Caray, Caray!

• Maite's extended lecture, delivered to Guillermo's mother, about homosexuality (it's nobody's "fault" and we should love our children and wish them happiness just as they are) took up 1/4 of the show. At the end Guillermo showed up and there was a lovefest.
  
  
• Sergio overhears Josefa and Jose Maldonado having their usual argument ("Jose, you should tell Maite she is your daughter." "No, she's too upset about her daughters, maybe later..."). Sergio promises not to spill the beans.
  
  
• Valeria has developed some backbone. She shows up at the hacienda, the now-recovered baby Pedrito in her arms, and declares with uplifted chin that she will be taking care of the child from now on. Jacinta is not happy to see either of them.
  
  
• Remedios and Octavio will rue their decision to tell Federico that Octavio is his father. Federico now yells at Octavio: "Where were you when I was growing up, why did you disappear so long? I've figured it out - you wanted Doña Jacinta to think I was the son of her husband, and include me in her will, which she has done, but you will not get a cent." He leaves muttering that they'll pay.
  
  
• Another public service announcement: a bouncing little undergrad comes up and lets Professor Octavio know she will trade her Favors for a better grade. He tells her, "Actions Have Consequences," and suggests she study harder instead.
  
  
• Unibrow holds Juanita's son - his grandson by the defunct asthmatic Daniel. Evidently Juanita (who was always the smartest of those three girls) has been helping Unibrow with the wine business in Europe, and now is living with him in a location to be disclosed shortly.
  
  
• The brown-nosing biddies show Jacinta a magazine picture: Andres with a floozy actress hanging all over him. Jacinta waves it triumphantly in Valeria's face. Valeria acts all steely and unconcerned, but later swears to the camera that she's more determined than ever, now, that Andres will never know about his son.
  
  Later, Andres, loitering in the convent courtyard with his shirt mostly unbuttoned and a great deal of chest hair showing, actually sees Valeria in her nun's habit. She gets away. He confronts the nuns and they admit she's been living with them. Without exactly saying so, they allow him to believe that Valeria has taken vows. "I've lost her."
  
  
• Finally one of the countless arrangements of roses which arrive at the restaurant for Maite has a note: "Sorry I haven't been able to tell you my name. I will help you get your daughter back. Come to see me at Las Barricas."
  
  So Maite puts her hair up (it looks nice) and goes to Las Barricas, where she encounters - yes, you guessed it - Unibrow! Looking like an undertaker in his black suit, evidently rich now, but as ugly and harsh as ever. She's furious that he lured her there and stamps out without listening to anything he has to say.
  
  On the way out, she meets Remedios, who tells her Valeria is back! and living at the convent. When Maite goes to find her at the convent, though, she's already on her way back to the hacienda. Maite turns on her heel and steams off.
  
  
• Federico is ragefully boozing when Jacinta comes in and says: "I don't tolerate men who drink." He doesn't believe her when she reiterates that he is a Valladolid.
  
  Their conversation is interrupted by Maite's explosive entrance - she isn't going to be intimidated this time, and she won't leave till she sees her daughter!
  
  Jacinta tells Federico to get out, tells Maite: "You Will Get In Here Only Across My Cadaver," insults her, they slap each other, Jacinta chokes Maite and says, "You'll Cry Tears Of Blood!" Just then Valeria arrives and is surprised to see this scene. She tells Jacinta, "This woman is my friend," but Jacinta says: "No, she isn't your friend, this so-and-so is your mother."

Labels: barrera

• As Andres was gripping Valeria's hand and speaking to the back of her wimple, Valeria's special nun came up to distract him, saying "we can't tell you anything, come back later."
  
  Valeria meanwhile slipped away through the tunnel and went to the hacienda, where she discovered the crying feverish baby and flew down the stairs with him in her arms, as Jacinta brought up the rear saying, "What's your hurry?" They all go to the hospital where the doctor says the kid has pneumonia and is mortally ill. At the end of the episode, though - he's ok. Valeria did not reveal her secret (that she's the mom).
  
  
• The white horse dances some more and Andres (wearing hot pink knee socks and a big bulge with his green outfit and scarlet cape) kills more bulls.
  
  
• There are lengthy lectures on homosexuality. Guillermo misses his mother, but his dad is too macho to accept a gay son. "Some families think it's because they did something wrong. I'd like my mom to see that I am happy." Maite points out that we can choose our family, the way she and Victor chose each other and then Veronica, and now Guillermo is part of that family.
  
  
• Nicolas loses it when he sees a red candy wrapper (like Omar's!) on the desk. Manola tells him to snap out of it, but that's not going to happen. Teodoro tells Maite about Nicolas's increasing paranoia, and she tells Gustavo, who says, "Since he is believing in ghosts, maybe I can be his worst nightmare."
  
  
• Guillermo's mom shows up unannounced at his apartment. Neither he nor Victor is home, but Maite is. This makes Guillermo's mother think he has reformed and is living with this beautiful woman. Maite gently disabuses her of this hopeful notion. The mother stands with her mouth open. Not much of a cliffhanger.

Labels: barrera

• Seeing as how he's already guessed her identity, Maite tells all to Andres. "If I hadn't married Adolfo, your dad would have rotted in jail and you and Daniel would have moldered in an orphanage. I lost my own daughter. But I knew Nuria was a good woman and a good mother to you..." It was a good scene. She informs him that she and Victor are like brother and sister, and that Veronica is adopted.
  
  Then she makes him promise to tell nobody. She will have to find her own time for telling Valeria the truth - if Valeria is ever seen again.
  
  
• Stupid, stupid Valeria sneaks out of the convent every night and INTO the hacienda, where she nurses and dandles her baby all night - then sneaks BACK to the convent through the cold, wet tunnels, and then has to say her rosary instead of going to bed, so she gets exhausted, and her little cough turns into a raging fever and she is confined to bed.
  
  
• Jacinta boots the nun out of the hacienda. Then she boots Cleotilde out of Pedrito's room. Then she opens the windows, takes the blanket off the baby, takes away his bottle, and watches him get sick. "You're a child of sin, son of a nobody, you'll be much better off with God." Then she leaves.
  
  In the morning she sneaks back in, gives back his blanket, and closes the windows. Cleo comes in and exclaims tremulously, "Pedrito is burning up!" "Oh, what a pity."
  
  Jacinta pretends to call the doctor: "Oh, he's with another patient, what a pity." She hangs up and says, "There's nothing we can do till the doctor comes. So go make my breakfast and leave this stupid baby here." Cleo protests, Jacinta screams again: "Make! My! Breakfast!" Cleo hightails it out of the nursery, and Jacinta hisses to the squalling infant: "Better you should go to God than live humiliated in this world..." It was splendid, my favorite scene yet, except for maybe the time she watched the old Padre die on the floor because she wouldn't give him his medicine. That might have been even better.
  
  
• Maite gets more anonymous flowers, Andres kills more bulls, nobody knows who bought Las Barricas, still no sign of Unibrow. Victor sings "Happy Birthday" (well) to his mother over the phone, then Guillermo calls his own mother. Really, I'm not making this up.
  
