How Can Anyone Support Child Labour?

Thursday Miss Bebé, the World's Most Beautiful Granchile™ Blogging

Huzzah, ya'll!

I'm Shocked, Shocked, I Tell You!

I forgot where I nicked this

Sunday at Parroquia San Cristóbal

I have the day off today, as we are celebrating the day in 1821 when the folks in Los Santos declared their separation from Spain. It's called el Grito de la Villa de Los Santos. This was the start of the Independence Movement in Panamá.

I've been meaning to post these photos but our internet connection has been spotty at best and almost non-existent overall, so I'm trying to post these before the thunder and lightening hits this barriada. It's pretty close!

The Lovely Mona played a selection on her flute for the Offertory Anthem at the 7:30 am service on Sunday. Here is a photo

In the evening, we had a Birthday Program. We celebrated all the birthdays in the parish at one time! The Beautiful and Eloquent (in two languages!) Profesora Priscilla McQueen was our Mistress of Ceremonies. El Gran Combo de San Cristóbal provided the music. Ms. Moore was scheduled to recite a poem but she got to talking and had the whole place in hysterics; she is so funny! A young lady who designs jewelry with African influences had several ladies of the parish model her wares. We had a lovely dinner prepared by the Niles family. Everyone was sitting at a table with their fellow birthday celebrants; January birthdays at one table, April birthdays at another; you get the drift. The program involved a recitation of birthstones and flowers and stuff which had to do with each month, and then the birthday celebrants would stand and El Gran Combo, with the help of Ms. Nora Johnson, would play a song for their birthday, with the celebrants all singing along. Mrs. Doyle was dancing in her chair! Young Miss Dickens sang a patriotic Panamanian song since we are in the midsts of our Festivales Pátrias. It was a lot of fun. And we finished it all off with cake and ice cream. The program was well attended (The GOP estimates the crowd at about 50,000!) A lovely time was had by all!

Here are photos!

We are in the midst of our Patriotic Holidays



Random photos of Birthday celebrants and all the action at the program!









Mr. Murdock, Church Treasurer, works the door

A Cartoon

Saturday Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito Blogging

Last Saturday, somewhere in Berkeley, an extremely cute little witch feels the thinness of the season. . .


Miss Bebé, the World's Cutest Witch™ I feels the powah, an' I feels like doin' sumpin' wif it! Guess I'll stamp my cute lil' feets. Powah powah powah

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in la Rectoría en Panamá. . .

Red Mr. Peanut Bank My goodness, Gallito Mescalito, the air certainly feels strange today!
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek! ¿Shriek?
Red Mr. Peanut Bank No, I don't think it's the electricity in the air from the thunder and lightening; it feels different.


Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Hi Boys! Do you feel what I feel?
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Good afternoon, Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love! You look lovely, as usual. Yes, Gallito and I were just discussing how strange the air feels right now.
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Well, it's that time of year when the wall which separates the worlds becomes very thin and anything can happen. It all seems a little witchy to me!



Miss Bebé, the World's Cutest Witch™ What's dat? I'm finking someone is talking 'bout me! Powah powah powah! Maybe I use this powah ta bring dem to me! I feels the powah growing in my hat.


Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Hey evahbuddy! 'sup?
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Hello, Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy!
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Hi Cat! We were just talking about how strange things feel.
Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Yeah. I knows its Hallowe'en n' stuff, but it feels moah witchy den I 'spected. It's weiud!



¡El Penguino! Saludos a todos. On behalf of Ida Hedgehog, Lil' Jesus and myself, we, the smallest members of the Dance Party Gang are feeling very strange. AND we want to know what you big guys are gonna do about it!
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Hi you cute little things! It's good to see you.
Red Mr. Peanut Bank We, too, have noticed the strangeness in the air, and are wondering exactly what's going on.
Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Don' beahded Baby Jesus gots sum powahs to proteck us?
Lil' Jesus It's Lil' Jesus, not bearded Baby Jesus! LIL' JESUS!!
Ida Hedgehog We think it's freaky and we want it to stop!


