Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Lo que la vida me robó, Cap. 51, Tuesday, 1/21/14: Ale Get Your Gun!


For tonight's edition of People on The Patio, we've invited a special guest to give us the inside scoop on one of the most shocking scenes in the novela. 

Let's give a warm welcome to María Zamudio and hear her take on The Infamous Shower Scene and its Aftermath!

[The Hell in a Handbasket table shifts uneasily.  What could SHE possibly have to say for herself?  THAT INSANE BITCH!  Some are already edging stealthily toward the tunnel leading to the Bunker of Ironic Detachment, opting to watch People on the Patio on their tablets.]

NovelaMaven: María, thank you for joining us this evening.  Say, before we begin, would you mind passing me the pitcher next to you...

María Zamudio:  Do I look like your servant, Maven?  Get off your rear and get the damn pitcher yourself!


[NM rises and, stepping cautiously around her surly guest, picks up the glass pitcher, pours herself a generous serving of Sangría in a paper cup, and then nods to an assistant who carries the pitcher out of reach.  There will be no shards of glass on The Patio stage tonight and no Sangria for María.  The bitch!]

NM:  I see you aren't interested in the social niceties, María, so I'll be blunt.  You have done some appalling things in the short time we've known you...

[NM raises her laser pointer and a list appears on a white screen, readily visible to the audience and María herself:

Lying, snooping, scheming, slandering, fomenting misery, abusing fruit, stealing underwear, stealing money, whoring, cruelty, disrespect, shiftlessness]

  ...but you were never more repulsive than when you stripped down and stepped in the shower with your boss and former BFF, Alejandro Almonte.

MZ:  You people just don't understand.  I love Alejandro.  I've always loved him.  When I heard the water running and I peeked into the bathroom...

NM:  Stop right there, Ms Zamudio.  Do you think it is right to sneak into other people's bedrooms and then spy on them in their bathrooms?

MZ:  You still don't get it, do you?  Alejandro is MINE and I'll do anything to get between him and his So-Called Wife.  Anything.

Anyway, I looked inside and there was my love, naked, alone, eyes closed against the slippery sudsy soap that covered his perfect body.  Yes.  I quickly shed my clothes and stepped in the shower and I said yes.  I pressed myself against him.  Yes I said yes.  And his lips found mine, yes, blindly, trustingly and I said yes...

[NM mumbles to self:  Good grief, this delusional strumpet thinks she's Molly Bloom!]

[MZ smiles dreamily.  For a moment, she seems lost in the memory of her trespass.  Then she snaps to attention.  Her face turns hard and sullen.  She regrets sharing the moment with the haters on The Patio.]

NM:  Ms Zamudio, you were playing a smart game... 

[María can't suppress a smirk at the recognition of her own cleverness]

... a smart game until The Shower Scene.  Until then, you had never let Alejandro see your ugly side -- your cruelty, your lies, your ruthlessness, your -- let's face it -- whorishness.  Alejandro was the only person left who still believed you were a good person and a loyal friend.  But when Alejandro surprised you by taking his wife's part, you let yourself get carried away by your rage.  

YOU TOOK OFF YOUR MASK WHILE HE WAS WATCHING!

YOU SAID ALEJANDRO KNEW IT WAS YOU IN THE SHOWER AND THAT YOU HAD BEEN TOGETHER MANY TIMES BEFORE.  

Did you forget that Alejandro was in the room?  That he had seen you with your shirt off but never with your mask off?

What were you thinking, María?

MZ:  Okay.  I made a mistake.  But it's nothing I can't fix.  We all know his So-Called Wife is hiding something.  And when Alejandro finds out what it is, he'll come running back to me.  In the meantime, Adolfo is crazy about me...

NM:  You do realize that Adolfo has no money, right?  

[MZ appears disconcerted.  She gets up hastily, knocking over her chair and spilling to the ground what remains in NM's paper cup of Sangría where, in the diminishing light of The Patio, it leaves a stain that looks like blood.  MZ is gone.  The only evidence of her visit is a lingering whiff of sulfur in the air.]

NM:  And there you have it, my friends.  Until next time on People on the Patio! 

Here now the news:

The Civic Pride of Aguazul
Nadia sits on the podium and gazes adoringly at her husband as the Municipal President speechifies, then thumps his chest with his fist and points to the crowd -- the modern politico's sign language for "I love you, man!"  Victor sits and watches, his face a mixture of disgust and disbelief.

Nadia's eye --> mind
A promise to Pedro to be the perfect politician's wife if he said nothing to Alejandro about JL/Antonio.

Premarital Chat in Campeche
Left alone in the hacienda with Dimitrio, Josefina is in a mood to celebrate.  But Dim puts a damper on things.  How much is a year married to him worth?  Josefina isn't sure -- what's his salary now for shoveling horse manure?  Then she sets out her rules: every insult is going to cost him money; and every little loving gesture, every kiss, every caress will be profitable.  "And how much for a kiss?" asks Dim. It depends on how sincere it seems and how it makes her feel, she tells him.  He tries a little peck on the lips.  Yawn.  He tries again, this time with a bit more oomph.  Josefina puts on a poker face and says she still felt nothing.  But she encourages Dim to keep trying.  At the end of a year, he will either have earned a bundle or he will end up owing money to her!

Premarital Chat in Mérida
In Mérida, JL and Prudencia smile indulgently as Angélica sits beside JL on the couch, her long pretty legs draped over his lap, and bubbles over about her planned seaside wedding.  It troubles JL that Angie is doing all this behind her parents' backs.  Prudencia agrees that it would be better to include them.  She is sure she can call them and win them over so they can share this special occasion with their daughter.

They grieve one daughter and ignore the other.
Back at the Hacienda Arechiga, Joaquín and Amelia are indeed grieving the absence of their beloved Angélica.  If her absence hurts this much, what will keep them together when she is really gone -- when she is dead?  Love?

Their younger daughter Virginia hears the question as she is coming down the stairs.  She reminds them they still have one daughter at home.  Besides, Angélica is okay -- she's with the man she loves.  Both parents make their excuses and leave Virginia to weep alone.

Adolfo's bedroom
Adolfo is disappointed.  Isn't María going to get out of bed? She hasn't paid any attention to him since she arrived. María doesn't feel good, she says.  And she doesn't want to talk about why she left the hacienda.  She had an argument with Montserrat.  That's it.

Adolfo isn't going to be deterred so easily.  He climbs on top of María and does his best to cure her of her ill humor.  At first, María turns away from him.  But then she imagines that she is with Alejandro.  "Tell me you love me," she whispers, "even if it's just a lie."  "Te amo," answers the man in her bed.  But now the spell is broken -- it's only greasy-tressed Adolfo.

A punch in the chops
Tomás Valverde accompanies Alejandro, Montse and Carlota back to the hacienda.  As soon as he sees Dimitrio, he walks up to him and punches him in the face, hard enough to knock him down.  Josefina cries out that everything has already been straightened out -- she and Dim are getting married!

At Alejandro's suggestion, the men go to his office to talk things through.  Tomás agrees -- with reluctance -- to allow Dimitrio to marry his sister, but he still has to pay back the money he stole from her.  Alejandro, who has assumed Dim's debt, tells Dimitrio that he can repay him by working for Victor in his business in Aguazul.  Of course he will have to start at the bottom of the ladder.

In Aguazul, Graciela frets over the fate of her bebé.  Lauro isn't especially worried.  If Tomás Valverde slaps Dim around, it's no more than their son deserves.  That doesn't reassure Graciela.  She won't be able to sleep a wink tonight!

In Mérida, José Luis and Prudencia talk.  Prudencia has never seen her goddaughter so happy -- and she owes that to him.  JL still feels uncomfortable with his decision to marry Angélica.  He repeats that he is a fugitive with nothing to offer; and while he cares very much about Angie, he isn't in love with her.  

Prudencia knows his story and she appreciates his honesty.  But Angie has so little time left. At least let her have some happiness in these final days of her life.  Besides, JL will be well-compensated.  When Angélica marries, she receives her maternal grandmother's inheritance.  She will be rich -- and so will he.

José Luis insists that he has no claim on the money, nor any desire for it.  But he is interested in something else that Prudencia offers: she will talk to her brother, Captain Ignacio Robledo, before the wedding and try to clear his name.

Adolfo's bedroom.  Again.
This time we see naked shoulders hinting at naked bodies under the sheets, so we can assume that attention has been paid.  But why is Adolfo still hanging around? What's wrong with him?  What man wants to snuggle after sex?  He's like a GIRL.  Adolfo tries to tell her that he has real feelings for her --- not, you know, marrying kinds of feelings, but still...

María asks him to drive her to Padre Anselmo's house in the morning.  Does she want to confess the sins they just committed? asks Adolfo mockingly.  No, she just wants to talk to the priest.  That's all.

Back at Hacienda Almonte
Carlota, Josefina and Montserrat sit in the living room waiting for the menfolk to emerge from the office.  Montse hopes Fina doesn't live to regret her decision to marry Dim.  Fina reminds Montse that she was in love with another man when she married Alejandro, and that turned out pretty well.  Montse admits that JL was her first love and he taught her many things, among others not to judge people by position or wealth.  But Carlota believes JL is a fortune-hunter.  And now he has run off with another wealthy girl!

Alejandro interrupts this imprudent conversation when he steps out of the office and calls Josefina to join the men.  She enters and sees Dimitrio sulking in the corner, an ice pack pressed to his cheek.  Tomás announces that everything has been resolved.  She will marry Dimitrio in a discreet civil ceremony.  She'll do as he says, whether she likes it or not!  Dimitrio, surprisingly, admonishes Tomás for talking to his prometida in that tone.   Nobody pays much attention to him.  He is sent off to pack his bags.

Tomás tells his sister she is a pathetic fool to marry someone who obviously doesn't give a fig about her. Fina says she is sure that Dim will learn, in time, to love her.  Tomás explodes at her:

¿En qué cabeza cabe que un tipo como Dimitrio se pueda enamorar de una mujer como tú, Josefina?
(How can you possibly believe that a guy like Dimitrio could fall in love with someone like you?)

