here am i

I've succesfully crossed the Rio Grande and am within the boundaries of the Land of the Free and the Home of the Slave. Haha. So I'm not keen on all the oversized shopping chains, people, Texas and all the rest...but everyone's entitled to their own taste and opinion blah, blah but what I AM happy about and didn't even realize I missed till pretty much this evening is:

-drinking water from the tap
-AIR CON!!
-dryers
-electric stoves/ovens
-cake mix in a box
-HOT SHOWER
-english speaking people
-cable cable cable wireless wireless wireless

There's more I'm sure but that's a good start.

I'm visiting my mommy and daddy and 8 younger siblings for 2 days. I haven't seen them for almost a year so it's always interesting to see what new teeth they've grown, skills they've aquired, how many heads taller than me they are and how my little brothers' squeaky voices have now become deep baritones. They are strangers to me....in mere months! The nerve!

More on that later for I have a hot shower to attend to.

ps. Oh, and I've got to give mad props to our chef. Good god, this woman knows how to treat guests.
What the hell is Pesto Tortellini Ravioli Pasta? Yea...that's what I said..but it's darn righteous with a glass of Californian Red Wine and a big rowdy family reunion dinner.