It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas....

This is my most recent 'morning' picture taken in Kansas back in October when Jerry and I were headed back to the airport to come home.

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning...

It's time to rise and shine...

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning...

I hope you're feeling fine!

Quick get up - get out of bed...

Quick get up you sleepy head...

Quick get up - you know there's plenty to do

Doodely do do doodely doodely dooooo.

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning

It's creating time!!!

Whew! 

I love that song.

It always makes me happy and hopefully made my kids happy on the occasions when I woke them singing it.

Now I sing it to myself and Jerry - along with a few other happy songs to get my day off right.. I'm sure the neighbors can hear me 

Taken way back in June or July but the best pix I have of the 6 story bldg behind me. THOSE are the neighbors I worry about waking. :)

but I try not to think about that...except in the sense that it'll make them happy too.

Unless they wanted to sleep in.

The weather in Barranquilla is enough to make you feel good. My friend told me that as I go about town, I'll notice that the Barranquilleros are happier than usual and it's because of the lower humidity and wind.

Today's forecast is a high of 89 degrees with 79% humidity with winds at 8 miles an hour. The sky is sunny and blue and I love it.

Energy!

Sticky, sweaty nights are just a memory with the wind coming through the house these days. We still use the fan - but more to block out noise than to keep cool.

From what we've been told, this weather pattern - with mucho more wind - most days lots more - will hold until March. 

Woo Hoo!

Christmas is another reason why the people here are so happy. Decorations went up in full force the week of Thanksgiving and have been getting more and more evident as the day draws near.

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I don't usually decorate until a few days before Christmas, but we actually have two trees up and ready for decorations. Jerry is working on the lights as we speak.

I've gathered all of my Christmas stuff from around the house and have it laying on a table on my lanai.

That table was one of the best things I've purchased since moving here. 

The angle doesn't show how tall it is and that's Jerry working on a key mobile which reminds me daily that I have ALL the keys to life.

It's taller and longer than the average dining table which makes it perfect to not only eat on, but as a laundry folding station, work on projects outside area, overflow when we have company and hold all. We bought it for $50 at a second hand shop after considering it for a week or more and I'm SO glad we did!

Ok - I better get busy decorating or it'll be another day gone - but - before I go, I wanted to show you more of Barranquilla at Christmas time...

This one and the next two were taken at Buena Vista Mall.

Merry Almost Christmas!!!

Oh What A Beautiful Moooorrrrnnnniiiinnnnggggg!!!!!

I went to bed this morning just after midnight and read till almost 3am. 

I was tired and sleepy but our neighbors around the corner on the next block were having a party and there was live music...so I just stayed up and enjoyed it!

On the weekends here in Curramba, in our barrio, Los Nogales, there is always a party going on.

And on Monday.

Tuesday.

Wednesday.


Etc., Etc., Etc.

Unless it's raining.

Thank God for the rain!

The music is always at full blasteroonies...and with no AC - the windows are wide open - and living on the top of the highest hill just pulls the sound right into the room. 


Sometimes the stereos have blown speakers. Well a lot of the time actually. Oh Well.


When in Rome...


As the Barranquilleros say, "life here in the city is very colorful".


And they're right on.


Right on.


Right on.


Anyway...the live music last night wasn't Banda Papayera (named after a bird of the same name) 

(and last Saturday night...at our first ball in Barranquilla, I danced to it most of the night) (more later when I learn how to load videos on here via YouTube) 

or Reggaeton - which are both very popular here - and the only two I think I recognize or know the name of - but it had an accordian so may have been Vallenato - which come to think of it, is the other one I know of.

There are LOTS of musicians in Atlantico. 

And they reallllly come out at night.

Curramba is one of Barranquilla's nicknames and means party and dancing. And boy did they get that one right!


So...I read my novel while enjoying the band until the wee hours -  knowing we were getting up early to go out for breakfast. 

And you know what? 

Instead of stressing about having to get up in 5 short hours (I usually need a good 8), I gave up the fight and really loved it. 

I totally enjoyed our neighbors enjoyment.


Now...how to get an invite to their next party.


