My Hiatus

oh, hello there.  It's been a while but for a while there wasn't much to tell.  My school gave me a 2-3 week hiatus while they figured out how best to use me (their words not mine) and during those 2-3 weeks days seemed to blur together with a lot of browsing the internet, wandering while Octavio was in school, and halfway searching for a new job in case my school came to the conclusion that they didn't have a need for me after all.  But luckily, I got a call on Monday asking me to come in and talk to the principal.  After some chitchat and talk about how I liked the school and how long I planned to be in Xalapa she asked if I'd like to work there editing English papers and handouts and acting as a substitute teacher until the next school year when they'd find me a class of my own.  (I kind of though that was the deal we'd already agreed upon so I just nodded & said that'd be great)  So that's what I've been doing.  The kids are still great and the teachers still nice.  Thursday while I was helping at recess a group of 4th grade girls gathered around me asking me to say different words in Spanish & then giggling like mad when I did.  (4th grade girls: Say Spanish in Spanish.  Me: Espanol   4th grade girls: No!  Espanol!!  hahahahaha Me: Isn't that what I said??)  Then when they got bored with that they switched to asking me how to say different words in English ( 4th grade girls:  How do you say "nachos" in English?  Me: Nachos.  4th grade girls:  Oh. ) 

Octavio, being the busy beaver and over achiever ( hey! that rhymes!) that he is got an internship with his pastry chef at school.  His chef owns a pastry shop so Octavio has been helping him there (a lot!) but he's really been enjoying everything he's learning.  I've been enjoying his practicing what he's learning at home but not his working so much.  Good thing I have Lola to keep me company! 

I'm going home for Christmas in 14 days (not that I'm counting down or anything) and I'm really looking forward to it. I already have my meals all planned out.  Pizza (for some reason the pizza here is just..lacking.)  Barbecue (which is weird because I'm not a big meat fan but I could really go for some Jack Stack right about now) Chinese food, and ironically enough, Mexican food.  But American, fake, Mexican food.  Like chips and cheese dip Mexican food.  Luckily, I have a brother who is always up for meals out so I know I'll have a companion on my reunion with all the foods I've been missing.

And last but not least, pictures.

It's been cold here the last couple of weeks and Lola has taken to curling up in blankets or just crawling all the way under them.  We have to check bumps in the bed to make sure we don't sit on her on accident.

We made a pizza one night and this is Octavio spreading the dough.  Octavio made the dough and the sauce, I put the toppings on.  Even, right?

The pizza's before they went in the oven.  Octavio decided to get fancy & make a pan pizza also.

Preparing our Thanksgiving meal.  We opted for a smaller chicken instead of a turkey since it was only the two of us.

The finished product.

Our mini Thanksgiving.  I made green beans and mashed potatoes.  And I made gravy from scratch.  Be impressed. 

Octavio & his friend Soco.  Octavio is trying to play with Soco's spare instrument- a donkey jaw.

Soco was playing in a charity concert for Las Patronas, a group of women who provide food and water to immigrants from Central America traveling by train so we went to watch one weekend.

The main stage set up at the event.

Thank you letters from travelers to the patronas.

Octavio called me a creeper but this kid in his St. Louis Cardinals hat caught my eye.

a dance group at the Patronas event.

A really weird theatre group.  Everything centered around suitcases.

Of course I made friends with a dog.

Some acrobats performed at the event as well.

Soco's band performing.

There was another event going on at the same time nearby.

Lola has gotten into the habit of jumping onto your back anytime you bend down for any reason.  She's like a monkey, it gets a little ridiculous but it's humorous none the less.