Caray, Caray!

The preceding recap is original content, written exclusively for Caray, Caray!

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Okay, y'all! There it is. Yah, I got a slimy episode again but it's all good. Me and my Teammates are happy to have brought y'all this tale of horror mislabeled a love story. Let's take this apart knowing the real anvil for Sev will be Monday. I feel like I need to take a shower and I hope my appetite for dinner isn't spoiled. As always, I happily accept expansions, explanations and corrections!

Let's have at it!
 

Wow! You were fast! I'm just heading off to bed, but I will read this first thing in the morning. Thank you. I can't wait to read comments!

You did get another slimy one!
 

Lila, what a wonderful addition you have become to the LS recapping team. You summarize every episode you cover with heart, soul, humor and wry, insightful comments.

"slimy episode" indeed. But you concocted a feast from mere crumbs including: "Cris’s singular happy moment of the day" and "the surely pissy wet Javier". "A feeling of foreboding invades his heart as he continues to call their names Kneeling, clutching his bruised jewels he growls painfully that she doesn’t know what she’s doing", conveyed the always arrogant Sev's brazenness, even when death was literally staring him in the face.

"Sev points his gun at Eman’s head and curses that his birth ruined his life, but leaves him unconscious on the ground". Should we be comforted by the fact Sev did not kill his son, even though he loathes the sight of him?

Perhaps the most honest self appraisal Cande ever uttered was that she "cries to Dom that she really is trying but it’s hard to let go of a hate that one has held on to for so long". At least the writers gave us that, rather than Cande espousing she really, truly cares for and about Aldonza.

Aldonza surely realizes that she and Cris have no chance if she kills Sev. I'm not convinced that they have much of a chance anyway but, I do think Sev will die. But not by Aldonza's hand.

I think Michelle did an excellent job tonight. Her terror seemed all too real as it should with the maniacal, unbalanced Sev.

Val's guilt may be her undoing and her punishment.

I always wish that the villains storylines be wrapped up the next to last episode, allowing for some happiness and romance at long last. That seems to happen less and less now as there will likely be but a few brief minutes to revel in the happy endings. Let's hope Renato and Sylvia are part of this.

Lila, I'm so glad you will be continuing to recap. Thank you for all of the excellent recaps and the kind and thoughtful comments to each of us that made us feel special. I look forward to many more.

Diana
 

Gracias, Lila! You made it! One entire telenovela, the whole way through! Woo hoo! I'm so glad you joined the team back when we were doing The Show That Shall Not Be Named and that it didn't drive you away :D

I can't believe you got a slimy episode again! Who do I kick in the shins for this?! It was indeed a somber episode and I'm baffled. There are still a lot of loose ends to tie up, so I guess that all has to wait until Monday? Why not give us some happy time now? Eh, oh well.

OK, that whole scene with Val in the jail was weird. And I don't just mean Humberto being there, but...where did the doctor come from? Have they always had one available just in case?

I guess Javier didn't read his entire new-hire packet. Yeah, dude, murder is in the job description. And once he said he wasn't going to kill anyone, standing there and holding the gun on them made no sense whatsoever.

"We get a shot of that Cris’s lovely and majestic black horse prancing prettily as he leads the posse!" It was a beautiful shot. They had to give us something to make up for all the slime.

I guess we've got Cris, Cande, Padre J, and the posse converging on the old barn? Everyone but the cops. Well, I guess that's plenty of witnesses that no matter who takes Sev down it was nobody. Nope, no idea where the bullet came from. Must have blinked. Whoops!

Thank you again, Lila! And now we settle in for a long weekend's wait.
 

Thank you Lila. I've enjoyed your every word, every recap, every musing, even these descriptive of Slimy Severiano. I found myself reaching for a baby wipe.
 

Thank you, Sara! See you in the morning!

Thank you so much, Diana! I love how you appreciate us all! You and everyone else who comment on the Sombra Patio make our efforts all worthwhile! Diana, I am with you on the villains. They are wreaking havoc all the way until the last episode! I don't know if it's always been that way but it's kida disturbing. And in this piece, the villains set the tone for the whole story. This is NOT a love story. It's the story of an arrogant, egocentric sexual deviant whose perversity led to the destruction of many, many, lives and families. No. Aldonza is not going to kill him but whoever is had better get there fast because she's wasting time with her scathing little speech!


Hey, Cap'n Diva! Yes! I made it! YAAAY! I'm glad I joined the team as well! Yah, looks like I get the slimy Sev episodes! Hee hee!

You know, I started to remark about Val that they were trying to imply that she'd had similar outbursts before because, really, do they drug everybody that screams in jail! Oh well, guess they've got to wrap this puppy up! Yah, Diva, a long weekend's wait, indeed!


Thank you, Tofie! Girl, if I had given all the details I would've hurled on my keyboard! Glad that's over! Your snappy comments and BAM! hit the target lists have sustained me, honey! I 'preciate the hell outn it!

 

Kat, "I guess we've got Cris, Cande, Padre J, and the posse converging on the old barn? Everyone but the cops" made me smile.

It also made me realize I'd forgotten to say how reassuring it was to see the good padre, if only for a few fleeting moments.

tofie, hope you are having a blast on your trip.

Lila, this wasn't a love story - how very, very true. I am saddened that the very last episode will need to focus on Sev. Again. Yes, he has been the soulless satan of this not so fairy tale.

Diana
 

Lila- Congratulations, amiga! I'm so glad you joined this recapping team. We all benefited from your sparkling and detailed prose.

I'm sorry you got the first half of the finale where the villain wreaks havoc, and this was an especially slimy bit of villainy. Showers afterwards were definitely in order, or a good stiff drink. Blech!

I do believe Al was terrorized for much of that encounter, but she also knew she had that gun with the one bullet in it, and just seemed to be waiting for the right moment. At least now she knows the whole truth about how her father died, even if it came from Sever's nasty mouth.

I also appreciated Cande's honesty about not being able to put her Aldonza hatred aside, even though she's trying. But that's exactly the attitude that will leave her alone.

Glad Don Camilo didn't die. That would have made me so sad.

Happy for the Candy House to finally be set free and deliver the message it was given long ago. Now someone needs to put the poor thing out of its misery. I thought it was cute when Marga and Arny had a good chuckle over the too small ring that no longer fits her.
 

LILA first the episode: yep,slime all around, and it felt like the writers were pouring on the disgust a tad bit more than necessary. We got the point after the first 2 or 3 slime trails. Sev's slime gives slugs everywhere a bad name.

Thank you Lila, your recaps have consistently been a delight to read, your enthusiasm shining through in every episode as you delivered your own special brand of snark. Thank you.

Where was the scene of Padre J astride a fabulous horse riding along with the posse, his robes flapping in the breeze? The writers could have cut 30 seconds of Sev sliming and given us that!

Heading for bed, looking forward to Patio time this weekend.

J in O

 

Ooh, one final comment: the poor Candy House. After all the buildup, I wish the people involved had been characters we at least knew or cared about. It was a let-down. :o(

J in O
 

Vivi! amiga mia, gracias! I like your take on Aldonza. She knew she had an out but it must've looked like that right moment would never come. Michelle certainly does communicate the horror of Sev's vile assault, doesn't she! What a long, drawn-out, horrifying scene! Yuck! Well, Vivi, I hope that they let Sev get offed in the first fifteen minutes or so. Let us have at least a half hour of love and happiness, as much as they can squeeze out of this yuck fest! ITA about Don Camilo. I was ready to burn this blog up if they had let him die! Ayyy. It's going to be a long weekend!
 

