Coming to you LIVE from Calamuchita!

My internet friends and family, the big news is WE HAVE INTERNET AT THE HOUSE IN SANTA ROSA. Due to technology and something called 3G (don't ask, I don't know) that we are able to plug into the computer and which works off of a cellular connection. The signal here is weak, two bars out of five, but to have it at all constitutes a miracle in my book! They don't even have phone lines out here. We are talking BOONIES, people.

And it means I can stay connected. Oh happy day!

So yes, I am coming to you LIVE from the Valle de Calamuchita!

It was so refreshing last night -- after a long, hot day of packing, traveling, and unpacking, making up the bed and so on -- to take a walk down to the river. Rio Santa Rosa is simply one of the cleanest rivers I've ever seen. There's almost always a few folks down there in the summer, and last night was no exception. [By "down there" I mean the ford at the end of our road.] An older man lay a few feet from shore, just sprawled out in the shallow water as it washed over him. A family with numerous children waded and fished on the other side. An egret swooped down, landed and walked around a bit, then took off into the air again.

Peaceful.

Even though we brought groceries, neither of us felt much like cooking, our energy level pretty low after the long, hot day, so we drove into Villa Belgrano to our favorite little restaurant for dinner. At 9:30 p.m. a young couple entertained a large crowd by performing interesting feats of acrobatics in front of the municipality, and the central park had been transformed into a carnival with a stage at one end where children in traditional costumes were dancing to folk music.

While Villa Carlos Paz is renowned as a vacation spot for happening singles, Villa Belgrano is the "go to" place for families. We really enjoy the feel of this small pueblo.

Tio Rico's is a favorite for many reasons. You can eat as little or as much as you want -- it's buffet style and you pay by the kilo, the woman at the counter weighing plates and keeping a running tab for each table. The food is always excellent and they change their menu daily so it's not always the same old, same old. I had a little bulgar salad, some marinated eggplant, and saurbraten with noodles. Not a lot of any of it, since the heat doesn't do much for my appetite. I'd grabbed a roll and then didn't eat it so I brought it home. I'll have it for breakfast this morning :-)

The last time we went there it was ridiculously expensive and now we think maybe we paid for another table because last night was much more reasonable (and we'd asked ahead of time about the cost per kilo). We spent the same as we would have at McDonald's for two Big Mac combos, regular, not super-sized.

Today I'm planning a quiet day at home. I want to take everything out of the kitchen cupboards and scrub them and then wash all the dishes before putting them away. I brought some sewing projects so that should be fun. As well as some that probably won't be so fun, but are necessary. Like a bunch of clothes that need to be altered.

I may have mentioned a time or seventeen that I've had some health issues since we arrived in Argentina and have lost a little weight. Well, last night we stopped at a pharmacy to get more iron (for the anemia) and they had a scale. One of those big ones that you step up on. Since I haven't had a chance to weigh myself in a couple months, I hopped up. I have lost 37 lbs.! I was shocked! No wonder my clothes are too big. LOL I seriously didn't realize I'd lost that much.

So yes, altering these clothes is a priority. Please pray for me, because while I quilt with some level of skill, my clothes sewing/altering ability is sadly lacking. I need to make these things fit because I cannot just go out and buy new ones. Aside from the whole cost issue, nothing fills me with greater horror than clothes shopping.

I also plan to spend time sitting in the back yard, under the arbor absolutely loaded with ripe grapes, and just relax and read. *sigh* Doesn't that sound fabulous?

And now I must finish up because my darling hubby made coffee and buttered my bread. Breakfast time!