Miss Bebé, the World's Cutest Witch™ I feels the powah, an' I also feels the need to go Trick-or-treating. That's why I'm standin' out here wif a blue punkin. I want everyone to gibitame the candy, and I want's them doggy toys and knick-knacks what are talkin' 'bout me to hep me. Powah powah powah is growing!!!



Bunrab, the Filthiest Toy in the House Hey you guys! There's something freaky in the air, and I don't mean the parakeets! What is going on around here?
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Hello, Bunrab! We're not sure what's going on.
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
¡El Penguino! Some kinda witchey-woo-woo is going on, and we don't know what to do about it.
Bunrab, the Filthiest Toy in the House Well, I don't like it one bit. Not one bit. It's makin' me very nervous, more nervous than when Chompita has me between her stuffing-pulling jaws.
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!



Mighty Moose of Vermont Hi everybody! What the heck is. . .
Everybody, in one voice WE KNOW! IT FEELS FREAKY AND THERE'S SUM KINA WITCHEY-WOO-WOO GOIN' ON!
Fuzzy Southern Mountain Moose Weyul, mah gooness! Ya'll don' hafta hollah lak thayut! Weah can heah yoo!


Miss Bebé, the World's Cutest Witch™ Dat's It! 'Nuff talkin'! I wantsa git candy and I wants them doggy toys and knickity-knacks to hep me. I calls on my powah: Magic Powah! 'bout the doggy toys and knickity-knacks? GIBBITAME! GIBBITAME NOW!!!


Everybody, in one voice What the ? ? ? ?
Gallito Mescalito ¿¿Sshhrrriiieeekkk??


ZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Miss Bebé, the World's Cutest Witch™ Ha! I heared that noise! I sees you guys. How's it goin' in dere?


Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love It's very crowded and very uncomfortable in here Young Lady! Just what do you think you are doing? You get us out of here and send us back RIGHT NOW!
¡El Penguino! Yeah! You don't have much room for candy with us in here!


Miss Bebé, the World's Cutest Witch™ What? No room for my candy? That won't do! I calls on my magic powah, and I CASTS YOU OUTTA MY CANDY PUNKIN AND BACK TO DA PLACE YOU COMIN' FROM!! NOW!!! AN' YOU IS TO LINE UP IN FORMATION; TALLEST IN THE BACK AND SMALLEST IN THE FRONT, ONNA COUNTA I LIKES ORDER!!!! an lil' magic babydoll is heppin' me!


ZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Everybody, in one voice What the ???? Looks like we're back! AND in some sort of order!


Miss Bebé, the World's Cutest Witch™ How ya likes DEM candy apples?


Gallito Mescalito ¡¡¡SSSHHHRRRRIIIIIEEEEEKKK!!!

Feast of Willibrord, Archbishop of Utrecht and Missionary to Frisia

O Lord our God, you call whom you will and send them where you choose: We thank you for sending your servant Willibrord to be an apostle to the Low Countries, to turn them from the worship of idols to serve you, the living God; and we entreat you to preserve us from the temptation to exchange the perfect freedom of your service for servitude to false gods and to idols of our own devising; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today is the Feast of St. Willibrord, seventh century Archbishop and missionary. I don't know much about him outside of what I read in the Venerable Bede's book, and I'm not writing a post about him. Happy Willibrord Day, and good for you if you can pronounce his name!

Today is a big day because one of the denizens of the Dance Party, Andy, is being ordained into the Holy Order of Deacons. Like many of us, he's come a long way, from being a member of the Dead Milkmen to Deacon. We don't always agree with him but he's part of the gang and our prayers are with him and his family on this day. ¡Felicidades, Andy!

Make Andy, O Lord, modest and humble, strong and constant, to observe the discipline of Christ. Let his life and teaching so reflect your commandments, that through him many may come to know you and love you. As your Son came not to be served but to serve, may this deacon share in Christ's service, and come to the unending glory of him who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever.

