DC's Blossoms Kite Festival, in Pictures

Dear friend Jillian came up with a great idea for us this morning - walk into DC and enjoy the kite festival that was going on today. I love kites, so I was all for it. We parked at Gravelly Point and walked across the bridge into DC (we considered running, but walking was so pleasant, so it won out), which spit us out right at the Tidal Basin - the infamous location of the Cherry Blossoms, which tourists and residents alike flood every Spring for the beautiful buds. 

The blossoms had already come, shared their youthful radiance, and withered away to a dignified death by this weekend, when Spring Break brought more families - but DC takes care of its tourists, so while the Cherry Blossoms peaked early and missed the super heavy tourist week, the National Mall will not disappoint on any given weekend during the Spring and Summer. 

The Kite Festival was really quite awesome. I'm so glad we went. We ended up walking around for a couple hours - 4 hours, to be exact, from beginning to end. And I took lots of pictures - which is really the best way to discuss such a visual sensation. So here's what we saw as we walked around part of the National Mall, sticking closely to the Washington Monument:

 Dragon attack!

 The Return of the Red Baron 

 CROWDS! Masses of humanity converging on one spot...Nice bag, dude.

 Houston, we're ready for lift-off. (Houston wasn't really ready though - that thing didn't fly too well...) 

 Cute little duck, totally stuck in the fountain, bobbing around with the waves, thinking, "how in the heck am I supposed to get myself out of this mess?!"

 The little dots of kites circling the Washington Monument. And the above-mentioned duck, still just hanging out..

 One man's homemade kite, based on something to do with Lewis & Clark's documented encounters with at least 9 different Indian tribes - the kite's owner was very ready to chat about both the kite and the festival. We weren't quite prepared for his friendliness, but appreciate the tidbits of information we learned - like how trademarks and bankruptcy are two reasons why the festival is called "the Annual Blossoms Kite Festival." Neat-o, dude...

And for Nana, because every time I see flowers, I feel like I need to take pictures of them for her (they were prettier last weekend...):

And that was my Saturday morning/afternoon. So happy Spring is here! Winter hibernation - officially disbanded! Hello Life, good to see you again!

Jigsaw Surprises

I bought a new jigsaw puzzle a few weeks ago, and this afternoon seemed like the perfect time to start it.

It was a puzzle from the folk art of Eric Dowdle, and the one I bought was of Madison, Wisconsin's capital. Awesome, right? I love the lakes around Wisconsin. I wish I had spent more time on the lakes, and at the picturesque lakefront in Milwaukee while I was growing up.

As I was working on it, I came across a puzzle piece with a picture that looked surprisingly familiar to me:

Two Latter-day Saint missionaries! Hey guys! So good to see you!

A minute's research led me to learn that Eric Dowdle is an LDS artist, so of course he'd put missionaries in his folk art. I wonder if all the state captial puzzles have a pair of missionaries? I mean, it would be an accurate portrayal of the cities, since there would physically be missionaries there anyway...

Turns out, I was listening to the leaders of our church talk in General Conference at the time that I found this puzzle piece, which just seemed so fitting.

And two and a half hours after starting, I am this far on the puzzle:

Yay for 500 piece puzzles! They just go sooo much faster than 1000 piece ones...

Perfect Saturday afternoon respite.

Downton Katey

Last night, I dreamt that I was living in a dramatic mini-series that resembled what my brain must think Downton Abbey is like (I've yet to start my future obsession with that show).

It was an intense life, let me tell you.

I'm pretty sure I was 3 different characters at different points in the dream - one of which was ill and losing my hair (I'm pretty sure my dream self didn't have cancer, though, so the hair falling out was extra surprising), and because I didn't want to burden someone else with my troubles, I was going to leave my lover/husband (I'm not exactly sure about the relationship status there...) while he was sleeping, so he'd find me missing when he awoke. Which is a total bummer because he was totally cute (aaaaaand boy-crazy fifteen-year-old me beats out emotionally unstable subconscious me).

And all this dream happened in the eras of 1910-1940. It bounced back and forth between them all. Which really means that I just don't know much of the subtle differences between some of those decades...

I think my brain made this BBC mini-series in my sleep because I was talking to my brother Ben last night about Downton Abbey - he thinks I need to watch it. And in the past 3 days, 3 men (not all related to me) have told me what a great show it is, and that perspective is more compelling than all the millions of women who've told me the same thing. Ben mentioned the era in which it is set, and I told him I needed to make sure I had time to immerse myself completely in its drama, because I knew I would get wholly engrossed in it when I started watching, and my schedule has not allowed that of late.

