That really hurt Charlie and it's still hurting.

Jan 1, 2009
The first day of the year was a day of recovery. My ankle was more swollen than it rightly should have been due to the fact that I hobbled around town in my invincibility cloak the night before feeling as fine as a swine thanks to the excess intake of Argentinian wine and peach liquor. I suppose the one footed jump roping over the viuda coup lines didn't help either. It's just that I wanted to share my variation of double dutch on the flip. Note to self- even when trying to use one foot, jumping rope on sprained ankle is counterproductive to the healing process. Sometime during the mid-afternoon, I just so happened to walk by a mirror, and I noticed that my right eyelashes were pretty much singed all the way off. I guess that is the price one pays for getting too close to the año viejo flames in order to take a picture of Michael Jackson's burning face (did I mention he was my effigy mask of choice that I burned in representation of my farewell to 2009? Now he will have good luck in the afterlife.) We watched Where the Wild Things are that night and I was reminded of how much I love Bob and Terry. They really get to the heart of things, don't they? It also made me want to sleep in a real pile just like the old GH days. And have a dirt clod war.

Jan 2, 2009
Yesterday we decided to celebrate Cath's birthday because we will be on top of ancient Peruvian ruins when the real day comes, and not with the fam. So, we went to the beer store, got some supplies in Pifo, whipped up a happy cake, and decorated the porch with some balloons and serpientes. It was quite fun, we had some delicious vegan food for dinner (do not ask me how she managed to make vegan gravy here, I have no idea) and listened to the cult favorites on the computer playlist. Yes Ace of Base was on there. We had a small piñata made out of a clay pot that looked much like a baseball that had been ripped apart by the little girl at the movie store, and so instead of beating the thing from a hanging string, we decided to pitch it to the birthday girl in a very short game of everyones favorite American past time. She had two foul balls, but como siempre, the third time is a charm. She hit that sucker out of the park and her solitary Life Saver roll flew into the garden (it's hard to find vegan candy in Pifo). We ended up watching a Mr. Bean movie that we had picked up at the aforementioned movie store later that evening. I hate Mr. Bean. But it turns out I like him better in black and white and when he is not funny. Plus I love Mrs. McGonagal, and she played a murderess, so it turned out to be a rather ok movie. Live up your early 20s while you still can Cath. Long live Mexican style beer and hold out pictures. All in all it was a swimmingly good day.

P.S. It was good to talk to you Mama and Papi, we miss you so much and love you more than Argo loves the taste of a finely crafted shoe. (And Cath loves you even more.) She wrote that and it's simply not true. I do. Ok, ok, stop finger pointing Cath, we both love you the same amount. Our lives consist of not only a series of similes but also the perpetual struggle for favoritism. And for the record- she has started leaving bread out. (Try to differentiate between the two authors here. Come on, you can do it). Yeah she misuses periods. Touche.

Jan 3, 2009
We are all off to Quito now to go on the teleférico!! The very point of origin of the Margo Margo song back in 2006. Time to take in views of 8 different volcanoes and drink some te de coca. Cheerio! p.s. Good thing I don't have my contacts in yet. Cath just mooned me while singing "On Top of Spaghetti."