Month: June 2022

What is so difficult about buying a bag of dried pinto beans?

Everything.

The beans they say are “pinto” beans here are some of the smallest beans we have ever purchased. They are the size of sunflower seeds in the shells.

Okay, time out. That was a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much.

The beans in the US are at least twice the size of the pintos here. Talk about flavor; there is none. The pintos up North make a luscious brown broth/gravy when cooked; no need for a coloring agent, like Magy, here, or Kitchen Bouquet, in the US. They have there own natural coloring agents within the beans.

We are searching everywhere, online, to find anything similar to the beans we had up North. While we search, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect yourselves.

Differences can be wonderful, also difficult.

It has recently been brought to my attention that, as “Matron” of our home, it falls upon me to meet, and greet guests, family, etc., when they are entering our home.

As we have had so few of the above over the past 10 years, it has fallen by the wayside for me, to remember my duties as La Dueña, or as Ivan has started calling me, La Alcalde. That always makes me laugh because I remember it from the movie we enjoyed watching with kids called “Zorro the gay Blade”.

There are few differences, really, here; I have just been lazy, truth be told. When someone comes into the home, it falls, normally, to the Dueña to answer the door, and greet said intruders with grace, charm, and aplomb. Hahaha. It is the duty of the “maid”, or housekeeper, to do thus. Don’t have one of those, so, I guess that leaves it to me.

That’s ok. I should know who is coming, and going in our home. Y biggest concern is my lack of fluency of the Spanish language. I am much better conversing in Spanish than ever before, however, without alcohol, (liquid courage,) it is difficult, at times, to perform this task.

That having been said, after having been gently reminded of this error, I have taken up the mantle, and am on my way to being “La Dueña del Año”, the owner extraordinaire. (A bit of poetic license was taken in the aforementioned translation; in case you were wondering if it was literal.)

Have a great day, week, month, year. Stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect yourselves.