[Nerd note:  I love this expression. ¿En qué cabeza cabe? means literally, "In what head does it fit?" Caber means "to fit" but also by extension, "to be possible."]

When Tomás sees how devastating his words are to his sister, he apologizes.  He didn't mean to hurt her.  He just wanted to be realistic.  He doesn't want Dim to make a fool of her a second time.

Tomás explains the financial arrangements he made with Alejandro.  Josefina will have to give him power of attorney so he can control her finances during the marriage. Dimitrio will have no access to his sister's money, though she will have all she needs. "Then he's going to hate me," wails Josefina.  Really? That's exactly what Tomás wants to find out -- can Dimitrio fall in love with his sister, independent of her money?

At the moment, that seems a dubious prospect.  Dim is whining to Aunt Carlota -- who is doing the packing for her helpless 28-year-old nephew -- that when he agreed to marry Fina, he didn't expect to end up cleaning toilets in the Almonte Company.  Still, he's sure that he'll be able to loosen Josefina's purse strings.  It will just cost him a few kisses.  Carlota is appalled at his cynicism.  She hopes he realizes what a treasure Josefina is before it is too late.  Dim isn't listening.  He grabs his suitcase and rushes off to what he is sure will be his future as a millionaire. 

This time it is Victor who begs
Victor shows up on Nadia's doorstep demanding an explanation for her change in attitude.  Surely Pedro must be threatening her again. Nadia denies this.  She is simply a thousand times better off with Pedro than with him, she says.  Victor has nothing to offer her.  Even the house he lives in is not his own, but Alejandro's.  Did she sleep with Pedro?  Yes, and he made her very happy.  He's a better lover than Victor.  And he is her HUSBAND.  Victor needs to leave and never come back.

Hacienda Almonte -- Alone at Last
Montserrat and Alejandro find themselves blissfully alone, what with María gone and Dim and the Valverde siblings on their way back to Aguazul.  It is their moment to be happy.  Te amo, Alejandro, says Montserrat, oblivious to the cloud of anvils hovering over the hacienda.  They kiss.

The following day:

Hacienda Almonte and a Visitor with ill tidings
Montserrat has gone to visit Padre Anselmo, Rosario informs Alejandro.  And there is a man waiting to see him in the parlor.

Oh no.  It is EZ Basurto.  And he is armed with a folder.  Alejandro asks if he has news about Antonio Olivares.  He does, says EZ -- but not about the man working under that name here at the hacienda.  The police recently discovered a body buried near the hacienda; now it has been positively identified as Antonio Olivares.  That means that the man who worked for Almonte was an imposter!

Casa Mendoza
Lauro lies in bed and watches his wife putting on her mascara.  He reminisces about the old days -- she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen.  Graciela reminds him that she was, indeed, just a girl back then -- he was several years older than she.

He has been thinking about the trip she took before they got married.  She told him she would be visiting her family in Italy for a few months.  He never told her, but he knew she was lying.  She spent those months in a convent.  Why?

Graciela sighs.  She was confused.  She had so many things to ponder.  But she realized she was in love, she married him and here she is.

Lauro confides that it wasn't merely her beauty that he fell in love with, but also her innocence, her purity.  It makes him happy knowing that he was the first and the only man in her life.

Graciela pastes on a plastic smile.  But --
Eye --> Mind
Benjamín loves her passion...she is the best lover in the world...her reward is a jeweled bracelet.

The memory turns her false smile into a real one; and she turns her attention back to the serious business of applying her mascara.

Padre Anselmo's cottage
María, in ecclesiastical purple that clashes with her generous display of cleavage, sits across from Padre Anselmo and complains loudly about being kicked to the curb.  It's so unfair.  After everything she did for Alejandro...

The padre interrupts her rant.  She did something wrong.  Alejandro is very strict about such things.

María insists she did nothing wrong.  "That woman" and her brother got together and blamed her for stealing the money.  But Padre Anselmo knows Montserrat wouldn't do such a thing.  María is wasting her time if she is there to trash-talk Alejandro's wife.

--But he threw me out of the hacienda!

--Isn't there something you haven't told me?  You haven't behaved very well.  Ever since Montserrat's arrival, you've schemed against her and tried to harm her.

Hacienda Almonte
Alejandro is incredulous.  His foreman was an imposter?  Yes, says EZ.  He took the life of the real Antonio Olivares and stole his identity just to gain access to the hacienda.  Does Alejandro have any idea who that man really is?

Alejandro's Eye --> Mind 
Images of Montserrat fainting when she first saw JL/Antonio in the hacienda.

Now Alejandro knows.  José Luis Álvarez, he whispers to himself.

But aloud. he says he has no idea who the man really is.  EZ urges Alejandro to think hard.  An innocent girl's life is at stake.

Casa Valverde
Josefina is tormented by the thought that Dimitrio will hate her when he finds out he has no access to her money.

Padre Anselmo's cottage
Padre knows María very well.  She's always been capricious and willful, stopping at nothing to get her way.  He realizes she had her hopes pinned on Alejandro.  She was always in love with him and convinced herself that one day he would love her back.  But it didn't happen.  She has to resign herself to that fact.

Montserrat, whose hair is now curly again after the latest reconciliation (though we will not be drawn into logical fallacies from that observation), drives up to Padre Anselmo's place only to find Adolfo lolling outside, waiting for María.  It is news to him that Alejandro kicked María out of the hacienda, but he admits she is staying with him.  Montse thinks they are two of a kind.

Meanwhile Padre is telling María not to expect his help in getting back into the hacienda.  He knows she just wants to make trouble.  It is really best for her to stay away from Alejandro and the temptation he represents for her.  

Just then Montserrat knocks.  The padre calls for her to come in.  He greets her warmly.  Montse tells María that someone is waiting for her outside. 

After María leaves,  Padre tells Montse that she came to complain to him.  "She says she didn't steal the money."

"Of course she did!" says Montserrat.  And the man who helped her steal it is right outside waiting for her.  But that's not the real reason she was banished from the hacienda.  It was something else -- something that it is simply too unpleasant to repeat.

Alejandro is a soul in pain
In the light of what Ezequiel Basurto has just told him, Alejandro recalls many past hints that his foreman might have been José Luis.  His face is a study in grief and rage as JL's voice echoes in his head.  The man told him he was in the hacienda because he was in love with a woman...

...While Montserrat can't contain her joy
Montserrat gushes to Padre Anselmo about her happiness with Alejandro.  And best of all, now they are going to be parents!  Padre gives her a big hug.  This is the kind of gift from God that signals He is on your side! [Oye, Padre, you might want to ask Job about that.]

Montse mentions that the person who was really excited at the news was Rosario.  She was so happy, you'd think she was going to be a grandmother herself.  Montse looks at Padre Anselmo and asks outright:  Is Rosario Alejandro's mother?

Alejandro continues down the Nightmare Alley version of Memory Lane:
Antonio saying he was in the navy...Montserrat begging Antonio to stay in the hacienda where he was safe...her exaggerated grief when told he was dead... her inexplicable feeling of guilt.   

Alejandro's handsome face is contorted with fury and sorrow.  He walks to his desk, takes out a revolver and carefully loads bullets into its chambers.


Avances:  Alejandro's rage explodes

Labels:


Comments:
Graciela spent several months in a convent just before she married Lauro???

Who knew?

The Bunks of Ironic Detachment are getting crowded, my friends...
 

NovelaMaven:

This is a true masterpiece, your best recap ever! I loved the "interview" you did with BM. You so nailed her!

BM is like a snake, a true viper. Funny how she left out the shower part with the Padre. BM and Addled are a lot alike. I wonder if he is starting to feel something for her.

We just knew that Ale would find out about JL being at the hacienda. Ale is very smart and basically figured it out for himself with the identification of the real Antonio Olivares' body. I didn't like where his thoughts went and then he went for that gun. I wish he had thought about it some more and calmed down. This will not be good.

Monse should have told Ale the truth, but I think she knew deep down he would react this way. This is so not good. He is going to believe all kinds of nasty things that never happened. Sigh!

Poor Fina, but she is making Dimwit work at it. I really liked the kissing she made him do, so cool! I hope she keeps up with this little game and makes him really pay for what he's done to her already. I don't want her to make this easy for him.

In the scenes with Gracie's flashbacks, that hair on DC, is her real hair. They are using some kind of horrid wig on her. And the convent, hmmmmmm....... there are lots of reasons she left out about going to a convent, like maybe a pregnancy, just a guess, not a spoiler, or wanting to be a nun, nah, not that. Hmmmmm..... a point to ponder.

Nadia really let poor Victor have it, and she's still protecting Monse. I wonder what she'll do when she finds out that Ale knows all. I hope she is a good defender of Monse. Monse is going to need all the help she can get.

Ale's rage is so uncontrollable, I fear for anyone in his path, especially Monse. Will be looking through my fingers at tonight's epi.

Thanks again, so much, NovelaMaven, for this most excellent, splendid recap!
 

GREAT recap NM! Thank you. I laughed and gave you virtual high fives all the way through. Oh goodie! Another episode of People on the Patio. You did a great job of handling THAT INSANE BITCH Maria (hee!!).

I really had to do a double take of Gracie spending time in a convent. Of course there is a big lie hidden in there somewhere. Mads, a pregnancy was the first thing I thought of too. Or maybe it was an asylum instead of a convent? (I'm obviously influenced by last night's comments.) Whatever, it will be fun to find out The Secret.

NM, I almost snorted my Dark and Stormy when you said "He's like a GIRL." about Addled. He did get clingy all of a sudden, but he doesn't know that Maria was fantasizing about Ale while she was with him.

Obviously I'm worried about Ale and his gun, but he does get points for figuring things out on his own. He didn't even have to listen at a door.

I love the title and all things musical. Now you've got me humming "I Cain't Say No", LOL!!
 

My Dear Novela Maven:
This recap has to go down in the 'Best of Novela Maven' collection that Anita is editing over at La Tienda Robo. Yes! Great work.

People on the Patio got a great interview with the serpent Maria. It seems her asp-eration is to slither her way right back to Ale. She wasn't even subtle about it, but Padre Alselmo gave her a little truth telling--at last. I think it is a hoot that she is wrapping Adolfito around her little finger. As Montserrat said, those two are perfect for one another.

