Still cold in Austin but loving it. It was so needed... Super Dave worked ALL weekend - he even had two all-nighters -- he didn't sleep at all on Thursday night and Saturday night, and worked almost all Saturday, and all Sunday. I kindda felt lonely -- I am so used to spend the weekends playing around with him. But not this one. It was one of those weekends when I really missed my country, my family, my people. It really amazes me that even after more than six years here and after making friends, and after making my life here, there is always this feeling of lacking something, of a little piece missing in my life. I guess that you have to be an ex-pat to understand this feeling. Don't get me wrong - I love my life in Austin, and I enjoy most of my "American" life but there is always your country, your ways in the back of my mind. I will be home on Dec 20, and I am really looking forward to it.

Nevertheless, I wasn't that lonely, really (I tend to exagerate). Went with my friend R to a Neiman Marcus outlet store to do some Christmas shopping. We had fun even though outlet shopping can be quite frustrating. Sorting out bad clothing out of worse clothing, trying to figure out what the heck is that triangular leather thing (is it a skirt or a cape?), realizing that size 38 in Europe is like a -4 in the US (who fits in those things for the love of God!), experiencing the joy of seeing yourself "up close and personal" in those brightly-lighted tiny dressing rooms, and ultimately, seeing how time passes by and you are not getting any younger -- yes, priceless. Anyway, on the bright side, we had some good laughs and I am almost done with Xmas shopping for these year (including a few goodies for myself ;-)).