Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a Happy New Year and all are recovering from the food extravaganza that is the holiday season. We had a wonderful time with family, so much so that it may take me a couple of posts to get everyone up-to-date.

The first thing I should say is that Tom and Nancy arrived safe and sound on December 20th and before we could say ‘hellos’ and ‘how are yous,’ Paul and I were voraciously munching on all the tasty home-made treats they brought. Kate sent some spoon cookies with a homemade raspberry filling that were, while a bit smashed by the TSA, perfectly scrumptious!

Then we chatted for hours it seems about all the funny things the dogs do and all the creative snacks Tom likes to give them in the afternoon to keep Masha from getting cranky before dinnertime. That and how cute they are when they are sleeping. After that is was full-vacation mode:

We ran Paul’s parents around in our sporty Dodge Stratus all week.

Let’s see they arrived on a Wednesday so we relaxed that day and ate panuchos, yum.

Thursday: we went to ruins called Dzibilchaltun then we had tacos with the Ramirez’s for dinner.

Friday: we went to see the church at Izamal, where Pope John Paul II visited in the 90s.

Saturday: was Chichen Itza, where it rained just as we were leaving so Paul bought really cheesy tourist shirts to wear for lunch so we wouldn’t be all damp and gross, instead cheesy and mis-matched, but dry. That evening we had tomales at Mexican Night after which we had coffee and assorted pies. We love the coffee and assorted pie woman at Mexican Night so much we go almost every week. In an effort to make ourselves feel better about eating assorted pies, we walk home if it is not raining.

Sunday: Merida en Domingo, the main square is full of vendors selling all kinds of handicrafts and such. Oh right, I forgot to mention that on Friday we also stopped at Kimbila where Tom bought a snazzy guayabera shirt for himself and Nancy bought two cute dresses for her granddaughters – what granddaughters you ask? Exactly, future granddaughters. No pressure, none, zip, zilch. At least the pressure is shared with Kate and Neil who now must also produce said granddaughter.

Monday: Christmas Day so we relaxed again until dinner.

I don’t know if you got what you wanted for Christmas, but I sure did* I received the first season of The Closer on DVD. So far I have only watched 2 episodes. We are going in order. It is sort of like your favorite candy bar, if you eat it too fast you won’t relish it so Paul and I are on a strict Closer regimen to maximize the enjoyment potential. Of course, Paul noted that when we watched all of them we could just watch them again, which is true, but somehow not the same…

* of course what I really wanted for Christmas was for family to visit me and pay for my every whim during their stay, which they happily did, which I happily let them do. But I got this also…

Tuesday: we said good-bye and Paul and I took the Dodge to Mani for dinner and then back to Merida because all of the hotels were full in Ticul. When we arrived we realized we had no hot water (my favorite) so we did not take showers on Wednesday or Thursday. Wednesday we took our laundry to be washed (at least our clothes won’t stink) and Thursday we packed up again for round 2 with the Manleys and Uncle Larry.

Next installment coming soon - you can't wait I know you can't...

Melissa