criplomats

John was thrilled to accept the deputy chief of mission (DCM) position in Georgetown, Guyana, for his next post! We got word on the drive to Fayetteville on Wednesday, so we were able to celebrate with Phillip, Michele, and Ginger. It’s a big honor and he will do an excellent job! It’s exciting to start thinking about the move next summer – congratulations, John!

I was also thinking of my next job – my impending retirement in May 2025 – as I started some of the paperwork and planning this week. Exciting!

Mary came out for coffee before heading downtown to the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival on Wednesday, so we got a bonus visit with her this week. We also saw the Hoopers and some other of John’s Hendrix friends at a happy hour in Little Rock Thursday afternoon on our way home from Fayetteville. We had lunch today with David and Alison.

We had a good, albeit short, visit to Fayetteville. We had a family get-together at Phillip’s Wednesday evening, which was bittersweet since it was our first real time together without Pete. I walked the Mud Creek trail Thursday morning before we went to have lunch with Ginger, and got in some quality time with Phoebe the doggo.

We drove to Mountain Home early Thursday morning for Pete’s memorial service. It was a very chilly morning – we drove up the back roads with the beautiful Hunter’s moon over our shoulder the whole way. We saw many old friends and family during the visitation – I was pleasantly surprised to see Pamela and Jackie had made the trip, as well as John’s old Systematics friend Phil S. The Texas relatives drove up (Mitch & Laurie, Cathy, Bruce, and Melissa) as well as Uncle Perk’s family Marty and Larkin, and Larkin’s wife and daughter. After the graveside service with Phillip and John both speaking, we all had lunch together. The morning was a lovely tribute to Pete.

We’ve seen several friends – we had lunch with Mary in Little Rock on Monday after my eye appointment. John spent yesterday in Little Rock with his old friend Duane. Deb & Doug came for brunch today. I went out with Alison and Peewee on Monday night to Rolando’s where we had dinner on the mountainside patio with some of their girlfriends. I spent yesterday with Chuck – we hit a big rummage sale and a yard sale, then had lunch. He joined us for an Oktoberfest dinner at Peewee’s last night – a beautiful evening on her back patio watching the sun set over the lake.

We’ve been enjoying “Disclaimer,” “Shrinking,” and “Bad Monkey” this week, plus we watch Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.” I’ve been reading “Wicked” and listening to the very raunchy “The Last Black Unicorn” by Tiffany Haddish.

I’ve gone to yoga several times since I’ve been back – the two deer below seem to be residents next to the parking lot. And I had a bonus sighting of a deer on the drive over West Mountain en route to class.

The steam coming off the lake on these chilly mornings has been beautiful to watch.

My good friend Pamela spent Sunday and Monday nights with me – we had a great time just talking, watching birds, and playing Scrabble. I went to Little Rock on Tuesday for a hair appointment, and on Wednesday afternoon, Alison and I went shopping. Later that evening, Kelly H came for dinner – so good to catch up with her! I’ve also gone to several yoga classes and spent time chatting and drinking coffee with David and Alison.

I was happy to fetch John from the airport on Saturday! We drove straight to Burns Park to meet up with the McClellan High School Class of ‘82 reunion. John had a blast visiting with high school friends (he transferred to Mountain Home his junior year).

The weather has been gorgeous except for a couple of days that hit 90 — but this morning fall is definitely here!

I spent some time this week completing my absentee ballot and will get it in the mail!

Countdown week to vacation was pretty chill – pretty much work as usual and just trying to wrap things up in order to leave. I had book club on Thursday; I didn’t read the book, but enjoyed a glass of wine with Lea and Rachel B after work before we met up with the other book clubbers at a wine bar.

Then I was off work on Friday and headed to the airport in the late afternoon for my red eye flight – everything was smooth sailing and I was at the lake by noon. I was totally pooped (despite sleeping well on the plane), so I just made a grocery store run and stayed in the rest of the day. I visited with a few neighbors and read on the porch.

I finished Chanel Miller’s “Know my Name” and Steve Herz’s “Don’t Take Yes for an Answer,” and started Celeste Headlee’s “Do Nothing” – very appropriate for vacation!

This was my view as I was doing yoga on the porch this morning – a true sun salutation!