On Becoming a Housewife . . .

After the first of the year I found myself agitated. Little things were annoying me, constantly. Then I had a revelation. I was becoming a housewife. Grocery shopping, picking up the dry cleaning, planning the weekly menu, travel planning, balancing the budget, etc., etc, etc.

Who made me this thing? I did. I can’t blame it on anyone else. But I didn’t retire early to be this.

Part of the problem is the time of year. Property taxes were due, as was the registration for the cars. And unlike the U.S., one doesn’t just drop a payment in the mail. One has to go to the requisite office and wait in line to pay. The line for property taxes was long but deceiving. Standing in line can also be a social event so sometimes there will be three or four people in line when only one has a transaction to complete. Therefore, the line moves much faster than one might think.

As for the menu planning, I have a strategy. Once we have a stockpile of menus, with balanced weekly meals, then I can just shuffle them. Or, I can have Maria (our maid) plan the week and submit it to me for approval. See? The old delegation skills can come in handy. (Maybe I’ll have the gardener put together a weekly project plan as well.)

After re-evaluating my direction for 2007, I am refocusing on the reasons that I moved here. So it is back to studying Spanish and writing. Oh sure, there will be the ongoing property improvement. I can’t help myself on that front. But it doesn’t have to happen all at once or even all in the next couple of years. I have nothing but time and our life is far from uncomfortable.

Baby steps, I think. That way I don’t set myself up to fail. With this in mind I began attending a free Spanish class that was advertised on the Civil_SMA Yahoo group. Classes began in Juarez part and as it became cooler, we moved to a room at the internet café, “Café, etc.” (This proved a nice change as we could all buy a tea or coffee before class. They also do a great comida if one wishes to have lunch after class.)

I used to frequent Café etc., in my early days in San Miguel. Juan, the proprietor, lived in New York and put together quite a business when he and his wife returned to San Miguel. Now he has two small children, boys, whose tee shirts garland the staircase, drying in the sun, where we climb to our class. Pacifiers in mouth, the boys wander between the tables in the café, their big brown eyes taking in all the strange gringos who are their parent’s customers.

I was the youngest in the class until I convinced Alex to join me. Our teacher is a retired attorney from Venezuela, Don Pedro. I am so impressed with this man, his patience, and his enthusiasm. He puts together lesson plans, bought himself a whiteboard and markers and even assigns homework. He also brings candy for us. All for free. I think I’d like to get to know him and his wife better. Maybe invite them out to the ranchito for comida or something. (One of my objectives for 2007 is to spend more time with Spanish speaking friends.)

I have also been asked to join a writer’s group which I intend to look into. Some of you may remember when I was ambushed into a group only to find out that I was expected to pay to attend, and it was lead by a woman less qualified than I. I won’t let that happen again.

Thursday we are off to Zihuatanejo for five days of soaking up the sun with Robert, Rudy and their friend Eddie. I’ve not been before and I understand that it is beautiful. And the climate should be perfect this time of year.