Don't Hate Me...

This is us. The one showing lots of shoulder (in her Chengdu, China Marine Ball ball gown!) is the EFM who writes this blog. The one wearing a tux (James) is the employee who moves her (and their two sons) around all over the world. The red link, below, is how you can get in touch with me...

The time in Chengdu, China

Chengdu: city of fabulous food and beautiful Buddhist monasteries!

In Our Same Boat (with State)

Beyond the Cornfields
Brand-new State Department family in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Love their two little girls (she just recently had a baby while being posted in Dhaka), horticulture, traveling and adventure!
Email From The Embassy
State Department family formerly in Beijing, China, and recently posted to Amman, Jordan. A trailing spouse, she's also a writer, and frequently publishes articles with major news sources. A very experienced State family, this new post is something like overseas post number six or seven for them.
Just US
A beautiful family of seven - they have arrived at their new post: Jerusalem! They just finished off an unaccompanied tour to Iraq and are very much looking forward to sightseeing around the middle east.
Our Life
State Department family on their second post...Tijuana, Mexico. It's their first overseas assignment and they have two little boys. They love Tijuana so far and post pictures frequently! They also get to enjoy the best of both worlds for they can sneak over the border into San Diego when they want to!
The Dinoia Family
State Department family formerly in California, now in DC for a DC tour. Next, the husband will do a one year unaccompanied tour. A very experienced State family (formerly in Iceland and Caracas) with a blog that has been around quite a while and has great archives. Jen has a sweet heart and a lot to give!
The Perlman Update
State Department family formerly in Chennai, India, who then did a year-long unaccompanied tour in Iraq. They are now on a DC tour and after that will do another unaccompanied tour (Afghanistan). She totally tells it like it is and doesn't sugar-coat what life is really like. Witty, snarky, funny and down-to-earth. Look elsewhere if you want fake. Read if you want REAL.
Where in the World Am I?
State Department family formerly in Bujumbura, Burundi and now in Hyderabad, India. They just had their first baby this summer - a beautiful little girl- (there's a separate blog about this) and she also eats gluten-free (with a separate blog, also).

One of the most intriguing things about Chengdu is that it is a seamless blend of ancient and modern... all together, side by side.

Can't Live Without (non-State)

Crass-Pollination: An ER blog
The best ER nurse blog EVER!
Doctor Grumpy in the House
The best doctor blog EVER!
In Which...
My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of seven. Her darling daughters are, goshdarnit, probably too young to be hoped for as my future daughters-in-law.
The Crib Chick
My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of five. Hopefully two (Any two! I'm not picky!) of which are my future daughters-in-law.
the underwear drawer
An anesthesiologist who is possibly the most talented & entertaining writer ever. I've read her blog ever since she started medical school. No, don't know her in real life. Wish I did.
The Bloggess
This blog is both hysterically funny and hilariously irreverent. I actually let my 17 year old son read it (who loves it as much as I do!), but wouldn't even CONSIDER letting my 12 year old son read it. Which is about all the description it needs!

The grounds of Chengdu monasteries can be very, very peaceful...even though they are smack dab in the heart of a city of millions of people.

Specifics

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07/14/2010

... Even though you would, like, TOTALLY have every reason to.

Nope, don't hate me. Here in Florida. With these views from my parents' condo. Of the beach:

See the tracks in the sand - sort of like a car tire would make - that start in the water and come up to the beach and then go back down? The tracks are on the left hand side of the picture (in the sand) and cross each other like an X?

Turtle tracks. A lady turtle dragged her tired, heavily-pregnant self up out of the water, dug her deep nest (one flipper scoop of sand after another), laid her multiple dozens of eggs, covered her nest with sand (one flipper scoop of sand after another), and then dragged her exhausted-but-no-longer-pregnant self back into the ocean. Right outside my parents' condo.

We went down to the beach yesterday.

There were shells:

There were birds:

A great blue heron.

A brown pelican.

An osprey.