A Message From The Management

Friday Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito Blogging will not be seen tonight so that we can bring you this NBC special in Living Colour because I am uninspired this evening. However, I should have something tomorrow.
In the mean time, please enjoy these album covers from Real Live Long Playing Records. The Management



This is for KJ!





And, of course, two of my All Time Favorites, which I can't show enough!

Oh, Baby! I NEEDS a Tijuana Picknick! Have I ever confessed that the first Pop Record I ever purchased (at age 12) was Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass? I know I'll pay for this with Mad Priest!

I wish MY hair looked like that! I wish I HAD hair on the top of my head!

Friday Random Top Ten

Ya pushes "shuffle" and ya takes yer chances. . .

1. Positive Vibrations The Soft Boys
2. Pakt Like Sardines in A Crushd Tin Box Radiohead
3. Can't Keep It In Cat Stevens
4. Somebody To Love ¡¡¡RAMONES!!!
5. Ouvertüre BWV 1069 (J.S. Bach) Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
6. Knowing Outkast
7. Ant Music Adam And The Ants
8. Taking My Life In Your Hands Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet
9. A New England Kirsty MacColl
10. On Top The Killers

Well, an interesting list today. We've got the Soft Boys setting the mood, followed by lots of good stuff. Mr. Yusuf Islam makes his first appearance on the Friday Random Top Ten, although under his old name (when you have over 3500 songs, it can take a while to make an appearance!). Adam and the Ants adds an embarrassment factor but at least it's one of the better songs. According to our "It's not going to get any better than this" rule I should have stopped at Number Nine, with the Late Great Kirsty MacColl's version of Billy Bragg, but I decided to keep going as we didn't have a Top Ten last week and Grandmère Mimi had to take up the slack. I believe I should have stopped at Number Nine. And, amazing enough, we have videos for every song! I really didn't expect that!

So, wadda YOU listening to? Please post lists in the comments, along with comments!

Talk About Cash for Clunkers!

Ford Unveils New Car For Cash-Strapped Buyers: The 1993 Taurus
The Onion

Hoy en Parroquia San Cristóbal

Today is Día de Colón, which is Columbus Day in Panamá. I guess any country in the Americas with more than twelve people of Italian descent is required to celebrate the arrival of Small Pox and Christianity.

This means we had the day off again! Yay! So how did we celebrate? We cut down a tree. This represents the Tree of Indigenous Sovereignty which was destroyed with the arrival of Columbus and his germs. Okay, not really. This tree, located in front of Parroquia San Cristóbal (remember, it's Día de Cristóbal Colón), has been severely munched by wood ants and the roots are very dead and the dang thing threatens to fall over in the next big storm. It would either hit the roof of the parish or fall into the street, blocking traffic and tearing down the power lines. So It Must Go. I sent a letter to our local gummint representative requesting permission and the use of the Neighborhood Tree Choppers and Big Honking Truck in January of last year. I sent another letter before I went on Sabbatical. El Junto Comunal promised that someone would be out after Easter. As you may be aware, we are way past Easter. Heck, Advent is just around the corner.

This morning I received a call from our Senior Warden, Mr. Keith Green. He hired some guys to cut down "Sleepy Hollow" (that's what we've been calling the tree). Do I want to come get photos? Yes I do. The archivist in me wanted copies for the Parish Archives, and the Blogger in me will take photos of anything, as you are well aware. Well, it was down when we got there, but here is its rotting carcass. I'm not sure what we'll do with the wood; it's not like anyone needs to heat their house!

Happy Columbus Day!

The Tree at its Sleep Hollow Best, a bit before it totally croaked.


The rotted trunk and roots




Wood ant nest


Los Tabajadores


Mr. Green contemplates the dead tree.


The Lovely Mona surveys the damage

Thursday Miss Bebé, the World's Most Beautiful Granchile™ Blogging

Guess I'll check my Facebook page once this coffee kicks in



I gotta ghost on my shirt!! Boo!

Them's the rules!

Rule No.1 alone excludes most of us.