Figs preserves and coffee (or, I will survive)

Well, Folks, good morning! Lovely cool/cold day here in BA. I've got hot coffee and toast and fig preserves and the balcony doors open and all is well. Feeling very good in nice, old BA. Sure, I have an odd little cold, but that seems to be the norm every time I change location in South America. Lots of liquids and Toblerone and it's on its way out, so I'm feeling good.

Everything moving along just fine. M & T now have their new home in Fla. Ads must be beyond internet in whatever refugee/border area she now finds herself. De, back from her roadtrip and my mother still having a nice visit with her mother. Word has it too, my father and Neems have reached some sort of amicable agreement, the occasional border dispute not withstanding. And, even sounds as though the Department made its move into the new building in fine order; nice to see the New Era get off on such a good foot, nicer still to see students, staff, and administration getting on with the business of producing world leaders.

On this end, need to phone the Madres this week to set up an interview. Plan is to call someone new or some new group every week until I leave. Reasonable, I think. And, word to the wise, if I had to do it all over again, I would do a single country study -- one gains everything in depth and stability and manageability. No need to kill yourself at the dissertation stage. Save the multicountry study for a book down the line, unless you've got a very narrow topic. Sure, I'm stuck with a multi, but I think I'll cull as much as I can and make the best of it. Cliche, but quality over quantity any day.

So, feels like the Winter Holidays here. Wish you all were around to do the town, see the sights and have coffee and dinner at some of the wonderful restaurants they have here! Even Gloria Gaynor was in town last night, if you can believe it. I suspect, when all is said and done, we will survive.

B.