  
• Remember when I said that the superannuated Miss Josefina Maldonado looks like Joan Rivers? I found this picture of Joan at AwfulPlasticSurgery.com, a truly excellent and satisfying site.
  
  Anyway, the most pitiful subplot ever: some old dude in the Maldonado household, name of Nabuco, is actually jealous that dapper-but-useless Sergio (Jacinta's ne'er-do-well brother) is flirting with this tight-faced horror. So -- he puts salt in Sergio's coffee! And then Sergio doesn't want his coffee! Really, I'm not making this up.
  
  
• While showing off his dairy to Bruno (who is working for the mysterious out-of-towner who bought Las Barricas), Rodrigo admits: "I used to be a complete cretin, but the blows of life have put me in my place."
  
  Meanwhile his grandfather, Manola's dad Nicolas, is going bonkers. The maid spills an itsy bit of tomato sauce on him when she serves his dinner and he loses it, shouting, "You've stained my hands with blood." He rushes to the bathroom and scrubs and scrubs - but he can't get the blood off... The mother and Manola seem a little bit interested, but actually not very.
  
  
• Andres mopes around Aguascalientes and then decides to go to the convent and ask the nuns if they know where his wife Valeria is - at the very moment when she, Valeria, is staggering to her feet in that very convent, insisting that her fever has broken and that she must go to her baby.
  
  She dresses as a nun so as to glide anonymously past him as he stands moping handsomely in the courtyard, but he, coincidentally, chooses at that moment to reach out and grab her arm (do people actually grab nuns' arms?) and ask, "can you help me?" as she passes. Her mouth open in surprise yet again, she hasn't yet turned toward him when -- the curtain comes down.

Labels: barrera

• Again, no sign of Unibrow.
  
  
• You recall we last saw Valeria at the convent, holding her squalling baby, mouth hanging open as her serial-killer granny stormed up demanding to know what she was doing with that child!
  
  Well, Remedios swept in, plucked the baby from her arms, said, "this is the child of one of my charges," and took him away! Quick thinking! Jacinta: "Remedios, tell nobody that Valeria is here, so she won't be, uh, bothered with pesky questions." Later: "Valeria, you cannot leave the convent except with me." Valeria feebly protests this house arrest.
  
  
• Dr. Monica asks Maite and Victor to bring in the dolls, Violeta and Vera, which Veronica played with when she was little. Veronica is shocked to see the dolls again. Monica calls to Veronica's alter ego Vera! Who finally appears! Explaining: "I didn't show myself before because I thought you'd try to get rid of me. I am the daring one, the one who knows how to attract a man." She denies the existence of alter-ego Violeta and suggests it should be she, Vera, who gets domination of Valeria's body.
  
  
• Manola and Federico have a nice snuggle in bed. Him (out loud): "I could have you and your dad putrefying in jail. There's no such thing as a perfect crime." Her (thought-bubble): "I'll get rid of you."
  
  
• Maite gets more anonymous flowers. The village ladies, and Rodrigo, are still trying to figure out who bought Las Barricas.
  
  
• It turns out yesterday's teaser was a fake! Nicolas, nervous as a witch, merely IMAGINES he is shot in the chest. He conjures the same scene twice - the second time, when he reaches for the gun on his desk, it's missing! He starts shouting and Rodrigo brings the gun back - he had recently been using it for target practice, as the defunct OMAR had suggested. "Grandfather, you seem a little strange."
  
  
• Valeria asks for help from the nuns and the padre. First she gets a nun to show her where the Secret Tunnel out of the nunnery is, and the whereabouts of the key. Next, she confesses to Padre Raul and gets him to participate in an elaborate plan. He goes to the hacienda and butters Jacinta up shamelessly for hours as she preens. Then, just as he is about to leave, a baby is found on the doorstep! A foundling! Wearing a medal that says "Pedro!"
  
  "Oh Jacinta, merciful and generous as you are, I'm sure you will take good care of this baby."
  
  Valeria's plan: Jacinta will become fond of the baby and THEN Valeria can say it's hers. What a lame idea! Jacinta snarls to Federico: "I want to be rid of this mocoso (I love that word, it's like snot-nose) but since the Padre witnessed this, I couldn't just "disappear" the brat." He suggests they wait till people forget about it and then take the baby off to an orphanage somewhere.
  
  The preview for tomorrow, though, has Jacinta opening all the windows wide on a windy day, perhaps in hopes the baby will get pneumonia and die. And of course there's probably a goodly supply of poison powder still stashed in the basement...
  
  
• Andres muses, with Gordo, about an early memory of a pretty woman rescuing him from a giant bull. "I remember because Daniel and I drew it." At the end of the episode, this very drawing shows up by stupid coincidence and is given to Maite, who puts it on a table, so by yet another stupid coincidence, it is sitting on that very table next to Maite when Andres shows up, newly arrived from Spain! He sees it and says: "YOU were my father's girlfriend!"

Labels: barrera

• We did not see even one second of Unibrow today, not even a flashback.
  
  
• Theodoro and Baldo recap the entire history of Unibrow and Maite, concluding: they never would have split up, and Maite would not have lost her daughter to Jacinta, if Aunt Griselda's letter (which Baldo just found) had reached Unibrow instead of sitting in Federico's desk for 20 years. They agree nobody must know they have the letter. "It's a very important letter," they tell each other.
  
  
• Andres' mentor insists: "For the sake of your career you must go back to Mexico, in fact to Aguascalientes, and harass bulls there whether you like it or not." This causes Andres to sulk by taking off his shirt, riding on the beach, and flexing his muscles a lot, for those who like that sort of thing.
  
  
• Jacinta is indignant that an outsider has bought Las Barricas, a big important nearby estate which has stood empty for years due to inheritance problems. Teodoro and Baldo, however, are jubilant, because they've already been hired to work for the new owner, whose identity is not revealed.
  
  
• Valeria, freshly arrived from Oaxaca, wisely stows her baby at the Aguascalientes nunnery before popping in on Jacinta, whose welcoming words are: "What are you doing here?" Federico shows up and gives an equally unwelcoming welcome.
  
  Federico has just received word that Andres will soon be in town. He and Jacinta decide Valeria must go back to the nunnery. Nobody must know she's in town, and she mustn't know Andres is coming.
  
  Jacinta invites Rodrigo to dinner, as she still expects Rodrigo and Valeria will marry. Valeria, however, was silent over the pork chops, still moping about Andres, uninterested in Rodrigo's scintillating stories about his business. Jacinta snarls: "You should have encouraged him! Well, you better go back to the nunnery to be closer to God, you evidently weren't ready to come back yet."
  
  So Valeria asks: "Theoretically, what would you say if I had a child by Andres?" Jacinta yells: "I would never accept a bastard." Valeria goes back to the monastery.
  
  
• Dr. Monica (who resembles any blond bimbo) asks Veronica: "Why draw so many pictures of women in mirrors?" Veronica says her "real" mother gave her a three-part mirror long ago, but it broke. Dr. Monica engineers the first-ever sighting of Veronica turning into Vera; Maite and Victor watch, transfixed, from the other side of a one-way mirror.
  
  
• Sergio ruefully explains to Jose and Phyllis Diller Maldonado: "I have no talents or skills and hence must live off the crumbs my sister Jacinta doles out to me." They invite him to live with them. He accepts.
  
