criplomats

My last few days in Hot Springs were a lot of fun. I had a good visit with Kathy W at her darling apartment Monday afternoon, then Ann came down to spend the night. We sat up late yakking, then sat outside Tuesday morning drinking coffee and watching six to eight hummingbirds go crazy over the feeders. I felt so bad Wednesday night when I had to take them down before flying out Thursday morning! I couldn’t even sit outside Thursday morning because I felt so guilty watching them fly around the porch looking for the feeders!

I flew out Thursday and got home in the wee hours of Friday morning. It’s great to see John again. It’s still so hard to come home and not have little Flavia waiting for me. I have to catch myself when I walk in the door and remember she’s not here.

We went to a fun retirement party for Matt in the consular section last night at Celia’s house. I met a few new folks and enjoyed catching up with others. Nice party.

John and I went to see the silly but fun movie “At the End of Oak Avenue” yesterday afternoon. I’ve been binging “Girls” and also am excited to start watching the US Open tennis match!

It has been crazy hot this week with temps routinely over 100 every day! Yikes!

Pam headed home last Sunday morning and I stayed in the rest of the day, just watching tv and relaxing. I rewatched “Somebody, Somewhere” and I have started on Lena Dunham’s “Girls.”

Bright and early Monday morning, I went to a new-to-me dentist here to have a crown replaced. Great service and he manufactured the crown while I waited, so I was happy to walk out before noon and know I didn’t have to return! Peewee and I went to Capo’s for happy hour later in the day and had fantastic guacamole.

Mary came down Thursday afternoon and spent the night, and we had a nice dinner out at Luna Bella. We were thrilled that a storm blew through that evening and we were able to enjoy the porch before we went to sleep and to have our coffee the next morning – hooray!

I’ve also enjoyed visiting with David and Alison, popping over for coffee in the afternoon, etc. David treated me to pizza this afternoon. I also enjoyed a visit with neighbors Jim and Kathleen Saturday afternoon.

I’ve been joining some of the retirement classes on Zoom this week, plus getting in a few yoga classes. I really enjoyed a Saturday class with Lily.

Yesterday I drove to Fayetteville to have lunch with Ginger in the dining room. We had a good visit, and it was a nice day for a drive — although it was depressing to see the burnt trees on the mountains due to the heat and lack of rain.

I tried to read “Theo of Golden” and “My Friends” this week, but just wasn’t enjoying either of them, so I put them down. I listened to Lena Dunham’s book, “Not that Kind of Girl” and really enjoyed it. I finished — but didn’t really enjoy — reading Vigdis Hjorth’s “Long Live the Post Horn!” She’s a Norwegian writer and I guess I just didn’t get it.

I flew back to Arkansas Monday night and have been enjoying being home despite the extremely hot temperatures here. I went out Wednesday night with Alison and Peewee, first to Splash for a glass of wine with some of their Hot Springs doyenne friends, then to a Mexican restaurant where Alison and Peewee made a new friend in the parking lot. Thursday we went to lunch together (with David) to celebrate Alison’s birthday at Fisherman’s Wharf. Happy birthday, Alison!

Friday afternoon Pamela came for our Scrabble weekend. We enjoyed playing, relaxing, and catching up!

I’ve continued dialing in to my classes, although I missed Tuesday since I was traveling.

John had a busy week after I left when the #2 at the State Department visited Guyana. John was in several meetings with him, Ambassador Theriot, and the Guyanese president.

I finished reading “Yesteryear” and enjoyed it although its “trad wife” theme is part entertaining and part scary as all get out! I tried to read “Theo of Golden,” but just wasn’t enjoying the writing or the story so I put it down after 50 pages. Pam and I started re-watching “Somebody Somewhere,” and I’m continuing with that today — it’s such a sweet story.

Parting shots:

The State Department offers a class for people separating from the agency called the “Job Search and Transition Program” (separation can be for retirement, being RIF’d like so many were in 2025, etc.) and I started taking it this week. (I was supposed to have done the class last fall, but it was canceled due to the 2025 government shutdown. Some folks are also able to make the class their last two months of work before they separate.) The first four weeks of the program, they hold classes (now all virtual) and the second four weeks are for people to figure out their next steps, get their resumes together, apply for jobs or volunteer opportunities, start their own business, etc. After busy careers — many of us overseas — it’s an excellent way to get caught up on the latest job search technologies, resume trends, opportunities, etc., and most of all, to have a bit of space to have time to think. People have always told me it’s one of the best things State does for their employees.

The first four days were devoted to financial considerations, benefits, etc. and it was all a good review. Friday we had two good panels of folks who had previously separated from the Department and came back to talk about what they were doing now. The first panel went back to work in “serious” jobs, while the second panel did volunteer work, had hobbies, etc. It was all very inspiring!

The class really kept me busy all week — I’m not used to being glued to my computer all day and the time went by quickly.

Saturday morning we had Bill and Rachel (from the embassy) over for brunch and enjoyed yakking with them.

I finished reading “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This” by Omar El Akkad. I think he has a lovely writing style. The book is very political but there is a lot of food for thought. It’s blurb says it’s his “heartsick breakup letter with the west.”

John and I really enjoyed the new Netflix limited series of “Pan Am 103” about the 1988 airplane bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. A horrific event. As a consular officer, we were always very aware of the “no double standard” rule: if the embassy got threats or other information, we were obliged to share it with the public. It’s drilled in our heads and is just a reflex now. But, that rule came about due to the Pan Am bombing. U.S. government agencies had intelligence about a possible bombing on a Pan Am flight, but it was not shared with the public. The bombing also led to improvements in airline safety and the treatment of the victims and their families. So some good things came out of it, but at such a high price.

We had a lot going on this week with four evening events: Peruvian National Day (Monday); Colombian National Day (Wednesday); screening of a documentary about Guyana’s national flower, the Victoria Amazonia or giant water lily (Thursday); and a “Conservation Conversation” with a talk by David Lammy (Friday). Lammy is a member of the British Parliament who previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. Born in England, he’s of Guyanese descent and active in conservation efforts here. He is quite engaging and I really enjoyed listening to him.

Monday afternoon I had a call with a friend of a friend who is joining the Foreign Service. I always enjoy these kinds of calls. I also had a good chat with Lea Tuesday evening. I’m thinking of my good friend Cathy who this weekend is headed to Kiev to start a yearlong tour there.

Also this week I checked in on Mellisa’s apartment and drove her car while she’s away. John and I tried to go to the butcher yesterday morning, but it was closed in honor of Emancipation Day. We made stops to get gas and milk instead, and later in the afternoon we went to see “Spiderman” at the theatre.

We watched the silly but fun “Sheep Detective” last weekend and the meh “Crime 101” this week. I finished (and enjoyed) “Arctic Passages” by Kieran Mulvaney and have started “One Day, Everyone Will Have Been Against This” by Omar El Akkad.