Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Ciro and Irene had invited Gary and us to their home for Christmas Eve dinner. We arrived, (long trip-down the stairs and across their patio), shortly before 9 PM. Irene and Nancy were still at church, so we visited with Ciro and young Alan. Naturally, Alan was very excited about Christmas as he had been told that he could open his gifts after dinner. He kept a sharp eye out for the return of his mother and grandmother. He had to show us some of the dinner that was cooked, his favorite apparently. Gary told us some stories of where he had gone during the day on his bike and what he had seen. Alan, of course, spent some time goofing around with Roy. Ciro told us some more history of the area and of Mexico in general, in response to our many questions. The ladies returned and Alans enthusiasm to get dinner over with prompted him to assist by setting the table. His mother came out of the kitchen and shook her head when she saw that he had put tiny luncheon plates out for everyone.

Dinner was delicious as usual, Irene and Nancy are both excellent cooks. There was a rolled roast with olives and other things inside which was very tender and delicious, mashed potatoes, macaroni salad, and some vegetables. They served this to us on our plates, and then asked us to help ourselves off of the other plates in the center of the table. Our plates were already full and we also had a side dish of refried beans (seems to be a favorite of Garys) so it was difficult to find room to add more, either to the plate or our stomachs. Ciro kept explaining to us that it was buffet style and to help ourselves. The other dishes on offer were: fresh lobster, roasted chicken, and a seafood casserole and of course fancy bread. The buffet idea was different from last year and unfortunately I didn't have room to try everything. What I did have was very, very good. At the end of the meal, Irene brought out desert, which was one of her delicious pineapple desserts. We have had this with them before and as well as being delicious it is very pretty to look at.

We chatted about the differences in the everyday cuisine between here and Canada (or at least the area we were from). We explained that in Alberta, shrimp and lobster are not eaten as an everyday thing, that they are expensive and are served/eaten more on special occasions. They were amazed when I told them what a lobster dinner in a restaurant in Alberta would cost. We find that we are also eating more shrimp, etc. here as time goes by and it is not such a special thing to us anymore either.

We chatted about traveling and teased Ciro about his new job for the CFE in the new year. He is retired; but his old boss has been bugging him to come back in a different capacity. If I understood him correctly, he will be traveling about Mexico doing some training for the employees of CFE. We knew that he was going to be doing this; but had thought that it was only to be in the Guaymas, Hermosillo area or perhaps it has now evolved. I don't know. We told him that Irene should go with him and while he is working she could be shopping. Irene laughed and said that she prefers to shop with Nancy, as then they can take their time trying things on. Ciro doesn't care to shop much. It will be interesting to see how it goes, as Ciro is the one who likes to stay home and Irene is the one who likes to travel. Ciro did so much travelling at other times in his life, he likes to be at home now. It will not be a constant job though, so maybe it will be OK. Irene told us about some family members in other countries that she hopes to visit next year.

As we chatted, Alan opened his gifts. He was very excited and I had a very difficult time understanding him last night. It appeared that he got most of the things that he had hoped for and Santa Claus had not arrived yet. One difference here is that he is allowed to stay up until midnight when Santa arrives and then gets to open the rest of his gifts. I asked if he would then sleep in, in the morning and Nancy ruefully shook her head. Ciro explained to us that Christmas Eve is when the married children spend time with the wifes family and that tomorrow they will all be at his house for Christmas day. Carlos was at his girlfriends home in Obregon and young Ciro and his family were at his wifes family. I am not sure why Nancy, Alan and young Alan were not at Nancys mothers last night, as they were last year. Ciro is at his happiest when he has all his family around him, he says he is a traditionalist in this way. A young fellow, who lives just behind us and is a very good friend of the family, stopped in for a visit and of course had to have something to eat. We laughed as he attempted to carve some chicken and finally handed both the chicken and his plate to Irene to fix for him. She, laughingly, referred to him as her other son. When the stairs were finally in place for us here, he would bounce over the roof and down the stairs to visit. We noticed that he had stopped doing this and wondered why. One day Ciro laughingly told us that grandma had given him heck and told him not to do this anymore, as the upstairs was our home. We told Ciro that we didn't mind in the least; but grandmas word held as he still walks all the way around. We thought this was pretty funny. Grandma, according to Ciro watches out for us and our things.

Gary noticed that it was midnight, so we left so that Santa Claus could arrive for Alan. A lovely evening with good food and better company.

Today we head out for San Carlos for another meal and will also show Gary some of the sights around there.