J in O! Westside!! Hey, girl, thank you so much. Oh my, I like this:

Where was the scene of Padre J astride a fabulous horse riding along with the posse, his robes flapping in the breeze? T

Yah, J! We could have used that and a whole lot less slime. They DID go to far and I even think they cut some of it out in a scene where Sev was referring to the first time they "were together." Sick and disgusting!

Anywho, thanks J. Always enjoy your comments and hope I didn't spoil it for the Westside!
 

I just saw that Pasión y poder is an up and coming TN.

In addition to our dearly missed Susana Gonzalez, this features Michelle Renaud, Jorge Salinas, Fernando Colunga and Altair Jarabo!

Not sure when this will air. I am hoping this ends up in an early timeslot but I'm doubtful.

What a cast!

Diana
 

Midday here in Tokyo and off to shop Omotesando till I drop
 

Diana, the cops have been left out of every important thing...might as well not be there for Sev's big takedown *sigh* Mr. 5ft was shocked there weren't cops crawling all over El Santuario when Padre J got there. It's the scene of two assaults and a kidnapping--how long did it take them to decide there couldn't possibly be any clues around? Five minutes? Ten?

Vivi, I kept wanting Aldonza to whip the gun out, but I had to keep reminding myself she only has one bullet in it...best make it count!

Oh J, I love that image of Padre J riding with the posse :)

tofie, happy shopping!
 

Thank you, Lila. Your recaps have been good to the last drop!

J in O:
I totally agree with you that it was a letdown for the Candy House to be relevant only to extraneous characters. But even more than that, I call FRAUD!FRAUD! and more FRAUD! because the ever-popular "casita de caramelos" that no one dared to start to eat because it was just so beautiful and delicious-looking, turned out to be made of CERAMIC!!! It couldn't have been more obvious when Arny opened it to get the note and ring. Pshhh! Me lleva!

 

Hey, who's that up there at 1:13? :D
 

Lila, your delightful recaps have the feel of an wonderful friend telling us about an exciting adventure, your words just flow along with such fun expressions like......"Oh, Praise the Lord! PJ arrives." Or, "Back at the portal to hell." I love the excitement in your delivery! Again thanks to all our recappers, you are truly appreciated.

More later....

 

Lila- One small change to the title when you have a chance. This is Mexico Episode 136 Part 1.
 

Hi, Lila. Working from an iPad, which I don't know how to use and I haven't seen the episode, but your rich descriptive recounting of the whole thing really kept me up to speed.

I nominate PJ to off Sev.

If I get home Monday in time to expand on this,I will, but for now, just wanted to thank you for your skillful and entertaining recaps!

David
 

Just finished reading, Lila and it was great. I loved the line about enjoying Marga's kiss since it was the last of the night, sickening soliloquy and signature shhh.

Perfect organization!

Thanks again and I hate that you got the slimy half of the Fin. As Vivi noted, you got stuck with the Villain's last hurrah. You handled it beautifully!
 

Lila – Thank you for the recap, as well as covering Friday nights (weekend duty-ack!) for us for the duration! My favorite line --- ” Back at the portal to hell,“ Yes!

I especially appreciate your recap of last night’s episode because, really, I do not have the stomach to watch Sev “sliming” all over Aldonza’s face. Just reading about it over breakfast affected my appetite. This is the sort of OTT rubbish that turns me against Televisa telenovelas.


I will watch my recording up to the part where Hum’s ghost visits Val in the jail cell. That scene sounds like fun!

I wonder if whatever was shot into Val’s veins would affect the fetus’s brain. Baby Lardo will have enough mental challenges, out of the gate, considering who his father and his mother are!

”Anyway, Lola agrees to intervene with Mari and convince her to give Pato a chance.”
WHO is this Lola girl and what did they do with our Lola v.1?

Seriously, show? Pato and Mari will get married and they only had one lunch date months ago in telenovela time? ~gah! x 10!!!~ AND THIS IS HER REWARD for still not telling her mother she stole that shop money out of her bag??? Hel-lo?!?!??? Writers had a massive brain fart.

”Cande cries to Dom that she really is trying but it’s hard to let go of a hate that one has held on to for so long.” This is the single, only thing that has made sense in the entire telenovela.

CandyHouse ending is okay with me. It gave us a nice diversion throughout the story. AARP love,,,, Aaawwwww!
 

Wow!! Hot ziggety dog!! Diana@12:20 a.m.! Sounds exciting, but scary! Keep us posted!


Hey, Tofie, have a good time, girl!


Thank you, Anon@1:13! The candy house was ceramic!?


Sandy in TN Thank you, girl! I'm so glad you were able to come back to the Patio! Yah, come on back later and I hope you join us for Muchacha as well!


Thanks, Vivi! Change is made!
 

Lila, you are a hoot and a half. i will forever remember "the surely pissy wet Javier" as the best description ever of an incompetent thug.

Also loved your characterization of Renato as "hangdog". Honestly, he's been hangdog most of this story line. But hopefully reuniting with Silvia will fix that.

Candyhouse Romance: Don't care.

Mari/Pato Romance: Don't care.

Prolonged stupid face licking, shushing, whining, begging, pleading sadistic scene in barn: Don't want to watch. And totally unnecessary to spend that much time on it. So many scenes seemed to have been designed for SM perverts. ugh.

Gorgeous shot of horses galloping in the night. Beautiful beyond belief. Wow, do those animals have grace and strength in spades. An unforgettable sight. Alas, Sev in the barn was also an unforgettable sight.

I thought this episode was disappointing in lots of ways. And shared Doris' fear that that sedative injection from the surpisingly available doc was not good for someone in the early stages of pregnancy. But whatever.

Your recap though, was as juicy, crunchy and tasty as ever. I bet you are a good cook, because you write WITH FLAVOR. It just comes through every word.

Thanks Lila. I know you have a busy life, so it's wonderful that you also bring your time and energy to recapping for CarayCaray. Much appreciated.
 

Hey, David! Thank you! Always glad when people find the recap fulfilling even though they missed the episode. If you ever see it David, it's even more disgusting and infuriating than I describe. Alexis and Michelle knocked it out of the park. If only they had allowed Michelle and Pablo to do the same with scenes of real love and passion! Oh well. . . Thank you so much for your kind words, David! So glad you have been a part of the Sombra Patio and I hope you find something attractive in La Muchacha!


Hey, Sister Sara! Thank you, honey! Guess I drew the slime straw, hunh? Well, you know I'm going to be right there with y'all enjoying Sev's take down. He as been SO gross and SO vile, I don't think anything will be good enough! And now this is the, what, third assault or fourth and this is going to be made OK with a te amo , lukewarm hug and kiss? What a travesty! Cris needs to just go to Spain, wish Aldonza well and each of them find a different life partner after intensive therapy and at least a year of no intimate reltionships! Jeezo-pete!


Doris! My companion at the Cougar Table! Doris, we was robbed! Hardly any eye candy and when we got it we felt guilty because poor Eman was wracked with sobs of grief and shame! What's up with that? Thank you so much, Doris. Yah. Sev's sliming was totally disgusting and disheartening. I mean, we knew he was going to get his hands on Aldonza again but, I'm like, Aldonza got more perverse and violating sliming from Sev than she got passionate kisses from Cris. What a gang of perverts and sadists this writing team are!

Oh yeah, Hum haunting Val was actually startling! Yikes! And, OMG, I used to work in a newborn intensive care unit and I NEVER thought of this:

I wonder if whatever was shot into Val’s veins would affect the fetus’s brain.

