Where in the Hell Have You Been???

My goodness, has it really been since last July when I posted anything?? Shame on me!

Actually I have a somewhat lengthy explanation. We absolutely had to escape the dreary, overcast,chilly weather that defines Cuenca in July and August, so we were in the US visiting family during those months. We returned home in September and spent those few weeks in a whirlwind of social engagements, doctor appointments, and (on my part) preparation for an important presentation I was making at an upcoming International Living event in Las Vegas.

Then we were off to Vegas the first week of October to attend the conference, visit my sister and brother-in-law plus some dear friends, and clear out a storage room. We were already in the States, our daughter was expecting our fourth grandchild in November, and the holidays were rolling around after that, so we decided to stay the whole three months until after New Year's.

Since this blog is about me (or Cynthia and me) I purposely avoid writing about our family, and they have no interest in sharing our somewhat public life. That's why you didn't hear from me during the last half of 2014.

We were bone tired when we returned to Cuenca, sleeping 10 hours a day for the first week back. As soon as we recovered--and readjusted to the altitude--vigorous preparation for IL's Ecuador Fast Track conference in Quito began. I had two presentations to revise and a brand new one to create the script and visuals.

Cynthia and I take this work very seriously, practicing relentlessly before going onstage in front of hundreds of people who deserve our best. Still, we happily participated in as much socializing as we could before leaving for Quito at the beginning of February.

Our presentations and the overall conference went splendidly. We spent Sunday after the event having lunch with wonderful friends, then stayed for a couple of nights with other great friends who have recently moved from Cuenca to a gorgeous setting outside of Quito. Their community is so stunningly beautiful that I'll soon post some photos I took while there.

We're now back home for 11 whole days before leaving again on Feb. 25 for Santiago, Chile. We spend several days there, take a wine country tour on the way to the Pacific ocean at Vina del Mar, then board a cruise ship for an amazing two week trip around the tip of South America that ends in Buenos Aires. We'll stay over a week in Argentina's capital eating fantastic beef and consuming copious amounts of Malbec while watching tango shows, finally returning to Cuenca the last part of March.

After that we have no plans.

Well, we are going to Cancun for a week in June to speak at another International Living conference. Oh, then there's the one in Vegas in the fall again. And we'll be back in the States two or three times playing with those four grandkids. And we've been talking about visiting Columbia.

Yikes, looks like another busy year after all! I'll keep you informed. Stay tuned-------.