I can’t complain because of the Cable service. Along with a long list of movie channels, we have the WB and I can check my favorite shows here (Gilmore Girls, Friends, etc). But I can’t stop insisting with the remote control buttons trying to find the info guide, ha ha! Then I remember this is not Illico, just normal cable. My favorite movies now are the ones that have the title at the end of the credits, so at least I can know what was playing… What a loser! LOL.

Things are well. I went “partying” last night with my friends. The quotations marks are there because I just can’t stand still after midnight… the young age is gone. We went to have dinner (Italian) and then to a Karaoke bar, but around 1 a.m. I said good night to everyone. Today I spent the day putting the few Chrismtas decorations on… My mom didn’t even thank me, but that’s another story. My birthday is on Friday… and I miss the hubby. *Le sigh*

Patrice informed me that President Bush has pardonned two turkeys that won’t be eaten on Thanksgiving and they will become the White House pets during the festivities. I’m wondering if they will cook the cute Scottie, Barney… ha ha ha! Bad joke (sorry, Dara!).

Just wanted to stop and say hello and thank everyone for their comments and e-mails; I wish I could reply to all of them, but my internet time here is very limited if I don’t want to leave my mom with a huge phone bill. Things are good, we’re going to Bogotá within the next two weeks to spend a few days with my mom’s sister and my cousins. One of my cousins is a Dr. and she’s into Homeopathy, so she’s going to check how things are inside Bea I can’t wait to see them… It’s been way too long.

I don’t find a lot of things to post about these days. I’ve already stated it very clearly that I’m happy with my family and friends and I’ve met a lot of people. My friends come over almost every day and life is good in general, except for the “turista” that seems to be attacking me, but I’ll recover.

However, my brother and his wife dropped THE bomb today: They are expecting another baby!!! Sweet Jesus, I screamed so hard I think the neighbors thought someone was killing me, ha ha! They haven’t told my nephew yet because he will drive them crazy, but the new member of the family is expected in July 2004. God bless them! I’m so happy… I’ll be an auntie again!

For some reason we can’t connect to the MSN networks from my brother’s computer. The messenger keeps giving me a “your username and password are incorrect” message and when I try to login to Hotmail I get a “Page Not Available” screen. So right now I’m at Patrice’s mercy to go and remove all the junk mail I receive. Not to mention I haven’t been able to communicate with the few pals I have on MSN, but I do connect to Yahoo! a few minutes during the day. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing fine!

I’m having a blast here, been seeing friends and my stomach hurts after all the laughing. I really had a wonderful childhood and we cherish every moment we spend talking about it, especially about all the crazy stuff we used to do. Everybody is happy to see me and I have a first Girls Day Out for tomorrow with three of my best friends. They are going to check on the new PCS technology that has been introduced in the city and they want my “Developped Country Inhabitant” advice, ha!

My mom, the artist, is doing so many beautiful things I want to learn how to do myself. She’s doing decorative painting on wood and fabric, she’s into oil painting classes, she’s doing some kind of knitting with something called “Telar” and the only word I found for that one in English is “Loom”, which I just don’t know if it’s correct. I want to pick up my knitting too… I’m feeling the creative juices flow at high speed and I have to seize the chance now that I’m here with people who will keep me company.

That’s all for now. Will have busy weekend, I guess. TTFN!

When I packed my bags to come to Colombia some of the first things I chose to put inside were books. I brought with me four books and said to myself that I was going to be a good girl and not buy any books in the news stands at Miami airport. The truth is I didn’t even make it out of Montreal without surrendering to the temptation of a brand new book; I bought it at the Maison de la Presse stand that was just in front of my departure gate… I know, bad Bea. I had put A Year in Provence in my carry-on bag to read it during the long journey, but I just couldn’t resist that copy of Jennifer Weiner’s Good in Bed I saw.

The minute the plane took off I got captivated by Cannie Shapiro’s story and I didn’t put the book down in three our flight from Montreal. Once in Miami I was happily greeted by Eliz who drove 40 minutes, leaving the comfort of her house and the company of her husband and children to come and meet me. We ate lunch at La Carreta, delicious cuban restaurant, and spent three whole hours talking about everything you can imagine; I had a great time! (Thank you again, Eliz!). Then it was time for me to go to wait for my flight to Colombia and there at the gate I picked the book again and read and read until it was time to board, and once in the plane I sat down comfortably and continued. Johnny English was the in-flight movie, but I decided the story about the plus sized girl from Philadelphia was way more entertaining. I read through little naps (because I was really tired!). I read before going to bed on Monday after I arrived, I read yesterday and I finished the book in less than two days… It’s just wonderful!