I thought I heard just a little thought prompted by the wise Rabbi Jacob in this line:

"Oye, Padre, you may want to ask Job about that..."

I LOL at your (Rabbi Jacob's?) pragmatic wisdom and memory vs Father Anselso's mystic misplaced optism.

And hey! For whom did Ale get his gun? JL's long gone and it would hardly be worthy of Ale to kill a man who three times saved his life. Just a thought...

Sebastian Rulli was very good tonight as the devastated and duped husband. His shame was palpable and his rage will equal his shame, hurt and disappointment, I predict.

What a great recap of a wonderful/terrible capitulo.

The Gong of Doom has sounded amiga, mia.

I am headed for your bunker with my food offering of roasted artichoke with olive oil, lemon and garlic, lemon pepper aioli and almond flat bread AND a couple of decent bottles of Bella 2009 old Vine Zinfindel for those who are interested.

I hope the Bunker has a commercial kitchen. i think we are in for a siege.

Again, great recap, NM. You are a master of the art and craft of TN recapping. OK, I am raving, I know.

Abrazos a ti,

Elna June
 

Novela Maven:

I am always in awe of your recaps, and tonight was no exception. And what an interview you had with BM on People on The Patio, I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through.

These are a few memorable lines:

"Anyway, I looked inside and there was my love, naked, alone, eyes closed against the slippery sudsy soap that covered his perfect body."

"Until then, you had never let Alejandro see your ugly side -- your cruelty, your lies, your ruthlessness, your -- let's face it -- whorishness."

"But now the spell is broken -- it's only greasy-tressed Adolfo."

"Alejandro's handsome face is contorted with fury and sorrow."

I knew that Ale would find out the truth about Jose Luis, but I honestly thought the writers would stretch it out. It seems too soon for him to know. We all kept wondering who would tell Ale the truth when all he needed was a little nudge to put 2 & 2 together. All those looks, and excuses to visit the capataz, and pleading for him not to leave, and falling apart at the news of his death are coming back to haunt Montse. Ale's suffering was hard to watch. There was pure heartache and disbelief on his face. He has every right to feel betrayed. His wife lied to him for months, and nothing Montse says will make him believe otherwise. I just wonder what the gun is for. Can't wait for tomorrow's epi!

Fun scene between Fina and Dimi. I just know that Dimi is going to fall for Fina, even without the money. I felt a spark between them when they kissed, even though Dimi will deny it. I think they will drive each other crazy for a while, (no spoiler) and then Dimi will get scared when he realizes he is in love with Fina. I hope that Garcie leaves them alone, because if she intervenes, I'm afraid Dimi and Fina's relationship will suffer instead of flourish.

I see more trouble for the Arechiga family. Amelia and Joaquin are being selfish parents. Ignoring Virginia will not bring Angie back. I hope that Virginia doesn't end up hating Angie.

Way to go Tomas! Nice punch. Well deserved. Even though I did not like Tomas making Fina cry over his harsh words, I am glad that he apologized.

Nadia is going to feel like a damn fool when she realizes that she sacrificed herself for nothing. She should have known that Pedro would find a way to let Ale know the truth. Now Nadia, Victor, Montse, Ale, Jose Luis, and Angie have to suffer the consequences. Maybe Nadia will finally learn her lesson. BTW, Nadia was pretty cruel to Victor; he was so sad.

What? Que? Gracie spent months in a convent before she married Lauro. Madelaine & Cap'n Sylvia, I too thought of a hidden pregnancy, but then Lauro said he was the first man in her life. Of course we don't know if they had pre-marital sex. Maybe she did have a baby. Maybe she's BM's mother. That would explain a lot!

back to sleep...hasta pronto!
 

Ooh, Aunty Ann, Gracie as BM's mother? How deliciously diabolical! Poor Lauro, he's a nice guy but is buffoon enough to be fooled into thinking he was Gracie's first.

EJ, "asp-eration", snort! Just for that I'm following you with my wine glass and my appetite.

Not one episode after lauding Amelia's mother bear stance for Angelica and then she turns around and spurns her youngest. Sigh...telenovela mothers.

NM, how is Rabbi Jacob? You know he's welcome on The Patio any time. I'm sure glad The Patio is open 24/7. Looks like I'm in good company with my fellow night owls, insomniacs and/or early risers.


 

Great stuff.

The easy availability of firearms is something I will never get used to or understand.

Love how the padre didn't take Maria's crap.
 

Time in a convent, HAH! Probably Graciela just went to Europe to get her hymen surgically repaired. It can be done, evidently.

But enough of that. I've come to praise this recap which was superb, starting with the title. Heck, it even had the same "beat" as Annie get your gun. Love every song from that show.

Little things delighted me like

"Let's give a warm welcome...". So perfect.

and

"What man wants to snuggle after sex? He's like a GIRL."

[Oye, Padre, you might want to ask Job about that]

and

Nightmare Alley version of Memory Lane

There was a shoutout to James Joyce, a whiff of philosophical logic, the requisite Nerd Note, and a jab at our modern day culture with "the modern politico's sign language for I love you man."

So much to savor and enjoy. Alas, I am, without a doubt, the wussiest member of the Hell in a Handbasket Club (Okay, maybe Fatima is right down there with me) and I am in agony that our young couple's happiness was so short-lived. How can I get so hooked this way? Is it one's basic, primitive Fear of Abandonment at work? Tell me, Elna June. I need some therapy STAT.

In the meantime, I'll just enjoy the well-crafted recap and the wonderful comments. And maybe....just maybe...watch this with my eyes and ears half-closed later on. Whilst repeating, I'm doing this for the Spanish, it's just a telenovela, I'm doing this for the Spanish.....


 

Novela Maven, I loved the interview with Maria! Nevertheless, my favorite line was: "Alejandro continues down the Nightmare Alley version of Memory Lane." That is one memorable phrase!

Elna-June, "asp-eration" : very funny.

AuntyAnn, I like your speculation on Graciela being Maria's mother.

Nadia did what she had to do to dissuade Victor and facilitate her agreement with Pedro. What will she do
when she finds the truth about JL is out?

I felt sorry for Virginia who is invisible to her parents in light of Angelica's absence.

Poor Ale. Looks like one sad episode ahead. But then again poor Montse. She did't ask to married off to be the familial cash cow--so to speak--or for JL to find a job at the hacienda. I hope that this sad situation doesn't embolden BM to try to make a comeback.

Jarifa
 

Wonderful recap NM. Glad you survived your interview with the BSC-one and were able to control your temper. There were quite a few twisted towels and lemons at the patio tables as the rest of us tried to control our tempers too. Girl is nuts! tee-hee.

I loved loved watching Fina play Dimwit with those kisses. Poor girl, she was shaking, but kept it together. I absolutely agree that this bottle crawler is going to wind up falling for our lass...but he better do something to deserve her.

And when Rulli seethes...lord, he does it so well. Sexy seether. And tonight that manure Dimwit fell in hits the proverbial fan. This will not be pretty--Monse had her moment and blew it. Going to be hard to watch. Kleenex boxes and some nice TALL drinks are ready at the tables to help us all.

Daisynjay
 

NovelaMaven!! Wow!! Thank you for that very clever interview with Maria which confirms the various nasty handles we've hung around her wretched neck! The retelling of last night's episode was perfect. . .it's the lighting of the fuse!

Nadia, I am so over you heffa. I know she's supposedly making this huge sacrifice to save her bestie but it certainly did feel like she was getting even for Victor's cruel dumping of her. He had a gun to his head, she did not and told the lie about Pricko being a better lover with too much gusto. Seriously, did you have to go there?

NM the recap was full of delightfully descriptive passages and many that evoked immediate responses in this reader. Here's one: Lauro confides that it wasn't merely her beauty that he fell in love with, but also her innocence, her purity. This time I was the one who wanted to projectile vomit!

This description has all Ale fans wailing, moaning and clawing at each other to see who can get to him first to enfold him our ample bosoms (one benefit some of us experience after losing our girlish figures): Alejandro's handsome face is contorted with fury and sorrow.

Aye, Aye, Aye! Yes, what a cloud of anvils awaits the fair Montserrat! Girl, you have really messed up when you've done something Graciela wouldn't even do.

You and JL shat in the nest and now it's hit the fan!

Lila
 

Good morning everyone:

It's nice to wake up to a gathering of night owls and early birds trying to assimilate the latest developments in Aguazul and environs.

Mads:
Gracias, amiga! And I must admit, a pregnancy was the first thing I thought of too when Graciela and Lauro talked about the some mysterious months she spent in a convent just before they married.

AuntyAnn, it never occurred to me that María might have been that phantom child. Ewwwww. But it would indeed explain a lot!

Sylvia:
I hope you realize that THAT INSANE BITCH was a small homage to the master (that means YOU, just in case you're wondering).

The convent was really a manicomio? I'd buy into that too. The only thing I don't buy is several months in Italy during her formative years -- If that were true, she would have much better fashion sense. If there's one thing Italians know about, it's looking good.

Elna June:

Serpent Maria's asp-eration? Snort!

How funny you heard echoes of Rabbi Jacob in the aside to Padre Anselmo, hearing the 'oy vey' in the 'oye' as the source of its home truth. As you know, I've been looking for the right time to invite the Rabbi to Campeche…

Oh the gong of doom has sounded, all right. The question is how long it is going to reverberate. In the meantime, the eats in the bunker get better and better. The kitchen, by the way, is luxuriously appointed. (Alejandro Almonte has agreed to underwrite all the expenses.)

AuntyAnn, It's true that Ale put 2 and 2 together. But we should remember that this was all orchestrated by Pedro -- it was all his way of technically keeping his promise to Nadia while still making sure Alejandro knew that José Luis had been living on his hacienda.

"Way to go, Tomás!" -- agreed! Now if he could just learn to be a little kinder when he talks to his sister...
 

Urban, yes, it was good to see that the Padre knows exactly who María is. The Padre is many things, but he is no fool. (I wonder how he will answer Montserrat's question about Rosario.)

Dear JudyB:
You are the Founding Mother of the Hell in a Handbasket Table and you may be as wussy as you like. Frankly, I had the write the whole recap in the Bunker. Thank the lord that EJ roasted artichokes and Zin got there in time.

