Caray, Caray!

Hi, all. My teams in March Madness were 1 for 2 yesterday. The Morgan State Bears got blown out, but the Maryland Terps won! Next up, Michigan State on Sunday.
 

Continuing our discussion of Gancho from yesterday, I think it's likely that Moni will not see the developed photos of Estrella and Mau. Maybe someone else (such as Estrella) will pick them up, and remove the evidence. Remember when someone took a video of Coni and Jero in bed together? (I think that was it, Coni was definitely with someone). Coni later got hold of the camcorder, and gave it to Ximena, who used it to tape something else, thus erasing the evidence (I think). So, the way our show goes, there could be all sorts of hijinks with the film in Moni's little camera (good thing for us it wasn't digital).
 

I hope so Hombre. I liked how twitchy Isabel got when Moni didn't discover Mau in Estrella's abode. It was fun to see her so irritated. I'm also hoping that something similar will happen with the camera. It was Jeronimo who recorded his "session" with Coni. Now that you mention it, he has been trying to get the better of her throughout this entire show but so far has not been successful.
 

Gook thoughts, Hombre. I hope you are right.

Well, I have my bracket marked with the teams I thought the gancholanders were following. Everybody that's pre-marked on my bracket is still in so far -- Maryland, Tennessee, OSU, Syracuse,Kentucky, Baylor. Do we have any others the group is rooting for -- until that is, some of our teams meet each other.

Another sunny, lovely day in Syracuse. Hope you are all having a pleasant Saturday.

Güera
 

Don't forget Cornell Güera. Elna June (new to the world of basketball) picked them to be the Cinderella team and Julia (Mi Pecado recapper) went to school there.
 

Oh yes. The Cornell game was terrific. We watched it over a wings feast with my son and family. We couldn't believe that they handled Temple so handily. Central NY is agog over both the Orange and the Bid Red. It's as colorful as an Upstate autumn forest. Yay!

Güera
 

Guera:

Please also add Cal, my alma mater. We beat Louisville so I think we are still in the hunt. I hope that win does not negatively impact my relationship with Mike and Emilia, although I think Mike said Kentucky was his school. Smile.

Guera: Your feast sounds fun!

Hombre, I hope you are right about the camera of doom...I want it to disappear—now.
 

All:

Ay yi yi! It looks like Cal plays Duke, tomorrow. Am I correct in assuming that this #1 seed team is fabulous? Drat! I was just getting into this.

My son reminds me that I should have used the personal pronoun, "we" in saying that "we" play Duke, instead of the impersonal and distancing "Cal". My children are slightly cranky that I have taken an interest in BB because of my new friends at Caray and not because of their many and varied efforts to interest me in same over the years.

Kids. Sigh. Sometimes there's just no pleasing them!
 

Hi EJ, No love lost between UK and Louisville, no worries there. UK is seeded #1 in their division but they have a nasty habit of getting sloppy or arrogant or something and losing where they shouldn't. We play Wake Forest tonight - Mike and I will watch, mint juleps in hand.(Our mint is finally big enough to pick - we have been drinking tea with lots of mint in it all day!)

Good luck to all the Gancho teams!
 

And Sylvia, I loved you characterizing Isabel as 'twitchy.' Perfect description.
 

I'm rooting for Cal; I have no choice, since I'm an Arizona Wildcat fan. The Pac-10 was so dismal this year, I'm glad Cal got in.

It is sure strange to not really have any stake in the tournament this year.

This year broke our 25-year streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
 

EJ

Good luck to Cal. Duke will be tough. I'm glad you knocked off Louisville. That was the one team that SU had real trouble with -- they knew how to read the famous SU zone defense. I didn't want to meet them again in the "big dance".

Güera
 

Jeri...Sorry about Arizona. Yes, it does seem strange for them not to be in the tournament. And actually, to me, it seems strange not to have gorgeous silver fox Lute Olsen coaching them. He beats out Marcos as older "hombre fatal" in my opinion.

A friend of mine who's a Duke fan is very glad they won't have to face Louisville. Thanks EJ! And while Duke is good, they're considered the least strong of the 4 No. 1's (although that was before Syracuse's center got hurt.
 

