criplomats

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!

John went on a tour of Buenos Aires with Marybeth and James last Sunday; Monday night we had a good steak dinner at Lo de Jesus; and Tuesday I took them to Bosch Palace for a tour before they flew out later in the day. It was a fun visit and I’m grateful they came to see us!

John took me back to Lo de Jesus on Saturday for a nice lunch, then we walked around the Serrano street fair, where we saw these cute models for doggy clothes:

Flavie isn’t into clothes, but she did get a new bed this week!

Cousin James and his wife Marybeth returned from Mendoza late Monday night after having finally escaped the airline pilots’ strike, but they were only on the ground a few hours before an early morning pick-up for their flight to Iguazu. After seeing the Brazilian and Argentine sides of the beautiful falls, they finally caught their breath over a nice dinner at home Thursday. Friday they were off again to an estancia for the day and got home in time for a short visit before falling into bed. Saturday we did a bit of sightseeing around Buenos Aires: the Grand Splendid Ateneo bookstore, leather shopping, and the Recoleta arts and crafts fair. We had a delicious dinner at the lovely Roux.

Earlier in the week, John and I joined a small group dinner with Marc Ostfield, the U.S. ambassador to Paraguay, who was in town visiting. The consular management team also had lunch with him, along with our ambassador and DCM, before our DCM left for DC for her Senate confirmation hearing to be the ambassador in Angola. John had a couple of interviews for his next assignment — the suspense is killing us!

John and I finished watching “The Perfect Couple” (so good!) and are still enjoying the Australian “Colin in Accounts.” I’m reading “Long Island Compromise” by the same woman who wrote “Fleishman is in Trouble,” Taffy Brodesser-Akner.

John and I hosted his management section officers and spouses last Sunday for a late afternoon happy hour to welcome the new folks and say goodbye to those leaving. We had around 20 people and everyone seemed to have fun! Lydia and Cesar stayed afterwards for a while to catch up.

James and Marybeth arrived Wednesday morning – we had dinner at home with them, then they were off to Mendoza early the next morning. Unfortunately they got hung up in an Aerolineas Argentinas pilots’ strike, and are spending a few extra days there. I hate that they got stuck, but at least it’s a beautiful place.

I checked out a new dermatologist after work on Thursday. On September 11, the embassy had a moment of silence outside at the flagpole (23 years still seems like yesterday in many ways). The week was filled with John’s bidding news and interviews – it has us on pins and needles!

Lea and I went to lunch at La Paroloccia yesterday afternoon. It was a beautiful day and I wandered a bit through the arts and crafts fair on the way. John and I are hooked on “The Perfect Couple” on Netflix, the new Nicole Kidman limited series – I could hardly bring myself to go to bed last night!