This is my favorite Hallowe'en photo.
And this Scary Mask was provided by Susan S. Thanks, Susan!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Hallowe'en!
This is my favorite Hallowe'en photo.And this Scary Mask was provided by Susan S. Thanks, Susan!
Tenemos Uno Año
Today Padre Mickey's Dance Party is one year old.Here is my first post..
Is that a present? Gibita me!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
She's Doing Much Better, Thank You
Saturday morning, when we were leaving the super market, the Lovely Mona tripped on a curb and twisted her ankle. Then, believing she was invincible, she ran about town for a few hours, which caused her nothing but pain. So she has spent the past few days off her feet. This amazing treatment seems to have worked, as she drove me to the parish this morning and has been at school all day. Thanks to all who expressed concern, and thanks for your prayers.
If only the supermarket had a sign like this!
from www.engrish.com
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday at St. Christopher's
I meant to post these on Friday, but the Lovely Mona and I were at a meeting until 9:00 pm and got home late. Saturday the Lovely Mona fell and twisted her ankle and has been laid up. So I've been tending to her and to the constant demands of Señorita Chompita Wiggletail, the bossiest dog in all the Americas. I didn't take any photos at church this morning, so we'll just go with the Friday feature this week.
Friday morning we blessed the wedding of Mr. Urban Daniels and Ms. Marva Miller. It was a quiet, yet joyous event. Here is the happy couple.
This is Génesis Tamara Brown. She is only three weeks old! She is going to be baptized next Sunday at our All Saint's service. Look at that hair! She is one cutie! She is Tulio and Monique's baby sister.
As many of you know, St. Christopher's classes for people in the neighborhood, teaching skills which they may use to set up their own businesses or getting employment. Friday was the closura for the Cake Baking and Decorating Class. This is a very popular class, and it is taught by Ms. Sarah Williams, a very active member of St. Christopher's. She is on the vestry and serves as an usher. She also owns a bakery, Sarah's Cakes. She donates two sheet cakes for our coffee hours every Sunday. She also makes the best bacalao empanada (codfish pattie) on the planet (her chicken and meat empanadas are great, too).
There were about fourteen students this year, and they did some amazing work, which I am happy to show here at Padre Mickey's Dance Party.
The Crowd Gathers
The Graduating Students are all in the front row
The audience
Ms. Elfrida Beckford, Program Director, served as M.C. for the program
Ms. Sarah Williams, Teacher
A student speaks
Ms. Sarah Williams describing the cakes
Ms. Barbara Smith and her grandson (He's huge! He weighed 9lbs 11 oz at birth, so we cal him 911. He is a very sweet little boy).
And now..... THE CAKES!
All the cakes on display
Fancy cornbread
Carrot cake
This carrot cake is decorated with carrot shavings and pineapple
A frosted angelfood cake
Two Bacardi cakes (that's what they call rum cakes here).
This cake serves as a canvas for the roses which are hand-made
This is a delicious lemon cake. It isn't fancy but it was very good. And the flowers are hand-made and not from some package.
Kaluha cake
It's a pink cake. No cake is pinker
Piolín (Tweety-bird) cake
Some more corn bread. Corn bread is considered kind of exotic here, and the ladies in the class described it as a Mexican bread. I thought corn bread originated with Indigenous Americans, but I know that it is now the property of Southern cooks. It was good, and not sweet, which is how I like it.
Cinnamon rolls
A killer cheese-cake, my favorite
Lemme tell you about this cake: it is beautiful, and it is incredibly rich. The bottom layer of the cake is a chocolate rum cake (Mmmmm, rum!) and the top layer is flan, decorated with kiwi fruit and maraschino cherries, and, of course daisy (Please, don't eat the daisys!). IT WAS AN AMAZING LOOKING AND TASTING CAKE. If this had been the County Fair, I would have awarded the Blue Ribbon for this cake.
And now, the very important and delicious destruction of the cakes. I only wanted a piece of the cheese-cake but the proud students piled my plate high with samples of almost everything. I did my duty as Rector of St. Christopher's parish and ate many pieces of cake that afternoon, but I am okay now.
Friday morning we blessed the wedding of Mr. Urban Daniels and Ms. Marva Miller. It was a quiet, yet joyous event. Here is the happy couple.
This is Génesis Tamara Brown. She is only three weeks old! She is going to be baptized next Sunday at our All Saint's service. Look at that hair! She is one cutie! She is Tulio and Monique's baby sister.
