The fertile heart of Central Asia is kind of depressing in the winter. I bet Ferghana is gorgeous in the middle of the growing season, but at the moment it’s just flat and gray. Right now, I feel like Ferghana in the winter. I have the capacity to be vibrant, but I currently bear a strong resemblance to babaghanoush.

I am tired. I was sleep deprived yesterday, after attempt number one to get Kir from the airport. Now, after (successful) attempt number two, I’m done for. I can barely keep my eyes open, and it’s only 2:17. I am in no shape to write, edit, or research.

I spent some of today trying to get my per diem for the Ferghana trip. Unfortunately, no one knows which per diem I should get – there are three different rates. Scott ought to know, but he’s not in his office. I’ve been calling all day. And I needed the per diem money to pay my rent. No I’m going to have to try to go to the bank. I already went t the bank once this week, on Monday, because I had the day off work, but their visa terminal wasn’t working that day. Well, I don’t have to pay the rent until Tuesday. Maybe I can keep trying on the travel expenses and go to the bank on Monday if I have to.

And yes, I do enjoy ending my sentences with a preposition.

So Kir is back. This is good. Very good. For many reasons. Because I am exceedingly happy to see him. Because the dog was exploding with joy and rapture. Because www.mp3.com/raindance threatened to kill me if Kir wasn’t at the airport this time.

Having Kir back is well worth feeling like Lebanese eggplant dip all day for. And he brought me Christmas presents:

1. bunny slippers

2. a stuffed bunny from the build-a-bear store

3. a mug from m & m world

4. purple m & ms

These were excellent gifts. Mine to him were not nearly so good:

1. A pair of tiger’s eye cufflinks

2. an Edith Piaf CD

3. a Setora CD

Setora is an Uzbek pop group that I like. It was kind of self-serving of me to get the CD for him, but he’d been wanting Uzbek pop, and I thought Setora would be a good start.

Yesterday I took a taxi home, only to discover on arrival that I didn’t have enough som to pay the driver. I had to give him dollar, which was about twice as much what the ride was worth. Argh. Must change money. Must get money to change.

<<|>>

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USAID is one of many donors for the project I work for. The views expressed herein are the author’s own views and do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer or especially those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. And I mean it. I probably give the US government heart attacks.