Wednesday, March 23, 2011

sympathy for the martyr

We are still alive! 

Recent thoughts:

- I love rural Virginia and Maryland.  The recent monsoon created a blow down on rt 28 on the way to the barn.


No biggie, the guy in the white truck pulled out his chainsaw and started hacking away before the firemen even got there.

- Beau loves cardinals. He'd never seen one till Virginia, and is fascinated by their bright color. 

- I rode home from the barn yesterday. I think I'll make that a habit.  Plus, it saves money on the ferry ride! I still fail to understand why there aren't more bridges across the Potomac River.  We have also been on a few rides on the W&OD trail, which runs from Alexandria-ish to Purcellville.



- I had my first ever roadkill today. A squirrel. The bump was so insignificant as I ran over the little thing that I wondered if I had killed other animals and not even realized it. Ashley, remember that time you hit a little white dog?

- We got a new windshield today. It had cracked last summer (presumably because of heat, as there was no chip and it appeared on a day we hadn't driven it) and it was big enough to stop us from passing Virginia's safety inspection.  The emissions inspection was a whole other drama- the "check engine" light has been on in our car for as long as I can remember.  When we've taken it in for oil changes and such, they have never been concerned.  Now that we are needing to pass the state emissions, I was nervous about how we were going to fix the problem.  We got a diagnostic and they estimated $800 to fix the problem that they admitted was nothing serious.  After some grumbling, we decided that we'd better make an appointment to get this clunker of a car inspection-ready. Two days later, the check engine light miraculously turned off, giving me the opportunity to get the car checked and passed. Done and done! I felt like I should get a prize. I guess I did, as we didn't have to pay $800.

- Beau's birthday is a week from tomorrow, and mine is two weeks after that! Happy birthdays. 25 and 23.


- I have been reading "Eat, Pray, Love" and I'm surprised how much I enjoy it. I have a weird habit of disliking the norm.  Sometimes I feel like it is a personality flaw, other times an opportunity for expression.  Either way, I was not dying to read the novel as I felt that it was too cliche.  But any book that is made into a movie should be good, right? I'm not finished yet, but I recommend what I've read so far.

- In case anyone is wondering, we are still living in Ashburn with my parents. My job is in Poolesville, Maryland, which is 35-45 minutes away.  We are hoping to find a cheap apartment up there, not only to be closer to the barn but also because the area is just lovely.  Beau is still looking, and may be going the law enforcement route. We are excited!

Welp, this is getting longer than I intended.  Maybe one day we'll have a real life and real jobs and a real update. I hope that day comes soon.