the end... sort of

Friends, family, lurkers:


I've decided to start a new blog. Although posting (which I haven't been doing regularly for the past month) on Capitol Hill to Scotland has been fun and all, just seeing the words "Capitol Hill" gives me panic attacks. Before I moved to Scotland, I had every intention of buying an overpriced condo in DC and returning to Hill life. As a matter of fact, a few months ago we were very close to making an offer on a 1 bedroom/1 den condo in Navy Yard - a ton of money for a 1 bedroom/1 "den" that probably wouldn't even fit a desk! Needless to say, I'm glad we didn't take the jump because at this point, I'm not sure going back to DC is in our cards.


I no longer have nightmares about not checking my blackberry and I finally enjoy having hobbies; therefore, a fresh start is necessary. Without further ado, I give you Postcards From Rachel.


Be sure to stop by and check out all of our photos and stories! Another plus - I no longer have to be somewhat anonymous. :)

u-s-a, u-s-a!

In roughly four hours, B and I will be making our way to the Aberdeen airport. Malcolm is already in Amsterdam spending the night at a swanky animal hotel and once we're reunited, we'll all be hopping across the pond to Washington, DC. Oh DC, how I've missed you.

I must say, moving a dog to a different country really sucks. It's stressful. And it costs a lot. But it'll all be worth it when I finally find a suitable bow tie for Malc (maybe I can steal one from a summer intern?) and am able to snap some glamour shots in front of the Capitol Building (fyi, I have an obsession with the United States Capitol and I miss roaming around in it).

Something that's even better than dogs in bow ties? Pet passports. For some reason Malcolm's is still making me giggle.

Perhaps it's because of the terrible photo we plastered inside.

Anyway - I need to sleep. Hopefully B and I don't swallow any needle-filled sandwiches on our Delta/KLM flights. Cross your fingers!

ready for this jelly?

Hey, remember me? We have had quite the busy week preparing for an upcoming trip to the United States, scheduling emergency vet appointments, and dining with good friends. 

Over the weekend, we went to one of our favorite Scottish pubs for a quick lunch before Forvie beach. Unfortunately, we had no idea that the entire beach would be covered with odd looking jellyfish.

Since we never put Malcolm on a leash when we're hiking away from cars, he had

the opportunity to lick one before we knew what was going on. We pulled him away from the jellyfish and stuck him on the leash, but his mouth was already starting to foam due to a bad allergic reaction. 

The foam piling out of his mouth was bad enough, but he also started to vomit violently. Then he became tired and wouldn't get off of the ground. This is the same dog who hiked up a mountain for seven hours without even taking a five minute break! Seeing him lethargic was definitely the scariest part. We hurried back to the car with our friends to drive him to the vet and of course - we had a flat tire.

After the boys changed the tire, we drove to a vet out in the country who agreed to meet us after hours and look Malcolm over. After an anti-inflammatory injection, he was much better.

What a weekend!

travel deals & steals: best western travel card (ends tomorrow!)

via

This giveaway is for all of my family and friends in lovely IOWA!

Best Western is holding an Iowa Photo Contest and the winner will win a Best Western travel card worth $500. Unfortunately I caught this contest late and it ends tomorrow but I'm certain everyone who is currently in the state could submit a few beautiful photos. I'm a sucker for sunset corn field images. :)

Follow the link above and please read the fine print!

our time is running out

We leave Aberdeen on August, 31st for our next adventure in Arizona. Since traveling on discount airlines is cheap, we have been packing the calendar with fun trips - Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, etc. I'm attempting to write everything down on our calendar today, but it's already so crowded I'm giving myself heart palpitations. Almost every single weekend is booked. I hope I'm ready for many plane rides... eek.

P.S. Have I mentioned how excited I am for some Phoenix sunshine?

making yourself sound important when you don't have a job

I'm always a bit embarrassed when my mom emails or calls me and asks what I've done all day. My answer usually involves doing loads of laundry and dealing with Malcolm. And that's about it. So if you're in my position (practicing housewifery), here's a list of statements I've been using recently to make myself sound important:

- I've been swamped applying for grad schools. I find myself perfecting my application for hours every day! (Even though I worked on the application for mere minutes and sent it in a week ago).
- I'm totally stressed over my new blog design. I've been working through the details with a design company because one sarcastic blog isn't enough. (Somewhat true).
- I'm really into training Malcolm these days. We're working on quite a few new tricks and I think we've almost mastered "shake". (As Malc and I are glued in front of the TV watching The Hills reruns. He also refuses to shake my hand like a normal dog).
- Scotland has been such a blessing. I have so much free time that I'm brushing up on my French skills. (I have a French app on my phone that I probably look at once a month).
- I'm in the process of mastering Photoshop Elements 10. It's such a great program. (I got bored yesterday and photoshopped my little sister's face. She now looks like a character from Twilight).
- I've become quite the chef over these past few months! (As we're having either fish tacos or Greek food for the millionth time).

travel hair: french fishtail seashell braid

Like most things in my life, I found this French Fishtail Seashell Braid by Kouture Kiss on Pinterest. I'm trying to steer clear of boring ponytails when we travel (so far I've failed) and this style is a perfect solution. Something about cute braids just says summer. 

ramblings: marriage makes you useless

via

Everyone in my life understands that I'm bad at finding my way; I might even be considered directionally challenged. Marriage hasn't made this weakness better because I've realized that if you're a woman who's married, you don't even need to open your eyes while walking/driving with your spouse (unless you're the one driving). You can act like me and nap in the car (my preferred activity), or twiddle your thumbs, listen to birds, people watch, and adjust your makeup while walking. Make sure your hand is securely in his and that he's guiding you, and you're golden! This method is even flattering to your spouse because it says: "I trust you with my life." Thanks for always looking both ways before crossing the street, B.

Problems do arise, however, when Husband is at work and you're expected to find that one grocery store you've been to a million times. Maybe opening my eyes would have been a good idea after all. Can I just call him over the department loudspeaker and have him pick me up?

travel essential?

via

So, are fanny packs back in style? I sure hope so because my shoulders could use a rest. I especially like the gold dollar signs on this one.

photo of the week: london eye

A view of Parliament from the top of the London Eye.