Finished my second Spanish workbook today, and got some lovely news last night: I got an invitation to dinner from Dale and Crystal Garrison, to take to place on my birthday this Thursday!
Spanish Pronouns
About a month and a half ago, Jon Graham Mitchell gave me a workbook of Spanish pronouns, which I have been working in sporadically all this time. The book is completely filled with explanatory chapters, followed by fill-in-the-blanks and multiple choice (a,b,c or d) questions.
Today, I finished the last exercise.
Do I feel like an expert?
Heck, no! But I’m sneaking up on it!
Jon also gave me several other Spanish lesson books, and several literary (not language) books written in Spanish. They are helping me learn sentence structure, slang, and other things that give me additional confidence as I go through them.
I’m able to read Spanish a lot better than ever before. My pronunciation is pretty much spot on, but being able to understand it on the bus and in restaurants is still a challenge.
Natives and fluent speakers talk so fast that I can’t figure out where one word ends and another begins in many cases, so I just hear occasional words that I recognize.
It’s going to take years, I’m sure, to become what I will feel is “fluent,” but I am able to do much of my daily out-and-about activities without having to pull out my translation app.
I’m not nervous about trying to speak Spanish, either. It’s obvious I’m a gringo, so no one expects fluency out of me. They DO love and respect that I’m studying (like one possessed) to get better day after day.
I want to be able to engage completely in this society. It’s a wonderful place with wonderful people.
And I Received a Birthday Dinner Invitation
Dale and Crystal have invited me to their favorite Grecia restaurant on Thursday evening. I’m thrilled.
I made it plain to everyone down here (and in the States when I was there) that I DO NOT like being the center of attention, even on my birthday. So, Crystal and Dale know not to tell any of the waitstaff. The very idea of being surrounded by singers or musicians to wish me a happy 75th milestone birthday makes my stomach clench.
(I don’t remember a single birthday party as a kid because I have blocked them out. They were too traumatic!)
I’ll never forget the time when I was working for the Animal Protection Institute as a Field Services Rep in my hometown in the early 80’s and some of my friends (O. Jeune Gibson was the chief instigator among them) set up a “fake” animal welfare presentation event for me to do.
When I showed up, they unveiled their real plan: a surprise party!
I just about croaked right then and there. I tried like mad to do my presentation, and they said, “No, no, no! We don’t want to hear your presentation! Just enjoy!”
ENJOY?!!! I WAS MISERABLE!
But bless their hearts, all these decades later. I “get” what they were trying to do — celebrate ME — but that kind of thing just isn’t on my bingo card. Celebrate my mom for delivering babies, hell yeah! But I certainly had no part in being born, except to survive! Leave me out of the celebration, okay?!
Anyway, Crystal and Dale know the evening has to be just like a regular dinner out. No bells and whistles. Just enjoy each other’s company, which we always do! I will love being with them, that’s for sure!
So, I need to be at their place no later than 5 on Thursday to catch their Uber into town. I will be, dressed for a nice restaurant and in a pair of new shoes.
SPEAKING OF NEW SHOES
I wore my heaviest new shoes (the dark ones) when I walked this morning and oh my gosh, what a wonderful difference! My left foot and leg work perfectly in them and they are very comfortable.
And I didn’t trip!!! That’s new for me when it comes to breaking in new shoes. I’m thrilled about that.
BOUGHT EGGS AND CAT FOOD THIS MORNING TOO
While I was down at three corners, I bought eggs and cat food pouches, too. Oh, and two pastries at the panaderia, one with pollo in it, the other with strawberries.
They were both good. Had one for breakfast and one for lunch.
(Healthy, no. But this is my double anniversary week and I’m gonna splurge! So there! I’m not gaining any weight, so there ya go!)
Other than studying Spanish today and walking, I haven’t done much else.
Chatted with Deb (my landlady) for about 20 minutes this morning. We’re getting along great, so I feel certain I’ll be here for many years until such a time as this place sells, if the new owners don’t want renter in this apartment. If they do, and if they don’t raise the rent, I’ll stay even then.
Charli is happy as a clam, too. (T’would be a deal breaker if she wasn’t!)
Guess that’s all for this time. Carry on with your day! HUGS and LOVE!