Lots of Adventures!

Goodness! I have been having a TON of adventures lately...I will start in reverse order (most recent to oldest)

1.  Tonight I went to Gravelly Point and the Airforce Memorial with my roomie Sharyn.  It was a night of planes! A big storm is coming in, so the sky was cloudy and foggy....fantastic weather to charm up the night sky!

2. Gardening.  Over the weekend I helped my friend Mel put her garden in and I finished up my own.  Leading up to this grand gardening time, I found several people on craigslist selling pots and veggie plants...in fact, I spent one whole night last week galavanting about - from the woman who was moving to Japan (she couldnt take her plants or terra cotta pots) to the wise, witty Russian woman selling her organic plants. Man, she knows how to garden.  Tip: crush eggshells and sprinkle on plants to keep the slugs & snails away.  The sharp shells hurt/cut their bodies and prevent them from eating the plants!

3. Rootbeer making - my dad makes the most wonderful homemade yeast-brewed rootbeer.  In preparation for their arrival back to the states, I have practiced my brewing skills.  While nothing tastes quite like his, I am getting the hang of it, and I hope he'll enjoy it when he comes here.

4. New job.  I will be starting my new job as a creative at the Georgetown (new) Apple store.  I couldnt be more excited.  A separate posting will ensue after day 1 (on Friday).

5. Virginia is For Lovers Party.  It finally happened.  Again, a full posting with pictures will have to follow.

6. Robin "ride-a-long." While driving to work last Thursday, I was looping around on the DC side of the Potomac when I saw this lovely Robin.  For a good minute, this sweet bird flew at my driving speed, in tandem - creating this wonderful time freeze where I felt in harmony with nature.  It flew parallel and in sync with my speed for about a minute and then flew away. Such a gift.  Such a sweet, sweet gift.

7. Eastern Market Festivities.  This is of course, a favorite Saturday adventure for me.  I went two Saturdays with some of my girls.  We had adventures galore - breakfast at a completely organic restaurant (delicious!) where apparently two gay guys commented how they liked my style- treasure troving at the flea market, sunshine soaking, azalea loving, fun time! We also stopped briefly at Anthro in Georgetown.

8.  Dumpster Diving/Junking...Two Fridays ago I went to dinner at my Friend Mels House (see #9).  Apparently that was the night that her neighborhood puts out the major trash for county pick up the next morning.  What does this mean for me? Fun times.  Holy cow! There was some pretty great stuff. I even stumbled upon a "trash party." One block has an annual trash party (that truly is the title) where they set up a tiki bar, invite the nieghbors and everyone brings junk to share or laugh at - or both! I had a good time there! Needless to say, I came home with some great finds. (tiki torches? check.  Pink striped outdoor table umbrella? check.  Decorative paneled window? check.  Firepit? check).

9.  Indian "cultural night" with friends.  This evening was complete with homemade curry, rice, festive dancing a la Adrianne (in a purple sari type outfit no-less), laughter and a sweet movie about snogging and crushes.  Very entertaining.

10.  Oven Fire.  This actually happened Thursday night (sorry to post it out of order).  I just remembered.  It was possibly the scariest and the funniest evening I have had in a long time.  After my party, I had to bake two cakes for the stake Relief Society event the following night.  As I start to mix the batter, I pre-heat the oven.  A couple minutes later I hear a strange noise - like creaking metal.  I discounted it momentarily, thinking it was nothing and I was just hearing things.  I then realize I ought to open the oven up and check.

What did my little eyes behold? Smoke, smoke smoke! Fire! Hissing and sparking. I panicked.  I hopped a little, not sure what to do.  I shut the oven hoping it would just go away.  I turn off the oven.  I open the stove back up.  More sparks, hissing and flames.  I consider calling 911 but then run upstairs to get Sharyn because she's the only one still awake.  We go downstairs, she panics too, but puts baking soda on it (thats what we're taught, right?!) Nothing happens.  We cant unplug the stove because its a wall unit.  By now, we can see that the whole heating coil is broken.  Busted.  It had snapped.  But, snaking around was the burning, hissing, sparking flame! We thought maybe the whole thing would combust.

We decide to call 911.  Now the other two roomies are downstairs wanting to know the cause of the commotion.  We call 911 and then in the middle of our chat realize we should turn the breaker off. That solved the hissing problem.  911 asked if we were ok, and we declined to have the police sent out.  We took the number of the local fire dept (which I called and had to leave a MESSAGE. Good thing they could make sure our oven was secure from any further hazards, right?!).  We thought we were in the clear.  We all start to go to bed.

Then the doorbell rings.  So, four of us in our robes and PJ's answer the door.  Its two policemen.  They want to know whats going on.  After an explanation and a look around, satisfied that their time was well wasted, they bid us adieu.  We laugh hysterically.  4 girls.  Middle of the night.  Broken oven.  Two po-po's wondering why they got sent to our house .... oh well, better safe than sorry!

So, my dear readers those are ten adventures I have had lately.  There are more, but thats all for tonight!