Christmas is upon us!!

We’re back in Santa Rosalia today. We have been gone almost a month, it has gotten colder—down to 75F daytime and 59F last night. I was cold enough just sitting here typing after lunch to have to go crawl under the electric blanket for a nap. I really don’t like being that cold. Frida crawled up on top of me and started purring, I guess she was cold too. She has really gotten friendly since our return, usually it takes her about 3 days to get used to us again, but it was different this time. She was sleeping on us immediately last night upon our return. She actually meowed at me today. Christmas is upon us!!

Earlier today Favorite Maid told me Dash needed his warm doggy blanket from last winter. I poo-pooed the idea since we got him a nice Tempurpedic dog bed 6 months ago for his bad hips. Look at all that heavy fur he has on, I said. When we went to the bodega to find where I hidden the Christmas tree ornaments last year we came across his blanket folded up in a box. I don’t ever remember putting it there, but I must have. Favorite Maid brought it out and said, look at your blanket, Dash. He bounced up and down just like a little kid, wiggling his butt the whole time (he is a tail-less breed). Then he proudly tried to drag it all over the living room, but he kept stepping on it. Ok, so the maid was right and he was so happy to see it; I felt guilty. What a cruel Mommy he has. I think my cat Sour Pickle is completely in love with Favorite Maid. He follows her everywhere. While I have been gone Carmen has also gotten friendlier, even coming up to Favorite Maid and patting her hand with a paw to encourage her to put the food down faster. Maybe if I would stay home ever my pets would like me as much as they like Favorite Maid—but then again maybe not.

Tomorrow I hope to put the Christmas tree up. One of the grocery stores here gets fresh trees every year. This year we getting an arbol natural (a fresh pine tree). When I broached the subject of a Christmas tree stand with Sr. Jueves he said, oh don’t worry they make a stand out of wood. No, I said, the tree will dry out. I had him take me to Garcia’s, a really nice hardware store, figuring they would have a Christmas tree stand, but no. The owner said we don’t really do that here, maybe it will catch on in a few years. So I went back home and was telling New Cook and Favorite Maid about maybe putting the tree in a bucket when New Cook piped up that I needed a Christmas tree stand and she had just seen some really nice ones at El Tomasito. Off she and Sr. Jueves dashed and the next thing I knew I had a really great gringo style Christmas tree stand for $12. This is really confusing to me, a stand like this in the U.S. would be at least $30. Ah but I need a receipt said I, so back they charged to get a receipt from the store and then it turns out they mischarged us for the tree stand—so is only $8!! Amazing!

I am hungry for Christmas cookies. I wage a war back and forth in my brain. Cook some cookies. No they are fattening. But it isn’t Christmas without cookies. You won’t be here for Christmas. Maybe I should bake some nice loaves of bread instead. But cookies are so beautiful and small and isn’t the variety so wonderful? But they are so much work. Ah the mind is so devious, the next thought—get the cooks to help you with the cookies, they will love it!! I feel my brain weakening to the entreaties of the little devil on my shoulder.