Yesterday I went by the grocery store on my way home from work. As I finished shopping I was glad to see the lines weren't too long, as they usually are around the 5:00 hour. I contemplated which line to get in, trying to figure out which would be the fastest, and settled on one with an old lady who only had a few items. She walked slowly up to the register and struggled to put her few items on the conveyor belt: milk, bread, just a few basics. Next she started to unload a rolling bag from the bottom of her cart, which she seemed to use to carry her groceries home, probably walking. I tried to help her by holding her cart still; while doing so I glanced over to next line and realized I could have been checking out there, but I had already taken all of my groceries out of the cart. She was a sweet little old lady, and I tried to be patient as she slowly counted out pennies to pay for her groceries, which came to about $1.45 (likely the price after food stamps). Once she paid she walked to the end of the counter and started slowly loading her groceries into her rolling bag. Meanwhile, the cashier started to check me out. As she was finishing up and I was about to pay, the little old lady walked towards me and put a few coins into a box on the counter for some children's charity. She, who seemingly was struggling herself, gave out of her poverty and her heart by putting a few pennies into that box. It was a good reminder for me, and for all of us, that even in tough economic times we still have the ability to give- whether out of wealth or poverty- what we can to help others.
Mark 12:41-44
"And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.'"
Friday, March 13, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Experiencing the Inauguration
Last Tuesday Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States, and we were fortunate enough to be there to witness, or rather experience, it. I call it an "experience" because it was not just something that I saw, but something I felt- the sounds, the joyous mood of the crowd, the cold, sunny day, my tired feet and cold hands. I know it's something I'll never forget.
For me, the inaguruation celebration really lasted for several days. The weekend before, the streets and metro stops noticeably became much more crowded as people poured into town. On Sunday afternoon there was an inaugural "We are One" concert held at the Lincoln Memorial. A lot of big name performers were there (Beyonce, U2, Stevie Wonder etc.) and people stood in line to get into the concert, which started at 2:30pm, from early in the morning. Because I knew we were going to be standing outside all day on Inauguration Day, Brad and I decided to walk down to the concert a little after it had started. We literally live about 8 blocks from the Lincoln Memorial so we wanted to go check things out. I knew there were going to be a lot of people, but I really had no idea. Walking over there really gave me my first taste of what the inauguration was going to be like. There were literally people everywhere. Blocks away from the Lincoln Memorial police and army officers were directing people as if they were driving cars. Again, I knew there was going to be a lot of security, but I was stunned to see how many police officers and soldiers (with machine guns and jeeps) there were. By the time we got close to the Lincoln Memorial the crowds were huge. Security officers weren't letting anyone else walk down the Mall towards the Lincoln Memorial so huge crowds had gathered around jumbo-trons on the Mall from the Washington Monument towards the Capitol. We managed to squeeze into the edge of the crowd next to a huge screen near the Washington Monument. We could barely see the screen. Even though it was freezing, the mood was very happy. Soon after we got there President Obama arrived at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver a quick speech. We listened, amidst the cheers of the crowd, to the first African-American president speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (how far we have come from the days of Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King!). It was moving just to be there in the crowd and see how excited people were about their new president. As we left, the crowd singed and cheered with the rest of the performers.
On Monday night Brad, Kenley, and I went to the SC Inaugural Ball at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. It was a great event with a lot of people, but we had the hardest time getting there. Unknown to us at the time, most of the roads around the Mall were already closed off as we attempted to get to the ball. We took a cab and literally went what seemed like just a few miles after an entire hour. The roads that were open were completely gridlocked and the intersections near the closed roads were complete chaos. Finally we jumped out of the cab and walked about 10 blocks to the museum (wearing our long dresses and uncomfortable shoes). As we walked across the Mall, MSNBC was hosting one of their shows (we think Rachel Maddow) just to the side. It was very surreal. We had a great time at the party and thankfully took the metro home. Even on the way home people were friendly (probably because they were from out of town- people here tend to avoid even eye contact) and I was struck by the very different positive atmosphere in town.