Jarifa:
"I hope that this sad situation doesn't embolden BM to try to make a comeback."

Oh yeah. Count on it. The big question is how Alejandro will react to her attempt. I'm hoping that's one grudge he can hold onto, at least for a while.

DaisynJay:

"Sexy seether." hee hee.

I'm a little worried that Josefina is going to rebel against Tomás and refuse to grant him power of attorney, leaving herself vulnerable to Dim's predations.

Lila:

"Girl, you have really messed up when you've done something Graciela wouldn't even do."

Now that's the truth!

As for Nadia, I can't help feeling sorry for her. She has been had. The tax on stupidity is very high in Aguazul apparently. (But looking on the bright side, perhaps Victor will get out of this alive, something I serious doubted a few episodes back.)
 

Nadia does have a virtual gun to her head, though. Victor's life is still at risk and now she thinks Monserrat's marriage is at risk.

Pedro got by on a technicality by having Bazurto deliver the evil news.

Victor should also be able to add 2 and 2 to understand Nadia's rejection was just as false and forced as his was.

Tomas needs to learn how to treat Josefina. Brothers have such capability of cruelty to their sisters (see Dimwit and Monserrat).

Pedro will have Alejandro almost where he wants him. Although we know it won't happen we know that if he killed him Monserrat would inherit his property so Pedro would have to kill her, too, and possibly the rest of her family.
 

Thinking about Gracelss and her convent stay, I keep leaning to the idea of the family hiding a pregnancy as well. If she was about to marry an older, wealthy dude, they more than likely wanted to insure that he thought her pure as the driven snow. Question is, if that was the case, who and where did the bebe go? Any speculation on who that kiddo may have grown up to be? Viktor? Adolfo ( oh, that would be a stitch -that would so p*** Dimwit off)? someone we haven't met yet?

Daisynjay
 

Urban, when the story started, all Pedro wanted was a piece of Alejandro's land, a piece of land that Benjamín had been prepared to sell to him. Alejandro refused Pedro's deal at least in part because he was planning to use it for community projects, including a school.

But now Alejandro may have had the altruism beaten out of him…

Is he going to become more and more like Benjamín?

Maybe taking Pedro's money sounds like a better deal than spending his own money on good works.
 

NovelaMaven: Let's start with the appetizer - the title. Perfect! Next course, People on the Patio -"fomenting misery, abusing fruit...", and "Good grief, this delusional strumpet thinks she's Molly Bloom!]" - sublime.

The excellent entree, seasoned to perfection by: "Surely the thinly disguised genius of this ensemble", "ecclesiastical purple" and "(though we will not be drawn into logical fallacies from that observation)". Another masterpiece...

I smiled somewhat sadly and indulgently at Prudencia’s notion she could include Angelica’s parents in the wedding festivities. Poor delusional dear.

The saddest scene of the night involved poor Virginia: “She reminds them they still have one daughter at home. Besides, Angélica is okay -- she's with the man she loves. Both parents make their excuses and leave Virginia to weep alone”. That was simply painful to watch.

“When Tomás sees how devastating his words are to his sister, he apologizes. He didn't mean to hurt her”. Really? His palpable anger toward Dim is understandable, his hateful words to his “beloved” sister are not. I can't condone such harsh words even with the intent of protecting his sister. He shows no warmth in his words and demeanor. Could he try to be a little kinder? Ack.

That said, I agree with Madelaine and AuntyAnn in that it was fun to watch Fina toy with Dimwit, pulling his strings like a marionette with Dim obviously oblivious.

Elna June, Rulli was superb last night. I believed he felt every raging emotion that stormed through his head last night. I share everyone's concern for what he plans to do with that gun. The previews show him raging at Monse and like you Madelaine, I will be watching but with my hands ready to shield my eyes when necessary.

Still snowing here and took a break from shoveling the foot and a half of snow amassed so far.

NovelaMaven, loved your relating the translated phrases. You never fail to delight! Another treasure.

Diana
 

Novela Maven, thanks so much for sharing your wit and humor with us in that carefully crafted recap.

Good morning, everyone. We got about 6 inches of snow yesterday, and now it is very cold , so the local schools are closed for the second day in a row . The college is opening late and classes are on a compressed schedule...better than a depressed schedule. I have to get to work , but I enjoyed the recap and comments with my oatmeal. I will be thinking about all the goodies on the buffet table in the bunker, and I think that is where we will all be for awhile. Fasten those seat belts.

MALria whining to the padre was unbelievable. She left out all the nasty parts in the tale she spun for the good padre. That was the Disney version that padre heard.

Add me to the list of those who think that a pregnancy may have been the reason Gracie spent some quality time in a convent. Why else..spiritual enlightenment? I think not. if so, it did not work. Maybe she did not stay long enough for the good sisters to help her see the light.

I giggled when Addled's face morphed into Ale's in MALria's twisted , murky , horny mind.

well, I must run to teach past and past progressive tenses and the culture if time. Stay warm and cozy wherever you are.
 

Diana..I forgot to say...a foot and a half of snow !!!! Please be careful shoveling.
 

Dear NovelaMaven, you hit one out of the ballpark with that Interview with the Vampire. The whole thing was SO good that I will be sitting with my good friend, JudyB at the HIAH Table too paralyzed to watch the episode.

I just don't think I can bear to see the sadness, sorrow, and rage on dear Ale's face. I do think this will mean the return of Maria and I think this will mean that Maria will be even stronger in her filthy, dirty ways and Montserrat is going to pay dearly for her STUPIDITY (yes, I know, the story had to be written this way)in not using the many opportunities she had to tell the truth.

Telling the truth would have neutralized JL's presence,but no...

One wonders what effect JLs marriage to Angelica will have on everything.

JudyB, I just can't bear to watch. I am a WIMP of the First Order!!

Fatima
 

Elna June, I need you to please, please analyze the psychological aftermath of this episode's events.

Thank you!

Fatima
 

Good morning NovelaMaven. While I generally don't approve of ambush journalism, when it's done well it's very entertaining so I politely applaud your interview with María, though you clearly caught her at a bad time. Seriously this entire recap is such a hoot... I was sorry when it was over. You are such a clever word stylist.

What a great episode, though I cringe that it ended with many anvils (as Diana once put it) floating in the breeze.

Auntie Ann, the first thing that occurred to me when the convent conversation was...

"Wow! How neat is this? María and Montserrat are sisters... what great irony."

Of course there are a lot of reasons to doubt that but I do think that Montserrat and Dimitrio do have an as yet unaccounted for sibling. I think that most likely suspects that we know (with a nod to Daisynjay) Victor (but not likely Adolfo) and Esmeralda.

From what we've seen of Capitán Robelado, think that JL is dreaming if he thinks that he is going to help him clear his name... there's a dead naval officer to account for, is he willing to toss Refugio under the bus?

My favorite scenes were Josefina's initial training session with Dimitrio and the post-boink scene between María and Adolfo.

UA, I agree with you that Nadia has a virtual loaded and cocked gun pointed at her head all the time... not to mention Victor's pretty head. How she treated him was hurtful, but he is a persistent lad and needed to be diverted.

Carlos
 

Fatima...I have some leftover fudge. Shall we just anesthetize ourselves with dark chocolate and wait (8 or 9 months!!!!) for this horror to blow over? Tender wussies need special care. Any comida suggestions will be appreciated. Alas, alcohol just makes me sleepy and/or depressed. So that won't fly.
 

Anybody pick up when Graceless' affair with Ben started? That could give clues to, if it was a pregnancy, who the baby could be.

This is going to be very, very difficult to watch if Montse is driven away and Maria is able to slime her way back into the hacienda and do her "I told you so. . .she doesn't love you. . .I've loved you all my life bit" and Ale accepts it. I just can't see that, especially with her now hooking up with Aldofo. It will be awful as well if he forces Montse to stay and figure out some cruel way for her to pay him back for her lies as this seems to be the m.o. around here.

Lila
 

NM, thanks for a great recap!
This probably has been mentioned, but I see Alejandro's biggest problem is his reactive, impulsive behavior. So immature for a grown man, but not unusual.
I see Monse as a serial liar, similar to her mother. She withheld the truth when it was convenient. She's also a coward, like the others she accused of being. If she had told the truth at the right time, things could've gone better.

I'm assuming they will learn a few lessons along the way. I'm enjoying the novela because they are humanly flawed and more believable. Because so much of the novela is unbelievable!
Marea Primavera
 

Dear NovelaMaven,

What a wonderful, smart, entertaining recap--and brave, considering you took the risk of being embedded with the ever-raging, self-abosrbed,and deluded B. Maria!

There were so many great, laugh-out-loud lines. I will second everything everyone has noted and add to the list two more favorites:
1. That you included "shiftlessness" among Maria's many crimes!

2. And this really funny observation: "Oh no. It is EZ Basurto. And he is armed with a folder."

So true. Folders and large manilla envelopes tend to cause more damage than guns in TNs.

In an odd way, last night had me proud to be sitting at the Adolfo rusty bistro table. In his way, he really is very devoted to Maria. Actually, it says a lot about her bad character that she doesn't even deserve to be with him.

Am anticipating the end of days to begin in this TN tonight and am deep in the bunker with you all.

Thanks again, NovelaMaven. Your wit, creativity, imagination, and sense of fun are making me love watching this TN even during these most difficult episodes.


 



To all of the patio peeps, as I watch the snow start to fall yet again and as the temperatures plummet, I am grateful there is always the patio where the temperature is just right, the amenities excellent and the company muy genial!
Things should be jumpin' tonight at the "hell in a handbasket" table.

Jarifa
 

NM- That hilarious interview was the best way to start this anvil filled episode.

As horrible as the fallout is going to be, I'm strangely relieved that it's out now. Ale knows the truth. Of course, he'll embelish the truth with his own assumptions about Monse and JL doing the dirty in his house, and there will be many tears and lots of yelling. But Monse is free! OK, Ale will likely keep her prisoner in the hacienda to punish her, but at least no one can blackmail her anymore.