As many of you know, St. Christopher's classes for people in the neighborhood, teaching skills which they may use to set up their own businesses or getting employment. Friday was the closura for the Cake Baking and Decorating Class. This is a very popular class, and it is taught by Ms. Sarah Williams, a very active member of St. Christopher's. She is on the vestry and serves as an usher. She also owns a bakery, Sarah's Cakes. She donates two sheet cakes for our coffee hours every Sunday. She also makes the best bacalao empanada (codfish pattie) on the planet (her chicken and meat empanadas are great, too).
There were about fourteen students this year, and they did some amazing work, which I am happy to show here at Padre Mickey's Dance Party.
The Crowd Gathers
The Graduating Students are all in the front row
The audience
Ms. Elfrida Beckford, Program Director, served as M.C. for the program
Ms. Sarah Williams, Teacher
A student speaks
Ms. Sarah Williams describing the cakes
Ms. Barbara Smith and her grandson (He's huge! He weighed 9lbs 11 oz at birth, so we cal him 911. He is a very sweet little boy).And now..... THE CAKES!
All the cakes on display
Fancy cornbread
Carrot cake
This carrot cake is decorated with carrot shavings and pineapple
A frosted angelfood cake
Two Bacardi cakes (that's what they call rum cakes here).
This cake serves as a canvas for the roses which are hand-made
This is a delicious lemon cake. It isn't fancy but it was very good. And the flowers are hand-made and not from some package.
Kaluha cake
It's a pink cake. No cake is pinker
Piolín (Tweety-bird) cake
Some more corn bread. Corn bread is considered kind of exotic here, and the ladies in the class described it as a Mexican bread. I thought corn bread originated with Indigenous Americans, but I know that it is now the property of Southern cooks. It was good, and not sweet, which is how I like it.
Cinnamon rolls
A killer cheese-cake, my favorite
Lemme tell you about this cake: it is beautiful, and it is incredibly rich. The bottom layer of the cake is a chocolate rum cake (Mmmmm, rum!) and the top layer is flan, decorated with kiwi fruit and maraschino cherries, and, of course daisy (Please, don't eat the daisys!). IT WAS AN AMAZING LOOKING AND TASTING CAKE. If this had been the County Fair, I would have awarded the Blue Ribbon for this cake.
And now, the very important and delicious destruction of the cakes. I only wanted a piece of the cheese-cake but the proud students piled my plate high with samples of almost everything. I did my duty as Rector of St. Christopher's parish and ate many pieces of cake that afternoon, but I am okay now.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Friday Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito Blogging
What goes on in la Rectoría when the Lovely Mona and Padre are out and about being missionaries? Well, we know that, sometimes, Señorita Chompita Wiggletail climbs on the bed, something which is forbidden. She also sits in comfy chairs, but we let her do that as long as she doesn't eat her dinner there. And, as every little kid knows, the toys wander about getting into stuff. Also, they break into song at the drop of a hat.
Photos by the Lovely Mona. Story by the Grumpy Padre
El Penguino So, wadda ya guys wanna do? It's kinda boring 'round here.
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Let's wander about the house and get into stuff.
Mr. Chompita's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Yeah, dats always fun! Whose stuff should we get inta?
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek! ¡Shriek!
Bunrab, the Filthiest Toy in the House Well, I think I'll stay here for now.
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Come on, let's go!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank My, what colourful books!
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Those are children books, but there aren't any children around here!
Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek? ¡Shrieeek! Shriek.
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Well, that makes perfect sense,Gallito Mescalito! I'll bet the Lovely Mona takes them to el Hogar so the girls may read them.
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Imagine that! The bird making sense!
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek? ¡Shriek! ¿Shriek?
Red Mr. Peanut Bank I think that the Lovely Mona has been doing her homework. I doubt that anyone is compiling a list of who has drug or alcohol problems.
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love See, Gallito? It's all part of the Lovely Mona's homework. She's studying the brain.
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank What do you mean, you feel a song coming on? Isn't that Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love's line?
