Newson Meets Chompers - Parts 1 ,2, and 3...

Family,

And a good evening to you from Mad City after another GREAT day. Okay, two big things to cover, especially since it’s 12:20 and we’ve got another full day tomorrow.

First item – I ran for 45 minutes today! Matt and I ran about 4-4.5 miles around Retiro Park, and it felt GREAT. I had absolutely NO pain, and we honestly rolled pretty good. For me it was great, because I’d always wanted to run around that park but had never actually had the chance to make a few loops and jog past the Alfonso memorial and pool. So all in all, a GREAT day. Marnie, Lily, and Grace – don’t be mad at me if I return your husband/dad in slightly rougher shape. He’s in training, for crying out loud!!!

But the biggest part of the evening – tonight we went for dinner in Plaza Mayor (or, as Catherine would say, the “Mayor’s Plaza”), where had some pretty classic experiences. Let me see if I can recount them all:

1. We sat at a table and waited 15 minutes in a wind storm akin to Hurricane Andrew before we were served.

2. When the waiter arrived, he was summarily dismissed by another waiter. Problem was that the second waiter couldn’t speak Spanish (or English) – only some form of gypsy that we still have yet to name.

3. As soon as we sat down, this cat with a XYLEPHONE showed up 2 inches from out table and played some crap from “The Love Boat” for about 10 minutes before he finally stopped and begged for a tip. Rice – I SO wanted to tell him “Don’t eat yellow snow,” but I assumed the translation just wouldn’t work.

4. Nancy ordered a drink that she was thrilled about, only to be told that the restaurant had NO cocktails of any kind.

5. When Nancy said, “But it’s on the menu,” the waiter replied (in some form of Gypsy – Borat style): “Yeah, but this menu isn’t really from this restaurant.” It made me concerned when we actually ordered food.

BUT THE BEST PART!!!!!

6. Halfway through the meal, this Chinese gal bellied up to Kevin and BEGGED him to buy a fake, neon flower from her. When he never responded, she started tapping her ear and saying something in a blend of Chinese and Spanish. It was at this moment that I realized her teeth were straight up vampire. I named her “Mao Tse de la Vega.” Matt named her simply “Chompers.”

7. This gal came back 20 minutes later, speaking only to Kevin, stalking him like white on rice in a paper plate in a snow storm. It was hilarious.

8. 2 hours later, we were in Fatigas del Querer (Jenny – this is the FIRST PLACE you and I ever had a drink in Spain when we moved there April 21, 2007), and who walks in? CHOMPERS, BABY!!!!!! Honestly, she saw Kevin, and it was like the Ying and Yang uniting once again. I tried to say something, but I was laughing so hard that my knees almost buckled, and I just horse cackled. Chompers was just holding up three fingers and tapping her ear, smiling at Kevin the whole time. It was priceless.

And now I’m back in the hotel, ready to fire off a few emails (C-Web – you are on my list) before hitting the sack. Tomorrow is another big one, so I need to get my beauty sleep!

That’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam & (the sexiest gal on earth whom he’s missing terribly!) Jenny