Since I stopped my volunteer activities, my time has been my own.  I wake up early then spend my mornings writing followed by long, lazy afternoons with frequent naps.   

Today wasn't like that. After last night's babysitting duties, I slept late, getting up after 7:00 a.m.  When I came downstairs, I began to struggle with the Nook Chris gave me.  It was a used device that came with no instructions.  I researched on line, and tried various things on the little electronic book.  No luck.

So I went over to the library to consult with Colette who understands all things electronic.  She didn't know much about Nooks except that once I had my Barnes and Noble account, I would be able to download books from the library and told me how to do it. I jotted down notes, but finally had to give up. I came back to talk to Gary about it.  

He checked the Internet and found the manual, all 167 pages of it.   I sighed and started working my way through it.  I found this tidbit and that piece of information, until I picked up the Nook and went back to pushing this button or that. 

Suddenly, it all came together and I had ordered a book for $2.99 from Barnes and Noble  which came with three classics, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, and Pride and Prejudice. 

It's a start.  Tomorrow, I'll work on adding the library's e-books to the Nook.

But meanwhile, Chris, Tisha and Evan arrived.  Chris had a better computer for me and started to install it while I showed Evan the Christmas trees. 

At 3:00  we were at the Methodist church getting ready for Los Posadas, our version of the Mexican Christmas tradition.  The Mexicans have several nights of candlelight processions to various homes asking for a place for Mary and Joseph to rest.  We only do it one afternoon in December.  It is too cold here at this time of year to be wandering around on dark streets.  The school's Spanish classes joined us.  Our group gets bigger every year.

We had two donkeys this year, a pretty little mare and her foal.  They had been practicing with a member of the congregation, but she had been called away on a family emergency.  With people they didn't know the two little donkeys tended to balk. Each had someone pulling and another pushing t the back. Once the mare got way ahead of the foal and the little filly panicked, and tore away from her handler and took off down the road.  Both left droppings along the street.  (They were picked up later.)

We sang carols, visited homes, were turned away and finally returned to the church for the fiesta of tacos, followed by the smashing of three pinatas.   Evan loved it! 

Then it was home to chat with my family and wait until the computer installation was complete.

And here it is late, I am finally writing this post, and hoping for a quiet day tomorrow.

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Don't forget to check out the latest Christmas story at http://blackcoffeefiction.blogspot.com  Wade Peterson has outdone himself with his latest.