Aaaaand WE'RE BACK!

On Christmas Monday, we went to the nearest city to buy ingredients for the adobo H promised I would make. (Sya talaga nagpramis, no?) I was willing to make menudo, kaldereta, even morcon; but NO. He wanted me to make adobo.

So I stood in the kitchen for about an hour and a half, making sure I don't burn the chicken because I had to live up to my brother's adobo which the others had a taste of last summer. Well, I didn't burn it alright, but I think it tastes better with a little carbon :)

The next day was special because it marked our fourth month as Mr & Mrs Dumonster. He wasn't planning on doing anything but since we had an argument a day before Christmas eve, I was in the position to ask for a special monthsary evening. Heh heh.

All I wanted was dinner outside, simple, maybe just a brasserie and a movie; but we found out that they don't play movies in English in that neck of the woods. So he took over the itinerary which started at 12nn with a haircut for us both.

After lunch, we went to the spa because his mom told him the california massage there was good. It sat in the middle of nowhere, built on what used to be a farm.

We waded around in the pool, sweat it out in the sauna and then relaxed in the jacuzzi - but since there was only one attendant that day I had to wait until his hour-long massage was finished before I could get my facial.

So for an hour I went back and forth between the sauna and jacuzzi. It was nice to float around in the hot water while the world shuddered outside. The massage prices in that region are much lower than in Paris so we had to profitez ou il est pas cher (enjoy it where it's cheap).

And then, at last, our first real evening date in a really long time! After getting married we mostly ate home-cooked meals or ordered take-away, so this evening out with just the two of us was really special. I felt like an adult again! This also meant he could get a few days of peace from me :)

The following day we went to La Creuse and spent the night so H can help reshingle the roof.

 I went promenading with my constant walking partner, Gael.

But with fog this thick...

You can't hope to get too far.

By Thursday evening we were back in Paris, watching the third installment of Superman. It was duller than I remembered, and they wasted Richard Pryor. H fell asleep on the couch and woke up with a stiff neck on New Year's Eve day.

On this side of the planet, the 31st is St. Sylvestre's and you never greet anyone "Happy New Year" until midnight.

"Ginger" was my New Year's alias :)

We had a small gathering at home to greet 2011, but we had an argument just before the guests arrived. After five months with him, his panic attacks were beginning to wear my patience thin. But I stopped being angry long before midnight. Kissed and made-up, we rang in the new year together as husband and wife.

Happy New Year!

Bonne Annee!

Maligayang Bagong Taon!