  
• Gustavo is working hard at his rehabilitation and is very happy Rodrigo is doing so well. "I know he's not my 'real' son, but I love him as if he were," he tells Maite, who points out she loves Veronica (her foster-daughter) and Valeria (her natural-born daughter) equally.
  
  
• Somebody sends Maite a huge, anonymous bouquet of roses.
  
  
• Remedios, ushering a batch of kids through the convent, sees Valeria with the baby. She bustles over. Valeria introduces Pedrito, and Remedios is cooing over him when -- Jacinta shows up! "What the *&^%$ are you doing with that child?" she demands of Valeria, who will be left staring open-mouthed in horror until tomorrow.

Labels: barrera

Federico offers to help Manola and Nicolas bolster their feeble fabrication concerning Gustavo's alleged death - in exchange for more power over the Zamora estate. Manola feels forced to accept.

Veronica's alternate personalities continue to torment her in the insane asylum. The bad one scribbles on her paintings.

Rodrigo tells Federico he wants to pay the workers more, Federico says: "No, that will lower the profit margin." But as nine months pass (so Valeria's baby can be born) we see Rodrigo is doing an excellent job building up his father Gustavo Zamora's estate. (Well, actually, don't forget, Rodrigo is in fact Federico's son, and Federico knows it, but Rodrigo doesn't. Poor Gustavo. Not only defenestrated but cuckolded.)

It's explained why Andres and Valeria split up: Jacinta, with Rodrigo's help, engineered a scene which made Andres think Valeria was making time with Andres' brother Daniel. Valeria was furious with him for doubting her and fled (pregnant) to the nunnery in Oaxaca, where she has been holed up ever since. Now she has had the baby, Pedro. She plans to go back to Aguascalientes. Her grammy Jacinta doesn't know about the baby. Jacinta prepares for Valeria's return by getting rid of anybody who could tell Valeria the "misunderstanding" had been created on purpose. She pays her brother Sergio to leave town and she tells Federico to sack Baldo. Baldo's sister Juanita, who might also have known, has left the country.

Andres went to Spain, where he has been building his reputation as a bullfighter. He mopes for Valeria all the time. However, innumerable promo photos of him with babes dripping from his shoulders have made their way to Oaxaca and Valeria is convinced he's forgotten her. She is registering the baby under her own name and doesn't plan to tell Andres he has a son.

Jacinta has it all planned: she will become mistress of the Zamora estate, Rodrigo will marry Valeria. Rodrigo (who appears to be completely rehabiliated, misses his father, is a responsible and sensitive employer, etc) has a "special interest" in Valeria. Federico convinces him not to come clean about having had a hand in the "misunderstanding" - "she will never forgive you."

Gustavo (Rodrigo's dad, who was defenestrated by his wife Manola) appears to be living with Victor and Maite. He is in a wheelchair (every modern-day novela has somebody in a wheelchair) but is in good spirits. He will go back and accuse Nicolas and Manola of murder, but not till he can go on his own two feet. Also, he wants proof of their dastardly deeds.

In a final act intended to annoy Baldo (who says he's been offered a job at Las Barricas at double salary), Federico barks: "arrange my archive before you leave." Bad move! Because, while so doing, Baldo finds the letter Griselda wrote to Unibrow - twenty years previously - about her niece Maite, shortly before she (aunt Griselda) was murdered in a burning building, along with Baldo's mother, by Jacinta.

This was the letter intercepted by Manola. It explained: Maite was forced to marry Adolfo because - after he raped her - he (and his mammy Jacinta of course) threatened otherwise to throw Unibrow in prison forever. Baldo now shows it to his dad Teodoro, who points out helpfully: "Unibrow should have received this letter many years ago."

Jacinta orders her puppet, Cleotilda, to go find out if it's true that somebody has bought Las Barricas, and promises: "If you keep pleasing me and serving me, I will ask our Savior to accept you at his side." "Really?" breathes Cleotilda enthusiastically.

Victor and Guillermo are going to move in together. Maite says valiantly that she won't be lonely. While they are all at a restaurant, Sergio shows up and says he suspects his sister Jacinta knows where Valeria is, and that she (Jacinta) gave Sergio money to leave town so he wouldn't be there at the arrival. Maite admits to him that she still loves Unibrow, who happily was entirely absent from this episode.

Labels: barrera

I just went to the ESMAS site and counted episodes which we haven't yet seen. There are 32 of them!!!!! I don't call that "ultimas semanas" - I bet they put the "ultimas semanas" warnings up early to try and coax people back into watching!

Well there's no way I'm gonna watch Barrera every day for six more weeks. So I'll drop in on a less regular basis and kinda keep you posted. Maybe we'll get lucky and they will truncate it!

Labels: barrera

Andres' mentor and another generic matador are trying to convince Andres to accept the invitations to Spain and Portugal - this is the only true path to fame. He doesn't want to leave without knowing what's going on with Valeria and gets this helpful response: "Matadors are passionate about both women and bulls." I don't like the sound of that. Gordo says, though, that Andres shouldn't leave without making peace with his dad.

Unibrow tells the astonished Teodoro: "I'm giving my share of the vineyard to you and leaving forever." You can imagine how moved I was by this statement.

When Valeria weeps, "Boo-hoo my mother abandoned me," the nun says, "Your mother is a good person and she did what she thought was best for you." "Amazing! You knew my mother!? Tell me more!" But the nun will say no more. When a doctor confirms Valeria's pregnancy she says she doesn't want her grandmother (the serial killer) to find out - "she will despise my child as the product of sin."

When Manola and her dad arrive at the hospital, Gustavo has disappeared! They bluster and threaten. Victor has snuck Gustavo out the back way and taken him to a safe house, while Victor's friend tells the grieving and anxious wife that her husband has died, and suggests a visit to the authorities and an i.d. of the cadaver. Instead, Manola and her dad vamoose and are later seen celebrating, with wine, in a restaurant. Sure, there are a few little details to work out - like death certificates, and putting some old anybody's ashes into an urn and pretending Gustavo died in the U.S. clinic, but they feel pretty smug and safe. Hee-hee.

Victor summons Maite (who had been at Joan Rivers aka Ms. Maldonado's house arranging for crazy Veronica to receive Occupational Therapy in the form of painting). Together they hear the astonishing story Gustavo wheezes out - of Manola throwing him off the balcony, hiding him, his escape, etc. He hysterically begs that they keep his whereabouts a secret. He has no money for the operation he needs - Maite and Victor say they'll cover it - he vows someday he will go home on his own two feet, and give Manola and Nicolas what they deserve.

Federico goes to see poor twitchy Veronica at the asylum. He keeps asking how much she remembers. She says, not much, and says she doesn't love him and he should go away forever.

Sergio overhears his sister Jacinta ranting about the shame of everything. He quizzes the servant and she lets slip that Doña Jacinta does know where Valeria is, in fact, "She did it for Valeria's own good. She does everything for other people, Doña Jacinta has a heart of gold."