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love You're both right! It IS my line, and I, along with Gallito Mescalito, DO feel a song coming on!! Looking at these drawings of brains reminds me of my sordid past:
sings I used to be an A student
I never used to complain
I used to be a truant
But I'm still the same
Bad bad brain
bad bad brain
Red Mr. Peanut Bank
I used to go to parties
I used to drink champagne
Now I'm beginning
To feel the strain
Bad bad brain
bad bad brain
Gallito Mescalito
I used to be in show biz
I used to have fortune and fame
I used to have pleasure and pain
I used to have a name
Bad bad brain
bad bad brain
Everybody
Now I'm on the bowery
I can't remember my name
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Photos by the Lovely Mona. Story by the Grumpy Padre
El Penguino So, wadda ya guys wanna do? It's kinda boring 'round here. Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Let's wander about the house and get into stuff.
Mr. Chompita's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Yeah, dats always fun! Whose stuff should we get inta?
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek! ¡Shriek!
Bunrab, the Filthiest Toy in the House Well, I think I'll stay here for now.
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Come on, let's go!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank My, what colourful books! Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Those are children books, but there aren't any children around here!
Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek? ¡Shrieeek! Shriek.
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Well, that makes perfect sense,Gallito Mescalito! I'll bet the Lovely Mona takes them to el Hogar so the girls may read them.
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Imagine that! The bird making sense!
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek? ¡Shriek! ¿Shriek?Red Mr. Peanut Bank I think that the Lovely Mona has been doing her homework. I doubt that anyone is compiling a list of who has drug or alcohol problems.
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love See, Gallito? It's all part of the Lovely Mona's homework. She's studying the brain. Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank What do you mean, you feel a song coming on? Isn't that Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love's line?
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love You're both right! It IS my line, and I, along with Gallito Mescalito, DO feel a song coming on!! Looking at these drawings of brains reminds me of my sordid past:
sings I used to be an A student
I never used to complain
I used to be a truant
But I'm still the same
Bad bad brain
bad bad brain
Red Mr. Peanut Bank I used to go to parties
I used to drink champagne
Now I'm beginning
To feel the strain
Bad bad brain
bad bad brain
Gallito Mescalito
I used to be in show biz
I used to have fortune and fame
I used to have pleasure and pain
I used to have a name
Bad bad brain
bad bad brain
Everybody
Now I'm on the bowery
I can't remember my name
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Bad bad brain
Friday Random Ten
Ya pushes the "shuffle" and ya takes yer chances:
1. Change Sparks
2. Telling Me Lies Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris
3. Starman David Bowie
4. Alquien Como Tú Las Plumas Negras
5. Neighbor Combos Nacionales (Lord Kitty, I think!)
6. It's Nearly Africa XTC
7. There She Goes Again Velvet Underground & Nico
8. Praise the Lord, O My Soul, And All That Is Within Me (Purcell) Chanticleer
9. Gloria Juan Luis Guerra
10. Ty Cobb Soundgarden
Ha! Great chorus on that last one! Two Panamanian acts: Las Plumas Negras, a Típico band, and some Panamanian Calypso by (I think) Lord Kitty. It's always wonderful when the Velvet Underground makes an appearance. #9 is not the Them/Patti Smith/A Cruel Hoax Dionysian rave-up, but a gospel-pop song en español. I don't like it, and the only reason it's on the iTunes is because the yoot wanted me to listen to it as a possible piece for the Coro de Jovenes, but the rule on the Friday Random Top Ten is stated above and I must live by it. And #2 is a lush and beautiful song about betrayal.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Thursday Night Miss Bebé, The World's Most Beautiful Granchile™ Blogging
Once again, the parents of Miss Bebé, the World's Most Beautiful Granchile™, obsessing with their computers or, perhaps, indulging their tastes for anime marathons, have been negligent and left a Time Machine lying about when a baby could find it, and, once again, our Most Darling granchile finds herself in the disease-ridden sixteenth century (or thereabouts).
Here I am, once again, in the filthy, disease-ridden, spirit-infested, sixteenth century or there abouts. What shall I do? For I am all alone.
Perhaps I can find some thing forbidden to put in my mouth, as I seem to have left my pacifier back in twenty-first century Berkeley, as well as my striped shirt, denim overalls and corduroy hat.
Ah, this is either the Mystical Lamp of Wolfrath the Lost, or the Electric Bug-zapper of Abuelo el Sacerdote de Panama. Or maybe just some nasty ol' thang. I wonder if I can put it in my mouth? Wait! What is that noise I hear?
Aha! Condescending Pirate Troubadours! I shall puncture his drum and stop this racket!
Hmmm, this drum is stronger than I expected. Could it be the demon-drum of Bonham? I MUST PUNCTURE IT!
