First week down

Fall is in the air. Sure, it was about 80 degrees today, but it's so close I can smell it. I am actually not a huge fan of summer, so I am more than ready for a new season. I live on a tree-lined street now, and I am very much ready for the leaves to start to change, and then fall. I'm ready for them to crunch under my feet. Ready for cozy sweaters, socks and boots, and basketball!

This weekend was the perfect opening to Fall. It was absolutely beautiful. A great reason to abandon the decorating and organizing duties, and get out of the apartment.

Saturday I went with Karey and Ashley to climb the bell tower near the Iwo Jima memorial. It provided a great view of D.C. across the river, with the background music of the bells ringing (loudly) in the background. (And by background, I mean two feet behind and above us.)
After that Ashley led us to a street fair in Clarendon. Lots of great jewelery, arty, and historial-esque fares in the stalls. Sadly, no free food samples, but the day was too nice to make too much of a difference.

Sunday I got up far too early to go to a non-denominational church about two minutes from my apartment. It was a very small congregation, with a significantly older crowd. It was good, but I will be trying a few more before making a decision.

After that, I decided to head into the city for the first time since moving. I had seen a crafts fair advertised called "Crafty Bastards." Automatically, it's going to have to be awesome since it has one of my top five inappropriate words in the title. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. After failing to write the address down, I ended up wandering around Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan areas for more than an hour - in vain. It was a nice walk, pretty outside, and it's always good to see new areas. But after my feet started crying and my throat started begging for relief, I back-tracked to a Starbucks, and then decided to give up and follow a sign toward the White House.

Which I found, so at least I'm not so directionally challenged and lost-prone I can't find that. I sat on a bench in a little park across from it and read for a while, resisting the urge to call Mom and say, "I'm reading a book! In front of the White House!" Instead I settled for reading, and tourist-watching, and stealing a glance at it occasionally and grinning.

And I'm ok with being a bit of a dork. I still get a feeling of comfort and joy when Goldsboro's Center Street is lit up at Christmas. The Old Well still takes my breath away and Big Ben makes me instantly smile. I think as long as the familiar sites of a place excite you, as long as the ordinary things never become mundane, then you're doing something right.


And now it is Monday/Tuesday and it's back to organizing and job hunting. It is a very frustrating search, but I know something will have to change eventually. I hope.