You are so right! ITA about Mari. . .so unfair! And yes, that Cande's inability to let go of her enduring hate of the Alcocer women as represented by Aldonza DOES, sadly, make sense.

This was the story of a sad and twisted couple and the havoc wreaked upon many lives by the unrestrained and perverse lust of the husband and the addiction to hate of the wife.

CandyHouse is ok, Doris, it's just a shame that the only love we get is 5 minutes of AARP in the last episode. And they meant that as stress/comic relief!
 

Oh, JudyB! My goodness, thank you SOOO much! Thou makest me blush! You see, it's folk like you, JudyB, a mean wordsmith yourself, with astute and poetic observations and stinging humor that all we recappers love and encourage us to MAKE time in our busy lives to share these stories with you! Thank you! I LOVE this:

Gorgeous shot of horses galloping in the night. Beautiful beyond belief. Wow, do those animals have grace and strength in spades. An unforgettable sight.

ITA, it WAS disappointing in many ways but I have carried on enough in the comments above. Y'all get my drift. In addition to the madness, I would like for you all to also point out what you enjoyed in the episode and even the novela because we can all find so much that made us go grrrrrr!
 

I thought it was sweet how Renato greeted the maid in his house with a kiss and a big hug, before she took his big suitcase to his room.
 

Hope there's an elevator in that house or she was just rolling the suitcase to the foot of the stairs.
 

"Hardly any eye candy and when we got it we felt guilty because poor Eman was wracked with sobs of grief and shame!"
Isn't that the truth! The Cougar Table sort of kind of just folded, didn't it, out of disinterest in the Bod Squad and their anti-galán antics. Quiero los "tacos de ojos !!!

HHhmmm.... photo verification was waffles. How did they know I had a waffle cone with my ice cream last night??? Busted! LOL
 

Yes, Vivi! That was a genuinely warm hug and kiss, wasn't it? I think it also stood out as one of the few instances of true affection! That hug of Cris to Dominga was sweet as well. You can tell Cande is jealous of that!

Doris! Ha! I was craving waffles for breakfast this morning!
 

Doris- "AARP love" Ha! The Candy House story turned out to be a big disappointment to me.


 

thanks so much, Lila, for this recap of a disturbing episode and all the snappy recalls you have given us. Your energy and high spirits were infectious no matter how weird the storyline got.

I agree that the Candyhouse ending was pretty lame. The writers wasted Don Ant. He should have been the longlost love.

I cannot even comment on the Severed one...too disgusting to contemplate. Ugh what a pig. Ick
 

Yeah, Dom and Ren's maid are like nanas...who get to lift the heavy suitcases . meh.
 

Diana - Pasion y Poder looks like it has a good cast and just might be Must See TV. Thanks for the info.
 

Re: Pasion y poder....Be still my foolish heart. I have been missing mi telenovio Fernando.

Re: The ineffectual police in SL. We live in a rural area and last week, a $16.00 watch was missing from a package delivered to our mailbox . Hub called the state police , and a ginormous young officer arrived here in fifteen minutes. God bless America.
 

Thank you Lila, great detail and descriptions. And thank you Eli, 5Ft, Hellashelle and Sara too. I picked the worst week to be out of town. It's odd that this will end on a Monday.

My vote is Cande will off Sev. With Cris and Aldonza watching.

I thought it was kind of funny when Javier called Sev to ask what he should do with Camilo and Eman, and Sev said kill them. I was thinking that he should have just run away before they woke up.

It makes me mad that they are portraying Sev as though he's losing his sanity. They really do that a lot with the bad guys. For once I want to see a bad guy being bad because he's bad, not mentally ill.
 

Great swan song, Lila.

Just as I screamed at the TV the last time Sev slimed Aldonza I was doing so this time. I kept on yelling at her to fight and not feed his lust with her fear. Because even if you can't escape by doing so you won't have a memory of your own cowardice. Trust me on this. Glad she was able to get the upper hand.

Loved seeing Vile get attacked by her own conscience.

Sev cursed the day Emanuel was born, no surprise. Candela not allowing Cris to go after Sev with a gun wasn't a surprise either although she did it to save his conscience. Killing one's own father even to save someone else would be a horrible thing to live with for the rest of one's life.
 

Can you please reconsider your words? She didn't feed anything, and she wasn't being a coward, and talking like that just promotes the idea and doesn't help victims--just puts the burden on them. I'm not a victim of sexual violence and reading that makes ME feel incredibly uncomfortable.
 

Hey, Susanlynn! Thank you, girl! You know, I wonder, these actors are so hardworking, it seems they'll be running parts in two or three novelas at the same times. . .it's a wonder they don't get their characters mixed up. That's not really in reference to the CandyHouse, that's a matter of writing and yah, it seemed kinda dumb that Marga never even had the curiosity to try to open the house or that Arnoldo was so vague in uncecesarily mysterious with his proposal. Maybe it's best they didn't get together when they were of reproducing age. Sheesh!


Cathyx! Yaaaay! Thank you! It's been so fun hanging with you through this novela! I sure hope you continue with us on what appears to be a sunnier story!


It makes me mad that they are portraying Sev as though he's losing his sanity.

Amen, he did all those atrocities in the cold, clear, light of a sound mind! He is egotistical, arrogant, selfish, greedy and perverted. Now all of a sudden he's "ill"? No, he's an evil bastard!

If Cande does off Sev that even more is a vote for Aldonza to get therapy and seek the love her life elsewhere. Jeezopete! What the heck will the kids have to say during "my family heritage" show and tell time at school! Yikes!


Urban! Gracias, my friend! I have so enjoyed your being a part of this Patio and sincerely hope you will stay with us when, hopefully, we have happier family dynamics next show! Heck, I'll even go for sappy!

Interesting that Valeria has to live with what Cande saved Cris from -- Patricide! For the baby's sake I hope they don't keep drugging her throughout this pregnancy. Sheesh!

Yah, yet another scene of Aldonza frozen in fear while Sev slobbered all over her was just the limit! Without trying to delve into the horrible dynamics of sexual violence, I decry this portrayal at all! I hate that this was about the fourth instance of Sev sexually assaulting Aldonza! What the hell is THAT all about! These writers are sick and even at the risk of spoilers, I hope if we ever come across a story like this again that someone warns me. NO redeeming value in this kind of thing especially when they REFUSE to write in even the possibility of healing through therapy. Heck, there wasn't even healing through faith. Just an "I love you", a hug and a peck!
 

On a brighter note than this episode,that magnificent black horse that Cris rides looks similar to Big Ed Yanez's horse in Fuego en la Sangre. I believe it is a Fresian . A novel that I am currently reading describes this breed as amiable, gentle, and intelligent. It is a very old breed of horse. Beautiful and regal.I love the telenovelas set on haciendas....beautiful homes and scenary.

P.s. Gorgeous day here...sunny, clear, breezy, and 80. I am trying to drink in the last days of summer before going back to teaching and babysitting duties.Hope that everyone is having a good weekend. I must remember to get that frozen Marguerite outvof my freezer and into the refrigerator so that it is ready for the finale on Monday.
 

80 degrees?! I'm jealous. Our overnight low will be 89.

I was thinking along the lines of "brighter notes" and remembered, oh yeah, the wedding dress! Where did that come from? I thought Adelina threw the old one out, per Aldonza's orders. Is this (dare I hope) a new one?
 