Now I have this urge to go back and pick a copy of In Her Shoes, even if the story is not about Cannie anymore, but she’s there. I really liked Jennifer Weiner’s style, I read the interview at the end of the book and I even thought about sending an e-mail to her to tell her I loved the way she showed me how the biggest misconceptions about big people are held by big people themselves. A great read indeed.

There’s something about Colombian people, it’s a warmth you can’t find anywhere else. It’s the way the say “cafecito con leche” when the flight attendant asks them what they want to drink. It’s the guy in the front row turning to ask me if I have a pillow (almohadita) because he has an extra one, or if I want an extra blanket. It’s a familiarity you feel with people you’ve never seen your life, how we connect, how we feel happy when the plane touches this country’s soil. It’s the applause you hear inside the plane because we’re coming home… It’s good to be here… very good!

I slept like a baby last night, after a late night with my mom, my brothers and my best friend. Sitting at the table to tell jokes and talk about the country while sharing some delicious “empanadas” leaves your heart with a warm feeling that lasts for a lifetime. Today I lazied around the house and then in the afternoon my sister in law invited me over for “el algo”, mango juice and pandeyuca. Then we discussed scrapbooking and oil painting and my mother already “signed me up” for another course.

Then my uncles at their house, all happy to see me. Sitting in front of the TV to watch the football (soccer) game and listening to their complaining about the Colombian team. Yes, I’m definitely here and I’m happy. I’m writing this entry offline and then an e-mail to my husband because I can’t hog the telephone line, but my brother has a brand new PC which recognized my digital camera, woo hoo! Now I can share my Colombian life without having to wait to be back in Canada.

w00t! A dream come true: Juan Pablo Montoya will be running for my favorite F1 Team in 2005. Now I’ll go to bed happy and tomorrow this will be the topic of discussion at the table when I’m home with my brothers, ha! Going south…

Every time I go to Colombia and I have to wait endless hours in Miami I wish I knew someone who lives close enough to the airport so I can meet them. Well, my wish has finally come true! During my layover at MIA tomorrow I’m going to meet a fellow blogger and lizard and she has been most nice offering to keep me company while I wait for my connecting flight; not to mention she told me she’ll bring latin goodies for me to eat, he he. This is going to be exciting!

As for the packing? It’s done… Well, I still have to prepare my carry-on which is essential for me these days considering a very bad experience when my bags were left behind and I had to survive two days with my brother’s T-Shirts, my mom’s PJs (she’s petite, I’m rather large, go figure) and buy emergency underwear because I didn’t have the traveling connaissance. There are things to take care of and every time I fly I get this icky feeling “I should do this and that just in case something happens” - Oh well, blame my mother for being so preventive. I better move and take care of the last few things if I want to go out later to get a few tings and see Patrice’s mom. I don’t know if I’ll post later today, so I guess I’ll “read” you from Colombia.

Just for fun, here’s a list of the CDs I’m bringing with me because I just can’t live without music.

Amélie - Soundtrack
David Gray - White Ladder
Gin Blossoms - The Best of
Heather Nova - Siren
John Mayer - Heavier Things
John Mayer - Room for Squares
Lenny Kravitz - Greatest Hits
Matchbox Twenty - Mad Season
Matchbox Twenty - More Than You Think You Are
Natalie Umbruglia - Left of the Middle
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
Oasis - (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
R.E.M. - In Time 1988-2003
Rod Stewart - The Great American Songbook
Save Ferris - It Means Everything
Save Ferris - Modified
The Corrs - In Blue
The Cranberries - The Best of
The Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up The Girl
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Train - Drops of Jupiter
U2 - All You Can’t Leave Behind
U2 - The B Sides
U2 - The Best of 1980-1990
U2 - The Best of 1990-2000
Weezer - Green
You’ve Got Mail - Soundtrack
+ 4 CD Mixes by Yours Truly

Books: The Secret Life of Bees (for the BKO Lounge book discussion) and Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence, Encore Provence and French Lessons. Once I’m at home I’ll go through the books I left there (and will bring with me some day) to see what other treasures I find.