How do you say piñata in Spanish?

Something happens to a mum when their child turns another year older.   There’s the reminiscent phase I remember when you were a watermelon pushing on my bladder to the first time you said my name.  Then there is the planning that would put Kate and Will’s wedding to shame.

Truce is turning four and we for the past two years we have spoken about this magical land called Chile where Truce will cast off the shackles of threeness and become a four year old.

Pass the parcel.  Of course we can organise that.  Pin the nose on the clown?  I don’t see any donkeys so a clown will have to do.  I’m sure I can translate the object of the game to Truce’s pre-kinder class.  A piñata?  Done.  But what of the cake?  Talluah always makes the cake.   This is when the now famous line was uttered, “I thought you packed the Mixmaster.”

A compromise was reached where Talluah would buy cupcakes and decorate the tops of them.  A quick run a round of Valpo brought Talluah to wholesale type store with cups, table cloths on the roll and other catering goodies.  Talluah spied a piping bag and went into the store.

The man behind the counter turned his head, Tenemos una gringa.   We have a gringa.  Our first case of racism.  To make sure his meaning was understood the storekeeper placed the correct emphasis in his sentence and inserted “the look”.

A second person served Talluah and the transaction was carried out.  When everything was paid for Talluah told the first storekeeper that his behaviour was unnecessary.  Not a phrase you find in every phrase book but Talluah is a smart cookie.

As for the store keeper?  Any one who is too dumb to realise that it’s the customer that brings in the money that pays the bills isn’t really worth remembering.  This man is the exception not the rule and of all the people we have encountered while here, he is the only one that is definitely off our Christmas card list.