Day 1- Where I didn't get lost, but did try to break my toe....several times...

Well.....I woke up to the dulcet sounds of traffic as Eve the Artist eschews air conditioning in favor of open windows...I will be very happy for anonymous renter (AKA Corey the Grad Student from Texas) to take his leave and I can inhabit the sun room which comes with a window unit that he keeps at a blessedly cool 65 degrees....I find myself sitting outside of the Japanese screen to steal any slight breezes that slip out of that area and it is oh so fine after walking the streets in humid 80's.....

After waking, checking all digital devices, emails, and websites, I showered once again using the two hand towels Eve the Artist provided......she only owns two towels....and anonymous renter has one.....So my first order of business was to locate a purveyor of towels.....lo and behold a 15 min. walk and less than a mile away, i found a TARGET!!!! In DOWNTOWN D.C.- TWO STORIES!!! Even has escalators for your red cart!! Anonymous renter had already informed me the evening before that bags cost extra here!! 5 cents per bag!! So I had carried my wonderful new tote bag given to me by a fab room parent. Realizing I had to schlep back whatever I bought, limited my purchases.....So....two new white towels, one white washcloth, detergent, all important coffee and creamer for my coffee....i was on my out the door..... Realizing it was after noon and I had not eaten NOR had ANY coffee yet...i decided to explore while trying not to get lost....I found a cool pub called Commonwealth that was serving brunch still. After ordering my omelet and coffee, I was THRILLED to learn that all brunches came with a mimosa...that OF COURSE i did not turn down... :-).....a trencher of delicious bread and one omelet later...i was full and on my way...

Eve the Artist had invited me to the National Gallery, but by now I was too late to meet her.....I trekked "home" with my goodies and realized upon arrival that I was T-I-R-E-D!! The adrenaline from yesterday finally wore off and I ran into a wall. Two hours later I awoke hot but refreshed. I spent the afternoon reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and am now EXTREMELY eager to go see EVERYTHING he referenced in the book!! i realized where my apartment is, I am VERY close to several places he mentioned and felt quite cosmopolitan as I recognized the street names and where they were in reference to me....

After spending the afternoon reading and stealing air from anonymous renter's sun room, I realized around 8 that i was hungry....I found a take out menu on Eve the Artist's refrigerator for a place called Shawarma Spot and they had BABA GHANOUJ!! My FAVORITE!! So after a lovely conversation with anonymous renter about ordering take out in the city, I asked if it was a safe walk. He assured me yes, that Eve the Artist eats there all the time and walks....So I grabbed keys and bag and headed out.....Taking the other direction from my Target walk, I strolled through the most BEAUTIFUL townhomes.....I now want one.....badly......especially as this desire was heightened after turning onto 18th street for my food destination....HOLY COW!!! It was like the EMBASSY ROW of food!!! Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, Asian, Mexican, Spanish, Italian.....EVEN A RUSSIAN TEA ROOM!!! I have now found heaven on earth.....with all kinds of crazy shops thrown in and around...used books, spas, something with Pirate flags that I must explore more for Wayne....it was sensory overload!! I found my place and ate a decent meal of chicken shawarma and baba ghanouj....with a little piece of baklava thrown in for good measure....I had enough b.g to bring home for lunch tomorrow and the majority of the baklava left to enjoy with coffee for breakfast....

I am now back "home", stealing air from anonymous renter, and going to try to finish The Lost Symbol.

Oh yes....the almost broken toe.....on all of my walks I tripped on raised sidewalk in the SAME place THREE TIMES!!! The 3rd time was the worst as I cut the tip of my big toe, bruised it, and almost fell in front of the total strangers i was trying to pass b/c they were walking too SLOW!! That's what I get for being impatient...Wonder if the street authorities (i'm sure they have a more official name) will let me put little red warning flags up??? Hmmmmmmm....might be another trip to Target in my future!!!

