christmas in connecticut

I spent the week of Christmas in Connecticut with Leo and his family. I slept, ate, and laughed more in one week than I did the past month. I came home relaxed and thankful for a virtually stress-free family Christmas. I'm very grateful for the kindness of Leo's parents and family. Some highlights:

• A fun noche buena (Christmas eve) with more cousins, aunts, uncles, and random Latins than I could keep track of. Hearing Leo's aunt Olga tell people whom I'd just met (and conversed with in Spanish) that "She speaks Spanish" (she said it in English).
  
• An asado where Juan and Dilamar grilled up chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), chinchulines (intestines), riñonones (kidneys) flank steak, and skirt steak. I enjoyed everything except the kidneys.
• Waking up to the smell of Nibia's cooking. On my last morning, I rolled over and my first thought was "mmm ... ajo (garlic)."
  
• Empanadas. And the pastel de pollo. (Hey, I said I ate a lot.)
• Poring over old family photographs with Leo's family.
  
• Walking to the top of Tod's Point and actually feeling cold. (I'm still 0 for 2 on the white Christmas in NY thing.)
  
• Meeting up with Leo, Scott, Monika, Ben, and James at MOMA, then heading to the Village for dinner at Yaffa Cafe with the peeps. Getting shit from Scott and James when I took out my crochet in a bar that only served beer.
• Laughing with Martin, Nibia, Leo, and Juan at Juan's "bing, bang, boom!" explanation of how to buy a train ticket on the platform.
• Hanging out with Nibia and learning how to sew on an overlock machine.
• Seeing Tristan laugh, dance, and mimic me when I stuck my tongue out and said "rbbbbbbbbbbbbbbt."
  
• Never leaving West Coast time. (We slept until 11 a.m. and were up until 3 most of the week.)
• Late night tea and movies in bed.