We're back in Aurora now (since yesterday afternoon). Kristen is out in the kitchen making several dozen Christmas cookies of varying caliber and ilk. Time-honored family recipes that are the cornerstone of her family's Christmas celebrations. Of course, I'm the lucky one who gets to taste them as they near completion. I've already gained one or two pounds on this vacation.

Last night I went to Hillsdale McMennamin's for a couple of beers with a friend I met through BeerAdvocate (his blog Rooftop is in the links section, below, on the right). We traded some homebrews and talked about beer, brewing, politics, our lives, etc. Admirably, he's not ready to give up on America and expatriate like we did (not yet anyway)!

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The trip to Eugene was fun. Where did I leave off? Oh yes, on Sunday we went to the Piccadilly Fleamarket (one or two Sundays per month). A whole lot of crap under one roof, but I'm sure there are some valuable things here and there. We didn't buy anything apart from an antique bowling pin. Kristen has now officially started a collection (we have two of them). They will be staying in our storage room for the moment! After the fleamarket, Dad'n'Bev took us for brunch at Marie Callender's. We left quite stuffed, swearing that we would never eat again.

On Monday, we drove up to Sisters, OR to visit Jim'n'Judy. Tom'n'Nancy, Kelsey'n'Brandon, Nanny, Kristen'n'I all piled into a big ol' SUV and made it up there in about 2 hours. Nice drive through the mountains, along the McKenzie River. A beautiful day in Sisters. Jim'n'Judy's house was packed with extended family. It was one of those family Christmas gatherings like you see in the movies: kids running around, babies being passed between relatives, the lads out front playing basketball and throwing a football, stuff like that. We took a walk to Judy's stables to see her Friesians and say hello to the new addition, Smoke [video] (a young stallion that we first met on our trip to The Netherlands). It's hard to tell these horses apart sometimes because being perfect examples of the breed, they are all perfectly black and sleek.

We all packed back into the SUV and returned to Eugene that evening. Nanny took us all to Applebee's for some good ol' American food. After dinner, Brandon and I played Playstation 2 for a little while. One day I'll have one of my own... one day...

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Looking forward to Christmas. On Friday evening we are going to Christmas mass. That should be interesting. I hope my heathen skin doesn't get flayed off as soon as I cross the threshhold!

-RP-