Tuesday, May 27, 2008

ugh

I am SO not wanting to be back at work today. How about you? I really think that there should be a three-day weekend once a month. Now, I know that many a DC gov't folk (and elsewhere) do the compressed schedule, and work four ten-hour days, but ten hours? Seriously? Is that worth having every Friday off? I think I'd rather do my normal 8-9 hours, depending on the day and have a three day weekend once a month. Thoughts?

Do you watch the show Jon and Kate, Plus 8? If you don't, you should! This PA couple has eight children- a set of twins and sextuplets. They are adorable, seriously. Anyway. My point is this. I was watching an episode last night and the parents were doing a teeth bleaching treatment at their dentist, and they were upset because after its done, they couldn't drink coffee (or anything that would stain the teeth) for 48 hours and they were not sure how they'd get through 48 hours without coffee.

Could you get through 48 hours without coffee? I would be fine. Sure, sometimes I have a cup of coffee in the morning, but not every morning. I don't own a coffee maker. Wait, I'm lying. I have one, but it is in a cabinet and I've never used it. It was given to me by a friend who got a new one once she was married and had registered for a better one (gee, thanks!). Occasionally I will stop at Dunkins for a coffee on my way to my office, or sometimes have a cup once I get here, but I am one of those people who adds more cream and sugar then actual coffee. Lately I have been obsessed with those Odwalla drinks anyway. Still though, I know there are several in my office who have many cups of coffee each day. So, I wonder about you, oh lovely readers.

How was your long weekend? Did you do anything fun?

Steve and I watched 27 Dresses and Untraceable. Have you seen either? I liked both, but I did cover my eyes a few times during the touture scenes of Untraceable. We also went to Georgetown and had wings at Rhino yesterday. I also managed to pull the brilliant move of buying two conditioners, but no shampoo, at Lush.

Oh! I also bought this cookbook for a bridal shower gift for a friend. Her shower is this weekend, but I can't go, as I'll be at a wedding in Iowa. If you are in DC and have not been to Cake Love, you are seriously missing out! It's amazing! Want to go? Cupcake date!

I am still thinking about the puppy I mentioned the other day. I emailed the shelter and he was taken by a Corgi rescue league in Maryland, so I emailed them to ask about adoption. I have a feeling they'd want him living with a family with a backyard, not little old me in my Capitol Hill efficiency, but seriously, nobody would love him more then I would....

Friday, May 23, 2008

um, what?

Has anyone seen this?

Seriously? Would you watch?

puppies

Look at this face. I really think I need him.

Or her

Have I mentioned how much I love corgis?

Happy Friday!

Friday AND a three day weekend? What could be better? Now, I don't really have many big plans for my weekend, which is fine with me. Next weekend we'll be in Iowa for a wedding, so it will be good to rest up and do things around the apartment that I always seem to put off.

Speaking of weddings, is it wrong that while I do not actually have a sparkley something pretty on my left hand, but I have spent the last hour and a half looking at potential wedding reception sites? I think it is good to be prepared with ideas, right? I mean, weddings are big and they come with a lot of decisions to be made. I think that the more ideas I have now, the less stressed I will be later. Am I way off base with my thinking?

I've never been one of those girls who had her entire wedding planned since the age of six, but there are a few things that I know I want (NH in October) and then for the most part, everything else I am flexible on. I know who most of my bridesmaids will be, though I am still thinking of the exact number. How many bridesmaids is too many? Not that I am going for 14 or anything, but six? Eight? Who knows! I do want to find a dress that isn't insanely expensive and maybe that they can wear again too. I know I have a few dresses in my closet that I will never wear again!

Yes, so it's Friday afternoon and I am slacking off a bit. It's okay to do sometimes. Besides, my boss is out of town (all next week too!), so I can have a few minutes of off-time, right?

Ohh, and remember to go over to Heidi's blog and read my first ever guest post sometime today!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

quick afternoon thoughts from Safeway

  • I just ran to Safeway to grab a few things. I saw a man walking, wearing a grey pinstripe suit and black leather slip-on leather loafers with no socks. Now, I'm no fashionista, but I thought it looked rediculous. Am I missing something?

  • There is a cashier who works there who knows my name. It is likely because it must come up on the screen after I swipe my safeway card. He remembers my name every time. Now, I know it comes up every time, but he remembers my name, even if I am not in his line. I'll be standing in the next line over and he'll say hi to me. I'll be walking by, and he'll say hi to me. One day, I had just a few things, so I was in the 10 items or less. His line is on the other end of the store, by the entrance. There were two people in line in front of me. He walked out from behind the cashier stand and saw me and yelled out "Hey A, come to my line, it's open." I wasn't sure what to do, but everyone was looking at me, so I walked down there. Am I wrong to be a bit creeped out by this?