Hey, I was checking out Pasion y poder on YouTube , and it looks like Adela Noriego is going to be starring with Christian dela Fuente in a new tn . Alexis Ayala is also in the cast plus other familiar faces and lots of new young actors I do not recognize. So..we may have some good tns coming up with old favorites and new folks!
 

It looks as though Pasion y poder will air after LA Imperdonable in Mexico. Maybe October ??? I think Majorie de Sousa is also in it.She was nasty Kendra in AV. And FC is the villain. QUE??? TBLMOE has finally turned to the dark side following Lucero's example. I don't know if I can stand seeing him as the bad guy. Say it isnt so. I am very bummed out.
 

Marjorie is not in it. Susana Gonzalez is the prota and Marlene Favela is the antagonista.
 

Now, Uni said in their upfronts earlier this year that they were bringing YNCELH, El Color de la Pasion and A que no me dejes for the 2015-2016 season. I don't know if they will continue with that plan or not.
 

Oooh! Pasion y Poder at 9 p.m.! That ought to be a rocking patio! Hope it's not crazy/dark!

Duly noted, Sara. Guess I'll wait and see!
 

Slow your roll everyone. We don't know if Univison is going to air it after Lo Imperdonable or not. It's probably very likely given the cast, but remember we got excited about Quiero Amarte and had to wait a year for that to air....in the afternoon.
 

That's half the fun of watching Uni, right?

Will we get it?

Will we get it whole?

Will we get it in primetime?


LOL!
 

Will we get it? Maybe.
Will we get it whole? Definitely not!
Will we get it in primetime? That depends--who do we have to bribe?
 

And what's so funny to me is how much chopping they do during the Sombra slot. It's not supposed to be a big ratings time anyway, right? So why the 2 hours of DQTQTQ and then the 2-in-1 episodes? And then they gave us 2 in 1 episodes for Sombra, too.


 

Sara, you had me giggling. Who knows what Uni will do but I'm thrilled it's coming.

Kat, let's bribe whomever! ;)

susanlynn, great news about Adela Noriega. I have been waiting for years for her to return. Not much info on Google but another great cast including Alexis.

Diana
 

I'm making truffles tonight (I know, I know, in all this heat...it's going to be a challenge!). That ought to be an acceptable bribe for whoever makes these decisions, right? Or maybe I'll just offer some up to La Virgen and give her my best Victoria Ruffo impersonation and hope for the best?
 

All my faith is with La Virgen or maybe the Ruffo impersonation. Whatever works.

How sad is it that this is the first half of the Fin and we are more interested in Pasion y Poder? That's the kind of thing that has kind of driven me mad about Sombra. It seems so...un-noteworthy? Is that what I'm meaning?

Help me out, peeps.
 

Lila, I'm sorry you got another icky episode but as always you knocked it out of the park! Thank you for all your hard work!
 

I feel ya, Sara. We had such great hopes for this epic love and the first half of the finale we get soft porn slime and a terrorized Leading Lady and nearly swoon over a second string galan hugging his housekeeper. THAT is frickin' pitiful. A crying shame!
 

Mi hermana! Eli Thank you, girl! Thank you so much! Thank YOU for leading the charge every Monday! :D
 

Lila, I won't be joining this patio for the following TN. It doesn't sound like something I would like very much. I pledged to myself to be more selective so that I save my sanity and my time. Right now I've got Yo No Creo En Los Hombres, which is very good so far, and if I hear that any of the next new ones coming up this fall are supposed to be good, then I will jump on board with them too.

So are we still thinking that Aldonza's therapy will never happen? She marries and lives happily ever after.
 

I hear you, Cathyx! Totally understand. I know we'll meet again on another show. . . .Caray is a state of mind!
 

You know, I'm used to the "put the prota in peril at the last minute" convention, but Alexis has just played this masterfully. He's just gross. I don't know if I can ever like him.

I don't actually think Aldonza is going to do the shooting and I don't think it will be Padre. But I am really glad he's back. I hope it's for more than just the wedding. I hope we get one last hurrah of badassery.
 

What do you mean, Sara? Isn't that what we're getting now or are you thinking Sev escapes yet again and does something publicly badass and gets taken out in a blaze?
 

"How sad is it that this is the first half of the Fin and we are more interested in Pasion y Poder? That's the kind of thing that has kind of driven me mad about Sombra. "
I agree, Sara. It has been a bit disappointing to me. If not for The Patio, I would have bailed out a while ago.

Adela Noriega in an upcoming telenovela? I don't think she has been in anything since FELS. Hhhmm.... I wonder if she will play a character that is her own age? Bambi cries a lot, though, with her signature hand to her face while crying. Ack.
 

I don't think Sev will leave the scene alive.

I don't think it's Aldonza who will kill him. Or Cris. Or Eman. Or the Padre.

But I'm fairly certain he will die there.

Diana


 

Right, Lila. Your episode is the "Put the Prota in peril at the last minute" convention. And this is one of the grosser ones I've seen.

And at the end Aldonza has a gun on Sev. She won't be the one to pull the trigger because she's the prota. I hope Sev doesn't escape. It's been said many times though that he has to die for everyone to be safe. I'm a little scared though because there was a similar character in PSMA and they left him alive in prison... Which he had already escaped once.
 

I am ready for this hot mess to be over. There was so little romance in this show and so much darkness and suffering. Boo.

Sara..So is Susana the good girl in Pasion y poder? Was Marlena in Zorro?

Diana...I've lived Adela ever since I saw her in Amor Real with Himself. There are a lot of other familiar faces in her new tn.

Well, speaking of darkness and suffering, I am dividing my time on my real patio and our cyberpatio by reading my excellent novel and studying the grammar I will be teaching this semester....a hot mess of coordinating conjunctions, connectives, infinitives, gerunds, and clauses. Maybe one more chapter of the juicy novel before heading into the minefield that is English grammar.

sara...how many active verb tenses does Spanish have ? We have 12. Does Spanish have more?
 

Diana- we're on the same wavelength. I hope you are right!

Cathyx - I've enjoyed reading your comments. I hope we are on the same patio again soon. I'm way behind on YNCELH so I avoid the discussion to avoid spoiling myself. Maybe one day I can catch up and I can at least read comments.
 

What's the novel, Susanlynn? Not an Outlander one?

I think Spanish has 14 tenses? I'm so stuck on present, preterite, imperfect and conditional (can you believe that's all I cover in two years? We learned them ALL when I was in high school.)
 

Sara, I think we are.

doris, think you are right that FELS was Adela's last TN. Think that was 8 years ago?

She looked as beautiful as ever in the U tube video. While she does do her share of crying, she brings such sweetness to the roles she plays, I've always liked her. Like you susanlynn, I thought she was marvelous in Amor Real.

While the acting here has been wonderful, I think the story suffered in that what should have been the heart of the story, the love between Aldonza and Cris really never had the chance to nurture and grow. They were together so little and so sporadically, there was no foundation on which to build a stable and loving relationship. The focus was on Aldonza, her atrocities and heartaches, rape, death of her mother, beloved aunt and the long shadow of Sev. Throw in Cande, Val, Pru and a host of others...there were too many other dark issues to focus on.

Diana
 

For me, the show started out strong and there is evidence on this blog of me calling it the best show ever. And then it lost its way and I was disappointed because I knew that not only could it be better, but obviously this crew knew how to do it better and just...weren't? couldn't? ran out of steam? didn't want to anymore? I don't know. It's not horrible, but it's falling short of the high bar they set early on.

