We are settling down into the trenches here in Cordoba.  This is Robert’s second week of work and Mira is doing a great job nailing down all the lifestyle necessities.  Here’s a summary of what has been going on.

1.  Victory.  The victory of the week came early when Mira was able to return a pack-and-play to Walmart from whence it came.  This would be a non-issue in the US, but apparently getting your money back from any store in Argentina is like retrieving radio waves from the center of a black hole.  But, she did it.  After much examination by the WalMart staff to ensure that the pack and play “didn’t work” she walked out of the store with cash.  According to our baby sitter, it was a miracle.

2.  Lunch. Bob had sweetbreads one day for lunch.  Which, his Argentine colleagues are convinced, remain undigested in the body for 8 months.  It smells a little bit like the ol’ “don’t swallow your gum because it will sit in your stomach” myth popular until about the 5th grade.  Bob told his colleagues that he would keep them updated.

3.  School.  It looks like Rory will start at pre-school early next week. Mira has been busy collecting uniforms, art supplies and other assorted things needed before he starts.

4.  Fencing.  The controversy of the week is the fence that needs to go around the swimming pool of the house we will rent.  Every day we get a different story about how much it will cost.  A fence is important, but we are hesitant to pay a lot of money for something that will be torn out when we leave the house.

5.  Car.  After we move into a house, a car will come soon.  Latest thought is a double cab pick up so we can explore the wilderness with children and bicycles securely in place.  But Robert wants a jalopy.

6.  Weather.  The first part of the week started off nice and cool given the weekend thunderstorms.  But today it was incredibly humid and we are waiting for another storm.  According to the locals, this month will go back and forth between cool and hot, eventually the tempertures will fall of in early April.  Not soon enough for Robert.

7.  Cell Phones.  We got cell phones, so send us an email and we’ll give you the numbers which you can call with Skype at low cost.  We’d love to hear from you.

8.  Parties.  We think that we’ve been invited to two parties.  The first is a birthday party of the wife of Matias.  It starts at 10:30 tomorrow night!  Matias was kind enough to say that if we can’t find a babysitter, we can just bring the kids!

9.  Wine.  Every night Mira and Bob enjoy a bottle of wine before going to bed.  Separately.

10.  It just started raining.