  • On another note, has angel hair pasta disapeared from shelves? I found ooodles of noodles, none of which were angel hair. I did however, find several packages of "thin spagetti." Is this the new angel hair? Is this the PC term for angel hair?

Thursday

It's a little chilly today! Well, maybe I shouldn't say chilly; it is 60*, but the weather report this morning on the news said mid-70*s...

Is it just me, or is this morning seriously dragging on and on? I feel like it should be after 2pm, but alas, it is only 11:41am. Booo.

Oh! Be sure to visit Heidi's blog this weekend, because I am making my first ever guest post!

I am making this recipe for dinner tonight. I will take a picture or two, I think, and post them. Though I still can't figure out how to post pictures on here...I'm new at this blogging!

I need a nap. Maybe a cookie too.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

class!

So my first (of two) summer classes began tonight and I LOVE IT!!! Background- I'm finishing up year one (of two) of an MA in International Education. I do already have a Masters, but another? Why the heck not? I'm especially interested in literacy development and library building in developing nations. Interesting? I'd say yes. The class I have Wednesday afternoons for the next six weeks is Childrens Literature. It seems really fantastic. There will be a good amount of work, but all really worthwhile and interesting projects. One assignment is to read to a group of children of varying ages. We do this twice, so maybe once a group of first graders and then second time, maybe to just one or two four-year olds. Aside from the reading, we have to create a few questions for the children before, during and after reading, and then analyze their reactions. So, I am looking forward to it.

We spent time going around the room (there are only about 12 students) talking about our favorite stories as children. It was so refreshing to hear what stories others remembered and loved from their childhood and we all had many favorites in common! It was also fun, because often, one would say their favorite, and it would trigger a memory to the rest of us, so someone would say their favorite, and there would be a chorus of "ohhh, I loved that book!" and "ohhhh yeah, me too!"

So, I think it will be a good class and I am excited about it. That's a good thing, eh?

Okay- dinner time--- I made pierogi!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Hello lovelies!

It is Tuesday afternoon and I actually stayed home from work today. Not because I was sick, per se, but I woke up exhausted and thought a day at home would benefit me. So, sent an "I'm not feeling well" email to the boss, and turned over and went back to sleep. I woke up around 10am. Ahhh, sweet bliss.

I went out to dinner last night with two fabulous ladies. We had a great time and hopefully it will happen again soon! If you are in DC, I suggest heading to Chinatown and going to Ella's Wood-fired Pizza and trying some sangria and a polpotini pizza. Delish!

I think my neighbor has moved out. I haven't seen him in a while, and I just heard a bit of commotion in the hallway, and there are workmen going in and out of his apartment. Sad. Derrick was cool!

One of my summer classes begins tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it- it's called Children's Literature, and from what I've heard from others who took it in the past, we read a lot of childrens books, and then the final project is to write one of our own! My other summer class begins in June. The month of June will be Hellish- on Wednesdays, I have class from 1:30 to 9:30! I didn't do that on purpose, obviously...

You know those wallflowers from Bath and Body Works? I have one in my kitchen, and I just changed the bulb, and now my kitchen smells like cherry pie. Yum. It's making me hungry.

My seeds are beginning to sprout!

We had a great time at the wine festival at Mount Vernon. Between the two of us, Steve and I bought 12 bottles...

What did you think of the Gossip Girl finale?

Sunday, May 18, 2008

I'm thinking of creating a blog to review the books I read? Might be fun?

Also, maybe a cooking blog? I could post recipes and pictures of my dinners!

Hmmm, maybe I am jumping ahead of myself a bit, considering I've only had this blog a few weeks!

Thoughts?

Sunday mornings

I am lying in bed while I blog. I should have gotten up early and gone to church with Steve, but that isn't happening, obviously. He's clearly a better Catholic then I am, since he got up with plenty of time to walk down to mass. He said he tried to wake me up too...he probably did, but I am far from a morning person and very grumpy when I first wake up. Lucky him!

Yesterday was a really nice day. I woke up late (shocker!) as I was up late Friday night reading Certain Girls. We'll talk more about that later. So, Steve came over and met me, then we walked down to Union Station where we had lunch at Uno's. Not terribly exciting, but good...predictable. You know. Then we walked over to the Mall...we walked first to the Capitol, then past the reflecting pool and over to Penn NW, where they were having a big Asian Festival. Several blocks were shut down to cars, and there were street dancers and music, food of all sorts, people talking about yoga and meditation, etc. There was also a booth for SOS Children where I was talked into sponsoring an Albanian village. Steve laughs at me, he says I am a salesperson's dream and can be talked into anything. This is somewhat true, but I'd been considering this for a while, so it wasn't exactly a spur-of-the-moment decision. I feel good about it.

