Day 345: Seriously?

It's 11 p.m. now. Time to brush my teeth, pick out clothes for tomorrow, and wind down with a book or music or a Will and Grace re-run. Or I could try and smash my head open against the wall to escape the jack-hammering and construction work that has been going on outside my apartment since 5:30!!! Yes, I know from my FHWA work that there are numerous reasons why some roadwork is done at night. But, I don't care! I want to sleep without feeling like I am living on an airstrip and the enemy is attacking. I'm a pacifist! But instead I took a cue from an episode of How I Met Your Mother, where the girls, tormented by a car alarm, attempt to hum along. Thus I hummed along to the construction noises outside my appointment. Yeah, so not working. A better distraction? Decorations! My non-ornament snowpeople from my collection.

Day 344: Oh adult life

I have client meetings today and tomorrow for work, which means I have to look nice and presentable, i.e., no jeans and no wrinkles. Thus, ironing. Oh the ironing. But this morning when I tried to iron my nice white dress shirt, I got black gunk on it. Not good. Thus I had to clean my iron tonite with a special cream thing. I don't know why it seems strange to me that irons get dirty. I mean, they're just hot things getting the wrinkles out of clean clothes. I don't understand it. Anyway, I had to use way more than the recommend dosage on the back but I finally got the mysterious black gunk off. Now I don't have to worry about looking like Cinderella at my meeting tomorrow.

And, not related at all, but more decorations.

Day 343: Oh Monday

This week is the week of shopping, beginning with tonite, with, no details, I bought a remnant computer part. I know, you're probably thinking "gosh, I hope that's not for me," but trust me, it makes sense, and it's not for you.

And to make this a bit more interesting, finally a picture of my tree.

Day 342: The most wonderful time of the year!

The past two days in DC have been unseasonably, bitterly, unbearably cold. So naturally we decided to go to the open air, completely exposed to the elements, Eastern Market. But of course it was worth it as Mom and Melissa really enjoyed it and we found some good finds. I managed to find a gift for a friend and held out as long as I could without buying something for myself, but caved in the end and I bought, and wore, a hat with ear flaps on it. Kind of Elmer Fudd like, but I don't care. I must wear a hat in the winter for my ears, as after less than a minute in the cold and wind they hurt so bad I feel like I'll explode, and this covers them more securely than all my others.

Later, after I said goodbye to the guests and contemplated taking a nap, I began decorating for Christmas. Though Brandie thinks the apartment looks like Christmas threw up, I think it's warm and cheery and just what we need. Besides, no one ever died of Christmas cheer, except for maybe the roommate if she gets to close to the tinsel. This is also the first time I've had a full size tree for myself.

I'll post more pictures later, I have to get an angel for the top before it's official.

Day 341: Great Scot!

A large reason that the fam chose this weekend to come up was the Scottish Christmas parade being held in Old Town Alexandria as part of the annual Scottish Christmas Walk weekend. It has been two years since Mom and I went to Edinburgh and its environs, and we've missed it a bit. Thus the opportunity to hear bagpipers and see a dozen breeds of Scottish dogs, could not be missed. Thus I went to my first Scottish parade in Alexandria.

Despite the freezing numbness that consumed our bodies, it was a great parade. And a pretty big deal considering the number of Virginia politicians and (Scottish) clansmen from across the country. And of course, Alexandria-born Willard Scott, and two kilt-clad, UNC hat wearing and loving Tar Heels, that were the only ones to give us candy. (Next time, we will rent a kid and then steal its candy.)

Grand Marshall Willard Scott:
I want their socks:Cutest picture ever:
Scottish people are tall:One of a bajillion beautiful dogs:
Bagpipers:They carry swords. I think since my first name is Scottish, I should get to carry a sword in the next parade.

We also visited the newly renovated National Museum of History. This is my favorite DC museum, and though a bit disappointing, I have hopes that once all the exhibits open and the crowd dwindles down, I will love it again.

Outside Star Spangled Banner exhibit:
A button I liked:
I happened to have bought a miniature of this the night before at Mount Vernon:Barbie! And who Mom and Melissa claim is GI Joe, but who I think is Fidel Castro. (As I told them, of course Barbie's a communist. No one could get that many clothes in a free market economy. Though Melissa is correct, she had a lot of jobs.)
And finally, we ate at the Elephant and Castle pub on Pennsylvania. I've been eyeing this for awhile as it's also the name of London Tube stop, and it was a good choice. Best hot spinach artichoke dip ever.

Day 340: "Peace, with all the world is my sincere wish." (Washington)

Today was the start of a busy, Christmas fun filled weekend as Mom and Melissa came up to do some shopping and sightseeing. We started by taking a candlelight tour of Mount Vernon, my first trip to Washington's humble abode. (And by humble abode I mean freaking awesome mansion right on the water with grounds galore.)