But apparently my subconscious really wants me to watch. So I guess I'll have to listen to myself.

Who knows where my dreams will take me next, if I don't?

I'm Going to Run Amuck Around This Town!

I've been running a lot more lately - it's been beautiful when I get home, and I've been antsy to be out in it. So it means I go running.

Plus, I'm training for this.

It's going to be awesome. Mainly because it's still the shorter distance I like to run, and it has distractions to take my mind off the fact that I'm out running.

So I'm getting my legs warmed up for it. Though I should probably start working my upper body a little bit.

I'm running in a team (4 runners), and some of the other girls seem to think I'll be able to handle the climbing walls just fine, and that I can boost them over if need be. They have more faith in my non-existent arm strength than I do.

When I think of that part, all I can picture is me starting to giggle so hard because I can't get over the wall, due in part to the mud all over me and in part to my weakling arms, that I end up collapsing in a puddle of mud, all physical strength succumbing my unceasing laughter.

I'm hoping I do better than that, but I don't have much confidence in any other scenario.

Either way, it's gonna be a fun time!

Our team is signed up in the costume category - last time we talked, we decided to go with a care bear theme.

I was thinking to be:

Friend Bear

Funshine Bear

Good Luck Bear

Thoughts? What's your vote for me?

And Now For Something Completely Different (From the Last Post)-

I was so cranky this morning. I was not in the most pleasant of moods when I got to work, and I was a little bit emotional for some reason (no biological or social or rationally emotional reason). I was getting anxious about stuff that I didn't need to worry about and I wanted the day to be over. It was gross and foggy and overcast and blah outside, and my heart wasn't into the day in any way whatever.

I tried to lift my spirits by looking at kittens I could adopt in the DC area. For some reason, the idea of kittens just sounded so happy and cute, I had to try. I pulled up so many pictures of adorable kittens, and my mood definitely changed, but I don't know if it made me feel happier or sadder! So many kittens needing homes, and I can't help them all! 

I almost splurged and adopted two tuxedo kittens (it was a 2-for-1 deal - and the adoption price was pretty great!), until I remembered my roommates/landlord may or may not love that idea. But I kept their picture up to flip back to sometimes to bring a sad, doting smile to my face every once in a while through the day.

My friend told me I had to go out and get lunch somewhere fun, which might make me feel better. I mainly just knew I needed some fresh air, so I decided to treat myself to a nice lunch at Cosi with a delicious tuscan pesto sandwich and a book. I didn't have a book with me (the one I'm reading is a little too heavy to carry around in my purse...) so I went to our office "library" - a shelf with all the books people send to our office for us to read.  Most of them are boring economic or political books that I care nothing for, but there was a book on there I'd been meaning to read. It was a story of a guy who was in one of the World Trade Towers, and how he got out.  The man lives in our district and came out for a meeting once, bringing us a copy of his book, and I'd wanted to read it because he had a really cool story.

So I went to lunch, pulled out my book, and found myself totally tearing up in chapter two, when it's describing the tower being hit. I should note that the man is blind from birth, and the story is how he and his sweet seeing eye dog found their way down 78 floors, and helped others to get out along the way. 

I returned to the office, remarking to coworker Rachel that this was not a good book for an already emotional girl to try reading on her lunch break. 

But as I walked back to the office, I saw that the sun had come out and the day had finally turned into the beautiful, warm Spring day our weatherman had promised, and my mood was miraculously balanced. It truly was a miracle. I came back to the office so much more in control of myself, and feeling rather happy. It's amazing how much weather affects me, and not a little bit creepy...

Later in the afternoon, both Rachel and I needed a break, and the sun was still shining, so we took a quick 15 minute walk around the Capitol grounds. 

You guys, DC is so pretty in the Spring! It was probably 70+ degrees out, sunny, and the Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom. I haven't been down to the tidal basin, where Cherry Blossoms line the whole area - and so do tourists (boo overwhelming crowds!) - but the Capitol has some blossoms as well, so we put on our tourist hats (figurative) and took some pictures (literal). Last post was all snowy and cold. This post (for the rest of the way) - warm and beautiful! We've decided we're going to do a photo challenge and take more pictures on our afternoon walks/lunch breaks. Who knows if we'll have such easy access to the Capitol grounds this time next year?

(It's like this guy knew I was trying to get a picture of him with the Capitol in the background, he's perfectly posed. It wouldn't be surprising if he did know, though - I wasn't too quiet in my comments to Rachel during my photo attempts)

There is also this cool weeping willow/cherry blossom on the side of the Capitol, which I got pictures of as well, but apparently I didn't download it from my blackberry (oh yeah, big P.S. - we didn't intend to take pictures, so we didn't bring our phones or cameras. These pictures are all from my blackberry, so they're not the best). Unfortunately, that also means the photo that I think won Day 1 of the Random Photo Challenge 

did not make it on here. I'll have a follow-up post soon, maybe. No promises.