Once we left the festival, we walked across the Mall and over to the Smithsonian Castle. I'd never been inside and have decided that I'd like to live there! Ha. After the Castle, we went to the National Archives, which I am slightly ashamed to admit that I'd never been to before, despite living in DC for nearly four years now! While we were there, a friend texted and asked if we wanted to meet them for dinner, so we went down to Phillips (seafood) on the Waterfront, and had dinner there. It was good, yet nothing to get excited about.

Tonight is the wine and jazz festival at Mount Vernon. I am excited. Two options for an outfit....an adorable sundress (white and purple stripes, with little bits of green) and a purple caridgan OR dark blue capris with a white top from Gap? Sorry, no link to the dress....it's Gap outlet, so not on their site anymore...

I did take some pics yesterday, and will take more tonight. If I can figure out how to post them, I will eventually!

Happy Sunday!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Fridayyyyyyy

Finally, Friday! Though it is raining, but I can deal.

I wore my adorable new rain boots today, but I am not sure how I feel about them! They fit fine in the foot, but around my calves, they are TIGHT! Maybe I have fat calves? I'm unsure...

I am currently reading Certain Girls, the new book by Jennifer Wiener. I'll be discussing it at Heidi's bookclub on Monday! Excellent. I'm about halfway through, and it is very good so far. I've read her other's and always enjoyed them. I read several chapters last night, and decided to read a few more this morning before I left for work. This was a bad idea...I was late for work. Oh well, it is Friday and my boss is out. Nobody noticed. Now of course, I am mad at myself for not bringing it with me. Since my boss is out and there are four people here today, I could totally have done an hour lunch with the book at my favorite Dupont lunch spot, which is luckily about a block from my office! I have another book though...I'll go anyway!

Yesterday I went to Whole Foods and purchased a few planting kits. They had a few of those sets that comes with planters, dirt and seeds. One should grow oregano, rosemary, basil and parsley and the other should grow lavender, mint and chamomile. So, I planted those with the hopes that they grow! I also had to replant my bamboo plant, as he was getting too big for his container. I have no idea where this green thumb is coming from....like I even have a garden or even a plot of grass...I have a window facing Capitol Hill, so that should work for something, eh?

Oh, and yay for California, for legalizing same-sex marriages!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

mid week-weakness

How is it only Wednesday? Seriously?

My godson, via my best friend, sent me a Happy Godmother's Day card along with a few new pics. He's seriously the most adorable baby! He'll be a year in July and he's huge! Renee isn't having a big party for him (long story) but I have a wedding to go to the weekend after his birthday, so I will probably go home for the week. That will be nice.

This weekend Steve and I, along with a few friends, are going to Mount Vernon for their annual jazz and wine festival. I'm looking forward to it. I've been wanting to go for ages, and just never got around to it in the past, but finally remembered to buy tickets this year. I love Mount Vernon, it is one of my favorite places in the DC area. We go pretty often and it never gets old. We went to the Christmas candlelit tour, which was gorgeous. I think this one will be lovely too, with the sun setting over the Potomac, wine, cheese and my boy!

Any plans for Memorial Day weekend?

Monday, May 12, 2008

PS. I think I need this-


http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku6399703/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cpancake&cm%5Fsrc=SCH
Am I the only one who thought that Gossip Girl and The Hills were both slightly lame tonight?

MIA sweater...

Do you often lose things? I have an adorable black button up cardigan that has gone missing in a most mysterious way.

I seriously have no idea where it could have gone.

I bought it at H&m not too long ago...maybe January? I can't find it.

ANYWHERE!!!

I've searched my (small) apartment. It's not there. It was not left at Steve's, I've looked and asked him. I went home for a weekend in February and thought maybe I left it there, but I asked my parents, they looked and its not there. It is not at my office. I cleaned my closets this weekend, hoping I'd find it...but no such luck.

I have no idea where it could possibly be and this is driving me nuts.

Has this happened to you? What went missing and where did you find it?

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Happy Mother's Day!

I don't think my mother is aware of my blog (considering it's barely a week old, I'm doubting it!) but regardless, Happy Mother's Day to my amazing mother! My mother is pretty special and I don't know how to adequately express that.

