I'm writing very quickly as we're in the middle of an impressive thunderstorm! Buddy, my vicious killing-machine Labrador is huddled at my feet...who's protecting whom??
Our Internet modem is going away in 30 minutes to be returned...????? I figured I'd better get a quick blog in while I could.
All is well. Our car barely fits in the garage but it fits! Our maid is young and inexperienced but she cleans well. Lisette misplaced her homework but what's new?
I get to go house hunting with my friend this afternoon. We found a house for rent just down the street for them. How great would that be?? John doesn't want to go in case he likes it better than our house. I keep wondering how he settled on me when he has such a hard time being satisfied with what he has. Must be because I'm so great!! LOL
We miss you all! I'll be back online as soon as we're back online!
Take Care!
Shelley
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Garage...Garage...Garage
The focus of the day was the...garage.
We have a Ford Expedition. Thank the dear Lord that we chose the regular model and not the EL version which is about 4-6 inches longer. "Normal" cars in Buenos Aires are bug-sized compared to our Monster Truck. Garages in Buenos Aires are made for these bugs not the monsters. We own waaaaaaay too much stuff which tends to overflow into the garage.
The funny thing is, this is supposed to be a two-car garage. There's room for a bike beside our car when it's in the garage. Not a tricycle, just a bike.
John and I headed to the local version of Home Depot today turning heads left and right (izquerda y dereche) with our vehicle. The parking lot attendant actually giggled in awe. Then John had to park in a disabled spot at the local version of WalMart because the regular spots wouldn't come close to fitting the Expedition. More looks.
It's now 11 PM and John is still working in the garage. It is starting to look terrific - we'll see how long that lasts! The bummer is, we have four bikes! :-)
Hope your weekend was great!
Love ya!
Shelley
We have a Ford Expedition. Thank the dear Lord that we chose the regular model and not the EL version which is about 4-6 inches longer. "Normal" cars in Buenos Aires are bug-sized compared to our Monster Truck. Garages in Buenos Aires are made for these bugs not the monsters. We own waaaaaaay too much stuff which tends to overflow into the garage.
The funny thing is, this is supposed to be a two-car garage. There's room for a bike beside our car when it's in the garage. Not a tricycle, just a bike.
John and I headed to the local version of Home Depot today turning heads left and right (izquerda y dereche) with our vehicle. The parking lot attendant actually giggled in awe. Then John had to park in a disabled spot at the local version of WalMart because the regular spots wouldn't come close to fitting the Expedition. More looks.
It's now 11 PM and John is still working in the garage. It is starting to look terrific - we'll see how long that lasts! The bummer is, we have four bikes! :-)
Hope your weekend was great!
Love ya!
Shelley
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Fun Friday and Scattered Saturday
They were.
On Friday, my first mission was to get my nails done. They had grown to enormous lengths but I was unable to find anyone to do the acrylic nails for me. An Embassy wife led me to a nail tech who works just down the street from me!! Yeah!! $20 dollars later, my nails are beautiful and short!!
We had heard that our car was to be delivered between 4 and 5, so John went in to his school to register while I started tackling the boxes in the office - last room to be unpacked!! We had also heard that the gardener/pool guy (Greco) comes on Fridays. We had also heard that the security alarm system person might come by on Friday. Well, they all showed up within 15 minutes of each other!!
By 5:30, our yard and pool look great and our car is in the garage. The new security system isn't in place yet but we still have the one that was in the house already. I'll try to attach a picture of the car in the crate it came in but first I'll explain.
It took two months to get here after spending a month in S. Florida because the Embassy wouldn't release it to be shipped until our papers were processed here. AHHHH!!! Sometime during shipping, one of the straps METAL buckles broke and the car shifted far to the right inside its metal crate but miraculously emerged from said crate without a single ding on it!!
As we love to torment our children, John volunteered himself and I to attend the school party/dance as chaperones Friday night. It was a semi-formal being held at the Italian Embassy...pretty cool! It wasn't over until 1 AM, by that time I was regularly mentioning to John that "you signed us up for this" - just a friendly reminder that it was his fault that I was tired and bored. We thought it would be funny if we both fell asleep on one of the couches and started to snore and drool a little. Somehow we managed to stay awake. The girls will be forever grateful, I'm sure!
Slept in on Saturday and commenced running around getting ready for a birthday party we were to attend. Had fun at the party then brought a very sleepy pair of teenage girls home to nap. This social life is killing us all!
We went out for dinner with friends but left the sleepy girls at home. Then the landlord came by to go over some minor problems we were having around the house.
So now, I'm caught up with my blog and I'm going to bed!!! :-)
Love to you all!