Rodrigo comforts Berta, Omar's aunt. A big deal is made about some red candies which she gave Omar every week (a future clue?). Later, after his grandmother leaves the house, Rodrigo discovers money and an uncashed check under the blotter. Why, it's the money that Omar had on him when he was whacked! And everybody thought it had been a robbery! (What lunatic murderer leaves a fat wad of money and an uncashed check sticking out from under a blotter?)

Labels: barrera

She doesn't wear black and she's not carrying a big stick, but Berta is still the Queen of Mean around these parts...

Amparito the doormat is spilling her guts to Ramon, the guy who stood her up the night before. What's up with that? Get some backbone! For some reason he has an interest in Fernanda. Amparito tells him that godmother Fernanda is beloved throughout the colonies. "Fernanda's not like us, she's classy," Amparo states. She asks Ramon his marital status. He's got some sob story about his difficult childhood, had to take care of a sickly mom, no friends, she died, he had to work, that's why he's all alone. Amparito is pitifully sorry. What's he up to I wonder?

Luciano is leading the board meeting and Alejandro phones from outside. He says Gonzo and his lawyer have a secret and he wants to find out what it is.

Cesar has some report that shows Don Julio is completely to blame for the San Llorente financial fiasco and Cesar's participation is not mentioned. The stocks that Don Julio sold were the ones in his son's names. They were sold illegally and the report shows the seller was Don Julio, the investigation will be on him. When Cesar gets Daniel and Angel Bustamante to withdraw their accusations it will accomplish two things, he will be a hero in Miranda's eyes and he will save the company. Yep, that'll make her his all right.

In the Bored Room (yawn) Vicente the lawyer informs Luciano, a surprised Miranda and the rest of the members that Don Gonzo has made Miranda president of San Llorente Inversiones (SLI).

Veronica is smoking and sulking and still hasn't packed her bags after getting the boot by Squeaky. She tells Erica she's not going to leave. Squeaky enters and snottily says the truck is ready to take her away. Veronica begs Squeaky to let her stay, tears, crying, please don't throw me out. Squeaky quotes Berta, "Only because I am magnanimous will I pardon you. But listen up princess, one word to bug me and I'll throw your butt outta here." I still say these brats should be picking cacao.

We see Berta and Lukas approaching in the background...Padre Santiago is having a green flashback, Miranda is asking about her mother's relationship with the Padre's sister, Alfredo's wife. Back in the present, Padre is begging God to forgive him when Lukas barks him to attention. Santiago tells Berta she's like a demon, you only have to think of her and she appears. "How nice of you to be thinking of me, because you're going to explain to me the little game you're playing with my niece Miranda."

Back in the Bored Room, Luciano is handing out papers to the members. He asks Vicente to read some clauses associated with his stocks. Honestly, I don't really understand these financial conversations very well, but the bottom line is that Luciano (or the owner) can sell the stocks to whomever he pleases without permission from the board.

In their guestroom Veronica and Erica are being nasty to each other, or maybe they're just chatting,it's hard to tell. Flor walks in looking for Squeaky. She gets pale and dizzy but says she's only tired; she leaves to lie down. Erica, who has big round bazongas that refuse to move, says Flor is so skinny she looks like a cadaver. Veronica says when Flor goes to the afterworld she'll end up with Fabricio.

Faby arrives home. Gabino tells him he could only get a few men to watch the hacienda. The harvesters are nervous because Justina says some men are planning to sack the house and take some of the cacao harvest. Faby says they need to get some guys to protect the property but apparently everybody is busy, so Faby might have to take the women to his quinta for protection. All the chicks gathered under one roof...his...how very noble of him. As he enters the house he's intercepted by Veronica who plants a big wet one on him. Faby kisses her in return as Juan descends the stairs, watching.

As Lukas guards the door Berta says because of Padre Bigmouth Miranda now wants to know more about what he told her. She says the church already punished him once, next stop excommunication. "How did you know the church punished me? Nobody ever knew that. It was you Berta! Because of you I had to leave the country. You denounced me, don't deny it!" She smiles and confirms his suspicion.

Juan walks by Veronica and Fabricio. Faby wonders if he saw them, duh. The romantic Veronica tries to blackmail Faby into sleeping with her again. She'll tell all unless he finds a way to meet her that night.

Luciano tells Alejandro that he shouldn't do anything against SLI because Miranda is the president. If anyone goes to jail it will be Miranda, not Gonzo.

Juan and Tomasa are putting some of Flor's medicines in ziplocs. Tomasa confirms that these are the one dispensed only by Berta Juan says he intends to have them analyzed because Flor is not responding to treatment. Tomasa is to guard them. Bad move, never entrust evidence to the faithful but stupid maid. Remember what happened in Barrera!

Juan calls Fernanda to update her on Flor's condition. He tells her he has the medication and that Tomasa is guarding it. Squeaky is eavesdropping and hears the entire conversation. She runs off to rat him out to someone. Fernanda tells Juan that Fabricio can help them because he adores Florencia. Juan thinks otherwise and tells Tomasa to keep an eye on Veronica who is up to no good regarding Faby.

Alejandro is not happy to find out that Miranda is the president of SLI. He doesn't want her to go to jail but one way or the other Gonzo is going to pay. San Llorente Inversiones is lost.

Berta tells Santiago that if the Episcopal Council chose to send him to Liberia why is that her fault? He says it (him being gone?) allowed her to have an unhealthy love for Alfredo, who was the husband of his sister Sofia, they (Sofia and Alfredo) were in love. Berta rolls her eyes. He accuses Berta of assasinating Sofia. Berta might be able to hide it from the rest of the world but not from him. The only thing that Alfredo felt for Berta was pity. Bertha tells him he's playing with fire and to be very careful. Santiago says he's not scared of her. Maybe he couldn't save his sister from Berta's claws (garras) in time but his nephew Alfredo is a different story. For him Santiago can do anything and he will tell him who Berta really is. She is momentarily taken aback, but in a moment of diabolical brilliance walks around the desk and kneels at his chair, "In the name of God, you cannot deny a confession in my moment of repentence." He is shocked at her audacity but unable to refuse her. Defeated, he slumps down as she whispers her confession into his ear.

Faby approaches Juan and asks him not to tell Flor what he saw. Juan says only to protect Flor's health will he keep Faby's secret. Knowing the truth would kill her.

Miranda wants to tell all the employees that she's president. Vicente talks her out of it, telling her to be discreet. She wants to go with Vicente to talk to the Bustamante brothers. She also wants to talk to Don Julio. Cesar enters, kisses her on the cheek and gets the stink eye from Vicente.

Luciano wonders if he should cancel his rendezvous with Cesar. Alejandro tells him no, but that he, Luciano, won't be at the meeting. "Will it be you?" Luciano asks. Alejandro doesn't answer, just shakes his head.

Berta has confessed and feels much better. Santiago however is about to have a heart attack. He orders her to leave. Leave and never return. "On the contrary," she smirks,"as of today you are my father confessor." He calls her a monster of badness, how could she confess something so horrible? She says it's to make sure he doesn't mess with her. She confessed many things but he can't tell them to anyone else because he must protect the sanctity of the confessional. He says he suspected but now he nows, her evil nature has no limits. "The word limit doesn't exist in my vocabulary," she retorts.

