Christmas canNOT get here soon enough!!!

I am such a happy camper right now...and have been ever since I got an e-mail from my dear friend, Lila in Colorado. She is coming to Nagasaki for Christmas!!! (she sang as she typed on the keyboard!!) I told her this morning that I could say that she doesn't know how happy I am that she will be here....but she does know....and for that, I love her!! Not being able to come "home" for a vacation this summer was really hard....I didn't realize until much later,just how much I missed not being there. Coming to the States is such a time to regroup and re-energize...now with her coming and bringing a bit of Colorado with her (and maybe some Cocetti wine, if I can convince her that it is a good idea and can be packed so it won't break!)....I can make it to next summer!!

I have become friends with so many different people in my 15 years here...most have gone back to where they came from...but only a few do I keep in touch with regularly....Lila, Kim, Lauren and Eduardo, Assunta and Augie, Helena and Eli, Rachel....there are a few others, but these particular friends are the "special" ones. So...I am now already planning a Christmas party....not quite a blowout as in previous years (ahhh...nothing can beat that one with 65 people in a house the size of a large walk-in closet!!!), but it will be good and we will be thinking of all of you and wishing you were here!!!

So....we have started "X"-ing off the days on the calendar!!
Plus, I am hoping that I can get my house cleaned up a bit by then.....Gosh, but I do love a challenge!! This may call for large bottles of beer to help me meet this challenge!!!