I Called My Mother OR Terms of Endearment – Part Deux

I would like to take the moment to announce that I, Kikita, am alive and well. Feel free to call off the search. I appreciate your concern. I have called my mother.

The questions remaining are as follows:

1. Where have I been?

2. What did I call her?

1. Work has been busier, so I am not as readily availabe for a chat in the middle of the day and I've been getting back to dancing on a more regular basis in the evenings.

2. As to what I called her:
I've had a bit of a cold/sore-throat/cough/don't-quite-sound-like-myself thing going on so upon seeing the milk carton and making the call it sounded something like, "Hi Bob."

Yes, Bob. This would not be the first time. Have you tried to say "Mom" with a cold? It sounds like "Bob" right? Of course right.
So, YEARS ago, I'd had a horrid cold (much worse than my present state) for months. I finally gave in and just started calling Mami "Bob." Adam's friends began to call her "Bob" too. In fact, the name became so popular among Adam's friends, there are still parents that call Mami "Bob" to this day! HA!

No, my friends, the story does not end there . . .
One night, Adam and Abuela were playing one of their little try-to-get-the-other-to-speak-my-language games. Confused? Just bear with me. Adam doesn't speak much Spanish and Abuela doesn't speak much English. So she makes him practice Spanish while he makes her practice English. It's adorable to watch.

Back to the evening in question!
Luza: "Repeat, please. Mi mama se llama Marta."
Adam: "No, my mom's name is Bob."
Luza: "Que?"
(Now, Adam – like any good Cuban – makes nicknames out of names, so watch what happens next.)
Adam: "Mi mama se llama Bob-oh"
Luza: "Bubbles?"

And so, another nickname was born. Mami instantly voiced her protest, "Bubbles! I sound like a clown! DO NOT call me Bubbles!"
But it was too late. The name was too good. On my instant messenger, she is "Bubbles." Sometimes, when I write her a card, I address it to "Bubbles."

So, what do I call my mother? Mami, Mom, Bob, and now Bubbles. (Never "mother", she finds it patronizing.)

Yes, there is one more. Well, actually two more.
There have been moments when I have been difficult to reach (as the milk carton post suggests). So when Mami finally hears from me (or vice versa, as she too can be difficult to reach) the line we use is: "Oh THERE you are Peter!"

At some point, my response became: "What's the plan, Stan?"

That's when we became Peter and Stan.

And then . . . the typos ensued.
Petre!
Stna!

Ladies and Gentlemen, please meet Petre (on the left) and Stna (on the right). Comedy team direct from Russia.
"Ve speek ind zee moder tongue."

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