… than our old one back home. The internal organization is random and fits every dish awkwardly, at best. But it chimes such friendly tones when you start it.

Our washer and dryer do that, too. They’re quite small. Insufficient for an active family of 5, you’d have thought, but it works. The dryer doesn’t vent to the outside – rather, it coaxes the water out of the clothes and deposits it in a reservoir that we empty in the sink between cycles (and yes, Jen, I *do* empty it!). The inconveniences are minor; the set is brand new and works well overall.

The toilets are comfy. I’m not sure any of us have mastered the bidet-hose thing next to them. The bathroom floors are heated, pampering our toesies.

We have ants. Just a few lil’ guys. We also have someone at the embassy to whom we submit a form about the ants, and in a day or two they come and knock them back for a while. It’s free.

What’s living in a place, if not the sum of your day-to-day? Ants, friendly appliances, air pollution, laundry… I was talking with a colleague in Morocco, and we were both marveling over how *little* our lives have changed since joining the Foreign Service. Oregon or Kyrgyzstan, the routine is still: snooze the alarm for a few extra minutes, do the frantic morning dance of getting everyone ready for the day – scrambled eggs and scrambled brains! – go to work/school/errands, punch out and go home, make dinner, do homework, play outside, take baths. The adults squeeze in some yoga or a bike ride when we can, the kids squeeze in some “Zelda: Breath of the Wild” when they can.

Family movie night is still every Friday – come on over, you can eat pizza, then help with the dishes!

Why yes, our dishwasher *is* very quiet, isn’t it?

❤️Love from Bishkek!❤️

(Picture up top is Jen’s from a recent hike)