Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Sister's Visit













"I like that girl. The one who called me 'homeslice'."

Sister met my favorite co-workers when she came into work with me last Friday. She had flown in the night before, just as the temperatures began to significantly drop and rain started to fall. I had taken her to the underground restaurant, The Tombs in Georgetown, because who wouldn't be famished after flying halfway across the country? She set up shop with her computer and a book in my office (ok, my cube) and was able to see what a Friday morning is like for me.

"Ohmygosh, Brangelina's adopting another kid?!"
"Aren't you supposed to be working?"

She was able to meet New Girl who immediately embraced her and called her Little P____, Em (from San Diego) who referred to her as 'homeslice', and a few other work friends. As soon as lunchtime rolled around, I cut out early to spend the rest of the afternoon with her. I took her to my favorite lunch spot, Best Sandwich Place (EVER), because we'd only eaten a doughnut and a slice of pizza that morning in addition to our breakfast bowl of cereal.

She's not a big museum person, but the rain was coming down pretty hard along with some serious wind (which is anytime the wind blows here), so I suggested we check out the Spy Museum in Chinatown. I'd never been. At the museum, I was reminded that I too could not be classified as a museum person. I'm good for about an hour, hour and a half, and then my brain threatens to begin oozing out my ear because it's FULL and can only take in a certain amount of information in one day. It's unfortunate that my stomach doesn't seem to have the same problem.

After scurrying through about the entire second half of the museum (which is a very cool museum), we hurried home for a change of clothes. Friday evenings at the Kennedy Center, there is always a free performance. And thank goodness the performance is free, because the parking is $15! That night, a school of traditional Irish dance was performing, so we watched ages 5-45 perform many dances in their many costumes. So exhausted from the long day, we picked up some Peruvian rotisserie chicken and began the BBC 6-hour version of "Pride and Prejudice".


After I took her to my favorite bagel place Saturday morning, we shopped for hours in Georgetown, stopping for ice cream at Thomas Sweet, and drove around Old Town Alexandria, too lazy to find a parking spot and walk and shop some more. We needed a good meal in our stomachs, and somehow despite our parents' boring palettes, we both enjoy seafood. Legal Sea Foods served us amazing crab cakes, clam chowder, rainbow trout, scallops, and shrimp and we were almost too stuffed to have the Girl Scout Samoa ice cream I had sitting in my fridge . . almost.

After church on Sunday, we hit up the flea market on Capitol Hill, went tanning, and split the largest ice cream sundae I have ever had with BSG at Gifford's. Gifford's = most amazing ice cream place ever. And BSG's idea to share the massive five-scoop sundae with a puff pastry, milk chocolate sauce, almonds and whipped cream was her most genius idea ever.

It was Sister's last night in D.C., and as stuffed as we were from all that ice cream, we had to head over to Cousin J & K's house for dinner. As you can imagine, we were a bit (or rather extremely) concerned about how we would eat dinner for the rest of the week, let alone in two short hours. But we managed to get down a beef kabob (in my case, two) and mexican rice. To our dismay, they announced "We have ice cream for dessert!" And rather than first saying "Oh no, we just had ice cream, thank you", I instead asked "Is it Haagen-Dazs, your favorite?" He replied that unfortunately no, it wasn't. And Sister offered up the fact that she had never tried it. And so I place all blame on her for the following. J jumped out of his chair, grabbed his keys, and said, "You've never had it? Then I'm going to get some right now." We sat there dumbfounded. MORE ICE CREAM? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? No sooner had we processed that thought, J was back from the store with two very large Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars. And the P____ girls finished every last bite.





























The End.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Dear Internet Friends

It is only because I am a good employee and a good sister that I have not blogged in over a week. I won't blog at work, and I won't blog when company is in town. And all the other time has been spent counting down the clock til company arrived. I've been dying to blog about my sister's canceled flight and the fine dining at Bebo that helped me cope with her absence. Even moreso, her rescheduled trip for this past weekend, which went splendidly. I have so many pictures to post and so much food to talk about . . because that's what happens when you visit me. I take you to eat delicious food. Not even necessarily expensive (especially if you're in college), but delicious just the same. And now, instead of heading to bed I keep making this post many more sentences than the three I intended. And I'm starting to get hungry again . . because in order to punish myself for my overindulgence this weekend, I've limited myself to cereal for breakfast AND lunch, which is complete torcher by the way. My caloric intake has been so low today that I barely have enough energy in my fingers to type this. Tomorrow I'll have cereal AND toast so I can write a nice long post. Good night.

**Update: See up above - where I misspelled TORTURE? What is wrong with me? My dad was wondering that very thing and sent me an email about it. After all, spelling is the one thing in life that I do perfectly. I knew I was tired last night, but WHOA. Dad also pointed out that I misspelled my own.mother's.name on the last piece of mail I sent. I did realize it right after it happened. I guess that's what happens when other things are on your mind. Of course I couldn't just change it up above all nonchalantly. I had to say something. All the pride in me had to point out that "I KNOW HOW TO SPELL. Really I do!" At least "torcher" is a word. It means "one who gives light with torch". That explains why Dad said "Yikes! Call the fire department!"

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Visitor!

My sister is coming for a visit tomorrow. I've been calling her every day this week to remind her, because you know, I wouldn't want her to miss her flight or anything. I have big plans for our weekend . . eating and shopping and eating and shopping. I'm so glad she doesn't like history, because I'm just not in the mood to be that kind of tour guide . . the one wearing tennies and walking miles throughout the District trying to recommend which museums or monuments to see. I think it's all great, I do, but not now . . not when it's 40 degrees outside and not when I haven't really been shopping for two months! I've been saving up for such a time as this.

(Besides, she has been here before and done the tourist thing.)

Crazy Daydreaming

Lately I've been living in Hypothetical Land. A case of homesickness came on strong recently, and I've been obsessing over the future and all the 'what ifs'. Even though I know I have choices, I still feel out of control (which makes sense because I gave God control of my life). I chose to come here, but it was totally God's idea, believe me, and it was a great one and proof that He made me and He knows exactly what is best for me. I take things day by day, and He just keeps paving the way and providing whatever I need. So why am I so focused lately on where I'll be in a year or five years (especially when I'm totally happy right now)? I don't know. But honestly I'm glad I'm not in control, because I have no clue what the right decisions would be. Sure I have things I want and ideas about what I'd like life to be like someday, but He knows way better than I. Phew.