Anyway. This is the view I get from my office window (and by my window, I mean the chief's window, which I look through when I lean back in my chair far enough, and he's not at his desk blocking the way), and the view I get whenever I walk outside. Morning grumpies aside, I live a pretty charmed life, I know.

Ode to Winter's First Snowfall and 3-D Glasses

I think we can all say that this Winter has been a mild one.

Despite enduring more cold days than I enjoyed (6), there really wasn't much Winter to complain about - we barely saw any physical manifestations of the chilly season.

But leave it to the impending arrival of Spring to make shy Winter brave enough to come out of its shell a little.

It still eluded DC, but I caught a glimpse of the timid, cold nymph when I went to Wisconsin on my way to Iowa a few weekends ago.


**I apologize that it's taken this long to really talk about that blessed trip - I blame it on being confined to my sick bed for a week, with only the mental and physical capacity to moan and whine and watch old episodes of 30 Rock.**

Anyway.

As soon as I got to Wisconsin, the wintery flurries began to grace the northern midwestern state, and oldest brother Chris exclaimed this was probably only the 3rd snowfall they've seen in the last 4 months. I haven't seen any substantial snowfall since last Winter, so he had me beat. We grumbled and prepared for a rather obnoxiously white drive to Iowa that afternoon and evening.

Luckily, the snow only accompanied us into part of Illinois and then hung back to party in happenin' Peoria. It was lame to drive in, but definitely pretty to look at.

 So much snow, so suddenly. A shocking lack of color.

 My travel companion, mr. ladybug, poking his head over the dash to check out the road conditions. They weren't great.

Ode to a farm house, clouded by the weight of snow in the air, serene in the stillness of white.

The snow and the drive directed my thoughts to Robert Frost's Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening - and I'm guessing Chris's thoughts were, consciously or not, stealing from the poem as well. And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep.

Despite the snow, we made it to Iowa an hour earlier than we had anticipated - mainly because the GPS we had originally taken our arrival time from hadn't been changed to standard time since we left daylight savings in October (NOTE: Chris, don't forget to switch it back to daylight time again!). So when we left, it told us we'd arrive at 11pm, but once we were about 72 miles away, we felt pretty confident that it would take us 2 hours to get to their house, at a speed of 70 miles per hour (math nerds - can you confirm our reasoning?). Once we got the GPS switched to standard time, the arrival time looked sooooo much better. Especially because that meant we got to surprise the Iowa clan by showing up early!

And scared them we did. What a way to make an entrance - Chris, niece Maddie, and I racing to get in the door first, scaring the bejeezus out of the adults standing in the kitchen. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

The weekend was a blast. We watched a little basketball at night, chatted and laughed about anything and everything, watched sweet, excited, nervous Emilie get baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and thoroughly enjoyed one another's company. Laura and I got in one or two "Just Dance" dances - awesome - and we got the whole family involved in "Glee: Karaoke." I must say, our family is musically gifted. Maybe not in the way good singers are gifted, but we can rock the karaoke. Who knew? Ben/Laura, Chris/Jodi, Mom/Dad, and Maddie/Caleb were exceptionally good dueters. I loved it all.

We also went and saw The Lorax: 3D because it just looked so good, and I loved that story (so colorful!) growing up. We left dad at home with a sleeping baby, of course, and took the rest of the group out. I won't lie - I didn't love it like I wanted to, which is surprising because usually if I'm determined to enjoy a movie, I will. But it was still a cute movie, and regardless of how I felt about it, this particular activity is getting highlighted because apparently it's the only other time I thought to whip out my phone camera. Because who doesn't love pictures in fat nerd glasses?

 Jodi and her two eldest children - all three of these people just exude coolness.

Me and Caleb. So hot right now.

 Grammy Dette (mom), Caleb, me - generations!

Maddie - supermodel.

Niece Maddie had the great idea of popping her lenses out of her glasses, once we got home, and I found myself coveting them for awhile, until I decided I could do the same with my glasses (or she could, rather). And then we got to be twinners! I felt totally hipster in them, which made me feel conflicted, because I enjoyed wearing the glasses, but I wouldn't consider myself one with the hipster fashion/un-fashion movement, you know?

 Me and Maddie - she's 13 years old!!! WHAT?!?!?! So fun to have an practically-an-adult teenage niece!