On Friday, my first mission was to get my nails done. They had grown to enormous lengths but I was unable to find anyone to do the acrylic nails for me. An Embassy wife led me to a nail tech who works just down the street from me!! Yeah!! $20 dollars later, my nails are beautiful and short!!
We had heard that our car was to be delivered between 4 and 5, so John went in to his school to register while I started tackling the boxes in the office - last room to be unpacked!! We had also heard that the gardener/pool guy (Greco) comes on Fridays. We had also heard that the security alarm system person might come by on Friday. Well, they all showed up within 15 minutes of each other!!
By 5:30, our yard and pool look great and our car is in the garage. The new security system isn't in place yet but we still have the one that was in the house already. I'll try to attach a picture of the car in the crate it came in but first I'll explain.
It took two months to get here after spending a month in S. Florida because the Embassy wouldn't release it to be shipped until our papers were processed here. AHHHH!!! Sometime during shipping, one of the straps METAL buckles broke and the car shifted far to the right inside its metal crate but miraculously emerged from said crate without a single ding on it!!
As we love to torment our children, John volunteered himself and I to attend the school party/dance as chaperones Friday night. It was a semi-formal being held at the Italian Embassy...pretty cool! It wasn't over until 1 AM, by that time I was regularly mentioning to John that "you signed us up for this" - just a friendly reminder that it was his fault that I was tired and bored. We thought it would be funny if we both fell asleep on one of the couches and started to snore and drool a little. Somehow we managed to stay awake. The girls will be forever grateful, I'm sure!
Slept in on Saturday and commenced running around getting ready for a birthday party we were to attend. Had fun at the party then brought a very sleepy pair of teenage girls home to nap. This social life is killing us all!
We went out for dinner with friends but left the sleepy girls at home. Then the landlord came by to go over some minor problems we were having around the house.
So now, I'm caught up with my blog and I'm going to bed!!! :-)
Love to you all!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Sweet Sixteen
I cannot believe that my baby is sixteen!!! I must admit, it actually bothers me. Sixteen seems so grown up. Sixteen seems so close to heading out the door to lead her life away from us. Sixteen seems so incredibly close to independence.
Admittedly, Lisette's always walked to her own drummer and it always felt like she would have been just fine without us. Sure, Lisette has been Miss Independent since before she got out of diapers. But she still needed me to change them!! :-)
Now my baby is undeniably a young woman. Sigh. She's thrilled beyond words, as I was ummmmmm...nearly 27 yrs ago! I am happy for her but only because her face was lit up so damn bright this morning!
The bad news is, she's now allowed to date. The good news is, her sweetheart is still in Florida...yes!
Day Two
Maid...$10
Dog walker...$1
Organic Food Delivered...$7
Green Tinge around your face...priceless!
There, that made me feel better!! :-)
Love to you all!!
Admittedly, Lisette's always walked to her own drummer and it always felt like she would have been just fine without us. Sure, Lisette has been Miss Independent since before she got out of diapers. But she still needed me to change them!! :-)
Now my baby is undeniably a young woman. Sigh. She's thrilled beyond words, as I was ummmmmm...nearly 27 yrs ago! I am happy for her but only because her face was lit up so damn bright this morning!
The bad news is, she's now allowed to date. The good news is, her sweetheart is still in Florida...yes!
Day Two
Maid...$10
Dog walker...$1
Organic Food Delivered...$7
Green Tinge around your face...priceless!
There, that made me feel better!! :-)
Love to you all!!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Maid Service
Our new maid started work today.
My day started with sending the kids off to school on the bus then searching for twenty minutes for a transformer so I could make myself a cup of coffee. It was worth it! I had my coffee and hung out with Buddy on the patio.
Buddy's dog walker showed up and off Buddy went with his new pals. You see dog walkers here all over and they usually have at least half a dozen big dogs walking along with them. Hopefully Buddy won't flunk out of dog walking etiquette and pee on another dog or something. BTW, the two hour walk-a-day costs us about a dollar!
Buddy came back at the same time the maid showed up. He drank a gallon of water and promptly took a nap. :-)
Lilian is twenty years old and pretty as a peach. I had sworn we were going to get a 60 yr. old grandmother type but the only one matching that description was quite grumpy. So John won that round without even trying. However, our pool guy's name is Greco...that's my mental balance of the situation. LOL
Day One with the maid is proving to be great. She just laughs nicely when I make my "I have no clue what you're saying" face and we call John to help. So far, so good. I'll keep you posted. For better or for worse, Lilian doesn't cook...thank goodness for the delivery system!!
I am so sick of boxes the sight of them makes me cringe. Thankfully they're all piled behind my back while I write this or I couldn't even sit in this office. Somehow I do hear them calling my name though so off I go to find more things a new home!
Cheers!!
