We had dinner with our friend Arturo and his wife Eva last night at their house. They served some excellent tacos that had beef, chirizo, and other such tasty things. They were so good.
After dinner we played Jenga. It was my first time and it was rather fun.
Today we continued to work on imperative formation, to include use with endocliticos (I still don’t know how to describe these in English). Here are some examples:
Tu / decir / la verdad / a ella.
Dile la verdad.
Disela
Tu / comprar / las galletas / a el
Comprale las galletas
Compraselas
Tu / Limpiar / los zapatos / a nosotros
Limpianos los zapatos
Limpianoslos
Tu / pintar / las un-as / a mi
Pintame las un-as
Pintamelas
I think I was able to determine why Mexicans use ‘le’, rather than ‘lo’ or ‘la’ (as either are grammatically correct). It seems to be the preference when the thing being replaced by the pronominal form is living (like humans or pets). If it is not alive, then ‘lo’ or ‘la’ are used. Interestingly, it is the opposite in Spain.
I’ve notice my ability to construct these type of sentences, while painfully slow, is starting to get faster.
Identifying plants online is a difficult task. I have no idea how one would do this before the internet. I have been trying to identify the vine I have been growing (with unusual success!) in the front yard (I killed them all in the backyard). I think I was FINALLY able to identify it today.
Previously I had thought they were some form of ivy. I don’t think that was even remotely close. I think what I have is a sweet potato vine. The leaves and the stems look identical. And the variants also match the variants that I have – the different shaped black leaves.
The above photo looks like a perfect match of both variants that I have. However, these vines are supposed to produce sweet potatoes (even the ornamental variety). I haven’t had them too terribly long (perhaps 4-5 months now) and I’ve not seen anything like a potato forming. Supposedly this is something that occurs in the fall though.
The articles I’ve found recommend it as a decorative ground covering or potted plant, which is precisely what it is used for here. I’ve been growing volumes of it in the front yard for a ground cover for plants I’ve grown in between the vine. It does in fact provide a wonderful ground cover from the 100+ Spring temperatures.
Another interesting note is that the leaves and vines (of the non-ornamental variety) are not only described as edible, but having health benefits. I had a hard time getting it to grow at first. I think I’ve now mastered the process. It is now growing at an impressive rate. I have to trim it back nearly daily.
Spanish has so many exceptions to its rules it’s ridiculous. Today I am learning imperative construction. And like the endless list of irregular verbs (some of which follow some form of pattern), there is also a long list of irregular imperatives. That’s fun.
Here are some that I covered today:
Second person singular informal:
Hacer = haz (do)
Ir = ve (go)
Ser = se (be feliz)
Decir = di (say!)
Poner = pon (put)
Salir = sal (go), example: sal afuera / go outside
Tener = ten (have), example: ten mi lapiz / have my pencil
Venir = ven (come), example: ven aqui / come here
And of course that irregular form is only for the second person singular (informal) form. Here’s the same for the second person formal (usted), first plural (nosotros), and second person singular (ustedes) for the same verbs.
Second person singular formal (usted) form:
Hacer = haga (do)
Ir = vaya (go)
Ser = seya (be feliz)
Decir = diga (say!)
Poner = ponga (put)
Salir = salga (go), example: sal afuera / go outside
Tener = tenga (have), example: ten mi lapiz / have my pencil
Venir = venga (come), example: ven aqui / come here
First person plural (nosotros) form:
Hacer = hagamos (let’s do)
Ir = vayamos (let’s go) vayamos a la playa! / let’s go to the beach!
Ser = seyamos (let’s be): example, seya feliz / let’s be happy
Decir = digamos (let’s say!): example, digamos la verdad / let’s say the truth
Poner = pongamos (let’s put): example, pongamos la mesa / let’s set the table
Salir = salgamos (let’s go), example: salgamos afuera / let’s go outside
Tener = tengamos (let’s have), example: tengamos una platica / let’s have a conversation
Venir = vengamos (let’s come)
Second person plural (ustedes) form:
Hacer = hagan(do)
Ir = vayan (go)
Ser = seyan (be feliz)
Decir = digan (say!)