Attention, Smackdown alert!!! Veronica is trying on bikini tops in her room when Tomasa storms in and orders her to stay away from Fabricio. Veronica starts mouthing off and Tomasa slaps her! Veronica tries to threaten Tomasa but the faithful maid won't back down. They shout at each other but Tomasa tells Veronica that she'll be keeping an eye on her, now get to the pool, andale!

Francisco arrives home tired from a long day of selling tacos. He tells Amparo he ran into the Padre and he told Francisco that he might be leaving town. He looked odd and said he was going to see the Bishop. Amparito wonders what could have happened.

Amparita visits Carola to tell her that she and Roman talked and talked. Carola tells Amparo that she has come to an important decision, she's going to leave her current lifestyle. She's going to change and do something else. Amparo is thrilled. They laugh and hug. Someone's gonna die, Carola I guess.

Alejandro and Miranda are having lunch. He admits he didn't press Gonzo for her hand in marriage. She says that's OK, there's too much stuff going on to think about marriage. "Huh? But we're adults, we can handle it," he says. She says, No, no, she has too many other things going on. "Would you feel that way if I were Fabricio," he says? She asks why would he bring up that sore subject, speaking of which, what about Berta? "Ouch, low blow on your part," he replies. They wisely kiss so as to end the silly conversation.

Someone named Don Armando calls Luis (Cesar's pal) to tell him that Miranda is the president of SLI. Luis tells Cesar the news and that if he can manage to marry Miranda before Alejandro gets to her then he will be the benificiary of everything. Cesar says not to worry, when Miranda returns to the hacienda he will strike his first blow.

The rich kids are playing a stupid pool game when Lasagna arrives with Raul. Of course squeaky blows a gasket, jumps out of the water, calls him filthy (mugroso) and orders him to leave. Juan, who is nearby on Flor patrol, sticks up for his brother, calling Squeaky a spoiled brat (malcriada)...

Labels: barrera

I thought I'd watch Barrera again to get an idea how much longer it will be running. Sadly, it is in its "Ultimas Semanas," not its "Ultimos Capitulos," so it will be a while still!!

Everybody weeps over Daniel - in classic novelas everybody gets a moment to emote over the death. At least once we hear: "NO PUEDO SER!" - which was the name I most wanted to give this blog, except it was taken already.

• I didn't know Daniel had married Juanita! Juanita faints when she hears of his death.
  
  
• Andres doesn't know where Valeria (whom he calls his wife, guess I missed the wedding) is, so he depends on a newspaper reporter to print the news of Daniel's death, and that Andres wants her back, so she'll get the news wherever she is.
  
  
• Maite is all weepy and tells Victor (SO much better a man than Unibrow - who in addition to being fat and boring has now become a coarse, ranting maniac): women who lose their husbands are widows, and children who lose their parents are orphans, but there is no name for parents who lose their children, and that is the most terrible pain of all.
  
  
• Federico is afraid that when Valeria hears the news, she'll come running back to Andres. So he, Federico, goes to Oaxaca (I think) and buys all the newspapers there. "How strange," Valeria says, "they've never run out of newspapers before." A nun says she's going to town, she'll make a phone call and try to find out what happened on Andres' big day.
  
  Federico meets with Valeria and tells her Andres has been offered a contract to go work in Spain and Portugal. He does not tell her about Daniel, but he does say that Veronica (with whom he had been about to tie the knot) is in La-La land. Valeria asks him to keep her posted.
  
  
• Unibrow (I saw Duck Soup last night and now I realize where we've seen those eyebrows before! Groucho Marx!) refused to talk to his son or his best friend Gordo at the funeral. He goes to the Maldonados and says he would like to accept the job they had previously offered him in France. He needs to get far away as soon as possible. Yeah, go, and don't come back I say.
  

Clotilda sucks up to Jacinta big-time, and in appreciation Jacinta confides that she knows where Valeria is, but Clotilda can't tell anybody.

Veronica is pacing back and forth at the mental hospital and talking to herself more or less continuously. I guess the medicine isn't working yet.

Rodrigo, Gustavo's son who used to be pure evil back when I watched this show, is perhaps being rehabilitated. He actually went to apologize to Daniel for something and was surprised and saddened to hear he was dead. He has a chat with his grandmother. She says, "you're growing up."

Manolo and her dad (who whacked Omar, can anybody tell me why?) get on a plane to track down Gustavo, who mysteriously fell off the back of a truck. Just as they are discovering where he is - and that he hasn't yet spoken and hence has not given them away - and while they pile into a car and get stuck in a traffic jam while racing to the hospital - Victor (by a coincidence too labored to explain) arrives in Gustavo's hospital room and recognizes him.

Finally, Andres' mentor gets back from Spain and actually DOES offer him contracts in Spain and Portugal? Will he accept?

Labels: barrera

I thought since Promiscuous Reader will be blogging Heridas tonight, I'd drop in on Barrera de Amor, which is in its final episodes. Its death throes, you might say.

A fax is extruded from Unibrow's machine. It's actually from Federico! A notice of Andres' bull-fight, which is this very afternoon. Federico and Jacinta are trying to foment disaster.

Unibrow commences shouting and does not stop all night. "Everybody knew, everybody betrayed me, you all went behind my back and helped Andres do this thing which I had forbidden!"

Daniel and a miscellaneous henchman (named Severino, wearing a hot pink shirt) rush off to the plaza to warn Andres that he has another raging bull after him.

Valeria spends the entire night sequestered in a nunnery somewhere, praying ardently for Andres' safety. Evidently they're on the outs - though she still loves him - no doubt Jacinta has successfully engineered some piece of business to separate them.

Veronica was completely unseen. She is in fact in a mental institution and Maite and Victor are only allowed to see her once a week. They pray for her, then go to the bullfight.

Jacinta and Federico go to the bullfight too, to see the results of their mischievous intervention.

Somehow, Manolo and her dad have lost Gustavo! It seems he recently almost managed to strangle Manolo to death, so I guess he's been recovering. But even though he was still helplessly confined to bed, now he's disappeared. It seems he somehow got onto a truck, and then somehow tumbled out of the truck into the road, which wasn't so good for him. Now he's in a hospital and nobody knows who he is (I saw from the previews, though, that tomorrow night Victor will arrive and recognize him). The doctor is puzzled as to how a guy who is confined to bed could throw himself out of a car. "How his family must be worrying about him." Tee-hee: yes, Manolo and her dad are desperate to find their near-corpse before he rats them out.

After preening thoughtfully in the mirror for a long long time, Andres prays, invoking Nuria's name (I gather she's dead). He is driven to the plaza; people crowd around to get his autograph and there are tv reporters and cameras. He looks pretty spiffy in his suit of lights, which Maite bought for him after selling her famous necklace. He thought-bubbles: "I hope that after today I never have to lie to my father again."

There is a trick horse in the bullfighting ring, it can dance the Charleston. This is the best sight in the episode. I want to see more of that horse. The guy on the horse is pretty spiffy too.

Andres puts on his stupid bullfighting hat to the sound of emotional, soaring ... synthesizer riffs. And, here comes the bull! And, here comes Severino! and bringing up the rear, here comes Daniel! He is puffing, sweating, gasping, and staggering. "Oh, are you OK?" Severino, you moron, it would be clear to anybody that Daniel is definitely not ok.

