Rock n roll

If I had been born in Matamoros, Texas or possibly even somewhere in Southern California, I might now have a different perspective on this, but suntan lotion and lawn mowers do not belong on the list of things deemed useful in the month of December... How can it currently be the Christmas season? The sky is blue, the sun is shining and the thermometer is pushing seventy. A sweat drenched t-shirt, an out of shape/out of breath, balding gringo are all that remain lying on the field, after a quick game of futbol (or soccer as we call it) has ended.

I have come to expect a certain normalcy of events and scenes to unfold before me as the countdown to Christmas begins, it's just this year, it is different...quite different. The calender says Dec 12, but yet I walk around in shorts and other summertime attire.

Where is the snow? Where are the hundreds of houses lined up with glowing lights and gaudy inflatable snowmen? Where are the candy canes? Where are the Salvation Army dudes with ringing bells and big black kettles? Where are the shopping mall kiosks selling the finest of meats and cheeses? Where is my ice scraper... come to think of it, where is my car? A mid-day cookout? An open window, with bumble bees randomly entering to check out the scene, only to become trapped in the maze of walls and windows. Is the sun supposed to stay in the sky till 9:45pm? Wait,...We are in Chile.... I thought Dec,Jan,Feb are winter months? "Schoooooooool's..out, for the winter'" Just doesn't have quite the same ring to it as the original anthem, eh? weird....Dec, Jan, and March are summer months here. I guess the song is correct no matter what hemisphere you live in... eh Kim?

Don't get me wrong though... I have seen a fair share of creepy white bearded Nicoli peering through sun reflected window panes, and at Jumbo, the deals...oh the deals!! And our apartment is filled with the smells of cookies and the sounds of carols and Radio Friend Phil.

I guess it is just about Christmas time...It just doesn't quite feel like it. In one week we will embrace the cold northeast and the warm hugs and embraces of friends and family. See y'all real soon, ya hear?