criplomats

A friend started a “no pressure” book club and we met yesterday at a nice outdoor venue, La Ferneteria, behind the Bella Arts Museum. We talked about Ann Patchett’s “Tom Lake.” It‘s a nice group of women and it was a beautiful day outside.

Last Sunday, we hosted about 20 of John’s American staff for a happy hour – it was a lot of fun, and our visitors Laura Rhea and Lucy got to meet our co-workers after returning from a day at an estancia. Our guests scooted off Monday morning heading to Mendoza.

John flew with the DCM to Montevideo on Wednesday for a quick look at their renovation project. Friday was a local holiday, so I spent a little time in Palermo buying small gifts for our Secret Santa at work. Lots of people at the embassy are involved in the inauguration of the new Argentine president, working with the U.S. delegation from Washington.

John and I are watching the latest season of “Slow Horses,” and we started a Nordic crime series called “A Nearly Normal Family.” Last night we watched the fascinating Greta Lee in “Past Lives,” a slow-moving but really beautiful movie.

It definitely does not feel like Christmas other than Secret Santa at work and a tree in the Embassy lobby. It’s warm and the city doesn’t really decorate.

The vet came on Wednesday to give Flavia an antibiotic shot for a UTI that showed up in her urine analysis. I’m a bit worried because she hasn’t been eating much the last couple of days and has vomited — let’s hope this doesn’t last!

Flavia appears to have made a full recovery and is back to normal! The vet thinks she had inflammation in her intestines, something she has had before that we have seen on sonograms. Her urine analysis did not show kidney failure – even the vet sounded a bit surprised. Her kidneys are weaker, but normal for her age. We are thrilled!

This week an old friend from Hendrix, Laura Rhea, and her daughter Lucy stayed with us while they toured around Buenos Aires. It’s been fun to rehash college days and hear what she’s been up to in the last 40+ years! They have been great guests and we’ve enjoyed having them.

Last night we went to Teatro Colon to celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations with Argentina. The embassy contracted the national orchestra to play a special program that ended in a moving rendition of Aaron Copeland’s “Lincoln Portrait” narrated by our Ambassador. John and I even made the social page (below). We took advantage of being out to go to a nice dinner at one of our favorite old school parrillas, Criollos.

I’m reading “The Heart,” by Maylis de Kerangal. We finished watching “Santa Evita,” which I really enjoyed.

I just posted photos last week of Flavia living her best life, but she turned the tables on us this week. Tuesday she stopped eating and got very weak. On the fifth day she ate a tiny bit of tuna and she’s eaten a little bit this morning (and seemed a little perkier), but she’s lost weight and has been lethargic. I stayed home with her Wednesday and the vet came to give her fluids. We’ve been watching her closely and just hope she either pulls through or doesn’t suffer. She’s 19 and a half.

We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner with Lea and Jose and another co-worker Rachel late Thursday afternoon – delicious food and good company! My green bean casserole turned out pretty well despite not having those crispy fried onions in a can (I can’t believe I didn’t bring any back with me).

Saturday I met Lea for lunch at an Italian place we like near the cemetery. It was a beautiful day outside, but it’s really starting to warm up.

John and I finally watched “Barbie” last night and really enjoyed it. It’s clever. We also watched the newest episodes of “The Crown” and are also occasionally watching “Santa Evita.” I finished “Enough” and then read the fourth book in the “Thursday Murder Club” series – they are cute and an easy read. I picked “Tom Lake” for our next book club, so went back through it this morning to refresh my memory of it – I think it will prompt me to re-read “Our Town,” since it plays such a big part in the book.

Here’s hoping little Flavia continues to improve.

We hosted a consular leadership conference in Buenos Aires this week, with over 40 people coming to town. While it was held at a nearby hotel, I had the chance to see many old friends. Last Sunday, I met Karen W for brunch at Marti, then John and I hosted around 20 friends for a happy hour at our house. It was great to see so many familiar faces! After happy hour, we met the rest of the group at an Italian restaurant near Recoleta Cemetery for a kick-off dinner. I did not participate in the conference itself, and stayed in the office. We had a few of the VIPs come to the embassy for a tour and a presentation of some of the innovations my group is doing (they were impressed!). Later in the week, I met up for the group at an outdoor happy hour at the racetrack (no races going on). Saturday, I picked up four of the conference-goers and we spent the day in San Telmo and Palermo. They enjoyed seeing different parts of the city, and it was a gorgeous day to be out and about.

John and I started watching “Rabbit Hole,” with Keifer Southerland. I stopped reading “Surrounded by Idiots,” and started Cassidy Hutchinson’s “Enough,” about her time in the Trump administration (it’s riveting).

Today is the presidential runoff here in Argentina and the city seems pretty quiet. John and I walked down to the street to La Morena for lunch – they have tasty empanada!

Here are a couple of photos of Flavia living her best life!

Spring is really here now – the jacarandas are starting to bloom and the weather has been crazy. It stormed all afternoon and evening Friday (postponing a much-anticipated Taylor Swift concert) – I loved the rain because we were snugly tucked inside for the Veterans’ Day holiday.

Last Sunday I went to our new, small book club at the very fancy brunch at the Alvear Hotel – a fun venue to discuss “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.” While the book wasn’t really my cup of tea, it was a fun outing with friends.

Yesterday was busy running errands and it was nice to have Thai food delivered in the evening. We’ve been watching “Dopesick” with Michael Keaton and we are really riveted by it (what a horrible, horrible story of greed). I enjoyed reading “Phil,” an unauthorized biography of the golfing great, this week, and just started a new book, “Surrounded by Idiots” – it’s not as pessimistic as it sounds!