A Time To Prepare

After being gone for 18 months, it's natural to worry about how things are going to look at home.  We had no reason for concern, as the folks renting our house have done a great job.

Paula was generally pleased how her gardens have survived.  After that long, there's always a plant that didn't make it, and some nice surprises from those that did.

We were presented with a stack of boxes from Amazon with everything from (more) white shirts to a laminator to oven thermometers to a crock pot to wool tights.  By the way, Paula looks better in the tights than I do.

I dusted off the bikes, put the chains back on, and we took an exploratory 14-mile ride.  After a year and a half, the seat that had always been so comfy wasn't quite so forgiving.  On the other hand, living at 8,750 feet for that long in Bogotá had performed the same function as blood doping, and though the legs didn't like it, we hardly got out of breath on the hills.

So, we're busily procuring the things we'll need for the next three years, visiting and staying with friends and catching our breath in the beautiful spring weather here in Raleigh.  Paula has become adept at shamelessly soliciting dinners; after all, we're (very) temporarily homeless.
We hope your friends also take you out to dinner!
Dave & Paula

Cultural Whiplash!

As you recall, last Saturday we braved the Fingers of Besh Bermag in Azerbaijan.  This Saturday, we braved the competitive maelstrom of the Piney Green Soccer League in Jacksonville, North Carolina, visiting our daughter Brynn and husband Chad and kids. 

After four continents and twelve time zones in the space of three days, we've got Cultural Whiplash!

Arriving back in the US, there were these great big stores, starting with "W" or something.  They had all sorts of stuff for sale!

It was weird!  The streets were sadly lacking in potholes and taxis. 

A car stopped!  Stopped, I tell you, for pedestrians!

We went to a bank, and saw no automatic weapons!

We're having a great time visiting, but I'm telling you, it's taking some getting used to.

We hope that you're comfortably settled in wherever you are.

Dave & Paula