MeXscape

Our first winter here it was cold, at least for people who weren't prepared for 60 degree weather, which we definitely were not. Starting in mid-December, and lasting until the end of January, we were pretty miserable most of the time, especially living up on the hill with the stiff, unceasing ocean breeze. But even at the beginning of November, when it was still deliciously warm, we saw women running around town in fur boots and fashionable parkas. I got a good laugh.

It's that day again. That day once a year where I publicly embarrass my husband. Well, I guess I actually do that more than once a year, but Chuck's birthday is the only time I do it in writing. I know some of you are groaning at my continuing sappy, soppy sentimentalism, but you are just going to have to deal with it. My blog; my rules.

I knew when I moved here that a different language is spoken, but I never took that thought through its logical progression that the nonverbal language is different here, too. When we first got here and were still depending on charades for a lot of our communication, it sometimes caused a great deal of confusion that my gestural language was completely different from the local one. It also doesn't help that some gestures exist in both cultures but mean completely different things. And a few that Americans use regularly can get you into trouble because the meaning here is vulgar. So here is a quick crash course to help you out.

We usually get our car washed once a week when we go to the beach. We have a regular car wash guy who does a great job and does the whole Explorer, including the roof, for $30. Better than that, if there is no parking for us, he will find people and make them move their cars to make space for us. And that, my friends, is priceless on a busy beach Sunday.

I think you guys deserve an explanation for my absence, so here it is: I was depressed. It sounds so trifling to say it, but as anyone who has similarly suffered will tell you, it is not. It is something I have struggled with for years, but hasn't affected me since we moved here. Until this summer, that is. I am not going to give you a long, droning post on the causes and effects. Just suffice to say that I had a hard time getting those things done that I absolutely had to do, I had no energy left for anything more. And I couldn't think of a single decent thing to write about. But - hurray! - things are getting better and I am starting to feel energetic and inspired again. Thank you all of you who were worried about me and emailed or commented. Big hugs.