I think that the wicked pirate or that condescending wench have placed the Protective Puncture-proof Purificator of the Prickly Percussionist! I MUST FLEE!!!
Hey, who da heck is you? Is that a magiky thing? Gibita me! GIBITA ME RIGHT NOW!! It will help me in my quest.
What happened? Now I have a sword and must continue my quest to return to Berkeley and my pacifier; I am experiencing separation anxiety!
Aha! The Wondrous Well of the Well Traveled Wizard of Windymucca! I must pierce it with my mighty, wooden sword.
Ima tink iffa I do dis rite, I'm gonna git home!
Now if I find the right stone and stab it, I tink I will be free of dis place. Is it dat one? No; maybe it's dis one.
Who are you, a giant? Waddya want wit me?
I gots a sword and I knows how ta use it!
Let me down, wicked giant! Imma gonna poke yer eye out!!
Weird, rainbow faerie I hab saybed yoo fum dat big guy widda bad hat.
Miss Bebé What da heck is goin' on? I wanna go home an get my pacifier!
Weird, rainbow faerie Yoo mus twabel fah in dat wei, an mebe yoo git inna yer howse.
Miss Bebé Dat way? You sure?
Miss Bebé Hey! Is dat a mystical fake ivy ting what helps you travel fru time-a-space? Gibita me. GIBITA ME RIGHT NOW!
PUFF
Whoa! Where'd she go? I think she turned inna sheet! And you back? You're dat kid from last time I was inna sixteenth century. Ya know, dis is gettin' silly. Maybe I'll clap my hands or feet or something. claps hands No plaisa home. No plaisa home.
Wow! Look at all that asphalt! I must be back home in Berkeley!!! Now if I holler loud enough my mommydaddy will come get me and I'll be reunited wit my pacifier!!!
Here I am, once again, in the filthy, disease-ridden, spirit-infested, sixteenth century or there abouts. What shall I do? For I am all alone.
Perhaps I can find some thing forbidden to put in my mouth, as I seem to have left my pacifier back in twenty-first century Berkeley, as well as my striped shirt, denim overalls and corduroy hat.
Ah, this is either the Mystical Lamp of Wolfrath the Lost, or the Electric Bug-zapper of Abuelo el Sacerdote de Panama. Or maybe just some nasty ol' thang. I wonder if I can put it in my mouth? Wait! What is that noise I hear?
Aha! Condescending Pirate Troubadours! I shall puncture his drum and stop this racket!
Hmmm, this drum is stronger than I expected. Could it be the demon-drum of Bonham? I MUST PUNCTURE IT!
I think that the wicked pirate or that condescending wench have placed the Protective Puncture-proof Purificator of the Prickly Percussionist! I MUST FLEE!!!
Hey, who da heck is you? Is that a magiky thing? Gibita me! GIBITA ME RIGHT NOW!! It will help me in my quest.
What happened? Now I have a sword and must continue my quest to return to Berkeley and my pacifier; I am experiencing separation anxiety!
Aha! The Wondrous Well of the Well Traveled Wizard of Windymucca! I must pierce it with my mighty, wooden sword.
Ima tink iffa I do dis rite, I'm gonna git home!
Now if I find the right stone and stab it, I tink I will be free of dis place. Is it dat one? No; maybe it's dis one.
Who are you, a giant? Waddya want wit me?
I gots a sword and I knows how ta use it!
Let me down, wicked giant! Imma gonna poke yer eye out!!
Weird, rainbow faerie I hab saybed yoo fum dat big guy widda bad hat. Miss Bebé What da heck is goin' on? I wanna go home an get my pacifier!
Weird, rainbow faerie Yoo mus twabel fah in dat wei, an mebe yoo git inna yer howse.
Miss Bebé Dat way? You sure?
Miss Bebé Hey! Is dat a mystical fake ivy ting what helps you travel fru time-a-space? Gibita me. GIBITA ME RIGHT NOW!PUFF
Whoa! Where'd she go? I think she turned inna sheet! And you back? You're dat kid from last time I was inna sixteenth century. Ya know, dis is gettin' silly. Maybe I'll clap my hands or feet or something. claps hands No plaisa home. No plaisa home.
Wow! Look at all that asphalt! I must be back home in Berkeley!!! Now if I holler loud enough my mommydaddy will come get me and I'll be reunited wit my pacifier!!!
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