I'm SO not in Kansas anymore.....or Alabama for that matter! :-)

Can you say culture shock??? After spending the morning in my house packing and wandering and wondering if I was really doing this.....Wayne drove me to ATL. I managed not to fall completely apart in leaving all my guys, and I had a SUPER flight on AirTran.....landed....sky cap got my bags....loaded me in a taxi which drove me RIGHT by the Jefferson Memorial (I swooned), the Washington Monument, and the National Archives (I swooned again) until finally I arrived at my destination....The tiny sunroom in Eve The Artist's apartment.....located in a wicked cool neighborhood right across from Meridian Park.

As the taxi driver dropped me off in front of the AWESOME apartment building, I was AMAZED to hear African drumming coming from the park...I know a princess peon who would have LOVED to hear that....Eve tells me it's been going on for over 30 years, every Sunday night until 9:00.

Now I am sitting in the coolest little apartment looking out over Eve's desk into the park....it's VERY Carrie Bradshaw....She is a tiny little blonde with FABULOUS giant artwork all over the walls (all hers). I am staying for two days in one of the twin beds in her room while waiting for anonymous renter to leave in two days so I can inhabit my little sunroom with the Japanese screen door.

Eve has now departed to join friends at the drum circle and I am left to explore my new digs and hopefully go find something to eat in my new neighborhood, as the two pieces of dry toast at 10:00 a.m. have long been forgotten.....i was just a little too excited and nervous to eat today!!

The pictures with this post are a brief tour of my lovely new abode...complete with anonymous renter's clothing hanging in the sunroom and my suitcases still in the "for-yay" :-)

Happy Memorial Day to all!!

The I.R.S.....is standing in my way....

So papers have been filled out, data has been shared, emails have flown furiously.....all to boil down to the I.R.S.......OF COURSE they are holding everything up....why am I NOT surprised.....We've been waiting over a week for me to be accepted as a contractor with the Smithsonian.....the Smithsonian is checking HOURLY for the all-clear from the CCR-AKA Red Tape Facility.....and today we find that something that is supposed to take 24-48 hrs with the I.R.S......has taken 8 days......apparently they are using fuzzy math.....

So I am waiting to book my dorm room....waiting to book my plane tickets....waiting to pack.....waiting for school to end.....waiting................

Not my best attribute.......

The countdown begins.....

It is exactly 14 days before I leave my family for more than 3 days since 1997.....and then it was only for 8 days. I will be alone in a big city for 42 days.....I won't even have my BFF with me.....I will arrive by myself with mass quantities of luggage. I will have to get myself onto the metro and get to my living quarters. I will have to figure out how I'm going to get bedding and a lamp there. I will be over 460 miles from home. And I only know two people there....through phone conversations....kinda scary.....It's like going off to college...COMPLETELY by yourself....And at 41 years old...that is SOME kind of adventure..

I know I'll work everyday from 9:30-5:30....but what will I do in the evenings??? I'm so used to hanging out with all my guys...who keep me entertained....how will I handle being by myself so much....Funny thought coming from an only child.....

Will I end up enjoying the solitude too much?? How nice it will be to not have an 8 month old puppy chewing up EVERYTHING I own....clothes, sunglasses, cosmetics, mail....but I will also miss snuggling on the purple couch with him..

Will I enjoy not reminding someone to load the dishwasher.....for the 18th time that hour...or to pick up all the clothes off the floor....feed the dog....get the mail....take out the trash....sort the laundry....hmmmmmmmmm.....maybe they will view this as a vacation from ME!

As of this moment, I have dealt with government papework to be hired by the Smithsonian....I've learned words like DUNS numbers, deliverables, and been in contact with the very friendly and helpful people (using Melissa's sarcasm font) at CCR-also known as Central Contracting Registry....or as I like to call it The Red Tape Facility.....For the last 3 weeks I've submitted paperwork, resubmitted it, corrected it, resubmitted it, and just got an urgent email to fax a confirmation page because the CCR STILL isn't showing that I'm registered.....so as of this minute.....I'm still not technically hired....so maybe I won't get to go....who knows....

So many things to do....so many things to think about...all while finishing out this school year with my fifth graders....and prepping to teach summer school the Monday after my return on July 10th...

I'm already exhausted....and I haven't even started..