COME,MISTERTALLYMAN,TALLYMEBANANA

i got a call from my mom this morning. she says, "hola mija! queriamos llamarte para decirte happy mother's day, por que tu eres la madre!"

yeah, my mom's a riot . . .

unless you speak spanish, this won't be funny to you, but here's a translation anyway . . . my mom called to say happy mother's day to me--even though I HAVE NO KIDS--because, according to her, i am the most exasperating human being ever to be born or, in spanish, "la madre".

yeah, well, before you think badly of her, she did live with me for 18 years . . .

no, but seriously, my mom is amazing and she loves me . . . i think.

today, actually, is not mother's day in costa rica, but it is my tia (aunt) maria-elena's birthday. she's 72! my tia is a superb lady, if a bit too conservative. she lives with my mom on a beautiful house on the beach, in punta leona. they get along very well, which is wonderful (after my dad's death 20 years ago, i like that my aunt has kept my mom company) . . . it's pretty funny, now that i think of it, because my mom isn't very conservative at all and she's always trying to "loosen" my aunt. she's had some success, but there's still room for improvement . . .

my cousin, the giant man in all the photos, whose name is, oddly enough, junior (not his real name. we had to change it because his real name was one of those yucky, fuddy-duddy names that fit him not at all), took the ladies out for breakfast to celebrate.

he and his wife, roxy, are sooooooooooooo fantastic!!! every time i go home to costa rica, they are the most fabulous hosts. they take me to all the great places, drive me everywhere, never let me pay for anything, are always happy and in a great mood, and up for absolutely everything and anything.

. . . i'm really lucky.

anyhow: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIA CUCA!!! (oh, umm, we call her "cuca" because, well, she can drive you nuts. a loving bunch, aren't we?)

and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY . . . FELIZ DIA DE LA MADRE to all of you awesome moms!

(oh, y muchas gracias to junior for emailing me these photos from his phone asap. you're the best!)


(2008: puntarenas, jaco, costa rica. my mom (mami to me. claudia to you. "cabita" if she likes you . . . and basically, she likes everyone) and my cousin roxy having brunch at a restaurant on the beach. what a life, eh?)


(2008: puntarenas, jaco, costa rica: mom, my cousin junior, and roxy.)


(2008: puntarenas, jaco, costa rica: roxy having some, no doubt, deliciously fruity beverage. and from the looks of it, a deliciously ALCOHOLIC fruity beverage. a little early for shenanigans, no?)


(2008: puntarenas, jaco, costa rica: junior, mom, and tia cuca with a GIANT piece of yummy cake . . . mmm, me likey cake. ah, NEVER TOO EARLY for cake, on the other hand . . .)


(2008: puntarenas, jaco, costa rica: mom, roxy, tia cuca and a gorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgeous costa rican morning.)