I also immediately thought pregnancy about Gracie's months in the convent. Whoever the mystery child is, they would have to be at least a year or two older than Dim. How many skeletons does Gracie have in her overstuffed closet?
 

Does Padre Anselmo know Graceless?

Lila
 

Loved Fina's game with Dim. Somehow she has to convince him that she has money to back up her promises of cash for good lovin.

I am really starting to doubt Madrina's sanity if she really thinks they can convince her brother and Angie's parents to accept, and be a guest at, Angie's wedding to JL. Does she have mind control powers or something?

I really felt so sad for poor Ginnie. She lost her BFF/sister, and her parents all at the same time. I hope her parents snap out of it and realize how they're hurting her.
 

NovelaMaven, yes I did recognize the nod and THANK YOU for remembering and repeating. I got quite the giggle out of it, and a wide-eyed moment of "uh oh, did I say that?" as I do whenever I see myself being quoted. I sure enjoyed re-reading the recap with my morning cup of hot, black tea.

Julia R, "Actually, it says a lot about her bad character that [Maria] doesn't even deserve to be with [Adolfo]." How very interesting. I had not thought of their relationship that way. But now I will.

I'm very excited to hear that The Patio has a fantastic kitchen. I will arrive with knives, tongs and whisks in hand!

And to my friends in the cold and snow, stay warm and be careful!
 

What a superb recap. Thanks.

I'll join the rest of you who find it incredible that Graciela spent any time in a convent reflecting on life's imponderables. She is just too evil to have done that. Lauro must be a real thorn in her side. It's a wonder she hasn't tried to do away with him.

So, Ale finally connects the dots with a little help from Basurto. No surprises in his reaction although I had hoped that he would have been a little more circumspect in his reaction and done a little research before he pushed Montsy to the floor.

She's got a lot of explaining to do. But, puleez - no more Maria in the hacienda!
 

JudyB, Dark chocolate would be great! I agree, we need some TLC to get through this. Isn't it crazy that I think I can't see the episode!!??

I will think about what other comida we will need. I make very good fresh salsa which I just know you would like. My Bruschetta is equally good. I'm not much of an alcohol fan, so we are in good company, JudyB!!

Fatima
 

Vivi in DC, you are superb at cutting to the chase: Montserrat is FREE! Yes! Looking at it that way, I "might" be able to see this episode.

THANK YOU!

Fatima
 

What i seen the next episode was just over the top ,Ale's rage was just incredible.. And its about time things hit the crazy fan. I loved it when Tomas punched Dimmy he should have also hit him with a shovel with **** .
 

Awesome, NM!

[NM rises and, stepping cautiously around her surly guest, picks up the glass pitcher, pours herself a generous serving of Sangría in a paper cup, and then nods to an assistant who carries the pitcher out of reach.

OMG soooo well written! And lol funny! I always look forward to your Wednesday morning recaps.

DaisynJay: "Sexy Seether" is perfect.

And put me down for one who enjoys the scenes between Dim and Tia Carlotta. I thought it was hilarious when she was trying to do that cross/blessing and he ran away from her like she was going to hurt him!

Thanks again, NM. Your interview with Maria was great and I love how you called her on letting her mask slip in front of Ale.

Tonight's gonna' get bumpy....


 

""I see Monse as a serial liar, similar to her mother. She withheld the truth when it was convenient. She's also a coward, like the others she accused of being. If she had told the truth at the right time, things could've gone better." Strong words Marea Primavera but they seem to fit. I guess she was naïve enough to think he would never find out. She didn't tell him because she was afraid? She really blew it, as someone said earlier in the week she could have told it in her own way now he will definitely believe JL killed the real AO to get to Montse. Unfortunately Ale is understandable suspicious of the loyalty of the whole hacienda staff now as well. While I don't agree with him brandishing his six shooter at everybody I feel his outrage and desire to find out quickly who can he trust! I just hope he DOES NOT count Maria as one of these. Even his beloved Padre knew the truth!

Maybe Macario and Rosario will be voices of reason. Hopefully he will believe them when they say they knew nothing of this monumental deception.

Lila
 

Thanks for the recap NM!


 

Thank you all for your generous words. I appreciate your putting up with my excess. (I can just hear my youngest telling me, YOU"RE OUT OF CONTROL!!!)

Diana and Susanlynn, do try to stay warm and safe. Diana, I hope you are not out on the road today of all days.

I share your reaction to Tomás, Diana. No matter how ditzy poor Fina is, she doesn't deserve to be bullied. Big brothers are quite a liability to Aguazul, judging from the sampling here (Dim and Addled and now Tomás the Terrible).

Susanlynn
"twisted, murky, horny mind"

What a nice turn of phrase. Someone should write a little rhyme around it! [Too bad Vita has moved on to better things.]

Fatima,
"Interview with the Vampire" -- hah! Don't worry. You're safe with us. I have a feeling we may all be calling on EJ for some counseling after the we see the aftermath of the big reveal.

Carlos,
I was concerned about your reaction to my aggressive questioning María about the Psycho Shower Scene. Forgive me if I offended you. I appreciate your gentlemanly, if measured, applause.
[NM curtsies modestly. Next!]

Lila:
We don't know for sure when Gracie's affair with Ben started. The writers have been deliberately coy on this point, I suspect.

As I recall, Padre Anselmo does know Graciela. Just about everyone on the Hacienda Almonte knows her as Ben's squeeze.
 

Poor Alex. Everyone in his entire life has lied to him except Victor. How can he ever trust anyone again? He is going to kill his wife! Maybe the Alex table should pass the hat for his bail. He's gonna need it.
 

NovelaMaven: "But now Alejandro may have had the altruism beaten out of him…" Still laughing...

I did not go into work today - I still am not completely shoveled out. I hope everyone else stays safe and warm.

Looking forward to tonight. Well, sort of. I fervently hope all the hurt and anger is unleashed tonight so that the healing process can begin. I suspect that will not occur in the immediate future.

Diana
 

Lila, Padre Anselmo does know Graceless. From way back. I don't know if you saw the first two episodes but he was giving her a verbal what-for when she came sniffing around the deathbed for Don Benjamin's money.

How many of the details he knows is yet to be disclosed.

If there was a baby prior to Graceless' marriage to Lauro, Maria is a strong possibility:

1. She speaks of knowing Alejandro since childhood, so she could be the same age as he is.

2. She has never spoken of her mother, which means she probably never had one.

3. Dimwit is 28, the right age to be the child of Lauro but he might not be.

On #3, Lauro made a comment in an earlier episode to the effect that he couldn't understand how he could have a son like Dimwit, who is nothing like Monserrat.

Speculation, not spoiler:

Monserrat is the only true child of Lauro. Dimwit and Maria are the children of Graceless and Don Benjamin. This makes Maria the half sister of both Monserrat and Alejandro, which could drive her into the manicomio.
 

Diana, glad to hear you are not going in to work today. But sorry to hear you are doing the shoveling. I know you, amiga, and know you will do whatever you have to....but STILL! When I shovel anything like 10 inches of snow, I know eventually one of the other men on the block will come along with his snowblower and rescue me. Will be wishing and praying for someone like that in your neighborhood...and maybe looking like Rulli!

Cynderella...happy to pass the hat for bail. A gorgeous guy like Alejandro should never be behind bars. Unless I'm in there with him!

Fatima...I LOVE bruschetta. Sign me up, partner!
 

Great recap NM -- what an exciting episode we had last night. Ay, ay, Ale, what to do, what to do.
 

Judy, I would be honored to sit alongside you and others at the WUSSIES table. Though I wouldn't have missed Rulli's implosion in Teresa for the world, I think this one is going to be harder to take because Monse is no Teresa, little naive and not thinking smartly, but it's going to be so hard to see her come crashing down. And you just no our Sexy Seether is going to go there with the baby too. Not sure even copious amounts of chocolate will help this oine go down.

The more I think about tonight, the more I think replay may be the way to go...fast forward is a WUSSIE'S best friend in situations such as this.

Daisynjay
 

NovelaMaven, thanks for another winner. Your interview w/crazed Maria was quite fun though I was concerned for your safety with your hard-hitting questions.

I really don't want to see Ale waving pistols at women in his rage. I know he's been duped but as Maria P states his reactive, impulsive behavior is his downfall.

These are the times in a tn where I love wandering the patio, chatting w/our amazing group and reading the recaps before possibly watching the horror-fest. Since Maria is hovering around, (this is conjecture) she may return possibly to Ale's bed and he'll keep Monse there to watch.

Lila, you calling Maria a heffer was funny. Are you from the south?

As Diana, Vivi, Sylvia and others mentioned, the most heart-breaking scene was neglected Virginia. Yes Cap'n, just when we were admiring Amelia being a good mother, she pulls this along w/her husband. Sigh.

Carlos and Vivi, yes, both JL and Madrina are completely delusional if they think they can convince Captain R (there is still a dead officer) and Angelica's parents of JL's goodness. It just provides another way for Angie's heart to be broken b/c JL WILL be in jail or the lackey of Pedro if not dead by the end of this. Again all a guess on my part.
 

Marea Primavera:
Thanks for stopping by. I agree that the very human flaws of our protagonists make them interesting to watch. The "reactive, impulsive behavior" of Alejandro vs Montserrat's "serial lying."

Nicely said!

Julia R:
"Actually, it says a lot about her bad character that she doesn't even deserve to be with him."

That is a great line, my friend! I'm not so sure, however, that Adolfo really cares about María. Did you listen to the line he was spinning for the girl in his bed when María arrived unexpectedly? I mean, he really does say that "to all the girls." He is a love the one your with kind of guy.

I am so glad you caught the menace in a folder -- he's armed with a report and he's not afraid to use it. Hee hee.

Vivi:
I agree that it feels somewhat liberating to have the secret finally out. (Maybe it will free Nadia as well as Montserrat.)

Personally, I'm glad to see our boy Rulli cutting loose after all those months of stoic jaw-clenching on Amores Verdaderos.

I suppose we'll find out what kind of brother Ignacio Robledo really is -- and what kind of influence his sister Prudencia wields over him. It still sort of feels like JL is standing out there and yelling "mátame, mátame."

Pasofino, I think your plea is worth repeating:

"puleez - no more Maria in the hacienda!"
 

