Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

December has flown by like I was standing still and in another week, we'll ring in a New Year! It's Christmas Day already here in Qatar. I teased my granddaughter that Santa comes here before he gets to her house! She did not like THAT one bit!

Being away from family at the holidays is difficult at best. It's hard not to feel a little sorry for yourself at times, but then common sense takes over, Skype kicks in, your granddaughter "reads" to you from the Christmas gift (kindergarten workbook/activities) you sent to her, and then it's not so bad. It doesn't exactly "feel" like Christmas....we were followed home tonight by thunder and lightning and rain. No Christmas lights on trees or houses or down the main street of town. No calling of Merry Christmas or Happy New Year everywhere around you as you shop or go out to eat or stop to buy gas. However, there were a few who wished us those things, and it was appreciated. I found myself having to ask people, "Do you celebrate Christmas?" because you don't want to wish Christmas blessings on someone who does not appreciate it. That kind of bothers me because I wished Eid Mubarak to everyone I met and saw during those holidays, but what can we do? Be merry and enjoy ourselves anyway! The Lulu Hypermarket had a nice selection of Christmas candy and played carols this evening. Giant Store gave us a 15% discount for shopping with them today. I appreciate those things a lot. It was a long day for us. I worked this morning, Nelson shoed a horse and picked me up for lunch about 1 p.m. We ate fast and did our Christmas shopping quickly...we agreed with Nettie that due to the money crunch in our bank account, we would have a "Daiso" Christmas this year (Daiso is the equivalent of a dollar store where everything costs 7 riyal, or roughly $1.90), and we've had trouble getting there. There's only one, unlike dollar stores which are everywhere in the U.S.
After that, we shoed the front feet of a horse at the Federation, ran over to the racetrack to see the second race in which a horse Nelson has shod was running, only to discover it started early today and we missed it. The horse placed 7th, but it's his first race back after a long layup, so wait til next time, Doha! We finally met Jeremy and Ellen! Michael and Crystal met us at the track for a short while. We schmoozed a little with a couple clients and then ran back over to the Federation to shoe the hind feet of that horse. THEN! We headed for Lulu, stopped and got a few things for a Christmas breakfast, some desserts for dinner and more baking stuff. Don't ask! Then, finally, at 8 p.m. we headed home to eat dinner at Imelda and Martin's at 9 p.m. Soooo tired already by then, but enjoyed delicious turkey and mashed potatoes and a lot of other Filipino Christmas foods and treats made by Imelda and her aunt, Medina. It was so good and we ate so much, we will have to wait for dessert until tomorrow! Then, hurry home to Skype with the kids. Mykayla opened her gift from us, a kindergarten workbook, which she proceeded to read to us and work puzzles like there was no tomorrow. We love Skype! Poor Kenzie is sick in bed and everybody else at Carrie's has a nasty cold except Kayla. Then more phone calls home, wrapping gifts, filling Nelson's stocking with mini Payday bars (he was just lamenting over not being able to find any here this week so they were a find!), fighting heartburn (what was in those spring rolls, Imelda?), and blogging before I run a hot bath with mineral salts (rose scented...gift to myself from Daiso) and go to bed. My brain is actually wide awake and my book will probably keep me awake for awhile (Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali), but I can sleep in as late as I want! :)
Hohoho! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!