I'm hoping it goes out on a high note. Whatever happens in that barn, I hope it's over with quickly and we move on to a big final celebration of something, anything that feels worth celebrating and distracts me from the entire middle part of the show. I'm probably asking too much!
 

Well said, Diana. It was very tiring watching Aldonza get dumped on week after week.

The acting has been very good though. It seems like we lost some shine after Roberta left, but there was Adelina and Padre to take up the slack. Then they were gone.

Oh wait, will Adelina's death be revealed as a murder by Sev?

I wonder how many loose ends there are.

Susanlynn - did I tell you yesterday how much I loved your list of lessons from this show? I know I thought it. Did I actually say it?
 

I was just in love with it at the beginning, too! And then it just fizzled.
 

And I can't remember if it was LoriLoo or Sandy on Wednesday who started talking about favorite scenes, but this has has some beautifully shot scenes.

Padre's farewell
Sev coming to Las Animas to get Solitario
Hum reaching out to Em.
Em and Solitario and the campfire
 

Despite obvious disappointments, I have been thinking about things I’ve liked about La Sombra......

The setting: Santa Lucia (Zacatlán) is by far and away the most beautiful location of any novela that I remember. The pueblo, with its buildings, plazas, clocks, waterfalls, rivers, steams and green, green hills combined with well tended haciendas, in my opinion, is the most beautiful of any location ever! No other novela even comes close.

The horses: Our ponys, (and the ability of our actors to really ride them with ease, not looking like saddle horn cowboys) have been magnificent. They must be prize animals, it has been a joy to see them prance around.

The actors’ wardrobe: I have been so sick of the “costuming” of the actors in so many of our novelas, 70’s plaid pants, actresses looking leprechauns, super orange skin and the worst of all, the “good” girls dressed like rameras. Every character in this novela has been appropriately dressed, our attention has been on the action, not truly RIDICULOUS clothing choices.
 

Totally agree, Sandy! The scenery has been gorgeous and you are so spot on about the clothing. I've enjoyed seeing the females dressed in "normal" clothing.
 

Thanks Sara. YNCELH is so good, but there are very few who comment on it, which is sort of frustrating since there's so much to say about it. I hope you catch up soon so that you join us in the conversations.
 

I'll try, cathyx!
 

Ponys, ha ha...ponies! Don't think I'll be winning any spelling bees soon...
 

Sara.... I am glad that you liked my lessons. I was ignoring my grammar book yesterday and feeling carefree. I just finished going through the second chapter I will be teaching..coordinating conjunctions. It is going to be a bear of a course...8 chapters of complicated grammar plus a book on essays to cover, and the students have to write four five paragraph essays. All to be accomplished in 30 classes lasting an hour and fifteen minutes. I am starting to sweat. I have to teach passive voice knowing that most of the students are not proficient in the 12 active tenses, and most of them had my boss for the previous grammar class and did not like her. She complained about them not bring good students. UHOH.

I am reading the fifth book in the Outlander series..The Fiery Cross. Lordy, lordy, that Jamie just leaps riggt off the page and gets randier and more attractive with age. (He and Claire have aged 20 years in this book. hevus 44 in this book , and Claire is 48.)
 

The locations were gorgeous. When the fog rolled into the town...I wanted to tell the actors to be quiet for a sec so I could just enjoy the view.
 

Thanks everyone for reminding us of all the beautiful parts of this novela. The "cascada" itself was incredible. During the stupid random police chase, at least we got to see the incredible waterfall again and it was as breathtaking as ever.

Ditto for the horses. Magnificent, unforgettably beautiful animals.

So many telenovelas we have watched together started out well, and somehow came unraveled halfway through. But we were caught by then, and just grinched and kvetched our way through till the end.

That was not the case for me with Amor Real, Alborada, Pasion, and Teresa. Those kept me enthralled till the end. And even though I didn't like the absolute end of Teresa, the story never lagged and the main characters never bored me at all. Not once!
 

And there was a LOT of that cascada! There was the pool/swimming area; the bridge they showed in the opening credits with one/some of the falls in the background; the place where the water was flowing around those large rocks Padre, Em, and Aldonza stood on to scatter ashes; the calmer spot that looked more like a river, where people would walk alongside it.... It just goes on and on. I don't know if it's all the same location, but they used different sections and angles for different scenes, or if they used a bunch of different locations.
 

While programming my DVR, the AT&T Uverse guide has MIQYAC starting on Wednesday. Caray! Caray! Hopefully it will record on Tuesday because I won't be home. Ack.
 

Thanks for the reminder, doris...I need to make sure my recording is set up right.

Out of curiosity, what does it say is showing on Tuesday?
 

My DVR is showing MIVAC, but it did not have the Monday Sombra set to record, which is odd because I had it set up as a series recording.
 

JudyB- Quiero Amarte is one that didn't seem to unravel. At least I don't remember it unraveling. If it did it ended well enough that I forgot the bad parts. ;-)
 

Sara, that's about all I'm hoping for. That the end makes me forget and I'm just left with a vague recollection of "Yeah, it got kind of rough in the middle, but I liked it."

Sometimes I lose my programmed recording because the final episode gets re-named "Gran Final de...." That's how I missed the last episode of Dos Caras de Ana. I'm still bitter about that. It took years to find a video online.
 

Mmmmm, enjoying the descriptions of the scenery you all describe and agree! My all time favorite novela is a Brazilian one and OMG the locations in and around Rio de Janiero were breath taking! That gorgeous, lush area and a rich and varied international musical score made the superb acting and exciting, multi-layered story even more endearing.

With what they gave us it would have been good if they just shut up a lot of times and let us take in the scenery! I hope Muchacha has beautiful scenery as well.

Y'all verbally slap me if I complain that MIVAC is too simpy, sappy and happy or some such!
 

Sara, I don't think QA unraveled either. It was good to the last drop!
 

I will if you will! I'm going to try to embrace the promised "lightness" of it. I may fail miserably, but I'm going to try!
 

I enjoyed this show although it didn't really live up to our early expectations. There was a lot of "dark", and not much romance. Oddly, some of the sweetest romantic moments came from Dominga and Mel.

One of my pet peeves is when the villain dies without taking responsibility for all the bodies on the checklist. And pointless stuff, like Adriano in a coma, then he dies off camera weeks later. Was his agent haggling for more pay and the writers pulled the plug?

I will always be grate to the show for erasing the memories of TSTSNBN. *Shudder*

J in O
 

"I will always be grateful to the show..."
J
 

Ditto J in O. I wonder if I was so blown away by the beginning of this *because* of TSTSNBN.
 

Sara - it shows La Sombra for Tuesday.

"Sometimes I lose my programmed recording because the final episode gets re-named "Gran Final de...." "
Diva - OMG I am so glad you mentioned this!!! When I looked at the Monday lineup on the Guide, the red dots that indicate something will record were not there! I will manually set both nights to record and see what happens.

I'm going out of town on Wednesday, so will be relying on recaps all week for Mujer Italiana. No time to watch in "real time" and hotels rarely carry Looneyvision, anyway.

 

Have a safe trip, doris!
 

I enjoyed this tns, for the most part. There was some really great acting, and as mentioned the beautiful scenery. I would like to add Alex Sirvent to the list of beautiful scenery. :)

Yes, the weakest link was the main love story, but there was enough interesting storyline surrounding them that I didn't get bored.
 

J in O, it sure did help me forget...and Sara, I do think the early comparisons helped.