The day of the inaguration we left our apartment at about 7am, thinking that because we had tickets we wouldn't have to worry about the swarms of people that started gathering on the Mall at 2am in the morning. Needless to say we should have left earlier - much earlier - but it was an interesting part of the experience. We took a packed metro train down to a stop near the Capitol. The metro ride itself took much longer than usual just because of the number of trains running and the huge crowds at the stations. Finally, the doors opened and we got off, along with everyone else, only to find the metro station completely packed. And when I say completely I mean that every single person was crammed in together and slowly pushing towards the exit like a swarm of ants. Fortunately, we stepped out very close to an escalator. As we slowly made our way up and out, metro workers chanted "keep it moving, keep in moving" over megaphones. Every few minutes they would yell "red light!" and everyone stopped; then "green light!" when the swarm could start moving again. Despite the uncomfortable situation, people were too excited to become impatient and pushy. Most people were just marveling at the crowd and holding their phones and cameras up to take pictures. When we finally got out of the station, the crowd situation wasn't much better. After a little confusion (and just following the crowds), we finally found the gate for our ticketed section. Thinking that not many people would have tickets, we walked up to find a huge mass of people waiting for the gate to open. Unfortunately things were a little unorganized (although I don't know they could have done it better with that many people) and there was really no line - only a mass- to go through the gate into the security tent. We stood in "line" for an hour and a half - at least- I'm not kidding. About every five minutes we took a few baby steps, and we were quickly enveloped by people, crowds of people, on all sides. Although this sounds like it would be awful, it really wasn't. We made friends with the people around us and chanted "Obama" and "yes we can!" along with the crowd. We had sing-alongs and even did the wave. The amazing thing about the crowd (apart from the fact that everyone was very congenial) was its diversity. There were people of all skin colors from every part of the country (and even world) it seemed. And all these people were packed in together like sardines and somehow we all got along- it was amazing.
Finally we got through the security checkpoint and made our way over to the Mall. We picked out a nice spot to stand where we could see a jumbo-tron to the right of the Capitol. Unfortunately we couldn't see the front of the Capitol from where we were standing because of the way the seated area bleachers were built. So I can't say that I personally saw President Obama in person (but I think I did see the first lady walk back to her seat once). When we got there, a choir was singing in the background that truly sounded heavenly and the marine band started to play. As dignitaries made their way into the seated area on the stage in front of the Capitol we watched (along with the rest of America) on the giant screens. People cheered, remained silent (or even booed) based on whose face appeared on the big screen. It was sort of funny because I'm sure the people had no idea if they were being cheered or booed- or that they were even on the screen. Overall though, the mood of the crowd was extremely joyous. This is the part that struck me the most and the part that I feel like I can't convey enough. It was unbelieveable to be in a crowd of nearly 2 million that was so happy! The people around us - black, white, whatever- were extremely nice and we all shared this time of celebration. In that regard, I think President Obama is already a success. He has brought people together and inspires them to be better people and citizens - through instilling an atmosphere of mutual respect and service to others. As we stood there and watched the big screen I was in awe of the size of the crowd, which stretched all the way down the Mall. And I couldn't believe that I was a part of it.
When President Obama first appeared on the screen the crowds went wild. But when the ceremony started everyone quieted down. I'm sure most of you watched the inauguration, so I won't go into that. Even though we couldn't actually see it happening on the stage, it was just incredible to be there- to be a part of the crowd, to be a part of the communal celebration. Looking around at the many people there were so many smiles and tears of joy, tears of relief. Being there for the prayers and the music was really incredible too. And to be there for the historic inaugural address was incredibly moving. For me, it was the most emotional part of the day- not only because he is a great speaker and gave a great address but because of what his election means for our nation and our future. I am so proud of America for electing someone who is not only our first African-American president but who is also extremely intelligent and well suited for the job. And all of this proudness seemed to bubble up in all of us at the inauguration. As the ceremony ended some people started to leave, probably trying to beat the crowds. Others of us lingered, as if to more completely savor the moment, the historic event we felt we had just been a part of. There wasn't a mad dash to leave but by the time we got out there was a line (or mass of people) several blocks long just to get into the metro station. So although we were tired, we decided to take a detour and went to Brad's office for lunch. When we walked back outside, over an hour later, the lines hadn't diminished at all. So, we started making our way towards our apartment thinking that we would jump on the metro at the next station. Well, that never happened because every station we walked by had the same long lines that didn't seem to be moving at all. We ended up walking about 25-30 blocks to get back to our apartment, but I didn't mind. On the way we saw parts of the parade route crowded with people and other streets filled with people going to or from the Capitol. Along the way, people were selling every Barack Obama memorabilia you could imagine. Finally, we made it back to our cozy little apartment and enjoyed watching the rest of the festivities on tv. It was an exhausting, joyous day and I'll never forget what it was like to be there...
