I thought I lost my wallet...

I was convinced that I threw it in the trash after we cleaned out the car yesterday, when we got home from a bbq (and, of course, yesterday was trash day). Turns out, getting things replaced here would not have been that difficult. Someone had already ordered me a new RUT card (id) and bank cards. But getting a new driver's license from CA? Impossible. Even though I just renewed it in January, I would have to go to the dmv in person, fill out a form, give them fingerprints, and then have them mail it to me. At a US address. Uh, I don't live in the US anymore...

The reason my driver's license is so important? If I don't have it, I have to take the driving test here to get a Chilean driver's license. In Spanish. I know some words, but not enough to take a freaking driving test. And as far as I can tell, there are basically no traffic laws here except "drive as fast as possible at all times and get the hell out of the way." Which is how I drive anyway, so I love driving here, but still. Oh, and "no left turns." You can drive for miles sometimes before there's not a sign prohibiting left turns. I've yet to figure out why, and I've made a lot of illegal left turns (I found out that with a diplomatic card, you don't get tickets or thrown in jail).

When I thought my license was gone forever, along with my freedom in a car, we headed to Applebee's to drown our sorrows in the muy fuerte margaritas. But then I found it on the way there, wedged under the seat, so we were going to celebrate. I will say that looking for it without holding a 23 lb. baby in one arm was much easier.

Cute blonde baby seemed happy that we were going out to dinner for whatever reason. And why wouldn't she? The wait staff dotes on her like she's a princess. Something that I've noticed here is that men are much more child-oriented than in the US. When we would go shopping there, lots of women would talk to her and coo at her, but hardly any men. Here, it's both. And men seem to go more over the top with it, stroking her cheek, picking her up, and talking to her in Spanish. She eats it up and does her little smile with her teeth (8!) clicking together. Just what I need-moving here is going to turn her into a little flirt.

Oh, and yes I know it's a bit lame that Applebee's is our "place to go." But local restaurants don't serve dinner until 9 or 10, when cute blonde baby is in bed. So we have to go with what's open. And we know the menu, so it's comfortable, and the staff there is really just very, very nice.