Day 178. Getting ready to migrate

I may have mentioned that one of the main reasons I came to Mexico for was to help clean my parents’ house and pack their books (which will eventually find their way to my library). Indeed, after 45 years my parents are getting ready to move to Monclova, in northern Mexico, to live close to my brother and his family. My Dad, el Papo, retired in 1984 from a long and distinguished career as head of the accounting department of General Electric, but finding he still had much to offer in terms of energy and experience he worked since then as a consultant for Black and Decker de Mexico. Unfortunately he had a bad encounter with the shingles three years ago (en vejez viruelas!) and now, at the ripe age of 83, finds that going to work is no longer as fun as it used to be.

So, come October 9 el Papo will officially finish his work as a consultant, and on October 11 he and la Ma will take the plane to Monterrey, where my brother will pick them up to bring them to Monclova. And then will start yet a new life for them: It is well known that retirees who stop suddenly have the danger of becoming depressed. My parents enjoy playing cards and other parlor games, but my brother thought that would not be enough to keep my Dad engaged and sharp, so he has offered him the position of General Manager in the kennel my brother has built up over the last 5 years.

My brother breeds Rotweilers and German Shepherds, but so far the business has been barely breaking even for lack of constant attention (my brother is the Technical Director of a huge steel mill, so the kennel is really an expensive hobby). My Dad’s job will be to go to the kennel early every morning, to supervise the cleaning and feeding of the animals and to work for a couple of hours contacting clients and keeping the records. He can then go back home around 10 am for lunch, games, and a good siesta (Monclova is very hot during the noon hours). Finally, he can go back to the kennel from say 5 to 8 pm, to supervise training sessions and the evening maintenance tasks. My father has always loved dogs, so we are all excited at what we think will be an interesting and fun retirement project!