Feliz Navidad!

     This Christmas Day we went down the beach at low tide this morning to watch the local fisher men. We had been watching them from our house. They used a skinny old green wood boat to take a big net out past the surf. Then tens of them came up to the beach and hauled it in. Then they rolled the fish in the surf with the net until they were all in a big pile. A slippery shiny pile of skinny silver fish, the same fish we have been eating in town. Next week I will learn how to cook this local faire. All of this was done through a cloud of big black frigate birds and pelicans that were frustrated by the net.

     Santa visited in the night and bought some toys and a book for the kids along with American candy and Christmas Jammies. I love Lumia’s enthusiasm when she declared this the best Christmas ever although we all agreed that next Christmas needs to be spent at home.

     The clouds have burned off and it is a hot beautiful day. We are inside for the hottest part. Cael is reading from the Kindle (actually now playing World Cup Soccer) and Lumia is playing kindergarten level education games. There is too much to think about so I have not been able to read a serious book. I go back and forth from reading my new Dungeon Masters Guide (be prepared for my return fellow adventurers) and writing for your and my entertainment. I also put some black beans to simmer for lunch.

     I have not told you about our house. You can of course see pictures but I will also tell you about it. We are on the beach end of an east-west dirt road with 5 houses between us and the main road. There is a white wall most of the way around the house with lockable gates. The house is two stories with a large patio facing the ocean and two smaller decks up stairs. The patio has a large cabana bar covered with a palm leaf roof. There are three beds rooms upstairs and an open kitchen, dining living area down stairs opening to the patio. It is all white washed masonry over concrete with red brick tile floor. There is also dark wood details and glazed tile. The stair way is probably prettiest part of the house. Beds in Ecuador are made of concrete with a mattress on top, firm but comfortable. The water pressure only works for one thing at a time and the hot water is hit and miss, fortunately we don’t need much hot water. There is no air-conditioning but the house stays pretty cool with lots of open windows and ceiling fans. We have renamed it Casa de Sandra, hopefully it will catch on. Our closest neighbor is Tony from Texas at Casa Bonita. He is down here fixing up his house while his wife is back in the states finishing up her last year before retirement. His house is beautiful and twice the size of ours and he has been working on landscaping. Eventually Casa de Sandra will be available on VRBO so start planning now.

     For our afternoon quite time we finished The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever. I was a nice return to a classic and the first time for the kids. I love it when Imogene is worried that Jesus would never pass 1^st grade having to write his name. But truly I miss my copy of Little House on the Prairie. I would love to read How Mr. Edwards Met Santa Clause. Now it is nap time because the kids were up to early.

     The gardener came by to put in a number of plants. I guess you don't get Christmas off around here.