October 8 thursday

I just removed Enid’s name from the email list. That hurts. People should still be able to get their email when they’re gone. I still have my mother’s rolodex card on the off-chance that someday, with increased technology, I may be able to call her. Before I left the States, I gave Jack’s caregivers a birthday card to send for Enid’s birthday in December. I’m not sure yet when the funeral is so I don’t know when I’ll travel. I went on the Internet to check flight times. There’s no direct flight during the week. Most of the schedules say, “Short connection” which scares me when I have to go through customs or there can be delays. My choices are a one hour layover in Houston or a four hour layover in Houston. I’m afraid to try connections outside of the US. Too many opportunities to get stuck in Panama for 24 hours, as once happened. Daniel’s baby mama Heysell came to the house FOUR times yesterday. Michell’s appt w/ the orthodontist was at 3 p.m. First Heysell came at 8:30 a.m. to remind me about the appt. Daniel told me NOT to go to the appt. to speak to the dentist because both Heysell and Michell are jealous and it could be uncomfortable. The only thing that’s uncomfortable about my relationship with Heysell is that she’s a jabberwocky. She talks a mile a minute and doesn’t shut up. I’ve never seen anyone talk so much. I’ve told her multiple times that I can’t understand her. She seems to be happy with the talking and not mind the not understanding. The second she comes in the door, I start trying to edge her out of it. I told her I had to go to the bank to get the $. So she returned at 2:45 p.m. for the cash. Then she came back w/ Michell after the dental checkup to let me know the dentist was trying to cheat us. Luckily, I had a receipt for one of my payments the dentist had neglected to enter. She took the receipt in question back to the dentist’s office as proof of payment, and then came back here AGAIN to return my receipts. In my usual Type A filing, I had everything in order. She kept spreading my receipts all over the table, folding them up, crumpling them. She made me insane. Poor Michell was just hanging back, trying not to pay attention to her nutso mother. I don’t like trashing people but last night I finally HAD to ask Daniel, “Was she like this when you two were together?” He thought that was hilarious, because the answer is yes. The hotel manager in charge of the construction of the condo units next door contacted me yet again to ask me to counter on a price to buy my house. He said if they’re going to demolish my house and incorporate a park in their design, they have to do it in the next 3 weeks. I said, “I’m in Nicaragua for the next 2-1/2 months. How am I going to sell my house?” Finding a place to live in Los Angeles is not first on my list of priorities at the moment. I’m sure when I have those condo people gazing in my kitchen window as I eat my granola, I’ll wish I’d gotten out. I HATE the current asshole winner on Jeopardy. It’s my one daily television pleasure because ABC is the only American channel here in Nicaragua. I watch the show every evening. But now I watch only to cheer on anyone who can beat him. Where is Ken Jennings when I need him? I’m so proud of myself when my mind fetches a word from the dark recesses and I can use it in conversation. I was trying to explain the difference between a bulletin board and a whiteboard to a student, and I came up with “tachuela” which is thumbtack. Who knew that would come in handy? On Tuesday 6 long long long classes. By the 5th, I moved my student to the ayudantes table to be closer to the door and gulp some air and light. But I didn’t have any fans and, after an hour of mopping my drip-face, I returned to my own table and my two fans. Screw the air and light. I’ll take phony fan air.