. Due to unforeseen circumstances this past weekend, we ended up with a couple extra pounds of ground beef in the fridge, so I thought it would be the perfect time to make some joes, and what better day to do it on than Saint Joe's Day?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6850972394_eb3b3cba86_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sloppy Joe">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6850972394_90d26520fc.jpg" alt="Sloppy Joe"/>
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On a toasted sesame seed bun!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6850974598_8c1d8f8747_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Fries">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6850974598_8d0697d29e.jpg" alt="Fries"/>
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Homemade french fries!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6997101667_0822e9f9a2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Beer, Fries and Sloppy Joe">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6997101667_ceec0a0194.jpg" alt="Beer, Fries and Sloppy Joe"/>
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And some faux-german beer from Barcelona to round out a healthy American meal.

Because of Saint Joseph's status as surrogate father, today is also when Spaniards celebrate Father's Day. At daycare, my daughter made me a little paper necktie that says, "_¡Te quiero, Papá!_" and a card that reads, "_De tu mano voy a aprender lo que mañana voy a ser._" (From your hand, I will learn what tomorrow I will be). Both are scribbled on in a variety of crayon colors. Silly, but doggone it if a tear didn't well up.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6846265296_19a4aea751_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Father's Day in Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-19-sloppy-joes-on-san-jose/6846265296_610edecbee.jpg" alt="Father's Day in Spain"/>
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A proud father.


Sloppy Joes on San José

Visiting Cabárceno Zoo - Cantabria Tourism


[![Diego Did It (thumbnail)](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-08-diego-did-it/6964768451_a2033a6b37_t.jpg "Diego Did It (thumbnail)")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/6964768451 "View 'Diego Did It (thumbnail)' on Flickr.com")As we quickly approach Nora's third birthday later this month, her verbal skills continue to advance. She's capable of recounting incidents from daycare, and often her stories check out, even if her telling of the story isn't always coherent. The other day she insisted on telling me about how her jacket got wet. It seems that she was innocently (she's such an angel!) drinking water from a cup, when a reckless lad by the name of Diego came careening into her causing her to spill her water. She was being rather cute about her explanation of what happened, so I decided to film her as if I were cross-examining a witness in the trial to determine Diego's innocence or guilt.  Notice that the ubiquitous character of [Rubén](/2011/11/07/arguing-with-ruben/), who is both a classmate at daycare and an imaginary friend at home, makes an appearance later in the interview.

I have never met Diego or even heard of him until this accusation.

<iframe width="505" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hiTr53x2Jls?cc_load_policy=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

We have conversations like this on a daily basis.


Diego Did It


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/2108925092_4a0c37bb09_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Crumbling Mansion">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/2108925092_5e6515704b_t.jpg" alt="Crumbling Mansion"/>
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One of my favorite local dilapidated mansions has met the sharp blade of Progress this month. I've mentioned it before, highlighting both the [flora](/2007/12/13/ferntasia/) and [fauna](/2006/09/11/four-goats/) around it. I have long been curious to try to enter and look around, but my better judgement, more for safety than legal reasons, always prevented me.  <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/2108925092_4a0c37bb09_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crumbling Mansion">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/2108925092_5e6515704b.jpg" alt="Crumbling Mansion"/>
</a>

This is what it used to look like, from the back. Or, if you prefer [Google Street View](http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.394409,-3.454028&spn=0.002549,0.002411&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=86.543078,79.013672&hnear=Colindres,+Cantabria,+Spain&t=h&layer=c&cbll=43.394556,-3.454082&panoid=23_jr-k3BYb8Jq6yDiFisA&cbp=12,155.27,,0,1.92&z=19)…

<iframe width="505" height="450" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=86.543078,79.013672&amp;hnear=Colindres,+Cantabria,+Spain&amp;t=h&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=43.394556,-3.454082&amp;panoid=23_jr-k3BYb8Jq6yDiFisA&amp;cbp=13,162.22,,0,-2&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;source=embed&amp;ll=43.394306,-3.454083&amp;spn=0.000877,0.001355&amp;z=19&amp;output=svembed"></iframe>

And as of a couple weeks ago…

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/6961852055_c38a431a0f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mansion Destroyed">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/6961852055_1530e7e20d.jpg" alt="Mansion Destroyed"/>
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This is from the same side as the Street View shot.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/6961854359_26e7559af6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mansion Destroyed">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/6961854359_ab888c84bc.jpg" alt="Mansion Destroyed"/>
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And from the back. Rubble.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/6815735796_2ff8b91d90_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mansion Destroyed">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-07-mansion-gone/6815735796_2e38f65fc9.jpg" alt="Mansion Destroyed"/>
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Oh well. It's sad when old things die, but if they didn't, we'd have no room for new things. I always enjoyed walking by it, and never failed to turn my gaze towards it. I hope whatever gets built there is at least half as elegant.


