Rambling

Alrighty then.

I have recently realized that no task great or small is beyond my capabilities despite my advancing age. That is, of course, if the task occurs above my knees. Anything below, forget it. Get some kid to do it.

In many Panamanian schools it is mandatory for children to learn two additional languages. The languages being? English and Mandarin. What do they know about the future that we don't?

Two members of our local policia motored up to our house yesterday on their Suzuki Trail Bikes. One of them was a woman. The other one - you might have guessed this -
was not. They were looking for a Juan Serracin. We told them there were Serracins all around us, arriba, abajo, a lado and that we knew Aurellio, two Albetos, a Margarita and a Daisy, a Roberto, a Dalys, a Jose a...at this point the policia began to laugh while we continued the list and ended with "but no Juan." No problema they said as they remounted and rode off, no problema. Got to wonder what Juan did.

While we were almorzando, lunching, at Amigos the other day we over heard this conversation: "Best thing to do when you meet new people is to get them drunk right away and figure them out." I think there may be some sense to this. Bad drunks, mean drunks, crazy drunks, stupid drunks and the like are all exhibiting parts of their personalities usually suppressed but nevertheless there. Might as well know about them right off the bat.

For me finishing a good book qualifies as "getting something done." "What did you do today?" I painted the garage, overhauled the car engine, plowed the back forty and prepared dinner for eight. You?" "I finished a good book."

My car battery died. Bought jumper cables and fired it up. Battery died again. Bought a new battery. Ran for a day. Died again. Car now parked at Car Guys. What do you think, alternator, voltage regulator, starter? All those things are spelled like this in both English and Spanish: $$$$$$$$$$$. I'm waiting for the call.

And that's all folks. Hasta Manana.