For me, this is not just another year to wish happiness to my friends. It has been a year full of events, some expected, some not, in my personal life and in business.

Personally, I went through unexpected but major surgery. I survived, but, as the saying goes in Mexico, bad weed never dies out. The expected event was my 80th birthday, which I also survived. I am now running on extra time with the odometer starting its second turn.

What was more surprising was the overwhelming affection received from so many relatives, friends and business contacts. It moved me emotionally to a very high degree. How can I possibly thank everybody enough?

Business-wise, Mexico started 2004 with a gloomy outlook, but the year is ending with positive results in 90 per cent of forklift-related companies.

Sales were higher than 2003 and mostly close to budgets for 2004, with only collections being behind expectations, as Mexicans have everything but money.

Not so successful was the construction machinery business which, in most cases, finished in the red due to minimal government spending on public construction works.

I wish everybody on both sides of the border, and worldwide, a healthy new year, as happiness is a by-product of health. As Socrates said: It is preferable to be young, healthy and rich, rather than old, poor and p***ed off.