Washington National Zoo- No Panda-monium

We are working our way down the list of places not yet seen in the last 13 months here in DC Metro.  The list is lengthy and it is unbelievable how many events and places are within a short drive from our apartments.

Tom and I have driven past the Smithsonian Washington Zoo many times on the weekends and noticed the jam-packed parking lots.  Admission to the zoo is free, since it is a Smithsonian property, but don't be fooled. Unless you are clever enough to take the metro, you will pay the price for parking.  You can even pay extra to reserve a parking spot-what?!

"Save Time and Stress—Reserve a Parking Spot
The Zoo is a very popular destination, and parking lots often fill up early in the day, especially in spring and summer. Street parking in the neighborhood is quite limited. Save yourself time and stress with a new option! You can now reserve a parking spot by calling FONZ Guest Services at 202.633.4486 Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Just give us a minimum of 48 hours’ notice, and we’ll have a spot waiting for you. The rates are $30 for nonmembers and $20 for members. (Parking rates for nonmembers are $16 for the first three hours, and $22 for more than three hours. Parking is free for FONZ members.)"

Well, not so unexpected, when you realize that parking is at a premium in our area and woe be unto those who are not proficient at parallel parking.  When we go to the Whole Foods store they have underground parking and they have someone directing traffic full time- amazing, or maybe I am just a country bumpkin.

We planned our visit for a weekday and thought we were so clever to beat the crowds. The day was overcast and the evenings have turned cool, so we figured we would have nice cool day to enjoy the zoo.  Armed with unnecessary umbrellas and jackets, we parked and set out on  the first trail.  There is a bit of an incline on the trail and although the zoo was beautiful and uncrowded-yay, we did feel the exertion and the heat.  At the conclusion of the visit- which we did immensely enjoy, I was soaked in sweat and  drips were falling off the front of my a-line haircut. I don't think I am imagining that people were giving me curious looks!  When we listened to the news that evening, we found out that the humidity was 97%!!!!!!! No wonder we were miserable.

The zoo is famed for it's pandas and wouldn't you know it, the pandas were off display, although we could see the monitoring screens for their dens. There was a baby panda watch a few months ago that fizzled and the news was about as big as the latest Redskin's game. This was the only glimpse of a panda that we saw that day, save for the souvenirs in the gift shops.

The thing about going to the zoo, is that it is a whole different experience from when I was a child and got to go to the Portland Zoo.  Now, this generation of children are being schooled in the eminent extinction of the earth's creatures due to mankind's misbehaviors.  The innocence of enjoying the site of the beautiful animals is just not the same.

So many of the exhibits had signage regarding the habitats of the animals and their decreasing populations. I remember hearing about the extinction of the dodo bird and the  passenger pigeons, as a grade school kid, but a lot has changed since then. I remember thinking the first Earth Day when I was a freshman in high school was no big deal- turns out my biology teacher was right- we are in danger of destroying the earth. It makes my heart break for my future and present grandchildren. 

 Speaking of grandchildren- we bought souvenirs for Sam and a new grandchild who will be arriving in May- via Holly and Ryne!

Here is a link for watching the animals on a live cam- via your computer:  http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/webcams/default.cfm

It was really interesting to see the great apes- one gorilla was sitting at the glass window watching a visitor play a game on their I-Pad. After seeing the new Planet of the Apes movie, I saw these guys in a whole different way.......

There is an outside orangutan express way that of course was closed that day- darn it.  Apparently, the apes can use a zip line to go from inside (the Think Tank) to their outside area to get some fresh air. I am not sure how they keep them from dropping on the heads of unsuspecting visitors? 
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ThinkTank/Exhibit/default.cfm

Worth the trip if you are in the area.  Another venue checked off our list of must-sees and many more to go!

National Book Festival 2011

Tom and I took a trip to the DC Mall yesterday to the 11th annual National Book Festival 

http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/    We had a great time last year and  looked forward to meeting some of our favorite authors. 

As there was so much going on downtown this weekend, we took the metro to save time and grief trying to find parking. I have never seen the metro  so crowded!  Police officers were in force in the dark cavern of the Smithsonian station.  I could hear them barking at people to stay away from the edge of the platform and take suitable lines for the escalators (half were non-functioning as usual).




The Book Festival was right off the stop, adjacent to The Library of Congress.  We headed in the opposite direction of the book signing lines, until we had assistance from a staff member to read the map key.......  The crowds were enormous and well behaved.  All the book nerds were in nirvana to be in the presence of so many literary greats.

