We are moving

Not in the real sense of the word. Our blogs are moving. I have moved to mypoliticalexile.wordpress.com and the kids will follow. I am a good mom, I wouldnt abandon them here, with crappy interface and impossible uploading. I will give you the new address when there is one. I could make one up that doesnt work if you want, OK the new address is theredsoxssuck.wordpress.com.

We are back....and happy about it!!!

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Originally uploaded by arte andina (G.M. O'Connell).

Our family arrived with the dog and visiting family members on December 21st. Just enough time to get ready for Papa Noel and make ourselves back at home. The weather before New Years was cool and the water in the lake COLD and the water in the river ICE.

New Years has brought warmer water and more guests. We have been spending more time in the river riding the current, although the water is now somewhere between room temperature and COLD.

We will be better bloggers now that the internet is being somewhat useable and we have more adventures to report.

Ski Vacation or Hell? By Mom

Skiing with four small children is always fun!. However, upon the departure of our 12 day adventure into the Andes, I could not have imagined the week we had ahead of us. It was eventful. I could write a lengthy narrative and detail all the highlights. But instead I am opting for bullet points as I am not inclined to relive this part of our family history. I apologize for the lack of photos; however they don’t allow photography in emergency rooms. And raging blizzards don’t make for primo photos opps.

THE BAD

• Flights to all ski resorts cancelled due to snow storm, we are stranded at Neuquen Airport, 500km from where we wanted to be
• Aerolineas Argentinas predictably not helpful and GM gets mad
• Need to find our own transportation to Chapleco (Andes ski hill), or reboard the airplane that would be returning to BA, and if we were lucky they would book us on an airplane “later in the week”
• Spent 5 hours in a van driving to Junin then Chapelco
• We arrive at house to pick up the truck. With the exception of the actual house, our property is underwater. The region is experiencing record flooding
• We arrive in San Martin and are told that the GM’s truck cannot make it to the hotel that is located on the ski hill due to the road conditions. Make complicated arrangements for its parking and eventual delivery to us at the hotel.
• Apparently, one standard off-road vehicle is not sufficient for our ascent up the hill, 3 different vehicles, each with a better traction system, are used during the expedition. This means all 7 passengers and their luggage (11 pieces) have to be transferred each time...it’s an harbinger for our nightmarish transportation logistics that we must deal with everyday (END OF DAY ONE)
• No communication with outside world. GM’s cell phone is MIA. My phone decides to refuse charging.. The hotel has only a radio phone, (ie) CB radio. Yodelers stage a sick out.
• We have previously decided that (after years and years of whining and pleading) we will let Henry and Callum try out snowboarding.
• Decision not a good one: can’t rent snow boards or get snow boarding lessons on the hill near our hotel and can’t get to main ski hill on skis due to the snow dump, must use 2 different Land Rovers to get to main ski hill. (this lasted all week)
• During the entire week lifts and gondolas were breaking down. Would suggest they do some maintenance prior to ski season opening
• Henry hurts wrist on second day of snow boarding and requires x-rays (negative). Invest in wrist braces recommended by our new friends in the Infirmary
• See new friends again next day when Jenny (nanny) hurts her leg skiing in the fog and has x-rays (positive for fracture)
• Spend day at Hospital with Jenny getting new x-rays and learning from other new friend orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jorge, that Jenny needs arthroscopic surgery, 3 month off her leg and physical therapy
• Organize surgery, hotels and new flights for Jenny
• Callum has 103 temperature and seal cough. I ignore symptoms
• On final day of skiing as I am packing up the car, GM calls to tell me that Henry has paid a visit to our old friends in the Infirmary, has arm x-rayed (positive for fracture) meaning more hospital visits and hooking up with our orthopedic pal Dr. Jorge. Reinforces negative feelings about prior snowboard decision
• Our favorite restaurant (the only restaurant) in Junin, La Ruca, is closed for renovations

THE GOOD

• There was a much needed snow storm
• The kids had fun, totally oblivious to the stress we were feeling and they were causing.
• Owen skied a ton and had a lot of fun (was neither sick or injured)
• Henry broke his left arm (his writing hand!)
• The hotel was very nice with good food, nice service and great views but it might as well have been on the moon given our transportation logistics
• Everyone (except the bruja at Los Pendientes and the Areolineas Argentina) were exceptionally warm, nice and helpful to us. Argentines are really great that way…
• Definitively confirmed that snowboarding (riding, shredding, whatever) is a waste of time. In all likelihood this option will not be offered to offspring on next SKI vacation.
• The heat and fireplaces worked pretty well in Junin.
• The river went down
• The pond is full, at least for now…
  
  Enough said on that subject.

