I Guess I'm a Little Delicate

Yesterday I walked to church for flamenco lessons in 100 F weather. I drank some water as I walked and went kind of slow. When I got to church everyone was outside because they couldn't find the key to get in. We were all standing around shooting the breeze when I started to feel a little weird. The voices around seemed to be coming from far away and my friends seemed to be turning gray. My immediate thought was, "Oh cr*&! I'm going to faint." By then it was too late to say or do anything and the next thing I knew, everything turned black. Then I was conscious of Sara and Marie Carmen trying to lift me up to my feet by my very sweaty armpits and I blacked out again. They sat me against a wall and all started talking at once. Anna Maria sent her daughter, Brenda, to her house to get me a glass of sugar water. Sara was holding my wrist and feeling my pulse and kept saying that it was weak. Marie Carmen was fanning me with my fan and asking her mom if she had any candy to give me. Carlos, Sara's son, was running around yelling, "Is she going to die?" The first thing I said was, "I'm so embarrassed." The all assured me that fainting from heat was normal. Then they each gave a theory as to why I fainted.

Pepi (Sara and Marie Carmen's mom), "You need to eat strong. People think that they only need proper food in the winter, but you need bacon and pork with vegetables in the summer too."

Sara, "It was the long walk that finished her, she needs to ride the bus or get a car."

Marie Carmen, "Well, she does have three kids to cook for and clean up after. That is a tiring job for anyone."

Carlos, "Are you okay? Are you sure you're not going to die?"

Then I remembered that I had some raisins and walnuts in my bag. I ate some along with my glass of sugar water and after awhile I could stand up. We finally located a key and got into the church. I sat and watched the dance lesson for bit before I felt good enough to participate. Afterwards, I went to Anna Maria's house and ate an unusual fruit salad: watermelon and pear with canned corn and lime juice. I thought Collin would be surprised that I fainted, but he said that he always thinks of me as a delicate woman. I would feel insulted if I didn't know it was true. 

How can I toughen myself up?

Ian had a rough day as well. They walked to church when it was a bit cooler and he fell so hard that he got the wind knocked out of him. At church he was pushing some partitions around in the multipurpose room and a heavy metal ladder fell on top of him. 

I helped Anna Maria build an unusual pinata. It has a wooden frame shaped like a cube. We covered it in clear cellophane and put clown shoes on the bottom. Next week for Carlos' birthday, it will be filled with balloons, confetti, tissue paper and Mexican candy. 

Anna Maria's husband is a member of the bishopric. He asked me to meet with him yesterday and extended a call to be a counselor in the Primary Presidency. Hopefully, my Spanish will improve enough for me to be useful in this calling. 

We took the bus home.

Collin and I watched a Pedro Almodovar movie called Volver starring Penelope Cruz. It was at times funny, sad, and joyful. I enjoyed it even though Collin had to pause it a bunch of times to explain stuff to me.