Ok, Christmas has come and gone. I realize that, but its never too late to talk about the big holiday.
Ours was pretty relaxed. It wasn’t the circus atmosphere of last year. Just me, V, Mita, BonBon, Andrea, V’s former colleague Christine and the our new American friends from across the street.
Somehow Vanessa had somehow become neighborly acquaintances with the mom/wife Joy shortly after they moved in. The husband/father, Kirby, works for the U.S. embassy. They have a 13-year-old daughter Lilly and they all joined us for dinner. Because of Kirby’s work they have literally lived around the world. Besides Peru they’ve had two to three year stops in Belarus, Indonesia, Thailand and Canada. They also have to report back to Washington D.C. for a few months at a time between locales.
They told us the Embassy here has an employee only store that sells many American products. Joy brought us brown sugar, molasses and shortening from this store so we could make gingersnap cookies. Brown sugar and molasses are not sold in Peruvian grocery stores. Shortening is available, but you really have to look for it.
With the idea of access to this “American Store” dancing like sugar plums in my head, I had to ask what else it sells. Honestly, I can’t think of any American food stuff that I really miss, but I might suddenly miss it if I knew I could get it. Turns out its mostly boxed mixes, laundry detergent and some stateside junk food. Nothing too crave inducing. As I’ve said before, there is a lot of American junk food for sale here and Peruvian companies make enough junk to satisfy any craving the need for sweet or salty snacks.
So that was Christmas. Vanessa got me some t-shirts and underwear (yes, I’m old) and I offered her a romantic night out.
Actually, I had asked for a handful of what I’ll call “maintence items” for the holiday. It included such fabulous items as: comfortable black shoes for work, a trip to the dentist, renewing my Peruvian residency card and new glasses. Glasses and shoes check. My residency will be renewed this week. A trip to the dentist is pending for early 2010, I think. Great list, I know. I’m old.
The holiday hits just keep on coming here below the equator. Next week we’re heading to the beach for some R&R. then it’s back to work for me. My wife has some tutoring gigs lined up to keep her busy, but not too busy.
Happy new year!
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- BonBon pours the Christmas wine
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- Christmas turkey and ham
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- The living room all decked out for Christmas