Will work for a kind word or a cold cerveza

Hola Friends and family:
Life continues to fly by in Mazatlan. It seems like almost every day they is an activity and many days have many of these activities.

This time I will talk about the great thing about retirement. That is the ability to do many kinds of work with many fascinating people without being concerned with if it pays and also the ability to turn down any work that isn't interesting to me. Already I work a four hour shift at the Library. Here I get to talk to many people from all over the world. There are six members that have books published. Their books are on the shelves of our library. Also I work one shift as a volunteer tourist aide. We give maps and information to people that don't know their way around Mazatlan. Some of the time we just assure the visitors that the streets of Mazatlan are safe and people that look a lot like them live and thrive here.

Also, we have a thriving artistic community here. Janice works one day a week at the "Look Gallery." Just this week they had an opening for a well known artist. As I have no artistic talent I spent the evening pouring wine and opening beer for those attending the opening. It was three hours of enjoyment and talking to many many members of the artistic community. The first Friday evening of the month I pour wine at the Art Walk. Janice and our friend Kerry show Kerry's paintings and Janice's jewelry across the street from our home. The next two Saturdays I will help set up and then cashier at the "Organic Market".

The total compensation from my jobs in nada, nothing. Isn't that wonderful?! (Janice inserts: a glass or two of wine and a lot of appreciation he gets)

Next week will be "Carnaval", Mazatlan's Mardi Gras. Behind New Orleans and Rio, this is the third largest Mardi Gras. Janice is heading up north to visit kids and grandkids, see Dr. and pick up our medications. This will just leave Ollie and me to experience "Carnival" by ourselves. I will try and keep him in line. Our home is the one and a half blocks from Olas Altas, Mazatlan's Bourbon Street. I will write about Ollie and my experiences after it is over. There are two different  band stands within a couple of blocks of our home, but we are promised that the music will quiet down around 4:00 A.M. daily.

The end of January Janice was accepted into an ongoing art class for oil painting. She has hoped to learn about this for several years, but it didn't come about till now. She kidingly says she'll be on the art walk soon, but winks out of the corner of her eye, knowing, if she does, it will be a long time from now. 

We still are a part of the original wine tasting group that Janice started 4 years ago, we have people over for dinner weekly, we go to movies, play readings, and we are now planning a two-week trip to the Guadalajara area for the end of March. 

So, for now; Adios until next time!