The Borges - Franco:

Barbara and the grandchildren (Gustavihno and Gabriella) spent the summer in Spain with all of us. It was wonderful.

Gustavinho is now in (kindergarten) and he is attending a British school in Brazil, where Barbara also teaches. He is so cute on the phone because he is developing what is called the King’s  British accent…it goes like this

house = hice
tower = tar
really = rairly
milk = miulk

This Halloween he dressed up as “Harry Potter” – spoken with the King’s accent, of course.

Gabriella is just as wild and daring as her mother. This summer, at (8-9) months old, she was walking with great control and finesse, and in the pool she was already doing the butterfly kick and dunking her head under the water with reckless abandon.

One of Barbara’s highlights of the year was “meeting” with the Prime Minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar, while he was visiting a museum opening in Sao Paulo. The story is truly sensation and this short rendition does not give it justice. Upon arriving at the museum that day, the audience was told that, for safety reasons, they would have to wait outside the building so that the Prime Minister could enter first.

Barbara’s excitement had been mounting all day and upon seeing the great man approach the museum from his car, she screamed out in all her usual passion “Viva España!” To this, Mr. Aznar looked directly at her and gave a look half of appreciation and half of fear, while the secret service was taking defensive positions. Barbara was not embarrassed or deterred by this spontaneous outburst, she was only more motivated to achieve closer contact with the Prime Minister.

Once inside the museum she learned that after the inauguration ceremony there would be a private reception for the Prime Minister with only 30 or so select guests. At the moment of cordoning off the small reception area, Barbara ditched Gustavo and propelled herself into the room by prying open the security doors. As son as this objective was achieved, she stalked the Prime Minister around the room waiting for her opportunity to meet him and give him her pre-arranged and practiced introduction. Finally she was confronted with the perfect chance as Mr. Aznar was suddenly walking toward her. She stuck out her hand to shake his and as they shook hands, and a glimmer of recognition from the “Viva España” incident came over his face, Barbara froze, completely unable to speak. After a few seconds, Mr. Aznar said hello and Barbara stammered out part of her introduction. She said she was too shaken-up to continue with everything she had planned to say. We all know she was very emotional because, when she called us hours later to tell the story, she was still under the spell of the emotional overload.

Recently “tia Mercedes” (dad’s sister) met with Mr. Aznar, and they had a good laugh about the episode, obviously the Prime Minister could remember the events VERY distinctively.

Gustavo is doing great and we still give thanks every holiday season that Barbara found such a kind and responsible angel to tame her out and take such good care of her. Gustavo is winding down on his swimming career, but not before one last Olympic performance, his fourth. Athens will be such a wonderful place to end his illustrious Olympic success.