Andres does well in the ring. The bull loses his ear (don't worry, we don't see how it happens).

And here comes the other bull: Unibrow, huffing and puffing as he jogs ponderously down the tunnel looking fierce. He emerges, becomes ashen when he sees his son in the ring, and Maite sees him and then she becomes ashen, and Jacinta sees him and is pleased because her mischief is working well. Unibrow shouts at everybody in sight: "If anything happens to Andres, it's YOUR FAULT!" That's mature, Unibrow.

Andres comes backstage after the first round and everybody is clustered in the dust and there's lots more shouting and then Daniel faints and, as they call the medics, he tells Andres to be a great bullfighter and then dies. Unibrow and company take Daniel to a hospital, where attempts to revive the poor boy are futile, and now Unibrow shouts more, and blames Maite, and also blames Andres. Then Andres says: "I'm leaving forever, you lost two sons tonight..."

... and then goes back into the ring for round two! And succeeds some more. Pardon my lack of bullfighting terminology to describe his little waves and feints and whatnot. Anyway, at the end, he brandishes completely clean and tidy and bloodless bull body-parts at the crowd. In fact not a drop of blood has been seen today, it's the cleanest bullfight you could imagine. He dedicates his victory to his brother.

Labels: barrera

The Muy Pronto yesterday on Barerra gave the title - It is Mundo de Fieras [World of Wild Beasts]. The website says that it is a story that will make your jaw drop. Cesar Evora (of Entre l'amor y el odio) plays identical twins, separated at birth who hate each other.
But I'm not switching again.

Labels: barrera, mundo

Hi all,

With Nora doing such a smashing job on Heridas/Mondays, and with Julie doing such an excellent job, single-handedly, with "La Fea," maybe it's time to EXPAND into yet another novela! I have to admit that having missed so much of the beginning of Heridas I have not settled into it very happily.

• Though I hated Barrera, Jacinta the serial-killing Granny had it all over Bertha as a villainess. When I look at Bertha all I can think about is her plastic surgery.
  
  
• Fabricio (once Andres) is SUCH a washout and a disappointment. Alejandro is handsome but dull. The three little lads (you know, the two studious ones and the thief who has been rewarded by getting the girl he robbed, isn't that strange?) are also cute but dull. Squeaky is absolutely impossible, Flor is a nonenity, and Miranda is bland as can be. WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH ALL OF THEM?
  
  
• I don't care about what's happening to Gonzo's business. I don't care about the taco business, I don't care about the jewelry business. I don't care about the various tepid love affairs. Lukas the dog is the most vibrant character in this series.

One can always hope the next one will be better.

So - does anybody have advance info on the novela which will follow the ultimos capitulos of "Barrera" ? Maybe Nora should keep Heridas Mondays and I should try the new one at 9 pm? What do you think?

You all are doing SUCH a very excellent job, I'm very proud of you (speaking as the blog mama).

Labels: barrera

It is about time for another update on what is going on on Barrera de Amor. Things are happening if only because it is now in its "ultimas semanas."

The Andres/Valeria story: Jacinta got Valeria to return to the hacienda by agreeing to let her marry Andres while vowing to herself to never let that happen. Jacinta enlisted Manola, Jacaranda, Veronica (as Vera), Federico and Rodrigo in an elaborate plot that ultimately convinced Andres that Valeria had betrayed him with his brother, Daniel. Jacinta sent Valeria to get over Andres by staying (as a guest) in a convent in Oaxaca accompanied by a nun from the convent in Aguascalientes. Jacinta is pretending that she doesn't know where Valeria is. After feeling faint, Valeria was astonished to discover that she is pregnant (why are young women on novelas who have unprotected sex always so surprised to discover the natural consequences of such activity?). Valeria is about to tell Jacinta about her condition and hopes that Jacinta will be happy to have an great grandchild. (According to the teasers for upcoming episodes, Jacinta is not going to be happy about this.) Meanwhile, Andres is getting ready to be in a bullfight in Mexico City. Unibrow still doesn't know about his profession. Andres says that after the Mexico City bullfight, he will tell his father about it. (Guess who is going to find out about it before then?)

The Juanita/Daniel story: Juanita and Daniel cleared up their misunderstandings, recognized their love for one another and got married. Their relationship was a casualty of the Valeria/Andres plot but they seem to have made up. Daniel collapsed and was hospitalized after an asthma attack. He appears to have some heart problem as well.

The Maite/Unibrow story: Maite went to Aguascalientes and stayed at the hacienda with Veronica and Jacaranda to help prepare for the wedding. During this time, Unibrow finally found out who Andres' fiancee really was. Maite kissed Unibrow (fortunately, I didn't see this) when she was leaving Aguascalientes after the wedding fizzled. In the usual way of this novela, she is thinking about it a lot and telling Victor that nothing has changed between her and Unibrow, there is too much in their past to get over, etc. etc. Jose finally found out from the necklace that Maite is his daughter. He hasn't told her though.

The Veronica story: Manola and Jacaranda figured out how to keep Veronica permanently in the personality of Vera. Vera sometimes pretends to be Veronica, i.e., she doesn't wear bright red lipstick. Her psychiatrist hasn't noticed anything but Maite and Victor have noticed that Veronica isn't her normal almost catatonic self. Manola and Jacaranda have figured out that Veronica is another Valladolid, i.e., Adolfo was her father. I haven't seen much of this plot line but Veronica is daydreaming about being mistress of the hacienda and has told Victor that she wants to marry Federico so Manola and Jacaranda have probably told her about Federico's parentage. Manola and Jacaranda are also trying to prove Veronica's parentage to blackmail Jacinta, I think. Manola stole some of Adolfo's hair that was in Jacinta's bedroom presumably to get a DNA test. Meanwhile, Rafael, the ferret-faced guy who murdered Veronica's mother has told Jacaranda to get a letter from Magdalena to Maite that says that Adolfo is Veronica's father. Jacaranda couldn't find the letter in Maite's room (I think Victor put it in a safe-deposit box). Rafael threatened to kill Jacaranda if she doesn't find it and in last night's episode she left town. Speaking of Rafael, Veronica is having flashbacks to when Rafael killed her mother but she doesn't understand what they are yet.

Miscellaneous: At some point, I think Jacinta told Federico that Pedro was his father. At any rate, he has the portrait she commissioned in his room and he has reconciled with his mother. Victor and Guillermo are still having awkward chats about everything except their sexuality and attraction to one another.Not much new on Gustavo. He is still incarcerated in the empty house. The last time I saw him he wasn't lying down so he is presumably getting better. I guess he only gets shaved every 3 days or so because he doesn't grow a beard but has permanent stubble.Sergio is still smoking like a chimney and evesdropping on other people's conversations but he doesn't seem to have found out anything useful so far.

There is probably some other stuff but that's what's been on the episodes that I have seen.

Labels: barrera

The article below from today's New York Times says that big furry eyebrows are making a comeback. You can even pay hundreds of dollars for eyebrow extensions! So Unibrow is a fashion leader. Of course, this article is about women but who knows. Maybe Unibrow has an eyebrow groomer.

