I’ve spent the past two days studying Spanish again. Sat down to do it for “a little while” on Monday and got hooked again.

 

As always!  Once I get into it, it’s like a tractor beam:  “Beam me up, Spanish!”

 

Making good progress through 1001 Pitfalls in Spanish

 

I’ve completed reading and taking notes on the first two chapters, Adjectives and Adverbs, which brings me to page 44.  I won’t be studying a lot of  the chapters because I already know them (numbers, dates) or beause I don’t plan to use the information in them routinely: measurements, as just one example: I can always use my smartphone to quickly find out what I need to know (kilometers versus miles, pounds versus whatever, recipe amounts, etc.).

 

There are a lot of great examples of the pitfalls along the way, so I have taken a great many notes.  The good news is that I can read and understand 99% of the example sentences written in Spanish now, so I no longer need to read the accompanying translation, and I’m getting where I can anticipate the composition/structure of Spanish sentences, which has been a source of some confusion for me up until now. Once I get that well drilled into my brain I should  be able to listen in on ambient native conversations without missing so much of the context! When that starts to happen more reliably, I will know I’m well on my way to “inhabiting” this marvelous culture and language. Cannot wait!  I love love love the Spanish language (its sound is so lovely compared to English and some other languages) and these people!

 

Dale and I Are Going to Grecia Today on the Bus Again 

 

This morning Dale and I are going to Grecia for Subway sandwiches (something he has missed for two weeks running!) and so I can get some groceries, because I’m out of rice (horrors!!!) and I need a lot of other stuff, too. My Social Security check came in last night so I paid off the credit card and put $200 into savings. That leaves $700 for the rent in May and groceries for the month. I also hope to get an anti-gravity recliner this month. If not,$100 more will go into savings before the end of the month!

 

 

This Morning is Flying By!

 

In a little while, I need to head out the door to walk down the calle and meet Dale so we can walk down to the bus stop at three corners.  I got up in plenty of time, but then I started piddling around, and then I started writing this post and the time has sped up considerably since then. (I always lose track of time when I’m writing, reading, or studying, three of my greatest waking pleasures.)

 

UPDATE: Dale had to bail. Their Internet connection went down and he had to stay there for the technician to fix it .

 

I’m Dreaming A LOT!

 

None of the dreams are noteworthy in any way, but they’re not dramatic or traumatic. They’re just kind of slice-of-life dreams. In some of them, I’m speaking in Spanish, or listening to other Spanish speaking people, so that’s good.  That’s always a good sign that my lessons are sinking in and being digested while I sleep.

 

My Dear Friend Edward’s Kitty Bee Gee Died Two Nights Ago

 

I learned just yesterday that Edward Smith’s ancient kitty, Bee Gee, died two nights ago, so I’ve been agonizing for him. Edward knew it was just a matter or time, but that doesn’t make the pain any less.  He loved that cat as much as I love Charli, and as much as you have probably loved your cat, if you’ve ever had one.

 

I’m sure Bee Gee will be waiting across Rainbow Bridge for Edward. I told him that. I hope Bee Gee and Auroara (Edward’s lion) have connected with each other over there.

 

Side Note:

 

It’s weird and funny. I can easily imagine a heaven for animals and their people, but I have a terrible time imagining a  heaven for anybody who hasn’t loved and been loved by an animal in the ways that we have!  There is just something about the pet/human bond that screams “heaven-sent” and “heaven-bound”!  This kind of love feels eternal!  (I feel this way about a precious few humans, too, and — not at all surprisingly — they’re all dedicated, all-out pet lovers!)

 

Okay, gotta head out the door. More later maybe!

 

 

 

 

Made an anemic chicken and rice crockpot soup yesterday

 

It tastes good enough, but I didn’t have many of the “sides” that I usually put into it (celery, potatoes, corn. peas, etc.), so it’s very basic.  Filling, though, and the broth is super tasty, so I froze some of that to use on rice and beans whenever I  just want rice and beans for a meal.

 

Gonna Meet Ed Fagan and His Wife and Dogs Next Monday

 

At long last, Ed Fagan and his wife and puppers are scheduled to connect with me down at the soccer field on Monday morning at around 8:30.  We’ve been Facebook and WhatsApp friends for months — almost ever since I moved to Costa Rica, I think — and they live nearby, but we’ve had conflicting schedules until recently, so we’re gonna make it happen on Monday. That’s the plan, anyway.  I will try to remember to snap some photos, but you know how I am about that.  NOT a natural photographer!  Words are my bag, not pictures!