am i too cynical?

so the other day we decided to finally put up our xmas tree only to find out that half of the lights didn’t work. i know this happens every year to many people. but how annoying! So i trek down to Hill Road where all the xmas decorations are sold (which by the way is a trek since it is under construction and you have to walk through drying cement filled with water!) I return to the same shop I bought the lights from last year and ask if they can fix them or do I just have to buy new lights. The man in charge said “oh just bring them back and we’ll exchange them”. I was pleasantly surprised - this stuff does not happen in India! And it would save me 20 USD so it was worth another trek to Hill road.
I returned the lights and was still in awe that this happened. I start to think that perhaps I am too cynical and I should have more faith in my dear Mumbaikers. Then I get home and realize he gave me a crappier version of the lights, that were probably cheaper than the other ones. GRR. but oh well, i’m not going back to Hill Road to exchange them thats for sure. So they are up and look fine. The decorations have finally been put up today, the cats seem to be enjoying them, but somehow it still has not put me in the Christmas spirit. Its either the heat or just the fact that I’ve been too busy to spend proper time shopping — because I am American and that is what Christmas “spirit” is all about, right?
Today I was bored, Folo was at work again and so I thought i’d venture out for some shopping. And in the Christmas spirit - I bought 80 USD worth of clothes for myself and nothing for anyone else! haha. perhaps I should wrap some of it just so then there are presents under the tree!! I rarely find clothes here that I like (western clothes that is), so I guess I can consider it my year’s worth of clothes shopping. For some reason the shops only sell light, loose material in the winter time - when I can actually handle having thicker clothes, so I must stock up now for the hot season that will be here before we fully enjoy the “cooler” temperatures (which is high 80’s, low 90’s).
Did I mention that I fired my other maid? Well the new one started yesterday and I already got mad at her. I was at the point where I just wanted to move back to the west where I wouldn’t “need” a maid. I’m paying her double what I’ve paid any of the previous maids, so I expected her to be perfect. Well she wasn’t. But we’ll see hwo the month goes. She knows shes on a short leash and if she doesn’t do well this month then I won’t pay her the amount she wants or else she’ll be out of a job… oh the heartache… where is Parvati!!!
And finally…. after 2 1/2 years at this apartment, the neighbors are actually all starting to be nice to us! They all constantly invite us over for dinner or drinks (which we never do, b/c they don’t give a date/time, they just say “drop in for a drink”). anyway, its nice to finally be recognized and spoken to in the 2x3 elevator!