Making Progress....and Que Supresa - It's Ernesto! and Dean, Rog & Suzi!

I'm re-thinking the whole "Si,....manana, manana" thing about Mexico. Things have been moving rather quickly and smoothly around here (knock on madera). So far, have gotten garbage pick-up lined up...I think. They were supposed to come last night, but my trash is still outside.  I noticed everybody else's is still outside as well. Refrigerator - check. Set up water bills - check. Set up electricity bills - pending. Blacksmith work - in progress. Stove - bought yesterday and s/b delivered today. Bought sofa - scheduled for delivery Thursday. Bought Casa Kahanek sign - ready next week. Lined up "Yesenia" to check on the house twice per month while we are not here.The albanil (cement craftsman) came yesterday and made the little shelf for the water heater. Paulino will be back today to install the water heater, gas tanque, and gas line. Paulino is synomonous with gas tanque....he has a history of bailing us out when it comes to gas tanques.

The albanil using cement and re-bar

The albanil's cool truck



Yesterday I browsed around some furniture places and found a couple of possibilities for dining tables/chairs at an antique shop. And, they have free delivery! Furniture is actually very hard to find around here...with any quality at a decent price.
When I got off the bus yesterday from my trek out to buy the stove, I headed over to the Gran Plaza with a bottle of water to cool off. I was just sitting there when I looked up and there he was: ERNESTO! I went over and talked with him. Ironically, enough, I had just texted Terry earlier and told him I thought I may have seen Ernesto on Friday getting into a combi. But when I asked Ernesto about it he said it couldn't have been him. He recognized me immediately and referred to me as "his madre", just like last year. The first thing he asked me about was "his hermana" Kimberly. They had met last year as well. Then, of course, he asked about Terry. I asked him about the little bar that Terry and I knew had closed in Progreso. He had worked there last year on cruise days. He said the owners had gotten into some "bad trouble" and they shut it down. I didn't ask any questions. We chatted for awhile - he said business was slow, family life wasn't so good, and he missed his kids. He really didn't look well. He tried to get me to go to a "local bar" with him and have a beer. I declined. Then, he hit me up for 200 pesos - said he wanted to go see his family. I'm smarter than that and said "no". I finally gave in and gave him 100 pesos before hugging him and telling him "hasta pronto". Damn Mayan!!!...he got to me again!!!!
I've decided my Spanish really hasn't improved as much as I wished it had - the difference is that I just don't care if I speak in the correct syntax any longer. I'm sure I say some pretty crazy things sometimes, but I just can't care. It's a necessity in order to get things accomplished...gotta get over that shyness shit. Yesterday while trying to buy the stove, go through the Mexican paperwork (always) and and discuss delivery, I would revert mid-sentence to talking in English. I guess that is Spanglsih, right? My neighbors get friendlier and friendlier with me each day --- they ask me questions and have talked about me being the nuevo vecino (new neighbor).
This morning I woke up early and Terry and I chatted online while he was eating breakfast. I have  started checking the Galveston Daily News and the Houston Barnacle for news. I think it is part of my way of trying to integrate myself back into USA living. Afterwards, I got the idea to listen to Huston's one and only classic rock station "The Eagle"....Dean, Rog and Suzi. I sent Suzi a FB message to let her know I was down here listening online. All of a sudden I heard them talking about Terry and me on the radio...live....and here I am down in Merida. Chatting with my husband and hearing Suzi's voice made my morning!

Now, I'm just waiting for Paulino and the stove delivery guys to make my afternoon!