Don't Hate Us. Unless You Already Do. Not That I Blame You.

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

Blog powered by Typepad

« My Eyes! My Eyes! | Main | And This is Why I Will Never Marry Him Off »

09/22/2011

Don't Hate Us. Unless You Already Do. Not That I Blame You.

Okay, so, you already know our family lives in Florida. And that we're visiting them before we head to China. And that James and I were high school sweethearts here in our Hometown.

A thousand years ago.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Some (most? almost all?) things here in sleepy little Hometown never change.

The beach is always yummily inviting, and only a few steps away (as I said, don't hate me!):

Since it's only September (it doesn't get coolish here until about November), it's still warm out on the beach:

This next picture is pretty much a free (FREE!) ad for Nikon, which is both the kind of camera that I have AND the kind of lenses that I use, even though my favorite lens broke randomly a week or two ago and I had to mail it into Nikon AND THEY DON'T MAIL TO DPO ADDRESSES, so they won't mail it to me in Chengdu once they fix it. DARNIT.

But, my current issues with Nikon notwithstanding, I just *love* my camera and my lenses. Just look what they can do:

Oh yes, there are some fabulous photo opportunities in Florida.

Floridian sunrises are gorgeous, and worth waking up for:

Know what else?

Florida wildlife wears weaponry on its face. But is still pretty:

If you don't think that the above beak is "weaponry," then I invite you to get really close to that bird while holding something in your hand that it wants to eat.

Let me know how that goes for you.

Here's another picture I've taken recently that I adore. I call it "And This is Pretty Much What I Look Like From My Husband's Perspective ALL THE TIME:"

As for us, today is Thursday. This weekend we will leave quiet little Hometown, FL and start our winding journey to Chengdu, China (our new post).

We're making a few stops along the way for meetings here and happenings there, etc., so we're not going to get to post for, like, a whole 'nother week or something... but it's getting close.

It's getting realllllllllllly close.

And as interesting as travel/going to new places/experiencing new things is... it's hard to leave our Hometown and our families.

Oh yes, it's VERY hard to leave.

Posted on 09/22/2011 at 11:42 AM in I'm Annoying, James, Me, Moving with State, Photos of Birds, Photos of Which I am Proud, The Grandparents, Travel, Vaycay in Florida | Permalink

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Awww, loved the pictures! Makes me miss FL a little.

Have a safe trip! Can't wait to read your first impressions of China and your pictures from there.

Posted by: Daniela | 09/22/2011 at 08:10 PM

Get Nikon to mail it to ship it apo (shipitapo.com). they will, for a packaging fee, repack it and ship it to you in the DPO.

Posted by: Digger | 09/23/2011 at 10:19 AM

Yes, we are all jealous of you. . . And the beachfront in Florida. . . And your camera. . .

(Btw, you TOTALLY need to come to Kenya because your camera would LOVE it.)

Posted by: TulipGirl | 09/23/2011 at 11:11 AM

yay, I have missed your scenery photos! these are spectacular!
and: OMG! You are leaving!! Wow!! have a safe and easy trip, can't wait to hear about it!

Posted by: bfiles | 09/24/2011 at 06:11 PM

Great pictures!!

Posted by: Melissa | 09/25/2011 at 12:23 AM

Ok I think I know where i want to retire! Gorgeous. Digger is right there are APO shipping companies that will do that for a fee but you can always have it shipped to your folks then they can ship it to you. We have an arrangement with one of Dave's sisters for this sort of thing.

Posted by: shannon | 09/25/2011 at 10:44 AM

Beautiful pictures! This is why living near the sea is the best. You get to see all the breathtaking sceneries such as this. Keep shootin'!

Posted by: Darius Cartmell | 11/17/2011 at 11:43 AM

The comments to this entry are closed.

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!