Virtual Mom & Dad

July 27, 2006 Leave a comment

Dear Caitlin & Kelsey,

Hi!  It sounds like you are having an awesome time with the MAHVELOUS Auntie Dr. Shannon and Uncle Marky "the Captain" Sparky!  Between the trips on their boat, the pirate cruise in Annapolis and the trip to Smith Island, you guys must be exhausted.

Img_0290We spent the day on the beach today, and obtained quite the rosy glow despite our extreme slathering of the sunscreen.  And, yes, it was a not-so-good hair day for me.  After a delightful (but overwhelming?) lobster dinner at Carmine’s (see the picture of Dad!), we headed out for mini-golf. 

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We had forgotten how much fun such a simple game can be!  It was a tough match and we did pretty well considering it has been a while.  Okay, I played last week with Kelsey, but she quit after nine holes, so not much competition.

We head back to Virginia tomorrow and can’t wait to see you guys on Friday night!  And we are so grateful to Shannon and Mark for taking such good care of you so we could have some ‘time off’.  Perhaps we will soon see pictures of your adventures posted on 3 Salty Dogs*?!

Love,
Mom & Dad

*There are already a few pics of Cait & Kels from early July.  Shannon wrote a nice description of our trip to the Crab House we visited on July 6 and it can be found  just under the pics of their camping trip to Bear Creek Lake.

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So long, farewell, dasvidania!

July 1, 2006 Leave a comment

Sadly this week we have had to say good-byes to more friends. Yes, I know we are in the FS and it is only time before we seem them again.  However, Iceland is such a small post and just one departure can cause more than a little disruption.

Our friends, the Kierans family, has left Iceland for the trials and tribulations of language training in the DC area followed by a move to Moscow.  It should be an exciting time for them, but we are definitely sad they are gone.  They were so helpful to us when we really needed it and it was great to have another RIS family so close by!

So I think that our trip to the States comes at a very good time.  Otherwise, I will focus too closely on having a good friend displaced and not as much on enjoying the summer (as it is here in this cold, windy, rainy land).

I know no one has possibly forgotten, but this time tomorrow we will be leaving for the airport with the fewest pieces of clothing we have ever taken on a trip!  Okay, except for the Arctic gear we will need just to get to the car and then into the airport.  Ironically, most of what I need to take with me is paperwork…claims to file, bills to pay.  Apparently, in the U.S.,  I can just stick envelopes in a blue box with an eagle symbol on it and my mail will magically go to the addressee! 

On the downside, my oldest is quite the smarty-pants and might quickly figure out that McDonald’s is much cheaper there…thankfully, we are down to about .25 trips to McDonald’s a month.  So, perhaps they will be so overwhelmed by everything else they can get and/or eat there without having to spend their college fund that I won’t feel pressured to make the stop!

Ah, the joy of having everything at your fingertips and no clue where to start!  And going outside without coats (or shoes?!)…beaches that aren’t freezing…jumping into the pool because the water is cooler than the air (not because the air is so cold that you have to warm up in the pool)…

Remember, we love Iceland (it really has been good for us), but home is where the warm temps are and we do so miss them at times!

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