THREE NIGHTS THEN HOME TO OAXACA..

    I called my tenants Monday afternoon to discuss their early departure.  I was a little worried and wanted assurance they desired to return next year before I made any rental commitments back in Oaxaca for the next trip.  Don, my tenant said it was a financial problem caused by a large prior claim with the health insurance company that was now being denied.  The Insurance company wants more verification ASAP or requires them to pay 60% of the total costs.  They want to get back and make appointments with all the doctors to get written verification from them before any liens get put against them.  I too want to get back in order to make all my appointments with the doctors.  They will take my car for a spin to make sure the battery is OK and leave the cash for the cable bill. I will tear up their last month's rent and if all goes well we will do this all over again starting in October this year.  I couldn't ask for better tenants.

DRUM AND BUGLE CORP IN BENITO JUAREZ PARK

     I'm going to try and make BERLIN early for dinner tonight or maybe I'll try a Russian place I discovered. I spent a few hours at Starbucks getting caught up then found the Russian place for Borch and Hot Chocolate.

 Met a lady there that said the place would never make it yet it was good.  I was attracted by the Russian Orthodox church poster from Tallin Estonia...I have been there and was hoping to meet the owner of the restaurant to find out where she was from.  Sad but I think the place will fold. This customer had been to Iraq, Russia, Turkey etc.  Meeting a lot of well traveled and well off people.  Funny they all come to Mexico to live.  It's the climate.
    I went home just as it started to rain.  Mild rain.  Got a taxi then relaxed while the maid cleaned my room then rested a short time.  When I got ready to leave the rain increased.  I took a taxi to BERLIN.  Henry from Dover N.H. and Susan from Gloucester Mass arrived.  I offered to move over so they could sit together at the bar but Susan sat on my right and Henry on my left.  They said they get along better that way.  She was full Irish as her parents and grandparents came to Gloucester to fish.  Henry had traveled the world and lived all over the US.  They were in there 70's and in love. Great humor between them and wonderful people.  Henry introduced her to Mexico and she fell in love with it.  They come now every winter.  I had a fantastic Meatloaf and Mash Potatoes with salad then headed up the street to a new place called Tapas.

       Now it was raining more but I walked.  I had a glass of wine at the bar and a Chocolate Truffle to go with it and complement my wonderful meal at BERLIN.  The bartender practiced his English on me.  A young man that won a scholarship to Santiago Spain where the pilgrimage takes place every year.  He will attend the University there.  He is so excited.  Brad..an arrogant drunk from Austin Texas sat near and started bragging about the only place in the world was here because of the weather and because he lived here.  He was some mucky muck artist that loved himself.

 I left.  It was now a river outside when I luckily got a taxi directly home.  David and Don were there and later Walt came in from dancing the Flamingo at a local bar and restaurant.  I figured why Flamingo is so popular after he explained.  It's like Dirty Dancing with strange exotic women anywhere you go in the world. Makes sense to me.  So after Don and I discussed our radiation treatment for Prostate cancer and our "lost" libido, I retired to find both the cats in my bed.  Don and I both agreed our world had changed and we were not tethered to sex anymore.  Other things became more prevalent...like Dominoes, reading, Cats, etc.  We both miss our sex life but have new horizons...and at this age it is not an issue.  Don also informed me that if I wanted to play Dominoes tomorrow with the group . it was required to bring some Chocolate to share....to be continued.