It truly was a candlelight tour, along the grounds, with actors in historical garb dotting the path. We got cider and ginger cookies by a fire surrounded by colonial townspeople gossiping, before making our way in to the main house. Mrs. Washington told us tales of Christmases past, and complimented me on my red coat. (Which I think says a lot as a number of red coats in the past shot at her husband.) We saw the room where Lafayette slept and a little camel. We had the most disgusting meal ever described to us, consisting of turkey, chicken, pigeon (?), and one other fowl fowl. We saw the stunning view of the river and spent way too long in the gift shop. Definitely worth the price and the cold, and I hope to go back and see it during the day soon.

Being greeted by the Washingtons in the welcome center:
Back view of a model of the house:
One of many trees:
My favorite, which I also kind of matched:

Day 339: What can't mud do?

Every time I go to Sephora I tell myself I won't spend a lot of money, and I won't make it somehow a new thing. Today, shockingly, thanks to a $15 off coupon, I didn't spend a lot, but I did make it something new. Thanks to my lovely "beauty insider" reward card having enough points, I got to choose from three free samples, and I chose this hair mud mask thing. Though I've used facial mud masks for years, today I applied a conditioning mud "mask" to my hair for the first time. It didn't go on as thick as I'd hope, but after leaving it on under a hot towel for 15 minutes, it left my hair really smooth, shiny, and smelling good. I think the free sample has done its job, I want more.

Day 338: Too much work

*New camera received! Scroll down, down, down for pictures!*

I recently read this article, which claims more people are turning away from blogs, and to sites like Twitter, in order to update others on their opinions and lives with as much brevity as possible. I read another article, somewhere, on the rapidly decreasing ooh something shiny attention span of my generation. Not sure if the chicken or the egg came first, but it's sad.

But most of the time I like my blog and am not going anywhere anytime soon, except maybe to Brandie, my friend/roommate's blog. I wrote in hers today, my first entry in someone else's blog.

It took far longer than it should have and I'm not sure I lived up to her witty and general insightful musings, but I tried. More or less. And this is what I wrote:

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
“I’m only going to say this once and I’m going to need you to remember it...F**k off!”

Ah yes, that's the sweet little Brandie we all know and love. No, the stress of grad school hasn't completely gotten to her, causing her to talk in the third person. This is her roommate, Bonnie, writing in her blog as part of my year-long goal of a new thing every day. (And because it's Wine Wednesday at the B&B and it seemed like a good idea at the time.)

Approximately once a week she will shuffle into the room in her slippers and whine to me about what she should write here. (And yes, despite her constantly accusing me of whining, she does it as well.) Most of my post ideas are ignored, meaning you miss out on such illustrious topics as why Luigi is her favorite Mario Brother and how she likes to mimic Irish accents. But who needs those when you can picture her chasing a cat around to deep fry?

Tonite's discussion – and perhaps a future blog post? – centered on whether or not she should jump into freezing water in Maryland in January…for charity. Yeah, I don't get it either. But history has proven crazy stunts draw attention, money, and action. And if it means she has to get blazing drunk for warmth and shrivels up like a prune, then writes about it for all of us, I'll give her $10 for the kids, or dolphins, or something. DC really has opened up a whole new world for me of people helping people. People offer me cough drops on the metro, twice, while Brandie plays therapist to cab drivers and risks pneumonia for the kids. Who says DC is just a corrupt non-state full of crooked politicians? Not us, most of the time.

Ok, she keeps asking me what I'm writing about and when I'm going to be finished, which means I have annoyed her sufficiently for the night, my work is done.

Day 337: Tar Heel+Chocolate=Bonnie

Everyone knows there is no more noble a mascot than the Tar Heel. No mightier a foe than the venerable giant foot. No object, idea, or notion that can not be improved upon by the simple addition of chocolate. And yes, this even applies to our flawless friend, Mr./Mrs. T. Heel.*

After years of observing the pure chocolate Tar Heel from afar in A Southern Season, but never purchasing for some unknown and stupid reason, I ate a foot made of chocolate tonite. In the past I've consumed a foot made of sugar cookie, peanut butter cookie, and some type of blue lollipop candy, but never before one entirely made of chocolate. I don't know why it has taken me so long.


*I've decided the foot is unisex. It's from Chapel Hill, after all.

Day 336: Doughnut traitor

They put a Dunkin' Donuts in on King Street on my commute walk a few months ago. I'm not happy about this impostor shop infiltrating my turf, but when you need breakfast in a hurry, it's hard to resist. While grabbing my cinnamon and powdered doughnuts today, I dropped my change in their tip jar. I don't want to support their sub-par products, but the people who work there can't be all bad, so I didn't let my anti-DD feelings keep me from spreading a little monetary Christmas cheer.