Almost time for Baylor and Olo Dominion. I checked my brackets. I'm dropping like a rock. Last night I was 18 of 24 95th percentile with YAHOO Sports. Today its 22 of 36, 60th %tile. If we get past OD we'll face St. Mary"s. I saw the first half of their game against Villanova. Scary! But first things first. I just saw that we're econd tallest team next to Ky. I'm longing for a matchup with them and then OSU. Well game has started. Later.

Carlos
 

Judy, so you are a Lute fan, too. He's retired now; a few weeks ago at the game in Oregon, Ducks fans gave Lute (in the stands) a standing and yelling ovation. They will miss him as an opponent; the whole conference probably will.

He published his memoirs a couple years ago (Lute! The Seasons of My Life).
 

Hombre.. I was thinking someone else, probably Estrella, would also accidently end up intercepting the pictures. We'll have to wait and see. Also surprising it isn't a digital.

Elna June.. Duke is overrated. No problem for Cal. :)
But.. Cal better lose as I have Duke winning that game. ;)

Kansas trailing by 8, 36-28, at the half to Northern Iowa. Baylor game on now. They're looking pretty good Carlos. Up by 10 less than a minute in the half.

Like the word verification this time, 'cozypat'
 

Hi Sports Fans...yes, Baylor is looking good. So is Northern Iowa and that wonderful little player Ali F.........
Looking even better is the coach. Did you see that wonderful suppressed grin and the lift of the eyebrows when his player airballed the free throw? Man, he's getting my vote for Hawt Coach of the Year (now that Lute has retired).

Thanks for the link, Jeri, I'll see if the library has Lute's book. Love that hair!
 

Hi all, may I go WAY off topic for a moment? I'm super over the top excited because a friend of mine is the navigator on a huge French Trimaran called Groupama 3. This boat just now set the record for fastest trip around the world via sailboat. It's called the Jules Verne Trophy. The boat and its crew sailed around the world from and back to Brest, France in just a little over 48 days! This is a huge deal in the local sailing community because the navigator is a local guy and was the only non-French guy on the crew.

OK, back to basketball...although I'm not a huge BB fan I'm rooting for Cal (local and all). Also, due to JudyB's infectious enthusiasm I am also rooting for her team.
 

Hey thanks, Sylvia. In exchange, I'll be super excited right along with you at that incredible record set by your friend (let's forget those French guys). That is fantastic. I already love how your sailing experience brings in such wonderful metaphors in your writing. And there is no "off-topic" on this line!

Congrats to the team (alright, even the French) and special congrats to your friend.
 

Thanks Judy!
 

Sylvia,

Neat!

Baylor won!

Kansas lost!

Judy,

Next!

Carlos
 

Sylvia.. Wow, you can sail around the world in only 48 days? Amazing.

Judy.. You guys have to make the Final Four now. Everyone else is getting beat. Or, there may be a very low seed from your region in the Final Four. No pressure. :)
 

Georgia Tech is a hot team. And remember, we have NO bench. I'm sweatin' this one. But congrats to Baylor! We only saw bits and pieces of the game but were watching the Kansas/No Iowa stunner. Still in shock even though I was rooting for the pesky little underdogs.
 

A question, what is your favorite paper Spanish-English dictionary? We have one that is falling apart and looking to replace it. Any stand out from others in your opinion and why? The one that is falling apart is the New World Spanish/English dictionary, a paperback.
 

When I started writing summaries for Luz Maria about 10 years ago, I went to the bookstore and picked up a big Harper Collins College edition hardback desk copy.

It cost $25 at the time and is still like new, except that the dust cover has faded in the sun in the office here.
 

Carlos, congratulations on Baylor's win! That big guy (Lorsmer?) was really good.

Sylvia, congratulations on your friend's winning the Jules Verne Trophy. I can't even imagine being on boat for 48 days, but going around the world in a sailboat? Amazing.

Jeff, I've been using the Merriam Webster dictionary as my paperback. I also have the Oxford Dictionary in hardback when it's not in the paperback. But I have the Berlitz Concise Dictionaries for some other languages, and I really like the plastic binding, which should make them last longer than the Merriam Webster (which is falling apart - I do use it a lot, though).
 

Thanks Hombre and Jeri.

Jeri.. One Pac-10 team, Washington, into the Sweet Sixteen so far.
 

All righty then - UK just won, too!

Sylvia, please tell your ocean navigator buddy that your air navigator buddy sends congratulations. I'd be delighted to buy him a beer and hear all about it.
 

