Technical point

For learners of Spanish. When using direct object pronouns (los objetos de complemento directo) in Colombia don't use 'lo' to refer to 'él', like in Spain. Use 'le'.

A little bit of England

I am sitting in the sun with mangos growing in the garden, palm trees lining the streets, an absolutely wonderful wife indoors and a great cup of coffee but I feel that there is just one little thing missing.............a little bit of England

Does anyone read this stuff?

I do post new stuff from time to time but does anyone actually read this stuff. I'm only wondering if there is any point in continuing? Please feel free to leave comments so that I know it is worthwhile writing theses things!

The best advice!

Nickelback: "If today was your last day!" You need to click on this link to view it!

Start of a new day

I'm just waiting for mamá Mariela to make me breakfast, it's not really an option for men to make themselves anything. Also I'm waiting for Cecy to wake up but for the first time in a while though I'm not sat here with a stomach full of anxiety. I want to enjoy my life with my wife by my side and I'm not going to help that by looking backwards. I'm eating better, my appetite has returned. I'm sleeping better and feeling happier. When I say I'm sleeping better I mean that I do sleep longer now but there are slight obstacles. Juan Felipe suffers nightmares and has been accustomed to sleeping with his mum. I fell asleep early last night, Cecy was watching the telenovelas in another room. I awoke two or three times when she crept into the room for things so I wasn't sleeping deeply. I awoke again at 2 o'clock when Juan Fe came in to call his mum, she sleeps with him in his bed whenever he wants. I woke twice more when colleagues of police officers in our street arrived to pick them up, at 4 o'clock and at half past four. They park in front of the houses and just start hitting their car horns like Keith Moon on speed! Cecy and the kids got up at this point to get them ready for school, they leave at five-thirty. I woke up at six-thirty welcomed by a kiss and a smile. Doesn't sound like much, getting a kiss, but I got up feeling on top of the world. This could be a very good day. Optimism at last!

Relapse

Oops! I thought everything was over with but in typical female fashion she was just saving a little last twist of the knife. It's a tactics the ladies are good at just to keep you in your subservient place. A little bit of history then just to explain. I found out about something the wife had done and when I sifted through my options for possible responses, beating about the bush wasn't on the table. Instead then I opted for the full on assault choosing my favourite weapon for the battlefield in front of me: the lazer tipped, self guided tongue lashing. The confrontation was short lived but I left the room happy with myself that I had inflicted sufficient response to rule out the possibility of retaliation. I even felt I detected a slight blue haze and the smell of cordite in the air. I did however manage to resist the temptation to throw her a steely gaze and say, "I'll be back" in an Americanised German accent.
The trouble is that I had miscalculated. I hadn't reckoned on her use of psychological countermeasures and today I suffered a stealth retaliatory strike. We were watching a DVD together  thinking we had pretty much restored diplomatic relations when she hit me with the, "You said some cruel things and you hurt me, and I haven't done anything wrong!" Shit! It was the barefaced denial response. There's not a lot you can do to justify you own actions when the opposition hasn't done anything wrong. I had more justification than the Americans in Iraq however as I had actually found her WMDs, that was the point of the argument. The problem was the proof in this case was painted in a colour that is invisible to her eyes so it isn't any use in the court of Shay and Cecy.
Never mind. I'm sure that everything will be right as rain again soon. I've switched to a new tactic these days. Now that I've recognised that it is impossible to win an argument through logic I've switched to the "run away"  battle plan. It's more difficult to argue with me when I'm not in the house.
Personally I'm feeling much better. I still feel incredible sad at times during the day when I remember what she has done but in the face of having an impossible to win argument I think it is better just to try to forget everything. She is my wife. We are going to stay together (I really did consider coming back to England), and the truth is I love her very, very much. I know under her hurt at the moment, she loves me just as much. I think to try to win the argument at the moment would be like choosing not to open my parachute because I'm enjoying the free-fall so much. I'd much rather pull the rip cord and meet my beautiful wife safely to spend the rest of our lives together.

Arguments

The upside of having an argument is the post blitz relief........thank £#<$ that's over. I have a real problem in that I'm a very early riser which means that I get up in the morning and have a few hours to sit and worry about that day's reaction. The truth is that I've had a torrid few days but trying to keep a positive attitude at least I have managed to reduce my body fat by a few degrees. I never thought I'd get rid of that last little bulge at the bottom of the abdomen. For those who are wondering how to do it then take a tip from me, just pass a few days worried sick, in perpetual torment, hardly sleeping or eating and hey presto! You'll be there.

Hopefully after overcoming a potentially critical argument in a relationship you can come out of the other side so much stronger for the experience. They say that you find your good friends in a storm and I've managed to do so I think. Luckily, I married one of them a few weeks ago. I find that marriage is so much more rewarding when you absolutely adore your wife. Hopefully I'll be able to get to Bogotá for my visa next week all things going well. Once again this is down to good friends in a storm.

I also have to praise my family here in Colombia. They have been incredibly supportive, in a manner which I don't think you would find in the UK. I have had my moments here though when I would have liked support UK style. I hardly ever drink here but there have been moments when I could have sold my soul for a proper pint. At the moment what started as another day of trial and tribulation looks like finishing brilliantly. We made up this afternoon and the relief for me was incredible, oddly I suddenly felt really tired. I popped to bed to relax for a few moments but fell asleep for four hours. I haven't been doing that at night!