10 days left in the U.S.

The end is in sight and in less than 2 weeks we will finally be in Cuenca, Ecuador, for the next year anyway.

We have had a couple hard frosts this month here in Missouri, I sure won't miss the ice and snow or the associated utility bills. We've got all the paperwork done for the title company to handle the closing on the Willow Springs property and a new lower interest rate mortgage for the Springfield house should at least break even when the place is rented out. I have made some pretty decent money in real estate over the years, but in today's market it is kind of a crap shoot.

Of course the immigration laws have changed in Ecuador since we sent our papers to the lawyer a couple of weeks ago. It seems that in addition to having everything apostilled, we now have to have our marriage license and pension papers approved by the Ecuadorian Consulate. I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles and we will deal with it, or not. The funny thing about this is that neither the lawyer or the consulate agree on what papers need to be approved, I guess the solution is to have them all approved, so what else is new ??

                                                          The Opinion Section

No matter what you do, no matter where you go, no matter how hard you try to do what is right, there is going to be someone with their hands in your pocket. Is it intentional or is the situation so complicated that no one can figure the cost before all is said and done?  My money is on the former. As a people, we have become complacent with the idea of additional costs which has become the new normal for contracts and agreements. When a contract is made, written or verbal, actual or implied the parties are said to be bound to the terms of the contract. Today that means - bound to change the terms of the contract. If a piece of candy cost 10 cents, why do I get 14 cents back in change from a quarter ? I know this is an over simplification but when is the last time you bought a new car and paid the contract price or paid a lawyer the contract price ?  There are always additional costs - heaven forbid if you build a house or do any home improvement. Personal responsibility seems to be a thing of the past and I miss it.