I was at a high school musical to see my step-granddaughter steal the second act. But in the line at the ladies' room everyone was all abuzz that Kansas had lost. Congrats on Baylor & Kentucky. Sorry about Tennessee.

Good luck to OSU and Maryland tomorrow.

Hombre, I hope you're right about Moni & the photos. Hope we get more if Xime & Arni Monday.

Güera
 

Mike, next time you are out this way maybe we can hook up with Stan. Needless to say, he LOVES to talk navigation.
 

Cap'n:

Wow! The Jules Verne Trophy? That is just wonderful! Like Hombre, I cannot imagine sailing around the world in 48 days. What would Magellan say?

Congrats Emilia and Mike and Carlos on teh wins of your teams. Wow, this is fun! And the games go so FAST!

JudyB, Best of luck to your Ohio St fellows tomorrow.

As to dictionaries, my portable one is Langenscheidt's with the yellow plastic cover. It focuses on Latin American Spanish and I have not (yet) mangled that tough plastic cover. I do not have the level of competence of many of you but I like the Oxford in hardback.

What do you guys think about Google Translate?

EJ
 

Well, I don't follow Gancho nor B-Ball, but I'm liking Friday Club Gancho. Les parece?

Google Translate: it really mangles stuff, but it does have its uses. A. Useful when I want to get the gist of a long article, and I'm too lazy to work through the Spanish. B. Useful if I'm writing in Spanish and I want my writing to be as good as possible. I'll write it in Spanish first, then put the English version into Google, and compare Google's Spanish to my Spanish. Google will often choose a better word than I did, but if I'm not sure, I check a dictionary because sometimes the Google suggestion is really stupid.

more in next post.
 

Favorite paper dictionary. I like my University of Chicago. 475 pages, más o menos. I spent some time in B&N comparing different ones, and for my tastes it was the best choice.

But above all, I like using Word Reference.com. The following is from info I sent to Cheryl some time ago.
what I like about Word Reference is:
A. Usage examples for most definitions of a single word. e.g. for "dejar" there is:
- dejar un recado - to leave a message;
- déjalo entrar - let him in;
- dejar de fumar - to give up smoking;
and many others. Look up "dejar" or "conseguir" as a perfect example of the usefulness of Word Reference.

B. Listings from two different dictionaries.

C. The common idioms that use the word, such as "no pegar ojo, not to sleep a wink." Includes almost all the slang terms. You cannot search by a phrase, but often the phrase you want can be found by the key word in a phrase.

D. The forum discussions are a goldmine! For example, in the "entender" entry, it gives you links to three different forum discussions about comprender vs. entender. If you have a question about the finer points of usage, odds are good that someone has discussed it on the forum. Or you can ask for yourself on the forum, and often someone will answer within a few hours.

E. The forum links are also very helpful in explaining dichos, so popular in the Mexican novelas. Look up "hueso," and in the forum links you'll find out that, "a otro perro con ese hueso" literally means "throw that bone to another dog," but quiere decir, "If you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you."

F. All the usual. Conjugations, suggestions of other spellings if it can't find your word, etc, regional differences, etc.

G. Faster and easier than a paper dictionary.
 

Me permitan echar (throw/toss out) a topic for Club Gancho discussion?

We all get tired of the same old telenovela script replayed countless times. We all cry out for something new and really different. So I'd like to hear YOUR ideas for a new, creative, fresh TN story idea. The only criteria are, A. it has to be a melodrama, and B. it has to end with a wedding.

I'll go first. Cargado de Corazones (Loaded With Hearts). A city bus driver plays matchmaker to her regular passengers, working behind the scenes to bring together perfect couples, but she herself has no principe azul in her life until one day...
 

Hi Paula. I've been really disappointed with my paperback University of Chicago dictionary. Maybe it was the size but I well remember trying to find the translation for the Spanish word for "concussion" and it wasn't in there. That seemed to be too basic a word to be left out of the dictionary.

I swear by the big-sized Oxford dictionary. Yes, it's hard-bound (but you're using this at home, not carrying it around, right Jeff?) and I think it's truly wonderful.

I also invested in the Larousse Spanish-Spanish dictionary because it covers some things that the Oxford misses.

But if I were buying just one thing, I'd skip the paperback and invest in the hardbound Oxford.
 