Jerry loves to go out for breakfast. It's his favorite meal out and since we've lived here in Barranquilla...we haven't been even once...until today.


Yesterday, I asked my yerno - Pedro - where we could go find bacon, eggs and pancakes and he told me the Hotel Barranquilla Plaza was the place to go.

So, we told the kids we'd treat...and off we went.


It's a really nice Hotel downtown - which is in the northern section of the city - close to lots of great restaurants and shopping.

They - as is most of the city - are all dressed up for Christmas...

did you know?!? Pedro told us this morning that the original Santa was dressed in blue! I didn't know that!! He said CocaCola's campaign changed it to red. Cool Whip...huh?!?

We sat poolside - which Sophia was thrilled to see! As was annie! grandma. :) I love a big, clean pool.

But even more thrilling was the fact that they had bacon at the omelet bar! 

Crisp, smoked, salty bacon.


Along with lots of other yummy, scrumptious and delicious...everything!!!


The five of us ate enough to...well...never mind how much we ate. But know this...


it was good! 


No...


Better than good...

On the way inside, we put in our orders for eggs at the 'omelet bar'

which is on the far side of the picture above.


The lady in the foreground was the deep fat fryer operator and arepa & empanada maker extraordinaire.


Ohhh la, LA!

Inside we found lots of breakfast breads - which are very popular here in Colombia...

And fresh fruit...meat...and cheese...

There was even soup!

And it was all beautifully arranged...

And coveted by all...

After eating our full - and then some - loved those empanadas - but well before I was ready - Sophia decided she wasn't waiting anymore and off came the clothes. 

I mean...what's more important? Food or Pool?!?

The water was Mucho Frio!!!


Ok...I know that lots of you are experiencing freezing temperatures and snow and there isn't much sympathy for pool go-ers but I'm here to tell you...that once your blood gets used to a humid 92 degrees, 80 is downright COLD!!!


And the water was at most 70 degrees.


Brrrrr.

But we all plunged in...

Except Jerry who lounged while reading the paper...in Spanish no less.

And the sun came out and warmed us - intermittently - and we all loved it.


Did I ever tell you how fast the clouds move here along the coast?!?

They're really, really fast.

After an hour or so, our wascly wabbit was ready to get dry and warm and she came to annie! grandma who was.

Then...we decided to look inside and go to the top of the building where lucky ducky Pedro gets to go to dinner at the restaurant on the 26th floor for a staff-only Christmas party held by Uni Norte...

The service inside and out was impeccable by the way...
 

On the way to the elevator we passed the lounge...

But...we ran into a little snaggle when we tried pushing the button for the top floor. A staff member told us it was closed at the time but went out of his way to get special permission to take us up.


I didn't get his name...but THANK you!


And then


BRRRRRRRP!


We were on top of the world!!!

And honey, that's where I'm gonna stay.
 

This is the first thing I saw when I stepped off the elevator...

YowZA!!!


It was so awesomely awesome, beautiful and terrific that the security guard who took us up saw our excitement and

offered to take us to the roof top. Pedro and I went with him - no children allowed but Jerry and Hillary were happy to wait with Sophia.



This is a shot of my neighborhood - well...the general direction of it...

If you click on the picture above, you'll see a tower partially wrapped in blue and green plastic. We live just about 1/4 mile beyond that.

As Sophia would say...


FANTABULO!!!


Here's the Magdalena River in the background...

With the bridge - Puente Pumarejo - way off in the background. That's the one we'll cross when we head to Santa Marta. Soon...very soon.

Which I can't wait to experience, take pictures of and tell you about!!!


But in the meantime...

Don't Look Down!

Following The Butterfly

I just finished making 24 Christmas cards! 


When I started...I had NO idea that they would become cards - but that's what happened.

I read or hear about artists - I even know a few (go look at Hollis Chatelain's website) (she dreams her quilts) (her work is extraordinary) - who have a picture in their mind of what the finished product will look like - for the most part - when they start making art. 

That's incredible to me!!!

Even more amazing than that...is that they have a plan to GET to where they see their art going.

Not I.

Unless I'm making a quilt from a picture I've taken - like this one of Puerto Colombia...

or in the case of 'The Kiss' - I used a picture of a painting by Gustav Klimt.