I look like a giant dork in these fatty glasses. Luckily, I try to embrace the huge nerd in me whenever possible.

And just so you see the what good-looking men are in my family, here they are (minus one, who's also very good-looking and likely has a black jacket he could wear with these boys):

Ben, Dad, Chris (sorry dad, I had another picture where you're not making a weird face, but it wouldn't load! I think your face is cute this way anyway :)

You guys, my family rocks. I'm so glad I got to go out and visit them, even if it was just a weekend trip that brought me home with strep throat. The two days in Iowa, and the two back-to-back roadtrips were awesome. I had some great conversations with Chris in the car, and with Jodi, when she could hear us from the way back of the car (Jodi, you're amazing, you bless my life with your selflessness in car trips!), and we continued the storytelling and conversations at their home in Wisconsin. It's awesome having a niece who's old enough to understand and begin to appreciate those conversations as well. Maddie stayed up chatting with us on Sunday, and it was fun to hear the input of at 13 year old on so many topics.

Team Barlow, I'm such a fan! Can't wait to repeat these fun times with more family members in May!!

Fashion Taste and Teenage Boys

A rather effeminate 15-year old young man told me on the metro today that he really liked my purse - he liked the yellow and the design. It was a really great bag, he said.

I smiled, sincerely and appreciatively thanked him, then, not knowing if I should engage in some additional banter about my choosing that purse, or how it's been dyed blue in places from my winter coat, the train pulled up to my stop and I gratefully moved past my pondering on how to engage in idle chit-chat and walked out of the train.

I went out one door; he and his two super skinny jean-ed friends went out the other door.

I could have responded with something like, "I like your one earring" or "I like how skinny your legs look in your painted on jeans - I'd love to have legs like that," but it felt like one of those moments where returning a compliment for a compliment seemed a little too trite and concocted.

Plus, I really couldn't think of anything else to respond with - a compliment about my purse from a teenage boy is a new experience for me. My brain didn't process it into a normal situation quickly enough.

But you better believe I'm taking that compliment - I'll gladly accept any and every compliment to my sense of style or taste, no matter the source from whence it came.

I swear I don't lack self-confidence...

Back to Work

Today was my first full, 8-hour workday in almost a week and a half.

I won't lie, it was rough.

Congress is out of session this week, which is nice, because I can catch up on my 178 emails without going crazy with meetings and what-not.

But my endurance is not what it was two weeks ago.

My sleep patterns have been thoroughly messed up, and Daylight Savings did NOT help.

But I'm back! Turns out, strep throat is not fun at all, but I feel like the drugs kicked in and cleared me up so quickly, and I certainly appreciated it.

And I got back to good health in just the right time - because SPRING is HERE! And I'm so happy about it.

I'm also happy that the Hunger Games movie comes out next week - I'm watching something about it right now, and I'm just so excited. I just reread the book a few weeks ago in preparation, and I'm giddy with anticipation.

And that's all, for a general update.

Hope you are all well, too!

I'm A Little Bit Positive My Health/Sickness Post Isn't Very Exciting At All

Left town to see family for the weekend.

Came back with strep throat.

Worth it! (Generally - the pain really sucks, but the weekend was so fun!)

I went to the doctor tonight, because my ear and throat have been killing me since Monday. A niece had an ear infection all weekend, and a roommate had strep throat weeks ago, so I was anxious my pain might be something more severe than your general cold. Particularly since it wasn't going away or morphing into a stuffy nose/cough/voice loss yet...

My ear was really killing me yesterday, so I stopped by the nurse at work to have her peer into my ears and tell me if she saw anything terrible. She didn't see anything more than just a little wax build-up, which she said was good. Then she stood in front of me, a few feet back, and aimed a flashlight into my mouth. Almost as soon as I opened it, she flicked off the light and said, "ooooooh, my, yes, that throat is red!" She asked if I've ever had strep, and I said, "NO, NEVER!!!!" I didn't like where she was going with that question, so I thought I'd respond emphatically enough for her to know that it couldn't possibly be strep. She then gave me a few pills to see if they would help, and casually mentioned that it might be good to get this checked out, just in case - strep throat is easily treatable, but can be dangerous if not taken care of.

And even though I knew I couldn't possibly have strep throat, her warning struck fear in me.

I really don't like going to the doctor. The visit itself isn't bad at all (usually). It's just that waiting - sitting in a waiting room, looking through boring magazines without actually reading them, watching a tv without hearing it, glancing at your fellow sickies and wondering what's getting them down, and hoping you're not worse, yet also hoping you look sick enough to justify your being there, in line before them. But mainly being anxious that you're actually going to be told you're dying, when all you wanted was to find out that your sore throat is just a sore throat.