Thanks for comments everyone.
Judy.. It is used at home, but also like something smaller. It gets grabbed quick to look up a word and paperback works better that way.
I have used WordReference, have that bookmarked. Google translate works different now than a few months ago and is getting better.

Good luck to everyone today in NCAA.
 

For something small and quick in front of the TV, I use an electronic dictionary.

Just punch in the word you heard, et voilá -- there you have it. You hardly have to look away.

I use one like this, which is about 4 x 5 inches in size.
 

Hello everyone..

Judy from what I understand, Tennessee (Guera, we won!) plays either OSU or Ga Tech depending on the out come of your game....Oh dear, I was afraid of something like this!

EJ, I use the little Lagenscheidt's Dictionary as well. Also, I'm a Cal State LA grad. I only went two quarters there, we moved to LA after we married. Although the two schools are really a different system, if need be, I'll be big hearted and root for Cal as well.

I think the proper terminology when following your team is, in the case of a win,,,"we won", in the case of a loss, "they lost". I read an article where someone had actually made a study of this phenomena.
 

Jeri, you know, I think we bought something like that for our youngest for his high school Spanish class. Wonder if he still has it?

Paula, I like your contest and I like your idea about the bus driver, too.
 

Hey Jeri, I used to work with a woman from Mexico. She used just such an electronic device to help her translate English words. She swore by it.

Paula, I love your telenovela plot idea. Let's see...playing off some recent Gancho discussions I'd like to offer up the title "Amor Pibil", however I have no plot whatsoever. I'll give it some thought, in the meantime does somebody else has an idea...?
 

Ahem...that would be "does somebody else HAVE an idea?" Guess I'm still a bit sleepy.
 

~Amor Sin Permiso~

The story of a young couple who falls in love and marries without the permission of their families.....


A young woman from a very religious family falls in love with a galan of another religion, yes....the wrong religion! Our galan, from an impoverished family is working his way though La Universidad de Guadalajara and meets and falls in love with Alejandra, the beautiful (or maybe not so!) woman who cannot been seen with him for fear of the rejection (or wrath!) of her family. Much intrigue, lost letters, purloined meetings........and then yes....the stolen boda, the two of them together and free of their families at a courthouse for a simple civil ceremony.......(for the purposes of this novela, a lavish church wedding follows, a magical happening because neither of them had any money, but as we know, it isn’t a proper ending without a big church ceremony!)
 

Sandy, pretty funny about "we" and "they." :-D

Mike, don't know how far back your son's gadget might go, but the one I have is slim and efficient. I put a battery in it maybe three ago when I bought it, and it's still working.

Speaking of reference books, there's this one: NTC's Dictionary of Mexican Cultural Code Words, or "The Indispensible Guide to REALLY Understanding the Mexican Language-Culture Connection."
 

About the dictionaries, when I do recaps, I first look in the Merriam-Webster paperback. If it's not in there, I try the Oxford hardback. If it's not in there, I may try the Larousse Spanish-Spanish, but usually go to wordreference.com, or just google the phrase.

I have a Franklin translator (not the one pictured), and somehow it never has the words I need. It conveniently has all the words I already know, nothing more. :) But it does have a great translation game that I play for about 5 minutes each day.

As for a new telenovela, how about a telenovela of a reality show, like Survivor or the Amazing Race. The main people on the show would not be the contestants, but the producers, the ones who pick the location, make the rules, write the "scripts", camera people, makeup, etc. They'd all fall in love in some exotic locale, why some evil people sabotaged everything (for ratings, of course).
 

Sylvia, oh, well good! There ya go; glad to hear it works in reverse, too.

Usually I am lazy and just wait for the word to come around again on screen in more context; but for business, I can see someone wouldn't want to wait.
 

Sandi, I love your idea about the two religions. The only thing is, which church do they use for the big wedding at the end?

I also loved your explanation about "we won", "they lost".
 

Hombre, maybe a church of a different religion all together? Non-denominational? Or maybe in one of their religions there was a benevolent church figure who has helped guide them (as there so often is) so that person would get to perform the ceremony.
 

Or they could have TWO weddings, one in her church, one in his. Didn't we have a recent novela where the heroes got married about 4 times?
 