Travel safe, doris! We've got your back with the recaps :)

Lol, Vivi, yes, he was easy on the eyes ;)
 

I would give this a 8.75 out of 10. There was a little meh with the extending, but I think the weak love story is my biggest complaint (aside from poor handling of the rape.)

Fantastic performances by Susana Gonzalez, Padre J, Cynthia Klitbo and Alexis Ayala as well as Lulu and Tomas.
 

Before yesterday I hadden lost a comment
To spam in a while. I hate spam. Ok I'll try again.
lila you had to deal with a lot of slim in this episode, girl you done good. Thanks for bringin it. Thank God for you recappers.
Cande, "you couldn't come to your mother with your happy news"? Really candela? And
Then shes got the nerve to say,"I've always wanted you to he happy". How the hell was
He going to happy married to that scank val,
Passin another mans baby off to him, and then the ho gose and services that poor excuse for a ....father (gag)!!! And cande has yet to apologize to aldonza.
Sev, Val, Pru. These are three of the sadist
People I 've seen on a soap, tn in a long time.
Monday should be s doosy.
 

Thank you Sara and Diva. I will be in town for the Gran Por Fin and am looking forward to our theme party on the Patio, the melon margaritas, and the character outfits . :-D
 

Hey, Nina! I was wondering where you were! Thank you so much! In total agreement with you about Candela. It took all of this high drama and death for her to see that Cris could only be happy with Aldonza and she had to see how absolutely morally bankrupt Val was for her to FINALLY give up on her as the dream daughter in law. I wonder how they're going to have Cande treat Aldonza after this latest over the top violation by Sev!

Thank you for your always lively and passionate comments, Nina! You remind me of myself, all in with the action and sometimes explosively sharing what we feel. There was a lot for us to fuss about on this thing, wasn't there, Nina! Monday had BETTER be a doosy!


Travel mercies, Doris, and Diva is right: we WILL have you covered on recaps!

 

ELI, HELLASHELLE, DIVA, SARA, LILA:
I have written individual thanks to some of you, but I think I missed Eli (the recapper most likely to earn an airpunch from me when she got on a rolling rant!) and Diva (virtual roses, dear lady, and a standing ovation)... What a team the five of you are. This Sombra blog was way more entertaining than any show I have ever watched. Kudos to you all, and a big hug!

Love,
J in O
 

Awwwwww! Thank you J in O! Bless your heart! Thank YOU for making this such a fun Patio. Love your early, honest, entertaining, thought-provoking and funny comments, J. You're the best!
 

That guy that plays sev mendoza, alexes, something, he is good at playing icky nasty. I
Wonder if michelle washed her face really good, before he did his part, cause all that
Make-up could make him sick. And then she probably washed her face too after. That was a sickeningly good scene of a sociopath abusing his victim.
I really wish the padre would come back, his
Niece and nephews need him. I like these comments but I need to" hit the hay" ( thats go to bed for you young folks):-D

Lila, my dear you're a Gem. Thanks again.:-)
 

It's aaaaaall over now. We don't have to kvetch about that lech aaaanymore!

Tomorrow he gets his BIIIIIG ANVIL!

;D
 

I'm really looking forward to it!

Adding to my list of favorite scenes-

The tender kiss Roberta gave to Em.
 

Ooops. Comment bomb

J in O - I echo Lila when I say it's been a pleasure to read your comments. I have a warm fuzzy space in my heart for you because of your pear half quote. It has always spoken to me. Ever since I saw it in the sidebar I knew Caray was the place for me.

I so enjoy everyone's comments and the camaraderie!
 

Never a bomb, dear Sara! I missed that Roberta and Eman scene. I'm going to go back to episode 10 to watch it. It will be even more meaningful and sweet now! And yes, let's keep recalling good and moving scenes because Friday has left many of us with a nasty taste in our souls and I don't want to think about it anymore!
 

Oh! Oh! Em and Lola rolling in the hay!

And horsey prancing contests!
 

Thank you Sara! It's hard to believe how we can feel so connected to people we haven't met in person...but we do, here on Caray Caray. It really does feel like family. :o)

Re: Sev's anvil--It seems like appropriate person to deliver it is Cande, although she herself has been anvil-worthy so maybe she will die too. And I bet it won't be something as simple as being shot...he has to suffer and inhale some hell-fires. (*Gasp! choke! cough! beg for mercy*)

J in O
 

I'm pretty sure my reputation as a judgemental, petty, bloodthirsty and vengeful a-hole is sealed... so no one will be surprised when I say that I want Sev to suffer and suffer HARD. Slowly and with lots of begging. His getting taken down with one shot would not make me happy.

Wasn't it suggested at one time that Solitario should practice his prance on Sev's head? That would be nice.
 

Amen, Sara and J! No quick, merciful bullet for this devil and if wishing suffering upon Sev makes one judgement, petty, bloodthirsty and vengeful. . .SIGN ME UP! It already appears as if the Adelina murder and the order of the Abelardo hit won't be revealed so he needs to suffer reeeeeal baaaaaad!
 

I wish for Uriel and Irma's sake that the hit on Abelardo would get revealed. Uriel is pretty sure Sev had something to do with it, but it would be nice if they could find out the truth and have some closure.

Or maybe not?
 

Yah, I agree. Uriel IS pretty sure and even if they don't get confirmation the challenge and hope of caring for Lardo's child seems to have already lightened up their lives.

Hey! Wait! Did Vivi say that Javier was part of the Adriano gang and knows about the Abelardo hit? Wasn't Javier one of the gang of three present when Lardo was executed? I'm thinking Javier is going to sing like a canary on this latest job he did for Sev and any other dirt he has!
 

Lila,magnificent and sorry you got the fuzzy end of the lollipop for your last recap. But it was delicious. Thank you for your wit and dedication. That goes for all our recappers! Had some quiet time this morning with my son's pooches draped all over me to watch this episode.
Can't say it was one of the better semi finales I've seen. Deplorable falling back on Sev again spending time all over Allie. C'mon writers.....be imaginative. So done with these type of plot lines.
Pato and Mari should be getting engaged??? Mind-numbing.Poor writing. Agree a promising first half felling into trite, cliched, and unbelievable as it progressed. But can't fault most of the acting. Been superb by many of the actors. They need to start going with less episodes for shows. Think it would help with story lines.
Great comments from everyone. Sorry not much more time to chime in. Out for brunch into the horrid humidity( big storm thru Atlanta this morning) and then back to NE Ohio. But a lovely weekend with my son and his crew. Let's see tomorrow what pretty pink bows we get.

Daisynjay
 

Have a safe trip, Daisynjay!

I'm looking forward to the pretty pink bows and.... EL VESTIDO DE NOVIA. Don't let me down, MaPat!

Daisynjay - not sure if you're staying for the next one or even if we'll need it, butcould we use your dart board? Do you mind if repaint it using the colors of the Italian flag?
 

Thanks, Daisynjay! Drive safely! Pretty pink bows indeed. That brings back a childhood memory. Some of you may remember when little girls wore dresses with sashes that tied at the back. We wore these to school, to church, no pants for little darlins' in them days. Least not in my house. Well, anyway, sometimes if you were'nt careful when you went to take care of business, the pretty sash at the back of your dress would take a dunk in the porcelain potty which could be even more disastrous if. . .

Well, that's what La Sombra reminds me of, especially Friday. My pretty pink sash took a dive Friday and I'm afraid the yuckiness is not over.

So, for Monday, let's get past that unpleasantness and have nice clean, pink bows and sashes to tie this up and send it on off into novela history!
 

