New Wave

PAUL:

Hi people, been totally hectic for the last week really. Have just returned from my first on-the-road excursion in to deepest Virginia (Via most of the east side of Maryland). I can officially confirm there are some absolutely stunning views down the stretch of countryside and coast I traversed today. A couple of bridges that put the Severn bridge to shame for length and glory and quite a lot closer to the river Potomac too.

Had to pick up a work VIP and take them to a trip to one of our US colleagues. Turned out to be a pretty decent trip all round. Good meeting and no additional snow (ha ha). We even both managed to get along despite the wonderful Sat Nav telling me to turn right when I was in the middle of a motorway with no exits for about two miles??? Once I missed the turning it told me to do a U-turn for a while too, brilliant.

Last weekend we went out to do a hunt for some personal stuff to populate the house with. Number one on Sofs list was a pool table. One of the neighbours pointed us in the direction of a place that was having an end of season sale (on pool tables....what season is that then?). We safely negotiated ourselves there but discovered that a new pool table was gonna set us back $2000 at least. As a result it might have to wait a bit until the finances have settled in to a more strict regime.

We are spending a bit more than we thought we would but it is getting closer to a rhythm where we don't have to buy any of the start up stuff any more (apart from bloody spices for cooking...God will it never end getting rosemary or Oregano all at ridiculous prices). I'm going to have to prepare food for an Italian this week and I cannot flavour a bolognese properly...I'm gonna be shot, argh!

And therein lies the next big piece of news. We are about to receive our first UK visitors, hurrah. Sofs dad arrives on Thursday along with Nan Giselda. We have singularly failed to visit any of the tourist attractions in the area so we haven't vetted out what is crap and what isn't. John will be pleased when we take him to the exhibits of the first cross-stitching done in the state of Virginia (apparently Delaware beat them in antiquity by around seven months and therefore claim to be the oldest, new continent, cross stitchers...but I digress). We have looked up a few candidates but will keep them secret lest we be told off for taking you all to the same place when any of you come to visit.

Still I must return to the task du jour, unpacking our unaccompanied baggage. 90 odd boxes stuff with Sof&Paul-abilia. The task will not end until a home has been found for every book (for those of you in the know that should be about Christmas) and a hook inserted for all the cracking photos of our family and chums.

back soon I promise. XXX