The "line" to go through the security checkpoint- the white tent in the distance
Masses of people trying to get over to the Mall
Throngs of people piled up even on the statues behind the barricades on the Washington Monument side of the Mall
Cold but happy to be there
People with tickets crowded around the Capitol
President Obama on the big screen we watched
The view walking away from the side of the Capitol
One of the many signs around town
For me, the inaguruation celebration really lasted for several days. The weekend before, the streets and metro stops noticeably became much more crowded as people poured into town. On Sunday afternoon there was an inaugural "We are One" concert held at the Lincoln Memorial. A lot of big name performers were there (Beyonce, U2, Stevie Wonder etc.) and people stood in line to get into the concert, which started at 2:30pm, from early in the morning. Because I knew we were going to be standing outside all day on Inauguration Day, Brad and I decided to walk down to the concert a little after it had started. We literally live about 8 blocks from the Lincoln Memorial so we wanted to go check things out. I knew there were going to be a lot of people, but I really had no idea. Walking over there really gave me my first taste of what the inauguration was going to be like. There were literally people everywhere. Blocks away from the Lincoln Memorial police and army officers were directing people as if they were driving cars. Again, I knew there was going to be a lot of security, but I was stunned to see how many police officers and soldiers (with machine guns and jeeps) there were. By the time we got close to the Lincoln Memorial the crowds were huge. Security officers weren't letting anyone else walk down the Mall towards the Lincoln Memorial so huge crowds had gathered around jumbo-trons on the Mall from the Washington Monument towards the Capitol. We managed to squeeze into the edge of the crowd next to a huge screen near the Washington Monument. We could barely see the screen. Even though it was freezing, the mood was very happy. Soon after we got there President Obama arrived at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver a quick speech. We listened, amidst the cheers of the crowd, to the first African-American president speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (how far we have come from the days of Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King!). It was moving just to be there in the crowd and see how excited people were about their new president. As we left, the crowd singed and cheered with the rest of the performers.
On Monday night Brad, Kenley, and I went to the SC Inaugural Ball at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. It was a great event with a lot of people, but we had the hardest time getting there. Unknown to us at the time, most of the roads around the Mall were already closed off as we attempted to get to the ball. We took a cab and literally went what seemed like just a few miles after an entire hour. The roads that were open were completely gridlocked and the intersections near the closed roads were complete chaos. Finally we jumped out of the cab and walked about 10 blocks to the museum (wearing our long dresses and uncomfortable shoes). As we walked across the Mall, MSNBC was hosting one of their shows (we think Rachel Maddow) just to the side. It was very surreal. We had a great time at the party and thankfully took the metro home. Even on the way home people were friendly (probably because they were from out of town- people here tend to avoid even eye contact) and I was struck by the very different positive atmosphere in town.