Hombre, I think you're right. There would be 3 weddings. One in each church and then the civil wedding. :)

I think it is 'we won' and 'the bums lost'. :)
 

Hombre,

Well, the wedding location is a complication with this story. Novelas always seems to end with a big Catholic wedding........

I like your Survivor story, maybe I could get my husband to watch that one. We tried El Capo, and he liked it, but translating over the noise of gun shots was impossible.
 

Sylvia, I like the benevolent church figure or maybe just the civil ceremony and a swim in a cenote.
 

Fun discussion this morning. Back to an earlier question: why not a digital camera. Digital cameras are expensive. Monita couldn't afford one on her meager budget. Therefore her little camera (looks like the throwaway cameras I use) makes perfect sense.
 

In fact, just about nobody in our show is working these days. Moni, Estrella and Paula don't have jobs, although Moni's training for the fight with Coni. Estrella has the acting job lined up, but it hasnt' started yet. Paula will probably be hired by Mauricio back at the company.

Same with Beto, who's been a chauffeur, wrestler, cleaning person, monk, and now a Director. Don't know what happened to Coni's boutique, but she and Xime havent' been there in a while. Gabi's out of work, as is Sal, but they could be rehired (Sal has to be cured first). I haven't seen Arnie or Rolu work, although I guess Rolu has racing winnings. Alicia doesn't work, and I'm not sure Nieves does, either. Tano supposedly works at the track. Ivan was working at Grupo Sermeno before the ownership change.

Come to think of it, just about everyone's gonna need those instant cameras!
 

Carlos, We are really happy about Baylor, but we felt a touch guilty rooting for them. ODU is just down the road from us and that's our daughter's alma mater!
 

Re: the TN about the TV crew of a reality show, keep your eyes on the horizon. Los Exitosos Perez should arrive in the US soon. It's the cast, crew, and corporate kings of a TV news show. Light comedy/romance, refreshingly non-melodrama. And yes, there is the obsession with ratings, and those who try to sabotage the show.

Jeff, if Judy nixes the Univ of Chicago dictionary, her opinion trumps mine. I confess I haven't used mine much since I discovered WordReference. As for the electronic dict's, all Franklins are not created equal. I have an 1850 that's fantastic! It also includes a complete MW Collegiate (English) dictionary. I appreciate that because I often want to check a root found in an English word. But some of the lower-priced Franklins are frustrating because they don't have enough words. It's like a college student trying to use a dictionary designed for 4th graders.
 

Hi, Sandy:

My, I have missed "seeing" you lately. How kind of you to root for Cal.

How've you been, amiga. Are you lovign Gancho as much as I do?

I LOVE your TN story-arc. Now we are casting. I guess we need really young actors. Do we like Paloma from ENDA for the college student/heroine? she is a lovely young actress, and age appropriate.

Also, can one of the families live in a great hacienda (like Gonzo's on MEPS) so I can fantasize?

With a smile,

EJ
 

For any Cornell followers, they are having a good weekend. Besides the BB team, the wrestling team finished 2nd to Iowa in the Nationals last night and the women's hockey is playing for the title today.
 

Yes and Cornell is doing well in their second game right now. SU really looked good in their win this afternoon. Central New York is Happy!

Sandy, sorry I got that wrong about Tennessee. Don't know what I was looking at.

Thanks for the heads up about Wordreference.com. I'll have to try it.

Güera
 

Congratulations, Ohio State!
Congratulations, Cornell!

As for the Maryland Terrapins, well, "they" lost. It was a great game though. They were down 15, came roaring back, and Greivis Vasquez (whose first name is a combination of his parents' names, Gregorio and Ivis) was unbeatable at the end, hitting an amazing shot with 6 seconds left to put Maryland up 83-82. Unfortunately, Michigan State zoomed downcourt and hit a 3 at the buzzer. Great game, though.
 

An incredible game, Hombre, and a heartbreaker. I didn't see Vasquez's shot (vacuuming) but got back in to see Michigan State's winner.

Our novice Elna June is batting a thousand so far with her Cornell Cinderella prediction. My husband thought Wisconsin would go pretty far in the tournament as they can usually flummox opponents into slowing down to Wisconsin's deliberate pace. But it was not to be.

Sandy, "your" Tennessee team is considered a tough matchup for us. You're big and aggressive. We play with four guards and a pitifully short bench. I've already stopped enjoying our victory and am busy worrying about the next gamej! Time to see the therapist.
 

