December [diciembre] 2025

Well, its December. 

I started writing this on a national holiday here since we had an unexpected day off... which it would have been nice to know before we got up and got dressed and made breakfast... but at least we found out before we left the house. I wondered why the folks at the bar were tying it on so tight last night: they knew. The country shuts down for the day of the Immaculate Conception. 

The weather has been really nice. Days start chilly and end chilly, but mid-day is usually warm enough if the sun is out. We went for a hike today and ended up sheading every layer. 50 degrees felt like 70.  There are Christmas lights hanging over every street, a faux tree sits in the main plaza. Its really beautiful, and I have yet to get a single picture that does it justice.

Looking forward to the new year. It always feels like December is a tough time to get anything done, everyone is on vacation in their minds. I have had a hard time getting in to the holidays the last couple of years, and this year is no exception it seems. I hope I can find some Christmas spirit, but so far this year seems to feel just as heavy as the last few. Presents are practical this year, even the kids have mentioned not really wanting much, commenting that they have everything they need and the addition of more stuff won't make anyone any happier. New shoes, money for digital games, a couple of small but highly useful and practical items. We're planning a big meal, I'm desperate for a mega dose of comfort food.

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So, after a month and a half, the rose tinted glasses have cracked and the realities of life are setting in. Its still amazing, and we're really happy, but we are still people and we are still struggling with our normal, everyday people stuff.  Beau and Robert have really seemed to blossom, they are going out and socializing an engaging with the townies and it seems easy and even invigorating for them.  Aeryn and I like to walk around, look at cool stuff, and avoid talking to people as much as we can. The streets and old buildings are fun to walk through, but the pressure to greet every. single. person. we walk past is overwhelming to someone like me that would really just rather disappear info the background.  And since we are the only Americans in town and everyone definitely knows who we are, I can't NOT greet people, because then people would think I was rude... which I am not trying to be, but they don't know that. 

I'm impatient with myself not learning the language as fast as I'd like, and it makes me hesitant to go out and do other things, knowing I will struggle with understanding others and being understood. Turns out a tiger doesn't change its stripes, even in a place as friendly as Benabarre. I am just as introverted as I have always been and have zero desire to go out at all unless its for a hike or a quiet picnic or to a friends house to sip wine and chat away from the glaring eyes of the public. So mostly, our shenanigans have been family and home based, or nature based where there is less chance of running into people.

But GOLLY the landscape is beautiful. It reminds me a lot of southern California, and parts of Oregon, high desert. Sage and Rosemary and Thyme and Lavender just grow wild EVERYWHERE. I have been picking little bits on every walk and making bundles to burn. They smell AMAZING, sweet and earthy. I light one up daily and walk around the house with it to infuse some of that warm sunshine vibe into every room. 

The other day we came across an old flour mill that was probably about 300 years old, maybe older. You could go in it, and under it where the water used to flow (its been blocked off now) and see the big wheels that used to turn and grind, and the large space where they used to hold the grain to be milled. Next to it was a small stone bridge that was simply labeled The Roman Bridge and I couldn't read the plaque on that one because it was so sun-bleached, so no telling how old it was, but I'd venture a guess it was OLD. We sat on it for a while and imagined people from several hundred years ago traversing it with baskets of grain to be milled or standing and chatting. This place is so cool.

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There was a holiday pageant at the school, both kids had parts to play which was awesome. It lasted probably 3 hours. Aeryn played 1 minute of Highway to Hell with 3 other kids from her class, and Robert had a sort of acrobatic performance that they made up and had been working on for weeks. There are videos in the album. 

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This morning is Christmas Day. Feliz Navidad, y'all. 

We had home made ramen with all the fixins and home made sushi last night. It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had, and we had so much fun. We made paper crowns and we talked and laughed and danced (literally). It was so simple and small, but it was perfect. This morning, we sat by the fire and opened some simple, but very useful gifts. OH! And it SNOWED. Real snow. Everyone was so happy, I nearly cried. This may be the best Christmas ever.

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That about wraps up this year. I'll write more of our New Years shenanigans in the January email. 

Sorry this email was so scattered. Its been a scatterbrained kind of month. Typing as the month goes on so it's gonna be a little chaotic, sorry again.