The day of the inaguration we left our apartment at about 7am, thinking that because we had tickets we wouldn't have to worry about the swarms of people that started gathering on the Mall at 2am in the morning. Needless to say we should have left earlier - much earlier - but it was an interesting part of the experience. We took a packed metro train down to a stop near the Capitol. The metro ride itself took much longer than usual just because of the number of trains running and the huge crowds at the stations. Finally, the doors opened and we got off, along with everyone else, only to find the metro station completely packed. And when I say completely I mean that every single person was crammed in together and slowly pushing towards the exit like a swarm of ants. Fortunately, we stepped out very close to an escalator. As we slowly made our way up and out, metro workers chanted "keep it moving, keep in moving" over megaphones. Every few minutes they would yell "red light!" and everyone stopped; then "green light!" when the swarm could start moving again. Despite the uncomfortable situation, people were too excited to become impatient and pushy. Most people were just marveling at the crowd and holding their phones and cameras up to take pictures. When we finally got out of the station, the crowd situation wasn't much better. After a little confusion (and just following the crowds), we finally found the gate for our ticketed section. Thinking that not many people would have tickets, we walked up to find a huge mass of people waiting for the gate to open. Unfortunately things were a little unorganized (although I don't know they could have done it better with that many people) and there was really no line - only a mass- to go through the gate into the security tent. We stood in "line" for an hour and a half - at least- I'm not kidding. About every five minutes we took a few baby steps, and we were quickly enveloped by people, crowds of people, on all sides. Although this sounds like it would be awful, it really wasn't. We made friends with the people around us and chanted "Obama" and "yes we can!" along with the crowd. We had sing-alongs and even did the wave. The amazing thing about the crowd (apart from the fact that everyone was very congenial) was its diversity. There were people of all skin colors from every part of the country (and even world) it seemed. And all these people were packed in together like sardines and somehow we all got along- it was amazing.
Finally we got through the security checkpoint and made our way over to the Mall. We picked out a nice spot to stand where we could see a jumbo-tron to the right of the Capitol. Unfortunately we couldn't see the front of the Capitol from where we were standing because of the way the seated area bleachers were built. So I can't say that I personally saw President Obama in person (but I think I did see the first lady walk back to her seat once). When we got there, a choir was singing in the background that truly sounded heavenly and the marine band started to play. As dignitaries made their way into the seated area on the stage in front of the Capitol we watched (along with the rest of America) on the giant screens. People cheered, remained silent (or even booed) based on whose face appeared on the big screen. It was sort of funny because I'm sure the people had no idea if they were being cheered or booed- or that they were even on the screen. Overall though, the mood of the crowd was extremely joyous. This is the part that struck me the most and the part that I feel like I can't convey enough. It was unbelieveable to be in a crowd of nearly 2 million that was so happy! The people around us - black, white, whatever- were extremely nice and we all shared this time of celebration. In that regard, I think President Obama is already a success. He has brought people together and inspires them to be better people and citizens - through instilling an atmosphere of mutual respect and service to others. As we stood there and watched the big screen I was in awe of the size of the crowd, which stretched all the way down the Mall. And I couldn't believe that I was a part of it.
When President Obama first appeared on the screen the crowds went wild. But when the ceremony started everyone quieted down. I'm sure most of you watched the inauguration, so I won't go into that. Even though we couldn't actually see it happening on the stage, it was just incredible to be there- to be a part of the crowd, to be a part of the communal celebration. Looking around at the many people there were so many smiles and tears of joy, tears of relief. Being there for the prayers and the music was really incredible too. And to be there for the historic inaugural address was incredibly moving. For me, it was the most emotional part of the day- not only because he is a great speaker and gave a great address but because of what his election means for our nation and our future. I am so proud of America for electing someone who is not only our first African-American president but who is also extremely intelligent and well suited for the job. And all of this proudness seemed to bubble up in all of us at the inauguration. As the ceremony ended some people started to leave, probably trying to beat the crowds. Others of us lingered, as if to more completely savor the moment, the historic event we felt we had just been a part of. There wasn't a mad dash to leave but by the time we got out there was a line (or mass of people) several blocks long just to get into the metro station. So although we were tired, we decided to take a detour and went to Brad's office for lunch. When we walked back outside, over an hour later, the lines hadn't diminished at all. So, we started making our way towards our apartment thinking that we would jump on the metro at the next station. Well, that never happened because every station we walked by had the same long lines that didn't seem to be moving at all. We ended up walking about 25-30 blocks to get back to our apartment, but I didn't mind. On the way we saw parts of the parade route crowded with people and other streets filled with people going to or from the Capitol. Along the way, people were selling every Barack Obama memorabilia you could imagine. Finally, we made it back to our cozy little apartment and enjoyed watching the rest of the festivities on tv. It was an exhausting, joyous day and I'll never forget what it was like to be there...