I have faith that we will get a good fin. Maybe not exactly what we want, but at least something to make it worthwhile. Even TSTSNBN gave us that beautiful scene with Carlos and his daughter little Virginia when she got her sight back and saw a picture of her mother.
 

Monday FIN is a little awkward. Not that I'd want the fin but how're we going to get Sombra out of our system and then the next day be whisked off to Italy? I know. It is what it is.
 

I'm having trouble adjusting to that, too. I like having a weekend to discuss a Fin.

They are doing that with AcT as well. It's going to end on a Monday. I guess Uni is changing how they do things? Maybe it's just these two shows?
 

Sara- Yes, Javier was one of Adriano's gang, and part of the assault on Lardo. And he's now in police custody, so let's hope he blabs all he knows.
 

So glad you got a chance to watch the episode, DaisynJay, even if you found the second half as disappointing as I did. And have a safe trip back, with lots of beautiful family memories tucked up in your tote bag.

Oh Lord, Lila, yes, always dresses with sashes and frequently a dripping sash. I've even had a few disasters with apron sashes. Still, I'll take a small disaster over a big one any day.

Monday is getting closer and closer!
 

Thanks, Vivi! That was me wondering. So there's hope that the Adriano and Lardo crime can come to light! Yes! Okay. Y'all keep the Patio rolling, see y'all later!
 

I remember always having to wear dresses to school because girls were not allowed to wear slacks even on the coldest days. but I do not remember ever having sashes. I do remember my mother making me wear dresses with bulky snow pants in the winter which were either shoved under the dresses or the dresses were shoved into the snoiw pants. Neither choice was a good look.

Perhaps we should all have pizza, Spaghetti, or ravioli for dinner Monday night to prepare for Muchacha. I am ready for a change, but first I need closure on the SL world.
 

Is it Monday yet?

J in O, thank you :)

Nina, your makeup comment got me laughing. Hopefully they used something waterproof?

Sara, I can't decide if finding out why their son was killed would be better for Irma and Uriel or not. It's such a long chain of "Why?" Because Sev ordered it. Because Sev didn't want Lardo to rat him out for commissioning an arson. Because the cops were going to question Lardo based on finding his fingerprints. Because Sev told him to burn down the apartment. Because he wanted to keep Aldonza from getting the sale money and using it to try to buy El Santuario. Because he thinks El Santuario should be his. Because it was his grandpa's, but grandpa lost it in a bet. It's an answer...but it's not an answer. Though maybe just the "Sev" part would be enough.

Thanks for the confirmation Vivi! Now that I know Javier was part of the hit squad on Lardo, that makes his "I'm not a killer" whine especially stupid...and yeah, he's probably already trying to give his testimony in the back seat of the police car with the cops saying "Hold on! You have to tell this to the MP!"

Daisynjay, safe travels!

I agree with everyone that the Monday fin going right into a new show on Tuesday is going to be a bit jarring. Plus I can't even watch the fin until late Monday night...and then I'm supposed to sleep? Maybe I'll watch on Tuesday morning instead, but I'm not sure that's going to let me sleep any better!
 

Your suggestion is brilliant, Susanlynn! I'm all for Italian food!
 

I'm especially for Italian food you can order as take-out! Sign me on.
 

Kat- I guess Javier doesn't mind being around killers, or helping killers, he just doesn't want to be the one to pull the trigger himself. Surely, he knows that Sever doesn't plan on taking Aldonza on a surprise trip to Disneyworld. And when he met up with Sever, he told him he'd heard the rumors (about him killing Sim), but Sever then assured him he'd get paid, so he shut up and helped him with his plans. Yeah, it's kind of weak to be whining about not being a killer.
 

Susanlynn - ugh, I remember not being allowed to wear pants to school, too, waiting for the school bus in freezing weather, in our skirts. My freshman year at college was the first year THEY allowed girls to wear pants and shorts on campus.

Italian sounds good to me, for the Gran Estreno of Muchacha!
 

Vivi, that's what's wrong with these small-time thugs in Santa Lucia. No ambition. No work ethic.

Also, no sense of self-preservation! Working for Sev drastically lowers a henchperson's life expectancy.
 

Wow Doris. You must be a decade or so younger than I am. We were allowed to wear pants in college only to Saturday am classes. And to football games that afternoon. And it was cold in Wisconsin! But then I happily traipsed around in Keds even in Winter to the horror of my mother. But what did i care? I was 17 and immortal.
 

Why isn't it Monday night?!
 

Are we there yet ??
 

Home safe and sound though the plane was delayed...aren't they always. Now that I've been sufficiently chastised by the furballs for not being here for four days, can settle in and check emails and Caray.

Oh my Lila. your comment on the dresses...boy that harkens back real nightmares for me. Yes, that was my generation for sure but not a pleasant memory. Being a tried and true tomboy, having to put on one of those dresses( and they always had that poofy skirt or a slip that made them poof) for Sunday church and visiting grandparents on Sunday afternoon was downright painful. My dad would love to tell the stories how I managed to strip in the car the minute we left relatives or came back from church as early as two years old (remember no seat belts), ran for pants and a top and then was back to being happy. That's why for me saying "pink bows" congers up fake and painful wrap ups for the most part.

And yes, Sara, I plan to go right into the show right after so I will get those dart boards at the ready. They need a bit of freshening up anyway, took a beating on this show. (the Mari one still seems to be getting used...hmmmm.) Like your Italian theme idea to go with the show, so we'll have one board each to start of red, white and green. That will give us three at the ready. Now let's see who gets the boards!! Reminder: Not always the chief evil villains.

So what's the drink of choice. No more melon martinis. Vino? Lemonchello? a nice chianti?

Daiysnjay
 

Daisynjay, Glad you are back safely. Is Tofie still on travel? Has anyone heard from Gringo lately?

I am waiting patiently for Monday night but it's not here yet!!!

J in O
 

Glad you're home safe and that you survived the fur babies' fussing, daisynjay! Thank you for the continued use of the dartboards. I love the idea of a red, green and white board.

I'm not a drinker, so I had to google limoncello. Looks pretty tasty. Between your limoncello and Susanlynn's Vin Santo, I may have to become a drinking woman!
 

J in O- Tofie is still on vacation in Asia, but reading and commenting. Gringo is on the blog, over on Lo Imperdonable. Don't know why he stopped commenting here.
 

Thanks Vivi! I guess sometimes we get "overcommitted" and have to drop a show.

I love the 7:00 PM slot so I sign up for whatever comes on the screen at that time. The Italian girl looks interesting, hopefully will be slime free. :o)

J in O
 

Yay! Glad you made it home ok, Daisynjay :D

I tried a limoncello once, but it wasn't sweet enough for me. Might have been the brand, though.
 

Welcome back, Daisynjay! Then I channeled you corretly with my dress with sashes recollection! I know Dom and Mel will be happy, as will Eman and Lola. I just hope Cris and Al can convince us. Maybe we WILL get a time jump! Anywho, time is ticking away, soon we'll know how they wrap this up, hopefully not to fake or painfully!
 

LOL, the dresses still and a tomboy at heart. My mother was very traditional and insisted I be groomed a traditional asian woman and wife, we fought often. Thankfully my dear father ran interference, the worst argument I remember my parents having was when he let me climb onto the roof to help him fix a leak. It was also he that convinced her to let me be a cheerleader in junior high. To her the most unlady like extracurricular. In Tokyo still but wIll head to Bangkok in a few days.
 

Well, we have a few more hours before this Runaway train pulls into the station.