Ah UA...what you say makes perfect sense. And explains why Graciela hates Montserrat...she's the daughter of that doddering nebbish she married, rather than the heartless piranha she really loved.
 

And yes! Daisynjay, come down here with the Wussie contingent of Hell-in-a-Handbasket. Earplugs and eyeshades provided, or just fast-forwarding. Whatever works.
 

NovelaMaven - Terrific interview and recap. Very gutsy of you to ask Maria to pass the Sangria. My favorites:

"lost in the memory of her trespass"

"we see naked shoulders hinting at naked bodies under sheets, so we can assume attention has been paid"

Ale needs to use his mind --> eye to remember the ogre he was when he first brought Montse home and put this thing in perspective. It's not like JL was staying in the house -- he was near the barn somewhere. And JL left and Montse stayed.

I vote Gracie had a baby in the convent. But it's interesting that she didn't flashback to her younger frisky days, and instead flashed back to her older frisky days with Benjamin.

I should feel bad for Lauro. He is so blindly in love with Graciela. But his silliness about her being "pure" back in the day bugs me. How pure was he to evaluate her pureness?

Heading for the Bunker.
 

Judy B, this would go a long way to explaining why she wanted Monserrat to share her misery.

Also, going with the TN trope that DNA determines personality, Monserrat is the one person in that lot who has any sense of empathy. Dimwit and Maria have none and I don't think there is any changing that.
 

Thank you for your kind, thoughtful support Judy.

Now if you all will excuse me, I will be out front shoveling, keeping my eyes peeled for a Rulli look alike to come to my aid! ;)

Diana
 

If Graciela is the mother of Maria then she must have done some shady deal with Gaspar to pretend to be her father and also say that her mother died. Gracie being Marias mother doesnt really make sense to me but Bennie being Dimwits father does, But then again Gracie and Bennie could have dumped Maria after birth ,put her in the streets then one day Gaspar found her and acclaimed her as his daughter.
 

Demetrios,
Yes the previews certainly gave us a taste of Alejandro's rage. I'd feel a lot easier if he were armed with a folder (like Basurto) instead of a loaded revolver.

Aw shucks, Katy. Thanks. And I always look forward to your comments. "Bumpy" is putting it mildly!

Cynderella:
I'm hoping Alejandro manages to stay out of jail, but it is nice to know his friends are looking out for all eventualities.

Diana, I'm glad to know you're home today. Take it easy with the shoveling, okay? Around here, the worst part is after the plows come through and leave frozen mounds of snow at the end of the driveway. Even the guys with snowblowers have to take out their shovels for that stuff. Ufff.

Paquita:
It's nice to see you in this barrio. So glad you enjoyed the recap.

Daisynjay:

"fast forward is a WUSSIE'S best friend in situations such as this."

Isn't that the truth?

Karen:
I am touched by your concern for my safety. But you know how it is in journalism -- you do what you have to do to get the story!

The needle on the poignancy meter was indeed going nuts last night. Is there anyone that we AREN'T worried about right now? The only people who seem secure are the ones already dead. Yikes.

Did someone mention chocolate?
 

Gaspar didn't seem like the shady type. He got on Juventino's case over such things and that's why Juventino murdered him.

I can see the following scenario: Gaspar and his wife either just lost a child or couldn't have any. Graceless -- or Benjamin -- abandons baby Maria and Gaspar finds her without knowing where she actually came from. His wife dies not long thereafter.
 

Thanks, Urban, for that reminder. Had forgotten that Padre and Graceless were in the very first scenes. You beat me to the speculation about BM being half sib to both Montse and Ale. That adds an extra ick factor to the swapping soapy slob scene but almost incest has never bothered Maria. If she is Ale's half sib hopefully this will come out and stop her from moving into the hacienda in an intimate way with Ale. Jeez, I think I'd have to bail if that happened!

Born in Arkansas, raised in Michigan but sometimes a good old down home word or phrase just has more "umph" to it!

Lila
 

Niecie:

"But [Lauro's] silliness about her being "pure" back in the day bugs me. How pure was he to evaluate her pureness?"

How funny. I had the very same thought when he said that. It makes me feel he almost deserves to be deceived. (But he doesn't deserve a lifetime next to a harpy like Graciela. Nobody does.)

Demetrios and Urban:
I see you are both suggesting the possibility that Gaspar took in María and raised her as his own daughter. That would fly.
 

Yes Urban thats what i think also but Gracie or Bennie would have to meddle in after a time,DNA tests happen unexpedly and if Gaspar would dig further he would find out Bennie is the father and he would probably immediatly go to Gracies place,tell Lauro and Gracies future would then be on the streets. Probably Bennie or Gracie bribed
the medical registers to cover their tracks.
 

That's if anyone bothered to investigate.

Don't forget that DNA testing has only been around for a little under 20 years as a routine procedure. Alejandro and Maria are about 30 years old with Alejandro having been born in the women's prison shortly after Rosario was sent there. That would mean that he and Maria would have been around 10 or 11 when such testing was first possible. Unless there was some compelling reason, I doubt that she would have been tested.

That could have happened if this tale were city-based, as in D.F., but not in a rural area like Aguazul (as it was spelled in Pedro's political signage).

Why would Graceless have cared, anyway? She would have had too much to lose from that disclosure, as she was by then married to Lauro and had Dimwit, who is two years younger than Alejandro. She could also have been pregnant with Monserrat.

If Benjamin was her great love and she threw Maria away that easily, she is every bit the monster I have dubbed her.
 

Ah i forgot that DNA testing wasnt always around so the "i just found her on the streets and raised her on my own" could have worked ,if even adopting was possible at that time .Now imagine the chaos when Maria would realize she is the daughter of the mother of her archenemy and is the stepsister of the man she is so obsessed with ,hahahaha that would be a pleasure to see!
 

Diana,

Yes, please be careful with all that snow shoveling. I too hope there is a Rulli to help you out, or take over the shoveling duty.

We got snow here overnight, I live in a region in the Mid Atlantic that hardly ever sees snow. We only got four inches, but it was a blowing snow, and accumulated and now it is frozen over. It is only 17 degrees here and that is also rare. Now we are having power outages right and left. Poor Mr. Mads did the shoveling duties, as in clearing the sidewalks and the back driveway. They don't use chemicals here so it's sand and salt only. The roads are a mess and people really don't know how to drive in snow here. Hoping everyone is safe and warm where you are.
 

In a rural environment like this -- and I'll bet there's coastal property on the Almonte estate -- finding a child and raising him/her without formal adoption procedures is quite plausible. The police wouldn't care as that would mean one less potential troublesome street kid or delinquent, there is unlikely to be a social services agency to investigate, and if there is an orphanage it's probably overcrowded and understaffed.

Now... Maria is potentially the half sister of both Alejandro and Monserrat and the full sister of Dimwit. This opens up the question of whether Juventino knew this because it would certainly explain his sense of entitlement over the estate.

As to incest? He wouldn't worry his greasy head over anything as trivial as that.

If this scenario turns out to be the case, Maria doesn't know a thing about it.

Here's hoping she dies shortly after finding out so Alejandro doesn't feel obliged to give her half of his inheritance.
 

Wowsers, is this show ever generating a lot of discussion! There's so much compelling stuff to talk about!

Muchas Gracias, NovelaMaven. I applaud your bravery in confronting that two-bit strumpet for our enlightenment.

Poor Fina. With a brother like that, who needs an abusive husband? I'm no psychologist, but it seems to me that her attraction to Dim is specifically BECAUSE of the way her own family has treated her. I think she is subconsciously using him as a proxy because her inner child still has a need to make her parents finally love her.

Tomas is an overbearing jackass. He needs someone to knock some sense into him and get him to see that he is contributing to his sister's problems. I don't disagree with him that she needs to keep Dim's greedy paws off her money, but he should still try to convince her with reason. There are lots of reasons. Such as, she will never know if Dim really loves her if she's dangling money in front of him, so in order for HER plan to work, to get what SHE wants, she needs to make Dim think he can't get her money. But I have no patience for Tomas telling her that she has to do what he says, whether she likes it or not. So abusive. He isn't much better than Dim.

I'm not a drinker, either. Shall I bring some rocky road ice cream to the bunker?


 

Well Tomas is kind of the voice of reason,he is right Fina is acting pathetic,honestly idk if the same happened to me i would have reacted the same way. I cant bear Fina wanting to marry a man who hurt her alongside her supposed best friend,made her a laughing stock of the pueblo with the fake marriage ,spend Finas money on alchohol,games and probably other women ,she deserves better then the piece of junk that is Inutil aka Dimwit. And she still thinks Dim will change,people like Dim never change they only get worse.
 

I'll bring some Cherry Kijafa and Frexinet Brut. Together they make a Viking's Kiss. Alejandro could pass for one with those green eyes and that blonde hair.

I agree about Tomas. He is probably doing the same number on Josefina their parents did and Josefina is attracted to what she knows. It sounds like a good friend of mine.
 

Novela Maven:

This recap was just plain great. Your interview with Maria is even more amusing the second time around:

'NM raises her laser pointer and a list appears on a white screen, readily visible to the audience and María herself:
Lying, snooping, scheming, slandering, fomenting misery, abusing fruit, stealing underwear, stealing money, whoring, cruelty, disrespect, shiftlessness]
...but you were never more repulsive than when you stripped down and stepped in the shower with your boss and former BFF, Alejandro Almonte.

That is a fair indictment of Maria's crimes. But her biggest failure in her criminal career was, as you pointed out, this:
"
YOU TOOK OFF YOUR MASK WHILE HE WAS WATCHING!"

Dare we hope that our devastated Alejandro will retain a non-selective memory of this event?

OT - Fatima and Judy B:

May I have an honorary seat with the Hell in a Handbasket group? I would be honored to find myself amongst such lovely empaths. I truly believe that empathic people are gifted with the deepest quality of humanity. The work there is, for the Blessed empath to develop boundaries, boundaries, boundaries.

The desire to help is a fine one, but taking a good look at what we are ACTUALLY able to accomplish in our human engagement is essential to balance our true desire that others should be happy. Then we must remember not to morph into another person, not to mistake empathy for others for our own unfinished business, not to encourage sad or beleaguered others in their own bad choices; "therein lies the rub."