There are waves:

And there are rocks in the surf:

Which would require surf adventurers to wear special protective footwear:





The green-toed Vibram Five Fingered feet, above, would belong to my father. Which means that my father has now succumbed to the Cyberbones Peer Pressure. Although - full disclosure - I do have to tell you that he is having a terrible time with them because they are giving him wicked blisters on his heels. But at low tide, there are serious rocks sticking up out of the water:



So feet must be prepared.

But it's okay! We try to go down to the ocean at low tide, because...

Fun things live under the rocks. (And you can see them if you're wearing a mask. Which we, of course, DO.)

Things like...

Crabs.

So you have to be careful! Those things have claws!

Know why else you should be careful in the water? Things even MORE dangerous than CRABS are out there. Lurking in the water, ready to strike at any moment...

SHARKS. See the scary dorsal fin sticking up out of the water? Telltale sign it's a shark.

And it's not just ANY shark. Oh no! It's actually a...

Man-eating shark!

(I know... I know... *GROAN* right?)

But it's okay. No grandfathers were harmed in the making of this blog post!

When we'd been in the water long enough, we climbed the boardwalk back up to the condo:

And continued on with our day.

My poor husband. He's missing it all.

Away in the middle of nowhere, training for something or other. But - if Daddy doesn't work, we do not eat. Right? So the children and I are here, and he is not.

Love you, Honey! Thank you for being such a hard worker. And when you DO get back here sometime, be careful. The man-eating-shark is hungry. It strikes when you least expect it. You've been warned.

:)

Posted on 07/14/2010 at 05:42 AM in Photos of Birds, Photos of Which I am Proud, Posts referencing fellow State bloggers, The Grandparents, Vaycay in Florida, Zachary | Permalink

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At our house we refer to someone working as supporting the rest of us in the manner to which we've become accustomed. Yeah, it's painful when you've become accustomed to being able to afford to eat and all.

Posted by: Zoe | 07/14/2010 at 05:57 AM

Oh jealousy is running wild in my head. What a beautiful view! It makes me want to go rent a beach house. Or just live in a beach house.

How awesome to see the turtle come up and lay her eggs! What an experience. How long will it take for them to hatch? Will you be there?

Posted by: Emily | 07/14/2010 at 07:23 AM

So cute!! And so glad you don't have oil there. Lets hope the oil never gets there!!!

Posted by: Bryn | 07/14/2010 at 08:20 AM

Beautiful post! Terrific pictures!

Posted by: Daniela | 07/14/2010 at 09:32 AM

I hope you can see the look of jealous disdain on my face from 7 time zones away.

No, you deserve it! As does James... but you can't always get what you want, you know? ;-)

Posted by: hannah | 07/14/2010 at 09:49 AM

I really love the photo with the shells all over the sand. This was a fun post. Miss you!!
Kate

Posted by: Kate | 07/14/2010 at 10:12 AM

So much fun! I miss beaches in Florida, they are so alive! :) Just got an ad from a resort we stayed at in Sanibel and the photos were so tempting...!!! Have fun. I'll be jealous, but in a positive way and happy for you all.

Posted by: Connie | 07/14/2010 at 11:34 AM

Great pictures! You make me excited to see the Oregon coast when we go home to visit later this year. (Even though I know you were in Florida, where you can actually swim in the water because it isn't -10 degrees!)

Posted by: Jessica | 07/14/2010 at 06:08 PM

I don't hate you! I'm happy you are enjoying a relaxing and wonderful time. Love the photos!

Posted by: Bridget | 07/15/2010 at 07:29 AM

Lovely!

Hmmm... now that my ILs are "downsizing" with no more kiddos at home, I think I need them to get a condo on the beach. With an extra couple of bedrooms for when we visit.

Yup. That's it.

Posted by: TG | 07/16/2010 at 03:30 PM

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James loves me. And our sons. And his job. But not having his picture taken. In 2011 he finished up over a year and half of training, and in the fall of 2011 we got to our first overseas post - Chengdu, China!