Friday, June 6, 2014

The Cow's Come Home

Thursday, San Geraldo and I took another trip to Vivero La Vega, our favorite nearby garden center. We needed some odds and ends, as well as some flowering plants to replace the ones the bugs and San Geraldo's cyclonic winds have destroyed. We decided to keep these two planters simple and cheap this time. Four varieties of marigolds. I'm hoping they double as insect repellant and maybe even cat repellant (I know they're said to keep rabbits away).

18 MARIGOLDS AT 75 CENTS A PIECE.

You may remember that the first time we visited Vivero La Vega I noticed a fiberglass cow outside a restaurant across the road and that became my turn marker for our second visit (click here). But the next time we went, I told San Geraldo to turn left at the cow only to discover that someone had gone and moved the cow (click here). Well, yesterday, the cow was back. She's not elevated atop a billboard as she was originally, but she's clearly visible roadside. Yes, the cow's come home.

SHE'S BA-ACK... AND SHE'S BEEN LANDSCAPED.

On the way back from the nursery, we took advantage of having a car for the day and stopped at Iceland, the British store that imports some things we like having and can't find around town. Specifically frozen berries for San Geraldo. I also picked up several boxes of instant oatmeal (porridge) and crunchy peanut butter.

SAN GERALDO'S STASH...

It's always a quick shop when I'm with San Geraldo. The killjoy clever boy immediately loads up the cart with 2 dozen bags of frozen berries. Then, we have no choice but to rush home before they turn to blueberry/strawberry/mixed-berry slush.

I did manage to make a dash down the sweets aisle. I spotted Waitrose Dairy Toffee and couldn't resist. Next to that were bags of Waitrose Wine Gums. I love wine gums (much more adult than Gummy Bears), so I grabbed some of those, as well.

And speaking of sweet things, recently my sweet (and diabetic) blogging buddy, Jacqueline (click here to meet her at Cheapskate Blethering) left a comment on one of my blog posts telling me to "eat a bit of chocolate for her."

MY STASH (AND JACQUELINE'S).

For Jacqueline's sake (and only for Jacqueline's sake), I picked up a bar of Waitrose (it was obviously the Waitrose aisle) "Silky, smooth Belgian milk chocolate."

Jacqueline's blog is always a revelation. She writes on health, food, family, animals, creativity, life... whatever is on her mind. She's honest, enlightening, fascinating, funny, and at times irreverent. AND.... she shares some of the best music I've ever heard.

Jacqueline and her family (husband, "the Great Scot," and daughter, "the kidling") just got a new puppy and they named him after us (click here and here to meet him... he's of course adorable). His proper name is San Geraldo Mitchell, but he's more lovingly known as simply "Geraldo" (that's alright... I'm used to taking the back seat). Still, no one has ever named their child after me... even partially. I'm so honored.

I had a challenging time while creating this blog post. I wanted to get a photo of myself 'eating chocolate for Jacqueline' (yes, I was eating chocolate for Jacqueline).

The light wasn't quite right in my office and it was also a bit warm. I had to shoot the photo quickly because the silky, smooth Belgian milk chocolate was melting on my fingers. Due to the light, quick focus, and temperature problems, I went through quite a bit of silky, smooth Belgian milk chocolate while I tried to get a semi-clear shot. It was so harrowing that I finally had to stop (OK, mostly because I ran out of silky, smooth Belgian milk chocolate).

For Jacqueline, I'd do it all again... and again... and again... As I've always told you, I'm selfless.

28 comments:

  1. Marathon Belgian chocolate consumption: the sacrifices we make for our blogs!
    (Your namesake is adorable, by the way)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marty:
      I'm a martyr.

      Isn't San Geraldo Mitchell irresistible? (Just like his namesakes.)

