We are turning our attention to New Year’s Eve and getting ready to make our ill fated resolutions. Statistically New Year’s Resolutions fail by about 90%. Most fail before January 31st even rolls around. According to the news the number one and number two resolutions are: quit smoking and dieting.
I succeed at number one a little over 7 years ago. No it wasn’t a New Year’s Eve Resolution it was a Birthday Resolution. I desperately wanted to go cruising and Michael said only if you don’t smoke. I quit and have only looked back a couple of times. I have been known to take a puff off an offered cigar when drinking. And once I actually snuck a puff off a cigarette. Thought that I was going to lose it right there at the bar. Notice that my smoking is triggered by drinking. Could cutting down on drinking be number three?
Dieting has happened over my life time since I had children. Before then I swear my metabolism was faster. Now if I look at food it adds on pounds and drinking doesn’t help. I am sure that I have lost and gained two small toddlers over and over in the past 20 years.
Exercising is usually a good resolution. In fact we (Michael & I) went in halves with Jim on an elliptical bike. I have been on it about 5 or 6 times in the last couple of weeks. Shouldn’t it be at least every other day for real impact? I will try and be better. Saying I resolve gives me the shivers. I am afraid to make grand pronouncements as it is always so embarrassing when one doesn’t hold up to the resolve. I am reminded of a line in the movie Mary Poppins…”Pie crust promises, easily made and easily broken.” That’s what New Year’s Resolutions bring to mind…Pie crust promises.
So where does that leave us? Wanting to improve our lot by improving our behavior…doing what we know if right and good for us or wallowing in a sea of procrastination… I certainly don’t have the answers. But here goes:
I will drink a little less
I will be a little nicer to everyone
I will eat a little less
I will play a little less Zuma
I will exercise a little more

That should be a good start. We’ll see how it goes.
And now a special message to my friend, Carole. I miss you and our lessons too. We think we may get out a little earlier than expected. We will catch you up!

"...And So This Is Christmas..."

So this is Christmas…

I am having a hard time getting into the spirit this year.  Many of the people that I talk to are having the same problem.  Economic issues, family health issues, getting older, missing the kids (holy crap did I say that?), life changes.

I had it for a minute yesterday when we were wrapping the gifts for the children from the churches in the village.  It grew a little when the two teachers came to pick up the gifts.  Funny how when you sit in the Cayuco club with other people, Christmas Carols on the Sirius radio, wrapping toothbrushes, notebooks , pencils and assorted toys you forget your problems.  You start to realize that your problems are small.  You are more blessed then damned.  You have a roof over your head, your children are employed, your parents are healthy, you have good friends around you, and you just started a new exercise program.

So where is Christmas?  It is where it always is… in your heart.  May your heart be filled with the Christmas spirit.

The New Oakland Mall In Guatemala City

Well it sure looks like Norte America to me.  North Face, I Shop, Claire's, Pizza Hut, etc.  The new mall in Guatemala City is impressive to say the least.  Three floors and an indoor Merry-Go-Round on the third floor,  more kiosks than you can shake a stick at, bookstores with books in English, and let's not forget the resaurant that is inside a salt water aquarium.

We ended up spending the day at the mall.  Now that is something that we just do not do much of anymore. 
We had to keep closing our mouths.  It was wonderful to just walk around and see everything that they had to offer.

We had lunch at a new resaurant called Skillets...Laid Back Gourmet Dining.  It was fabulous.  We had burgers that riveled anything that we had back in Orlando.  In fact my Bahia Burger ( a burger topped with melted swiss cheese and then garlic shrimp on top of that) didn't need any catsup or mustard...just my mouth wrapped around it!  Michael had a half portion of what they call sliders.  Two miniature burgers with fries.  Did I mention that the fries had skins on?  Man where they good.  Cynthia was the only one that behaved herself.  She had a chicken salad.

We had a great time and I am sure that USAA is thinking about blocking that VISA Card right about now.

All I Want For Christmas Is...

My list for Christmas is short this year.  I am borrowing my first wish from my Mom.

1. Well behaved children
2. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. The Senate Seat in Illinois

Well the first one is a crap shoot.  My Mom asked for it every year that I can remember and I am not sure that she ever got her wish.  Well may-be one or two years, but not consecutive years for sure.

The Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  This one only requires a nomination and a check for $20,000.  That is less then any bailout currently being considered.

The Senate Seat in Illinois.  Well, I am sure you want my qualifications.  I was born in Illinois and I still have family there.  Truth be told I probably would not recognize any of them, but they are there.  I am college educated and have a fair level of intelligence.  The hard part is paying for it.  This is going to cost more than the Star.  Anyone got a spare Million?

Okay I will settle for well behaved children.  They cost less and are priceless.

Walking Down Memory Lane

Today was interesting.  We finished the engine projects and made sure that we do indeed have a working engine.  We have been preparing for the cruising season and deciding what to keep and what we could sell at swap meet on Saturday.

We got a new video camera when we went to Florida and we still have the old Sony Handycam.  Trying to decide what to do with the tapes was now our dilema.  First we started to watch them.  Cynthia around three or four years of age.  Sailing Corpus Christi Bay on our old boat, Kokopeli.  Sailing with Debi and Roy when they still owned Maiden America.  Views of Christmases past.  The Blue Angel show when we were making our trip down the intercoastal.  Seeing the kids fishing at Padre Island and off the back of the boat.

So we had some great memories, we laughed alot and talked about what a great time each video was when it was happening.

We finished the night with friend down in the Cayuco Club watching the film, Mama Mia!  It was great fun and we all laughed until we cried.  Even a small sing-along.

Hope your day was just as good.

Possible New Exercise Program

This morning as several of us were drinking our coffee in the Cayuco Club we were a little taken aback at what we saw moving up the Rio Dulce.
A small blue hulled sailboat with head and mainsail up (I do believe that the main was reefed) was being rowed by her Captain in front of the boat by dinghy! Yesterday we had watched this 28-30 foot sailboat ghost it’s way down river. It provided conversation during the Sunday afternoon Mah Jongg game. We postulated and gestured about him for awhile. “Does he have an engine?” “Is he trying to save diesel?” “Does he not realize there is NO wind?” “Does he care?”
So there he was this morning still without any wind rowing against the current. I wish him well.