“LOST MUSKET DIARY” Tuesday July 29, 2014
Sunny 78F/26C/ (Going up to 90F/32C) in Rancho Las Musket
Bonjour, mes amis!
Aujourd’hui l’il est mardi!
Now, why am I talking like this?
Because I have a poodle? To my knowledge, Lola speaks only English, with a
smattering of Italian.
Mais
non, mes amis! Because today is Tuesday, and Linda’s French class starts in
a few minutes. That’s why. And it’s in the library, right around the corner
from my apartment. So, how can I turn down the opportunity to learn something
new, engage in a conversation about something other than “Obamacare” and how
the country is going to hell in a hand basket, AND, maybe even hook up with
some single chicks. How could I stay home and watch “Let’s Make a Deal,” with
an opportunity like this staring me in the face. “Come on Lola, let’s go expand
our horizons!” Hmmm! Lola is still in bed, feigning sleep. Looks like I’m on my
own.
The French class is a new addition
to the myriad of activities at my “55-Plus Living Center,” in the extremely-planned
community of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. The community is very “Senior
Friendly,” offering any number of special services for us “55 Plus” types.
Rancho, as we locals like to call it, is a small city planted in the wilds of
an old Spanish land grant some thirty years ago, and promoted by the developer
as “The New Shangri-La of the 20th Century.” (I am not making this
up!) Other planned activities include: the monthly free movie in the “Club Room”;
something called “Wii Bowling” in front of the big screen TV, where active
seniors emulate bowling moves to a video game, a la “the Big Lebowsky;” monthly
field trips by bus on scenic outings to places like the Richard Nixon
Birthplace and the Indian gaming casinos; the weekly shopping trips by shuttle
bus to Super Wal-Mart and the Dollar Store and others; weekly senior water
ballet classes in the pool, Tai Chi classes, and lotsa other stuff. In other
words this is an ideal place for the kids to plant grandma or grandpa, so they
don’t have to trip over them at their own house, and, where they can let them
live nearby without the guilty conscience that sometimes comes when you put the
elders “in a home.” Seriously, this place is great! Please don’t snitch me off
to my ex-wife. She thinks I’m miserable.
So, back to the French lessons.
When I told my son the other day that I had signed up for a French class, his
question was, “Why, Dad?” I thought you were trying to learn Italian so you
could talk to your in laws when you come back to Rome!” “That, too, my son.
That, too. But they are offering the French class here for FREE!” Our teacher
is a delightful lady, originally from the Philippines, who has traveled
extensively and lived for many years in France. As it turns out, she is also
trying to learn Italian for her upcoming trip to Italy. So, we also have that
in common. So, I added the Eurotalk Immersion CD course in French to my extensive
private library which already boasts Spanish and Italian. Lesson Deux (2) this
morning. Il me faut un pneu neuf. (I need
a new tyre).
Ciao, MikeBo
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