YAY

So I've had a pretty good last few days. I didn't do much this weekend but still, it was pretty good. I'm feeling better now so that made everything else better! Thursday evening I didn't get together with Ale for service or family worship but I had a great evening in service. Started another study which I hope will continue. :-) Friday, Jules and Efra and I went to Angelopolis after service and I looked for some boots. I've been wanting some brown boots that I can wear in service. I know I have boots at home in Houston but I'm not sure how fast it will get how cold so I would like to have some boots just in case. I don't have tall brown boots that I'd feel ok wearing to service so I figured it wouldn't hurt to buy some here. No repeat that way. I found a few I liked but they were pretty expensive, like 700-800 pesos and not super great quality, so I held off. Then we came back to the house and made peanut butter cookies. YUMM!!! they burnt a little bit on the bottom for some reason even though the temp was fine. I think it was because I used a different pan. Oh well, we still enjoyed them. Then Saturday was an average day in service. That evening some friends of Ale's from Vercruz had come to visit and we went to Cholula to eat and see the pyramid, even though they had already seen the pyramid before. Ale didn't know they were coming for sure so we didn't really plan anything to do. Afterwards they stopped by and I gave them some cookies, which they enjoyed, then they went back with Ale to stay with her. Sunday I had an enjoyable morning in service with Adry, then a nice meeting. It's weird because here in Puebla we had the time change Sunday. Turns out there are 10 states of Mexico up closer to the border who change with the states, but yah, we're not one of them. Hahaha. Poor Adry. She forgot about the time change and was texting me an hour early asking if I was still coming. Aww. Monday morning I got to the school thinking I was a little late since the bus was slow, then I see all the kids out in the plaza when normally by that time either they're in the morning assembly or headed to their classrooms. Turns out that not everybody was informed but that they already switched the entrance time for winter. Here they have the kids get to school 30 minutes later during the winter since it's so cold in the mornings and many come walking or on bus. They keep the same schedule for the most part, just leaving 15 minutes later in the afternoon. So from now on I get to the school at 8:30 and leave at the same time. COOL!!! Apart from that, this week most people here in Mexico are busy with the day of the dead stuff. It's a big deal. People go buy Marigolds and put them on the graves of their loved ones. They also make a little alter thingy in their house as an offering with foods and drinks that their loved one used to like. Last Thursday, in fact, as I went into the house of the girl I started the study with, I saw on their dinner table these marigolds in vases and different fruits nicely arranged. I thought "man, they sure like fruit. and man, they have it nicely arranged in little stacks etc". Then I sat down and was looking at it still and realized there was a cross and stuff and yah, it was an altar. Good thing I didn't ask for some fruit huh? LOL! There is also a special bread they make called "pan de muertos" or also "hojaldras" in their smaller form. People eat it around this time of the year and you see it for sale all around the place. Also, they sell chocolates and candies in the shape of skulls and stuff. Another funny thing about "Halloween" here is that some kids and people do get dressed up in costumes as in the states, but they don't do it just one night. You'll see kids in broad daylight randomly around with their parents walking around in costumes. Iiiiiinteresting. Plus a lot of people get vacation from work and school since so many people are occupied with going to the cemetaries and stuff. In fact I got today and tomorrow off from school. Today I passed by the cemetary and it was CRAZY! There are even cops there just in case! Today I took advantage of the day to wash clothes and sheets and to go to the store for groceries. I also went downtown and looked around for boots. I'm learning the bus system and how to get around pretty well. I'm proud of myself! It was pretty convenient actually. Just hopped on the bus right here in front of the house and took the same one all the way downtown. Then I walked around trying to find a variety of stores to see prices and styles. The second store I went to I found some I really liked at a good price, just that they looked like they needed a bow or something like at the ankle area. So I told the guy I'd go look around and maybe come back. After a big walk around and beginning to see the same styles repeatedly(but not the one I first saw) in stores just like happens in the states, I went back to the same place and bought those. $360 pesos!!! Pretty good price considering they're cute and comfy! I'm just gonna try to find some pins(brooches) or something and put a bow or flower or something on them. When I got back I cooked and actually ate with Conchita and her aunt who is visiting to help her out until she leaves. She cooked some chicken al estilo veracruz and I cooked my usual veggie concoction and we put it together. Then we shared. Hehe. Everything turned out yummers. It's cool. They're from a part of Veracruz where they grow lots of bananas. Many varieties I've never even seen! I wanna go visit, being the little monkey that I am. It's called, hold on lemme ask, Martinez de la Torre close to Tlapacoyan, which they often call Platacoyan. I'm gonna have to go visit some day. Well, the girl I started a study with last Wednesday, Kimberly, is supposed to go with me to the meeting today, so I gotta get ready early. That's pretty much it though, I think!!! Love you guys! MUA!