She's a high school librarian, which most definitely contributes to my love of reading. Every Saturday, when I was younger, we'd go to the library and pick out books. Every summer, we took part in the summer reading projects at the library. Growing up, my sister, brother and I each had our own author...I had Beatrix Potter, my sister had Tasha Tudor and my brother had Tomie dePaola. Each Christmas, birthday, Easter, etc, we would get a book by "our" author. I now have the entire collection of Peter Rabbit and friends stories. Since I exhausted the collection several years back, my mother will now buy other Peter Rabbit things. Sometimes she finds Peter Rabbit cookbooks, or teacups or sticker books. Along the same lines, each Christmas we'd get (and still get) a Christmas story. I now have 28 Christmas stories of all sorts. I plan to do the same thing for my children. They will also someday get my Peter Rabbit stories and Christmas stories.

My mother is terrified of thunder and lightening. She had a scary experience with it when she was young. When we were children, during a storm, we would each go into our room and get a stack of books. We'd then go downstairs and sit on the floor in the hallway (where there were no windows), and read books until the storm ended. She would also unplug everything...lamps, phones, tv/vcr, everything....

My mother's best friend lives in upstate NY and is a very accomplished equestrian. I began riding when I was 9, and every summer, we'd go to Donna's and spend a week there and I'd ride every day, all day. I was in Heaven. Recently, my mother has begun to take riding lessons at a stable near my parents house. Every Monday night, she calls me to tell me about her lesson that evening. I love hearing about what she is learning and it brings back all sorts of memories.

Sometimes I really hate being so far from home. I was fortunate in that when growing up, all four of my grandparents lived ten minutes from my house and we saw them all the time. It makes me sad that my children won't be that close to theirs. We won't be able to go over for Sunday dinners or stop by on the way home from church. I want my babies to know how amazing their grandmother is...but I think they will still know....

Happy Mothers Day to mine and all the other mummies out there!

Sunday night

Another Sunday night....

It has been a productive weekend. Steve went to Iowa at the last minute, his father was in the hospital, but is okay. He's at the airport now, waiting for his flight back, which was apparently delayed.

I went to Old Town (Alexandria) yesterday. I had a few things to exchange at the Gap outlet, so I figured it was okay to help stimulate the economy, since I got my check Friday (yay!). I picked up a few things there and then stopped by Nine West where they were having a buy one, get one half off sale. I found a pair of sandals that are almost exactly sure what I was looking for (I'm not totally sure exactly what I was looking for!) and then found another pair that I LOVED...but of course, they didn't have my size (11...ughhhh!), so I asked the sales girl if there were more in the back. She said she knew they didn't have any of those, but would call another store. Turns out, there was a pair at Potomac Mills in my size...so, I ordered them and they are going to ship them to me! Yippie! So, successful trip indeed.

I also went to Bread and Chocolate, which I love, and had the German pancakes with berries....raspberries and strawberries...so delish! I sat there with those and a vanilla latte reading Three Cups of Tea. It was lovely. Have you read it? What did you think?

Today was more boring. I cleaned out my closet. I now have FIVE garbage bags full of clothes that I need to donate to the Salvation Army. There is actually a drop-off facility a few blocks from me, but I can't walk down there with all of them, so I'll wait for Steve to help me, since he has a car and I do not. My closets are so orderly! Love it!

Tonight is the finale for Survivor. I love this. Do you watch it?

Now I'm full of pierogi....yummmmm.

I want to go to Preakness next weekend.

Friday, May 9, 2008


It is raining. A lot. I heard something about a flood watch? Right, and I am wearing cottonish ballet flats today. Brilliant, Lexiloo, just brilliant.


As I walked to my office from the Dupont North metro stop, I jumped to avoid puddles, which didn't do much, since I mostly landed in others. Then, walking down Corcoran, I was splashed by a car. Wanker! Yes, I yelled that at the car, who was unlikely to have heard me, and probably didn't care much anyway.


So, the logical thing to do was order a pair of adorable wellies from JCrew.com when I got to work, since a. I obviously need them, and b. I was economically stimulated today! Yippie for the government!


So, the boots? Tres adorable, no?
Okay, the boots are at the top...I don't know why I can't get the picture down here where I want it...stupid blogspot! I'm new at this...so sorry!
Right, this weekend is Learnapalooza DC....
Fun? I think so! I think that the lovely Heidi and I are going to the Intro to Knitting class! I've always wanted to learn, so I think this will be fun. In DC? Want to knit? Come learn with us!
Since it is Friday, rainy and I am now miraculously richer, thanks to the US gov, maybe I will get lunch somewhere fun.....any ideas?