The "line" to go through the security checkpoint- the white tent in the distance
Masses of people trying to get over to the Mall
Throngs of people piled up even on the statues behind the barricades on the Washington Monument side of the Mall
Cold but happy to be there
People with tickets crowded around the Capitol
President Obama on the big screen we watched
The view walking away from the side of the Capitol
One of the many signs around townMonday, October 6, 2008
Celebrations
The past few weeks we have been celebrating different "milestones": our first anniversary, my 10 year high school reunion, and Tee's 30th birthday. It's been a fun, though busy, few weeks with family and good friends.
The birthday boy
The fam
Peggy with the twins- Duke and Smith Jackson
Sallie and I with Uncle Marc
Uncle Mark, Pop (who will be turning 90 soon!), and Tee
Tee and Katie
Tee taking in the surprise
Me, Tee and Sallie
Who's doing that?
Tired, but glad we made it to Greenville for the party
The amazing birthay cakes that Sallie made (call her if you need a cake!)
Sisters
Me and Mom
Celebrating one year of marriage
The birthday boy
The fam
Peggy with the twins- Duke and Smith Jackson 
Sallie and I with Uncle Marc
Uncle Mark, Pop (who will be turning 90 soon!), and Tee 
Tee and Katie
Tee taking in the surprise 
Me, Tee and Sallie
Who's doing that? 
Tired, but glad we made it to Greenville for the party
The amazing birthay cakes that Sallie made (call her if you need a cake!)
Sisters 
Sallie and Andy
Me and Mom Some of my girls- who are those guys in the background? :)
Old friends are the best... 
Before going out to eat at Old Ebbit's Grill- so good. Thanks again, Julia, for the good suggestion.
Celebrating one year of marriageThe pretty flowers Brad gave me
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Accidents and attacks
So, one thing is pretty clear- I'm not very good at blogging. Thanks to anyone who still checks this.
Well, I don't have anything really exciting to share but there have been a few "incidents" over the past week that are kind of funny. If you know me, you know I tend to be a little clumsy and accident prone. Who else falls down a set of stairs the day before her wedding? By the way, falling down is a lot worse than falling up stairs (which I've done many times).
It seems my strange luck has followed me to Washington... Before I can explain the "attack," I have to tell you a little about my work environment. I work for a small, home-based museum/non-profit consulting firm. The office (which actually does look like a small business office) is located above the garage and has a separate entrance which I use to come and go. There is also a door from the office to the main house. During the day, the only occupants of the main house are my boss's cat and dog. The dog is sweet, but the cat is another story- and I'm even a "cat person." My boss started out warning me that the cat could be mean at times, but thinking "I'm a cat person" I tried to woo him (Ed) over. He seemed nice enough at first and let me pet him whenever I happened to walk by. One day I stepped over him walking up the stairs and things haven't been the same since. That day he swiped at me and started hissing and chased me into the office (I know, I probably shouldn't have run, but I was scared). Things only escalated from there as he regularly tried to take swipes at me and hissed at me. And then last week he seriously tried to attack me (he's one of those big, fat cats- I promise, he's really scary). That morning he once again tried to swipe at me but just hit my pant leg. When I walked down the stairs to get my lunch out of the fridge I was watching out for him. I didn't see him though so I grabbed my lunch and started back up the stairs. When I had made it up a few stairs, Ed came running around the corner behind me and scratched my foot several times. My flip-flop went flying down the stairs and he started crawling towards me hissing and growling (yes, cats can growl). I had to get my shoe so I started yelling at him and he backed off a little. By that point my foot was bleeding and I just wanted to get back in the office. Every time I turned around to walk upstairs though he started coming at me again. Once I got to the top of the stairs (literally shaking because I was scared) I sprinted for the office and slammed the door. He came running behind me and slammed into the other side of the door. For the next hour he hissed and growled at me from the other side of the door. So, I'm done with the cat- he's so mean. I refuse to go in their house anymore if he's not put up because he stalks me. The day after the attack my boss's wife wanted me to let their dog out at lunch. I knew she would ask me and I had planned on saying "no" but somehow I ended up agreeing. So I got a big umbrella for protection and very quietly walked out the door and stood near the top of the stairs. Then I took one step and the cat came charging up the stairs and I went running back into the office. Needless to say, the dog didn't get taken out that day.
