It's a bit rainy today, so I stay near the house. Not only because of that but because Consuelo told me yesterday the family is having some friends over for a party.
As the rain starts, I'm sitting on the back terrace painting a bit. The rain is a great soundtrack to paint by as it thunders and flashes. Tio comes by and tries to give me something to sit on because he's worried I'll dirty my pants. I shake my head saying it's ok. He shakes his in disbelief. I plop myself down where ever it looks good, damn the dirt. After a while, he comes back up and tells me it's time for wine - "Come 'on now you need some."
In my 20's I was very fond of the pub crawl. In NYC it was a cheap way to drink and get to know different neighborhoods. In Denver, it was an annual Memorial Day kick off event that my entire ad agency did on bikes.
The "LUSH" bike tour resulted in an injury and scar from my friend Toni turning around to say something but with both of our responses dulled from too much beer; we crashed into each other resulting in a Cirque du Soleil style bike throw and my leg gash squirting blood everywhere.
The guy who was walking in the park saw it, applauded and told us we looked like a couple of circus clowns. The injury looked worse than it was and after seeing the creative guys reaction to it, I decided not to wear a skirt for two weeks. I didn't want to have to explain to my clients how I got the injury.
Nothing spells confidence for your client service skills like a drunken bike injury.
In Spain I constantly feel like I am on a pub crawl but I don't have to go anywhere because Tio keeps pouring. We chat for a bit while he has some food and I have a little too. Once I see that the party is in full swing despite rain, I head outside in my trusty raincoat. Nothing is going to stop the family from having fun and the men have put up the necessary protection to keep the party going.
First we have the Sidra and wine. If you don't want to go into the traditional pour, there is a barrel machine that goes on top of the bottle and squirts it out. Jose goes into introduction mode and explains to me who everyone is and I say hello. The table is long and full and after he explains it all he adds "Do you understand?" Sure.
Then comes the bread. A huge basket of it to be accompanied by a giant pot of meat stew. Lourdes and Mabelle have been cooking all afternoon and it shows. They also have huge plates of papas fritas and boy is it delicious.
Once everyone has gotten their fill, out comes the coffee and some kind of homemade liquor. It's bottled up, dated and two of them have fruit in it. The guys push it toward me and tell me to try it.
After I try two and grimace cause it's so strong, the men laugh and tell me to try the third which has an unidentifiable fruit in it. Drinking it in one gulp per their instruction, I point to it and tell them it's the best. They laugh and smile. Everyone is putting it in their coffee.
Next comes the dessert. Pastries and homemade cake. The kids run around trying to tickle each other and are screaming in delight. They start reaching through the plastic walls to freak out their grandmothers but the grandmothers catch on and grab them.
All in all a good day despite the rain and luckily no freak injury.
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