My day started with sending the kids off to school on the bus then searching for twenty minutes for a transformer so I could make myself a cup of coffee. It was worth it! I had my coffee and hung out with Buddy on the patio.
Buddy's dog walker showed up and off Buddy went with his new pals. You see dog walkers here all over and they usually have at least half a dozen big dogs walking along with them. Hopefully Buddy won't flunk out of dog walking etiquette and pee on another dog or something. BTW, the two hour walk-a-day costs us about a dollar!
Buddy came back at the same time the maid showed up. He drank a gallon of water and promptly took a nap. :-)
Lilian is twenty years old and pretty as a peach. I had sworn we were going to get a 60 yr. old grandmother type but the only one matching that description was quite grumpy. So John won that round without even trying. However, our pool guy's name is Greco...that's my mental balance of the situation. LOL
Day One with the maid is proving to be great. She just laughs nicely when I make my "I have no clue what you're saying" face and we call John to help. So far, so good. I'll keep you posted. For better or for worse, Lilian doesn't cook...thank goodness for the delivery system!!
I am so sick of boxes the sight of them makes me cringe. Thankfully they're all piled behind my back while I write this or I couldn't even sit in this office. Somehow I do hear them calling my name though so off I go to find more things a new home!
Cheers!!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Recovery
One busy day!
Jake was up at 2:30 AM with a bloody nose - fun, wow!
Off to a PTO meeting at 8:15 and to meet up with a friend of mine. Got some paperwork completed at the school while I was at it.
Back to the house until the groceries were dropped off (Hee Hee) then to the Embassy to check on the car, get mail and buy some Commissary stuff. John and I had lunch with said friend and her husband in the Embassy cafeteria (quite delicious food there!) Then John and I headed back home before the kids got back from school as Lisette forgot to take her set of keys! You may wonder why we chose to bestow that particular responsibility on that particular child - we're rethinking that move too!!
Nicole just returned from a shopping trip, bought a beautiful dress for herself but totally forgot to get Lisette a birthday gift. Hmmmmmm. Nice to see how responsible our kids are, you know?? :-)
Time for dinner!
It's sunny and beautiful out, maybe dinner will be on the patio!
Salud!
Jake was up at 2:30 AM with a bloody nose - fun, wow!
Off to a PTO meeting at 8:15 and to meet up with a friend of mine. Got some paperwork completed at the school while I was at it.
Back to the house until the groceries were dropped off (Hee Hee) then to the Embassy to check on the car, get mail and buy some Commissary stuff. John and I had lunch with said friend and her husband in the Embassy cafeteria (quite delicious food there!) Then John and I headed back home before the kids got back from school as Lisette forgot to take her set of keys! You may wonder why we chose to bestow that particular responsibility on that particular child - we're rethinking that move too!!
Nicole just returned from a shopping trip, bought a beautiful dress for herself but totally forgot to get Lisette a birthday gift. Hmmmmmm. Nice to see how responsible our kids are, you know?? :-)
Time for dinner!
It's sunny and beautiful out, maybe dinner will be on the patio!
Salud!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Servicio
Okay, here's one thing that the Argentineans have mastered!
Remember how excited I was that they would deliver the dog food to the hotel? That was such the tip of the iceberg!
In total, today - now, remember that we still do not have a car! - we had ~
Laundry - picked up, will be delivered back to us on Wednesday
Ice Cream - delivered and John says "Heaven!"
Pizza and Empanadas and Drinks - delivered
Groceries - John and I went to the big "WalMart type place", instead of lugging the stuff home in a taxi, our items will be delivered tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow the carpet guy should come and pick up our area rugs to clean and then return. Friday, we rented a movie that they delivered and then picked up from the house. They are all about delivery here, it's simply amazing!
The moving guys were back today, finished moving things up to the attic playroom for us, removed empty boxes/garbage and put together storage shelving as well as our new basketball net.
I'm digging the service!
Oh, and our full-time maid starts on Wednesday!!! Hee Hee
Cheers!
Remember how excited I was that they would deliver the dog food to the hotel? That was such the tip of the iceberg!
In total, today - now, remember that we still do not have a car! - we had ~
Laundry - picked up, will be delivered back to us on Wednesday
Ice Cream - delivered and John says "Heaven!"
Pizza and Empanadas and Drinks - delivered
Groceries - John and I went to the big "WalMart type place", instead of lugging the stuff home in a taxi, our items will be delivered tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow the carpet guy should come and pick up our area rugs to clean and then return. Friday, we rented a movie that they delivered and then picked up from the house. They are all about delivery here, it's simply amazing!
The moving guys were back today, finished moving things up to the attic playroom for us, removed empty boxes/garbage and put together storage shelving as well as our new basketball net.
I'm digging the service!
Oh, and our full-time maid starts on Wednesday!!! Hee Hee
Cheers!
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