Rain...we get a lot of rain here it seems. It is probably more normal than not, but after living nearly 20 years in Arizona, the rain seems a bit persistent and excessive! It is becoming more beautiful here everyday with the lovely azaleas and dogwoods in bloom. The humidity is low right now and we are enjoying the more temperate days while we can.
My son Ryan, daughter in law Amanda and sweet Grandson moved to Houston Texas and are getting settled in their new home . I hope to make a quick trip there in the near future.
Easter was spent at Mount Vernon with our friends Kari and JR. The day was pleasant, the food good and the company great. I did feel a little homesick that day and missed my family and familiar church in Mesa.
 |
 |
| The squirrel(s) were out in force on Easter Sunday! |
 |
| Kari and JR My brother in law Robert made an unexpected trip to Maryland to visit his folks after his Dad had surgery to repair his broken hip. He arrived the sane evening as Tom's brother Len arrived in town for a business trip. We all had dinner together in Bethesda that night and enjoyed a great meal. Wow, it seems I comment on food frequently, but we have really enjoyed some great restaurants here and it is fun to collect Groupons to use at new places. A week later we met Robert in Georgetown for dinner at The Guards . I am so glad Tom is skilled at parallel parking as it is a skill you must have here! I haven't had to parallel park since moving to Mesa- plenty of wide open spaces there to accommodate the gas hogging trucks and SUVs! Finding and paying for parking is a nuisance, but a reality here. Robert took us to the Old Stone House, from pre-revolutionary days and within walking distance of the restaurant,   |
 |
| Tom and Bro in law Robert |
 |
| My eyes are closed and my shirt is buttoned unevenly- perhaps due to the vodka tonic I enjoyed at The Guards! We settled for frozen yogurt and said goodbye- we will be seeing more of Robert in the near future as he sees to the transition of his Dad from extended care rehab back to home. We will be making some sightseeing trips together and he is an expert guide as he has lived in the area previously. I found an opportunity to utilize my massage therapy skills shortly after the new year began. I will be giving chair massage to returning vets from Iraq and Afghanistan at The Mologne House on the Walter Reed campus. The Mologne house is a transition house where the soldiers continue to get rehab after being released from acute care at Walter Reed hospital. After an application process, background check and the purchase of new malpractice insurance and a new chair I was ready to go. The volunteers give chair massage to family and soldiers alike. It was a great experience and I am gratified to be of service to those who have sacrificed and served our country. The organization I am working under is CAUSE- please see the following link: http://cause-usa.org/main/index.cfm   we enjoyed a concert of Pershings own Army Band and will be returning to see the new Civil War pictorial exhibit in the near future. We also visited the National Aquarium, but I wouldn't recommend it as a must see. We were scheduled to attend an Army Strong marriage weekend in Virginia Beach on the last weekend in April, but it was cancelled at the last minute. Due to a lack of interest?! Well, I was interested and thought it would make for an entertaining blog. We decided to make the best of the situation and treated ourselves to sushi, a movie and and yoga class and a trip to The Pentagon Mall. Would you believe that we got scolded for taking pictures at the mall? Unbelievable, since you can freely take pictures of most things on the capital mall....including the White House exterior.  The weekend ended with a rousing church service at our new big box church and for the first time ever, I actually raised my hand up during a praise song! Me, a reserved Lutheran- ha ha. The pastor is so enthusiastic and sincere, you can't help but get enthused too! My Mom celebrated her 85th birthday and was feted at her local Lutheran church with a surprise coffee hour reception that two of my sisters put together. Happy Birthday Mom- I was with you there in spirit- love you!  Well, the news these days is food for thought as we are living right in the middle of the breaking news and increased security. In a way it makes me want to run back to Arizona, but that is a silly notion. It probably will be safer here than most places and it comes with the territory of having this chance to experience our year in DC Metro. |
