My first RUIZ cousin meet up

My day began early on a walkabout through two dry river beds, orange orchards and hundreds of barking dogs.  Lyn has three very nice dogs and she walks them every morning by driving to the dry Campanillas River bed and crossing over to the "island" and around through the farms and houses that comprise a tiny piece of Los Nuñez near Fresneda that winds through mint, amapola (poppies), fragrant (mmmmmm.....) orange blossoms and the many dogs that barked to say hello to our three named Scamp, Pesky and Scally (short for scalawag).  I am sure the barks came from at least a hundred dogs.  A great walk, good exercise and a peaceful "tranquillo" way to begin my morning.  We passed Hermonos (HNOS) Ruiz Ranch.  Relatives?  Possibly...  The pear cactus looked half dead, but it was a huge plant and reminded me of home in Arizona.  And the scent of orange blossoms cannot be put into words.  The orange orchard was huge and ran for miles around us.

On the way back home, we stopped at El Corrida, a small grocery/bakery where my cousins live.  Maria Angela wasn't home, so we made a date for Wednesday night, but while there, we met a man named Paco who nearly fainted when he realized I was the daughter of Miguel Ruiz.  We had a nice chat (well, Lyn had the chat and I tried to keep up...)

Once the day began, the sun warmed up and we hung our laundry on the clothes line (I'd wondered where the dryer was and then I was delighted to snap the clothes pins on underwear and socks outside my bedroom window).  Delightful and perfect.

When Lyn wanted to "have a swim" before going to the store and later to my first cousin meet-up, I drowsed in the lounge chair (lazy as a slug) and drifted off to sleep listening to the sounds of swishing through the pool.  And then, bam!  Scamp jumped up on my chest and positioned himself for his own snooze and shocked me awake.  Funny, warm and so crazily enjoyable.

Next, the grocery store in Campanillas.  I wanted to peruse each shelf, stand in front of the ham and manchego cheese and just inhale.  Instead, I snapped photos, grabbed bananas and grinned like a loon.  I am sure I will spend more time just walking around the stores soon...  We had a date with some cousins.

AND THEN MY FIRST COUSIN MEET UP with Juani Ruiz and his wife, Mari Fernandez and their daughter, Angela Ruiz Fernandez and her sons, Rubin and Ivan.  The last time I was here, Ivan was 9 months old.  This time, he is 5 years old and Rubin is 10.  Angela cooked Torrijas --- small slices of bread dipped in a milk/egg mixture and then in WINE before deep frying.  YUM.  I am glad I'm walking every morning as the Spanish food is so fabulous.  And I could almost understand most of the words the family spoke to me.  In three months, I think I will be able to actually converse!  They seemed pleased that I am trying so very hard to learn their language.  And we have set a date for another adventure at el Chorro in April.  (More excitement about that later).

This is a photo of Juani (above) / Below is a photo of me and Angela with the round house my father built in the background on the hill behind us.  She walked me home as the village is small and I smiled as she met a few villagers on the way home and introduced me to others.  What a memory.

Lyn and I ended the day saying "salud" with the wine I brought with me from the bodega in Ronda. Lyn tossed in a dark chocolate bar.  Because red wine and chocolate go together...

The dream continues.