I WENT FOR a hike Friday into a bit of the countryside with my pal Luke and his parents, Pedro and Kathleen. Leave it to a gifted 3-year-old to pose the existential question of the day.
Every few seconds Luke asked his mother, in English, "Where are we going?" "On a hike" or "for a walk" or "to explore," she would reply.
So Luke would turn to his father and ask, in Spanish, "Donde va?" Pedro would correct his Spanish and say, "¿Donde vamos?" which would prompt Luke to ask, "¿Donde vamos?" Same answers. In Spanish.
I tried faxing in our absentee ballots to Orange County, California, today. They are due Friday and we only received them this past Friday. The FAX wouldn't go through. Apparently too busy in Orange County. So now I have to rush mail them and hope they arrive on time. And I ask, "Where are we going?"
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| LUKE CHECKS HIS MAP. |
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| LUKE REVISA SU MAPA. |
FUI A CAMINAR un poco por el campo con mi compadre Luke y sus padres, Pedro y Kathleen. Deje en manos de un niño dotado de 3 años para plantear la pregunta existencial del día.
Cada pocos segundos, Luke le preguntaba a su madre, en inglés, "¿A dónde vamos?" "En una caminata" o "para un paseo" o "para explorar", ella contestaba.
Entonces Luke se volvió hacia su padre y le preguntó, en español, "¿Dónde va?" Pedro corregiría su español y diría: "¿Dónde vamos?" lo que provocaría que Luke preguntara, "¿Dónde vamos?" Mismas respuestas. En español.
Hoy intenté enviar por fax nuestras boletas de votación en ausencia a California. Se vencen el viernes y solo los recibimos el viernes pasado. El FAX no pasaría. Al parecer, demasiado ocupado en la oficina en California. Así que ahora tengo que apresurarlos por correo y espero que lleguen a tiempo. Y yo pregunto: "¿A dónde vamos?"
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| YES, HE ASKED, "WHERE ARE THEY GOING?" SÍ, ÉL PREGUNTÓ, "¿DÓNDE VAN?" |
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| I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE WERE. NO SÉ A DÓNDE VAMOS, PERO AQUÍ ES DONDE ESTAMOS. |
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| PEDRO'S HOMEMADE TORTILLA. LA TORTILLA CASERA DE PEDRO. |
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| POMEGRANATE, WHICH IN SPANISH IS GRANADA (PEDRO'S HOMETOWN). GRANADA, EL CIUDAD DE PEDRO. |
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| WITH OUR BACKWARDS, UPSIDE-DOWN BINOCULARS, WHERE ARE WE GOING, LUKE? CON NUESTROS PRISMÁTICOS AL REVÉS... Y AL REVÉS, ¿A DÓNDE VAMOS, LUKE? |
Where we are is where we were going. If you don’t know where you are going, where ever you arrive is the right place. I could go on for hours with that nonsense,
ReplyDeleteTravel:
DeleteAnd I'd enjoy hearing it.
Luke, as usual, is totally adorable (I refuse to say totes adorbs). That cow is awfully butch. I hope magnifying glasses don't work the same on butterflies as they do on ants!
ReplyDeleteDeedles:
DeleteKathleen carefully aimed the sun in the glass away from the butterfly, although Pedro said it would be a mercy killing.
Deedles,
DeleteForgot to comment about that butch cow... City kid that I was, I always used to think if it had horns it was a bull!
Me too!!!
DeleteDeedles:
DeleteWe're so clever. And I'll bet we're not alone!
Looks like you all knew where you were going and you got there!! Beautiful countryside and friends.......with a pomegranate thrown in for good measure.
ReplyDeleteJim:
DeleteNice couple of hours and Pedro was really happy to see "granada."
You got to where you were going, and, i hope, you got back!~
ReplyDeleteBob:
DeleteAnd when we got back to the car, tired Luke wanted to go back because he forgot to pick up a souvenir rock.
We went to the Federal Voting Assistance Program website (www.fvap.gov) then downloaded and printed out the appropriate ballot for Dallas Texas. It worked great. It is much faster and easier than waiting for hardcopy to arrive. I hope we get to where we want to go! I bet your hike was fun. Luke is such an explorer-in-the-making with his optical devices.
ReplyDeleteWilma:
DeleteI wasn't sure we were registered and was waiting for word via email from Orange County (which didn't come until I asked FVAP for help, then I received email from California AND my official downloadable ballot from Orange County; funny coincidence?). Had I known how it worked, I would have done what you did. Today, I'm off to DHL to rush send our ballots.
What great pictures!!! He is a cutie that Luke. And you know I'm loving my livestock picture......
ReplyDeleteMaddie:
DeleteThere were horses, too. Usually, lots more animals on that walk. It was a quiet day.
Perhaps that's my issue, I've been looking at the world backwards and upside down. He's certainly a cute little philosopher, isn't he?
ReplyDeleteCheapchick:
DeleteOR... maybe we SHOULD be looking at the world backwards and upside down. I think that's been MY problem.
I voted absentee on Halloween
ReplyDeleteAdam:
DeleteThe process was a bit confusing from here, but I'm going to rush our ballots via DHL today and I now know how to do it all easily in future.
better send those ballots by fedex; at least you can trace them. a bit more expensive, but good peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteanne maire:
DeleteYep, I'm heading to DHL this morning to ensure they get there. (No FedEx from here.) Wonder how much THAT will cost!