The latter behaviors are often referred to as 'idiot compassion' by Pema Chodron. End OT.

EJ










 

I have a friend whose brother died of cancer when he was 17 and she was 14. They also have a few younger sisters. She said that in his last months, ALL their parents' attention went to the dying brother, and the girls were just shuffled around to various friends and relatives and never saw their parents, and they didn't even really get to visit their brother. They'd ask to, and their parents treated them like nuisances who needed to stay out of the way. Like they didn't also have a relationship with a beloved brother, whom they were losing. After he died, their parents made them stay elsewhere to free up their bedrooms for relatives who came for the funeral. My friend said their parents never once acknowledged that she and her sisters were grieving, too, or let them go to counseling, or would talk to them about their brother and what had happened. Mom and dad were completely wrapped up in their own suffering and neglected the kids they still had.

I hope Virginia has some really good friends wherever they live when they aren't at the hacienda, or her own caring godmother.
 

That is disgraceful.

Sounds like a Dear Abby theme should be applied to some future recap.
 

Pasofino:

You said:

"I'll join the rest of you who find it incredible that Graciela spent any time in a convent reflecting on life's imponderables."

So Graciela spent time in a convent just before her marriage and she did regular spiritual retreats at the Hacienda with Don Benjamin?

If we make Maria her daughter then it explains the similarities the writers have given us in the characters of Dimitrio and Maria.

But I still have to wonder if Dimitrio is Don Benjamin's son. There are many possibilities,¿no?
Graciela was pregnant when they got married, Graciela went to a spiritual retreat soon after teh wedding, Demetrio was born in the convent and raised by the Admiral and Graciela...y mas.

I seem to remember that in Graciela's interactions with Lauro she often tries to remind Don Lauro that Dimmy is his SON, a bit forcefully.

During the trouble with Tomas the Admiral asked Graciela, "What kind of a son have we raised?".

I thought that was odd phrasing at the time.

EJ



 

Hey UA:

I had not read your comment when I wrote mine. ITA.

Yes, I agree that Maria may be Montse's half sister. That also fits a regular TN trope—sisters hating one another and competing for the attention of the same man.

Cynderella: Alejandro is only one in a long line of galans who need friends and help while inside teh big house. There probably should be a 'Tip Jar' on the Patio that can be used to bail out our handsome galans.

Someone help me think of lead males who have been in jail in recent TNs. I'll start with Capitan Damian Fabre from la Tempestad.

Others?

EJ
 

Elna June...C'monnnnnnnndownnnnnn...yes, we definitely need you at the Hell in a Handbasket Table.

Of course I have trouble with boundaries. Actually, I have NO boundaries. None, nada, zilch, bupkus. But I'm ready to learn.

Julia...that is such a sad story. I'm glad your friend could share it with you, but so sorry to hear how her parents, in their grief, were so blind to her and her sisters' needs. One always hopes for noble family behavior in a crisis. But usually, in a crisis, one's worst characteristics come out. Stress does that. But it sure is a bummer. And leaves scars. An intelligent, empathic listener (hopefully with a boundary or two) can be very healing though. I'd sure feel comfortable telling you my sad story. But I won't! But I could, I'm sure.
 

Galanes in jail are a common telenovela drama point. Pretty Ricky seems to have avoided it so far, but he might be about to snap. Chucho had a bad jail stint in PEAM. Daniel in Amor Bravio had a heck of a high-drama prison experience. Emanuel was jailed a few times in Llena de Amor. Julián was in jail in Mi Pecado. Those are the ones I can remember offhand.
 

One-cell was in jail for awhile in Corazón Indomable, until his lady love stupidly took his place.
 

Juan was imprisoned in Corazon Salvaje '93. Just watched that novella. . .oh my gosh! It was WONderful!

Lila
 

Adolfo in Las Vias del Amor had horrendous prison experiences. Juan del Diablo of Corazon Salvaje (all versions of it), Santos of QBA....
 

Judy and EJ may I please be invited to your table? of course I also indulge in an idiots compassion, but luckily too much wears me down causing me to disengage. I'll bring some treats to the table, thanks.
Yola
 

Julia is right -- as she so often is. This telenovela is triggering some remarkable conversations and touching on themes that resonate with many of us.

The story of one sibling who is inadvertently neglected when tragedy strikes another sibling is, alas, not uncommon. What is remarkable here is the inclusion of such a carefully drawn "small" scene for a third-tier character.

Elna June:
I am so pathetically grateful when you reassure me I did a good job. If you had gotten close, you would have seen that NovelaMaven was covered in flop sweat. (Or maybe just regular sweat -- we were doing the show on location in Campeche.)

Thank you for the lovely aside on empathy and boundaries. I didn't know the term "idiot compassion" but I am grateful to add another arrow to my quiver. BTW, would you say our bunker might be a metaphor for boundaries?

Galans in prison? Let's not forget Emiliano, the hero of La Hija del Mariachi (or his best friend, who languished in prison for a very long time.)

My guess is that these scenes write themselves, and are cheap to shoot on the lot. Ditto for hospital scenes.

Urban:
NovelaMaven has been known to answer letters in recaps now and then (although her tone is a tad more prickly than Dear Abby's ever was).

Oh and a Viking's Kiss sounds divine. Where did you say you were sitting?
 

I just thought about some of the implications of our speculations...

Big yuk. Thank heavens Ale and Maria have never done the deed if they are half sibs. It seems more likely that Maria is Gaciela's daughter, perhaps by an unknown man?

Laouro's idiotic ramblings about Graciela's innocence at the time of her marriage sounded portentous to me, perhaps beyond just her long time affair with the non-marrying Don Benjamin.

Lauro had a gleam in his eye when he talked of being the first to get Graciela's 'prize'. His face resembled that of the smiling smug photos one sees of mountaineers after they bag an innocent/important summit.

EJ, vexed over the problem of Maria. May she stay with Adolfito!




 

HIAH table because we know it's coming.

The Viking's Kiss requires 2 parts CK and 3 parts Frexinet.
 

Sure Yola, the more the merrier. Or in our case, the more worried. But we'll huddle together for warmth, share food and oh well, the heck with boundaries.
 

EJ,

"His face resembled that of the smiling smug photos one sees of mountaineers after they bag an innocent/important summit."

…like MontSerrat?

Thanks Urban! I may poke my head out of the bunker and join you for a moment.

Yola, Thanks for stopping by! (I knew JudyB and the gang would welcome you)
 

Or the gleam in the eye of an angler being photographed holding the big cold fish he caught?

I thought Lauro sounded more like he knew or strongly suspected he wasn't the only and probably not the first, and he was trying to goad Graceless or maybe see if she would confess.
 

wow...I am back from work and just finished reading the new comments. You folks have been very chatty today. It is amazing that as I read your comments , I feel as if I actually "know" each of you whose comments I have been reading for quite a long time. I have "known" Judyb, Diana, Carlos, and Sylvia for about 6 years now . Wow...6 years. I find it interesting that I feel that I know you all even though I have not met you outside of cyberspace and do not even know what most of you look like. All I know of you is your thoughts, your sense of humor, your wisdom.....how pure is that!!! In fact, spmetimes I think that I know you people better than some people I actually know !!!

Julia..Your friend's story is very sad. I think that having a child who is sick often takes the parents' attention so completely that siblings are sometimes neglected.

As for empathy , I had two thoughts on this subject. First, I remember an episode on Star Trek in which an inhabitant of a planet of empaths took on the feelings of others to such an extent that it almost killed her. Strangely, I never forgot that episode. Secondly, when my baby son died, my older sister was so upset that her daughter's teacher thought that she was the one who lost a baby.

I do not want to say too much about your speculations about secret siblings. Let me just say that I do not know what will happen because the writers have changed a lot of the Amor Real storyline. Plot points and characters have been added and subtracted.

Finally, I am impressed with all the delicious treats coming into the bunker. I have decided to bring my best dessert..chocolate eclair cake. Life is short , so let's eat dessert first. ..right after we toast with our favorite beverage.
 

UA..I would like to try a Viking's Kiss.....is that served on the rocks?
 

Susanlynn, I understand your sister's reaction. I don't have kids of my own, but even the thought of something terrible happening to one of my nieces or nephews sometimes makes me cry, and they are all currently fine!

I'm glad the storyline is being changed enough that we don't know what will happen.
 

EJ, I am hoping neither Lauro or Fina are as clueless as they seem: their delivering a timely anvil to a deserving recipient based on knowledge of a secret or some heretofore hidden wisdom would be so gratifying.

On the neglect of the sib, autism is not cancer but in a sense a parent does deeply grieve with the diagnosis of a disability. . .the whole death of the child you thought you'd had and even of the kind of parent you imagined you'd be. . .I felt guilt about the quality of the time I spent with my older daughter after having had my heart and gut ripped out by autism. I was lucky to be able to leave work to care for them both and she assures me she didn't feel neglected. It can be a difficult challenge but not impossible.

I wonder how this will play out with Virginia.

Lila
 

If Dimwit and Malaria are the spawn of Graceless and Benji, don't you think she would have done more to have them recognized as his heirs? What has she got to lose? After all, Lauro has nothing to give her. She's squeezed as much as she can out of Alejandro, and life must go on.
 

Lila...it takes a special person to deal with your situation. Kudos to you, girl. I have a friend with an eight- year-old son with Asperger's. I know how challenging this can be for the whole family.
 

Here is a thought...
Gracie has always preferred Dimi over Montse. Since it seems Benny was somewhat important to her, even if only for his money, it would make sense that Dimi is Benny's son. And since we are guessing that Gracie married Lauro to have a social position, and not love, it would make sense that Montse is Lauro's daughter, because Gracie does not love Montse. Now, if Gracie was pregnant before she married and gave birth in that convent I am going to make a bold assumption and say that if Benny is not BM's daddy, then maybe it was Juventino. It would make sense that Gracie would not care what happened to that baby if Juvie was the daddy because he was poor. Maybe Gracie's family didn't even know she was preggers. And it would make sense that Gaspar would raise his niece because Juvie would have been too young. Any thoughts?

