This would be the end of another ano (year) and I suppose it's time for some scholarly retrospect - but, that's about as likely from me as cows flying, guess you're just stuck with what I can offer to touch on a few subjects in the rear view mirror.

First of all, it's been a good year, despite all the agonies of the election and subsequent loss (see also depression 101), the crash of the stock markets (being old and broke living in MX has it's perks) and despite AlGore's incessant whining about warming it's cooler than usual even down here - but not by much, we're still in our winter mode, wake up to 50 outside, put on the sweats, wait until noon when it's about 60-65 or more and change to shorts, yes it's a nuisance, but someone has to do it. And then there was that little problem with the cost of gas which dropped like a rock NOB, but still hovers at the high point down here - amazing how what works?

On another subject, "habla ingles?" - well, yes, I do speak English, but the better question is "hablas espanol" to which I say "hablo espanol mal" or, "I speak Spanish badly". So, a couple months ago I decided I'd put off the obvious long enough and with the recommendation of a friend I found a Spanish 101 teacher who agreed to work with my neighbor and me together to learn the language of the country in which I live and should honor. That's all nice and worthy etc., but it neglects to take into account one crucial fact and that is: it's taken me 65 years to get past basic English and now in a declining mental state you want me to actually learn, like memorize stuff and purposely conjugate (?) verbs etc.? - you have to be unconscious. I mean really, when was the last time you actually, consciously, conjugated a verb, or put a sentence in proper sequence, like subject, verb etc.? - well, here it is again, your, or my worst nightmare in a fellow named Jimmy whom I'm paying weekly to browbeat Spanish into me, a language I never intended to need - that's why I took French in high school and flunked it (probably the beginning of my distaste for all things French).

Anyway, here I am trying to learn the "ir, er and ar" verbs, their tenses and also by the way, thank you Spanish; whether they're masculine or feminine? - something English doesn't worry about, like I mean some things are obvious, a house, or casa is feminine - well duh, it's big - oh, well never mind, but anyway there we are and I've got squares of paper all over the pool table with English on one side and Spanish on the other while I try to memorize words.

Then there's the little part about Spanish being sort of backwards - actually, it's better in some ways because Spanish tells you the important part up front like the when talking about a wonderful, beautiful, large (oh, by the way) house in English in Spanish would be something like "the house (telling you what we're talking about first) is wonderful, beautiful etc., they put the descriptive adjectives last. All that being said is wonderful until you try to unscrew your mind that has learned over 60 years to do it the other way?

I nearly died laughing at a guy at the car wash one day, his MX girl friend called his cell and obviously asked him "where you are?" - which is proper Spanish, he answered her trying to correct her by saying "no, where are YOU?" - to which she mistook and again asked "where you are" and he repeated and it was a Laurel and Hardy sketch and several of us waiting for our cars to be washed were choking trying not to laugh out loud. So, the next time you hear a Hispanic person mix his modifiers, smile and understand, he's trying - and so am I.

The down side to the lessons is that my neighbor had the medical problems which delayed our lessons and now she's in Canada, so I emailed Jimmy this morning and said "next Monday no matter what" because I really do need to learn, it makes it much easier - like you pull into a parking lot in Tonala and the guy says "biente por favor" and you're standing there with that basic stupid gringo look on your face because you don't know that "biente" is actually "viente" (which is 20) but they pronounce the "v" like a "b" and it don't sound anything like any derivative of "two" or "dos" etc., it's "Biente" so fork over 20 pesos and head off to shop - but, don't forget that 200 is DOScientos (which makes a bit of sense). So, the comedy of learning continues, but even the knowledge of a growing vocabulary of words helps even if not properly conjugated - the Mexican people are very forgiving.

Probably the best present came last Saturday, the house owners are here from Taiwan for Christmas with family. Of course they wanted to come over and tour the place to relive good memories of their time here and also to see what I've been doing with the house. Now, my current lease is through May and I've been a bit nervous not knowing if I'd have to leave or not as they are wanting to sell the property. The thought of moving and finding a new place for Max and me isn't comfortable. My neighbor had asked the owner the other day, when he stopped by to bring some fresh baked cinnamon rolls, if they were going to sell and his answer was "no, not for a couple of years until the property values come back up" which was good news, but I wasn't part of that conversation so I hadn't heard it first hand.

Sabado (Saturday) they came over and we had a nice time touring the place and seeing some of my decor. They liked the wall painting I had done and were at least amused at my master bedroom decor, some call it "eclectic" and the word "exotic" has been mentioned? - hey, it's just the other end of a bachelor's life, what can I tell you? - you work with what you got. The owners Mother was with them and she kept saying "my, you keep the place so nice for a single guy" - I finally laughed and told her I'd been married and trained by 3 wonderful housekeepers over a period of nearly 40 years so it comes natural.

The end result of discussions regarding some more painting I want to do was Karen the owner saying "the house is yours, do whatever you want" and also Paul saying I could stay as long as I wanted, so while the words were in friendly conversation I'm pleased that Max and I can continue our time here and do some more fun things - like painting the stairway green! - I hate the gold that's there now.

All in all it's been a good year and one of settling into this new lifestyle in my new home, so all's well and I'm looking forward to this next year and some of the projects I have in process, Max is just looking forward to dinner as are Shorty and Gray - wish I was as easily pleased.