Belated Birthday Post

Human Highlighter Suit Tally: 6

There are not many days of the year that you can get your loved ones to do things

they´d rather not do. In fact, I can count them on about half a hand—your birthday,

Mother´s day…. Maybe that´s it. Well, Sunday was my birthday so I played my “special day” card and asked Alec to plan a day around a Pumpkin Festival taking place in Sant Feliu de Codines, about 40 minutes outside of Barcelona. I like celebrating the harvest, and recently discovered a website that will tell you about all of the pumpkin, mushroom, apple, and garlic festivals happening in Catalonia from now until Christmas. I could be pretty busy.

Given how much Alec likes to connect to the earth through his cooking, I was surprised that he was not as excited about my discovery as I was, but he was a good sport. After a good long sleep, the kids woke me up for a late breakfast.

“Do you want breakfast in bed, Mama?” Milo asked. “Because if you do, we all get to

eat breakfast in your bed!”

I thought better of it and decided to eat at the table. We all had French toast made

with yummy brioche, and then opened presents. Alec presented me with a lovely

set of sheets, which may seem mundane but, frankly, they are beautiful and will also

save me from rushing to get the one nice set we have washed and dried and back on

the bed between when we get up and when we go to sleep. Alec would sleep on burlap if he had to, so although he benefits from his gift, it is really a gift for me. Milo made me a coupon for a “mama style bath,” which means bubbles, a candle, very hot water, and no children. And C.C. had made me a coupon for a spa day at the Bliss Spa at the W hotel.

I think I have mentioned that the kids love the cartoon Phineas and Ferb who had,

coincidentally, created a spa on one of the episodes. So Alec video´d them explaining

to me what the day would entail—someone walking on my back, lots of cucumbers for my eyes, a mud bath or chocolate bath—they are not sure which.  I will attempt to attach the video, and perhaps you can decipher it.  If you can hear what they are saying, it’s pretty funny.

After a little yoga, we headed out to Sant Feliu de Codines. The day was gorgeous and the drive easy. We did hit some traffic as we approached, however. Apparently we were not the only ones who thought the pumpkin fest would be a good idea.

The central part of the festival was a contest for the biggest pumpkin—the winner was nearly 600 pounds. Not really sure how they got it there, but I have never seen such a big pumpkin. There were stands selling all kinds and colors of pumpkins and gourds, pumpkin jam and honey, jewelry made from pumpkin seeds, you name it. Pumpkin carving and painting, sausages flecked with pumpkin, and two enormous cauldrons attended by men making some kind of pumpkin stew. It smelled heavenly but we did not make it long enough to try it.  There was even a guy handing out flyers for another pumpkin festival in another village that happens in a couple of weeks.  In case there were any pumpkin junkies in the crowd, I guess.  I wonder if the winner of this pumpkin contest travels around from village to village all fall trying to win the big prizes?  Or maybe there are other pumpkins still growing in the fields that can top his.  The first prize was 400 euros, which is no joke.

After buying pumpkins to cook with and decorate with, we headed up the hill to a very nice restaurant—almost too nice for the kids—where we had a tasty and enormous late lunch/early dinner,  Of course the menu featured pumpkin. I did not eat again until snacking on a piece of toast at 11 pm.

We arrived back home around 6.30 and had a lazy evening watching the rest of the

previous night´s Barça game, and just hanging out. So, I’m 46 and, although I’m having  a little trouble figuring out what happens in my own next chapter, it feels pretty good.