I have spent most of this week in a rather grumpy mood (which I didn't think fair to inflict on you) and it's all down to my mosquito bites! The debate still rages here about whether they are actually mosquito bites, or whether I was eaten by "no-see-ums" which are vicious little things which you don't notice gnawing on you. Either way these bites were driving me nuts!! For 3 nights I got no sleep because I was driven insane by the itch, and when I did drop off I woke up scratching which isn't good! In the end I resorted to wearing a pair of Stephen's socks on my hands like giant baby scratch mittens!! I know - sexy huh! Finally the itch has (mostly) gone, and I'm just left with the attractive red marks as a memento!
Actually, it wasn't all grump and gloom this week! On Wednesday I had arranged with Susan (the relocation agent) that she would take me to the Gas company office in Washington to change the account from her name to mine. Have I mentioned that, unless you've had your social security number for 5 years, you have to go to the office in person to set up the account? Ridiculous isn't it? I had been round at Hilary's for coffee in the morning and she was telling me that Paul had been there for 4 hours when he went - which based on my experiences to date didn't surprise me!! Anyway, Susan picked me up and off we went to the Gas company which is right beside the Capitol building (I still am amazed that I live here - I still get goosebumps when I see the monuments!). We couldn't get parked, so Susan dropped me off and was going to circle til she found a space, and I would call her to let her know how long I thought it would take... I never in a thousand years though I would be calling her to say "there is one person in front of me. I won't be long!". I was in and out in 10 minutes! They even accepted my UK drivers license as my 2nd form of ID!! Somehow it felt wrong that it should be that easy!!!! Normally there is a 3 hour wait, usually with some kind of deranged person yelling at the staff (no - I don't mean me!!), then there is a fight cos they've never seen a UK passport (or even a passport!)...
Here's something for all you plane-spotters out there! I saw an incredible sight when I was in the car with Susan. We were driving up the George Washington Parkway which runs past Reagan National Airport and we rounded a bend in the road to see a plane directly in front of us, really low (I actually ducked! I'm talking maybe a hundred or so feet - it was difficult to judge exactly from the foot well!!) and about to land. At the airport not, as I had feared, on the road! It seems its a popular spot with the locals seeking to recreate that "Wayne's World" moment when they are parked at the end of the runway. It was certainly something to see!!
Hilary hosted the Ladies Lunch yesterday. She's a fantastic cook, so it was utterly delicious! I got to meet the final UK wife (although she's actually Australian) and her darling little 6 month old baby Henry - who was incredibly well behaved during the 5 hours (it was a long lunch!) that we were there. It's hard to believe that such an angel could ever live up to his nickname of "Horrid Henry", but it seems he was on best behaviour yesterday!!
I was rather failing on my Scottishness tests! Hils has a friend from Edinburgh who is a cookery writer, and had sent her a mysterious wooden implement...which I totally failed to identify as a spurtle - although I did eventually manage to guess it was for stirring porridge! (It's not something I ever eat - yuk!). I then had to admit that I didn't know that Scotland had been playing rugby last weekend (someone has to keep me up to date here guys!). I did however manage to redeem myself with my knowledge of the collected works of the Proclaimers and the swede/turnip thing (in Scotland we call what you Sassenach's call a swede, a turnip or "neep").
We walked along to King Street last night for dinner (or rather Stephen had dinner and I had a starter as I was stuffed after lunch which I'd only finished a couple of hours before!). We found 2 places that sell cider!! So I had a Blackthorn in one, and Magners in the other (which looked and tasted like watered down Irn-Bru!). I'm not sure if Magners is supposed to look and taste like that, but I'm not sure I'll be having it again!! Still the Peanut Butter ice cream from "Pop's Ice Cream Parloour" took the taste away! They do really delicious ice cream here!!
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