This week I'm still recovering from my cat wounds (he got me on part of my heel which hurts to walk on), but I also managed to cut my finger with a steak knife on Sunday night. I was trying to cut some cheese (haha- go ahead and laugh) really thin for my and Brad's sandwiches for Monday. Somehow my hand slipped and I ended up cutting my finger instead. Thankfully the knife went in diagonally and not straight down. At first it was bleeding a lot and when I ran my finger under the sink the cut looked pretty deep. Brad was worried and wanted to make sure I didn't need stitches. So we walked 2 blocks to the hospital emergency room (one of the benefits of living in a city). Brad had wrapped my finger in a maxi pad (they're really good for bleeding wounds) and some paper towels. After waiting for about an hour we finally saw the triage nurse. By that time my finger had pretty much stopped bleeding but it was partially numb. She said I should wait and see a PA so we went and filled out all of the hospital paperwork. After waiting another hour (by this time it was almost 11:30pm) I started thinking about going home. I didn't want to wait if they were just going to tell me to put on a band-aid. So we went and talked to the nurse again and she said she thought it looked ok- plus the "finger specialist" was going to be tied up for another hour or so. So we left the hospital and went to the 24-hour CVS and treated my finger ourselves. It's doing ok now.
So, that's a snapshot of my life from this past week. I'm going to let Brad do all the cutting for a while and I'm not setting foot near the cat at work....
Well, I don't have anything really exciting to share but there have been a few "incidents" over the past week that are kind of funny. If you know me, you know I tend to be a little clumsy and accident prone. Who else falls down a set of stairs the day before her wedding? By the way, falling down is a lot worse than falling up stairs (which I've done many times).
It seems my strange luck has followed me to Washington... Before I can explain the "attack," I have to tell you a little about my work environment. I work for a small, home-based museum/non-profit consulting firm. The office (which actually does look like a small business office) is located above the garage and has a separate entrance which I use to come and go. There is also a door from the office to the main house. During the day, the only occupants of the main house are my boss's cat and dog. The dog is sweet, but the cat is another story- and I'm even a "cat person." My boss started out warning me that the cat could be mean at times, but thinking "I'm a cat person" I tried to woo him (Ed) over. He seemed nice enough at first and let me pet him whenever I happened to walk by. One day I stepped over him walking up the stairs and things haven't been the same since. That day he swiped at me and started hissing and chased me into the office (I know, I probably shouldn't have run, but I was scared). Things only escalated from there as he regularly tried to take swipes at me and hissed at me. And then last week he seriously tried to attack me (he's one of those big, fat cats- I promise, he's really scary). That morning he once again tried to swipe at me but just hit my pant leg. When I walked down the stairs to get my lunch out of the fridge I was watching out for him. I didn't see him though so I grabbed my lunch and started back up the stairs. When I had made it up a few stairs, Ed came running around the corner behind me and scratched my foot several times. My flip-flop went flying down the stairs and he started crawling towards me hissing and growling (yes, cats can growl). I had to get my shoe so I started yelling at him and he backed off a little. By that point my foot was bleeding and I just wanted to get back in the office. Every time I turned around to walk upstairs though he started coming at me again. Once I got to the top of the stairs (literally shaking because I was scared) I sprinted for the office and slammed the door. He came running behind me and slammed into the other side of the door. For the next hour he hissed and growled at me from the other side of the door. So, I'm done with the cat- he's so mean. I refuse to go in their house anymore if he's not put up because he stalks me. The day after the attack my boss's wife wanted me to let their dog out at lunch. I knew she would ask me and I had planned on saying "no" but somehow I ended up agreeing. So I got a big umbrella for protection and very quietly walked out the door and stood near the top of the stairs. Then I took one step and the cat came charging up the stairs and I went running back into the office. Needless to say, the dog didn't get taken out that day.