I am the Dad

Yes, the Dad I am. It’s been a great summer, probably the best I’ve had since I was a kid.

Like most Dads, I do all the driving. I also can make a great asado. In fact tonight we are going to have a going away asado because it’s our last night in Patagonia. I will grill an entire goat on a cross and it will be extremely tasty. Many will come to eat it. There will be mucho vino and merriment.

This Dad is natural born Gaucho.

This Dad also gets to go fishing from time to time. Probably about sixty times this summer. Not bad, but my boss is sick of my excuses and I hope he doesn’t read this because then he’d fire me or something.

As you may have noticed, I have three boys. I’ve taught them to fish and they have taught me to not teach them so hard. One of them is learning to tie flies (or fly ties as his Mom says). Henry is getting pretty good at it. Way better than me. Callum is a great caster and releaser of trout. Own is a relentless fisherman who already knows you get about a thousand “last cast”s.

This Dad also has a girlfriend. Her name is Georgie and she ignores me unless I bring her presents. Or take her for a horseback ride on Casi Morto Brownie.

This Dad also got to watch his cool wife make a great home this summer. All this stuff we bought from all over the place in Buenos Aires and here eventually showed up and Elizabeth turned our little old puny ranch into the best place I’ve ever lived.

So the half thought out plan has worked pretty well. I have a cool family, a dream house,. We are on a great adventure and I am a lucky dog.

CAL LOST HIS FRONT TOOTH

This happened when I started to talk after lunch. I had a hamburger and ice cream for lunch. I think the chocolate covering on the ice cream made my tooth come out. The first one to see it was my friend, Longdon. There was a bit of blood. I am going to put it under my pillow. I hope Raton Perez leaves $5p. It is a big tooth afterall!

My mother is grateful that it fell out because it was hanging by a thread of pink tissue for weeks. She hopes that my other front tooth doesn't take so long, because it is pretty disgusting too.

BUENAS NOCHES PATAGONIA

It has been a week now since most of the family has returned to our home in BA. Dad and the dog are still south, on a roadtrip north of Junin exploring new rivers. They are the lucky ones.

Re-entry has been difficult for those that returned. The kids all got the stomach flu within 24 hours of arriving back(lots of barfing). Monday was the return of the 7:00 alarm, school, afterschool activities and the worse, homework, extremely distasteful for Mom. Driving in total chaos, waiting in long lines at the hypermarkets, and neighborhood parties complete with fireworks at 2:00 in the morning, all part of the charm of living in a metro of 12 million people.

Being back here drives home the fact of what a special place we have in Junin. We will be back several times before summer returns next December, but it wont be the same. We had a great summer and I guess we are just not ready to let that go. I guess that is a good thing, to want something that you have had, something you have again if you wait awhile. I guess we are all really lucky.

A Tribute to our Terrific Tutor Steve

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Originally uploaded by arte andina (G.M. O'Connell).

On Saturday we are leaving Patagonia to go back to Buenos Aires and back to our regular school. We want to give Steve this blog entry because his is the best tutor ever. In January, we were excited to meet Steve, but not to have to do school work. When we started having classes we really like it when he came. Here are some words from everyone telling you what we learned and why we like Steve so much.

Callum: We learned the life cycle of the trout. We went on a field trip to a fishery. He taught us how to make the best chocolate mousse in the world. We did a lot of cooking. Steve was my first boy teacher I have ever, ever had. Steve is very, very, nice.

Henry: Steve taught me about insects using a microscope. He taught me about fractions. He helped me do project about Mapuches Indians for my Spanish Class. I liked Steve because he is nice, and makes it interesting by not repeating stuff over and over again.

Owen: I learned about trout. I worked on my letters and making words in English and Spanish. We played lots of games. I like Steve because he makes school like recess.

Georgie: Me gustas mucho. ¡Deseo aprender de ti el año próximo!

Dear Steve:

We will miss you and hope you can be our teacher next year and the year after that and the year after that…… Maybe we can all go skiing together this winter!

Un beso muy grande

Henry, Callum , Owen and Georgie

Some Photos of Summer School