#7, #30 and # 41

I am finally feeling one hundred percent myself and I have some free time to post on my neglected blog!

I am happy to report that the list is a never-ending source of smiles, and that, of course, makes me really happy! November has been so far a very productive month for the list as we celebrated Fernando's birthday on the 8th, and I got inspired by a couple items on it.

We planned and schemed, we wanted to surprise our dear Fernando with something pretty special. What to do? Where to take him? What to cook? Circumstances decided for us on several fronts, as he arrived at 8:00 AM local time, after a 24 hour LONG trip from the States. We were not going anywhere, we were going to take it easy and just enjoy each other's company. I decided to cook a Spanish inspired meal: a great Paella (overflowing with seafood) and Galician Octopus (#41), with some wine and a crème caramel for dessert. Not bad, I tell you, not bad. The Octopus is easy to cook, as long as you buy it fresh and clean from the seafood vendor you don't have to worry about a thing. Just boil, boil, boil (2 hours) and then, cut, cut, cut into little pieces. Cool, season, and let sit for a while... delicious!

When it came down to what to give him for his birthday, we wanted something original and unexpected. You know, something that he doesn't need, something that he has not even imagined... Well, the idea came to me on one of those beautiful clear days of fall while watching glider planes lazily travel the wide blue sky. A ride on a glider plane! The Alps and the lakes from a birds-eye point of view! We had our gift! He was surprised, yes he was! #7 accomplished!

#30 is half done... my half, that is. I love dancing; it is in my blood. My boys? Not so much. I guess I am the true Colombian of the three. On Fernando's birthday I managed to get them to join in the fun, if only for a while. I think this one is going on the list again, I am not giving up on them and the fun that is dancing together.