Mansion Gone


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944294073_919ba67ed9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables on Rice">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944294073_4b224026b0_t.jpg" alt="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables on Rice"/>
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Recently my wife has discovered a blog by a Spanish housewife called [_Cocinando Entre Olivos_](http://cocinandoentreolivos.blogspot.com/) (Cooking Among Olive Trees). I must say that I am _extremely_ impressed with the quality of her posts, particularly the step-by-step photographs; you almost don't need to be able to read the text. There really is a photo at every single step, often actually showing the addition of each ingredient. After several years of not adding any new recipes to our cooking repertoires, it's quite refreshing to have some new things to cook. Recently my wife made some homemade chinese food, which consisted of cooking three recipes simultaneously (the recipes are in Spanish): [Chinese Chicken with Almonds](http://cocinandoentreolivos.blogspot.com/2012/02/pollo-con-almendras-chino-paso-paso.html), [Chinese Rice With Three Delights](http://cocinandoentreolivos.blogspot.com/2012/02/arroz-tres-delicias-estilo-chino-paso.html) and [Spring Rolls With Sweet-and-Sour Sauce](http://cocinandoentreolivos.blogspot.com/2012/02/rollitos-primavera-chinos-con-salsa.html).  I was sent on a shopping expedition to find such exotic ingredients as soy bean sprouts, the thin papery dough for the spring rolls, chinese cabbage, and oriental-style rice. I would never have guessed that one of the main ingredients in sweet-and-sour sauce is ketchup. In retrospect, it makes sense, but…odd. The sauce consisted of ketchup, the sugary juice from a can of pineapple slices, vinegar and honey. The final result matched exactly to the sauce I've had in restaurants.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944280715_c30588b8b3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cooking Chinese Food">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944280715_a4da642376.jpg" alt="Cooking Chinese Food"/>
</a>

I got berated for taking a shot of the messy kitchen mid-cook, but I liked it. You can see the already-made, but not yet fried spring rolls.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944281869_6d7f9f1bcd_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944281869_ffd1a04daf.jpg" alt="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables"/>
</a>

Frying the vegetables and almonds. Spaniards fry their onions and peppers until they are very soft, yet Chinese cuisine calls for a bit of crunchiness to be left.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944284819_cedb5b6f30_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chinese Rice With Three Delights">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944284819_4c0cb337c1.jpg" alt="Chinese Rice With Three Delights"/>
</a>

The rice had carrots, onions, ham, peas, and egg. I'm not sure which of these are considered the "three delights".

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798168682_3f2afcc4fa_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chinese Rice With Three Delights">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798168682_2b0f277551.jpg" alt="Chinese Rice With Three Delights"/>
</a>

Nora loved the rice.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798173078_1534044c00_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chinese Eyes">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798173078_2d86479189.jpg" alt="Chinese Eyes"/>
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Spanish culture has almost no racism filters, so making "Chinese eyes" to celebrate the occasion was acceptable.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798175060_9d78b7e52f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Spring Rolls">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798175060_693ebde835.jpg" alt="Spring Rolls"/>
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Spring rolls!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798176510_54a7659ec2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798176510_b7afed7f7a.jpg" alt="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables"/>
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Almond chicken!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798178624_90cde9a5c8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Spring Roll with Sweet and Sour Sauce">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6798178624_4c07a08e1b.jpg" alt="Spring Roll with Sweet and Sour Sauce"/>
</a>

Yummy spring roll!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944294073_919ba67ed9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables on Rice">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2012-03-01-homemade-chinese-food/6944294073_4b224026b0.jpg" alt="Chinese Almond Chicken Vegetables on Rice"/>
</a>

Almond chicken on a bed of rice.

The meal was a big success. I suspect we will be making these recipes again sometime soon. The food was delicious!


11 posts from March, 2012