well, lordy, lordy, the build up to christmas was something else. last friday, i did the last minute dash thing. of course, sis in law was late, so i was late getting to the mall, and since we had to run to the next town over to visit a friend, mark came with me...ugh.

i swear, i don't do good with christmas crowds. i get a little ticked when people cut in line, or don't understand how a line works. single line back here folks, until they call the next person to a registar.

mark could have been worse, but it was still bad enough. we're looking in an art store for some chalk pastels for the boy. they have a whole big display up on in the front of those all in one art sets. i don't see any chalk pastels in them(only oil ones) so i head to the back to the art section. he insists they must be up front with the rest of them, and even tho i know he's wrong, i start to walk back up there with him. when they're not there, i explain to him how stores place sale items up front, etc etc. arrrrrrrrgh...

we had to stop for not only a beer, but a stinkin shot of vodka too(we shared one). after that, i felt pretty good, but mark was rushing me. that's why i like to shop by myself...i can go at my own speed.

christmas eve was ruban's party. we weren't going to go but he said it was starting at 9 pm instead of the usual midnight. we got there at about 9:45 thinking we were fashionably late, only to find we were the first ones there and ruban wasn't even there. he was still at the restaurant cooking.

antonio said, "well, you know, mexicans are always late. we're not concerned with time"

no i didn't know that. hubby's worked with lots of them, as have sis in law, and they're never late for work. must just be in social situations. however, i learned of yet another lucky society not chained to the clock.

we met another person, jermaine, how enjoyed speaking english with us, telling us about the mexican culture, traditional christmas dinners(which, btw, depend on which part of mexico you're from). he was in the mexican army, something we found interesting, and not just the mexican army, but the special forces. we had to ask him, what does the mexican army do? i mean, they're not traveling around the world bitch-slapping other countries. he said they watch the borders, and take care of drugs and stuff like that. but he also told us he didn't care for it because it is very corrupt and the stories about bribing soldiers to not be arrested are true. he says unfortunately, it's not like they're asking for hundreds of dollars, but will gladly let you go for a mere ten. there ya go folks, need to know info in case you visit mexico.

we stayed rather late. i can't help it, when the tequilla starts flowing, i get a little carried away. ruban's dish was yummy(tho a bit greasy). jermaine says it's called babaqua, which to me sounded too much like bbq, which i think it probably was, a mexican bbq of sorts.

but by the time z woke us up at 8 am, we were still a little drunk and crappy feeling.

however, it was nice and z was pleased with all his gifts. maybe when he figures all the software and new sound card out, i'll post a few of his songs for ya'll to listen to.

in the meantime, you'll be stuck with pictures from my new digital camera. yay! the dream of a cookbook is ever closer.

later christmas night, ibrihama and hadi came over(pictures coming). i took a picture of hadi in front of our tree. she insisted in wearing my santa hat. kind of funny cuz with her father being the limon of the moscue back home, i'm not sure he'd understand her wearing a symbol while standing in front of another symbol of christianity(little does he know, it's pretty secular anyway).

mark had gotten several big boxes of unwanted cloths from work, all nice name brand stuff, nike, izod, stuff like that. we all weeded out what we could use and gave a big box to ibrihama. he was shocked. we left him quite speechless. he was so happy, cuz he always sends cloths home to his brother, but usually they're used. now he can send brand new cloths home.

anyway, i collapsed into bed and slept sooooo good.

i'm just glad it's over!