Even then I impose silly rules on myself...like I can ONLY use scraps that are in this or that particular container. Or they can only be scraps that are under 4 inches. (Like I did with my version of 'The Kiss' above). And I don't pick them out in advance. I tend to just grab the next thing that'll work.

And so on and so forth.

I know...weird.

Sometimes it makes me feel like I'm not a "real" artist.


You know...that lack of a vision and plan.


I usually just get started and "follow the butterfly".


I've done that all my life. In pretty much every area of my life. But that's a subject for another day.


Anywho...I kinda sorta think I like these cards. 


I have a stash of paper you wouldn't be-lieve. It's huge because I keep adding to it and I really don't work with paper very often. 

At least - it doesn't play a starring role in my art.


When I was making Sophia's invitations last month, I made little card size quilties and then went looking in aforementioned stash for card stock to sew them on to. (You can see them in an older blog if you want to take a look-see).

Well...as organized as I am...and I AM, my paper stuff hasn't gotten that kind of attention yet. 

So while I was emptying drawers...I followed the butterfly - and organized according to weight, size, store bought, hand made, saved wrapping paper, paper towels I've painted, paper bags I've painted, etc., etc., etc.


I now KNOW where everything in my paper stash is located - well except for two drawers - and that's another few hours work - for another day.


I decided when I did all this marvelous organizing that the next thing I made...would be with paper. 


It's ridiculous to have the amount of paper I have.


Crazy.


Loco.


Wonderful.


So...I went in the playroom one night last week and procrastinated by mending a few items.


Did you hear what I just said?!?


I MENDED because I didn't want to - or know how to - or what to do with the paper stuff!!!


Mending yuk.


After fixing two items, I decided to fearlessly plunge in.


To a book that is.


Now...I used to spend hours looking at art and craft books wishing, hoping and dreaming that I could make something beautiful.

Then I decided - after a couple years of that - to Just DO It.


But I found myself in this book the other night...

And told myself that the first thing I came to that I liked, I would make.


Otherwise I knew I'd spend a couple hours looking for the "perfect" project.


And then art wouldn't happen.


Not as fast at least.


So...here's what I found less than 30 seconds later...

They're tags...for presents. 

I know...mine don't look anything like them. :)


First they instruct you to make a stamp (Christmas tree shape triangle) and then a stencil (trunk with branches). 

So I made mine and stamped and stenciled and cut shapes using the first paper that I came to (which I thought would work) - from one of those two drawers that still needs organizing. Then I glued my shapes onto heavier pieces of paper.


BTW - when they tell you to use stencil material to make a stencil...unless you want it to fall apart - like mine did (I used heavy cardboard)...you might want to follow directions.


I have a problem with that. 


Following directions that is.


And...


FYI - the glue that I used is 2-3 years old which may be the reason it was sooo messy - but I don't think I'll be trying 2 Way Glue again unless somebody tells me how wonderful it is. It really took a LOT of the fun out of my play time.


The next day when I went to do the next thing, the glue still wasn't dry but that may be because Barranquilla is humid most of the time.


I fixed that by sprinkling glitter where ever there was a sticky spot.


Which meant my little shapes - stars, hearts, etc now look like blobs of glitter.


Oh well.


Nevertheless, I did have fun...but mine came out a little bigger than theirs which meant I ended up with really big tags.

I didn't like them very much...

until Hillary came over one afternoon and ooohed and aaaahhhed over them.


It surprised me enough to take a second look and get back in the play room and...well... 

play.

So I stamped over my stamping and stenciling with stamps from my very extensive rubber stamp collection, added buttons and scraps of string and trim and glued them onto card stock.

And then stamped a little more.

I now have 24 Christmas cards that I totally don't need because I've been collecting them at yard sales for years and probably have enough to send for the rest of my life.

And since I live in Colombia - where the cost of mailing anything is prohibitive (and you thought the United States PO was bad) I probably won't use a fraction of them.

But I will use the ones I made first.


If you don't get a card from me it's because I'm really good at collecting them


and really bad at sending them.


Either way...I'll be thinking of you and missing you this Christmas


like crazy.