Time for the weekend to end. Time to get to work and to the dentist tomorrow and to work and yoga on Tuesday. I am still not 100% OK with Carlton Free Days. Carlton was high maintenance. He was “my way or the highway”. But, he was great company.
Took my first look at plane tickets to Kona today. Most likely I’ll take the early AM out of DCA into Phoenix and then over to Kona arriving mid-afternoon. Not the cheapest. But the easiest.
Thinking about a little trip to Iceland next month. Just thinking. No serious planning.
Federal Triangle – Yesterday – From Shamu the Phone.
Internet service is not happening at the asylum today. Or last night. Not a problem. I need a little time away from all things #tag.
Yesterday I rather timidly went downtown to finish up the process to get a Global Entry Card. I made the appointment several months ago – not knowing that Friday July 8 would be the hottest day of the year (so far), the Metro would be having major service disruptions due to repairs, and the social fabric would be frayed by current events. Friday July 8 was not a great day to be a human.
On Friday July 8, for the first time in my long life – while dressing for the day – I actually made my “what to wear” decision based on “what if something really bad happens and I have to walk the 8 miles home and/or run for my life”. I also decided that my first clothing choice – a white dress with small black stripes – made me too good of a target for a sniper.
I did not have to walk home. Nor did I have to flee for my life. Had no trouble at all. Worse thing that happened – I got stung by a wasp. But, I am not too sensitive to most wasp venom – so it was no biggie. (No, I wasn’t taking pictures of the wasp. It just landed on my skirt and I didn’t know it was there and accidentally brushed my arm against the wasp.)
Today – I mostly rested. It is still hot. But, hey – it is summer.
Oh, and I decided that I need to see a narwhal. I think they are found in the Canadian polar regions.
Went to the dentist this afternoon. Scored a return visit on Monday afternoon for a little repair work.
Saw a bumper sticker today “Either way, we are screwed”… Sort of sums things up, don’t you think? Those of you who do not obsessively follow American politics – there are small rumblings that The Donald may drop out after he is nominated. Or resign if elected. Interesting concept. It makes some sense. Running for President would be lots more fun for The Donald than actually being President.
94 degrees at this instant. Going to be 94 tomorrow afternoon when I am at the dentist – think I might just Uber home. And 93 on Friday when I am going to be in DC. Not going to Uber home from DC during rush hours.
My 1st Annual Friends & Fireworks party was all friends and no fireworks. The fireworks went off on schedule. But, it was just too cloudy. Maybe next year. Last year was a fireworks bust as well.
Yesterday, it was cold. Well, cool. High was 73. This coming Friday – I have to go downtown to get fingerprinted. And, it is supposed to be 98. Hottest day of the year. Not good planning. And why am I going to be fingerprinted? Getting a Global Entry card. Let the travelling begin.
One of our nurses works in GI surgery as well as in our office. Today he told us about an unbelievable “weight reduction procedure”. They put a little spigot in your tummy and you sort of drain the excess food out. Not kidding.
National Cathedral – notice the Hawaiian flag is in the wrong place.
But, if the Hawaiian flag were in the correct place – this photo would feature the Alaska flag. And what was I doing at National Cathedral – went to a concert. It was fun. Anytime a big ass (189 ranks and 10,647 pipes) organ in a church does Darth Vader you know you are going to have fun. Not to mention watching 1,000 + white folk trying to clap in time to the music. Not pretty. But fun.
And then out to eat. Excellent fish tacos. And we got good seats – right next to the flour tortilla making machine.
Tortilla Machine at Cactus Cantina
Normally, on July 4 seating next to this gas fired gizmo wouldn’t be such a fine idea – but – today is the coldest July 4 in DC ever. (Well, I bet July 4, 1816 was colder. I leave it to the reader to research the summer of 1816.)
I am having 10 or so of my new friends over for fireworks. I don’t hold out much hope for good viewing. Too cloudy and damp. Will need a good breeze to keep the smoke away. I am serving wine, cherries, and chocolate. With beer for me. I am not going to take pictures. I got great pictures from the last apartment. I’ll enjoy my company. And not try to shoot through double pane windows.
Been to a lot of parties in this house. But this 1st Birthday Party is one of the last. When grandkids arrive – it is time to get serious about downsizing. The party started at about 4PM – I arrived almost on time thanks to MetroBus. (took Uber home) It was damp and almost chilly today – not 4th of July weather.
The Food Truck got lost – so dinner was seriously late – but the beer didn’t run out – so it was OK.
Seriously, the food truck got lost. It went to the correct house number and the correct street but the wrong city. Yep. wrong city. Zip codes are our friends.
Father and Son
Introduce your kids to photography early – that way they will always be too poor to buy drugs!
The grownups – trying to encourage bad behavior.
My only theory is the grownups were encouraging bad behaviour in hopes of getting a really cool video to post to Facebook. But young Oliver was cool to be suckered into doing a faceplant in the cake.
A busy day. And tomorrow promises to be busy too. Going to a concert and lunch. Then hosting a little “Friends and Fireworks” get together in the evening – weather permitting. I’ll have to go back to work on Tuesday to get some rest!
Feeling a little mopey today – so I decided that a nice walk in the woods was called for. I head off to Long Branch Nature Center – that’s as close to woods as I can quickly access. Where I found this really cool bull frog. And a fine ladybug. Life is too short to try to identify what kind of ladybug it is.
ladybug and daisy
Didn’t do much at all today. Went for a walk in the park. Took pictures. And naps. Avoided all things Trumpy. I vacillate between absolute confidence that he will never become president and abject fear that he will.
I plan on doing my normal Sunday things tomorrow. Work on deadheading the asylum rose bushes, have breakfast, shop for “groceries” – which is to say yogurt, cherries and chocolates, do laundry and then in late afternoon escape from the asylum for a party. In Hawai’i it would be called a baby luau.
Note to Carlton: You might be interested to know that the price of gas is at an 11 year low. I think it is about $2 a gallon. Not sure, since I don’t buy gas. Also, I did a little midyear check up on “your” money today. You would approve of my stewardship. Oh, did I tell you that bonds are getting dangerously close to negative yields? There is a capital gains play. But, I haven’t chosen to be a player. Figure that you would approve of that “non” action.
sun shining on my walk to the bus stopmagnolia at hospitalmagnolia and bee – not good technically – but I like itfound on the walk home from worknot jello – but still scary – I think it is mini marshmallows and coconut and fruit cocktail… I gave the salad bar wide berth at lunch today. last night’s dinner – this was polenta, grilled skate, asparagus, watermelon with balsamic glaze
Today was upside down. I normally go to work at 0600 and am back here my 1300. Well, today, I went to work at 0930 and didn’t get back home until 1630. Which means – neither naps nor laps today. It will be an early to bed night for me. I like the early start time much better.
The oldest grand got an internship in Africa. If I were the worrying type I might not be so happy. But, I figure no one gets out alive – and Namibia is most likely safe as anywhere short of Antarctica.
My internet is really crappy tonight – so – I think I’ll get off line and fire up the Kindle for a nice read.
Note to self: The way to take more interesting pictures is to go more interesting places.
Laps beat out naps this afternoon. Made it 30 minutes before I tried to drown myself out of sheer boredom. I will try to work up to 60 minutes. The trouble isn’t swimming. The trouble is boredom. Might get a waterproof iPod.
No bugs again today. Too much Round Up, insecticide, and hybridized plantings around here.
