I spent most of the day in my office, lights out and turning the ac on and off as my body temperature fluctuated. Generally feeling like crap. I would have gone home, but I had way too many meetings, so I just stuck it out.

Had a friend over for dinner last night – my first real guest in the new house (Mike and Gulnara don’t count, and besides I have never given them food in my house so it’s not real guesting). As usual, I made far too much food, but that’s less upsetting when you’ve got a microwave. Her dog and my dog are starting to get along – they teamed up to steal an entire bowl of whipped cream last night.

My dog, of course, did not get sick. She’s indestructible, as far as I can tell. The only thing that’s ever made her sick was an egg overdose courtesy of the children of friends, and that one time Dad fed her nearly a pound of boiled fish. Otherwise she just bounds along full of energy and good health, not matter what’s going on with her. Ticks, international travel, scary noises, nothing bothers her. I recommend tough little street dogs to anybody wanting a durable pet. There are some real advantages to buying your dog for cheap at the bazaar.

Talked to one of our drivers yesterday, because it seems to me that Uzbekistan is getting poorer. There are certainly more beggars on the street than there were when I first came here in November 2000. Nikolai agreed – he said that when he started working at this office, his salary was enough to live on and save some, and now it just covers living expenses and his family lives month to month.

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USAID is one of many donors for the project I work for. The views expressed herein are the author’s own views and do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer or especially those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. And I mean it. I probably give the US government heart attacks.