Our first objective was to get some books signed for my sister Mary Beth and her grand kids.  Her favorite children's author is Katherine Paterson.  Well, wouldn't you know it, her line was one of the longest and by the time we got half-way to her signing table, she had cut back to only signing one book per person. Mary Beth had sent me three of her personal books to sign and I had to sacrifice hers for Sophia and Spencer, her grandchildren. She will receive a new autographed book from a local bookstore, Politics and Prose -  The Flint Heart  as Ms. Paterson will be there today- Sept 25th.

Sophia and Spencer will have  autographed copies of Bridge to Terabithia , so all's well that ends well.

We had an hour before the next signing and set up a strategy.   Tom had Sarah Vowell's, Unfamiliar Fishes signed. The book details the annexation of the Hawaiian  Islands in 1898, just because we could. She is more or less a satirist with a penchant for travel and history.

I headed for signing line #9 to my copy of Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago.  www.esmeraldasantiago.com

I couldn't help but notice Katherine Paterson at the back flap of  children's author John Rocco's tent, next to Esmeralda's line. She looked delighted to watch him sign her book and no one begrudged her chance to jump the line. I was sorely tempted to get out of my line and plead with her to sign my sister's book. I retained my dignity and her privacy.



I haven't finished the book yet- a non-fiction story of a Spanish woman who immigrates to Puerto Rico in the 1800's . A sexy and interesting read.

By the time we had accomplished our missions, we were sweating profusely due to return of the G-darn humidity!  We had stood for hours with not an unoccupied bench or chair to be found- so we called it a day and decided to beat the crowd home-ha!

The Smithsonian  escalator was only steps away and  so crowded that you had to wait in line to jump on.   Lucky for us, we were able to board the next train-standing room only for the next 7 stops.

All in all, a fun day and our last National Book Festival. To tell you the truth, I think Tom is glad we won't be attending the 2012 festival-phooey!

So Long Summer

It's a good thing I don't get paid to write my blog or I would be collecting unemployment by now.   Sometimes I am shocked how unmotivated I can be and other times, I am hell-bent to finish the task at hand. This is my 4th draft of this blog and I am getting frustrated, but by God, I will finish this blog today!!  My Achilles heel, is inserting photos into the blog and even with my team of pros (my kids) I have been unable to find a foolproof way to do this.

We had a great summer here in Virginia with lots of events and activities to keep us busy. I have been fighting the hair frizzies since my expensive Keratin treatment grew out, with an arsenal of products and gadgets- a losing battle.  The humidity has been very unpleasant and we had record breaking temperature highs. If I thought I got sweaty in Arizona, it is nothing compared to here. You get soaked and stay damp and sticky while you are outside-gross!  The days are growing cooler and drier now and we are looking forward to Fall- my favorite season no matter where I live.  It is cool enough for a sweater in the evenings and we have shut off the air conditioning . I am actually looking forward to digging out my hats, boots and gloves.

Tom started the summer fun with a day at The Poconos Speedway Stock Car Experience with his brother Len and family.  The guys had a great time and another once in a lifetime experience.

I got to see my favorite author Lisa See speak at her book signing for her new book, Dreams of Joy. What a gracious and lovely lady. We also discovered a Washington landmark independently owned bookstore , Politics and Prose  http://www.politics-prose.com/

We live just minutes from The Pentagon and due to Tom's security badge, we were able to get in on a Saturday, unescorted and free to browse at our leisure. No cameras allowed however. Every branch of the service has it's own floor with interesting artifacts and displays that you wouldn't get to see elsewhere. We didn't see any VIPs, but a nice guy from tech support helped us find our way around as the building was so vast and imposing.

In July, I took a trip to Houston TX to see son Ryan, daughter in law Amanda and 3 year old grandson Sam. We had a great visit in spite of the humidity. Houston has a lot to see and is a multicultural location with wonderful food. Ryan introduced me to the now defunct TV show Arrested Development, and Tom and I have enjoyed watching the episodes on instant Netflix.

Amanda is an expert driver in Houston and logs many miles taking Ryan to and from the airport and work and driving Sam to his school everyday. They are great parents and I couldn't be more proud of them all.  Sam is my treasure and I loved spending Grandma time with him.

A highlight of the trip was a day at NASA- great fun and so interesting.  Family friendly and worth the trip. 

