Mas (More)

regarding the delightful weekend with our forest-dwelling friends:

I did tell you, Dear Reader, that we went for a walk, The Yard Man and I and our hosts.
One of the curious crowds (well, there was really just this one) who flocked to see us as we strolled along, was these cattle.
Even the lone steer turned to stare.
(I have to confess, I'm a bit of a celebrity in bovine circles; but, they seemed fascinated by every one of us!)

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As I also mentioned previously, on Sunday morning Mi Amiga (my [female] friend, aka our hostess) took me with her to su iglesia (her church).

Mi Amiga is teaching herself to habla Espanol (speak Spanish).  She is not yet fluent, but she knows more than I do, considering my study of this language was...er...mucho, mucho tiempo (a long long time) ago!

However, it was interesting to pick up what I could, and to watch the waving fabric that looked for all the world like flames.

Following the service, as Mi Amiga and I were leaving la iglesia, we were asked about staying for la comida (the meal).
Eh?! (Huh?!)
Mi Amiga did not have prior knowledge of this meal, but we decided to stay, since we were being invited so warmly and by now it was past one o'clock in the afternoon.

We followed church members down the narrow steps to the basement of la iglesia
(are you learning a little Espanol, Dear Reader?) and there we found a room filled with decorated tables, and balloons hanging on the walls!  By doing a little sleuthing, we discovered there was to be a surprise baby shower.
Aha, un bebe! (A baby boy!)

Plates of food were soon carried to us, and el nino (the boy) seated near me pointed out to us, "If you have green sauce on your plate, that is hot!"
(He spoke in English, but I know caliente when I taste it). Happily, the sauce was not too hot to spoil the rice and beans.  The tamale was homemade and delicioso (surely you can figure that one out, Dear Reader Dear?) Mi Amiga and I carried the hunks of meat home to our hombres (you're on your own here, too).

Altogether, the Spanish middle-of-day* was one of the highlights of the weekend! *(Service began at eleven a.m; by the time we ate and left la iglesia [just as the young, expectant couple arrived] it was past two o'clock.)
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But, as you know, there was yet another highlight (er, perhaps you don't know; it's all in Espanol...**

**later