Wonderful Women - (Mujeres Maravillosas)
On International Women’s Day [March 8], I woke up early in the morning to find our long table all dressed up with fine linen, Crystal and Rosendale chinaware. White tulips in an elegant center piece, white roses on the credenza and white Lilies on the antique chest. Punctually, friends began to arrive. Pilar, Sylvie, Montserrat, Jesús, Eduardo, Miguel Angel, Rodrigo... all were there by 9am sharp! Lupita fixed Spanish tortilla with imported chorizo, there were also chilaquiles and frijoles and bowls of fruits of all kinds, freshly squeezed juice and great smelling coffee. Favorite Mozart pieces alternated with jazz and soft rock on our sound system. Victoria my daughter, Lupita and my wife Luli, all dressed up for the occasion! Yes... they were all there in time! And so we blessed our food reading Isaiah 60:10 “Arise and shine; for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee” Now, not all my friends are believers, some are just intellectuals, but they are all well-meaning and in favor of gender equality.
I guess in retrospective my adult life could be divided in two stages. The first, when I lived mostly with men: my three boys who are now grown up, my brother and my father (my mom passed much earlier, God rest her soul). This was a very active and fun period, with lots of sports and laughter. We skied, dived, skated, sailed, rowed, fixed sports cars, and even flew hang gliders. I keep these memories and their testimonial photographs close to me heart. This latter stage of my life, I have been specially blessed with female company – even the two dogs and two cats in my home now are of this gender. So, the former was fun, but this one is a bliss! Except for those brief periods of the month when I have to leave the house and go landscape painting near San Sebastián, all that surrounds me is delicate, clean and smelling of perfume. On our clothesline I see a variety of lacy flowing garments right by my simple wears, all drying in the sun; later they magically appear in my wardrobe, perfectly folded. Meals have become a joyous ritual I honorably preside and then I am only expected to do those chores I am fit to do (I do not sweep, wash nor iron; but I change fuses and light bulbs, I oil squeaks, I check for burglars and mice and yes, sometimes I wash dishes and do my bed). There is an economic report by Bank of America I once read, where all the chores married women perform for their husbands are listed and evaluated: living with three women (my wife, my daughter and my sister in law) I am saving a fortune!
So on we went, my friends, my family and I, laughing and eating thinking of our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters through this fancy breakfast to celebrate International Women’s Day with which by fortuitous coincidence happens to also be my B-day. Email to a friend. Federico León de la Vega
E-mail: fleondelavega@prodigy.net.mx
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Author Note: This is a chapter of a book I am writing about my adventures as a painter artist.
The Federico León de la Vega Estudo – Café is open to the public and is located in Paseo de la Marina 31, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sundays from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.
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