Thursday, April 30, 2009

wheels within wheels


I am still adjusting to the cycles of the new house.


Today was the first day the maid stopped by for a full house cleaning. She was here for four hours, and I know she was frustrated with my inability to communicate. But I took out my Spanish dictionary, and did my best to learn new words from her.


I also showed her my Spanish language program on the computer (from the Learnables). It is designed to teach Spanish in the same manner a child would learn. She got a big chuckle out of it.


While Marta was busy turning what was a dusty, sandy, dog-hair-ridden beach house into a Walt Disney set fit for Snow White, I had the opportunity to meet a long-time blogger and web page administrator: Sparks of Mexico. If you check the sidebar, you will find several of his web children.


I know I have said it before, and I will say it again: I am amazed at how well I know some bloggers through their writing. Sparks is every bit as fascinating as his posts.


He has volunteererd to help me get my FM3 registered in Manzanillo. After listening to him, I think the process should be easy -- if I get a few more items: additional photographs (of the appropriate size, style, and number to please even the most discerning bureaucratic eyes), a Constancia de Domicilio from the local government officials, and update my passport copies and bank statements.


I should have that ready for the trip south by the beginning of next week -- assuming the offices are open. Swine flu and all that, don'cha know.


I could get it all completed tomorrow if I did not need to spend more time trying to get a cortisone shot for Jiggs. I tried again to find the vets in their offices on Wednesday -- to no avail.


In theory, one of the vets (the one who does not speak English -- natch) should be in his office at 10 on Thursday morning. If that does not work out, New Beginnings in Manzanillo is offering to help connect me with her vet.


The internet is a great community.


On Thursday evening, I will expand my participation in that community by meeting American Mommy in Mexico. Details to follow.


I am starting to feel the cycles of the house. Of the village. Of Mexico.

10 comments:

Frankly Ronda said...

I felt the same anxiety when our housekeeper arrived and I could not speak to her.

I tried to use some online translation program but I think it was "Spain Spanish" and did not help at all.

See later - really. Hitting the road in a few minutes.

Michael Dickson said...

Steve, if you speak English loud enough, people naturally understand. Everybody knows that. It´s a great way to communicate.

Steve Cotton said...

AMM -- he only way I see for me to remedy the issue is to learn the language.

Felipe -- I have also discovered the Marcel Marceau method does not work. My performances must be so eccentric that the message is lost in the medium.

Mike Nickell and Cynthia Johnson said...

Lucky you to get to meet AMM! Please tell her we say hello and we hope you have a nice time together.

Tancho said...

With your analytical background I am somewhat surprised that you did not start with the lingo lessons many moons ago....
Turn on the TV , tune in a novella and pay attention to the commercials. Especially the ones that show house cleaning products...that's a start...

Steve Cotton said...

Cynthia -- I will pass on your greetings. Jiggs finally got his cortisone shot this morning. I am waiting to see how it takes.

Contantino -- I started working on my Spanish over a year ago. But other priorities kept bumping it down the list. And I got frustrated. I made a list of 100 words one night to study in the hot tub -- and I got every one of them wrong, including bueno. So, I will struggle through it here.

Can't use the TV. Don't have one. Won't have one. But there are plenty of language opportunities. Trying to understand the vet this morning was one.

Anonymous said...

Very cute set of legs in that hammock.


DanaJ
Texas City

Anonymous said...

Cycles of the house, eh? Just wait till you hit the spin cycle. LOL

Kim G
Boston, MA
Where more eloquent words fail us.

Steve Cotton said...

DanaJ -- I do my best to please my public. (Obviusly, you missed the Speedo picture.)

Kim -- We refer all spins to the White House.

Jonna said...

Wow! You met Sparks! I was going to ask if you knew him. All these years and I've never met him IRL, as they say. I'm envious.

I doubt that anything in Manzanillo will be open until at least the 6th. The country has a Cerrado sign on it, did you know?