Algiers Living Room Reveal

Hello from Algiers! After three trips to Michigan in the past four months, my cancer scare ordeal is over and behind me. The biopsy from the last surgery on my cervix revealed no cancer and do disease of any kind. I arrived back to Algeria a week ago, and have been getting re-acclimated (melatonin hasContinue reading “Algiers Living Room Reveal”

Weekend Trip to Tipaza

Adam and I talked this week about how every Foreign Service Officer posted abroad is having a not normal tour and will forever look back at this time as say “Oh, that was my corona tour” as an excuse for why she didn’t see much of France/Kazakhstan/Nicaragua/Senegal, or wherever the posting is. No exception hereContinue reading “Weekend Trip to Tipaza”

From Snow to Sun, Another Return to Algeria

Happy Valentines Day from Algiers! Yes, I’m back home in Algeria and it feels good. We have nothing specifically romantic planned for the day. But it does feel holiday-ish because while Sunday is normally the start of the work week, we have today off for President’s Day. I’m spending the day getting dosed with sunshineContinue reading “From Snow to Sun, Another Return to Algeria”

A Cancer Scare

A few weeks after we arrived back in Algiers, we had settled back into our routine: Working from home Sunday-Thursday, an hour of early evening exercise, shaking up an ice cold gin martini at 7, making dinner, kitty cuddles and TV before bed, socializing with a few friends on the weekends. In the midst ofContinue reading “A Cancer Scare”

Best of 2020

2021 was supposed to be the new year/fresh start we all hoped for, but so far it’s pretty shit. Here we are with the coronavirus still lingering (but a vaccine, yay!); still working from home; I just received pretty bad personal news (more on that when I’m ready to share it); and then what happenedContinue reading “Best of 2020”

Happy New Year, or Jet-lagged in Algiers

Happy 2020 Is Over! Or, Happy New Year! Whatever you call it. I need to admit something: I woke up today at 4pm. I am still sitting here, sun starting to set, in total shock. Mostly that my husband let me sleep until 4pm – something I’ve never in my life done. Hadn’t he theContinue reading “Happy New Year, or Jet-lagged in Algiers”

Numbers Mistakes in a Foreign Language

Quarantine update: We’ve been locked down here in Algiers now for four months. The situation isn’t terrible here: Stores have reopened; I go in to work one day a week (and work from home the rest of the week); we play tennis often; we order Indian food often from our favorite restaurant; we’ve drank throughContinue reading “Numbers Mistakes in a Foreign Language”

One Year in Algiers

One year ago today — on July 1, 2019 — we landed in Algiers to start our three-year tour. Back then, we thought we’d be here for two years, but we quickly extended for an additional year. I’m glad we did, because otherwise we’d be trying to figure out where to go next right now,Continue reading “One Year in Algiers”

Beachy Textured Master Bedroom

Whew, what a month. In the midst of the continued coronavirus lockdown here in Algiers, back home there’s yet another police killing of a black person, and now protests all over the country in response. It feels like the start of a major public reckoning on racism in the U.S. and it’s a wild timeContinue reading “Beachy Textured Master Bedroom”