                                                             

July 4th was celebrated at Fort Belvoir. We were tempted to head to The National Mall for the big celebration, but we opted for a more low key experience. DC is crammed full of visitors all Spring and Summer and that did curtail our trips downtown.  I am not a fan of crowded Metro rides and security checkpoints at these events. Geez, I sound like an old coot.  At any rate, I am excited about getting back to the mall and picking up where I left off last Spring.  The Fort Belvoir event was clean, safe and enjoyable, with some of the best fireworks I have seen

I continue to do volunteer work with CAUSE ( Comfort for America's Uniformed Services) . I will be doing massage now at Ft. Belvoir and from time to time I help out with clerical work at the office. We are looking forward to the fundraising gala on Veteran's Day!  Please check out the website of this very worthwhile non-profit organization:  http://www.cause-usa.org/main/index.cfm

Sometime this summer (can't remember exactly when) we took a drive to The Luray Caverns in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.  After growing up near The Oregon Caves in Cave Junction Oregon, I have always loved a good cave adventure.  It is a bit of a tourist trap, but in a good way. The guides look to be local high school kids who have summer jobs guiding groups of 20 people through the caverns. I have to say, I admire their patience and vigilance trying to keep everyone safe, and the cave intact while only gently scolding those who cannot refrain from touching what should not be touched. (Okay, I'm referring to stalactites and stalagmites).

There is also a Luray County museum and gift shop with the requisite Virginia honey, pottery, preserves and fudge!  Worth the trip, in my opinion. http://www.luraycaverns.com/


My favorite birthday ever, was celebrated with an evening out at The Kennedy Center for dinner and a performance of Wicked!   On the way home, we stopped for a frozen coconut cake at the Giant store. Tom did everything right and I didn't even mind being 6 months older than him once again.

Our friends Kari and JR invited us to go sailing with them on The Chesapeake Bay. We had a great time in spite of the gusty wind that wrapped up the jib sail and caused some commotion. We were in good hands though and I considered it a fun adventure. Tom did too, after he finished throwing up!  It really was fun and we are looking forward to spending more time with the Larsen's before heading back to AZ. 

My brother in law Robert, made another trip to see his folks and we met him downtown to see The Newseum . Another must see in DC- a two day ticket is issued due to the enormity of the exhibits.
http://www.newseum.org/?gclid=CM6LnY7GrKsCFQED2goddk097g

It was another sweaty day- but we made our way to a great Spanish Tapas restaurant, La Tasca. Excellent food and service. It inspired me to sign up for a tapas class at the Plum Center this month.



Labor Day weekend coincided with the Sept 11th anniversary and there was some discussion of changing our plans due to the increased security measures. After some thought, it seemed as though downtown DC was probably the safest place to be with the increased security personnel.  I was heartened to see tourists and residents going about their business and enjoying their holiday weekend. 

Tom and I attended an Army concert The Spirit of America, at the Verizon Center downtown on Saturday night.  It was a free event and travels to other cities- outstanding!  http://www.soa.mdw.army.mil/

On Sunday, we went to George's place- Mt. Vernon. Buying a season pass was one of my best ideas, if I do say so.  The weekend was dedicated to a Revolutionary War encampment and reenactment. It was interesting and fun, but hearing the cannons thundering was somewhat unnerving on the 9-11 anniversary. 

We took a 40 minute cruise on The Potomac from the dock at Mt. Vernon.  Something I have aspired to do, as it gives an awesome view of the Mt. Vernon estate- so lovely.  The water was cloudy and littered with debris from the previous week's storm. But, the experience over-rode the murky water and the breeze felt wonderful. Also, a cold beer tasted awfully good on a sweltering day.

I am an honorary Scot now by marriage and we decided to strike out and go to the Virginia Scottish Games and Festival  in The Plains, VA. This was another Labor day Weekend event, so it was action packed and it took a few days to recuperate from the weekend.

The food and music were great fun. I especially enjoyed the eye candy treat of men in kilts!  Did you know that you can have a beer gut while wearing a kilt?  Well, it is possible, although the fit men looked spectacular in their garb and I wished Tom had brought his kilt to Virginia. And no, I did not ask anyone if they had anything on under their kilts ( as so many hussies have asked Tom!)  because I already know the answer. 


Well, that wraps up the summer's events.  I will try not to get so far behind next time.  We are looking forward to our last Fall here with the cool weather, changing leaves, apples, friends and fun.

Weather or Not

Sandy preparing for a potty break in her hurricane raincoat

We have been here at Sullivan Place  Apts. one year ago, as of August 28th.  The countdown for leaving has begun and we will start driving back to Arizona in February. Yes, it will probably take me six months to prepare to leave, but that's the topic of another blog.

I would like to address my concerns over the lousy weather here on the east coast.  I feel I have been mislead into thinking that the only concern here is the high humidity in the summer-hah!