Poner = pongan (put)
Salir = salgan (go), example: salgan afuera / go outside
Tener = tengan (have), example: tengan mi lapiz / have my pencil
Venir = vengan (come), example: vengan aqui / come here
We covered some regular verbs (some of which have irregular imperative construction) and I was given something to read which included imperatives. My reading skills are still horrific.
My homework assignment is to make imperatives from a list of verbs my maestra will be sending me tonight. Good times.
We went out for dinner tonight for Beto’s dinner to Steaks del Herradero. This used to be my favorite place in town and we’d eat there pretty much every week. But we haven’t been there much lately as we’ve found nicer (and more affordable!) places. I still love this place, but it relies heavily upon its reputation. The service isn’t quite what it used to be and when a nicer place can prepare the same piece of meat for less money, it becomes less appreciated. Even so, my arrachera marinada was excellent. I think I still prefer it to any other cut.
Getting to our away from our house can be a little confusing. So we drove Matt part way out of town so they wouldn’t get lost. This is my first video with my new camera. So much fun.
Yun and I continue to give Matt and Dana free Spades lessons. We had an opportunity to play last weekend on their visit. Since we hear so much about the Kruis’ rules and how difficult they were (despite being a falsification of true Spades), we agreed to play by those rules.
As everyone expected, Yun and I dominated. In fact, our domination was so much that the game ended half way through.
Documentary evidence:
Also, I think Matt and Dana may have intended Team Lightning Speed as their team name, rather than Team Lightening Speed as it carries a slightly different connotation. That was my mistake.
“The Decalogue is not offered fallen man as a genuine soteric option but is presented to him as a guide to citizenship within the Covenant by the Savior Lord, who of his mercy delivers out of the house of bondage into communion in the life of the Covenant, a communion that eventuates in perfect conformity of life to the law of the Covenant.” (p. 127)
Kline’s view here is that the covenant under Moses was not part of the covenant of grace and therefore was not to be seen as a covenant toward salvation. Rather, it is seen as a model for the life of Israel living within the covenant.
Where I would seem to deviate from Kline is in the application of the old covenant law for the new covenant community. I would see the non-ritual (or non-ceremonial) laws as having continuous application today, for the same reason that Kline articulates above. If someone were to disagree with that conclusion, then I would ask upon what basis would they propose any form of jurisprudence or advocate for or against any moral laws not discussed in the new testament.
Matt and Dana came down last weekend to visit from Tucson, which provided opportunity to honor our tradition of steak and potato dinners! This has to be my favorite meal (I know I say that about many things).
My responsibility is to make the potatoes. I always make them to perfection (despite claims to the contrary). It’s true, I made them a little spicy this time. But spicy is so good!
Matt’s responsibility is the steaks. He had some challenges at our house. 1] our grill is charcoal, not gas which is what he is used to, and 2] a meat thermometer that wasn’t working. Nonetheless, the meat was spectacular. We went with the ribeye from Taste (tah-stay). Taste is a butcher shop that we frequent which is near our house. I love the place.
The only problem with this tradition that I struggle with is restraint. Fortunately, after dinner cigars help with digestion!
April 28th, 2014
I was listening to RC Sproul’s sermon series on John 11 and he states the following:
“The significance of this is rooted in some beliefs that were common in antiquity among the rabbis. Among the rabbinic teachings was the idea that when a person died, the person’s spirit hovered over the body for three days and that it was possible at any time during that three day period that the body could somehow could be resuscitated if the spirit returned to it. But according to the rabbinic tradition, four days made it absolutely certain that the person had moved beyond all hope of resuscitation and Jesus is aware that his enemies will do anything to negate the impact of the testimony of his miracles. And so he doesn’t rush down to Bethany and raise Lazarus shortly after he expires, so that people could say that all he did was resuscitate him. He lets enough time pass to make it absolutely certain that what Jesus is about to do is completely contra naturam, completely against nature, by raising him from the dead.”