Maybe we could play a game. Remember " I am going on a picnic, and I am going to take...A, an apple...B..a banana...etc.

Here we go.." I just bought a crossbody bag , and here's what I'll put in it...A..aspirin...B..Band-Aids..

Off for the first day of fall semester....butterflies.
 

Have a great first day, Susanlynn! The students will love you!
 

Hey Tofie! Safe travels and keep having fun! Glad you're checking in with us!

Happy first day of school, Susanlynn!

Let's see. . .C. .a small bottle of Camphor oil and. . .D. a small book of Daily Devotions
 

Hey, all.

Our trip to Buffalo was great; good time. JudyB, did you see/hear me wave/honk my horn when we were on I-270?

Urban, I am in no way an expert on the subject, but it seems probable to me that women's responses to rape are something like the distribution of points under a Bell Curve, where, at the extreme ends, you have 1) women who are totally destroyed by the experience, and 2) at the other end, you have women who say, "This had nothing to do with me or my wishes, and I refuse to be defined or affected by this." (I know a woman like this from our parish.) I cannot imagine an act from a man toward a woman that is more disgusting than rape, and I am hoping that Sev's most recent actions are setting him up for a monumental anvil.

I thought the long drawn out saga of the candy house was sweet, and I enjoyed the pure joy between the AARP couple. I wonder if the grandson might think, "Gee, if that lady had only lifted to roof of the candy house, I wouldn't be here today"?

PJ must have some sort of pivotal roll to play in the finale, otherwise why bother to bring him back. I guess there are no big time donors at his new parish to buy him a car?

Cande is slowly coming around, although she's scraping her fingernails across the blackboard in the process.

Can't wait for tonight, although the end of tn's is always a bittersweet experience of finally finding out what the writers had in mind, and the termination of our interaction with the characters. Oh, well...

David
 

Welcome back, David!

Aw, it's going to be a grand night for sure! Whatever happens, I have enjoyed each and every one of you on the Patio and I hope that on Eli's recap that everybody who has ever commented even once on Sombra will come out and give this Shadow a real send off! I'm glad I'm off this week and next. The Sombra FIN is going to fuel and Muchacha Premiere are going to fuel a lot of chores around the house and yard! Bring it on!
 

Finally, it's Monday!

tofie, good to hear from you. I hope you're having a good time :D

Susanlynn, have a great first day!

David, It's good to see you back safely. Fingernails on a chalkboard...I shudder just thinking of it!

Lila, 11 more hours...!
 

Soooo....David....that was YOU I heard that horn blast! Yes, absolutely.

Also appreciate your description of the bell curve. I admire the strong woman in your parish who was able to distance herself from the experience. However, as you said, she is at the extreme end of the curve. And ditto for those who are completely destroyed by it and never recover. I knew one woman who had shrugged off the experience she had with rape, when she was only 7 years old. But I have known others who have been crippled, if not absolutely destroyed.

But it is good to be reminded that people of resilience (and I believe this is an hereditary trait) cannot only suvive horrendous experiences, but can actually go on to thrive. I am thinking of that young Mormon girl who with time, seemed to not only go on, but has been able to help others find hope and strength after their violent experiences.

The range of the human spirit is awesome. From the most demented and cruel to the brightest and most luminous.
 

David and Judy- What wonderful and profound words on resilience from you both. I just read your comments, as I also listening to the Diane Rehm show on my local NPR. The topic for today-- Resilience. And the panelists just spoke specifically about rape victims who have problems with being intimate with lovers/partners after their ordeal. They emphasized building trust and intimacy with family and friends first, being the key to then building up to intimacy with a romantic/sexual partner. Could that be what Aldonza has been doing, while she has kept Cris at arm's length-- spending time with Eman, Lola, and Padre and telling them the truth about her rape?

The topic of resilience is fascinating and the show today is quite good. Here is the link and the description: http://tinyurl.com/pr6r53k

"Over the course of a lifetime, 90 percent of us will experience some kind of traumatic event. Some people have the ability to bounce back from these difficult experiences and engage with life again. For others, these setbacks are debilitating. Scientists say there are several key factors that make some people more resilient than others. These include an overriding sense of optimism, having a mission in life and a strong social network. While some of resilience is genetic, scientists say most of it can be learned, thanks to brain’s ability to grow and change. We look at the science of resilience and how we can learn to respond better to adversity."
 

Thank you for this link. What a wonderful synchronicity that you should hear a podcast on just this very topic! I'm going to take that as a sign that what you quoted is exactly what happens to our lovers in this tale of woe:

Could that be what Aldonza has been doing, while she has kept Cris at arm's length-- spending time with Eman, Lola, and Padre and telling them the truth about her rape?

I'm going to go with that and this speaks to the power and value of this community, that we get such insights and resources that can be beneficial not only in digesting a disturbing story, but in life itself. I know I do a lot of calling out, no inviting, silent blog participants to speak but you know what, if some of what we say in jest or more profound moments like this discussion helps someone, it doesn't matter if they say so or not, just that it did help.

Thank you, David, Judy and Vivi!
 

Wow...I am back , and I love the comments.

To our travellers David and Daisynjay..Welcome home.

Vivi, thanks for sharing that very interesting information on resilience. Nobody gets through this life untouched by something traumatic, so resilience is a valuable asset. What do they say?..It's not how many times you are knocked down that counts. It's how often you get up.
 

Thanks for that link, Vivi. In recent years, psychologists have been studying WHAT WORKS AND WHAT HEALS, rather than focusing so much on the wounds and trauma we experienced growing up. And Resilience and Forgiveness in the Sense of Leaving Hurtful Experiences Behind, are always themes in these telenovelas. I have only seen therapy used as a joke or as a hypocritical ploy (in Refugio) but it would be nice to see an emphasis on BOTH therapy (learning resilience) and Christian values (forgiveness)as a way to heal and move on.
 

http://time.com/3892044/the-science-of-bouncing-back/
Time magazine had a good article on resilience this summer. Copy & paste to read.
 

Dear Show: We noticed you forgot to do the part where you actually address serious issues instead of just using them for drama fodder. Don't worry--we've got it covered!
 

Amen, Diva! Thanks, Doris!
 

If we just think about the show as a very interesting dramatization of trauma and resilience, and forget any idea that it was in any way a romance, we could say that La Sombra has been fantastic. All the family difficulties have been wonderfully portrayed; the Zapatas, Lagos, Alcocers, and Mendozas, (with the exception of Sever, who is a ridiculous over the top character) were REAL and could have been taken from any troubled neighborhood. The “show” gets an A+ on these treatments. The only fly in the La Sombra ointment was in the beginning with all the waterfall love scenes, etc., which were a big BAIT AND SWITCH, which led any reasonable viewer to believe that the program was to be an old fashioned telenovela romance a la Amor Real.....NOT HARDLY.

All and all, I’m glad I stuck with it, some of our characters and their struggles will stay with me forever.....
 

Wow, Sandy, that's brilliant! ITA and glad you stuck with it, too!
 

Lila.....thanks!!! That might be the first time anyone has ever thought I was in any way "brilliant." (Big smile!)
 

Lila, escuse me, I wrote somethingbefore but I think it was never posted. I thought your last recap was excellent and I wanted to thank you and all the sombra team for their fantastic work and effort to keep the high quality of the recaps, adding such interesting tidbits. You are all great.

Thank you very much.

Jarocha
 

You are welcome, Jarocha! Thank you for joining us and I hope we're on the same patio again real soon!

:D
 

Jarocha, I just saw this...thank you!