An earthquake and a hurricane in one week?  These unprecedented events have me pining for the ungodly heat of Arizona.  But, on a more positive note, the days are becoming more temperate and the evenings and mornings are cool-(think Mesa in October).

The earthquake caught me completely unaware that such a thing was even possible.  I heard a loud commotion that I thought was coming from the upstairs apt. At first I thought new neighbors were moving in and had dropped a piece of heavy furniture. Ever since our heavy-footed upstairs neighbor "Horton" moved away, we have enjoyed the peace and quiet we so desperately crave in apartment living.

The mirror on the bedroom dresser began to shake furiously and I stared in amazement with my mouth hanging open, I am sure. At first, I thought it was something far more sinister than Mother Nature and the eerie quiet afterward really unnerved me.  Since it was in the middle of the afternoon, most of my neighbors were at work.  I opened the door to the hallway to see if anyone was running out of the building-negative.  I just stood there for a few minutes trying to compose myself, when my neighbor Cynthia knocked on the door and informed me that we had just experienced an earthquake-what!?

As you may have heard, the cell phones were jammed with overload calls and I was unable to reach Tom at work except by texting. I had just gotten a new phone a day or two earlier and was still in the learning curve of using a phone with new gadgets.  Tom got home a couple of hours later and I was glad for the company. The thought of aftershocks was really scary to me- I have not felt any of them subsequently.

Of course that was the talk of the town for the next several days. We easterners were made sport of by folks in California who thought we all over-reacted- well I never!  The biggest problem that was brought to light, was that most everyone ran out of their buildings in the downtown area which is very dangerous during an earthquake. Note to self- if this happens again, get under a piece of heavy furniture and fold up as you would in a bear attack. ( I suppose that will be the next event here in DC- bears running amok and the citizens running for their lives instead of rolling in a ball and playing dead). The buildings, monuments and museums were closed so as to assess damage and safety concerns. The evening commute home on the Metro was not fun and I was happy to be at home instead of waiting in the dark and clammy metro stations.

Glad that it was over and feeling at peace again- the news began to broadcast the coming of the mother of all hurricanes to hit this part of the country-IRENE!  

OMG!  The news was unrelenting in their coverage and pleaded with everyone to stock up on essentials to last up to a week. I began to get more and more uneasy and so I went to the Giant grocery store Friday morning to get non-perishable staples.  The store was crowded even at 11:00 am and they were already out of D batteries- oh Lordy!

I have been trying to eat more healthy foods the last few weeks as the winter weight gain has surely visited my home.  In my search for food that did not need to be refrigerated, I found myself grabbing all types of processed foods that I normally avoid. My must haves: Chocolate flavored peanut butter, pretzels, Ritz crackers, popcorn, one bag of apples, jello so full of preservatives that it didn't even require refrigeration, tuna and cracker snack packs and diet Pepsi in case we couldn't make coffee.
Coincidentally, there was an article in the Washington Post today about the stockpiles of junk foods that people now have in their pantry. Pretty funny stuff.  After the hub-bub died down, I packed a "snack" bag for Tom to take to work-ha out of the house devil food!

I was a nervous wreck on Saturday and I wasn't the only one.  Poor Sandy had a Dr. appointment and I regret not cancelling it now. She had to have blood drawn for a refill on her arthritis medication and have the usual poking and probing. She nipped two groomers at her next appointment and she was sent home....Poor old thing. We reckon she is about 13 years old by now and she is a bundle of nerves in stormy weather.

We bought her a Thundershirt which provides deep pressure to calm her down when we have a storm or God forbid the wind blow a little too gustily. The Thundershirt has really helped her in these times and has even helped with her separation anxiety- I highly recommend them for your nervous Nellies'.
http://www.thundershirt.com/?gclid=CJvxvMv596oCFcw42godtlA7BQ

Sunday morning was sunny and warm and we felt fortunate to have all our comforts intact. I felt badly for the tourists who had spent their hard earned travel money and time to see the sights here in DC. Everything closed down and the dedication of the new Martin Luther King memorial was cancelled as well. It was to be the prime event of the weekend.

Now we have spent a whole summer here and I will take the "dry heat" of Arizona over the hair frizzling humidity here in the Northeast anytime.  Fall is just around the corner and I am looking forward to the change of seasons and the delicious Virginia apples. I have loved being here and experiencing the most unusual and adventure- filled year of my life.

I will be trying to catch up on my blogs- a lot went on this summer and I have had little motivation to get writing, but now I am on a roll- so watch out!