Monday, Oct. 18, 2004
10:09 p.m.

When my neighbour finally returned with his wife and two children from Mexico a week ago, we were ready for them. Emil had brought home decorated gift bags he'd made in art class at school, and I'd gone and bought some small novelty items I thought three-year-olds might like. To these I'd added some snacks, and they were ready to go.

Everett took the bags and knocked on their door, holding out the gift bags when the kids' dad answered it.
"Oh, that's sweet!" he said to Everett. "You didn't have to do that! Do you want to meet them?"

So Everett followed him upstairs, and was back down to report to me a few minutes later.

"They went straight for the chocolate," he said, pleased. "And they really liked those flowery necklace things you put in. And A and M want you to go up and see them now."

"Shoot," I said. "You didn't mention that I have a headache, by any chance?"

"No."

"I better go then, I don't want M to think I am stuckup."

I grabbed a chilled bottle of white wine, one of the local ones, from the fridge and followed Everett out onto the step. A and M were both out there with their twins, a boy and a girl, and I held the wine out to M and said "Welcome to your new home!"

She is a pretty dark-haired lady who speaks Spanish-accented English and is not particularly thrilled to have left her home in Aguas Calientes, Mexico. She's been feeling a bit down about it, I understand.

Karen and I chuckled a little as she told us the other day how hard it is to do without the household help she is used to; that she is not accustomed to having to do all the cooking, cleaning and childcare that she must now share with her husband, and how horrible it is to just finish housework and have to start it all over again just a short time later because it never stays done! She told us this with big eyes and genuine shock and dismay. We found it kindof cute.

She can't cook either, she says, and made her first attempt at soup on Sunday. It was a disaster, she said.

Her close proximity is a perfect opportunity to learn and practise speaking Spanish. I need to get a good book and get started, and am excited about it.

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