Routine

My daily routine is finally becoming just that routine. I do have to ride the local sardine can to commute each day, and on good days (seldom) I actually get a seat. But I am in the med department although not seeing patients. I am learning my administrative duties. I have till Thanksgiving and then it will be off to Algiers, Algeria. Wayne and I have had a roller coaster of many emotions but the overall feeling is good.
Monday and Tuesday we learned how to stay safe in our new rolls. We learned about common causes of fires (electrical) and how to remain happy if we are kidnapped. We also learned about bombs, surveillance and weapons of mass destruction. After two days you began to wonder what you had signed on for.
We continue to tourist and find getting lost is a way of life. If it were not for GPS and an android phone we would be out there forever.

PANDA'S AT THE NATIONAL ZOO

Pictures

Wayne and I at the barbeque area outside our apartment complex.

Jay has adapted well to his new home. In fact he is down right spoiled as you can see.  He barely fits on the ottoman.

This is a picture on the day we recieved our country flags. It's call the grip and grin. They take lots of this type of photos. It was a fun day.

Next Step

Next week I enter what's called functional training. That means I will be in the med department learning about my real job. I graduated from department 101. Monday and Tuesday Wayne and I will be in class together to learn overseas security. It will be nice spending class days with him.
This weekend we have spent touristing around with family but true to my tech challenged self I am having trouble with pictures. I will continue to try.
We have adjusted to city life and the crowds but that would not be our choice. There are many wonderful restaurants and every ethnic foods, always something to do or see, but noisy and crowded are the norm.
I will continue to try to get some pictures us and will update you on functional training.

Working for a Living

I have survived the first week and into the second. I have leaned communications, cultures and protocols. Tomorrow is a team building exercise and then a trip to the CIA on Friday. The discouraging thing about all this is I do not treat patients. I might forget how to be a nurse practitioner by the time I reach Algiers. I promise I will try to post some pictures next week. I do miss my three 12 hr. shifts and my time off. This is the first 8-5 job I have had in 25+ years, actually maybe ever.

Government Employee

Well it's official, I work for the government. I know I left everyone hanging with us in transit. We made it to our apt in VA and have sort of settled in. Life has been hectic since. This working EVERYDAY is crazy. Gone is my cushy 3 days a week. I am still attempting to learn what I am allowed to blog. Seems that there are rules about information distribution. So if I seem evasive, sorry.
One thing I do know is that we are moving to Algiers. That's in north Africa for those who are geographically challenged. It is the capital of Algeria on the Mediterranean Sea. It will be interesting and exciting. It has not been determined when we may leave.
I miss all of you. Please feel free to email and text.

On Our Way

Well this has been a week. The packers were there for two days just packing boxes, then Wednesday they loaded the truck, all 16,000 pounds. We thought we had done so well till we watched how much we still owned being loaded into the truck. Then we stayed with the children for two days and left in the rain this morning from Nashville. I have cried my share of tears leaving Brooke, then the other children and our grand babies. I understand peanut made his first appearance on Facebook yesterday. He has a new home with Hurley a 14 week old pug.
Anyway we are in Roanoke VA tonight with reality setting in.

The Saga Continues

Several funny thing have happened in the last week. The best one is my going away cake at the urgent care. When we opened 6 or so weeks ago a brochure was distributed with a glaring misspelled word. We begged them not to pass them out but they did. Well people I'm sure noticed. So....when they went to pick up my cake, low and behold there was a misspelling. It was perfect! The comic relief. We laughed, we cried and Linda shared a small corner of my desk, just like we how we started.

Now it's packing time. If you have never had movers you might not understand but they pack whatever is lying there. If you do not hide your stuff, well it's packed including dust and trash. They are there to pack. So a few things are packed that should not be, I also can not send candles, lotions, oils etc. Anything that is an open liquid. Hum......

The interesting news is we will get a list of possible places on the 27th. We will not know where we are going till Oct. 11th. Well we at least can look at the possibilities.