Flavia sure loves her bed! It sits on a desk by a window so she can bask in the sun. It’s summer here, and, aside from the heat (it can get hot!), I love it. January is when Argentines typically leave for vacation, and the town is quiet and less crowded. It’s my new favorite month!
We went to a fun dinner Friday night at Rachel’s house with some co-workers – it was a good way to end a stressful week. I was filling in for my boss, and we’re also making some personnel changes, so there was lots to do.
Other than work, the week was quiet. I went to the salon yesterday, and we had a yummy smoked brisket delivered. We watched a great movie last Sunday night, “The Official Story,” about the babies taken from their mothers at the detention centers – it actually won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1985. We’re also watching the new season of “Jack Ryan,” which we’re enjoying. And I’m reading “All the Living and the Dead,” about the “death industry” (yeah, I read stuff like that and enjoy it!).
My mother-in-law celebrated her birthday this week – happy birthday, Ginger!
I noticed these two lovely monk parakeets in a tree at the embassy this week – so pretty!
Yesterday John and I went with some embassy folks to the Museum of Memory at the site of the former Argentine naval school. A translated version of the web page describes it: History and memory come alive in this space created in 2004 to preserve memory, promote and defend human rights and bear witness to crimes against humanity committed during state terrorism. It is located on the 17-hectare property of the Navy Mechanics School (ESMA), where a clandestine detention, torture, and extermination center operated during the last civic-military dictatorship (1976-1983).
The museum itself is housed in the building where the “disappeared” (as they are called) where held and tortured. There’s no furniture or artifacts, just an eerily empty building with nicely done explanations serving as the installations. The attic where they were held was hot and cramped, including the — yes — maternity ward where detained women gave birth (and had their babies taken from them). A recent movie, “Argentina 1985” details the subsequent trial; I highly recommend it. The whole thing was surreal – the building where they were held and tortured wasn’t that large, and officers lived, ate, and relaxed in the same building. Outside, cadets exercised and attended classes. It’s mind boggling.
The campus itself was beautiful. There are dozens of buildings, some still in use as various offices while others are abandoned and overgrown. Signs line some of the walkways showing personal stories of some of the disappeared.
Memorial depicting the mothers who protest (and still do) and look for their children
Last Saturday was rainy and relaxing, and a nice start to the new year. I had a video chat with Ann, Pam, and Jackie, and John Skyped with Russ. We enjoyed the Monday holiday at home, reading.
Friday was a huge treat! My college friend Jamie and her partner Alfred came for dinner after finishing up a long South American cruise – it was just wonderful to see her after what? 40 years? We talked and laughed till close to midnight – we may as well have been back in Galloway Hall at Hendrix! Good times!
I finished several books this week: “Keep Sharp,” by Sanjay Gupta; “The Bullet that Missed (Thursday Murder Club #3); and “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” by Matthew Perry. We also watched “White Noise.”
The new year is starting off cloudy and rainy here in Buenos Aires, but otherwise it’s definitely summertime. We had a fun brunch at our house yesterday with several friends around the table – lots of good food, conversation, and champagne!
Last Monday was a holiday, so Lea and I ventured out to La Alacena for a good Italian lunch – I walked there and back, going through new neighborhoods. I took Friday off from work, mostly to get things ready for Saturday’s brunch.
Christmas evening, we finally watched the new “Top Gun” movie – it was so much fun! We had watched the original one during home leave in preparation for the new one, but then never got around to seeing it in the theatre. We’ve also been watching “Slow Horses” and “Treason,” another British spy series. I read “Happiness is a Choice You Make” and Sanjay Gupta’s “Keep Sharp.” I’m not as much of a reader as John, but I did finish 48 books in 2022 according to GoodReads!
I don’t think I mentioned it here in the blog, but Nancy Stiles passed away a couple of weeks ago. She and Dail were so good to me over the years – she and I had more than one gin and tonics together. She will be missed.
John and I are spending a quiet Christmas at home this year. Argentina doesn’t feel very “Christmas-y” – there are not many decorations out and it just doesn’t seem to be much of a big deal here. Also, I think most people are still getting over the excitement of the World Cup! The government declared a holiday on Tuesday, and the city went nuts. The team flew home in the wee hours of the morning and evidently the streets were lined with people to welcome them home. They rode from the airport in an open-air bus. Later in the morning they got back in the open-air bus to travel downtown for a celebration – but with an estimated three to five million people in the streets, they abandoned the bus after four hours and jumped in a helicopter to see the adoring fans from above.
The rest of the week was work as usual, plus rescheduling visa applicants whose appointments were canceled for the holiday. Lea and I ventured out for lunch Thursday which was a nice break. John and I watched “Glass Onion” last night, silly but fun (if not long). I read ”Everything I Never Told You” (Celeste Ng) and “Snake Eyes,” by Hot Springs native Bitty Martin; it’s about a murder of one of her classmates back in 1964. I just finished “The Beauty of Dusk,” by Frank Bruni- thanks to Joan for the recommendation on that good book!
A friend up the street sent this cute photo – everyone is in on the celebration!
Argentina put us through the wringer today but finally came out victorious in the World Cup! It was a nail biter all the way to the end. John and I stayed home to watch it – the city has been nuts since the game ended six hours ago! Lots of very happy people!
The week was pretty low key otherwise. I watched the semi-final match on Tuesday. John came back from Bogota Saturday morning and we just stayed home all weekend. I binged on the second season of “White Lotus” and read David Sedaris’s “Happy-Go-Lucky.” We had delicious Thai food delivered yesterday for lunch. And that’s about it!
