Two very different functions

On Tuesday we went to Wolf Trap to see Mark Knopfler in concert. There were a few of us from work going, so the plan was to take our picnic blankets, some wine and some nibbles, sit on the lawn and take in the show. Poor Lynn wasn't able to come as she was ill, so she donated her ticket to Tim. I said we'd give him a lift, so we had to run back to his apartment so he could get changed, back to our house so we could do the same, and then out to Wolf Trap to park up and find a pitch.


We were there about 10 minutes before the gates opened, so we were parked close to the entrance of the venue. We were pretty surprised therefore when we go got through the gate and the lawn was already liberally covered with people! We found a spot and spread ourselves out. It wasn't long before there was absolutely no room round about us at all.


With a bit of texting, phoning and sending Tim running off we managed to find Dawn's parents, and shortly after Dawn found us too. After lots of nibbling and quaffing the show started. The first song was a bluegrass number and I began to panic that the whole night was going to be down those lines (yawn) and be a bit self-indulgent, but I should have had more faith. He pulled it back around, threw in a few classic Dire Straits songs and kept us all very happy indeed! I had forgotten how good Mark Knopfler was! I haven't listened to a Dire Straits CD in about 10 years because I absolutely cannot stand Money for Nothing, and I had forgotten there is more to them than that one track. However, I suspect that Mr K is also fed up with it as it was the one glaring omission from his set!


The weather was fairly kind to us. It was brutally hot - about 97F - and we were all sweating buckets. There was a thunderstorm forecast, but it didn't quite happen. We had a free light show, as there was lightening going off all around us, but we didn't really have much rain. There were a couple of brief showers which had Tim and I hiding underneath a blanket, and others beneath the waterproof cushions and brollies, but considering that most thunderstorms come with several inches of rain, we were exceedingly lucky!


After the show, we discovered that being near the entrance to the grounds is not necessarily a good thing. First In, Last Out. It took us around 3/4 hour just to get out of the field!! Mostly down to the Prelude driver in front of us who happily was letting every single car in front of her!! Stephen was beginning to suffer from road rage! There was a truck coming down the side who was leaving room for us and Stephen sensed his opportunity and quickly dived around the side and then in front of the Prelude. I suspect that he would have gone over the top if we'd had a bigger SUV!

The lawn at Wolf Trap. I defy you to spot a blade of grass...it was at capacity!

Tim

Stephen in his shirt, enjoying a beer. Looking more American than the Americans!

Patterns hold no fear for me now!
In a cheeky little number I picked up at the weekend.

By the time we dropped Tim off home, got back home ourselves, unpacked the car it was after 12:30 before we got to bed. For the first time ever since we've been here I did not get up when the alarm went off at 6:15!! Even with an extra hour in bed we were still pretty tired (everyone was!), and we still had the Embassy reception to go to that evening!


I trotted off to the ladies to get ready (how very glamorous, huh!)...straighten my hair, touch up my make-up, apply extra deodorant all over... We left the office about 5:30 in plenty of time to get to the British Embassy (a 20 minute drive according to google maps). Unfortunately our SatNav decided that we needed to take a different route and go on a sightseeing tour of Washington. She took us to 550 Mass Ave, and made us drive all the way across the city to 3100 Mass Ave. Through rush hour. It took about 3/4 hour and we were almost the last people to arrive at 6:15. D'oh! We got to meet the British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald and his wife. Then we grabbed a glass of champagne and headed out into the garden which is much admired and really lovely. The outfits on display were very varied....from sundresses and flip flops (the American national obsession!), through business suits (me) to those who were attending a Royal Wedding and were there in frocks and HUGE hats.


We had a very nice time, had a couple of glasses of champagne and chatted to some very lovely people. Amongst them Stuart from the Embassy who goes to watch the football at the bar Stephen goes to. We were telling him the story of the last time I had spoken to him. He had phoned the main reception number and Joni had put him through to me saying "There is someone on the phone. I can't make out a word he's saying, but I think he's asking for Paul". Stuart has a very Glaswegian accent (he makes Stephen sound positively English) despite 11 years in the US practising slowing down!


I think someone needed to give the caterers a better brief. I think they had been asked for a finger buffet, when what was needed was canapes. There were waiters circulating with trays of food (as you might expect). But the trays of food were such things as breaded shrimp (with little shrimpy tails on) and lamb cutlets. I declined these, but Stephen didn't...and was left holding onto his lamb bone as there was no-one circulating to take the debris. Not quite finger food! I only hope that Lady Sheinwald isn't finding bones in her potted palms for the next few days!!!!