Friday, November 6

These souvenir stalls line the whole side of the park.  Every evening they’re totally dismantled.  Not a trace to be found.  Every morning, they’re back in business, all their goods carefully displayed. The mini-market around the corner from my house.  Everything is displayed so beautifully.  And I can buy one carrot or one piece of parsley rather than wasting bunches of supermarket groceries.  I don’t know what half of this stuff is.   Socializing is overrated.  I was stood up.  After all my efforts to get out there and make friends, I’m done.  I had invited Steve & Marti Owen for cocktails at 4 on Wednesday.  I met them a couple of years ago on my van trip up north to Matagalpa.  She’s the epitome of “vivacious.”  He’s easy to talk to.  Steve and I were talking Granada houses at the Dinner/Movie evening, so I suggested they take a look at my house.  During the daytime hours because it’s a daytime house.  Cocktails!  Like I’m really a “cocktails-at-4” person.  But I was a pretend ex-pat.  I bought mixer and snacks, woke up early from my Wednesday nap, arranged the glasses and ice, neatened the house….and waited.  And waited.  Finally at 4:40 I called.  They forgot.  We laughed it off and said, “Oh, another time.”  As if.  There’ll never be another time.  She didn’t even follow up her apology with a candy clown.  Jack always sent everyone a candy clown. My students continue to confuse the words “kitchen” and “chicken.”  But I continue to confuse “jabon (soap) and “jamon” (ham), so we understand each other.  While sweating my way through the 5th class of the day, wondering what the hell I’m doing here, it’s exciting when Javiera (my newest and most beginner student) understands the difference between “there” “their” and “they’re.”  Better than a lot of norteamericanos, that’s for sure.  Daniel bought himself a bracelet that says “Jesus” on it.  When I asked why, he said, “Para protejerme.”  He thinks wearing his Jesus jewelry, he’ll be protected.  I asked if he thinks Jesus is watching him 24/7.  The answer is yes.  I asked if Jesus is watching EVERYONE 24/7.  His answer is yes.  If Jesus is spending so much time gazing down on him, why does Daniel have so many problems in his life? You know those imaginary conversations we all have w/ ourselves and other people to whom we intend to talk?  I find lately that I’m having those chats in Spanish.  But mostly they’re with people like my kids who don’t speak Spanish.