Skin Deep
Throw Your Tweezers Away
By NATASHA SINGER
Published: August 17, 2006
WHETHER fake or farm-raised, fur makes a fashionable fall accessory. But this season the trendiest fluff is not the trim on coats or handbags. Autumn’s most prized pelt is the hairy eyebrow. “For women who overpluck, this season will be about growing your eyebrows back so that they have a natural arch that extends out and ends in a beautiful point,” said Pat McGrath, a makeup artist for Max Factor and CoverGirl and the creative director for Procter & Gamble Beauty.

Ms. McGrath is one of the trend-setting stylists responsible for unleashing the feral eyebrow as this season’s beauty signature. At the Prada fall fashion show in Milan in February, she combed models’ eyebrows up with clear mascara so that they fanned out like plumage, lending their faces a wild expression which Ms. McGrath described as “sauvage.”
Her exaggerated runway look is already having an impact on personal grooming. Some women who once plucked zealously are now hoping that the thin brown lines on their foreheads bloom into thickets.

“On both coasts, everybody wants a thicker brow that reminds you of Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner,” said Robyn Cosio, an eyebrow stylist who works at the Salon by Maxime in Beverly Hills and Eiji salon in Manhattan. “People love that I leave the two bottom layers of undergrowth and don’t take out so much in between the brows so that they can stick up and look feathered.”

Ladies, lay down your tweezers. Facial hair hasn’t been this much in demand since the advent in 1978 of Brooke Shields. Indeed, this month French Vogue devotes an entire page to the tinted, brushed and glossed eyebrow, recommending a “dense and proud” brow as the best way to structure a face.
The fringed frons is making a comeback because of chunky, angular fall fashions, said James Kaliardos, a makeup artist in New York and Paris.

Previous seasons were full of frilly, delicate, ladylike clothes best complemented by pink-hued cosmetics and a thinner hyper-groomed brow. But this season’s outfits with their pared-down constructivist silhouettes call for a more natural-looking face anchored by a prominent brow, he said.
“With a stronger, more graphic quality to the clothes like the fall collection from Balenciaga, you want strong eyebrows that make you look intelligent and empowered, and you want to keep the rest of the face clean,” Mr. Kaliardos said. For the fall advertising campaign for Chanel, for example, he strengthened the already well-endowed brows of Daria Werbowy, a Polish-born Canadian model, by shading them with an eyebrow pencil, but he left her other features almost unadorned, he said.

In addition to Ms. Werbowy, a clique of naturally Dracula-browed Eastern European fashion models —that means you, Natalia, Vlada, Eugenia, Sasha and Snejana — is inspiring a return to the bold brow. But the hairiest of them all is Hilary Rhoda, a fresh-faced American model possessed of eyebrows as furry as tufted caterpillars, whose eerie resemblance to Ms. Shields recently landed her on the covers of Italian and French Vogue.

“That baby face with an eyebrow that says ‘I know what I want’ is what made Brooke Shields so incredible,” Mr. Kaliardos said. “Hilary has that pure rich-kid look about her like Margaux Hemingway.”
To achieve the furry but tamed Hemingway eyebrow, Ms. McGrath suggested an appointment with a professional eyebrow groomer.
“Giving yourself a beautiful eyebrow is not one of the easiest things to do,” Ms. McGrath said.

For those who want to create fuller brows at home, she suggested a way to ensure that they look evenly shaped. Start by drawing over the straggly hairs you want to remove with a white eyeliner pencil to guarantee that the placement is right before tweezing them.

Next, to create fullness, use a brow pencil or brow powder that is two shades lighter than your natural eyebrow color to fill in between the hairs. The brow should look blended rather than drawn on, she said. Finally, use clear mascara or eyebrow gel to fluff hairs — push them up so they are almost vertical — and then brush them back down, fixing them into shape, she said.
For those with very sparse brows, some salons offer eyebrow extensions. At LuxLash on Newbury Street in Boston, for example, Suzanne Cats, the owner, thickens brows by gluing a tiny fiber onto each existing hair. The process, which costs $75 to $250, can take 45 minutes to two hours and the false eyebrow effect lasts two weeks, she said. She also offers brow prosthetics — hairpieces for the eyebrows — in 20 different shapes and shades.
“It’s for women who previously had their brows made too thin,” Ms. Cats said.

But Ms. Cosio, an author of a book on the history of brows called “The Eyebrow,” said that a furry fringe does not fit everyone.
“If you have wild, thick, dense hair, a thicker brow can make you look heavy, harsh and mad,” Ms. Cosio said.

For those who do wish to emphasize the brows, Mr. Kaliardos recommended playing down other facial features by going easy on foundation and wearing sheerer lipsticks in natural-looking pink-brown hues.
“The slightest amount that you do to your eyebrows makes a big statement,” Mr. Kaliardos said. “If you are not careful, you will end up looking like Groucho Marx.”

Labels: barrera

From our mailbag here at CarayCaray...

Labels: announcements, barrera

I watched Barerra last night so I give a brief summary of what went on and where we are with it.

Jacinta has been successful so far in her scheme. She has gotten Valeria back to the hacienda by pretending that she is not opposed to her marriage to Andres, the bullfighter. Valeria bought this and has just returned to the hacienda accompanied by Veronica and Jacaranda. Now Jacinta will implement phase two of her plan to separate Valeria and Andres. Jacinta and Manola also have some plan to get Maite out of the picture if she comes to Aguascalientes. Valeria and Andres had sex under a tree in a rainstorm.

Juanita and Daniel have finally gotten together.

Andres has an engagement to do a bullfight in Mexico City. For an appearance in the capitol, apparently he can’t borrow a matador costume. He has to have one of his own. Unfortunately, they are very expensive. Andres and Valeria tell Maite about this problem. Later she takes out the famous necklace and is obviously going to pawn or sell it to get Andres his matador outfit complete, doubtless, with the ham sandwich. Maite goes to visit the Maldonados and one of their servants (not the stupid old one) is going to give her a ride home but she says she needs to make a stop. Anyway, I’m guessing this is how Jose Maldonado is finally going to find out that Maite is his daughter.

Poor old Gustavo is still vegetating in the abandoned house. He is getting better though. Manola comes and mocks him – telling him that once he is dead, she is going to marry Unibrow, etc. and Gustavo moves his thumb. Manola freaks out and leaves. Then Omar, his former associate at the dairy, comes in. He has found out where Gustavo is being kept. For Omar, Gustavo shows that he can move his hands and arms a little and he is beginning to be able to talk. Omar tells him that Rodrigo has come into his own running the cow business although he is making some risky business decisions.

Victor is the first 3-dimensional gay character I have seen on a novela. He is attracted to Guillermo and the attraction seemed mutual but apparently Guillermo thinks that if he gets together with Victor, that will break up Victor’s family, i.e., Maite and Veronica. So he is avoiding Victor and Victor is sad. Obviously, there’s some miscommunication here.

Jacaranda takes the opportunity of being in the hacienda to hook up with Nicolas but Sergio surprises them while they are kissing.