Oh and Güera...Congrats to Syracuse. Our cat Kizzie loves March Madness because I'm parked on the couch or the easy chair and she can lap sit for hours. (very spoiled)
 

Speaking of El Rey de Cornell, donde es nuestra Julia?
 

EJ, yes we need a big Hacienda for my novela, and actually, I think Sylvia Navarro is best for the part of Alexandra! I love "our" Gancho and...... I'm sending an email your way tomorrow....

Güera, don't worry about the Tennessee thing...and the only better place than the bathroom line to get sports facts in the beer/wine line...

Does anyone have a rosary that they can lend me for this Friday? Tennessee vs Ohio State.... Oh dear...I hope "we" win, but if "they' lose, I'll be very happy for Judy...
 

Hmmm...I do have a rosary...but there's no way I'm lending it, Sandy. Glad you're casting Silvia Navarro...clearly now it's going to be a first rate telenovela.
 

Judy.. Congrats, I wasn't too worried for you. If you keep saying how bad you guys are, I may almost think about shedding a tear or two. :)
I would think you'd be up pacing the floor instead of sitting down watching the game and get Kizzie all upset with no lap to lie on.

Hombre.. Thought you guys had it. Needed to take a couple of more seconds to take your last shot.

Güera...Congrats on Syracuse. You guys looked pretty good. Nothing to worry about so far.

On other BB news, of a Baseball kind, all is happy in Minnesota. Twins have spent probably too much money and extended the contract of Mr. MVP, Joe Mauer for 8 years.
 

Hola, everyone. Your prodigal Caray mate checking in. :)

I must say I've no idea how much more I can stand Isabel. Just looking at the woman these days makes me want to blow major chunks (sorry, gross, I know). That business with Estrella and Mau... holy frak! *sigh*

Unfortunately I know nothing of basketball, but this weekend's happenings sure sound exciting from your points of view. I am excited by all the new recapper photos in the Caray sidebar, and being able to take the time to look at my old friends as well. How wonderful. :D

LOL @ JudyB's cat!

I don't have a portable English/Spanish dictionary, but online I regularly use SpanishDict, Microsoft Bing Translate, and Google Translate.

Hope everyone's weekend was great. Cheers and hugs to all! *trotting off to ask my brother about all of those B-ball game results--Carlos seems kind of happy... )
 

Mike, as a navigator, have you read Carry On Mr. Bowditch? It's a Newbery winner, written for teens. Biography of Nathaniel Bowditch who, more than 200 years ago, wrote a navigation guide still in use today, as I understand it.

The delight of the book (the biography, not the navigation guide) is that it doesn't read like a biography but rather as a wonderful coming-of-age, Horatio Alger, "reach success against all odds by genius and hard work" kind of novel. With your interest in navigation, I'm sure you'd find it even more interesting.

Mike, since it's Sunday afternoon, could you give me a 10-4 if you see this note. Else I'll em it to you.
 

Hey Paula, thanks for the tip on the book! Sounds like one I'd enjoy.

Yep, Nathaniel Bowditch was the author of Hydrographic Office Publication 9, The American Practical Navigator. It's been updated over the years and I believe is still available through the Govt Printing Office. I've only had a copy in my hand once or twice, but found some interesting similarities between air and marine practices.

BTW, the Air Force no longer has navigators; they're now "Combat Systems Officers." I think what drove that was removal of celestial navigation from the nav training curriculum and, of course, removal of the sextants from the aircraft.

Good to hear from you, Paula!

Spring has come to Yorktown and I put up a new profile photo from the back corner of our yard.
 

Yo, Mike! You can peruse Bowditch (APN) on-line at http://www.irbs.com/bowditch/ among other places. I actually looked at the book myself once because I had enjoyed his bio so much. I was at the Naval Postgrad library one day, researching something else, and I figured if anybody had a copy of Bowditch, they would. Out of my league (pardon the pun), but at least I can say I handled it.
 

Paula, the really juicy parts are in H.O. Pub 249, Sight Reduction Tables, esp. Vol I.

There's your TN plot raw material!!

Speakin' o' TN plots, does anyone know if they have trailer parks in Mexico?
 

Nice to be back home after almost a week in San Antonio. It turned very cold yesterday. I like the novella plans. How about casting Marcos as the old guy who rides her bus, falls in love with her, courts her, but dies leaving her his penthouse, immense fortune, and dog (pit bull, natch), with the stipulation that she keep her day job.

