Crashing & Barbequing...

Crashed my car… again! Freak me!!!

Good ol' X-Trail... why do I treat you so bad...

I’m so upset at myself! I hadn’t had a car accident since the summer of 96, and now I’ve had two in the past 9 months… what’s wrong with me por la gran puchis!!! The incident occurred Friday morning (Dec 7th) as I was returning home from the airport; the cars in front of me stopped, I wasn’t paying close attention, and I rear ended an Izuzu SUV. Thankfully I wasn’t going that fast and nobody got injured (the airbags didn’t even come out), the Izuzu didn’t have that much damage besides it’s bumper, but because the Izuzu (driven by a 17 year old kid... how embarrasing) had the spare tire sticking out in the back, it really messed up the front of my car (hood and radiator). I actually drove my car home and a tow truck took it to the shop on Monday morning (had a close call as the car really warmed up on the way home… found out today that both radiators need to be changed). I’m expecting to be without a car for a couple of weeks; somewhat concerned about transportation/ logistics once my sister and her family get here, as we’ll only have to smaller sedans for 5 adults and two infants (with their respective baby seats). Good thing we’re supposed to go to the beach on Dec 26th through Jan 2nd, because once we get there, I don’t expect us to do a lot of driving… still though, I have to pay the deductible again and I can expect to pay more for insurance next year.

I still managed to go to Antigua (what a party trooper I am) that Friday night (sugar cookies & Monoloco) and following Saturday for a going away BBQ for a bunch of gringos who are leaving the area. Jorge, Vance and I had organized a little get together, which was attended by quite a nice group of people… including some people who are not my favorite (yes, it’s true, I do despise some individuals). Anyway, I had an amazing time… plenty of beer, rum, chicken, carne asada, hot dogs (I actually cooked the dogs), and marshmallows were had. BBQ started around 2PM and I left around 8PM… but people stayed over till about 10:30 and we all ended up at Monoloco.

Zac, William, and Lourdes at the BBQ in Vance's terrace.

Britt, Derek, and Carlos...

Big Papi, Vance, and Carlos... big pimpin' baby!

All the peeps and the volcano in the background...

Britt and Carlitos... all smiles baby!

I dropped off Britt at the airport on Sunday (Dec 9th) as she's going to MN for the holidays…. It’s gonna suck not having her around for this time of year… Glad that she’ll be seeing the family back in MN over the Xmas, and that she’ll be back on Jan 4th, but I’ve really gotten used to having her around. The one good thing outta this, is that I ordered 5 DVDs and a couple of CDs from Amazon.com which she’s gonna be nice enough to bring back…. Woohoo! Speaking of traveling, my dad got here on Wednesday and my sister and family are getting her on December 21st, I can’t wait to see how bring Marnix and Noah are and played around the house with them...

Later and safe driving….

CRCP

P.S. Another Late Show Top Ten...

Late Show’s Top Ten Signs the Political Candidates Are Tired of the Debates

10. Podiums replaced by La-Z-Boy recliners

9. McCain is only answering questions via a hand puppet named Spanky

8. All candidates have to chug a beer every time Rudy mentions 9/11

7. Romney only able to sustain insincere smile for first 30 minutes of debate

6. Want to switch from YouTube questions to Trivial Pursuit: 80's Edition

5. Notes on Hillary's podium are really latest Lane Bryant catalog

4. Two words: Strip debating

3. Romney has requested that all questions asked at next debate come from that week's "Dear Abby" column

2. Rudy takes calls from all of his wives

1. They're letting Bill answer a few questions

Will it be a long December???

Central America baby! So I was in El Salvador this past Monday and Tuesday, in Honduras Wednesday and Thursday, leaving for Guatemala on Friday morning… woohoo! I’m guessing this will be my last work trip of the year, barring some emergency or maybe an office Christmas party in the States (which of course is not happening). My brother keeps making fun of me and asks when I’m gonna have my office Xmas party… it sorta sucks that I don’t have any coworkers to do like a gift exchange or have an awkward Xmas get together (and see them act drunk at a bar). Have about u guys? Did the ARC already have its annual Xmas bash? How about everybody else? I miss playing white elephant, or whatever that game is called.

I have utilized this time traveling to some early Xmas shopping (at the duty frees), as I usually leave it for the last couple of weeks. I already have something for my brother, dad, and sister (plus a few things for myself)… still need to pick up a couple of more things. Wonder if anybody will want my junk in a box for Xmas???

In the past weeks we’ve gone to Café Sky in Antigua a number of times, one time getting there around 1PM and not leaving till 4:30PM… The micheladas there are amazing, plus the view is not that bad either. I swear, in a sunny / warm afternoon, there’s nothing better that a cold michelada at Café Sky. Micheladas, for you who don’t know, is when you mix your beer (like a Corona type beer) with tomato juice mix (that also includes: lime, Worchester sauce, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and other spices). I know it doesn’t sound that appetizing at first, but I guarantee you will eventually come around to it.

I went to a friend’s daughter’s ballet Xmas recital in some ruins in Antigua last weekend; it was a blast. The ruins were lit by candles, which made for a very cool ambiance. My friend’s daughter is only four, so she had a very small (important nonetheless) participation in the recital along with a bunch of other 4 year olds… you could tell she loves ballet… thankfully, we only stayed till intermission.

The year is coming to an end and it looks like I need some rest from such hectic times. Thank goodness I have good friends to take care of me... hehehe.

We’re having a BBQ this Saturday, as a bunch of friends from the US and other places are going back to their respective homelands for the holidays. Antigua is gonna be really quiet with all this fun characters gone… oh well! Some of them are coming back, other are going for good (in this respect, Antigua is a lot like the DC… people are always coming and going). Like they say, there’s no place like home for the holidays! My dad is actually getting here on Dec 12th, and my sister will be arriving on Dec 21st…. woohoo! It should be a really fun Xmas with the nephews and the entire family here.

Sports wise, the NE Patriots are still undefeated after a couple of really close calls… and the Bosox are working out a deal to try and land Cy Young winner Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins. If the trade goes through, we might have one of the best starting rotations ever!!!

Question??? How come only Alohagirl, Myhiatus, and your host are blogging now? What happend to Bulch, Eri, Zeus, Kellygal, and others? The fun thing about blogging, is reading what's going on in everybody's world /mind and checking out the different pics... and it's tons more fun if others are doing it as well (sounds like peer pressure, but it's different). So please, if you have a free minutes during a week, update your blogs or drop us some lines... porfa!!!

Saludos a todos y abrazos,
CRCP

P.S. - They just raised the prices of drinks at Monoloco… it’s actually starting to be almost as expensive as going out in the city!
P.S. II - Finally got the new Eros Ramazzotti CD… it’s a greatest hits collection plus new mixes and four new songs… Highly recommend getting it!
P.S. III - Showers and hot water rule!!!