The other day on Barerra, I saw Manola pretend to twist her ankle so that Unibrow would have to pick her up and carry her. It was pathetic.

Some time ago, Maite and Unibrow met. I don’t think they have cleared up the misunderstandings between them (Maite being raped by Adolfo and blackmailed into marrying him) yet. So Maite now knows that Andres is Unibrow’s son. I don’t think that Unibrow knows that Valeria is a Valladolid or is Maite’s daughter and he still doesn’t know that Andres is a bullfighter.

If anyone cares, Remedios is getting a lot of fulfillment from teaching children at the convent but she still regrets that Federico turned out to be such a jerk.
Jacaranda can pretty much control when the Vera personality appears and she is being paid by Manola to manipulate Veronica’s multiple personalities.

Labels: barrera

Hello all,

Julie has volunteered to do "La Fea" recaps and just in time, since some crabby readers have been asking what happened to them.

Other crabby readers have been scolding us for dropping "Unibrow in the Corral" otherwise known as Barrera. I say to those readers, we're doing the best we can, and the staff we have now can only handle one telenovela at a time.

But if anybody has time/interest to continue with blogging Barrera, let me know, and I'll add you to the roster.

Julie says her Spanish is a bit rusty, so if anybody has time/inclination to help her, jump in by leaving clarifying comments! But remember to say THANK YOU.

Labels: barrera, fea, recapper-intro, recappers-needed

I've been keeping an eye on Barrera and it is my sad duty to inform anyone who is interested that Nutria, who had the double misfortune to fall in love with Unibrow and have him not be able to love her back, is dead. She was murdered by Manola who took the opportunity when she was visiting to turn on the gas burner on a stove (without lighting it) when Nutria was taking a nap induced by the medicine she was taking for her brain tumor. By getting rid of Nutria, Manola hopes to be able to get Unibrow for herself for what reason I cannot imagine.

Labels: barrera

Things are a little crowded in the apartment where Victor, Maite, Veronica, Jaracanda and now Valeria are staying. Of course, Andres is there too kissing Valeria and saying that no one will ever separate them. All this interest by Victor and Maite in Valeria is starting to make Veronica jealous. She turns into Vera and flounces into the room where Valeria and Andres are embracing on the sofa. Maite and Victor come in and Andres announces that he is going to marry Valeria as soon as possible but first he wants to introduce his intended to his parents. Vera –nica stomps out of the room and Jacaranda tells Maite and Victor that she will go help her.

Entering the room, Jacaranda addresses Vera and says that she knows her secret and won’t tell. Vera says that she doesn’t like Valeria and Jacaranda agrees that Valeria is a goody-goody and Vera ought to have the big house, clothes, money etc. that Valeria has. When Veronica tells Jacaranda how she stole Valeria’s credit card when they were in Canada, Jacaranda continues her psychological experiment and says that such an act might bring the police. “The police?” says Vera-nica. “Yes, the police, like on your birthday,” and prang, Veronica the scared rabbit is back saying, “Where are my parents?”

Manola and Federico have a post coital conversation. Federico says that he loved her a lot, once. Manola asks why he is using the past tense. Didn’t she just prove that their passion for one another continues. Federico says that they still have passion but his love for her died when she rejected him twice – first for Adolfo and then for Gustavo. He suggests that they make a truce. Gustavo can stay here in this house without any rehabilitation but Manola cannot do any harm to him. She agrees and he leaves. Alone (except for the sleeping Gustavo), she says that Federico doesn’t know about his parentage. He’s been a great lover but since he is a Valladolid, she’s got to convert their relationship into something more.

Valeria seeks comfort in Maite’s arms and Maite is able to treat her like a daughter. After Valeria goes to bed, Maite and Victor celebrate the fact that Maite has recovered her daughter and swear that she will not lose her again.

Andres tells Unibrow and Nutria that he will bring Valeria over the next day.

Manola rushes home to tell her father about her discovery of Federico’s parentage. He is gobsmacked. They rehash the whole story and now Jacinta’s attitude to Federico now makes sense. Nicolas asks Manola what her plan is and she says that she will pretend that she is in love with Federico so that she can be the wife of the heir to half the Valladolid fortune.

Jacaranda and Dr. Carlos rehash the whole Vera/Veronica dual personality thing. Then the doctor leaves for his appointment with Manola. Manola wants Dr. Carlos to tell her the whole Veronica story and when he declines, she offers him a bribe. He obligingly rehashes the whole story again. The only new fact is that Manola learns that Federico encountered Vera in Canada and probably didn’t realize it was Veronica (the blond wig). Manola pays Dr. Carlos some more money not to tell anyone else about Veronica’s condition. The doctor asks why she is so interested in this case and Manola says that she thinks she can use it to her advantage.

Valeria approaches Unibrow and Nutria without Andres. Unibrow recognizes her from the stuck elevator incident. Andres appears and introduces her (without using her last name) as his novia. They are all happy. Maite decides to go to the church and Jacaranda is going to do some shopping. Jacaranda meets Andres and Valeria and they say it is too bad that because Maite is not around, they can’t introduce her to Andres’ parents.

Jacinta is sulking. Federico tells her that he is sure that Valeria will return to her side. Jacinta says that Valeria is an ingrate. Jacinta says that Valeria is not the first person to disappoint her but that doesn’t include you, Federico. Jacinta says that she is afraid that Valeria will find out that Maite is her mother and she will have to use the arrested-for-prostitution weapon.

Ghastly scene where Remedios charms the children in the school run by the nuns by telling them a story.

Unibrow asks Valeria what she was doing in the vineyard when they ran into her and she says that she lives nearby. He says, “I hope you don’t have anything to do with the Valladolid family.” Everyone else at the table knows who she is and they all choke on their food or look the other way. [Why doesn’t Unibrow say, “What is your last name?]

One of the gossipy ladies (wearing little lavender mitts for God’s sake and a giant orange flower in her hair) helps Sergio understand Maite’s history with Jacinta. No new information is disclosed.

Boring scene concerning Andres’ mother’s day gift for Nutria at the end of which, Valeria wishes she had a mother to give a gift to.

Equally boring scenes in the plaza in front of the church where Maite remembers Unibrow giving her flowers in the plaza. She still loves him as though it happened yesterday.

Federico gives Baldo a dressing down. He accuses him of daring to have opinions about the Valladolid family and threatens that he too can join his father in being fired from the hacienda.

A bunch of ladies from the pueblo commiserate with Jacinta, who is pretending to be a pitiful, deceived grandmother, about the Maite/Valeria situation. They are convinced that Maite is manipulating Valeria to get her back.

In church, Maite thanks God for giving Valeria back to her. She doesn’t even need to tell Valeria that she is her mother as long as she can have Valeria with her.

Federico and Rodrigo are congratulating themselves on their new ventures with Gustavo’s business. Omar is not joining in and even expresses doubts about the deals. Federico tells him off and Rodrigo backs him up.

In a bar, Jacaranda and Dr. Carlos discuss his appointment with Manola. Apparently, Dr. Carlos signed the death certificate for Magdalena indicating that this was a natural death and was paid off by Jacaranda. Dr. Carlos thinks that Manola will use the information against Maite.

That was about it.

Labels: barrera