Back to work...hasta pronto!
 

NM , I forgot to add my thanks when I stopped by earlier. I thoroughly enjoyed it, thanks.
Yola
 

Thanks Lila. My parents are from the south and it usually people I know from that area that use heffer to describe women like Maria. Also thanks for sharing about your daughter and the challenges you faced.

Judy, I'll join you in the bunker and I'll bring snacks.

Julia, what an sad story about your friend.

Pasofino, yes I think if Gracie could have made claims using she would have. She'd make up some lie about coming into money.
 

Ahhh, NM. Gracias. Shades of Royero's and Balzac's interviews on AV. Didn't think we'd ever be graced (did I just say that) with another. Si, si, the whiff of sulfur in the air. Maria oversprays herself with that scent and then leaves the aroma behind after she's long gone--she's a rotten egg to be sure.

THEN we get a smashing good recap to boot.

So far, I don't think there have been any red herrings. Gracie's stay in the convenient "convent" for months, could be a first, but I'm with those who are speculating an unwanted pregnancy (unwanted by her family, that is). If from the time she would start showing--4 mos + enough months for Lauro not to have said a couple, leads me to suspect 5 = 9 mos. That might lead even the most naïve watchers counting up on their fingers.

Vivi, I was going to point out, but you did it first, that if there had been a live bebe, it would have to be older than Dimwit. It wouldn't matter whether Benjy was the father or not, her affair with him could have started after she got married and bored with Lauro.

I think Lauro was deluding himself when he stated that it pleased him to know he was the first and only. It was just like his assuming that Montse and Ale's child would naturally be named after him...at least he backed down after not hearing any positive reactions.

I think Ale's biggest hurt will be to wonder whose bebe Montserrat has growing in her belly. As I recall from other tns, a DNA on a very young fetus is never performed, too dangerous. So Ale will have to wait until it is born--several agonizing months in which to stay angry and speculate.

At this juncture, there is NOTHING Montse can say in her defense that he will believe. All she can do is to remind him of his promise to always believe in her, HA! Rosario is her only defense and right now she is only a servant whose loyalty is with Montse. Geesh, I wouldn't want to be in Montse's shoes for the next 7 months.

Since I'll be in the BID for the forseeable future, I've just learned how to make Krispy Kurly Kale, if anyone is interested. I also make a garbanzo bean snack, crunchy like popcorn coated with East Indian spices (but not really sweet). How about some freshly squeezed Honeybell orange juice served in the blue-rimmed glasses (although I caught sight of some green ones awhile back) for the non-alcoholics among us?

Oh, NM, when did we go from being a Bunker of Ironic Detachment to just Bunks of Ironic Detachment? There'll be rows and rows of them, no? Will it be lights out at 9 and reveille at 5?

Thanks for all the giggles and laughter from the commenters before the storm breaks over us (and I'm not talking about the 5" of white stuff we got yesterday).
 

AuntyAnn: Juventino was too smarmy for Graciela. See Anita's comments above. Good theory, though.
 

Dear Anita:

The Bunks of Ironic Detachment? It was late. I was tired. Perhaps I was thinking of my very own Bunk far away from The Patio.

I'm glad you enjoyed the latest episode of People on The Patio. As you know from the Balzac [heh heh] days, NM prefers interviewing perros when possible; this time she made an exception and invited a perra to be her guest.
-----------

Yola,

De nada :)
 

Sorry guys, didn't mean to start sniveling about my own life, the Virginia thing just struck a nerve.

Aunty Ann I like your theory. Remember that scene when Juvie was whispering and blowing in Gracie's ear how she was just smoldering and melting. Seems he said something to imply that they had gotten it on before? What episode was that? Sickening though it was, that's worth reviewing.

I'm going to break my gluten-free, limited-carb, paleo diet and have some of y'alls grub at the HIAH table and BID! Yuuum!

Lila
 

I'm still reading comments. Got to the jailed galans. Forgive if these are repeats:

Santos/Jorge Alfredo in Que Bonito Amor spent a good long time in prison in LA.

Jeronimo in Cuando me Enamoro did a short stint in the local jail (as did the Dirty Doc AND Agustin, but they aren't galans).
 

AuntieAnn, I like your theory about BM's origins. Juvie and Graceless. It would explain a lot.
 

Oh Lila, hardly sniveling. Sometimes it's like that -- something hits home. You sound like one smart, strong lady. (I'd say your kids lucked out having you as their mother.)
 

Thanks, y'all.

:)Lila
 

Just got back from work and want to ditto what NovelaMaven said, Lila. When something hits a nerve, and inevitably it does, this is a safe place to talk about it.

And it really speaks to your relationship that you ASKED your daughter how it affected her, and she reassured you.

None of us have been perfect parents. Or even close! At least I haven't. Just hoping that when and if my second two have children, they will understand and forgive my errors. I know my firstborn (who now has two of her own) has done so. And will do so even more when those two scamps turn into teenagers!
 

The joints jumpin’ with comments today and if I want to get my two cents in before tonight’s ep, I’ll have to post without finishing reading them first (I'm still on the morning comments!!)

Novela: loved your recap. UA, loved your recap, too. The talent here blows me away.

Vivi: Re: yesterday’s comment--Gracie just seemed so slimy, nasty about it.

I’m glad it’s happened. Now that shoe has finally fallen. How much you want to bet that Ale won’t even attempt to listen to Mons. If she were allowed to explain why she kept the secret at first—love for JL, not wanting him to be sent to jail (and you know Ale wouldn’t have hesitated) and later, when she did want to tell him, afraid of how it would react (partly his fault) (I see Vivi and I are on the same page with being glad the secret is out.

I think Virgie is being ignored by her parents partly because she kept Angie’s plans a secret from them.

It looked to me like Dim knew his last kiss affected Fina, even though she tried to be cool about it.

Here’s a scenario. JL gets his name cleared and marries Angie right before Ale kicks his wife out. Their timing sucks on.

Speaking of folders, I was surprised it wasn’t the usual dark mauve ones that I’ve seen in most of my TNs.

Fina could be a couple of years older than Dim.

Nanette

 

Maybe Dim should set up a kissing booth like the ones at county fairs in olden days. What do you think the going rate for a kiss is these days? You would probably have to pay more for a Viking kiss....but it might be worth it.m
 

Just got home and look at all of the fantastic and thought provoking comments! Gosh!!!

Dear Elna June, really appreciate your thoughts on boundaries for us empaths and for all the kind words you said about "us". Boundaries is the hardest thing I have had to learn. Sometimes, the feeling part of me doesn't turn off, but it is getting better.

JudyB and welcome you to our HIAH table, Wussies division! Yola and anyone else to asked to join us, by all means do so! I just brought home a fresh French baguette and will make up the Bruschetta asap!!!

Can you believe that there I was at work pondering this TN?!? Unbelievable!

NovelaMaven, thank you for the reassurance that this wonderful group offers.

Sometimes, this novela seems to real. I know I will have to read the recap first tonight as I haven't ventured yet to see yesterday's episode.

Elna June, again, Thank you!!!

Fatima
 

Lila,

That scene with Juvie and Gracie in the church that you talked about is the exact one I was remembering. I would not put it past her to have had a fling with Juvie. I don't recall the episode number. It will take some research to find out. BTW, didn't they both work together to get Benny to an early grave? For them, it's all about the money.
 

Julia:

You said:

'Or the gleam in the eye of an angler being photographed holding the big cold fish he caught?'

LOL! Absolutely the same. And Lauro caught himself one stinky day-old tuna when he snagged Graciela.

'I thought Lauro sounded more like he knew or strongly suspected he wasn't the only and probably not the first, and he was trying to goad Graceless or maybe see if she would confess.'

You are giving him much more credit than I did. I hope your version is correct. Smile.

NM: Our bunker is absolutely a metaphor for boundaries. However 'ironic detachment' in itself is, alas, only a tool that covers some of our anxiety about the difficulty and pain in our world.

Ironic detachment happens to be one of my favorite defense mechanisms, but I like to remember that were I truly healthy, should I really have compassion + good boundaries, I would rest in compassionate tranquility. I would not be operating from an anxious or fearful state of mind.

I am not there yet, but I am still working to live in such a state. See you in the Bunker, my friends.

Anita: Thank you for the reminder that not everyone drinks wine or alcoholic beverages. I live in the Wine Country, it is our largest industry in my area, and I am a wine geek (I am currently undertaking a somewhat formal study of wine) and so I always want to share what I love with my friends. When I suggest a wine and food pairing, consider it done that there will always be water and soft drinks at my tables for others to enjoy.

EJ


 

Awww, thanks JudyB for your kind words! Y'all are such a loving group and you make good food, too!

Aunty Ann, you're right! They did help Bennie to cross over! Gracie's a skank and I could see her hooking up with Juvie and maybe it wasn't just at the end to get at Bennie's moola.

Lila
 

Susanlynn, the Viking's Kiss is never on the rocks. Chill both bottles for at least 24 hours before opening.
 

As for whether Juventino is Maria's sperm donor, that would be interesting. Since he was coming on to her it occurred to me that he wasn't, but we will probably find out eventually.

That would prove what a skank Graciela really is. Wouldn't that be nice?
 

Nanette:
A quick belated thank you for your kind words as well as for your High/Low list from the other day.

Elna June;
What can I say? We're all working on it -- though you, my dear, are a lot closer than I to the goal.
[sheepish smile]
 

What a great cornucopia of comments we have had today. I'm sorry to have missed the crescendo but I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up. A Viking's Kiss is most definitely on my "must have" list now, even though I had never heard of it before tonight.

Julia, that's quite a sad and touching story about your friend. We humans can be so clueless, especially at times of high emotion. I had to accept long ago not to hold grudges against people for what they did during weddings (I'm looking at you brides!), and funerals or times of grief. Still, your friend's story is extreme and so very tragic.

I'm ready for Josefina to take control of her life. I wouldn't be surprised if she plays Dimwit and the Tominator against each other.

Can't wait for tonight's dreadful drama. Just another 30 minutes.

Sylvia, no longer singing Cain't Say No and now humming Can't Get a Man With a Gun.
 

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