This week I'm still recovering from my cat wounds (he got me on part of my heel which hurts to walk on), but I also managed to cut my finger with a steak knife on Sunday night. I was trying to cut some cheese (haha- go ahead and laugh) really thin for my and Brad's sandwiches for Monday. Somehow my hand slipped and I ended up cutting my finger instead. Thankfully the knife went in diagonally and not straight down. At first it was bleeding a lot and when I ran my finger under the sink the cut looked pretty deep. Brad was worried and wanted to make sure I didn't need stitches. So we walked 2 blocks to the hospital emergency room (one of the benefits of living in a city). Brad had wrapped my finger in a maxi pad (they're really good for bleeding wounds) and some paper towels. After waiting for about an hour we finally saw the triage nurse. By that time my finger had pretty much stopped bleeding but it was partially numb. She said I should wait and see a PA so we went and filled out all of the hospital paperwork. After waiting another hour (by this time it was almost 11:30pm) I started thinking about going home. I didn't want to wait if they were just going to tell me to put on a band-aid. So we went and talked to the nurse again and she said she thought it looked ok- plus the "finger specialist" was going to be tied up for another hour or so. So we left the hospital and went to the 24-hour CVS and treated my finger ourselves. It's doing ok now.
So, that's a snapshot of my life from this past week. I'm going to let Brad do all the cutting for a while and I'm not setting foot near the cat at work....
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Mom and Sallie in Washington
Last month Sallie and my mom came to visit us for a few days in Washington. We did a lot of sightseeing. Here are a few photos from their trip...
The Washington Monument isn't that tall
Sallie's really strong....
Standing on the center stone in the basement of the Capitol- it used to mark the center of the entire city
In front of the Capitol
A cool picture of the White House that Sallie took
Sallie and I on the street in Georgetown....I think
On the steps in front of our apartment
Trying to cool down on a hot day on the Mall
In front of the White House
The Washington Monument isn't that tall
Sallie's really strong....
Brad's office (aka Bob Inglis' office)
Standing on the center stone in the basement of the Capitol- it used to mark the center of the entire city On a boat tour on the Potomac River
In front of the Capitol 
Smithsonian castle
One day we were meeting Brad for lunch and he randomly got on the same train in the same car that we were on- what are the chances? The funniest part is that he acted like he wasn't surprised to see us at all and just started talking.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Car free and Carefree
Brad and I are really enjoying our newfound car-freedom. Now we don't have to worry about tickets, parking, insurance and everything else that comes with having a car (it's really a hassle in the city). I wasn't sure if I would like not having a car but I really do. We can pretty much walk and take the metro anywhere we want to go. If we need to drive there is a program here called Zipcar that rents cars by the hour. We live about a block and half from a metro station and within two blocks to two different grocery stores. Your outlook on grocery shopping does change a little when you have to carry everything! We also live close by to a church we really like, pharmacies, and a hospital. Any shopping, dining or sightseeing we want to do is just a short walk or metro ride away. Even though we're enjoying not having a car, there's still a chance that I'll need one for a job. For now it's nice not to have to worry about one though.
Almost every weekend Brad and I have been doing some sightseeing. I realized a few weeks ago that we live really close to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall. I've been running down there lately and Brad and I have walked down there a few times to see the monuments and visit the museums. This past weekend we walked to the Jefferson Memorial, went to the Smithsonian's Native American Museum and the National Zoo. Here are some photos of our recent adventures...
Brad in front of the Potomac on our walk to the Jefferson Memorial- he wasn't hard to spot in the crowds that day
A cute panda at the zoo playing with a piece of plastic tubing- looks a little like a dog I know
One of my favorite animals at the zoo- the Fishing Cat
View of the WWII Memorial, Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial from the top of the Washington Monument
Almost every weekend Brad and I have been doing some sightseeing. I realized a few weeks ago that we live really close to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall. I've been running down there lately and Brad and I have walked down there a few times to see the monuments and visit the museums. This past weekend we walked to the Jefferson Memorial, went to the Smithsonian's Native American Museum and the National Zoo. Here are some photos of our recent adventures...
Brad in front of the Potomac on our walk to the Jefferson Memorial- he wasn't hard to spot in the crowds that day
Jefferson Memorial
Me in front of T.J.
A cute panda at the zoo playing with a piece of plastic tubing- looks a little like a dog I know
One of my favorite animals at the zoo- the Fishing Cat
View of the WWII Memorial, Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial from the top of the Washington Monument
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