Out for a Walk

Recently Jolene and I took a stroll through the woods near our house.  In these woods there are a few, for lack of a better word, springs.  All hours of the day there are people walking to the springs to fill their empty water jugs, and tow them away on their little carts.  It was a nice walk along a stream part of the way, and at the apex of the trip we strolled along a few little lakes.  We fed the ducks and watched the little finches eat from homemade bird feeders that were hung throughout the woods.  This is the same area I usually go to ski.  The trails are kept up nicely and there are street lights on the main walking paths.  Here are the pics from our little excursion.

Nice Break!

Okay it's been a while since my last post.  I seem to be saying that a lot lately, but I have a really good excuse this time.  The wife has been out here for a while.  It was really awesome to have her out here, but as busy as she's been, I think the break has been better for her.  I cooked for her, grilled some awesome T bones one night... It was nice for her to meet some of the other geeks I work with.  We made it out to a couple of happy hours and...
Jolene made it out to a few shops, and I think the picture says it all...



And we had a good time walking around Old Town, Alexandria...

And we found this guy playing crystal glasses...



But alas, she had to head home today.  4am cab to the airport but she left a little something behind to keep me company...

Another week down and a welcome to the 121st Specialist Class

Well I'd like to welcome those new comers of the 121^st, especially the new IMers.  It's funny to see you all having the same questions and apprehensions that we had coming in.  Two more weeks of orientation and things will slow down for you.  I promise.

Okay so on to what I've been up to.  I've got three weeks of training down; I've learned more about the jobs of my trade, this week was telephones and PBX.  The course was mostly an introductory concepts and now I know enough to be dangerous; next week a new course with a test on Friday.  Tonight is poker night so I'll be giving my money away to someone I'm sure.  This week I also applied for my diplomatic passport, so I should be getting that in a couple of weeks then it's time to apply for my Russian Visa.  And, I suppose I should start scheduling my vaccines.  They recommend a Rabies pre-exposure series, which is 3 shots.  Should I get infected with rabies in Russia, then I will need one additional shot.  With no pre-exposure series, if you get infected its 7 shots.  I really wish I had my shot records from the army, oh well guess its pin cushion time for me.  Let’s see I’m slowly working on my Russian using Rosetta stone.  It is a little slow going because I am also studying for Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator.  I need to take two more exams to get my certification upgraded.

So, the wife hasn't been posting anything on here for a while, but that's because she's a lot busier than me.  She's still taking care of the house, running Crystal around to gymnastics, working on getting the house sold or if need be working with the property management company to get it rented out, trading in our two cars for one more suited for Moscow.  Oh yeah she got her and Crystals applications for passports submitted.  And she has more than that going on, and she is still working full time.  Basically, "She Rocks!

From the wifes view

My husband says that I should post something on the blog about how our journey with the State Department is beginning. Only I tell him that there isn’t much say since we really don’t know anything except when he is leaving. I have to admit though he has made me a little batty with the process and waiting to see if he’s on the list and where. But you know I spent all of my adult life (with the exception of about 1 year) from the time I was 15 years old as a military dependant. I have to tell you when Mike got out of the Army going on 9 years ago, I hated it. I decided that civilian life was not for me. But I will say that I have learned to adjust and try to make the best of it. We have made some very good friends and I have had the opportunity be around my family for a while; which is overrated, teasing. So when Mike went and did the interview and we all did the medical clearance and getting rated and where you are on the list really brings back my memories of the military life style “hurry up and wait”. I have to say that I enjoyed the life style the moving around meeting new people, which turn out to be friends for life, and see different places. I have also forgotten about the living with the unknown, when you leaving, where you going, when you coming back? All those questions that get asked and all you can say is: I don’t know. So I am very much looking forward to this new chapter of our life. I hope to go many places and see many things.