Wednesday, May 7, 2008

I had a meeting with my advisor this afternoon, so I left work a little early. On the way back, I decided to get off at Eastern Market and walk, rather then switch at Metro to go to Union Station like usual. On a whim, I got off at Capitol South instead. It's been a long time since I was at Cap South. As I came up the escalator and Cannon HOB came into view, I began to think about the year I spent working in the Rayburn building. It was my first "real" job, after I finished my Masters. Moving to DC and working on the Hill wasn't really my idea, it wasn't something I wanted, per se. What I mean, is that it wasn't something I really considered initially. When I began looking for jobs, most of my resumes went to NYC and Boston, and a few here and there would come down to DC. I heard about the position with the Congressman through a former supervisor at a past summer internship, and she told me to apply. So I did. I didn't hear anything for a while...then they asked me to interview...then a second interview...and then, several weeks later, after I had accepted a position as the Deputy Campaign Manager for an election in Canada, they offered me the job. I told them about Canada, they said they'd wait for me, that I could come down to DC when the election was over. So that's what I did.

It all seems so surreal now, when I think about it. It feels like it was so long ago, yet it wasn't. July 4 is Independence Day, but it is also the day I moved to DC and began my life here, almost four years ago. While it may not have been the job of my dreams, I enjoyed it (most days!) and learned a lot. When I left the Hill a year later, I thought I knew what I wanted to do. Three years and three jobs later, I'm still not so sure.....

cars...


My father just sent me the link for the craigslist ad where he has posted my car for sale. Now, I should say that if you want to be techical, it really is my parents car, not MY car...but I drove it all through college, before and after Poland, and then for a while before I moved to DC. I knew I didn't need or want a car here in the city, so it remained in NH in my parents driveway. When I was home, I'd sometimes drive it, or another car, if my sister had Ruby that day (yes, I named her Ruby...Ruby Red...)

Some people (ie, my boyfriend!) find it amazing that I've never owned a car of my own. He apparently bought a used junker at 16 and never looked back. I suppose I would have bought one eventually, should my life have taken my elsewhere, but in a city with a reasonably good public transportation, why would I want a car? Parking is horrendous, traffic is awful and I don't even like to think about gas prices, so I don't, since they don't affect me. Really though, I have no need for a car of my own right now. Maybe someday, but not this one.

Still though, seeing that craigslist ad tugged a few of my heartstrings. I have such fond memories of that car! She came with me to CT my senior year, and I drove all over the place, despite my claiming not to. I remember two days after I brought the car down after begging and pleading with my parents to let me, I was on I-95 driving to New Haven to help at a campaign event, when a huge piece of asphault flew up from a mack truck and smashed into my windshield. My passengers and I were fine, but Ruby needed a new one. Poor girl. Many other trips to New Haven soon followed, along with trips to the diner at 2am, drives to the beach to play on the swings and other adventures in the Nutmeg State. She was packed up tight as I drove home to NH after graduation, tears falling from my eyes.

Ahhhh, the memories....

Ruby, you'll be missed!


Monday, May 5, 2008

sadness

I am so sad. There is a family in Falls Church with THE three most adorable little boys ever and I babysit for them.

They are moving to Charleston.

Yes, the one in South Carolina :(

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Why do weekends end so soon?

I ran over to Eastern Market today and discovered that it was the Market Fest, so there were street dancers and music and all sorts of great things. I bought some lemons and limes, since I forgot them at Wegmans yesterday. I also bought a vintage map of both New Hampshire and Iowa that will look good in frames. Also, there is a local artist that I like, Mary Belcher and I bought a few of her hand-painted notecards. I'll likely frame them for my kitchen rather then actually sending them.

I've been into Susan Branch's artwork lately too. I found a few of her prints, matted in frames on ebay, and they are now in my kitchen!

I made a little lemon-pepper chicken for dinner, with asparagus and snow pea pods. Yum. Now I should do the dishes, eh? I wish I had a dishwasher...

sunny Sundays

There are few places in DC that I like more then Eastern Market in the summer. If you haven't been there, you must go, and soon! I love the flea market and the farmers selling their goods, the artists and their goods and the live music. I love all the area shops and restaurants. I love the Polish man selling the Boleslawiec pottery. I love the crafts and the handmade jewelry. On occasion, there is an Amish farmer there selling furniture. Granted my Capitol Hill efficiency isn't roomy enough for his beautiful pieces, but I can dream, right? I love the rows of fresh produce from Maryland, Virginia and sometimes West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Yesterday included a trip to Wegmans and then a movie. Today will include a trip to Eastern Market. Then I suppose I should write my Mothers Day cards and get those in the mail....