Another good week!

We had a full week of school with the exception of a visit to Los Perales. It was too muddy for our weekly visit on Wednesday so we rescheduled for Friday. However, our truck needs some repairs and the best day for that was Friday, so we had to postpone Los Perales again. Rain is in the forecast this week which means we probably won't get to visit with the chicas of Los Perales for the whole month of August. We'll see--Ya veremos!

This vaca didn't like our trek along his road. He gave us the "stare" until he finally turned and meandered off the road. The cows are quite amusing.


Juan was still enjoying his computer time when Gregg showed up with the other kids. Naturally, the other kids all wanted to see what their wise firend had found to entertain himself. As you see, lots of boys with only one or sometimes two girls is the norm around here.


We are in early spring. The weather is warming and the ranch is beautiful like it was one year ago when we first arrived.


We could take pictures every day all along our route. As we're anticipating our return home, we feel inclined to capture the grace and tranquility of one corner of our beautiful world.





Friday was Dia De Ninos or kids day. When our children were small they use to wonder why we don't celebrate kids day along with Mother and Father's Day. Well, if you want to celebrate kids, come to Argentina.

We had to walk the mile and a half to the school on Friday since our truck was being repaired, but we're glad we made the effort.

The kids got to jump and play on the rented blow up gymnasium.

Parents and grandparents showed up to support the event. (Gregg was the only male adult.)

The kids put on a program explaining the ant population and habits. Ants are a really big part of the ranch--building their tough-as-cement hormigueros or ant hills throughout the pastures. Did you know that after the male ant mates with the future queen ant, they die within two or three days? Did you know ants can lift 20 times their own body weight? Did you know that millions of ants live in one ant colony? Did you know that ants can take prisoners of foreign eggs of a defeated ant colony, and when the eggs hatch, the new ants become slave ants for the colony? Bummer!


Aren't they the greatest kids? Note the new school that the church built and donated. This was the first time we've actually been inside the new school. It was very impressive.

We ended with treats. The cake was delicious.


Saturday, we were asked to make a trip to Federal to pick up a a new router. A storm was expected, so we were a bit reluctant, but fear of not having the internet for a week was motivation enough to chance the storm.

On the way to Federal we took note of the black clouds ahead.

It rained in Federal as we got the needed part and some groceries. Then, on the way home we saw that though rain clouds were hovering over both pueblos of Federal and Feliciano, the ranch had sunny skies.


Once again, our prayers were answered as we retrieved the needed part without incident and now we don't have to feel isolated without internet. Without the internet, we would have no email, no phone, and thus no sanity.

Saturday afternoon, we decided not to go to the baptism in Feliciano due to the possibility of more rain. Sunday morning we headed for church since the roads weren't too bad around us. However, as we got closer to Feliciano, the roads got worse and worse. We realized that had we tried to go to the baptism on Saturday, we would have been stuck for sure.

By the time church was out, the roads were much drier so we brought the sisters to the ranch for dinner. They always cheer us up and they say the same about us.


Dogs at church are now the norm. No one even notices except us.


We are collecting pictures of really old vehicles. We wonder how they are kept running.