Welcome back Stephe, we've missed you.

Elna June,

Good luck with tomorrows recap.

Carlos
 

Gracias, Carlos.

So far, so good. Ha ha ha ha ha...


Big Smile!

EJ
 

Hello Gancholand amigos! I haven't commented all week because I didn't have time to watch the episodes, and then I was out enjoying the nice weather all weekend (and suffering with my allergies now).

So sad to see the Terps lose like that, but they played hard till the very end.
 

Hi Vivi and Stephe. Wow...Stephe...it's been an age. But happy to know you ARE watching, amiga. We miss your comments though because you are just so darned funny. However, life gets busy and yours sounds very busy. Just know we're delighted when we DO hear from you.

Elna June...I stressed out on my first recap. Hope it won't be that way for you. Remember, you are writing for people who love you, people who are part of your extended family, and who will be welcoming and supportive. This place is like Pooh's Corner...very safe.
 

Oh and Jeff....how well you know me. I DO pace (all over the house) when OSU is playing, but I can watch the rest of the games quite comfortably on the couch. And have to if my husband is away because he's Principe No. 1 in her eyes. However she'll settle for me, and INSIST on it, if he's not around. Should be called TC. Tough Cat.
 

Goodness. Spend a whole weekend off the computer and there are almost more comments than one can catch up on.

I have not been watching the basketball but maybe I will have to start. Cornell won two games?! No puede ser. Guess I'll be a fair-weather fan and bother to root for them if I can figure out when their next game is.

Here's my telenovela idea: Two different families both find they have credible legal claims to the same fabulous hacienda. The wackadoodle local judge tells them to work it out on their own. So both families move in, trying to stake their claim. Wacky hijinks ensue. Naturally, a son from one family falls in love with a daughter from the other. There are an awesome swimming pool complex and a creek with a waterfall on the property (swimming scenes!). Also, one family trains horses. The other family are competitive dancers.
 

Oh, I must also add: the hacienda in my proposed telenovela has all sorts of awesome features, like secret passages and trap doors, which enable various plot points.
 

Julia, are you interested in a friendly wager?

UK vs. Cornell
When: About 9:57 p.m. Thursday
Where: Syracuse
 

Hmm, I don't know that I have that much faith in my fellow Cornellians. What are your terms?
 

If Kentucky wins, you buy me a beer next time we come out to Seattle.

If Cornell wins, I buy you a beer next time you're in Yorktown.

Harsh terms, yes, but fair.
 

Okay...I really really hate beer, but if, by some miracle Cornell wins, you can buy me a ginger ale with a third cup of lime juice in it the next time I'm in Yorktown.

Agreed?
 

Pardon my incorrect comma usage in that last comment.

Hmmm, maybe there was a reason my manager sent me a whole long missive on correct comma usage last week.
 

Yes'm, that's fine. Or maybe Emilia will whip up some Dark & Stormies for you two while I sulk in the corner with a beer.
 

Julia's TN idea, competing for the hacienda, reminded me. Does anyone remember Filthy Rich? It was a spoof on Dynasty, with a Carol Burnett-type cast. Set in Fresno, raisin magnate family. The patriarch dies, and his will states his sons' families must get along, to get the inheritance. One family is totally naco, and the other family is total nuveau riche (sp?) posers. Wacky Snidely Whiplash shennanigans. Fun stuff.
 

I've never seen or heard of Filthy Rich before, but it sounds like something I'd enjoy. I wonder if it's on DVD (for when the massive backlog of other stuff I've been meaning to watch runs out).
 

Filthy Rich, all I could find on YouTube was this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHUkqCreXyQ
It's NOT the Filthy Rich and Catflap; that's something different.
 

Hey, Paula, I remember a short-lived series called "Fresno" that, IIRC, starred Carol Burnett and was about a raisin raisin' (like that?) family and was a spoof of Dynasty.
 

Mike, hmm, I think you're right. I must have them muddled in my memory. Now that you mention it, when I saw Fresno it reminded me of Filthy Rich, so I must be confusing the details. The older I get, the dimmer the lights. I'll just shuffle off and eat my rice pudding and listen to Lawrence Welk. The great thing about losing your memory, is that every day is new!!!