      Delete
  2. I'm thinking the cow was returned to its rightful place because a lot of folks were missing their turns.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Mitchell, you sacrificed yourself for me so courageously, so... selflessly, so...... hey wait a minute, are there WINE GUMS mixed in with the chocolate??? Sacrilege! The Great Scot is jealous, and further, says you are definitely a looker, same for San Geraldo. =)
    You do know why we don't call SGM Mitchell don't you? Since we're ALL Mitchells here (or will be when the Great Scot's name change goes through) everyone would answer, and that could be a bit confusing. In all seriousness though, we really wanted to honour that love we call friendship by naming our wee pup after you and your husband. Oh, and you trumped me yesterday, I know San G is a great cook so I was thereby hoping to avoid, you know.. work... but nooooo, you had to ask me if I clean! As a young single mom working three jobs, one of which was cleaning rooms at a Holiday Inn, I've cleaned up messes you don't even want to know about, lol.
    One day, my friend, I would love to have a good long blether (chat) with you; in fact, if you wouldn't mind me emailing you sometime???
    Thank you again Mitchell, your sacrifice meant so much to me; as do you my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jacqueline:
      Have you ever tried wine gums WITH chocolate? Heaven. I have about 6 wine gums left. No toffee. So sad.

      It wasn't easy, but I'd do anything for you. Have I mentioned the heartburn? Such sacrifice.

      As for cleaning up messes I wouldn't want to know about... We had a hotel. I cleaned. We could exchange stories!

      Delete
  4. Taking one for your readers with that chocolate, well done. My marigolds last much longer than anything else as the bugs around here just ate several different type of flowers. They also are really resilient with the heat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheapchick:
      Here's hoping the marigolds are different from just about everything else we've got planted. San Geraldo is about to throw in the towel.

      Delete
  5. Mitch, with that chocolate sacrifice, I think YOU became the saint of the family. :)

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    Replies
    1. Michelle:
      I AM the true saint. (San Geraldo? That's just me being ironic.)

      Delete
  6. You're a good guy, Mitchell. The proof: nobody has named their kid after you. Plus, you eat loads of chocolate for Jacqueline. She's worthy of Belgium's best too. I think I'll follow your lead on that. My problem with taking selfies when I eat chocolate it that it's always gone (I've eaten it for Jacqueline) before I find my camera.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robyn:
      I think we both should eat a bar of chocolate a day... for Jacqueline. I was stunned by the quality of that Waitrose Silky, smooth Belgian milk chocolate. But it doesn't last very long... and probably would last even "less long" for you.

      Delete
  7. I have the same flowers in my garden in the summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosia:
      They're very hardy and popular. Hope they do well here.

      Delete
  8. How you suffer for your art. So noble!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a darling puppy! Hope he'll live up to you and tidy up everything for his family....(But I don't hold out high hopes of that!) And what a generous heart you have! Eating chocolate for your friend! The sacrifice!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kristi:
      Even more... because the dieting San Geraldo likes dark chocolate as opposed to milk chocolate, I only buy milk chocolate now -- just so he's not tempted. OR... I buy dark chocolate with nuts (he doesn't like nuts). Do you BELIEVE the sacrifices?

      Delete
  10. Sacrificing yourself that way for a friend...you are just a Christian martyr

    ReplyDelete
  11. Feel free to eat chocolate for ME anytime. I worship the dark (and bittersweet) master.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen:
      Oh, the demands come from everywhere. I'll do what I can for you.

      Delete
  12. You look like the cat who ate the canary.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mitch:
    In my country, marigolds are called "flor de muertos" because they so easily grow in cemeteries. We tend to avoid them in home gardening...just thought you should know...lol
    saludos,
    raulito

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raulito:
      I think they're usually just called the generic "caléndula" here. I had never heard the term "flor de muertos." So, although our flowers may repel bugs and other pests, they may actually attract the souls of the dead? Interesting trade-off.

      Delete
  14. Never heard of frozen berries before - or frozen fruit of any sort. Thought fruit only came fresh or in tins so must investigate. Clearly a lot of living to catch up on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raybeard:
      Good quality frozen fruit is much better than tinned (and much closer to the original). It's very common in the States, but difficult to find here. The store, Iceland (part of British retailer, Overseas Supermarkets), is the only place we've found them here.

      Delete

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