So I put the visit off another day. I thought I'd see if the nurse's pills could help me.

They didn't.

So I called in sick today, considered trying to clean up our house a little, stuck in a movie instead, and then spent the rest of my day lounging in my bed, trying not to swallow.

Finally, I went to the doctor this evening, after my roommates came home and I started feeling bad for them - it's one thing for me to be in denial about my health, but I feel bad making them wonder what they should be trying to avoid catching from me. So, after ruling out the possibility of using Face Time between Abby's and my I-Phones to have her doctor husband look at my throat (the connection isn't always the best at her house). I found an urgent care clinic nearby and stopped in.

And it was good that I went when I did, because the next person to come in after me, about 15 minutes later, was turned away because they took their last patient. I didn't know urgent care centers could close at 7:30pm, but whatever.

I was soon taken into a room, and a young nurse took my temperature (99 degrees, .4 degrees higher than the typical temp. - it was 98 even yesterday, so I hoped they might cancel each other out...), and my blood pressure - I'm pretty average on that front. It's funny - one's health seems like the only thing people are happy to hear they're average at.

Then the doctor came in. He first looked at my ears, and said nothing much was wrong with them - just a little waxy build-up, which he said was fine. Then he stood a few feet in front of me and aimed a flashlight into my mouth. Almost as soon as I opened my mouth, he flicked off the light and said, "oooooh my, yes, that throat is red!"

When I get that reaction two times in a row, I tend to get a little self-conscious, but I tried to look like those comments weren't hurtful.

He then felt my neck, noting that it was quite swollen. I thought, "I could'a told you that - every time I move my head, I can feel the swelling in my neck/tonsil region."

This was when I wondered why I refused to believe that my sore throat could be anything but a cold, when I realized all that I was aware of, regarding the pain I was in. But let's not dwell on my denial.

The doctor said he'd get a swab sample of my throat to test quickly, if I didn't mind. I emphatically noted that I sure didn't mind. I wanted nothing more than to get confirmation that I didn't have strep. I'd already found out - twice - that my ears weren't the problem, so ear infection was out. I just needed to cross out the other possibility. I was told to open wide and say, "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," and I made it to the third "h" when he stuck the swab in my mouth and practically gagged me with his quick swipe of my throat. I sometimes forget that my throat is so far back in my mouth. I could feel where he swiped at for the whole 3 minutes wait. It wasn't pleasant.

Three minutes later, the doctor came in and sympathetically noted that my test came back "a little bit positive." I didn't know that was possible, but I can always learn something new. He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, gave me some other directions for other pills to take, like ibuprofen and a decongestant, and offered to write me a prescription for another pill, if the pain in my throat is bad. I responded that I would LOVE that prescription, so he got that written up for me as well. Then he nodded to me like I was stupid when I asked if I just take the two prescriptions to the pharmacist and that was all - I believe his nod was valid though, because that was a stupid question. I don't get prescriptions much.

So now I'm all medicated up. I'm hoping that since my test was just "a little bit positive," it means the antibiotics will kick in quickly and clear me up fast. I haven't run a fever at all with this, which usually goes hand in hand with strep, and I haven't shown any other typical symptoms, so my roommate and I decided my immune system must be strong like ox. It's been kicking butt the last few days all on it's own. So I got that going for me.

I also feel slightly less guilt-ridden about calling in sick from work - because I am sick! I can prove it! It's not just me being wussy! And it's kind of nice to have something that can be treated by drugs. I don't just have to wait this one out. Thank goodness, because it's just not possible to not swallow. Try as I might, I have to swallow sometimes. Lame!

Anyway, was that more than you wanted to read about regarding my health? Talking to mother about this, I complained that it's been weeks since my roommate had strep, so I don't know how I suddenly got it, and she mentioned that sometimes something can be dwelling in your system for a while, and altitude changes from flights and everything can make it act up suddenly. So I actually count my blessings right now that I didn't feel sick at all during the weekend with family. I didn't feel my throat or ear pains until late Sunday night/Monday morning.  So it didn't ruin the fun family festivities at all! Positive!

P.S. I refuse to take the blame for any sickness any Barlows may come down with in the next month. So don't start jumping on the blame train after skimming through this lame post! Guilt isn't good for my condition, you know.

Happy Birthday!

Happy 100th Birthday, Oreo!

In honor of this day, I've enjoyed 3 mint oreo cookies for dessert.

(I would've eaten more, but they were the last 3 oreos in the box...sad face )

Hope everyone could celebrate this blessed birthday as happily as I did!