Monday, December 6, 2010

Christmas is coming, but not when expected

So, it is finally December, moving closer and closer to the fabled winter break, where I get to not go to training and not do PC stuff for the most part and I get to go to Spain.  Yeah!  The only slight let down is the lack of Christmas type things.  Christmas isn't on December 25th here because holidays really work on the Eastern Orthodox calendar.  I mean Christmas will still happen but no one has their Christmas tree up yet and they didn't even start Christmas commercials until December and there wasn't the whole post Thanksgiving jump into Christmas like I am used to.  A friend of my emailed me and said she set up her tree and it looked awesome even if we didn't get to put it up together and that I am going to miss out of cookie-baking-fest.  Sigh.  Well I will have to make some new traditions for this year and the next.  I will do some baking but the date is still uncertain at this point.  But the lack of ceremony and well known traditions is a bit startling.  

On the plus side I am no longer dreaming of a white Christmas because it has finally appeared!!  Unfortunately it came with some freezing rain and a good layer of ice, then a melt and a lot of regular rain, but now we are back to just snow for the most part.  And I have to say, I love yaktrax, those grippy things you put on your shoes so you don't slip and fall.  I remember getting them in July or August and thinking "I don't need these, I'm from AK, these are stupid"  I can say without shame and a great deal of thankfulness that those are one of the best inventions in the world.  When I thought about walking on ice I did not realize that ice here means a skating rink covering every surface and it is well polished.  And all the Moldovans I show them to think I am super clever for having found a way not to fall.  It also helps that my shiny black Moldovan leather boots without any tred what-so-ever have been consigned to indoor wear only and my hiking boots are now my outdoor shoes until my rated to -25 AK boots get here to take there place.  I will be kicking winter's figurative butt.  As it happens my layers are already too much for the walk to school.  I think "It will be cold out today, I will wear my winter coat, hat and mittens"  I get outside, it is slightly cold, mostly windy and I get about 5 minutes into my walk and am quite hot.  However I need the layers for in school because it is about 50 degrees all day and if I didn't have layers I would be cold.  Outside I can do, it is inside that is troublesome.  

Other than that life is still good. :)  Lots of work, lots of little things to get over or work around but still good.  

Happy Holidays!  Merry Christmas!! Happy New Year!!!!  Feliz Navidad!!