I received two emails from Spain, following my last update, one from the Buyers and another from Chris, both saying that the signing for the house will definitely have taken place by 27th, so I live in hope.
Here in Colombia most of the Christmas celebrations take place on Christmas Eve, starting mid evening, you have your meal at midnight, exchange presents, and then continue until you drop, I have to admit I did not last long. I am not a night person, I get up at the crack of dawn, and tend to go to bed reasonably early and read, so last night was a struggle.
As I stated the other day, we went to my Sister-in-Laws this year, we arrived about 8pm, bearing our contributions towards the meal etc., about 10pm another arm of the Family arrived, and we continued tucking into titbits, whilst waiting for the meal, my concern was that by the time it arrived, I wouldn\’t have any room for it. However noting my concern, they kindly brought the meal forward quarter of an hour!!!!! part of that meal was something I had never had before, baked potato with the centre scooped out and replaced with mushrooms and sweetcorn cooked in butter, not something I would have considered, but it was lovely.
After the meal, we exchanged presents with those present, the cheese / cutting boards seemed to go down well! then it was a struggle. The music was that loud, I couldn\’t hold a conversation, all I could see were lips moving, and yet it didn\’t bother anyone else, they carried on as if there was no noise at all, and when I queried how they managed to do this, the natural answer was, that they were used to it, however I could feel a headache coming on.
Pépe behaved impeccably, however he would not settle, he was afraid of missing something, and was wandering about all night, but he behaved himself, considering one or two of the family are not dog lovers, he seemed to win them all over! Marcela was worried that Pépe wouldn\’t settle, and that I was flaking, so persuaded me to take him into our Nephew\’s room, and I had half an hour on his bed. I can\’t say I felt any benefit from it, but at least it gave my ears a rest.
We left at 2.30am, apparently the last left about an hour later, however what I did not realise, was that Oscar, my brother-in-law had to turn into work for 5am, and fly to Cali at the other end of Colombia, to prepare for a concert there, and he wont be back until 31st, so he didn\’t go to bed at all, how he does it, I have no idea.
This morning Pépe woke me at 7.30am, and we tottered out for a walk, and Marcela surfaced at 10am, somehow we have got through the day, I will be glad to see my bed tonight! However it was nice to phone and speak with my relatives back in the U.K., at least this year I got my timing right!
An Englishman in Colombia 