Decision time

Mimi and I fly to Toronto this afternoon. We have our appointment with the Argentine consulate (two appointments actually). One on Monday (to surrender our passports) and one on Thursday for the 'most of the day/hang around' to get our visas meeting. The rest of the paperwork was done months ago - police background check, re-issuing birth certificates, marriage certificate - all had to be translated into Spanish and sent to them. We just had wait to get our appointment date at the consulate (Ok, I had to postpone it once, due to work).

So Mimi & I looked at each other and said, 'Do we want to get these visas and stick around for awhile?'

Let's look at the facts, shall we :

• The most recent protest in front of my office building (Thursday) resulted in one of the front doors being smashed.
• 300 industrial natural gas users had thier gas supply cut back to ensure heat for homes.....and the cold weather has only just begun.
• A quick trip to the grocery isnt quick. You need to book time in your calendar because it is an event.
• There is little change in the country, people hoard the coins because the metal is worth more than the face value, apparently.
• The elevator in the apartment does strike fear into Mimi. Not only does the interior cage door require special handling but my predecessor's wife was stuck in it for 2 1/2 hours with the grocery delivery boy (and a load of groceries). It is cosy with three people in it. Neither spoke each other's language at the time.
• Mimi wont have to do laundry or iron anything for at least two years.
• We have 5 bathrooms in our two story apartment, 2 of which I have never used.
• We still need to declare on which soccer (futbol) team we are going to support - San Lorenzo, Boca or River Plate. It makes for great coffee talk in the mornings at work and going to a game is a real thrill.
• A roadblock near the community of 25 de Mayo caused our oil field to be shutdown because our trucks couldnt pass. It was local landowners, who had been deeded land who were protesting because they didnt want to pay taxes on the free land they got.
• Gasoline prices are about $0.65/litre here, and even then we have a driver.
• You can get any food, any time by take out. There are guys with insulated boxes on the back of thier scooters from just about every restaurant in the city. There is even a couple of guys on roller blades.
• There is the 'dog sh*t on the sidewalk' factor. We have had only one (reported) incident to date.
• Mimi and her caddy, Tito are a good team.
• Then there is that damn Malbec. They dont export the good stuff. It stays here....for us!
• The smoke from the grass fires hasnt invaded the city for a few weeks.
• The ash from the Chilean volcano hasnt interrupted flights to the field for at least a few days.
• Dulche de leche.....especially as Panqueque de dulche de leche (with rum).
• Cooper is in good hands back in Calgary.
• I do work with a great bunch of people and I do enjoy the work.
• We are excited about learning Spanish.
• Mimi has met a lot of new friends and her social calendar is starting to see her being doublebooked at times.
• We look forward to a Copa de Champagne to start many a meal.

Based on the facts (and we will continue to learn more of them over time), we have decided by a unanimous vote to get those visas and stay here for awhile.

B.