The Fateful Day

Yes, the long and eagerly awaited day of the softball showdown finally arrived... and the winner was...(drum roll please).... well we can't really say.  And therein lies a story.  I should let Rod tell it.  He is such a good story teller, but I am more likely to get things recorded, so I guess you will have to settle for my version till his is published. In the interest of full disclosure, I must report that my info is second hand.  I missed all the exciting parts.
As you may or may not know, Rod set up a softball game between our Fuengirola area missionaries and the Malaga Zone.  He has been introducing some of our native speaker Elders to the fine art of 'trash talking'.  I must say they picked it up with little coaching.  He bought a softball, at his request the Todds found a serviceman willing to donate a bat (the only one we found here was over $70), and rented the soccer field near our apt for the event.  I stayed home to get the BBQ going while a crowd of missionaries invaded the field ready for 'The Game'.  The best laid plans go oft astray however.  I know he told them he wanted to play softball when Rod rented the field, but when they saw us playing, we were told we couldn't play baseball due to the danger of hitting someone walking the track circling the field.  ARGH.  Never Fear!  You do know theater's mantra, 'The show must go on', right.  Well either that or 'Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape'.  Either way, our intrepid missionaries switched to an energetic game of kickball, still a challenge because some of our Elders are pro soccer players.  Still, we taught them a thing or two, especially when the baseball T was changed to a kickball T and Sister Deere made it home. (Rules?  What rules?  Elder Castillo was in charge of all rules and they did tend to shift as the situation required.)  Elder Spainhower caught Elder M's 'home run' kick, I don't know who was more surprised. Everyone had a great time and returned to the courtyard of our apt for our barbecue.  I had everything set up, hot coals and hamburgers and hot dogs started when they arrived.  The first round was cooked and we were getting ready for the 2nd when a neighbor called down from the 3re floor that we couldn't cook there, that someone would call the police on us.  Of course, we stopped but 5 minutes later the police showed up.  I had gone up to our apt. to cook the rest of the food and missed all the excitement.  Rod got a citation for cooking in a public place, it is apparently not 'our' courtyard. Who knew? Missionaries hauled stuff back up and the food I had cooked was eaten.  I heard one of the sisters talking about how upset Elder Castillo must feel.  I told her that, to the contrary, he would find it a better story to tell.  After all, while it is uncommon, it isn't the first time there has been an official presence at one of our events.  Todd, remember when the paramedics came back to your birthday party for cake after taking care of our guest?  We did offer the officers a hamburger but that was a no-no too apparently.

Ready to rumble!

Notice what color the bases are.  Everyone in the mission knows E. Castillo's favorite color.

This sign says "Rule #1.  Elder Castillo is in charge of all rules."

Everyone had a great time anyway!

Later, Sister Deere sent us a text saying that it was the most fun she had had at an 'illegal' activity in a long time.  I guess that means that everybody won, at least that is what I decided. 
We got cleaned up after all the fun, rested a little bit, then went back to the office till 7 that night.  A long day. 
Tue after our regular day at the office, we had a welcome dinner for our new secretary, Elder Norton.  We are already impressed with him, but will sorely miss Elder Berrett.

Wed. evening we were invited to the Rilys.  This is Bruna who is from Belgium.  The photo several weeks ago, showing the rock of Gibraltar and Africa in the distance was taken from her patio.  Her husband is from England, Manchester actually, and he and Rod have a running joke about how long it will be before Rod has done enough good to merit being adopted to Manchester.  It has been a long time since I have had such a perfectly cooked, delicious meal and beautifully presented.  I felt like I was eating at a 5 star restaurant.  She made stuffed zucchini for the 1st course, then chicken stuffed with cheese and spinach with ham around the outside and fabulous mashed potatoes.  For dessert we had wonderful cream custard with fresh vanilla in it and a citrus sauce on top.  Wow!  It was so much fun to get to know them, hear their conversion story (He was a Socialist party leader!?!) and enjoy their spirit.  Bruna told me she was to help at a soup kitchen, her 1st time, on Thur. and I offered to go with her.  She seemed glad to have 'moral support' so I did. 
That was a wonderful experience too.  I went at 11:30 and we were done at about 2:30.  I was pretty beat by the end of that day.  Still, it was important to be reminded how many people there are through out the world who are doing a great work because of their love of God, even if they don't have the whole truth.  This group is called Luz Munde and is run by church of Scotland (I think).  They collect food, clothes and serve a meal for about 20 needy people twice a week, no questions asked. That is just at this location.  There are others. They also run an English conversation class.  Catholic Mass and Church of Scotland meetings are held in their building every Sunday.  If they hadn't served coffee, you could have thought they were LDS.  One other thing.  Their homeless sure are a lot cleaner than ours are.  I was impressed.  The one thing they asked for was a razor.  Simple things are huge sometimes.
Fri we ate at the restaurant where an investigator works as a cook.  I wish I liked Italian food more.  Anyway, we found 'restaurant row' finally.  Scott, now we know where to take you to find dinner.  You will just have to come again.
Sat we drove to Sevilla, met up with the other Senior Couples and visited the Alcazar there. Alcazar seems to mean fortress or sometimes castle. It was started as a fort in 913 and was added onto by all the different rulers since. Fernando and Isabel held court there for some time.  Christopher Columbus' tomb in in the cathedral which is just next door. Remember we took photos of that when we were here with Dr Merrill at the beginning of our mission.  We saw some more wonderful Moorish architecture and beautiful gardens.  These people were masters of tile work. 

Spainhowers and Sister Todd.  The old wall is in the background.

There is no way to show the beauty or scale.  They were wonderful craftsmen

A detail photo

Talk about detail!  I believe these are plaster, but I'm not sure



The 'Castillos'

Elder Wilson, Rod and The Spainhowers
 

Note the white tiles

Those same white tiles are used for a different design here!

They had a room of fans.  They are made out of everything, most hand painted. Some were feather.  Gorgeous

 

This is the 'baths' built for a mistress.  They were open to the sky once but after an earthquake in 17 something they were  closed in.  The water is reflecting the vault.  We couldn't go back to see what made the design at the back.

There were 2 rooms of these tapestries made in the 1800s as copies of some from the 1600s. 

I had to take a detail photo.  So beautiful.

Oops we lost him.  Right is Elder Todd.

He just wouldn't show off.

He would though.

Her First Communion photo shoot. 

 

 

Since we were with the Todds, we of course ran into another wedding.  The bride and groom are arriving in this car..

We met up with the Elders in this area and went to lunch.

Maybe I can get a copy of the photo our waiter took so you can see their faces

We are celebrating Sister Wilson's birthday

In addition to that Sister Todd brought a cake.

The candles were a challenge but it tasted wonderful.

We had a wonderful time but were glad to get home. 

The Jacaranda trees are blooming outside our balcony.

Soo pretty.

Well, I am up late again.  I hope you all have a wonderful week.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you are doing.  See you soon.