criplomats

I’ll have a grueling travel day tomorrow, so I’m blogging a day early so I don’t forget! I’m at the airport now…check back next week to see where I’ve been!

Last Sunday was game day at Ben and Angela’s out in Leesburg, so that means John plays games all day and I go to the nearby outlet mall to shop. And I bought a new laptop while I was out!

Monday was a holiday. We stayed in and watched “True Detective” (set in NW Arkansas); John cooked some delicious steaks in the cast iron griddle.  Tuesday night, John got to have dinner with Phillip, who was working in nearby Reston. So nice that Phillip’s job gets him out this way now and then! Wednesday was a snow day, so I worked at home and watched the pretty snow.

Thursday night we met a few friends at Ris, then John, Jimmi, and I stayed for a delicious dinner.

Friday was busy at work getting ready for this trip! I had time for a manicure/pedicure this morning before packing and heading to the airport. It’s a rainy, chilly, cloudy day!

With Jimmi, John, and Brian

Guyana hotel view (the ocean was muddy)

I flew to Guyana last Sunday to work, and returned on Friday. I always enjoy going there: I like the people, there’s a nice lounge at the Marriott overlooking the ocean where I have breakfast and dinner, I can walk to work, and there’s a small cafeteria where I can eat inside the embassy. It’s the small things. And parrots fly overhead at morning and dusk. I was there on Valentine’s Day. We had cake in the morning, and in the afternoon, the local international school choir serenaded me (they do singing Valentine’s as a fund-raiser). I spent two evenings in the lounge visiting with a retired Foreign Service Officer who was there working in the consular section – very nice. Monday night I worked out  during Marine boot camp – my legs hurt the rest of the week from squats!

Last night we went to RT’s for Cajun food with Rick and Claire – it’s one of our favorites. I had she-crab soup and pecan-crusted haddock – yum!

Somehow during my travel last Sunday, I completely forgot to blog! I was in town the previous week. I went to happy hour one night with Tammy, Amy, and Donna, which is always fun. Otherwise it was pretty quiet!

John and worked a jigsaw puzzle this weekend, and I’ve been playing online Scrabble some – fun!

While at the Admirals Club in Miami, I got a selfie with Bob Cranston, who was sitting in my little reading nook – he’s credited with creating the first frequent flyer programs. Thanks to that, I flew business class on the way down, so I wanted to tell him thanks!

With Bob Cranston

Morning at the Miami Airport

I got this nice little email from our housekeeper in Islamabad after I sent him birthday greetings. I miss people calling me “madam,” haha!

From Saleem

It has dawned on me that I am beginning to look more and more like my mother. She would have turned 94 this past Wednesday.

Any resemblance?

Mom with Tiger as a kitten

Hotel view

The weekend saw the end of the government shutdown, and I managed to push through a trip to Bermuda at the last minute.  I had good reason to go, but was very happy to avoid the polar vortex that gripped D.C. in my absence!

Beach walk

I had a great visit to the consular section, returning home on Saturday. I am always amazed at how lovely Bermuda is – it’s really like a fairy land. The residents complained of the cold there, but a high of 65 degrees was just fine by me! Thanks to my friend and colleague Marcy for a great visit! Click to see my Bermuda photos!

Sunday we had our good friends Rick and Claire over for lunch and some fun afternoon gaming!