Work has finally begun on my floors. This means that my toilet is in my shower stall, and my referigerator is in my living room.
I tried asking the guys how long my fridge would be in my living room. They don’t speak English.
It’s pathetic how little Spanish I know after taking four years in high school. The only phrase I can ever remember is Mi tío tiene una pluma. Unfortunately, the fact of my uncle possessing a pen rarely has any bearing on whatever situation may be at hand, so this scintillating feat of linguistic dexterity does not suggest time well-spent for an hour a day, five days a week, from ages 14-18.
I tried to remember the days of the week in Spanish: ”Lunes, Martes, Miércoles...is Thursday Huevos? I think so, but those are also eggs. Huevos Rancheros. But why would they call them ‘Thursday Eggs’? Maybe it’s because once upon a time, it was customary to eat omelettes on Thursdays.”
Incidentally, the Spanish words for “Saturday” and “Sunday” would make a good name for an opera singer. “My dear, get your hair done and put on your finest dress. We’re going to the city plaza tonight to catch Sábado Domingo.”
Anyway, I finally said ”Jeuves?” And the guys nodded ”Si, si.” The thing is, a few days later, I’m sort of used to the refrigerator being in my living room. It’s actually awesome. I don’t have to get up to get a snack or a beer; I just reach across and snag it. Why isn’t it always this way?
You might wonder: what about the recessed space in your kitchen where the refrigerator is actually supposed to go? It won’t go to waste. I’m thinking I’m going to use it to build a pillow fort.
I should go into business as an interior designer.
I had some friends with an apartment where the shower was in the living room and the toilet was on the back porch. I think your arrangement is much better… lets hope Jueves never comes.
Incidentally, I think we should go back to calling Wednesday “Wodenstag.” It just trips off the tongue so.
Although I agree it is unusual in Oakland, why were you interested in knowing you have Spanish-speaking Jews working in your apartment?
At least you did no take French your Freshman year & Spanish your Senior year and end up getting them all mottled together. Tres bueno.
Pillow forts rule. Once I made my whole room into a blanket fort and kept it like that for a year.
I spent five years studying French and the only phrase I ever remember is “open your books”. Still, I’m sure it’ll come in handy one day.
wouldn’t it be ranch Thursdays...instead of Thursday eggs?!
A pillow fort, something every house should have. I must go now and build my own pillow fort.
While you’re moving things around, could you arrange for all laundry rooms to be UPSTAIRS...you know, where the CLOTHES are??
I hope my husband doesn’t see this post, he will want to move the fridge in our bedroom right next to the computer. I think the pillow fort is an EXCELLENT idea. If we do move the fridge, I’m going to do that too. Hey, Kalisah, My laundry room is upstairs. Jealous? It rocks.
I came out of several years of French instruction in possession of one phrase, which translates to “Have you met my wife?” Being a girl who likes boys, “My uncle has a pen” would come in handier…
I think the gold you’ve got is the toilet in the shower stall. You’d save freaking DOLLARS per month on wipe if you played your cards right!
My friend is about to get her kitchen and dining room floors ripped up at the same time as her bathroom is also being done. She is worrying about it. I think I’ll send her here, so she can see the ADVANTAGES of this situation.
Have any of you guys thought of a laundry chute? When I was a kid our cousins built there new house next door to us, and they were very rich and modern (not like us), and had a laundry shute. The laundry chute was utterly amazing, especially when you were 6 years old and discovered that if you sent enough laundry down it first you could then send YOURSELF downstairs the fast way, and have a soft landing.
THEIR new house. THEIR new house. AAARRRGGGGHH!
I grew up in a house with a laundry chute. For some reason, I never really got past sticking my legs in it. Maybe I thought it was haunted or something.
Reading this, I thought “Oh no, I see where this is going” huevos is, incidentally, a slang term for testicles in Spanish, and I could just picture them laughing at you…
I’m glad you remembered “Jueves” :o)
I know exactly how you feel.....being that I am from California and Spanish is basically the second language.....or first depending on how you look at things and the fact that I took 3 years of the language you would think I would have retained some of it but NOPE.....I remember pequeno.....altho I can curse up a storm in Spanish.....go figure LOL Glad you are enjoying the fridge in the livingroom :0) Sounds conveinent LOL
Thursdays are peasoup-and-pancakes days in Sweden, by the way.
i never ever took spanish so my knowledge is limited to the sesame street counting things and whatever i pick up from spanish and mexican colleagues now. (slightly different flavor from “uno dos très quatro cinco seis siete ocho nueve dies!")
i spent 10 days in spain 3 years ago and everything i tried to say came out in italian. this weekend, in rome, i found myself automatically answering certain things (i.e. the “hail mary") in spanish. the language part of my brain is a very confusing place to live these days.
this same things happened to we once and we let the frig stay in the living room for a long time after the work was done.
After growing up in South Florida, a Norwegian Roomate in college, and 2 trips to Europe…
I can say “Your Mother tastes good with my cheese.” in four languages.
I’m a linguistic phenom… I know.
--LAZ
I see your “ Mi tío tiene una pluma” and I raise you my “Papa es fumare un cigarillo”, as this is all I can remember from O Grade Spanish. Useful on a daily basis, let me tell you.
Incidentally, the word ‘huevos’ in slang also refers to a certain part of the male organ, so it’s probably a good thing that you didn’t address them in that particular way too.
Dude, to be the king of the pillow fort, you have to have an underwear crown.